Community!

One of the things that I have greatly missed since I graduated language school is community. I am blessed to have community among my amazing LifePoint Church of Ozark, MO family. I was also blessed to have a great group of friends while in language school. Yet since that time, almost 2 years ago, I have not found my place.

I must admit it has been lonely. I was attending a small church that has amazing people but only a couple in my age group and stage of life, with whom I never got to hang out. I liked the church and enjoyed being on the praise team but felt like it was time to start looking for a community.

I was very nervous about trying to find another church. Thankfully my friend Ali was also looking for a new church, so we went together. We decided to go to Vida Abundante del Este, where I actually went on my very first Sunday in Costa Rica. That Sunday was actually their very first Sunday as a church plant of Vida Abundante de Coronado, a huge church of something like 5000. (They have several plants throughout the San Jose area.) It was fun to go back 2 ½ years later to see how God has grown them, a new building and a growing body. I’m not good with numbers but between the two services I would guess give or take about a 1000 people.

We decided to try out their “young adult group,” ages 18-39. I had a lot of fear that it would be all very young 20’s (me being 31) but we both were very surprised that most are mid to late 20’s and a few early 30’s. We went out with them after the group and enjoyed every moment. In fact we both had not laughed that hard for a very long time. We have been hanging out with them ever since.

For now we both feel like this church where we want to be. There are some things that we are watching to see how they handle. (The pastor resigned on the second Sunday we were there due to “moral sin”.) Yet so far it has been handled very biblical and the church has a plan and appears to be healthy. We both feel like we are being fed and are finding a place we belong.

I am also blessed to have the new friendship in Ali. We met at the beginning of February and have been hanging out since. I also continue to grow my friendship with my sweet and dear friend Kathy, who constantly points me to Christ even in the midst of struggle. Kathy and I have been friends for almost 3 years. I love her and wouldn’t know what to do without her.

Both of these women are true answers to prayers and I’m so blessed that God has put women in my path that I share this messy life with authentically and not have to hide under the cover of being a “missionary.” We, too, are just other Christ-followers trying to live this life to the glory of God which means we are grace covered sinners who need Jesus every moment for every breath. I love that they are honest about this and I have really seen how iron sharpens iron through the authenticity of these friendships. Thanks to Jesus that He has brought me community in which I have been longing for.

Pictures: The first picture is from the very first night we went out with the young adult group. This is only a third of the group that took up Subway that night (from 9:30pm to midnight!). Ali is the blonde across from me (eyes closed) and the girl in front of me is my roommate Stephanie that is here only for 3 months from Canada. The second picture is a picture of me and Ali from a 2 day beach trip we made to Playa Hermosa. We had only met the week before and we’re still friends! The third picture is from a while back but of me and Kathy.