It’s Sunday afternoon and we are sitting around the house practicing the Latin American art of “siesta.”  We have participated in 3 church services today and for those who call the 9am service at Summersville Baptist “early”, we feel equally as strong since that was 7am for us here.  After saying hello to the folks at home via Skype, we left AMCA to go to La Iglesia Primera Bautista del Desamparados, or First Baptist Church Desamparados.  This all Spanish service was very exciting, the group enjoyed contemporary worship music in Spanish.  Many were able to follow along with the words on the screen and know what they were singing.  We sang “Mighty to Save”, “Celebrate, Jesus, Celebrate”, “It is Well”, and a couple others.  I was amazed at how well I understood the language in the service and am finding myself using Spanish a lot more without having Carmen’s skills to fall back on.  I guess we need to use Spanish more at home, maybe then I’ll get even better for our next trip.

After church we went to lunch at a restaurant that served traditional Costa Rican cuisine.  Many of us had a variation of a casado, which included rice, beans, potatoes, fried plantain, and a meat such as beef, chicken, or fish.  We are stuffed from lunch and spent some time walking it off to get some souvenirs.  Although our last two days have been beautiful with no rain, today holds true to normal rainy season weather, beautiful, sunny, blue skies until 3 or 4 in the afternoon then rain and storms through the evening.

I think everyone has enjoyed the fun and restful feel of the first few days, but we are excited to jump in and get our hands dirty tomorrow at the church.  It sounds like we will start out tomorrow morning preparing the bathrooms for tile, begin painting classrooms, and perform demolition on the awning covering a sidewalk.  Through the week our goal is to paint the classrooms, tile 2 bathrooms, demolish an rebuild the awning, and prepare the yard for sod. 

In addition to all of the work to be done, the team met some of the children from the orphanage after church.  We were invited to join the fathers for cake and ice cream and while we sat and enjoyed our prelunch snack, we began to meet and talk with the children.  Needless to say, hearts are broken for these children and we are excited to love them and share with them this week as well.

Thanks for the love and support that everyone back home is sending our way.  We love you and miss you!