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Buenos Dias from Costa Rica! We have been here for 5 days now and have seen, tasted, smelled, and experienced many different things. We are getting used to eating rice and beans at most meals and using the bus as our main mode of transportation. I have been so encouraged by the staff here at Students International. Their heart for the city and the people here is so evident and contagious.
On Friday Levi and I spent the morning at the Tutoring Center. Tara got out the play-doh, blocks, and magnets for Levi so he was in heaven. On Friday mornings they have a girls group at the Tutoring Center where they read the Bible and are going through the fruit of the Spirit. This is an amazing time. The girls are able to ask questions and dive into what it looks like to be a Christian. I loved listening to the conversation as one girl asked "Are we good so that God will be happy with us?" Rose, Tara, and the other gals here love God and are such great examples to these young girls explaining that there is nothing we can do to earn God's love. It's only through his grace. After lunch Levi went home with Andrew to take a nap and I stayed and helped. We read books together, did a cat craft that went along with the book, and played soccer. They always love soccer but World Cup fever is definitely here! That night they took us on a walking tour of San Jose, the capital city, and showed us some of the historical background of the city and their country. Just like any major downtown there were tons of people, shops, statues, and government buildings. Levi's favorite part was an area that had thousands of birds. There were even people selling bags of corn that you could feed to the birds. It is very rare to see a blonde-haired, blue-eyed kid here so Levi gets lots of attention. "Que Lindo" (how cute) is what we hear a lot and we see lots of smiles as we walk down the street.
It has been a ton of fun having Levi here with us. It's definitely more work for Andrew and I, but that is the reality of having a child anywhere. He has been fantastic! The first couple of nights he cried and said that we need to go home because Olive (our dog) is waiting for us, but other than that he's been very easy going. He likes to play soccer with the other small kids and with any other toys they have around. He and our host mom have become good friends. We couldn't find him one evening, but he was just laying on Mita's bed watching cartoons. She treats him like one of her own grandkids. It's so precious!
Saturday was our day off so we got to spend the day at the beach. It was exactly what we all wanted and hoped for. There was warm water and TONS of monkeys in the trees. Just like everyone else, Levi wanted to play in the water the whole time. We all came back with too much sun, lots of sand in our suits, and wrinkly fingers.
As I am writing this I am so grateful for each person on our team. I love seeing hearts that truly desire to know God more. As we have experienced awkward situations and a language barrier, I know that God's love is so much bigger than all of that. I am continuing to pray that in our last week here, God will do in each person what He needs to so that we will come back changed. May we return with a desire to step out of our comfort zone and a passion to see Christ known.