Saying Goodbye

By Melissa New | Ocean’s Edge Intern. It was 2:25am and we were all outside, saying goodbye. Half of us had stayed up the entire night so we could hang out one last time. The team was leaving Jaco at 2:30am for their 8am flight. I didn’t think I was going to cry, but as the two white shuttle vans pulled into the property, reality finally set in. The community I had lived with for the last 90 days was about to leave. I looked around and saw the people who had become my family here in Costa Rica. After saying goodbye and giving everyone a hug, I watched as the vans pulled out of the driveway. All I could do was walk back up to my apartment and cry deep, gut-wrenching cries into my pillow.

Empty Nest

The next morning when I woke up, I didn’t realize how hard the day was about to be for me. When I stepped outside I looked around the property, I realized how empty it felt. The grief was beginning to set in. I spent the rest of the day sorting through the donation pile from the team and cleaning the rooms. For every living space I walked into, I was reminded of who used to lived there. The tears came once again. It was a painful process, but in cleaning each room, I was letting go and saying goodbye to the former inhabitants.

Hope in Jesus

I was talking to a friend yesterday about the grieving process and it struck me how difficult it would be if I didn’t know the Lord through Jesus. Even though the team is gone and things are going to look and feel a lot different, I know God’s got everything worked out for my good. His word promises He has something amazing in store for my life and that’s far better than anything here on earth.