Today, Thanksgiving, was the first major holiday I’ve celebrated away from my family. It was different, but I had a great time celebrating it with 50 other Vida Joven staff here in Costa Rica. It was so fun to share with the Ticos a significant piece of U.S. culture.
I started the day with a Turkey Trot! My friend, Susannah, and I have both Turkey Trotted with our families and wanted to have one here. So I made tshirts, she mapped a course, and we had one! There were about 35 people who ran and we raised almost $500 for a children’s home Susannah is volunteering with!
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| L to R: Me, Ella, and Jessie before starting the First & Last Annual Slightly Less than 6k Turkey Trot! |
Kevin (YL Regional Director) and his wife, Michelle, host Thanksgiving at their house every year for all of the Vida Joven Staff. And it’s awesome! They are from the States, but have lived in Costa Rica for years. I am so grateful for their hospitality. There was so much love and joy and laughter in their house. So much to reflect on and celebrate together.
“It is not joy that makes us grateful;
it is gratitude that makes us joyful.”
Brother David Steindl-Rast
I recently listened to a sermon from Common Ground (church in Indy I went to in college). The pastor talked about this idea that our job as the church is to be unusually and radically welcoming. I think a lot of times this is done poorly. It’s inauthentic and it turns people off. But today was such a clear picture of what I think this idea looks like. Being radically welcoming. Realizing and embracing that everyone has a seat at the table regardless of culture or background. I knew some people well, and others hardly at all, but we were warm and welcoming. Rooted in Christ. Celebrating the things He has done. The way He’s provided and loved all of us this past year. And that’s so much bigger than culture or place! It’s beautiful the way the staff here have embraced the holiday, and it’s a gift to share it with them. My heart felt full as I looked around the room, one of 10-15 Gringos in a room of 55, talking and singing in Spanish, just taking it all in. Such a picture of the Kingdom of God.
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| Most of the group! |
We all had a paper leaf to write what we were thankful for. Michelle keeps them, strings them on twine, and decorates with them every year. Mine read,
I am grateful for a year of adventure and celebration.
We sang. We played games. We laughed. We ate. We shared. We celebrated. So very grateful for this year. For the lessons. For the adventure. For family. For new and old friends. For rich experiences. For embracing opportunity. For seeing and experiencing the Kingdom in a new and beautiful way.
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| Grateful for these friends. Young Life International Schools Costa Rica. |
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| They have the BEST view from their house and the sunset was absolutely stunning! It just kept getting better! You can see all of Sabana, the National Soccer Stadium, AND THE OCEAN!!! |
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