The Battle Cry

From 10pm on Sunday night until 10pm on Monday night, groups of students went to the pool room in two-hour shifts for 24 hours of prayer. Throughout the week, there was a "Goblet of Prayer" where we could put prayer requests. It was full of small white squares with prayers from fellow students and leaders. 

My room had a morning slot from 8-10 on Monday. We sat down, opened in prayer, and went around the circle drawing requests out and praying for them out loud, then the added requests on the board, then over the praises people wrote down on the board across the room. 

My roommate and I loved it so much, that we stayed for the following shift with three other students.

The four hours seriously felt like 30 minutes. And it was the most humbling thing that we have done here at GAP so far. I'm not speaking just for myself when I say I felt extremely convicted of how little I've cared about all the things going on in people's lives. I didn't know about the vast majority of the prayer requests. Some of them were small and others were heart-wrenching. Finding out about the things people here are struggling with was so hard to learn from a slip of paper. And I could have known about it all if I just asked people how they were doing. 

I realized one of the biggest things I take for granted here is everyone's openness and vulnerability with each other. No one would hesitate to share their prayer requests if we just asked. But most of us don't.

Someone put Acts 4:31 in the bucket, and so far everyone I've talked to about the Battle Cry was moved by it.

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of god boldly."

God revealed the power of prayer to me and the other students through this verse and the 24 hours of prayer. One of my friends described everyone leaving the pool room after their shift like Moses coming down the mountain with a glowing face. It was the most moving thing that I've done since I've been here. 

The joy in the Villa yesterday was so AMAZING! I pray that we all keep this compassion and genuine concern for each other as we approach next May, and also when we go home after GAP ends.

University Trip!

Sorry this is so short! I just realized I haven't blogged in a while!

We got to go to UCR Friday morning during Spanish class! Our purpose was to practice Spanish with college students on campus for an hour or so. Some guys were sitting around and we asked if they would give us a campus tour, and they said yes! Then another guy and girl joined us a few minutes later! We walked and spoke Spanish the whole time (well, pretty much- they asked us to speak English slowly so they could see if they understood... and then told us they don't like English, so we started back up with Spanish). 

Since I don't talk to many Costa Ricans outside of church and ESL, I felt like it was the most real conversation I've been a part of since I've been here! We just talked about whatever random things came up: school, other places in Costa Rica that we've visited, what we came for, etc. They taught us some new pachuco (that I don't remember now), but hopefully we made some friends that we can keep hanging out with and talking to as the year goes on!

Let the Waters Rise

All week in Panama I had "Let the Waters Rise" by Mikeschair stuck in my head. I didn't listen to it before I came. I didn't think about it. It just popped into my head when we were crossing the sketchy bridge on the border, and it was no accident. Here are the lyrics:

Don't know where to begin

It's like my world's caving in

And I try but I can't

Control my fears

Where do I go from here?

Sometimes it's so hard to pray

When You feel so far away

But I am willing to go 

where you want me to

God I trust You

(chorus)

There's a raging sea

Right in front of me

Wants to pull me in

Bring me to my knees

So let the waters rise

If You want them to

I will follow You

I will follow You

I will swim in the deep

'Cause You'll be next to me

You're in the eye of the storm

And the calm of the sea

You're never out of reach

God You know where I've been

You were there with me then

You were faithful before

You'll be faithful again

I'm holding Your hand

(chorus)

God Your love is enough

You will pull me through

I'm holding onto You

God, Your love is enough

I will follow You

I will follow You

It reminded me that I have to be willing to "let the waters rise" in my life so that I learn to cling onto what the Lord has planned for me. I have to wait on Him this time. He's not supplying me with an answer right away. And while I'm waiting, I can't fight the rising water alone. I have to rely on God to lead me. I have to  trust that He will show me what He planned. "[He was] faithful before and [He'll be] faithful again." I just have to trust His timing.

Prayer requests:

-That God makes it known to me what His plan is- not based on my desires and not other people's desires, only His.

-That distractions stay away so that I can fully focus on what is happening here!

-It sounds small, but self-control for me not eating gluten anymore!

Panama!

We have to leave the country every 90 days to renew our Visas/Passports (I don't know what to call it), so this semester we went to Bocas del Toro, Panama for 4 days!

