A Day In The Life in Jacó

What does ministry in Jacó, Costa Rica look like? Well, here’s a typical schedule. 

 

7am: wake up, quiet time to read my Bible and journal 

8am: breakfast with the team and cleanup 

9am: group devotional with guest speaker 

10am: prepare paints and supplies for the day

10:30am: begin painting or another task such as helping Ocean’s Edge around the property 

12:30pm: lunch 

1:30: back to work

4:30pm: go back to base

5:00pm: cleanup

6:30: dinner and cleanup

8:00pm: team time (share testimonies, debrief from the day) 

9:30pm: bed time 

 

Every other Friday is Surf Club on the beach that includes a song and Bible story. Wednesdays we have a prayer gathering at the church. 

 

Ocean’s Edge is our ministry partner and they are affiliated with the local church, Horizon. Ocean’s Edge main task right now is painting light posts, beach showers, hand washing stations, and the park with colorful murals reflecting Costa Rican animals and plants. The project began with the desire of beautifying Jacó, and now the city government has fallen in love with their efforts and supplied them with paint to continue the work. This is a huge blessing that the city would pay a Christian organization to work for them. The municipal government even wants Oceans Edge to expand to other cities!

 

It’s been wonderful to be part of this mission, but to be honest… painting for three weeks straight in the heat began to feel tiresome and lonely. My squad struggled with the knowledge that God had us exactly where He wanted us and our thirst for something different. While painting in the park, not many people walked by so it was mostly only my team and a swarm of mosquitoes to keep us company. Those days were long and hard. But in the mundane and humidity is where God was refining me. He rid me of my self righteous desire to be the savior for others. I didn’t see any lives being changed from me painting a wall; I wanted to be the one who led someone to salvation! As the days stretched on and all we did was paint and hardly see anyone, God kept whispering to me, “Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” I fought God on this one. I retorted back, “Lord, why would you bring me all the way here just to stand in an empty park and paint leaves?” I’m very thankful for the Lord’s patience because then He told me,“Am I not faithful?” 

 

Yes, Jesus, you are! You pulled together 18 unlikely young adults, got them fully funded, and got them through any opposition that tried to stop them from coming on this trip. The fact that we are all here and loving one another shows God’s faithfulness! God brought me through my initial summer 2020’s trip cancellation and led me here. 

 

So I had to choose to believe that standing in the heat painting a leaf displayed me serving God exactly how He wanted. I had to release my doubt and selfishness. I wasn’t here to save the masses because of my perfect retelling of the gospel, only Jesus can change people’s hearts. 

 

So, today (June 23rd), I was no longer painting in the park. I painted a hand washing station outside an ice cream shop. I never thought I would be so grateful to sit in a parking lot and paint a crab! Every smile or curious look from a passerby uplifted me. And the Lord provided my painting group with numerous encounters this day! A few were people saying a simple thank you which was enough for me to feel Gods love. And others we got to stop and pray for. 

 

We prayed for a man with sciatic pain that he would not only be healed, but also know the love of God. He walked a few steps down the street, turned around, and thanked us that his pain was gone. God provided a healing! 

 

An aspiring artist named Jose stopped and bought us ice cream and new paint brushes. We also talked to him about church and community. 

 

An older man played his guitar for us and then we had a conversation about how he’s our brother in Christ. 

 

Another man asked us what TV he should buy from the store. Random, I know, but I was thankful that he felt like he could approach us. 

 

A little girl admired our painting and shared what she likes to paint as well. 

 

I share these stories not as a way to proclaim that God was faithful to me because he brought me cool encounters with people. Because God would’ve still been faithful even if none of that happened. Gods faithfulness doesn’t depend on what I can see happening right in front of me. He is the great I Am because he created the universe and made a way for me to access Him through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. 

 

I’m beginning to realize that my perception of God can’t depend on how many miracles I see. I have the Holy Spirit within me and that’s a miracle! The Bible is filled with stories of God’s provision! I’m grateful for the moments God reveals unique and touching experiences, but that can’t be the basis of my faith. 

 

I’m extremely grateful that I’ve been spiritually challenged this month, so continue to pray that me and my team will continue to deepen our understanding of the Lord. 

 

Adios, Jennasey