Christmas away from family and friends is not an easy thing, and homesickness is real. But that doesn’t mean that Christmas is any less special or joyful. I miss home like crazy but I am beyond thankful to be spending it with 40 of the most amazing people in the jungle of Costa Rica. It’s one of those win-lose situations because I want to be home with my family getting to see their joy when they open their presents or getting to hear my dad read the Christmas story in the book of Luke before we eat breakfast on Christmas morning but I also am so happy to be eating cereal in the Jungle and worshiping Jesus at midnight on Christmas Eve and getting a secret Santa note from someone on my squad.
Yesterday was one of my most favorite days yet on the race. We got to travel to a small village about 30 minutes away from Puerto Viejo and spend time with the beautiful people there. We played soccer, made hotdogs, gave out clothes, made bracelets, face painted, and played with the 80+ kids that showed up. All-day long I saw the biggest and most beautiful smiles. First thing there we met this woman whose smile lit up the entire village. I could not help but stare at how her smile grew bigger and bigger with every person she talked to. And as I continued to walk around the open field watching some play soccer and others make bracelets with beads that had been spilled across the grass, I saw smiles full of God’s joy. I saw it in my squad as we got to play with children of all ages and I saw it in the mothers of the children watching them have so much fun playing with a whole bunch of crazy people. And I especially saw it in the children. In the way they were quiet at first not sure whether or not to trust the 40 new people who just filed out of a bus to come love on them with everything they had. But by the end we had kids asking to ride on our shoulders which are now all sore from running up and down the field with kid after kid who wanted to sit high up on our shoulders to see everything from a new point of view. And in the way that the little girls would bring us all flowers and the way that others wanted to have sword fights with leaves. Their faces showed in every moment the joy they were filled with that we wanted to spend time with them and play their games and dance in the middle of a field to music that we understood about two words of.
In the middle of that field, we were all a bit sunburnt, eaten by mosquitoes, and covered in mud from soccer but we were all abundantly joyful because Christmas joy doesn’t need to be in the comfort of your home with hot chocolate and Frank Sinatra Christmas music playing as you open gifts. Christmas joy is the knowledge that Jesus was born that day to later die for us. It’s the knowledge that God loved us more than anything so he sent his son down to earth as a baby on Christmas so that we could be saved and live in Heaven with Him for eternity.
This Christmas is like none other I have ever experienced before but it is one that I will never forget because it is the Christmas that I learned what it truly means to be joyful when nothing is like it normally is. And plus who wants normal anyway. It is so much more fun to do something out of the ordinary and experience the Joy of God in a field in the middle of Costa Rica. I am abundantly thankful for this Christmas away that has reminded me what the true meaning of Christmas is and what it means to find joy in the little things.
Also once again thank you to all of my supporters who have come alongside me financially. You all have made it possible for me to be on this trip and to experience these amazing things that will be a huge part of my life forever. I am not yet fully funded and I am only $890 away from that goal. I would love to be fully funded in one week, January 1st, 2022. Again thank you to all who have already supported me so much. I cannot explain how thankful I am for all of you and your gift to me so that I could fulfill God’s calling for me to travel to three countries to spread his name and love to every person I meet.
Until next time 🙂 Love you all <3
90 degrees! There’s snow on our trampoline here! Merry Christmas south of the equator!! Love you.
Cassie! We miss you so much! However, we are so excited for what you are getting to do in other countries and for what God is doing in you through it all! Love you Cass!
I can see your smile in your writing.
Miss you
This is the best, Cassie. I wish everyone could experience a Christmas like this as some point in life! I think Jesus smiles down on you as you find joy in the little things. As you find joy in HIM 🙂
love this Cass!
This is so good, love seeing you see the Father in the small things. And realizing that being sold out for Christ, comes with giving up some of the comforts at home.
Continue to seek the Lord with everything, never settling with where your relationship is with him now. Anyways one feet in front of the other. Yea