This Is The Day That The Lord Has Made - - -

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NOTE: I have FAR more blog material than what I can possibly post while we are here. I'm trying to keep you up with day-to-day "skeleton" posts. After we get home, I will continue to make posts on this blog until I use up all the Costa Rica "fodder" that I have. So, if you are interested keep checking back even after we return. I will make a "final post" at some point, which I will clearly identify, after which there will be no new material posted here.

A HUGE thank you to all of you who have followed our Costa Rica exploits. You may not even realize from home how we look forward here to your feed back and encouragement.

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Sunday dawned a bit gray and overcast. Not a sad thing since we've all had A LOT of sun already. Also, made wearing dress-up clothes much more comfortable.

We got to have a later start than usual, not leaving for church until 10:00 AM.


Even with the later start, we were a bit early for service and waited outside. It was a very cool, pleasant wait.


This is what the little church looked like,


And here is the church sign.


Inside, we all gathered for praise and worship.

Each time I have been blessed to go on a missions trip, this is the part that touches my heart the most. I don't know what it is, and I won't be able to adequately describe it here, but there is something about worshiping the One True God with believers of another culture and language that humbles me before His throne in a way nothing else ever has. If you have not had a missions experience - - - it is worth it even for these worship moments, but also worth it in so many other ways too.

After the praise and worship time, the children were dismissed to children's church. Six our our students, Mihai, and I went to assist with the children.


We made sock puppets before the trip which we used to "sing" Spanish praises.


Our portable puppet booth consisted of MY blanket. Evan and Michael felt a little self conscious as puppet booth poles, but they got over it very quickly and I believe they made the best looking puppet poles I've ever seen!!!


Kristie had prepared a Bible application story which she presented with Mihai translating.

After the regular Children's Church teacher had finished her part, we still had time to fill . (I guess Jose, who was speaking in the adult service, was a TAD long winded - - - but LouAnn says it was an EXCELLENT sermon.)

So, we took the children outside for a bit of recreation while we waited for the service to close.

I just need to tell you, you would be SO proud of the way our students have responded to ministry needs. They have had a humble and helpful spirit. We have heard very few, possibly no, words of complaint or grumbling. I feel blessed to have been sent here to work with YOUR son or daughter.


As you can see, Michael and Evan were a HUGE hit with the boys. You'd have thought Michael and Evan had been doing this all their lives. So, I guess they aren't only cute puppet booth poles, they're pretty cool guys as well!!


The girls and Evan thought this little guy was Michael's Costa Rican twin.


This little boy had a broken leg, but trust me, it didn't slow him down one bit and he was BEGGING for attention from our two guys.


For lunch, since another group of 40 arrived and MORE than filled up the Coronado House where we HAD been eating our meals (and where we painted the blue fence), we ate out at a little pollo restaurant.


Jason and Wesley, two Georgia Bulldogs and expert carpenters, also joined us. They came down just for the weekend to build and install cabinets in the new Coronado House.


When I say it was a "little pollo" restuarant, I do mean little. We, those of us there with SCORE, nearly filled the place.


And the pollo????? Well - - - it was yummy.


After lunch we headed to a public orphanage, where we met with the children in an open air gymnasium.


We brought out our puppets - - -


And Kristie told her story.

Then we spent time with the children.


Some of the girls tried to mix and mingle with the "babies." By the time we left, we had won over a couple of the babies to the point where they would let us hold them.


The other girls played "swinging" games with the young girls.


The guys played soccer. Down here, it's ALL ABOUT SOCCER.


Even though the Costa Rican boys had MAD soccer ball handling skills, our guys did themselves proud and hung right in there. Let's just say, this impromptu game was as intense as any of our school soccer matches.


Our girls absolutely fell in love with these children. We all lost our hearts to Little Miss "Blue Boots" pictured above. She was Miss Attitude with a capital "A" - - - but in a cute and not an obnoxious way.

On the way home from the orphanage, we stopped at a Wal-Mart (yes, I said Wal-Mart) and purchased enough food to make meals to distribute to the homeless.


When we got home, we packed 100 lunches to distribute.


Each of us helped, assembly line fashion, and we were ready in no time.


Here we are on our way to deliver the lunches.

We did not take any photos of the actual distribution - - - for obvious reasons. However, let's just say it was a real eye-opener for those of us who are so blessed.

Our 100 meals were completely distributed in less than five minutes.


So ended our Sunday. Just a little more Costa Rica "eye candy" for you as we go.

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