The Winter Olympics, Camp, & the BCS

For those of you who don't know- the Crimson Tide has been at the mercy of the BCS gods for the past 2 weeks now, and our national championship hopes still lie in their hands. Before leaving for the mountainous rain forest of Costa Rica last Friday, I posted a Facebook status about last weekend being the best weekend to be away from access to college football because it "wasn't going to be that exciting." I know, I know...I should know better by now. When I returned Sunday afternoon and realized that anyone relevant to our season except LSU lost, I was shocked/ecstatic. Regardless of whether or not the BCS is the best system, it sure does make things exciting! At this point, all Alabama can do for themselves is beat Auburn this weekend...and if we manage to let those barners beat us- then we deserve to have our season ruined. Remember Iron Bowl 2010, Tide fans! It's time for revenge. Keep those title dreams alive and Roooooooooooooll Tide Roll! I'd take an Arkansas win on Friday, too...

In the meantime, we hosted the winter Olympics right here in Santa Ana, Costa Rica last Wednesday evening.  That's right- YoungLife brought a little taste of winter to the now summer in Costa Rica complete with ice skating and bobsledding...on a Crisco covered tarp and soon-to-be-ruined socks. It was both the coolest and greasiest thing I've ever seen, and I'd do it again tomorrow if someone wanted to. We had speed skating, partner skating, Disney on Ice, bobsledding, and some epic falls. The most amazing thing about all of this was it was all indoors. Sounds crazy, right? YoungLife is a little crazy...check it out. 

The Ice Rink

People take to the Crisco ice

Partner skate champions

Bobsled Building 

Then, on Friday, we loaded up two buses of middle school students from 7 different international schools and took off for a weekend of WyldLife camp in the mountains/rain forest. This camp, La Montana Christain Camp, was incredible. We started off Friday night with a surprise roller skating session straight out of my own elementary school days...disco ball lights and all. Saturday, we did a high ropes course in the middle of the rain forest, went to the lake- where there was a huge water slide, a water trapeze, and a trampoline-, then we did a military style mud obstacle course in chest-deep mud, and then we had a dodgeball tournament. Talk about a long day. Throughout the weekend, I led a cabin of 8th grade girls who opened my heart to middle schoolers in a whole new way. I also created and scripted characters for meal program and club program...I was constantly in and out of costumes, switching accents, and making sure supplies were ready for whatever aspect of program came next. What sounds like absolute chaos actually ran like a well-oiled machine; no thanks to myself- only God could pull something like this past weekend off. The British rock star sensations, Freddy VanWalen (Me) and Dingo Starr (Nicki) rocked 4 clubs like it was 1975. The scooter-riding nerds, Beatrice (Alex) and Barb (Me), saved camp from muscleman record-breaker, Rex (Olen), by breaking a Guinness World Record of their own after several failed attempts. Everything about camp makes me smile now looking back...For those of you who can appreciate a classic YL skit: I hosted a "WyldLife's Got Talent"  show on Saturday night where each cabin performed a YL classic. My cabin combined with a guy's cabin to perform the most epic "Pass It Down" skit possibly ever done- 16 people and a dog. I have never been so proud of 13 and 14 year olds. Anyways, enough writing- take a look at the pictures... 

Hanging upside down rather than skating 

Getting ready for the ropes course!

Not your average ropes course...

My group on low ropes challenges

At club!

Freddy VanWalen & Dingo Starr

The lake and its activities

Water Swing

Retoselva (Jungle Challenge)

Nasty guys after finishing 

Scooter soccer...with plungers

With Lindsey and Ali

Ugly, right?

Leadership 2011-2012

After returning from the craziest 48 hours of my life, we had an extra day with the camp speaker and his wife, David & Carol Morgan- complete bad-a's by the way-, whose flight wasn't until Tuesday. What would you do with 24 hrs. in Costa Rica? We took off for the beach at 7 am Monday morning! Our original destination was Playa Hermosa, and after accidentally ending up in Puntarenas, we settled for an afternoon at Jaco beach. The weather was awesome, there were iguanas everywhere, I busted open my first coconut all by myself, had an Imperial on the beach, ate fresh fish tacos, and had the best ice cream/coffee mixture you could possibly imagine. It was a GREAT day at the beach. Then, on the way home, we stopped on "crocodile bridge"- notorious for wild crocodile sightings- and there they were! About 7 or 8 crocs just bathing in the sun...

