Goal Number 4: Achieved.

I am on cloud nine right now!  I found a church!  And I'm going to be in the worship band!  And I understood every word of the sermon AND what people were saying to me after the service!  AND its not until 6 at night!  Wonderful wonderful!  But let me back up....

I have been struggling with trying to find somewhere...anywhere to go.  Not in the American "gee, which church out of the million should I choose" (which is hard) sort of way but the "I'm in a foreign country and the only protestant church I have seen is Pentecostal" kinda way.  Way back at the begging I thought I was going to go with Janet, or her friends who she introduced me to....briefly.  But Janet doesn't go anymore because she's sick (I dont quite understand) and I really don't know those other people.  So I haven't been going.  Mom and I were talking and she said that the Lord would open a way if I was supposed to go.  Go figure.  Mom wisdom strikes again.  Here's how it went down:

• Erin opens her Bible Sunday morning...arbitrarily....and reads:    "I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly and in the congregation."
• Erin takes this as a sign
• At 2:00 Erin goes on a run, good exercise and a good time to REALLY scout out for churches
• Sees "Iglesia Cuadrangular" (read:  Four Square Church) skeptical, but remembers "the sign"
• At 5:30 Erin walks towards the church....it is completely closed up (church at 6:00)
• Erin goes to the beach with her Bible to wait (maybe they are on Tico time?)

INTERRUPTION:   JOURNAL ENTRY FROM THE BEACH

"I am sitting on the beach with my Bible and I am in awe.  This is so pretty.  It is 5:45 and the sun is starting its gentle descent.  To my left the clouds and mountains loom deep purple over the slate blue ocean and to my right a shimmering gold sky peaks through baby blue clouds and navy mountains, the water looks almost white with dark grey peaks.  Every color scheme is amazingly calming, like the cool salty breeze chasing away the heat of the day and the gentle sushing sound of the waves breaking on the sand.  I want to share this with someone"

BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMING

• Erin walks back to the church...still no one there.  Heads home. 
• Sees a man she thinks might be the one Janet introduced her to three weeks ago.
• Awkwardly begins conversation.  Man remembers Erin and that she wants to go to church.
• Erin and new acquaintances bike a looooong way to a church Erin has never seen before
• Erin goes to church.....a Baptist church!  Purely "accident" ;)
• Pastor points out that Erin is new, everyone looks at her.  Pastor asks her to speak.  She declines on account of nervousness speaking in front of large crowds in a foreign tongue.
• Then back to the awesome understanding the sermon, being able to sing along with the songs and being invited to play guitar and sing on the worship team.

God is faithful.  He provides us with what we need.  It was so good to be surrounded by people that know and love Jesus Christ.  Thanks for the push, mom.

Oh, and Lucre cooked my favorite dinner.  :)