This past week at our Perspectives class, we had the honor of hosting and hearing from Dave Flynn, who is the National Director of Perspectives in the US. He presented an incredible monologue, in full costume, of William Carey. (Look him up - he was an incredible missionary to India!)
God moved in many ways, over time, in order to bring Dave Flynn here and to bring the Perspectives Costa Rica dream to fruition. I journey back a few years...
In 2009, we had a student named Jessi. She followed the Lord in obedience and came to Costa Rica to spend a year at Portantorchas. In 2010, I met a young Costa Rican woman named Montserrat. We realized we had the same vision, to bring Perspectives to Costa Rica. When we talked about it, we realized that I had some connections that would help get the process started. I attend the church that we approached to host the class (thanks, IBC!) and I knew Dave Flynn. Dave Flynn is Jessi's Dad. When we started to plan the course, I felt confident to contact Dave and get his support for Perspectives in Costa Rica - all because I knew his daughter.
Now when Jessi came to Costa Rica, she didn't realize what her step of faith would do to the world! Perspectives is now here, and it is challenging hearts of Costa Rican church leaders to do their part in fulfilling God's mission to this world! Who knows how far and wide and long this missions vision will spread in Latin America, and around the world! God IS touching hearts through the course; I see it every week.
So if an 18-year-old girl can take part in God's work without even knowing it, so can the rest of us. It takes a small step of obedience, in faith, to be a small pebble thrown into a pond. God will take charge of the ripples that spread, around the world, into the future, in ways that we could never imagine!
March 7, 2011
Expat.
I love being an expat, an expatriate, a person living outside her own country. In fact, I think that I will be an expat wherever I live. I was born in India, raised in Africa and England, I am a Canadian citizen, I am married to an American and I live in Costa Rica. Where is home for me? I really have no idea! (Although, I do hold a great allegiance to Canada.)
Over the past few weeks we have had a lot of parties and events with our friends. Among the people present at the birthday party, curry party, and Chinese New Year party, etc., were:
• Some dear Costa Rican friends!
• A husband raised as an MK in Sri Lanka, his wife as an MK in Jordan, who have lived in the Middle East and Europe;
• A Malaysian family of Chinese descent;
• An American born in Kenya;
• A family that has lived overseas (outside their native USA) for 17 years;
• A Swedish family working for a multinational;
• A South Korean diplomat who is about to start a new post in another country;
• A US military family that is also about to move to another new post;
• And a single American girl getting ready to be a missionary in Southeast Asia.
The reason I am so awed about this is that most of us don’t belong in Costa Rica. We are from all over, and everyone brings amazing stories and experiences to our gatherings. We don’t belong here, but we belong together. Our common thread is our cross-cultural experience, representing SO many corners of the globe. It is a comforting, comfortable group of friends. We can be ourselves, with all of our cultural quirks, and we are accepted by each other.
It was an amazing glimpse of what heaven will be, of course JUST a glimpse. We are many cultures, united by our love for Jesus. It also makes me remember Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven.”
Over the past few weeks we have had a lot of parties and events with our friends. Among the people present at the birthday party, curry party, and Chinese New Year party, etc., were:
• Some dear Costa Rican friends!
• A husband raised as an MK in Sri Lanka, his wife as an MK in Jordan, who have lived in the Middle East and Europe;
• A Malaysian family of Chinese descent;
• An American born in Kenya;
• A family that has lived overseas (outside their native USA) for 17 years;
• A Swedish family working for a multinational;
• A South Korean diplomat who is about to start a new post in another country;
• A US military family that is also about to move to another new post;
• And a single American girl getting ready to be a missionary in Southeast Asia.
The reason I am so awed about this is that most of us don’t belong in Costa Rica. We are from all over, and everyone brings amazing stories and experiences to our gatherings. We don’t belong here, but we belong together. Our common thread is our cross-cultural experience, representing SO many corners of the globe. It is a comforting, comfortable group of friends. We can be ourselves, with all of our cultural quirks, and we are accepted by each other.
It was an amazing glimpse of what heaven will be, of course JUST a glimpse. We are many cultures, united by our love for Jesus. It also makes me remember Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven.”
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