Jaco beach

Crocodiles

That's not all the wild life I saw last weekend. At camp, I saw howler monkeys and whatever these things are, too:

More than a few times this weekend, the thought that kept coming to my mind was, "This is where I freaking live...?" It's hard to believe sometimes when I'm in a harness in the rainforest, standing on a tropical beach, or looking down on a 15 foot crocodile. But it's true- this is where I live! God has blessed me with the opportunity of a lifetime, and I'm happy to share it with you.      

A Reason to Mourn & a Reason to Celebrate

For the first time this season, I'm not as excited to update you on the happenings of Alabama football this past week. But, the facts are the facts, and we lost to LSU 9-6 in overtime in an intense defensive battle Saturday night. Special teams were the deciding factor between the two teams, and LSU's kicker made one more field goal than we did...that's all there is to it. I hope someone took notes for recruiting priorities next year. Did I cry? Yes. Is there still hope for a championship season? Yes, and that would be absolutely crazy if all of the cards fall into place as necessary for that to happen. I'm proud of those boys in crimson. Roll Tide, forever. Now, let's beat H-E-double hockey sticks out of Mississippi State this Saturday and remind this country what Alabama is capable of. This could still be a wild ride to January 9th!

I wouldn't be being telling the truth if I say that I've completely bounced back from the loss yet...it'll take a day or two of mourning, but I know it's not the end of the world. While the score wasn't ideal, my company during the game certainly was. We had another "viewing" party at Fer Solano's house (the first one was for the UT game two weeks ago), and everyone supported my Tide! We all wore crimson, had our Bama coasters and huggers, and watched the game from start to finish. I loved getting to tell my friends all about our coaches, our players, football rules and strategies, and share some Tide traditions with folks in Costa Rica!

Great friends cheering on the Tide

Our wonderful host and chef, Fer

I just love this picture...

In other happenings, earlier in the day Saturday, I played golf in Santa Ana at an absolutely beautiful course with a great friend, Fer Solano, to keep my mind off the "game of the century" coming up that evening. You had to have been there to fully appreciate the scenery and the weather, but the pictures do it a fair amount of justice. It was very relaxing and enjoyable at the time, but now that it's Sunday morning- I can hardly move. I'm so sore from swinging that golf club...goes to show how often I get out to play. I can't wait to go again soon though! 

The mountains, the course, the weather...just doesn't get much better!

Driving and Putting 

Even earlier in the week-Wednesday we had our "Revenge of the Nerds" YoungLife club. In true YoungLife fashion, I went all out with the theme and did a little Costa Rican thrift store shopping to put together the perfect nerd outfit. The best part of the night ended up being taking "jumping pictures" in Laura Prada's basement in our outfits. This provided lots of laughs, fun pictures, and plenty of entertainment! I gave the "Need" talk at the end of the night reminding our high school friends of their need for Christ. All went well, and there are pictures to prove it...

Our team has never looked better.

One of many "jumping pictures" from the night

Finally, the only thing new with me is the beginning of a "40 Days of Prayer" prayer initiative that I started on Halloween in partnership with my church, The Church at Tuscaloosa, in the States. I listen to Dan's sermons online each Sunday, and I smiled two weeks ago as I heard his message begin to align with where my heart is right now as well-prayer. It's vital, and we'll never know how to well enough or often enough. The ultimate prayer during this time is that God would say to his people exactly what He wants them to hear. In order to hear Him speak, we have to be communicating, right? The doors of our church are open from 7-8 every morning for 40 days for time set aside specifically for prayer, so with a similar attitude, I am praying simultaneously for 40 days days in Costa Rica. I've shared my heart with you in previous weeks about my desire to be better connected as I discern how the Lord is working through my own life in ministry and where He's going with that, as well as how He is working with our YL ministry here in Costa Rica. May these 40 days serve as a time for spiritual training on how to be better connected, how to listen, and how to respond faithfully beyond the initial 40 days...This is a reason to celebrate!

My prayer each morning is this, "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground." -Psalm 143:8-10

It's LSU week!...and I'm Still in the Rich Coast

Well, the title says it all. It's LSU week, my friends! Today marks the first day of the biggest week of Alabama's entire football season this year. Really, it's the biggest week of college football in general since it essentially is the National Championship. #1 LSU and #2 Alabama, both from the SEC West, will play Saturday evening in Bryant-Denny Stadium. This is going to be an incredibly long and anxiety-filled week...and being thousands of miles removed from the real excitement doesn't help. However, I'm thankful to be here in Costa Rica and, as always, Roll Tide!

