Turrialba!!!

This last week me and some other GAP students went to a city called Turrialba to help First Baptist Church of Turrialba with their Vacation Bible School. Turrialba, I found out, is about 2 hours Southeast of San Jose. Words cannot describe how much fun this week was. Going in, I was absolutely terrified. The fact that I was possibly going to be staying in a Tico's house by myself really had me stressed. However, I was super surprised because I got to stay at a house with my roommate LeAnn! Joke of the week for us was "compañeras de cuarto por siempre!" Me and LeAnn had a really good time together. She’s in a higher Spanish class than I am but by the end of the week I was interpreting for her! (Exhaustion was setting in on all of us by the end of the week in different ways) We had a really wonderful host named Mareya. She had a hard time understanding my Spanish at the first start of the week but by the end she understood me! The first couple days we didn’t do a whole lot besides pass out flyers to let people know about the VBS for the week. Sunday morning my friends, Lisa, Josh, JT, Kelsey and I lead the church in worship to a song in Spanish. I cannot describe how much I love singing in Spanish! Spanish is such a beautiful language and the songs are so gorgeous and more fun to sing. In the mornings we had some serious down time because the activities didn’t start till the afternoon, so basically I got a lot of Bible reading done! We spent a lot of time at the local Cosechas, which was literally down the street from the church we worked with. Our group had the Cosechas addicts, so if we were not there at the church or at our host homes you knew where we were going. *Side note* Cosechas is the most incredible smoothie place in the entire world. There is not one place in the States that can compare. Anyway, the first two days of VBS I did not help with the program but went and helped Pastor Noe with going out and playing basketball at local parks with teens in the community and inviting them to youth group. Every night we were there we had youth group, two nights we had a typical youth group with games, music, and a message. The third night we had more of a solemn time of worship and prayer, the fourth we watched Facing the Giants in Spanish (with English subtitles) and the last night we had a party. I really miss the church in Turrialba, it was such fun getting to know them and working for the Kingdom with them! The three days I helped with the kids in VBS I was really confused. I worked with the little four year olds and younger so the only ones who knew good Spanish in the class were the three Tico leaders. However, it was fun getting to hold the few babies that were in the class! On Saturday we woke up, had breakfast, and drove up to an old lodge in the mountains overlooking the town and surrounding countryside. That was an amazing view! I have decided if I have a destination wedding, Turrialba is where it is going to be, more specifically, that mountain side. Saying goodbye was so extremely hard, we were holding back tears, our new friends were tearing up, we were all just emotional messes. That was the scariest and best week of my life. I’m so grateful for everything I learned from the Spanish to the things God was telling me in my quiet time. With every trip I go on here the more he shows me, it is really wonderful! With this trip He basically told me not right now for global missions but to go back to the States and do work there. God knows the States really needs it, and that’s where He’s putting me. While I am absolutely terrified of that, I know my God will bless me and keep me as long as I am in His will and doing what He wants me to. Very soon I will have to make decisions about my future, I would very much appreciate and covet your prayers that I will hear clearly the word of the Lord and stay in His will. I have several options laid out before me that I am prayerfully considering. I would also love prayers for the rest of my finances for this year to be paid, I have plenty of spending money to finish out the year, but I believe I still have around $500 more to raise for the year. It’s not much and I know that God will supply all my needs, so if you would like to donate to help keep me here I would love to tell you how! For those who have already donated whether financially or through prayer, thank you so much I would never be here without your help! If my new Turrialba family is reading this, love and miss you guys a ton!

Con Amor,
Allysa

Christmas Re-cap

Hey everyone! So I haven't made a post in awhile, so sorry. It has been super crazy around here! Let's go all the way back to Thanksgiving, shall we? It was overall a really good day. Rather emotional for most all of us, but we a lot of internet time that morning and early afternoon so that gave a lot of time to be with family! Not much happened after that until finals week. That was a scary week, we were all really nervous and extremely anxious to get home! The morning we left was a very long morning, my flight was delayed almost an hour. When I landed and said hi to my family we went straight to Chickfila. I had never been so happy... Chicken never tasted so good! For two and a half weeks I ate yummy food, saw good friends, and ate SO MUCH frozen yogurt. I also came down with the flu, which was super unfortunate because it really messed up plans with people. I'm doing a lot better now, except I still sort of have a cough. It was really good to see friends and family! Even though I was sick I saw pretty much all my family, which was a huge blessing. Coming back was a little scary and exciting. Before I left I was afraid of not wanting to come back to Costa Rica, now I'm afraid of never wanting to leave! I miss my family, but I am very excited to be back with my GAP family! Our first weekend back was super tiring, mostly because of jetlag though. We are done with our first day of Spanish class, (as of right this second) we're waiting for our first Bible class to start. Keep praying for unity in the group and God's will for our lives to be revealed.

Love,
Allysa