Here's a recap!

Day 1: We left the Villa at 1:00am on Tuesday and started the 5 hour drive to Panama! I didn't take a nap on Monday because I planned on sleeping on the bus. But what do you know? I couldn't fall asleep… No matter how hard I tried. 

     First stop, 5:15am: the border. We got there an hour and 45 minutes before it opened, but it was light outside and we were restless, so a group of us got out and walked around to see what was there. Well, just in case you're ever on the Costa Rica/Panama border, let me tell you now that nothing is open at 5:15am. So we walked down the street and walked back. Then we sat on some benches. Then we sat on the street. Then we watched countless kids cross what might be the sketchiest bridge on earth (that's still in use). I thought about getting back on the bus, but you know when you leave a room and you come back and you think you're going to suffocate from the horrible smell? Yeah? I didn't get back on the bus. Then two hours later, we did all the customs forms. Then WE got to cross the bridge. It was probably more fun because I hadn't slept in 24 hours.

     Second stop: The first water taxi. I don't have anything to say about it, but we got on a few boats and went to the main island. We ate lunch on the main island and wandered around for a while. It was really hot, and when you add a gray T-shirt and a hiking backpack filled with other people's things with constant sweat, you can imagine what I looked like.

     Third stop: The second water taxi. These were similar boats that took us from the main island to Bastimentos Island where our (very nice, air-conditioned) hostel was. When we got settled in, we went down to the beach. The water was crystal clear (quite the opposite of the lake-y beach water we were in a few weeks ago). It was BEAUTIFUL! Then after 38 hours, I was out like a light. 

Day 2: We left the hostel around 9 am and went to a nursing home on the main island. My friend Myra and I found one lady named Maria, and went over to talk to her. We didn't understand one single word she said, but she started to laugh uncontrollably, and the three of us sat there and cracked up for a solid 20 minutes. She kept talking and laughing, and eventually we took her outside. There were tons of GAP students out there so I went to find someone to talk to inside. It took me about 45 minutes to find someone who spoke clearly AND could hear what I said, but eventually I found Libertario. He didn't know any English and he had been in that nursing home for 20 years, yet he looked significantly younger than the other people there. He first came in a wheelchair and completely rehabilitated and was "walking, running and jumping" now. He was really easy to talk to! 

     Then I wandered around more and found Tomás (Tommy) laying in his bed. He thought I was the "chica loca" dancing in the lobby (cough cough Myra). He knew some English, and we talked about how he liked Costa Rica and the US. He couldn't hear me very well, but he could read lips. I can't count how many times he told me the differences between each coast of Costa Rica and the cost of living in Panama versus the US, but it was A LOT. After a while, Libertario came and joined the conversation. He was my translator. But not from English to Spanish- from Spanish to louder Spanish. 

     It was pretty disheartening to see how the people there lived. I think they just sit around all day. Of the people I talked to, none of their families ever visited. They are fed some bread or rice during the day, but nothing of nutritional value. They were served cookies and bananas as a treat from the other gringos there. But overall, it was a great morning!

In the afternoon, we went snorkeling! I only used the goggles for about 5 minutes because it was more fun to just swim around! But then people started to get stung by jellyfish. Tons of people did, but I hadn't even seen any. AT the second stop, I didn't get stung, but my hand grazed the top of a huge one and that was it- I got out of the water for good. That evening we went back to the beach to hang out for a while and have a cookout! I looked like I had chicken pox because I was eaten alive by sand fleas (FYI: bug spray doesn't repel sand fleas). We had hot dogs and Chiky s'mores. If you have never had Chikys, go to your nearest Mexican market and buy some.

Day 3: We walked on a dirt path on Bastimentos to a native tribe! It's not the kind of tribe you might be thinking of. No feathers, dancing, drums, or sacrifices. Sorry to disappoint. They were normal people who live in a small 80-person community. They had a really heavy dialect, but I got by.

I spent the entire time with some ladies behind the school building. Their names were Lidia, Paula, Marlin, and a 14-year-old named Natalia. Paula had a baby girl named Marisol two months ago, and she hung in this little hammock the whole time:

They were making soup out of lentils, bananas (they call them "morus" (MO-roos)), onions, chicken, and a root that looked like yucca. It was a hideous color but it smelled incredible! 

