Going Back

I am going back to Costa Rica! Glory. I am trying to raise support right now while I am home. My plan is to go back for 2 years and serve in the addictions recovery program. I have a couple places where I can stay while there working. I know that God has called me there and I am certain He will provide for me to return. My needs are pretty basic and I can get most of what I need when I am there in Costa Rica. I am really excited to be able to go back to Quepos and share life with the team I was working with. I need monthly support for the next couple of years while there.

Back Home

I have been back in the states now for a week. The first few days I was here I thought I was doing great and that I wasn't having a hard time adjusting, but I have been having a difficult time. I have been feeling pretty depressed and lost. I went from being around guys in recovery every day to just trying to raise support back in the states. I really miss being in Quepos doing what I was doing. As difficult as it was at times there, I really, really, miss being around the guys. I went to house church last night and felt like I was able to come out of my funk. I have been feeling lonely, out of place, and stressed. I was able to share with my friends what my experience was like. I was laying in bed kind of replaying yesterdays events and I thought about the program men. There was quite a bit of confrontation at times and I had to make some tough decisions as far as letting guys in the program or dismissing them. Some guys chose to leave on their own.....out time was often spent trying to convince them that they are making a bad decision. Some of these guys lived a hard life...I mean, they have had a way harder road than I ever had. Some had been in gangs, or still are.....My point is....I feel like I got to witness God begin a work in them. I saw a guy cry who probably hasn't cried since he was a baby. I saw one guy from El Salvador who had been walking the wrong way start asking questions about God and try to do right.....Even thought the men make bad choices and we have to deal with attitudes we get to see God begin a work in them....seeds are planted and watered. I mean guys come in hopeless and even when they leave early they still are going to have hope. I could ramble on forever and I feel like I cannot express how Christ changes people from the inside out. AHhh!

Last Sunday

My last Sunday here in Costa Rica was a blast. I had the chance to to teach, baptize a man, and watch a couple guys in the program put on boxing gloves and fight for fun. The man in the program is named Robert. He has a great story and lived a crazy life before coming here. He is 60 years old and grew up knowing nothing but gangs, drugs and he was also raised to believe in Buddism. He came to believe in Christ about a month ago and he just recently asked if he could be baptized. He confessed his sins and he confessed his belief in Jesus Christ, then we dunked him! We allow the guys to box every now and then for fun and it usually draws a ton of attention. A couple other guys stole the show....a real fight broke out about 30 yds down the beach. My last day at the beach was a memorable one.

San Jose Trip

I currently don´t have internet at the new house so I have had to go to an internet cafe to access email and update my blog. I was fortunate enough to go to San Jose with my friend Jimmy this past weekend. I stayed with his brother and sister. Right as you get into downtown San Jose you an tell that you are in the city. Quepos is laid back and relatively quite. San Jose´s downtown is packed with people, stores, homeless, bars, and restaurants. I kind of felt like I was in a movie or maybe it felt like it because I have watched a lot of foreign films? We went to Jimmy´s neighborhood and I quickly saw what he had described to me before we went. There are a bunch of homeless and the poverty is pretty bad....worse than what I have seen in the states. It was pretty cool to see Jimmy in action with people from his old neighborhood. He only talks to people about God, no sports or unrelevant topics. Drugs are dirt cheap and robberies happen often. You can tell that there is not much going on but evil...so his philosophy is to tell as many people about God while he is there. It was awesome to witness him interact with everyone...cause it seemed like everyone knew him. Jimmy was formerly a crack cocaine addict and huffed a lot of glue. He went to a program and has been clean for about 6 years now. He is married, has four kids, and is the director of the recovery program where I work. While in San Jose we visited one of the families of one of the men that is in the program. When Jimmy goes back to San Jose he routinely does this to help the families. We also ran into about half a dozen men who had left the program and Jimmy on a number of occasions when we were riding the bus would point out the window and say,¨there goes so and so." It was pretty insane to see so many guys from the program back out on the streets. I am convinced that I met a couple men who were demon possessed.( yes I do believe in demon possession). They were in active addiction and it was clear to me that I was not communicating with the man I was talking to. It was pretty sad and scary. One of the sadder things I have witnessed here in Quepos and in San Jose is the men that are alcoholics drink rubbing alcohol. It is about 50 cents and strong as all get out. Usually it is used to disinfect or light fires down here but they drink it. I saw one man awake and an hour or so later we went by him again and he was coma tose with an empty bottle laying next to him...all I could do is shake my head and ask God why? Pretty clear to me that we need to help others at whatever the cost is to us. Man it was sad. One of the coolest things to me is when you go into a Costa Rican families home they are extremely hospitable. Within 10 seconds of walking through the door you are offered food and it is usually already prepared. If it is not prepared they will ask you if they can make you something. Are you thirsty, are you hungry, do you want more? Wow it is awesome to be treated so well. I am also leaving next Tuesday morning. My plan is to get home and relax and try to raise support to come back asap. I love it here and I love working with the men. I am looking forward to seeing friends and family, but I am not looking forward to leaving relationships that I have started. See ya

We were without water at the new house for about 3 days. We ended up taking showers in the rain and underneath the run-off from the roof. It was kind of fun for a change. We thought that we were without water for something that happened in the city but it turned out that the landlord turned it off by accident. One other small problem that I am having currently is a rash over half of my body. I ate Chinese food the other night and about an hour after eating it I started itching all over. I went to the pharmacy yesterday and the doctor gave me a couple shots that should clear it up. It looks pretty gross and itches like crazy. It must be the MSG or something that caused an allergic reaction. Jared and Eileen have a great new home and it has been great being apart of it. I am winding down getting prepared to leave in a little less than two weeks.