steeped in tradition

Traditions run deep in every family, every culture, every nation.       It was a pleasant surprise as we rode through the downtown area of San Jose to see Nativity scenes displayed with colored lights flashing Feliz Navidad. Small homes behind their barred gates had their nativity scenes out (some nearly life-size). At the center of the big mall, inside there was another giant nativity scene. Santa Claus wasn’t the focus, hardly there at all. A Costa Rican friend said that Santa arrived about a decade ago via a Coca~Cola billboard!

     Christmas day was one of worship from beginning to end. From baptisms, purchasing a large food order, delivering needed gifts to families in the barrios, a Christmas service to serving a dinner to each of those who showed up at the worship service.

     After incredible worship led by the band, poetry being read, and mime acting to a song, Pastor Alejandro shared insight (for me) and a challenge to each of us. “Christmas is not about setting out a nativity in your home, it is not about baby Jesus in a manger, it is not about baby Jesus bringing you gifts, it IS about the Gospel, Jesus coming, dying and being resurrected – bringing salvation.” As Mariana whispered his message in my ear (interpreting it for us) my back stiffened a bit; thinking how hard the pastor was being on baby Jesus and the nativity scenes…

then I got it.

The United States has their Santa Claus, and Costa Rica has el niño Jesus bringing gifts. Catholicism is the primary religion, with extra traditions added on of course -like Christmas Eve, if you have been good el niño Jesus will bring you gifts.

     As we made our way through the barrios on Christmas day, my heart ached a little more. It’s ok if Santa’s sleigh never makes it here, but what if they have been pretty good kids all year and they desperately want baby Jesus to bring them a gift on Christmas Eve and he never shows up? A hard reminder of how some tradition and religion can kill faith. Will it make it more difficult for them to believe that Jesus came as a baby, not bringing our wants on Christmas Eve, but bringing salvation to all who will trust him?

Vivid in my mind are the faces that we saw, spoke with, touched on Christmas day, may the Gospel that they heard change everything for them!

my heart restored

Sharing with teen moms in Costa Rica ~ some who come from broken homes, live with abusive boyfriends, taking care of their babies at age fifteen and sixteen. Being a teenager is hard, being a mom is hard, living in poverty makes it ALL the more difficult. Most of them have their identity tied to what has happened to them (they didn't all become moms by their own will), what they have done, who shows them "love," and the lies others have spoken to them again and again.
My Heart Restored was prayed over and planned to hold up a new mirror, show them a new identity, restore bruised and broken hearts - but how?
The Gospel. In the new mirror given there is a reflection of a Savior.
My favorite storybook This is No Fairy Tale, ended session one as Hazel (pictured next to me on the right) told the story orally in the girls native tongue. They heard the gospel. A Savior who loves, died, rose again so that we could be complete, forgiven, made whole.
A Savior who loves completely and never leaves us.
The young girls didn't need to be reminded of their sin. It is what they see in the mirror every day, reminded of when others shun them, by the way they seek to feel loved...
Small Group time with their mentors gave them time to address these. The girls were asked tough questions and given big TRUTHS.

As we gathered again, I shared "This is how God showed his love for us. He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:9&10

A Savior who loves you - He calls you by name, he has engraved your name on the palm of his hand. You are not just one in a million or a face in the crowd. You are unique, loved and accepted fully because of what Jesus has already done. When we believe this for ourselves and trust Him, he gives us the right to be called children of God. This is no fairy tale, Jesus' love is real.

Trust him, begin to believe His truth. Then I prayed for them new eyes and courage to see themselves as they really are in Christ (or really can be) and faith to believe that He is restoring their hearts.

Small group time, a chance to go deeper....and they did!

God is at work in the hearts of these young ladies, pray for them and pray for their mentors!