First Post

Well, I've been here a total of 47 days and I just decided I would start writing my blog. Sorry...

But, I would like to give everyone an update on how things are going: GREAT! They're going absolutely wonderful! Micah and Melissa are wonderful hosts and do an amazing job at encouraging and helping me grow while I'm here. With them I do bible studies, discipleship training, and pleanty of hands-on work in with their ministry, Til He Returns.

Since I've been here, I've had the opportunity to see first hand how the different ministries operate. Every other week, there is The Refuge. This ministry is for single moms, teen moms, or any woman seeking counseling before, during, or after her pregnancy. The counseling is great and is working with the women not only with things relating motherhood, but with spiritual growth too. The center hasn't even been open a year, but has already seen growth in the women that come.

I also have the honor of being able to help with a sister ministry to The Refuge, Casa Transfoma. In many ways, the two ministries have a lot alike. Casa Transforma focuses on teaching women how to overcome their poverty by teaching them trades that they can use to earn an income. In the process, they are also taught how to run a business and to do it with integrity. They run weekly massage, cooking, sewing, and cosmetology classes. The ladies who come are also forming community with each other in their bible studies and events at Casa Transforma. There are several of the ladies who started out taking classes there that now teach!

Now, some of you prolly wondering... what's a chancha? Haha, there's a good story behind that name, but in short... One of the friends I've made while I've been here, her name is Marcella, is a fantastic chef. She makes super yummy, healthy food. And it's so good, I can't help but eat a whole lot of it. So, I got the nickname Chancha. Which, in Costa Rica, is a cute word for someone who eats like a pig. Remember Chancho from Nacho Libre?

We're both Chanchas