In honor of Halloween & the week ahead

Updates from the Rich Coast: (I apologize for not updating this month as often I normally do...I can't even say I was that much busier, but you know...that's life)

So, since the last time you heard from me we've had our biggest WyldLife event of the semester: INCOGNITO. This is a human scavenger hunt through Escazu's Multiplaza (a 3 story mega mall). The leaders go with groups of 7-10 middle school students throughout the mall to find 10 hidden incognito agents (our friends from outside of YL/WL) wearing something abnormal; for example, a bike helmet and sunglasses in the food court. It's always a huge hit, and this year was no exception! Rounding up 75 middle school students in a 3 story mall...chaotic: yes. Do we love it?: also a yes.

Jessie giving out the instructions/"strong suggestions" aka rules 

Moving on up to high school...we've had 2 awesome YoungLife meetings towards the end of this month, too. One was "Game Show Club" and the other was, of course, "Costume Club (Halloween)". Game show club included games like "Minute to Win It", "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?", and "Wheel of Misfortune" all hosted by not-so-typical personalities. Deborah and Debbie Downer were the sarcastic and pessimistic hosts played by yours truly and Nicki Raimondo. The next club was Halloween club although we couldn't call it that because Halloween is not as widely accepted here as it is in the States. We did your typical Halloween activities though: wore costumes, bobbed for apples, bowled with cayotes, and carved papayas. That's right...pumpkins aren't easy to come across in this country, so we had to improvise with similar fruits such as cayotes (a gourd kind of thing) and papaya. Costa Rica YoungLife at it's finest!

Deborah and Debbie Downer "walking it out" at game show club with some winning contestants

(check out that middle part)

One group carving the papaya

And a finished product...

Another awesome part of this past weekend was spending time as a team with one of our volunteer leaders, also a  full-time lawyer, and his wife at their home. Fer and Elise invited all of the YoungLife staff girls over for dinner and a movie on Friday night, and it was such a sweet time to just relax and hang out outside of work. We rarely, as an entire team, have the opportunity to be together when we're not doing things for YoungLife. We watched The Conspirator, and if you haven't seen it- I highly recommend watching it. It's about President Lincoln's assassination and the court trials that followed. Perfect for U.S. history buffs like myself.

Finally, yesterday we had a Vida Joven (different than YoungLife, people) meeting to start making preparations for camp in January. We take our kids to camp separately from the Vida Joven kids (because our ministry is in English and theirs is in Spanish, and it would be tough to pull off camp with both), but we still want to be a part of helping make their camp happen. It was awesome to see how carefully and strategically camp is planned down to the last detail; just like in the States. Everything with excellence! We had a time for worship, we heard a little blurb from the speaker about what he has planned to present to the campers, and then we divided up into groups: program, food, work crew, leaders, and music. I'm hoping to be able to go serve on work crew alongside Spanish speaking high school students who are serving their Spanish speaking peers. After our meeting this weekend, I'm really excited about the opportunity to see every aspect of YoungLife camp done in a different language!  (I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I don't get assigned to the camp dates that fall on the date for the National Championship) 

So now we're left with what's going on in my life personally. Since I've been here (about 2 1/2 months now), I've been focusing on my prayer life and the power of prayer- it's been an incredible lesson that God is still teaching me. My ultimate desire is to become more consistently connected with the Lord...and it takes some spiritual training for that to become a natural part of our lives. Anyways, I've been praying very specifically for people in my life, for discernment, and for God's work through our ministry. Just recently I've experienced some very obvious and incredible answers to long-time prayers, and my initial reaction was, "Wow, that literally just blew my mind!" We had our monthly Sabbath day (the majority of a day set aside for individual time with the Lord) as a team 2 weeks ago now, and during that time I found myself being convicted of not praying expectantly. We hear it all the time, I know. But seriously- all that praying, and I was totally surprised when the Lord showed up and worked? What did I think I was praying for? He listens...and He's able! He's capabilities are immeasurable, and he works for the good in all things. My greatest desire is to be connected with him-for my life to be aligned with his will-and I wasn't expecting to see Him work! The fact is, His works go far beyond what I was initially praying for. Praise Him for the work He has begun and for broadening my perspective on the power of a connection with Him. You better believe that I will continue praying...but now they have become more radical prayers followed by an expectancy for radical results.