That afternoon, most students went back to the beach, but a few of us stayed behind at the hostel. I didn't want to get eaten by sand fleas again and I needed a break from the loudness. It was really relaxing. Some of us talked for a while in our room, then I read for a few hours. The girl in the bar was blasting "Single Ladies" for about 30 minutes, then she went on a Beyonce craze for the rest of the night. I started to feel kind of sick so I laid around on the giant chairs in the lounge until I couldn't take any more Beyonce.

Day 4: Travel day. We left early, walked around the main island for about 45 minutes, then headed back to the bus on the main land. Once we got back to the border we ate lunch (which was lemon tea, granola and yogurt for me), crossed back over the bridge, filled out our forms, and waited. And sweated. And waited. And sweated. I'm not exaggerating when I say it might be the sweatiest I've ever  been. It was repulsive. When we finally got back on the bus, I tried to sleep a little because I still felt sick, but I only got about an hour in. 

There's Panama in a nutshell! 

I'm working on another post about what God has been doing that I will try to put up soon!

FAQ!

Do you ever feel homesick?
I hope this doesn't sound bad, but no, not really. I miss Tulsa and my friends and family, but I LOVE it here!  I love the language, culture, classes, our churches and ministries. It's all incredible! I'm excited to come home to see everyone in December, but it will be hard to leave this!

Hardest thing to get used to?
Less freedom. At home, I can get in the car and drive if I need something or want to go somewhere. Here we have to bring a guy with us, we sign out when we leave (well, we're supposed to), and we always walk, unless it's far away; then we take a bus or taxi. It's not really bad but it took some getting used to.
Also, money. Everything that's a name brand is expensive. Fresh fruits and vegetables are cheap, which is probably best, but I have to limit my snacking and smoothie-runs. 
*PS- if you're ever in San Jose, find a Cosechas.

Best part so far?
Bible class. Our teacher, John, is absolutely awesome. I'd never had bible classes before, coming from a public school, and after every class, my mind is exploding with new information. Everything he says is practical so we can start using it right away! I love it! 

Favorite food?
Well, the feria is my favorite place to get food, but it's got almost every fruit or vegetable you could want, plus tons more I've never heard of. My favorite traditional dish is arroz con pollo. I also like chayote. I don't know what's in it, but it's pretty good. 
Gallo pinto (rice and beans with eggs) is the most common traditional dish but I'm not a huge fan of beans or eggs in the first place, so it's not my favorite. There's also a restaurant called El Sabor. I've only been once, but my chicken burger was REALLY good.

Who do your friends remind you of in Tulsa and why?
Well... I won't put specific names but almost everyone here reminds me of someone I know. It's mainly mannerisms, things they say, the way they react to different things. And it's really random people. If you want to know if you're like someone, just ask me!

What has been your most bizarre experience?
I haven't had that many, but two specific things come to mind.
One: the night half my church group was almost killed in our taxi. The driver was completely insane and talking on the phone, swerving and almost hitting three motorcyclists, a few pedestrians, and almost every car. We could have sworn he said "tengo tres" (I have three) in a hushed voice to whoever was on the other line. Safe to say that's the scariest thing. But no worries. We survived.
Two: the other day on Guadalupe Park, four of us were peacefully talking in the park and drinking our Cosechas, when a man on the other side of the gazebo (pavilion? I don't know what to call it) started singing. He was good and we watched him. The he noticed us watching him. Then he slowly came closer and closer to us and sang to us. So after one song we started to say "good job, thank you," etc. But he kept going... And going. And our bible teacher even came up and listened. When he finaly stopped he went on and on in Spanish about what an embarrassment it was that he had to ask the guys for money in front of the ladies. I can't count how many times he said "what a shame" but it was a lot... So we got up and left him standing there to sing for the rest of someone else's life.

What souvenir am I buying Jane?
Beans, rocks... Maybe 5 colones if you're good.

Prayer Requests:
-Most of the students here are struggling with what God's plan for them after this year. Please pray for patience as we all wait for God to show us His plans in His timing!
-We leave for Panama at 1:00am on Tuesday morning! Please pray for our ministry there (we're working in a nursing home and an indigenous tribe's school)! Also, 4 people were at camp all weekend and 5 of us were in a town called Guacimo! I'm working on a post about our time in Guacimo, but that won't be up until after Panama.
-Continued prayers about distractions would be awesome, too! Sometimes it's hard to focus on Spanish sentence structure when there's so much to do outside of the Villa!

