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“What neighborhood is the Walmart in?”

“Zapato is what I thought she said.”

So we asked the taxi driver to take us to the Wal-Mart in Zapato. (Zapato is the Spanish word for shoe.) He looked confused and told us that all the Walmarts sell shoes. He eventually figured out that we meant the neighborhood Zapote and took us there. We then found out the Walmart was actually in San Sebastián. 🙂

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. ~ Mark 8:35

It’s hard to believe my time in Costa Rica is already half over! I have been learning how to “adult” in a second language. 🙂 Simple things that we take for granted like making banking transactions, learning to navigate the city, and getting to the grocery store are a little more complicated at first.

Last week was spiritual emphasis week at school. We had chapel every morning, and the theme was losing your life for the sake of Christ. We often think about that in terms of losing our physical life or dying to our selfish and sinful desires, but we had a different take on it. If God calls us to surrender our lives to His control, He may ask us to lose any part of our lives including our independence to some level, our ability to express ourselves because we don’t know the language well, our possessions/comforts of home, and opportunities to be involved in people’s lives back at home. The speaker challenged us to be willing to lose any part of our lives, to think about what we have lost in leaving home, and appropriately address any reactions to those losses.

While it may be hard to lose part of our lives, the reality is the blessings and life we find in Christ far outweigh the sacrifices! In Mark 10:29-30, Jesus promises, “A hundredfold now in this time…” in addition to the eternal rewards. What a privilege it is to serve Him and be a part of what He is doing in the world. He gave His life for us, and just that is enough reason for us to give our lives for Him. But what a good, gracious, loving Father He is to give us blessings on top of the gift of eternal life!

Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. ~ Mark 10:29-30

Life in Costa Rica

I have been enjoying living in a climate that doesn’t get below the mid 60’s or above the mid 80’s! It is rainy season, but most mornings are sunny. My classes are in the afternoons, so I have spent time in the two parks nearby several mornings working out. If it rains, it usually happens in the afternoons during class.

Classes have been going well. I have a 1-hour class to learn new vocabulary and practice conversation in Spanish. After a break, we have 2 hours of grammar. Both teachers explain things well (almost completely in Spanish), and with just 2 others in my class, we get plenty of practice.

Prayer Requests

Please pray I would retain all the new vocabulary, and I would be able to recall it when I need to use it. Thank you for all your prayers!

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