Last Ministry Day

It is Saturday and it is our last day to do any ministry. But before that begins, we are all up and out of the house at 6am...yes...AM! We head off to the local street market where the ministry here buys all there vegetables and fruits and flowers. It is very large -- probably 3 blocks long. We have fun checking all the fruits we've never encountered in the states, even trying some. Steve tried a "fruit" that he determined was a cross between an olive and something sweet -- that's as close as he could get! HA! Several on the team order these typical Costa Rican "breakfast" tortillas called Papusas. They are filled with bean paste, cheese and pork in them -- just like at Bob Evans! Rodney tells us that he buys Cindy a bunch of flowers each Saturday in thanks for showing him grace. Sweet huh? Here's the rub -- a bunch of huge lillies here is just $5.00 rather than $40 plus at home. Unbelievable. It's easy to be romantic when it's cheap!!!

About 9am, we head to the ministry called Funda Vida who are having a "Game Day" for at risk teens and children in a nearby neighborhood. These games are all in a gym and we're asked to join the teams. This means we are running, crab walking, carrying kids in a "seat" made out or arms... Steve and Amanda win the award for hanging in till the bitter end while the rest of us got rug burns or where just seating far more than we were comfortable. A great time helping in a great ministry.

We stop for a quick lunch and spend a hour at a local artisans market. It gives us a chance to pick up some Costa Rican creations for the people back home who we have left behind and who have held down the fort while we are gone. On the way home, as we drive through the city, a young man on drugs is throwing himself in front of cars and begging someone to run him over! We have seen the devastation that drugs can have on a life like we never have before.

Tonight we had"church" in English together here at the house, we celebrated communion together and prayed for one another. As we took communion, before the bread, Rodney had us share "what about the body of Christ (the Church) meant most to us, then before the cup, we shared what sin we are most grateful that we have been delivered from. WOW! How wonderful God is and how much grace and mercy He has shown us.