So that's been me recently, and I'm not sorry for pouring that out on you. I'm glad to, and I hope you will explore what it means to pray radically and expectantly, because He is working.

Just me, Sydney Elizabeth, enjoying my coffee during our Sabbath day- Pinky up!

"But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure, I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness and yours alone." 

-Psalm 71:14-16 

  

2 Months Down-2 Months To Go

Well, first thing's first; an Alabama football update. Alabama blew past Ole Miss this weekend with little to no difficulty (Miss. State friends- you're welcome). After being sparked by Ole Miss scoring first, we caught a glimpse of our offense's potential with a final score of 52-7 moving our record on to 7-0 for the season. Yesterday began my favorite week of SEC college football season: Tennessee week. Yep, the third week of October has begun and will culminate in a game against the Vols in Bryant-Denny stadium on Saturday. Oh, how I hate that I am missing it! Roll Tide Roll!

On that note, this is one of the "Top 5 Best Moments of my Life": Rocky Block 2009 in Bryant-Denny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z475wBoEMRg

(I discovered colored font...hence you seeing color-coded football teams. Spicing things up!)

Now then, the big news from the small country on the equator is I've now been here for 2 months as of October 15th, and I have exactly 2 months left before I fly home for Christmas on December 15th. I hope no one back home is offended when I tell you that I have mixed feeling about going back to the States for almost an entire month. Not that I haven't missed my family, friends, and the comforts of home, but I'm just now getting to a point where I'm making a life for myself here. It may be a little strange to go back and interrupt my almost complete assimilation to life in Costa Rica. But don't worry, I still have 2 months to go, and my feelings may change before then. I'll be home on the 15th with plenty of souvenirs and hugs to go around!

Things that have happened towards the end of this month:

1. My great friend and fellow intern, Nicki Raimondo, turned 23! Of course she got to choose what we did for her birthday, and I was so glad she chose to do the hike "a las tres cruces" (to the three crosses)! This hike lasts about 5 hours and takes you to each of the 3 crosses as you ascend the mountain that towers over our town of Escazu. The descent trail is nearly non-existent, and you follow a cow path down the mountain and then a river bed back to civilization. So cool! Of course, us girls took plenty of pictures of the ever-changing scenery. Later that night, our mentors hosted a birthday party for everyone with a birthday this semester.  

The first cross

 The second cross

 Headstands on the mountainside

 Awesome tree

 Hey-oh, we made  it!

Our team with some of our sweet mentors for Nicki's birthday

2. Then another great friend and co-worker, Ali Campbell, turned 28! One of Ali's favorite things to do, like a true Tica, is go dancing. So, that we did! It was a great time with a great group; our YoungLife friends, our Vida Joven friends, and the other friends we've made outside of work. I'm still learning to salsa, merangue, and cumbia, but I enjoy it and it's a cultural experience.

The girls before going dancing for Ali's birthday

 Learning how to salsa dance (in cowboy boots)

 3. Vida Joven Area Este Torneo de Futbol (YoungLife East Side Soccer Tournament) took place in Alajuela on October 9th. We put together an International Schools YoungLife team with two leaders, and four middle school & high school girls from 3 different international schools. The tournament was 5v5 and hosted teams from all YoungLife areas across San Jose and neighboring communities, including Capernaum areas (YoungLife for teenagers with disabilities). It was incredible! We played 4 games in one day, and we made it to the women's final game but lost to Moravia.

Our first soccer game of the day

Team International Schools in green and ready to go

 Sweaty team after the finals 

 Game 2 against Alajuela Capernaum

4. My favorite YoungLife yet was this past Wednesday evening- Tourist Club! I loved it because it was a club you may not be able to pull off in the States with as much appreciation as you can in another country. Tourist Club is the story of our lives here! There were backpacks, fanny packs, crazy hats, sunglasses, and Hawaiian shirts galore. The club attendance was one for the books, and I left with a huge smile on my face for the rest of the night!

Tourist Club celebrating Ali's birthday

 Professional tourists

Scavenger hunt completed

5. Well, folks, here we are after spending 2 months together: your International Schools YoungLife Staff. (Still praying for some male presence...)

