Merry Christmas and more!

"The Lord will guide you always;

 He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

 and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail."

Isaiah 58:11





What a great promise! These verses were mentioned at some point during my orientation at All Nations College and really encouraged me! Just to know that God will go with me to Costa Rica (even before me!) and will guide me through everything. And not just in Costa Rica...

 

But before I look into future, I would like to go back to this past month and presence. At the end of November I said bye to my colleagues at the Bristol Marriott Royal and to my job that I truly enjoyed! (our office Christmas buffet lunch the day before I left (bring & share) - on the left, Manu, Marco, Rafel just before I left) 

 

 

 I also waved bye to my church family and church Pip'n'Jay - this was even more difficult in this time of  year as I love celebrating Christmas there! But I am happy that I will get to see everyone one more time before I leave for CR in January. On first advent Sunday we made Christingles - I couldn't believe that this was the first time I made a Christingle in my life and in my 4.5 years of living in England!

 

 

I will rather skip talking about my stressful packing! :) I hope I don't ever have to do double or triple packing at the same time again - packing 4.5 years of my Bristol life into a limited number of suitcases - Costa Rica/Slovakia/What's left??? And I came to Bristol with one suitcase that weighted 15kg! Never mind!:)

Let's move on to a happier topic! On Tuesday 3rd December I started my one week orientation at All Nations College. Let me tell ya! What a great week it was! I learnt so much about God, myself, mission and Latin America! A week full of knowledge, closeness to God, new friendships and lots of encouragement! Praise the Lord! I was going to tell you more about what I had learnt but it's so much to share - this post would be very looong!

Right after the orientation I flew back home to spend Christmas and NYE with my family and friends in Slovakia. I haven't been home for Christmas for 4 years so it's good to be reminded of my own Christmas traditions :) So far I got a chance to enjoy Christmas markets in my hometown Trnava, then Bratislava and also in Budapest. It's been much colder here than in England but we haven't had any snow yet. And it looks like we won't have white Christmas this year either.