Easter Weekend

was amazing.  The whole week was a good one, but the weekend especially left me with lots to write about.

Firstly, Thursday night we had a Seder supper down at Rodney and Cindy’s, and it was absolutely wonderful.  I’ve done Seder suppers more than once before, but it’s always been just mostly a tradition or a ritual or whatever, just something fun to celebrate Passover/Easter/etc.  But this time it was really, truly meaningful.  I love rituals and traditions, but I love them even more when they really come alive and have meaning.  And this one did.
We went through all the steps, ate the special food and did the readings and all.  Then at the end where the leader reads through all the things that God did for his people long ago in Bible times and the rest of us answer with “his love endures forever,” Rodney changed it up a bit.  So instead, we went around the table and each person said something that God did for him specifically, and the rest said “his love endures forever.”  It was so cool because it really made it personal and real for us right in that moment in each of our lives.
I said, “I am thankful for spending this night here in this country, and for the amazing people that God has put around this table and in my life.”  And I meant it with all my heart…I have so much love in my life.  His love really does endure forever.

Then Friday, we had our regular 7am prayer down at the church, then afterwards Lindsay and Jessie and I went prayer walking in the community.  We went up to “Lugar VIP,” or “the high place,” which is just a little flat area wayyyyyy up in the Mangos where you can look down through the community, to the river, and up the other side to the places beyond.  It’s stunning.  So we sat there and prayed and talked and thought, and it was a really special time.

Then Friday afternoon, I had a surprise visitor–Randall came over!  He and Pipo came back to Anonos for the weekend, so he stopped by our house on his way down to his.  He stayed for just a little while because he was in a hurry to get home, but we talked a bit and he filled me in on life in Nicaragua (for those of you who don’t know, Randall and Pipo are currently living on the island of Ometepe in Nicaragua for a 10-month discipleship training/missions assignment).  Apparently it’s going well up there; it’s difficult of course, but they’re learning a lot and doing really well.  So I was glad to catch up with him, even if it was only a few minutes.

Saturday, we put on an eyeglass clinic in the community of Hatillo 5, about a 10-minute drive from here.  July, one of the ladies in our church, had wanted to go do a clinic in her mother’s church.  So we went over there and spent the day giving out glasses and praying for people.  My job was doing the eye exams (currently, I’m the only one who knows how, but I’m working on teaching some others) and we saw over 90 people.  So it wasn’t a super huge turnout (in the past we’ve seen as many as 250 in one day–craziness), but 90-odd was a good amount.  I was very pleased with how smoothly the whole thing went, and it’s always such a blessing to be able to help people like that.

(photo by Lindsay)

Sunday was absolutely a crazy mess of loveliness.  I went early to church because the youth group had to practice our drama one last time, plus we were all sharing breakfast together, so that was fun.  Then I helped lead worship (I got to play the guitar rather than the keyboard this time, so I was a happy camper), then we performed our drama (which went well, but all the same I’m glad it’s over).  Then Jessie and I taught the kids class and had like 15 kids, so it was craziness.  But it was a great morning.
Also I just want to say how pleased I was to see the whole youth group (plus some) at church on a Sunday morning.  That’s a constant struggle, because they think “well I go to youth group so I’m all set” and don’t care about Sunday morning services. Daniel, our youth leader, is always stressing how important it is to have that fellowship and how being a Christian is about more than just going to youth group for two hours every other Friday.  So as you think of it, be praying that what they saw and heard yesterday will keep them coming back every Sunday.

Anyway, so after church we went to watch Kevin and Cristian play in a fútbol game, which is always fun.  It’s my favourite way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  We always have such a good time with them.  After the game, we had them over for Easter dinner and Lindsay made chicken fajitas, and David came too and made…well…tortillas.  (Suffice to say that he actually doesn’t know how to make them like we thought he did.  Laughter ensued.)
We sat on the balcony and talked and laughed late into the night, and my heart was so full.

So this weekend was really good.  It was hard too, because holidays are always hard being away from my family.  This Easter looked a heck of a lot different than any other ever has for me, and that was difficult.  We ate fajitas instead of a traditional dinner, there was no egg hunt or chocolate bunnies, and I had my Costa Rica family by my side instead of my family family.  But all the same, it was beautiful and I am thankful for this time we shared.

I’m one lucky girl.

Our glasses team (: