I have been living in Spain for about three weeks now and attending a Bible school here called Rio Vida. This has easily been the biggest adventure of my life so far. Admittedly, I was nervous about the whole thing; Bible school because I didn't know what to expect having never been and was nervous about my Bible knowledge, the people, etc. And was nervous about living in a foreign country for almost three months on top of going to Bible school. However, the nervousness was greatly overshadowed by the excitement in going on this adventure.
Three weeks in and I can already say that my expectations or lack of have been well exceeded and has already been the time of my life. The country of Spain is absolutely beautiful. We have travelled to some of the surrounding towns and landscapes and they only seem to get better. There is an amazing contrast between the tropical beaches and the spectacular mountain ranges that is just breath-taking. This country is thick with history and a unique and wonderful culture, but there is really nothing like the food, specifically the pizza, here!
As amazing as Spain is, the area where my expectations have been blown away is the Bible school itself and the people within it. I immediately knew on the first day when I was greeted at the airport by out director that it would not be the country, the weather, the landmarks, or the food that changes my life, but through the people. Our director set incredibly high standards for anyone else I met as he is just one of the most kind and loving people you will meet. This man and his family show us compassion and love every day to every student and this creates an atmosphere fuelled by the grace and love of God.
But then I met the students and again my expectations were exceeded. Each and every student here has the light of God within them and it is so evident and they came here to have fun and adventures, but ultimately to grow with God and I see this every day. I can confidently say that I have built some amazing friendships and come to know some incredible, hilarious, generous, and God-loving people. I have come to believe that one of the most important aspects of Bible school are the bonds and connections that you form with other people through the conversations you have, the stories you tell, the games you play, and the laughs you share. It is through these friendships that you see the love and power of God through our shared individual experiences that we learn from and together as a group we learn how to live a life for God; not boring, clean, pretty, and well-preserved, but an adventurous, joyful, bold, extravagant, God-glorifying life!
