During our last week in Costa Rica, we traveled a few hours to a rural village called La Virgen de Sarapiquí to work with a sister church called Misión de Amor (Mission of Love). We were surrounded by a very different atmosphere in the country, which was filled with humidity, rain, fresh air, insects (lizards, biting ants, spiders, cockroaches, frogs), rivers, and pineapple fields. We were able to spend a lot of time with our ministry contact, Pastor José, and his wife and three boys. Staying there was a huge blessing for us and a bonding experience for our team.
On the first weekend, we attended a women’s retreat titled “Mujer, Jesucristo te Liberta” (Woman, Jesus Christ Frees You). We also attended a two-and-a-half hour church service complete with dancing, flag waving, crying, and screaming from the pulpit, all of which was very loud and expressive. It was challenging for me to engage in the service because it included so much I wasn’t used to. Afterward, the church members served us lunch and showed us around our home, which was connected to the church.
Throughout the week, we helped with Vacation Bible School for about thirty young kids. The theme was “Jesús es mi Súper Héroe” (Jesus is my Superhero), and we taught the kids a dance to present to their parents on the last day. We dressed up, acted out bible stories, did crafts, and played games. It was super fun to get to know the kids and teach them about Jesus.
We also helped twice with youth group for older kids. We led team-building activities and shared our testimonies. Each one of the girls on my team told the story of how she came to know Jesus, and I interpreted for the congregation. I also interpreted when Victoria and Jenna gave their messages on different nights. It was difficult for me for a few reasons: I had to translate very quickly, I don’t like talking in front of people, and I essentially had to give eight talks! Very tough, but good for me all the same. The girls and the kids gave me a lot of grace.
When we had free time, we played cards, soccer, Sardines (similar to Hide and Seek, but opposite), took motorcycle rides, and swam in the river. We ate so much pineapple, as people would drop off bags of them at the church since it was harvest time. We also had coconut, water from a pipa (young coconut), arroz con leche (rice with milk, cinnamon, and sugar), and gallo pinto (rice and bean dish).
We returned for a couple days to Moravia and were able to visit the school that we painted. All of the classrooms had been organized and decorated, and we got to hang out with the preschoolers on their second day of school. At night, some of our team played Sardines and, while seeking, stumbled upon three kittens in a box in a storage room! They are so adorable and now we’re debating if we should keep one as our team pet.
Tomorrow, we leave for Granada, Nicaragua, for Debrief with the whole squad including our squad leaders, squad mentor, and coaches. I’m very excited for what’s ahead, but it’s also super hard to say goodbye to those we met here. Costa Rica definitely showed me Pura Vida! For your reference, here is a map with red rectangles around most of the areas we stayed in throughout the month.