 Left to right: Sydney, Jessie, Alex, Ali, & Nicki

As far as where I am with life these days:

-Costa Rica has become my new home

-I am praying through what continuing to do full-time ministry will look like in my quickly approaching future

-We are facing a challenge in our YoungLife area to re-vamp our approach to reaching a world of kids and how to best utilize our now larger team

-My madre bought a dryer for our home here (huge deal)

-The Lord is teaching me just how incredibly able and faithful He truly is

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." -Ephesians 3:20

  

Adventures in Nicaragua

As always, let me open up by informing those of ya'll who live under rocks (or live in a country where they don't broadcast or follow college football--Costa Rica) that Alabama beat Florida on Saturday and now sits at #2 on the AP poll. Nick Saban doesn't care what we are ranked. I kind of do. Roll Tide. Sadly, I was unable to watch that game because...

I WENT TO NICARAGUA LAST SATURDAY!

I am not exaggerating when I say that Saturday of last week through Tuesday of this week was, hands down, the greatest adventure of my life thus far. Packing a backpack and crossing Central American borders via public transportation is how the adventure began. This was a 7 hour bus ride with a 2 hour stop while we were "processed and searched" at the Nicaraguan border. Fun fact: Nicaragua is the second poorest country on earth behind Haiti. (That information was given to me by Alex Ridenour- I have no idea if it's true). Turns out, the bus didn't stop at the beach town we were trying to reach so we were dropped off on the side of the highway, and our backpacks were tossed out of the bus. I knew our destination was San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, but I had no idea where that was on a map. It's a strange feeling not knowing where you are in the world...and nobody else, other than the 3 of us, really did either. I just knew I was on the Pacific coast of Central America. Don't worry- we made it from the side of the highway to the beach, but I won't tell you how.

After finding our hotel, that had "never received" our reservations, we were at the beach! This wasn't the Gulf  Shores or the Destin that we know as Americans...The sand was brown, the water was clear, there were mountains directly behind the beach, and there was NO ONE there- literally, no one. It's rainy season, but it only rained once while we were there. We were also the only three people in the restaurant every night when we went out to eat. Our own private beach vacation!

Our activities while at the beach in Nicaragua included:

-Laid out: That's what three girls at the beach do...but it's amazing how much stronger the sun is at the equator. I consider my skin to be pretty tolerant to sun exposure and I was spraying on the SPF 70 by day 2.

-Read books: I read Tony Dungee's autobiography cover to cover throughout the trip, and I was captivated my his approach to coaching and life in general. What a baller. I would plop down on my towel and say to the girls, "Let's see what Tony's doing today."

-Paddle boarding: We rented a paddle board so we could all try paddle boarding in the ocean. The only time I had tried it previously was in a river, and it's 10x's harder in the ocean- trust me. This is Nicki paddling away...

-Eskimos: This was the ice cream shop on the beach. We were at the beach for 3 days, and I ate there 6 times. Their coffee ice cream was to die for, and a double-scoop cone cost less than a dollar. What a deal! Did I mention everything is dirt cheap in Nicaragua?

-Exploring: We explored the rocky coast just beyond the sandy beach. This was my favorite part, by far. You just don't see places like this in the States. It was beautiful!

-Played Soccer: One of the things I love most about the game of "futbol" in Latin America is that it's such an immediate connection to anyone and everyone. If you show up with a soccer ball, you're automatically the most popular person on the beach. Everyone's always down for a game. I had a blast playing soccer on the beach with the local kids.

-Drank Coffee: This is was Alex & I do best. I'm proud to say Nicki is picking up on it, too. Every morning- 2 cups. Afternoon- another cup. You just can't compete with the coffee in Central America...incredibly addicting.

-Watched Sunsets: I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

-Enjoyed locals surfing: Apparently right before dusk is the best time to surf, because after we were fried to a crisp and ready to call it a day...the local surfers came out to play! I want to learn sometime while I'm here!

More than anything, the greatest part of the trip was getting out of town, taking a break, spending time with sweet friends, and having lots of alone time with the Lord. While it was certainly an exciting adventure, it was also a much needed renewal of energy. I had lots of time to focus on what I'm being called to do here, how I can continue to be faithful in that, and what the Lord is teaching me along the way. Now, I'm back in San Jose, and we've already hit the ground running again...I will walk by faith, not by sight.

Coolest part of my time back thus far: Giving my first YoungLife talk in Costa Rica at an Outback Steakhouse. We hosted a YL dinner event, and it was my week to talk. What a blessing it was to have a different setting to work with; it was almost like having a conversation at the dinner table at home rather than standing in front of a crowd to speak. First time for everything, right?

Finally, I hope this makes you smile. This woman was running with 8 dogs in one hand and a bird in the other. She gave the bird kisses every several yards also...Incredible.