Ministry!

Really short update, but we finally started ESL! We only had one student on Saturday, so most of us were in Guadalupe Park talking to people about GGP (our English church) and English classes. But on Sunday, we had another student, and my friend Lisa and I got to teach him! It's probably not nearly as cool for you as it was for me, but I was SO EXCITED to finally start ESL! His name is hard for gringos to pronounce, so we're calling him Nate (we always got Spanish names in class, so why not give our students English names?). He doesn't know very much English yet, but he was really excited to learn. We started talking about church and we invited him to GGP and he came! He didn't even want the Spanish translation through headphones! His desire to learn was a great reminder to me to be scared to use my Spanish out in public, even if that means stumbling over my words. It was so fun! I can't wait to go back this weekend!

Things You Might Not Know (Or Care About)

This might be a meaningless post to you, but I wanted to share the things (good, bad, funny, and serious) that surprised me about being here. Sorry for all the sentence fragments, English teachers.

Rain. 
When you check climate reports that say it rains 30 out of 31 days per month, they aren't lying. Every day between 1:30-ish and 2:30-ish, it comes… And it POURS. I'm talking not just cats and dogs. This rain is like lions and wolves. Also, the thunder almost makes me have a heart attack every time it hits. Lightning seems to hit just about everything. You can sit outside, watch it hit the things around you and feel the vibration from it. It's crazy! And for the humidity: that perm was completely worth the 2 weeks of horrible-smelling hair. I don't even want to think about what my natural hair would be doing.

Spanish.
Everything you learn in school is a lie… Fine, not everything. But a lot of things are different here. They don't say "pluma" for pen; they don't say "mochila" for backpack; they don't say "igriega" for the letter Y. It's "ye" pronounced "je" (say it with a French accent). And double L's? Like in "calle" or "ella"? NOT pronounced like a Y. They're pronounced like a J. WHAT. 
Here's the biggest lie I learned in school: They rarely use the tú form. Talk about being confused. We NEVER used the usted form in school unless it was one of those "let's practice conjugations" worksheets or when we needed to ask the teacher something. And maybe a few times for the formal writing/presentation on the AP SPanish Lang test. So there's that little bit of information for you. Apparently in Panama they almost always the tú form. SO CONFUSING. Want to know something else? The tú for is the only form used for God. WHAT? I distinctly remember "usted" being the formal one. And it is when you talk to people. But not with God. He's Tú.
*Note to my former Spanish teachers: You weren't wrong! They just don't use the same vocabulary here!

Safety.
First off, I feel extremely safe here- both at the villa and walking around. I've heard enough stories about being mugged to think twice about what I bring with me, but I'm not scared here. We stay in a pretty nice part of San Jose (as far as I can tell). The one thing I'm disappointed about is the lack of interaction I'll have with impoverished people, which is where most of you picture people taking a year to do missions-y things. But that's not what I'm doing, so I wanted to share about what it's like! I went to a mall yesterday that's far nicer than most US malls. We go to a church with fairly wealthy people. And since I'm doing ESL ministry, the people I'll be with are adults and  all have a small amount of English knowledge already. Now, I'm SO excited about doing ESL, but my heart is in the dump communities like El Recuerdo in Guatemala. There might be a few chances here and there in a dump community called La Carpio, so hopefully we can get plugged in there. I know as everything we're doing is worthwhile and impactful, but if there was a way I could be a part of the poorer parts of town, I'd be on it!

Backgrounds.
As most of you know, I was mildly freaked out because I thought I was the only student coming from a public school. One, I'm not. I think there are 5 or 6 of us. Two, I can't tell the difference most of the time whether or not someone here was homeschooled or went to a Christian school. I was so so scared about not relating to people and it turns out that we never talk about high school anyway (which is SUCH a relief). This group of 30 people is AMAZING. I wouldn't want to live in a house with anyone else. Eighteen to twenty year olds are similar no matter where they're from. You teach them how to play "What Are The Odds" one night, and within 4 days, you've seen them play it hundreds of times. As a result, you've seen them lose their hair… And their dignity. 

