Prayer Closet- Mathew 6:6

After meeting at the mall, a large group of us headed to Castro's; a latin dance club/bar. We arrived to discover a cover charge of 2000 colones that hadn't been required on my previous visit. (I supose it was because Dia de los madres was the following day and people had the next day of and the night to party.) This unexpected fee sapped abou 2/3 of my funds and with the prospect of paying for a taxi ahead of me I had to abstain from purchasing anything. The night was not a loss, however, as making a fool of myself on the dance floor came complimentary with the cover charge. I took a taxi home along with two other people who live near me. I was the first to get dropped of and so gave all the money I had left to the others, saving just enough for a bus ride to school in the morning.

I don't have class on Friday, but since some people do I planned on spending the day at the school working on some personal things like registering for classes at the university. My other reason for going was to get my ATM card that I had chacked into the school's safe as to not have it stolen. I used the day off to sleep in a bit and after breakfast, a shower, and a little reading was on my way. I arrived at school around 11:30 and started getting a little worried as I rounded the corner to see no cars in the parkinglot and no smiling security guard at the entrance. Having previously assumed that school would continue regardless of the holiday, I approached the door anyway. I rang the bell and hoped for something, anything, knowing I had only 15 colones (about 3 cents), not even enough for a bus ride home. My spirits lifted as the janitor answered the door, but soon faded as it became clear that he could not get into the safe. Still, he let me in to show me that my things were secure and wished me bueno suerte (good luck) as I left. Without any other option I began the trek home on, fortunately, the only day it hasn't rained since I've been here. My plans of seeing the city all weekend had been shot. I couldn't even get to the city, much less pay entrance fees to museums and such.

I can to Costa rica with the expectation of having to rely on God more than I was used to. I'd be in a new place without the friends and community i have at home. Even normal activities would be harder simply because of the language I barely knew. I was reading my devotionals, my bible, and even a little in books about prayer and grace; but I was not, I realized, relying on God. When i was lonely I'd turn to the technology of the internet and the interaction with old friends via the phenomenon that is Facebook, and when I was bored I'd go to a movie or a bar with people from school. Finally, I was at a point where I couldn't turn to those things. It was just me, God, the few books I had, and my closet of a room; even if only for a few days.

I conceided to my circumstances knowing there was nothing I could do, save waiting for Catalina to come home and borrow me some dinero. I began reading through my book about prayer that I was about half way through already. I paused from the book occasionaly to look at memory verses I'd been neglecting, or just to talk with God (my only company for most of the weekend). Eventually I was able to find Catalina and she so generously shared with me her money she'd received only days before. (Her original stash had been stolen a week ago.) I went with her and some others to a bar Friday night, downtown for lunch and a speed tour through the free national museum Saturday, and a short trip to the mall on Sunday. This only comprised a small segment of my weekend though. The rest was spent in my room. I wasn't even able to buy lunch except for the one Catalina paid for and had to use up my rations of oreos and plantain chips, since we're only provided breakfast and dinner.

By the end of the weekend, after getting over my initial disapointment and inevitable boredom, I came to apreciate the time. I still welcomed the breaks to the city but realized I was getting some much need rest in the presence of God that I couldn't help but feel like he had a hand in engineering. I nearly finished the book, only 2 of 22 chapters left. I eventually began to view my tiny closet of a room affectionately as my prayer closet. there I can be in solitude with god; reading, talking, or just sitting in silence. I simply spent time with and hung out with God; which, when you think about it, is all prayer really is. I mean how else do you build a relationship?

There were also some very interesting by products of this weekend. The frequency that I was reading the book opened up the continuation of a God talk Catalina and I had the first night we met. "What can somebody possibly say about prayer for 300+ pages?" (not an exact quote) And prayer was only the beginning of that conversation. I also had a lot of time to think, and for obvious reasons thought about money. Such power it has over us. It amazes me how much money (or lack there of) affects what we do and what we focus on. 20 bucks would have completely changed the events and focus of my weekend. It has the power, great power, to control us. Now, i'm not saying money is a bad thing, but I can see a little more clearly now why Jesus warned so harshly against the love of it.