Unexplainable Joy

Its, Tuesday, July 16 and our team has been here for a full two days.  I’m sitting outside the church on the steps and all I can hear is the bugs chirping, the guys messing around outside, and Angie giggling next to me.  We just finished supper and everyone is chilling out and taking showers. It was the second day of VBS at both locations and it went really great.  God is so good. To see that even though some of the kids who come are only here because their friends are here are still getting to hear about Gods love every day.  The joy that brings me is almost unexplainable.  I know that sometimes it is hard to talk to the locals for everyone on our team at some point because of the language and culture barrier but the courage and the strength that God gives us is so incredible and it is even more incredible to be able to witness it happening to the people around you.  I really got to know some of the boys at the VBS today and I have so much fun trying to talk to them in Spanish with what little I know.  They are all so friendly after they open up and feel like they know you.  The age range of kids is pretty big, from some little ones who are 6 years old to some of the boys who are 20 years old. Even though that the gap is so big they all get along all the time, and it is so cool to see that they are still connected as a community. 

After we had our VBS our team got to go to the beach and walk the shoreline and handed out popsicles to people that we wanted to or that we felt the Lord was telling us to go and talk to.  I love to talk to people but I do have to say that it was kind of intimidating to go and talk to complete strangers when you do not speak their language.  To see the way that God works in instantaneous situations is so cool.  We didn’t end up handing out all of our popsicles but we stayed and talk to a family for almost an hour.  We got to pray for them and just let God shine through us and encourage them for whatever happens in the future.  We came back to a great dinner prepared by Oscar and the ladies in the kitchen.  Our team is so spoiled by the great food that we get to eat every single night.  Sitting hear reflecting on God and all of the things that happened today I get this overwhelming feeling of thankfulness.  I’m sitting here with a full stomach and feeling clean and refreshed after talking a nice shower surrounded by amazing people with huge hearts that love God so much, and I get to be a part of this opportunity.  God has blessed me so much not only in the big things but in the little things that I too often take for granted.  I am so happy that he has given my team and I the chance to go somewhere to focus on him and the great things that he has planned for our lives and for us to see him work in the people around us.     Blessings- Katie Ricci