Tres dias en Costa Rica

Who knew I´d be more bored in Costa Rica than at home?

As it turns out, it rains a lot here during the rainy season. And, it gets dark by around six o clock!

My hosts are nice, but one is not here much, one is going loco concerning his exciting but stressful new job situation and is not up for much conversation, and the third teaches online english lessons for five hours a day. Today she had the day off, and she took me to downtown San Jose. I ate a delicious breakfast from a bakery -- spicy potatoes baked into doughy bread; and we went to the central market. I had the equivilant of about 12 cents since my debit card would not work in the ATM and couldn´t buy anything, though I tried to hold polite conversations with a few kind vendors. Being on a tour, I did not wander aimlessly like I would if by myself or with Alyssa, so, shortly, we headed back. Sadly I was back in the smoke filled apartment before one o`clock.

What to do with all the time? Until I have memorized every verse in the bible there is something worthwhile to do. I felt very rewarded for doing so. So often there is a bible verse that I want to employ in a certain moment.. I feel that many of the ideas are written the tablet of my heart but now some more of the specific words are too. Having specific words on call to confirm and explicate an idea that is already on my heart definitely gives more power to that concept. Specific words can powerfully combat any oposing sentiment that creeps in to undermine the difficult path to Godliness, whereas a poweful idea left vague or unsubstantiated can be caught speechless and defenseless. I´ve noticed that selfish thoughts sometimes indulge themselves in lengthy mental orations if only because Godly inclinations have not yet learned the few words powerful enough to give expression to such greatness. But those words exist, and time spend alone in solitude need not be a missed opportunity but perhaps a very necessary one. Even in the exciting new location of Costa Rica, surely an hour spent in a quiet room reading and memorizing scripture is an hour very well spent.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy towards those who fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our iniquities from us.

For as a father pities his children, so the LORD has pity on those who fear Him.

For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass. As the flower of the field, so a man flourishes,

The wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more,

but from everlasting to everlasting are the LORD´s mercies to those who fear him, and his righteousness to children´s children.

Psalm 103:10-17.

The idea supported by these verses is simple, yet gains so much power when the mercy of God is specifically given expression in words. I am called to find within me or to call on God for the strength to forgive -- because I have been forgiven of far more than I have ever been asked to forgive. And my life is gone with a breath of wind, but at least my time on earth can be like a flower that brings beauty if I seek to be clothed in Godliness. My body is dust but into it has been breathed a spirit -- a spirit able to either to harm and cut down or heal and build up -- may God make me able to do the latter for the short time that this frame of dust supports the incredible capacity for it!

There is one more thing. I had no place to go upon leaving this couchsurfing host, and no idea where I would stay or how I would get there. On night one I shared my beliefs with my host and another athiest surfer after he asked about my Tour of Poverty shirt containing the verse from Matthew 25 - whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.

I spoke as candidly and honestly as I could, and since I didn´t feel I had the authority to try to speak words that I am only just learning and learning to have faith in, I just read some of the bible and let the words speak for themselves.

Peter (the other surfer) was definitely up for a polite conversation; I think that it helped that I was not trying to convince him of anything; just sharing candidly. Still, my faith felt too weak to do me any good, let alone to be shared with someone else.

That night, I prayed and read the bible and emailed Alyssa about my doubts and fears for the unknown three weeks of this trip. On day two, I returned to the apartment after a long walk and prayer eanestly, feeling better despite still having no idea where I would go when I left. Just then Kerensa came and started dishes. I finished up my thoughts and prayers and then headed to really talk with her for the first time. Almost completely without lead in, she suggested that I go to Nicaragua where things are cheaper and stay at the only place she ever stayed in the country during her own brief visits. It is a hostel owned by a Dutch lady.

"She is a very, very nice person," she explained. "She has been developing a program for local children that she supports through the hostel income."
"Can you volunteer there while you stay at the hostel?"

"Actually, it is encouraged and you will get a discount."

"Perfect! Just put me on a bus in the right direction!"
"That will be easy. It´s only about $9 to get there if you only take local busses. And, I never have any day off except for Sunday, but tomorrow is my five-month anniversary with my boyfriend so I took it off. he actually couldn´t get off until eight though, so I can take you to San Jose and show you where to get on the bus and just show you around."

So... tomorrow it´s off to Nicaragua!