CR journal: Day 5, August 2

I woke up around 7. Our team had a pancake breakfast all together. The men weren't going to work at the construction site today, which was a good rest for them- work one day, rest one day. It's hard work 8-4 out in the heat and humidity, mixing concrete, lifting and laying cinder blocks. 

A 4WD jeep arrived at 8 to take us up the mountain. I rode in Bill's truck with PB and the Steve & Mary Chase. It was a bit of a bumpy climb, but beautiful and entertaining to be back in a Costa Rican jungle. Bill shared stories and insight with us on our ascent. We passed Londres (where we'd had church service Sunday night), and headed up to Los Campesinos at Quebrada Arroyo, where the community has been getting an ecotourism business of the ground for the last 15 years. They say it's only been lucrative the last couple years. It takes a lot of effort. 

Anyway, once there, we went for a across on the country's longest pedestrian suspension bridge, to a hidden waterfall pool where there was a cable-line rope swing. I have some awesome GoPro footage of our playtime and splashing around from 30ft above the pool, crashing down with the falls. Then we hiked down below to another set of waterfalls, underneath the suspension bridge that we'd previously crossed over. After hiking and swimming and jumping and playing in the water, we ate a lunch of typical Costa Rican food (with rice and beans and chayote, some of my favorite veggies!!). Quite a fun morning for our team. Unfortunately, Steve slipped on a wet rock and injured his right shoulder. Darin bruised his tailbone while cannon balling into the water from the cabled rope swing. We prayed the me. Would still be able to work effectively on the construction site the following day. 

Heading back down to the house to prepare for the afternoon, it began to rain and storm. Bill and Debbie had shared stories of a previous missions team they'd hosted who got trapped up in this community when a huge storm hit and caused a landslide, also wiping out the bridges and crossing over a swollen, rushing river. They had to wait a few days up at the camp and hike miles down the hill when waters receded, because the dirt roads had been completely washed and wiped out. Well, driving down that descent, we soon came to understand how quickly the terrain can change. The dirt turned to sloppy mud and we were grateful for the Bolings' new 4WD big truck that we were riding in.  

Back at the Bolings' (missionaries) house, we ladies prepared for an afternoon with the kids at the Casa de Pan church in Quepos. (The men were headed to check out the property that the Bolings have for their new ministry site, which is just waiting on permits to be cleared by the CR government.) Debbie stayed home to work on preparing our dinner for that night, since we had a church service to go to after, and otherwise we wouldn't have much time to prep if she came with us. I led the charge for transportation and facilitating the time with the children once again. 

In Quepos at the church, after opening with some games and socializing with the kids, we rounded everyone up as Laly always starts by circling up to lead the group in prayer. Then I led the kids in a general review of the Fruit of the Spirit Bible verse lesson from yesterday. The craft we led the kids in making was a 'potted flower.' That entailed glueing tissue paper petals to a spoon and glueing a fuzzy puff ball (ponpon they called it), and then sticking it in the bottom of a decorated styrofoam cup. 

After the craft, Bethany and I shared the first of our two dances, "Cuanto Nos Ama" en pointe, as a teaser for the "dance workshop" we'd be leading during the next day's session on Wednesday afternoon. The kids went off to eat their meal and we had to wait for a driver to arrive because the one who drove us there got called away on another drive. He was not very courteous or friendly either. We prayed for him. 

Finally, the pastor and his wife came to pick us up (it's their tour company that has been shuttling us around, and his employed drivers, during our trip). The dinner meal consisted of taco salad, for which Debbie delivered a message with verses that explain the significance of a taco salad mixture. It was creative. 

Then in the 4WD truck and their old, donated "Mercedes" (it's really an unidentifiable Nissan that miraculously runs after 416,000-plus miles), Debbie and Bill shuttled us to the Naranjito Fourquare Church for the service which started at 7. It was starting to rain so they didn't want us to arrive sopping wet at the church when we were guest-running the service. (Last time we walked to the church, on the Friday night we arrived, we got caught and drenched in that huge deluge, and almost got hit my lightning...) The whole of a few blocks' ride in the "Mercedes" cracked me up. The back windows had no rolling mechanism, so we were trapped in a fuel-smelling, humid back seat. But luckily, for improved ventilation, the door would not stay shut, so I had to hang onto the handle to pull it closed every time is swung open, and Alora and the two others shoved into the back seat with us had to hang onto me so I wouldn't fall out around corners (of which there were many). 

