Well, March proved to be a very busy month for me with much of my time spent at work, with family, or traveling. Thus, here I sit in April writing. I will try to summarize the month by work, family, and traveling.
Work
I have some exciting news as far as work goes - we (the eMi-AL office) issued the construction documents for a two-story student dormitory for YWAM in Gonaïves, Haiti. Also, we have heard news that there is a team ready to start building. So that's exciting as well!
Here's some background on YWAM and Gonaïves, Haiti:
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is an international movement of Christians from many denominations dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world, whose calling is to know God and make Him known. Since its establishment in 1960, YWAM’s main focus has been to get youth into short-term mission work and to give them opportunities to reach out in Jesus’ name.
YWAM Gonaïves is the most recent branch of YWAM’s ministry to the youth of Haïti. Under the leadership of Director Maula Jean-Marie the ministry serves the large impoverished youth population in Gonaïves. Forty percent of Gonaïves population is eighteen years old and younger. Combined with the extreme poverty, two devastating floods in the past five years, and the most recent earthquake, there is a sense of hopelessness in the city that needs the light of the Gospel.
We hope that through our work at eMi in providing construction documents for the YWAM student dormitory, Jesus will be made much of in Gonaïves through the work of YWAM. It is our prayer at eMi-AL that redemption and hope in Jesus would be brought to an area so desperately in need of the hope of Jesus.
In other news, Josh Ayers (emergency response personnel with eMi-AL) and other eMi staff and volunteers returned safely from Chile after performing structural assessment on 50 churches/hospitals that were impacted by the earthquake in Chile. In comparison to Haiti, Chile seems to have endured much less lasting devastation from the earthquake due to the aid of the Chilean government.
Family
My time with my host family has been a huge blessing. They are continually patient with my Spanish and include me in everything. I definitely feel like part of the family. My host mom asked me the other day to make a typical American meal for the family one night. I thought, "What's typical in America?" Honestly, I have no idea. Barbeque is the only thing I could come up with and say, "That's America!" But if you have any suggestions, please let me know. Otherwise, we may be having Cereal Night on behalf of me.
Travel
Last week was Semana Santa (Holy Week) here in Costa Rica. There is no school for the week and many people do not work. Thus, many people are on vacation. I and the other interns at eMi-AL decided to use some of our vacation time to travel around Costa Rica. We visited Arenal Volcano (which is still active), went hiking in the rainforest around Monteverde, and finished the trip surfing and enjoying the beach at Samara on the Nicoya Peninsula. It was fun to play the part of a typical Gringo tourist for a few days :) The last day in Samara before we headed back to Atenas, we got up early to enjoy the sunrise on the beach. It was simply amazing. As we were watching the sunrise, I felt as Augustine must have when he was watching a beautfiul ocean sunset. In response to the sunset he said, "If these are the beauties afforded to sinful men, what does God have in store for those who love Him?" Well said. If God graciously gave such a beautiful painting for broken people in a fallen world, I cannot imagine what His perfect plan of “making all things new” (Rev. 21:5) will be.
And with tomorrow being Easter Sunday, I cannot help but give thanks to God for more than just sunrises and sunsets. Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross and taking away our sins so that we could be reconciled to God. Thank you God for not only taking our sin away in grace, but extending Yourself to us in mercy because we so desperately need You. Amen.
For His glory, my joy, and the good of others,
Amos
