Costa Rica update 2.0

Thoughts from Costa Rica:

As we left  Evans toward Atlanta (with a one stop in Dallas/Miami) it was creating an excitement that couldn’t be described  or contained in words. Wouldn’t you know it, 18 hours later, the excitement of heading to Costa Rica had died down-once my bags got misplaced and the baggage claim had turned into a shelter for a group of 24 Georgians.So much for the easy road. So after the red bag with the “light from heaven shining over it” was recouped, the trek to the community of San Raphel started.

Work detail started Thursday morning with the moving of dirt across a lot with an old beat up wheel barrel. Matt, Kenny, Drew, Tyler, and myself did major work with what we had. Kenny surprised us with his amazing shoveling skills/eating an earth worm skills and Carlos, a 5-year-old child who followed us everywhere, always wanting to help. The ladies organized rooms, scrubbed the center, and helped Scott replace and work on electric wires. Good workday.

Kids start to arrive with the anticipation like what I had on Christmas morning growing up as a kid. Games, swirling, holding, chasing, and everything you can imagine takes place once the kids show up at LaRoca. The times are not exactly but usually between 12-4pm with the teens showing up after 6pm as well. The sounds in the streets were now filled with laughter.

On Saturday, soccer or rather futbol games were held from 9-12 noon with Hotdogs at the center to follow. Looking out among the children you can spot the one Kim Rogers wants to adopt, to have the Blind Side version -Costa Rica style. Later that day, the ladies took over 30 young girls for a hair, nail, and glitter make over called Princess Time, while the boys played basketball and skate boarding in the streets.  With the young girls roaming around looking like there just stepped out of a movie, the boys are now bouncing the balls and sweating like young men. LaRoca is booming with over 100 people today.

With 4 full days a head, I think it’s time for some sleep now. Pray for hearts transformed by the Good News of the Gospel for it is not just good news, but GREAT news.