Costa Rica - Day 2

Our home for the next six days has a characteristic that’s immediately noticeable: it has a soundtrack uniquely all its own. From the moment we arrived at the Mission Center, the sounds were a distinct, unfamiliar and absolutely spectacular feature. As we settled in for our first night, a chorus of insects sang us their own special lullabies. What a glorious sound, and what a wonderful way to be lulled to sleep! As the sun lit the sky in the early morning, the melodies of the birds and small sounds of the world around us waking up seeped into our bunkhouses. It was the best alarm ever.

After a breakfast of hot coffee, fresh fruit, cream-filled rolls, breads and an assortment of cereals (including McCallum’s All Inklusive Zero, which has been determined by Susan, Kate and Terri to be the best cereal ever created) we gathered at 8:45 to head to Wil’s church. It was something we were looking forward to, and, in hindsight, it was the most marvelous way possible to officially begin our time in Costa Rica.

Entering the church, one could immediately feel the warmth and kindness of the congregants. We were welcomed with such love! The service felt familiar almost at once for those of us who attend the 9 a.m. service at Resurrection—there was a worship band consisting of multiple guitars, keyboards, drums and beautiful voices, ready to praise God through the beauty and energy of their music. We were all on our feet immediately! Even when the words weren’t familiar, the sentiment and emotion of the music filled all of us. It was living proof of God’s power. His love speaks all languages, whether we know them or not.

During the sermon, Will took us to a separate area and shared some of his thoughts, experiences and history with us. When asked about our experiences upon our return to Kansas City, a wish of his is for us to be able to tell our friends and family “We were ‘church’.”  By that, his hope is we will all be able to incorporate and experience worship, prayer, service, fellowship and witness during our time in Costa Rica. That is what he defines as “being church.” It’s such a simple, clear and beautiful wish for our group, and based on the fellowship of the morning’s experience, it seems quite likely to be a part of everyone’s experience this week.

Will closed by sharing a thought he holds close to his heart: we all need to be mindful of making sure our relationships define our actions, instead our actions defining the relationships we have.

Our group returned to the worship service for communion, which was taken by the entire church at the same time. It was one more powerful experience in a morning full of them.

After the service, the church graced our group with a wonderful lunch of chicken and rice, beans and potato chips, served with an amazing fruit juice. It closed out an experience that filled our hearts, our spirits and our bellies.

After thanks and goodbyes, we took the bus downtown for an ice cream treat. Oh, the flavors! Deep burgundy cherry, mango and coconut with bits of fruit swirled in, good old fashioned sundaes: there was something for everyone. After a delicious, cooling dessert, we headed back to Mission Center, ready for a bit of rest.

Our group was treated to the music of steady downpours on the metal roofs in the afternoon. No matter where you were, whether the bunkhouse, the dining area or the walkways, the steady percussion of the rain was both soothing and captivating. Nothing beats that sound for a little afternoon snooze.

A short walkabout downtown took place late afternoon, and then it was time for dinner: Sabores Restaurant Pizza and Pub, picked by Wil. He and his daughter joined us for a fantastic meal and lively conversation. Our rains came back midway through…and the rainy season in Costa Rica does not disappoint. It varies from light, cooling sprinkles to downpours that soak you to your skin in a manner of seconds! Our kind, amazing bus driver Darriel waited for the rain to slow a bit, and we loaded up and were back at the Mission Center in no time at all.

An already amazing day was closed out by a heartfelt devotional time. The personal stories, vulnerability and strength (both of spirit and of faith) of the people in this group are moving beyond words. The care shown in both the preparation of the topics and the love and grace shown receiving them continue to draw us closer to each other in our friendships and our faith. Robert shared his work in the recovery community: he’s created two homes for men in early recovery, helping to set them up in their final months before moving back into independent living, and the things he’s done have saved more lives than we can even imagine. Greg designed the devotional based on Pastor Adam’s sermon series about generational faith. It was a combination of warm and heartfelt memories and stories of his family, his own faith journey and what helped form him into the person he is today, along with history of the church. It was a really special way to close out a remarkably rich, rewarding day.

Tomorrow, we head to the work site, and a whole new set of adventures and blessings begin. For now, we’ll let the insects sing us their lullabies. What gifts we’ve been given already—and we’ve only just begun.