BY GRACE CONNELLY AND ELI SCHOONVELD
This morning we started our day by sleeping in a little bit later and having breakfast and devotions at the AMCA house before leaving for the market. Our breakfast consisted of pancakes, bacon, pineapple, mango, cinnamon bread, and fruit juice.
We traveled through San Jose arriving at the Municipal of Artisan’s Market. At the market, all our different personalities came to life. Some were nervous about asking the prices in Spanish, whereas others like Ben thrived with the bargaining. We were there for about an hour, and after we left, it had seemed as if everyone had found something. After the market, we went to the authentic Costa Rican store, Walmart, where we bought a variety of different souvenirs such as candy, coffee, and sports equipment.
When we arrived back at the AMCA house, the staff had prepared lunch which was fresh vegetables, fried tilapia, cornbread, and cheesy mashed potatoes. After our lunch we took a half hour bus ride to the Linda Vista school where we hung out with first, second, and third graders playing red light green light, sharks and minnows, soccer, hackie sack, and “pato, pato, ganzo” (which is “duck, duck, goose” in English). The children were full of so much joy, and despite the language barrier and not who we were. They greeted us with smiles, high fives and hugs, and we became fast friends.
The bus ride back was incredible. We played the game would you rather and the writers of tonight’s blog were the only individuals who prefer Qdoba to Chipotle, what an outrage.
After we returned to the AMCA house, the three hours remaining was used for personal time such as resting, playing games, and journaling. Our team dinner consisted of spaghetti, garlic bread, and passionfruit juice that tasted like a ray of sunshine, according to Meg.
Following dinner, we had a time of reflection of how the week has been, what we struggle with, and how the team can pray for us individually. Emma, Eli K, and Griffin boldly shared their faith stories with the group, creating a deeper level of trust and vulnerability.
Following the faith stories, we dove deeper into 1 John 1:5-10, where we continued to focus on fellowship, saying the hard things out loud and bringing them into the light, and finding the people who we are comfortable enough with to share some of those hard things in our lives.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. This week has been off to a great start as we continue to grow in our relationship with Christ and each other.
My family and friends are sharing in your trip as I forward your emails. They love reading of your faith and sharing of testimonies. You will never forget this time of deepening faith and relationships. Those kids are adorable and they are loving your games and friendship. Such a simple thing can bring so much joy.
Vonnie