Debriefing

Welp. We’re finally here. Debriefing. Since our arrival in Jaco late Monday evening we have concluded our week of debriefing, the importance of which cannot be overstated. As Royal Servants, we consider it essential to create time and space for our team to listen to God and consider everything that He has done through us over the course of the last several weeks. That is why we left Cachi several days before the conclusion of our trip - to create distance for our students and to exist in a completely different space while we figure out how to take home everything we have learned; while we process how this new version of ourselves will fit back into the life we left behind. So what does that look like?

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We looked back: Our students spent time re-reading their journals and quiet time notes from the last month and considered how they have personally changed over the course of the trip, and they followed this up by writing themselves a personal letter which will be mailed back to them in several months: to remind them of everything they learned that they don’t want to forget. Our students also spent time together crafting reports or presentations to describe all that we experienced this summer, specifically regarding our spiritual growth, ministry, culture and heritage, and our team’s dynamics. This led to much laughter and reminiscing on Tuesday night.

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We looked ahead: All summer we have prioritized an hour of daily time in the Word, but this week we doubled that and also gave specific topical studies related to going home. Our students spent two hours each of the last three days focusing on what God has to say about Fear, Courage, and Obedience, and specifically what that means for them during this transition. We have had debriefing sessions each afternoon to help talk through the range of emotions we may experience as we say goodbye to this community - from loneliness and isolation to loss of purpose, directionlessness, and apathy; and we have talked through how to combat these feelings. We spent time equipping our students with the understanding that God may have called them to Costa Rica this summer, but that He is ultimately calling them to return… to their schools, neighborhoods, workplaces, and families; to continue their Gospel mission at home.

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We lived in the moment: This week could never be just all about business - and so we found opportunities to just relax and have fun with each other. Movie night on Monday (The Muppets!), swimming in our backyard pool, and conquering our fear of heights on the epic canopy zipline, we have deeply enjoyed each other’s company. We also got to share in the joyful surrender of baptism as Bella and Tobey both took that next step in obedience to God. And today, we concluded by exploring Jaco in our small groups: a beautiful time of fellowship, good food, and souvenirs… and probably a lot of ice cream.

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Yes, this may be the end of our mission trip to Costa Rica and, sad as it is, the end of our existence as a team; but I believe that this summer was just the beginning. The beginning of a lifetime of service to our Father, a lifetime spent evangelizing and discipling and ultimately obeying the call that God has on each of us. This ending has no finality to it, it is merely the conclusion of a prologue. And I take great joy in that.

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Finally, to Toby, Isabelle, Emma, Evie, Anaya, Lucy, Brooklyn, Naomi, Joel, Jocelyn, Summer, Afton, Bella, Luke, Raegan, Elena, Isaac, Jentzen and Keira: Thank you for obeying God’s call on your lives this summer. It has not always been easy, but you have persevered well. I can’t wait to see how God uses you over the course of your lives, and it was truly a joy and an honor to be a small part of this chapter that God is authoring in your lives. Never stop following Jesus.

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