Learning to be a Tica

Hello friends and family! I miss you all. It seems like it was a long time ago that I left the states, even though I have only been down here a week and half. I've been learning to be a "Tica" as my host family says. Tica is the Costa Rican word here for a local. My host family has been teaching me all sorts of Spanish and specifically Costa Rican words. We have so much fun...usually laughing at the round-a-bout ways I try to say what I am thinking in Spanish. Communicating has been getting a little easier though, praise God! And I have another family type unit here with the intern group. They're so fun! Its cool to see how we were all uniquely drawn to serving with eMi this year and I've loved hearing their testimonies about how they came to know Christ and God's love. Last weekend one of the interns supporters paid for us to go on a ziplining adventure in the jungle. It was so awesome to be blessed with that gift to experience some of the beautiful nature I am surrounded by here. Also, I really love serving here in the eMi office. This past week I have been working on a medical clinic project based in Honduras, and I've been communicating with another architect from the states, Gloria. Gloria, happen to be one of the people who told me about eMi when she was at Penn State for school. It's funny how things have come full circle now! Its been so cool to see God's provision in this whole process and I am so happy to be a part of this missions organization for the summer. This coming week I will be leaving Atenas for my project trip. A team of architects and I are going to meet up with a ministry in San Jose and design a church for them. Next week will be jam packed with lots of travel and work and Spanish! Please pray that the work we need done will get accomplished by God's grace and that the church we are designing will be a place where God is glorified and people are drawn into a relationship with him. Also pray for our safety and health while we are away. Thank you so much for you support. I am so grateful for this time to serve and learn. I'll be back in touch in a week! Adios!