Service began with worship, led by the pastor on guitar, his wife as well as another parishioner for vocals, and our very own Justin on the drums! Bethany and I danced just "Cuanto Nos Ama" (for the second time that day). The tile floor was very slippery, and it was the first building (outside of the busetas) that actually had aircon. It got quite cold once the sweat dried on my body. After the service, one of the congregation members, who Debbie later told me works with dance worship teams, relayed to me that if we don't have wax (rosin) readily available, we should have a bottle of Coca-Cola handy, with which to wet the bottoms of our pointe shoes to help us stick!

After we danced, Mary Chase gave her testimony, and PB preached on Luke while Debbie translated. Then we had prayer for healing and other needs. It was powerful. I translated PB's prayers over people's bodies and conditions and also the rest of the service for our group, as their pastor closed the service. 

We drove home in the "Mercedes" to the house by around 9. Internet was restored, so everyone was catching up. But also playing card games. Doing dishes and laundry. Showering. 

On a cultural note, I have loved conversing with the various drivers, as well as Bill and Debbie, who have lived in CR for 14 years, 11 of which have been in the Quepos area, and 9 in this current house. They have lots of stories about how things have changed and grown. The drivers are cool to talk to because they know a lot about the local history and economy. Not having lived or some much more that a few weekend trips to the Puntarenas/Quepos regions of the country, I don't really know as much about it as I do other regions (cafetales, bananeros, or areas in the Central Valley or Caribbean parts). I learned a lot about the local economy of growing and harvesting palm trees and rice paddies, and further asking to be educated on the cultivation timeline and production processes. Enlightening. 

If you'd like to see more about the church we have been assisting with children's ministries, here is a link to their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Iglesia-Casa-de-Pan/160601314041121

CR journal: Day 4, August 1

We ladies had a slower start to our morning, as wake up was casual, around 7:30-8. We had an informal breakfast and got ready for the day. I had some quiet time for devotional and personal reflection. The men headed out around 7:30 for working Day #2 on the construction site.  

Local people started arriving at the house for English class around 9/9:30. There were about five people: mother-daughter (mother Hellen who is studying to become and English teacher), mother-son (new students), and Diego (retired/self employed entrepreneur/fisherman). Bethany and I shared our dances. They really enjoyed the performances, though there wasn't much discussion or commentary regarding our training or inquiring as to the mechanics or preparations for the performance, as there usually seems to be. We practiced conversational English, introducing ourselves, memorizing a bible verse in English, and then discussing topics that Debbie introduced; what are our daily routines, recent happenings in our lives, etc. Abby shared her testimony, which was very moving. People gradually had to leave. 

After having lunch around noon/12:30, we got crafts, supplies, and lesson plans ready for our afternoon. Just after 2, the pastor of the Casa de Pan church came to pick us up in his turismo bus (he has a tour business in Quepos). After a very rapid, nausea-inducing, typical-Tico ride in his buseta, we arrived around 2:40 at the church, where a lady named Laly runs an after-school kids program (mostly it is a meal program that serves local kids, and their families in turn begin attending the church services as well). 

We had activities prepared to teach the Fruit of the Spirit in Spanish and English. At first there were about a dozen kids there when we arrived, but then others started trickling in. 

I led the kids in a little lesson on Galatians 5:22, while other team members set up tables and chairs for a craft. When we finished talking about the Fruits, they dispersed to tables, whereupon they received papers with a little tree with the face of a girl on it, and big, bushy hair with various fruits stuck in it (a tree with many leaves and branches and an assortment of fruits: apple, watermelon, pineapple, etc). Written in each of the fruit pieces was the word with a Fruit of the Spirit, in Spanish. They chose their favorite to color first. 

Then they had to find that fruit on "Árbol Abby" (Abby Tree). Let me explain. As we were prepping crafts this afternoon, we likened the face of the little tree-girl on the paper to our 17-year-old team member, Abby, who has really curly hair that can be fluffed out into a massive blonde 'fro. So I wrote the names of the fruits on a piece of card paper, in English and Spanish, and punched holes in each card to feed pipe cleaner through. The girls wove the pipe cleaner through Abby's hair, to display the "fruit" words. I had Abby walk around to the tables with me. By now we had about 35 kids. Each child identified his or her favorite Fruit of the Spirit, or one they wanted to grow more of, and had to "pick" it from "Árbol Abby's" hair. Then, with that word, each child got served a plate, which they took to Alora and Jacqui, and in English told them what fruit they wanted. The girls wrote the name of that fruit in "invisible" (white) crayon, and the kids took their plates back to the table. Then they got to watercolor-paint their plates, so that a "surprise message" of the fruit popped out and appeared on the plates. Finally, they brought their finished artwork back to get large tongue depressors hot glued to the plates, making a mallet of sorts. Our team, with assistance from some of the older kids, had blown up about 40 balloons. The kids went crazy bopping them all over with their "fruit" mallets. 

