Saying Goodbye

The Johnson Family: Ready for Mexico

Well, it's hard to believe, but our time in Costa Rica has drawn to a close.  When we came here in December, the end of language school seemed impossibly far away, and we had no idea what to expect.  When you don't know the language, the culture, any people, or have any idea what our time here would be like.  Would we learn the language quickly, or struggle all year?  Would we ever make heads or tails out of the neighborhood and culture that we suddenly found ourselves in?  After living and working in Wyoming our whole lives, what would it be like for us to suddenly be so far away in every possible way from all that we were used to?  How would we make the transition from being close to our family and friends?

The last day of Nick's Grammar Class this Trimester

The answer through all of this was: God.  He has helped us, sustained us, renewed us, given us grace in many forms (comforting grace, empowering grace, etc), and has brought us to the end, of this part of our lives at least.  We met amazing friends here (both among the missionary families and among the Ticos here in Costa Rica).  Not only did we adapt to the culture and the neighborhood, but we came to love it.  We learned some Spanish, and the learned that we'd still be learning years from now.  But, we leave here feeling more solid in the language, the Latin American culture, and in our ability to live away from home and on the mission field.  There have been some challenging times, and we still have much to learn, but we can't thank God enough for the time that we've had here.

Walking at graduation last week carrying the flag for Mexico.

Last week, we finished up classes, walked in our graduation ceremony last Friday, and said some hard goodbyes.  Many of our friends have already left Costa Rica, on their way to Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, and the United States.  Others, we'll be leaving behind in just a few days.  This weekend, we said more goodbyes, this time to our Tico friends that we've met here in the community, and in the church that we've been blessed to attend this year.  In the next two days, we'll say more goodbyes, this time to the student families that we've become closest to.

With our friends the Darnell family, another Global Outreach missionary family, of the way to Ecuador.

Good byes are hard.  Tonight, I laid in bed with Caitlynn, who couldn't stop crying.  When I finally was able to get her to calm down so I could ask her what was wrong, she said, "We have to leave here and it makes me sad."  How real kids are sometimes, willing to show out in the open what many of us only feel and hide on the inside.  I was able to tell her that it is sad, that we'll be leaving behind some wonderful friends, and that it even makes me sad.  However, then I was able to talk to her about the future, and the things that are coming that we have t look forward to:  seeing our family in the United States, visiting our home church and seeing our friends.  We talked about living in Mexico, and making friends there that we wouldn't have to leave so quickly.  Finally, we talked about God, who has promised to never leave us or forsake us, who is there at the top of the highest mountains, and at the bottom of the sea, and how there is nowhere we can go in all of creation where He will not be.  Caitlynn loved the idea, in the midst of hard goodbyes, of a God who never leaves us, who never says goodbye.  And, I love the idea too!

Dinner with Mayela and her family, just some of the amazing Tico friends that we've made here in Costa Rica this year.

Keep us in your prayers over the next few days as we pack, prepare, and say those hard goodbyes.  Ask God to strengthen us and encourage us in Him, that we might find our joy, peace, and direction in Him.  Pray specifically for the kids, especially Zoe and Caitlynn, as they struggle with their goodbyes here.  I will write again in a few days to let you know what the next few months looks like, and how you can pray and be a part of it all.  For now, we love you all, thank you for your prayers and encouragement, and we can't wait to see and hear from all of you as we're back in the States for a few months!

Saying goodbye to Esteban, one of the young men that I'm going to miss here in Costa Rica.

The worship team from the church, over at our house for lunch one last time before we leave this Wednesday for a few months in the United States.