Today I Taught Spanish
Today I taught Spanish. To be more clear, I substitute taught for a Spanish class. Usually as a substitute teacher, there’s a pretty low expectation set. This is especially true when I go in to sub for a teacher or class I’ve never been in before. I’m expected to take attendance, maintain order in the […]
Eye Surgery for Carlos
Meet Carlos. He works at Faithful Servant Missions as the Recreation Supervisor. When you visit the mission, you’ll usually see him running around with the children and a whistle. He organizes games, teams, challenges, and more for students of all ages. He gives kids a place to play safely and carefree in a community that sees […]
Shopping!
One of my favorite things to watch when I’m scrolling on TikTok is how people in other countries live. Seeing locals and expats walk around their towns is so fascinating! I love noticing the differences in how life is set up, especially things like streets, transportation, and stores. So when the head teacher asked if […]
Growing in Faith
On my last trip to Costa Rica, one of my favorite experiences was sitting in on the adults’ English class. The teacher, Johan, works with both kids and adults in the community. He primarily teaches English, but his classroom also houses a computer lab. Here, students of all ages learn basic computer skills including programs […]
Rainbow
Everything in Costa Rica is beautiful. At every turn there’s a mountain, tree canopy, cotton candy clouds, and vibrant flowers. Yet I’m still amazed at the neverending gifts of God through the nature he created here. A simple rain shower is more beautiful against the backdrop of luscious greenery. The setting sun sets the sky […]
BOGO Fro-Yo
I’ve been in Costa Rica for one week now, and I’ve noticed a few things seem to be loved no matter the culture: Wednesday is BOGO day at one of the local frozen yogurt shops! So my friend Victoria (read her story in the EMPOWERED journal), my friend Jenny (one of the FSM staff), and […]
Call Me Maestra
The main reason I’m spending a month in Costa Rica is to support the ministry leaders at La Viña San Ramón, which is the church that has its home at Faithful Servant Missions. Each week these twelve leaders and I will gather together to study Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. This week we had […]
Satisfied
I woke up and had one of my favorite breakfasts – empanadas! One of the things I remember most from my time in Costa Rica last October was the food. We had fresh pico de gallo, homemade tortillas, and a variety of flavorful spiced rice and bean dishes every day. Plus fresh, tropical fruits like […]
Guava Bread
My friend Ute and I walked to a local bakery to pick up a variety of sweet breads. One was filled with cream cheese and sprinkled with coarse sugar. One was filled with a strawberry jam and some kind of cream. The final one was filled with a guava jam. Locally it’s called guayaba. So. […]
Relatable
Walking through San Ramón I saw a nurse heading into the hospital for work. She was about my age. White scrubs. Long blonde balayage hair in a high ponytail with a slight wave to it. Small gold hoop earrings. And a Stanley cup. Some things are not so different even thousands of miles away! We […]