If you know me, you know I love music! I love almost all types of music (except for country) and even as I am writing this blog I am listening to praise and worship music in Spanish. I often listen to Spanish music even in the states. Being in Costa Rica, I can’t get enough of the Spanish music I hear from the homes, churches, and even mueblerias (appliance stores); they play their music the loudest of all!
This week, we entered five different barrios of Alajualita and today was my favorite day so far. I have enjoyed each of them and seeing the differences in each one and meeting people in each place. Today, we visited a placed called Verbena. This is the poorest and most dangerous of all of them that we have visited. As we walked through the neighborhood, the walkways were often small bridges made of boards and various other materials that were put together to form some sort of way to get through from one place to another. There were places where feces ran down the hill and there was no way to avoid stepping right in the middle of it. There were some bridges that did not seem like they would hold you to cross.
So, as we walked one thing stood out the most to me–music. Each area and house had a different sound. One area had upbeat salsa style music and the next house had a slow Spanish ballad. As we served food to the kids, they were singing and dancing to the Macarena. I just kept thinking how much life would be different if we didn’t have music. If those people sat in silence all day long with nothing to sing or dance to. If they had no song to sing, life would be plain. Life is already really difficult. Their homes for the most part are made of metal shingles and concrete slabs. This barrio is treated by the government like it doesn’t exist. It is composed of mostly immigrants from Nicaragua and the Costa Ricans do not approve of these people being here. They have pipes that are illegally run so that they can have water. These people do not have anything provided for them. They have to fight for everything. Yet, every kid I met today said “thank you” and was very polite. They all played so nicely with each other and didn’t argue or push. The music I heard from those homes was a sound of hope. Hope has been the theme for me since I got here. We are here to give these people a glimpse of hope, but I think it’s already here. (This week we will be doing a VBS with the kids in the Verbena neighborhood. Please pray that we can help give the hope.)
Music is something different for every person. For me, it is motivation when I am working out. It is inspiration for me when I need to be uplifted. It is the avenue by which I can worship my Savior. It lifts me up when I am feeling sad. Music is a language that is universal. In every nation, in every language, we will proclaim it…Hallelujah!