People Back Home.
Someone told me everyone you see one you live in a foreign country for a while reminds you of someone at home. It's true. You start to feel like everyone you see on the street is someone you know. They might sound like someone you know. I'm also finding out who every other GAP student looks and acts like. Not everyone has a twin yet, but I have no doubt they will by the end of the year. 

PS-I've gone running at the University of CR for about half of the mornings I've been here… Hopefully since I'm getting over this cold, I'll be able to go every weekday. Yeah, I don't know who I am either. 

Here is my classroom!

This is the view over the Villa from the backyard!

Clases!

We started classes today.
First we go to Spanish class for four hours. My class is outside for the first two hours and I love it! There are only 8 students! It's like school, but way more fun.

Our teachers are named Valeria and Hilda. They're both extremely nice (and understanding when we mess up). They won't let us speak any English, even on breaks), and if we do we have to pay 100 colones (about 20 cents)! The money goes towards a fiesta at the end of the year, but still… It's all Spanish from now on!

I'm writing this in between classes, so we haven't gone to bible class yet, but I'm really excited for it! Our bible teacher is named John, and he's also one of the pastors at the english-speaking church that we attend on Sunday nights. If Sunday night's message is anything like bible classes, my mind will be blown EVERY DAY.

I can't get over how great the other GAP students are! We get along really well! My favorite part is how everyone makes the most out of all their free time. I don't ever feel like we're wasting time, even if we're sitting around.

It's awesome here! We start small group tonight, too! I'm in a group with three other GAP students, one of the interns, and Tina, the GAP Costa Rica Director's wife! I can't wait to see what this year will be like!

Quick Update!

Okay! Time for my first real update!

Wednesday through Friday:

We visited downtown, had Spanish placement tests, and had the first ever GAP Olympics (pictures on Facebook)! It was a lot of preparation for what we'll be doing while we're here! I LOVE my roommates and new friends so much! It feels like we've all known each other forever! And I feel like I've been here for a month!

We got out Saturday ministry assignments! I'm doing ESL (English as a Second Language) each week! We also got assigned to our churches for the year! Mine is called Calvary Chapel and I LOVE the people there! We got to go to a worship concert last night with a lot of them! It was awesome! Thinking we left early enough to get home quickly, we managed to make getting home last 2 hours. It was a great  bonding time for us, even though we were starving and wet.

Then we went back to Calvary this morning and went to their Spanish service. It's really contemporary and casual!

I'm posting my pictures on Facebook, so you can check those out on my wall! 

I'll try to write an in-depth post tomorrow on my day off and post it on Tuesday!

Estoy Aquí

I'm here! We landed last night just before 7, and man, it gets dark EARLY here (around 6 or 6:30). The villa is awesome! I'm just now seeing it in the daylight and it's even prettier than the pictures! I haven't met everyone because a lot of people went to sleep before I got here, so I'm looking forward to meeting them today! 
We start orientation today and continue it through the week. I don't know exactly what we do all week in orientation, but I guess I'll find out!

Sorry for the short post! I'll let you know what we've been doing when this week is done!

Here's a picture out the front door of the Villa!

We're In the Single Digits!

In 9 days, I'll be in Costa Rica.
WHOA.
Most of the other GAP students are blogging about what they're feeling, so I decided I would, too! Neither writing nor sharing my feelings are talents of mine, but I'm trying!

I'll start with the most common question I get: "Are you nervous?" And I'm being completely honest when I say "No, not at all." I can't tell you why because I have no clue. It's a strange feeling, because I get really nervous and worried about everything else (seriously, I don't even like choosing food at restaurants), but I'm completely at peace. I would say God is pouring His grace on me, but really, it's more like He stuck me under a giant waterfall of it. I don't think there's any other way that explains my lack of nervousness!

Sure, I don't know anyone and no one is even from my state, but that's what's fun for me! I was headed for a college without any of my friends before God said "that's not what you're doing, Ellen." Now I'm just headed for Costa Rica without them. I love the idea of being in my favorite area of the world with people who share the same love for it (for more than a one-week mission trip)!
I feel like we've met before because we all share the same excitement, and I'm already Facebook friends with a few of them, so I've gotten to see their statuses, pictures, read their blogs... I feel like we are already kind of friends!

