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So, we were starting our jewelry class in La Carpio...with practically no beads with which to make jewelry! It's tempting to just spend my own money to buy supplies, but we've all committed to waiting for the proceeds from the sale of the jewelry we've already made to buy more beads. It's a great exercise in patience and good money management, but it's hard to wait!! (At some point we may look into micro-loans for these ladies, but we're a pretty humble enterprise at the moment.)
While the ladies worked on a few necklaces, trying out new varieties with the remaining meager collection, we ran into a snag of needing some basic supplies. More to remember what to buy when we had the money than as an act of faith, we made a list: Scissors, hot glue guns, beads, earring "holders", ziplock bags...
Amanda went into the supply closet thinking she'd seen scissors in there at some point. Right away she came back with a huge smile on her face! A giant bag of scissors--and we could use them every week!
She headed back to the closet, and I don't even remember praying she'd find anything more for us. In general, life in La Carpio is an adventure, and God works in surprising ways to bring things full circle for His glory. I've kind of stopped wondering and started waiting -- one of my favorite things about how spending time in La Carpio has changed me.
This time was no exception. Five minutes and three trips to the previously mysterious supply closet, and we had a huge box of shell beads and necklace "fixings", hot glue guns and sticks, and various other jewelry items. We all squealed with delight and I said a quick "Thank you" to God for providing!
As we compared our list to the provision, we ALL thanked God! We're still waiting on the funds to come in from the sale of the ladies' jewelry in the States, but now we have a little wiggle room...and another testimony of God's involvement in our lives!
Above: Sorting and taking inventory of our God-given supplies!
My first week in Costa Rica, I headed to Walmart to buy a few things no other stores had. The store is officially called "Hipermás" here, but they can't fool me! I was dragging my heels to shop there but later I found out that before Walmart was allowed to enter Costa Rica, they had to agree to a list of things so they couldn't take advantage of the situation or the people here. Employees at Hipermás have it good. I think mom and pop shops are probably still suffering because of the mega-store, but now I feel better for buying a fan there!
That day, I found the things I was looking for, well, most of them, and took a pit stop while my friend watched our cart. In the bathroom, out of nowhere, my nose started bleeding--hardcore. I've never had a nosebleed before and didn't know what to do. I had wads of TP holding the gusher in and had my nose in the air (for all the right reasons). A lady stopped me at the sink. "Are you okay? Here, you need a cold compress, let me get some toilet paper." She wadded up a bunch and splashed some water on it.
As she held it up to my forehead, she said "And now we need to ask Jesus to heal you," all matter-of-fact. Before I could respond (and she was not concerned about whether or not I agreed!) she started to pray, "Jesus, we know you can reach down and touch your daughter here and heal her immediately. Please do that for your glory." I was smiling and praying with her and she seemed encouraged when she looked up at me, so she continued, "Holy Spirit, heal and protect your daughter, that you love, so she can continue to live for you."
The nosebleed stopped immediately. She patted me on the back, told me I would be fine and that Jesus would take care of me, and told me again that He was good. I agreed and she went out the swinging bathroom door. I threw away the toilet paper compress and followed her out. I kind of had a suspicion that she wouldn't be anywhere in sight and sure enough, in the big, open, empty hallway, there was no one. My friend was the only person coming toward me. "Are you okay?" she called out. "Yes, but did you see anyone out here?" "No," she replied, and that confirmed it for me. Angels can look like well-dressed Costa Rican grandmas, right?