We watched the kids play. There were many notable personalities and faces that stood out. One kid who impulsively shouted out the definition of "self control," when we were discussing fruit of the spirit, another who was quite a bully and picked on little kids and slapped them, another who cried at every little thing, the one who didn't talk, the one with six little siblings and two more cousins in tow. They all had their stories. I was only able to talk to a few of them, translating to team members answers to their inquiries, and stories. The one little boy with all the siblings was named Andy. He was 11 years old and took care of his six younger siblings- ages 9, 8, 6, 4, 2, and 7 mo. When asked, he said his father works and is away most of the time; his mother goes into Quepos central to "buy and sell things" when he gets home from school. Those vague descriptions only soft me guessing. They all come to Casa de Pan daily for the after-school programs. He said his parents attend another missionary church in town on Sundays, but they come to this church during the week. Danita, Alora, and Abby and other team members relieved Andy of his duties for the afternoon, holding the baby, so that he could play. The light in his eyes and the smile that flashed across his face were priceless. He got to be a kid. He smacked those balloons with his "fruit" mallet and ran around in freedom. 

At 4:30, the kids went downstairs to be served a free meal of arroz con pollo (rice with chicken). We said "see you later," as we will see them again tomorrow afternoon. 

Tomorrow is a holiday here in CR. El Día de la Aparición de la Virgin de Guadalupe (Apparition of the Virgin), so the primary grades didn't have school today, and everyone is on holiday tomorrow. 

We came home around 4:45, and began to make dinner. They guys were showering after another day of building at the construction site. Some went to the store to get snacks and goodies. We all had dinner together and shared our favorite moments of the day. After dinner, we played a team game of Mafia. Oh the laughs to be shared. More discussing and sharing between team members. 

Shower, cleanup, laundry, journalling, and bed around 10:45/11. 

CR journal: Day 3, July 31

Wake up at 7. Breakfast of oatmeal and cereal, toast. 8:25 pick up for church at the beach in Manuel Antonio with Spanish/English church services with the church "Casa de Pan" where Bill and Debbie help with pastoral ministries. 

There on the beach, we set up canopy tents and speakers to dance. High tide was at 12/12:30. We kept moving chairs and towels further and further back up on the beach until we were under the palm trees in the parking area almost completely. Waves crashed right behind us. The tide was high and strong and surfers paddled their boards to mount and ride the heights of the ever strengthening waves. During the English service, we danced and Pastor Bob delivered a message. After our service ended around noon, we waited for Ticos to arrive for a family day and pastor appreciation service. We had nothing else to do but play in the water on beach. 

When the Ticos showed up, we had the Appreciation service, prayer, and lunch of sandwiches and fruit. Then some of us took a Beach walk in Manuel Antonio. We had to pack up and head home around 2-2:30. Once back at the Bolings, we cleaned up (I did some laundry). We rested and ate "linner". 

Around 5, we were picked up to drive 30 min up the dirt road to have church in a town called Londres. We were about a half hour early, but as people, mostly men, moseyed in, the traditional cultural greetings of cheek kissing and hand shakes were bestowed upon us, as well as showering us with bendiciones (blessings).  As service opened, the mostly-toothless senior pastor led about 15 minutes of worship songs, with two guitar players accompanying the rhythmic verses, set to a Johnny Cash-style picking tune. Once our group was introduced, Bethany and I danced en pointe. The audience's eyes were wide with wonder. The cell phones were out and recording us- both men and women. I felt true joy and praise being expressed through our bodies. Darin shared his moving testimony, which resonated with the audience, and Bill translated. PB preached a powerful sermon and Debbie translated. It was received with resounding amens, applause, many arms extended to the heavens, and even some tears. Joyous song and clapping with tambourine and dancing followed to close the service. 

A man there in the congregation was wearing a Hollister shirt and wanted us to take a photo with him before we left. A major ministry at this church and in this community is a rehabilitation program with men. What stories they must all have; you can see it in their eyes and marks of hard lives on their hardened bodies. But they also show such joy in their worship. And many were very receptive to the powerful sermon PB delivered. 

Back home, I showered and we all ate late dinner sandwiches while we conversed and then we ladies rolled skeins of yarn into balls (for Thursday crafts). 

We are building a strong connection with the other team members. Getting to know each others' testimonies. Sharing cultures and discussing faith and relationships. Supporting one another. Beautiful friendships and sharing are happening. This is community and fellowship at its best.