What's weird for me is thinking about the crazy, awesome things that God is going to do in all of our lives in such a short amount of time. I mean, I'll be back home in just over 8 months. That's not long at all! I'm trying not to expect anything and experience everything as it comes.

There's something is want to add. People say what I'm doing is brave, but I am by no means brave. Katie Davis nailed it when she said “People from my first home say I'm brave. They tell me I'm strong. They pat me on the back and say, 'Way to go. Good job.' But the truth is, I am not really very brave; I am not really very strong; and I am not doing anything spectacular. I am simply doing what God has called me to do as a person who follows Him. He said to feed His sheep and He said to care for 'the least of these,' so that's what I'm doing, with the help of a lot people who make it possible and in the company of those who make my life worth living."
***Quote from her book "Kisses From Katie." If you are confused as to why I want to go to a foreign place for 9 months, read it. You will understand me more. And it's just a really great book.

There were things on my past mission trips that I only had to see once for them to break my heart. Even hearing about them was hard.
Here are some long-term things you can be praying for!
-All of the GAP students; that we will rely on the Lord when any one of us feels lost or helpless and we remember that we serve and worship the God who can overcome any of our trials.
-Community: I've never lived with 30 people for a long amount of time, and we don't know how everyone's personalities will work together. Just be praying for a lack of conflict within the group.
-The reverse culture shock when I come home at Christmas (long time away, I know). It was extremely difficult for me to adjust after one week in Guatemala, so I don't want to think about what it will be like after 3 months (I'm actually pretty worried about this).
-Guidance for myself when I come home in May (even longer time away). Although my college plans are pretty firm, my major and career plans don't even exist. I'm hoping God will show me His plan for my life while I'm there!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Los Específicos

"I'm spending nine months in Costa Rica!"
"Oh! What will you be doing there?"
"Well . . . It's a Spanish, bible and missions program . . ."

That's about the extent of my explanation when I get this question. So I figured I would post what I'll really be doing (with some real information).

So… We will be placed in a local ministry when we arrive, and I will go there weekly (I think). I have no idea what I am doing specifically, but I'll be sure to let everyone know when I get there. They will also test us on Spanish to see which level we should start learning from. You don't have to know Spanish to go, but hopefully I know enough already that I will leave fluent!

Here is their description from the website:
GAP Year features: Classes in Spanish, theology, evangelism, and missions
• Ministry in Local Churches **(same church each week)**
• Immersion in the Hispanic Culture **(monthly home stays!)**
• Weekly Mentorship
• Discipleship/Small Groups
• Missions Trip to a Neighboring Country (Panama, Nicaragua)

"Where will you be staying?"

I'll be in San Jose, Costa Rica. It's the capitol city. The organization I'm working through has housing (yes, it's very safe) for the 30-ish other students. It's like a VERY small 35-student college campus: we eat, sleep, and take classes on the same grounds. Overall, the country is pretty wealthy and Americanized compared to other Latin American countries; eco-tourism is HUGE. But that doesn't mean it's problem-free. Domestic violence is common. Substance abuse is rampant. Homelessness is an issue. Human-trafficking is growing. I sometimes hesitate to tell people I'm going to Costa Rica because I know the reaction will be along the lines of "Wow! How nice!" or "That sounds like like a fun vacation!"

I don't want to elaborate on this too much, so long story short: I take it offensively when I hear these reactions because this isn't vacation. I don't want anyone to think I'm taking a year before college to go on vacation. God gave me a passion for Spanish and service. Going to college to study how to care for people and speak their language isn't the same as physically doing it, so I'm trying it short-term before I study it long-term. Soapbox: done.

"Can we communicate with you?"

Yes! I have Skype, Viber and What'sApp so call me, beep me if you wanna reach me. And obviously, you have found my blog! I'll try to update it a lot. Monday is the day off, meaning we don't have classes (I'm not sure what their definition of "off" is, but I'm assuming that's when I'll be doing most of my replying and blogging). I may or may not have normal cellphone capabilities, but I will have my computer. I also have Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

"What will you do when you get back?"

Um… I'll let you know when I know.



If you have any questions, feel free to comment and ask!