After ten great and challenging months on sabbatical on Kauai I am back at Youth With A Mission Heredia, Costa Rica. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with family and watch my nephew, Isaiah grow from an infant to a toddler. He is such a delight to our family and charms everyone he meets! I was also blessed with new friends and ministry opportunities. Some of these included helping host YWAM teams from Kona and Honolulu, teaching drama to youth, a summer performing arts workshop for kids, sign language worship dance, and a young adults fellowship group, just to name a few. The School of Performing Arts that I attended in Jamaica helped to open my eyes to the power of the arts in extending the Kingdom of God and encouraged me to look for every opportunity to use the tools I have been given. Some of the challenges came in the form of being outside in the "real world" so to speak. I am used to the ease of working on a missions base or leading outreach teams where everyone is all in one spot, calling, emailing and setting up meetings and practice times were sometimes difficult, as well as getting new ministries off the ground (summer arts workshop, young adults group, etc.)
For now I will be serving in the area of administration at YWAM Heredia. We have just begun a Discipleship Training School (DTS) and an Environment and Resource Stewardship school (EARS) this week so I will also be supporting the staff of those schools by doing translation, paperwork, etc. I am very happy to be back and am settling in to daily life here. I look forward to encouraging our students in creative expression as they prepare for outreach as well as doing some arts programs with the local youth. There is also the possibility of beginning a creative arts focused DTS here in the future, but I will keep you posted on that.
Many thanks for your continued prayers and support!
Blessings,
Taja Clancy
