Ok, it hasn´t been that long. But it sure feels like it! I mean, it was eight whole years ago and I have a whole new life now!
Anyway, here goes...
I had just graduated from college at PLNU and was working as a camp counselor at Forest Home Christian Conference Center in the San Bernadino Mountains of California. Yes, I realize I have had the privilege of living in some of the most beautiful places on earth. Anyway, I had recently
Plus, I was throwing a hum dinger of a pity party for myself.
Several of my friends were either going to or returning from an extended trip abroad - which was something I always wanted to do - and it occurred to me that then was as good a time as any. One evening in the middle of worship, I realized that God wanted me to take a trip like that, and open myself to be stretched physically, emotionally, culturally and spiritually. So right then and there I pulled out my journal and committed to leave in the next 6-12 months to go to a Spanish-speaking country in order to serve - somehow. I really didn't have any more specific direction than that.
The summer ended and I returned to San Diego to start my student teaching and to settle into a little apartment with two other college girlfriends. Still being heartbroken and still enjoying that pity party, I remembered that that guy had always talked with excitement and enthusiasm about a biology trip he took to Costa Rica as a part of his pre-med studies in college. I got on the Internet and Googled "Costa Rica Missions."
I found the site of a Christian elementary school established by missionaries that professed a commitment to academic excellence and teaching of faith in Christ. After the application process, phone conversations, research and lots of prayer, I decided to go. It was a fit.
In January of 2002, I moved to San Jose, Costa Rica, and rented a room from a family who lived a few blocks from the school I worked at. Alejandro lived two houses down with his family. He'd recently returned from a trip to Kansas, where he lived for 8 months, studying English.
I passed his bedroom window every morning as I walked to school. And he'd check me out.
He worked at the internet cafe, where I'd go to write home. And I'd check him out.
One day I found myself very lost in downtown San Jose trying to find the bus home (kind of like being lost in San Diego and trying to find the bus to one of its suburbs). Through my broken Spanish I tried to ask for directions and ended up across the street from the bus stop I needed to be at, unbeknownst to me.
Alejandro was at the front of a very long bus line at that stop.
Jumping at the chance to come rescue me, he got out of line and came across the street to where I was. The conversation went something like this:
"Are you lost?"
"Mmmmhmmm!" (nodding yes)
"Would you like some help?"
"Mmmmhmmm!" (nodding yes)
"Are you going home?"
"Mmmmhmmm!" (nodding yes)
"Would you like get on the bus with me?"
"Mmmmhmmm!!!!" (emphatically nodding yes)
From that moment on, we were more or less inseparable. We quickly fell head over heals in love with eachother, although everyone recognized it but me. Alejandro (despite his shy nature) asked me twice if he could court me according to the Costa Rican tradition, with my host family serving as my supervising parents. Both times I gave him a flat out "No."
I'm from California. He's from Costa Rica. How could it possibly work?
Plus, I was pretty sure that as a missionary to the country, I was not supposed to date one of the natives.
Anyway, Alejandro obviously won. (Praise God!)
We were hanging out very late one evening and Alejandro said to me (again uncharacteristicly of his shy nature), "I'd really like to kiss you now."
"No." I said. (I know. I was really mean. But my limited Spanish didn't allow for a whole lot of explanation.)
"Are you sure?" he asked.
My insides were a mixed mess! "No, I'm NOT sure!" I wanted to say. "I'd really like to kiss you too, but I shouldn't, because I'm a missionary and I live in the United States and you live here!"
Funny how we try to put God in a box and make His plans fit into ours.
I tried to explain. "No, I'm not sure...." I began. But in my pause to find the words to explain, (you guessed it) Alejandro kissed me.
I quickly decided not to finish my sentence. (Ha!)
And that, folks, is how the story began. It's not the holiest of beginnings. And actually, God had a long way to bring us until we were ready to get married. He still has a long way to bring us to make us into the Godly husband and wife we'd like to be. But God has a way of starting with his broken mislead people and working his Glory through them anyway.
I'll continue the story another time... but for now that's all.
May God bless you this day, and remind you that no matter where you are in the midst of your journey through His Will for your life, He can always bring greater good than you could ever ask or imagine from what seems like chaos and confusion.
Just wait on Him, and let him delight you.