"We are clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

God wants to make us into works of fine art. He is constantly using life experiences to shape and mold us into the people He wants us to be. That was the experience of 36 students and 5 adults from Timothy Christian High School who went to Costa Rica for Renew 2023.

As they have in the past, Timothy partnered with Joshua Expeditions, which organizes service trips for groups nationally and internationally. They describe their mission this way: “We provide Christian global opportunities that will challenge individuals to consider God’s purpose in their lives through international site talks, incredible nature excursions, or simple intentional conversations.” 

This was the third year that a group went to Costa Rica to build two three-room houses for families whose previous homes had been made from scrap metal and other material that could provide some semblance of shelter. When the Timothy Renew group arrived in Costa Rica, they found foundation slabs laid. The rest of the work was up to them and the native Costa Ricans with whom they worked side-by-side.

In line with two of Timothy’s values, Growth-Oriented and Opportunity-Based, the students were the clay and God was the potter. God used their experiences in Costa Rica to help shape them into the people He wants them to be. There will be more shaping in their lives in the years ahead, but this Renew experience was life-changing for many students! 

“We provide Christian global opportunities that will challenge individuals to consider God’s purpose in their lives through international site talks, incredible nature excursions, or simple intentional conversations.”

When you are building houses in Costa Rica with 36 other students and interacting with locals, you can learn a lot about yourself. This was the second trip to Costa Rica for senior Adriana Veliz, who was surprised by how much she accomplished of the actual construction work. She admits she will be less fearful of new situations in the future. 

Senior Joey Tropea had a change of perspective. He became aware of his need to be grateful for what he has as opposed to complaining. Compared to the people he met and worked alongside in Costa Rica, he has nothing to complain about. 

Trusting God is a frequently voiced value for Christians, however for junior Austin Zeilstra, he learned first-hand what that meant when he became ill on the trip. He had to trust that God would make his illness short-term. He recovered quickly and was able to fully participate. God can be trusted in every situation we face in life.

When you are in a foreign country doing things that are unfamiliar, you are taught lessons about God. Austin learned something you can only learn when you are in a foreign country. “As Christians, we all worship the same Savior, just in the ways that are appropriate for each culture.” Joey learned the valuable lesson that God works through each of us in ways we couldn’t imagine. 

This trip had a profound impact on the spiritual lives of the participants. Joey learned the value of intimacy with God. Senior Angela Villeda was impressed with how the nightly devotional time helped her connect the dots of the trip; to pause and reflect on how God was working. Adriana came away with the desire to be more intentional about her relationship with God.

God is the potter, we are the clay. God is constantly shaping us and forming us into the people He wants us to become. Renew trips accelerate the process.