Beach Day

One last post to conclude our trip to Costa Rica.  Last Thurday the children from the Villas home were brought to our hotel to spend the day swimming in the pool and playing on the beach.  In the beginning a few of the younger children were afraid of the water but we were able to finally get them in and once in they were in they loved it.  I spent part of my morning on the beach with a 15 year old boy named Kevin kicking a soccer ball back and forth.  We were kicking without shoes on and after a while your foot starts to get a little sore but I was going to kick that ball back to him as many times as he wanted.  Kevin lives in an orphanage close to San Jose and only comes to the Villas home every two weeks for the weekend.  Most of the children at Villas are younger than Kevin so he spent most of his time sitting alone watching TV.  The two days we were in the home I never saw him say a word to anyone...since he is so much older then most of the kids there is very little that they have in common other than needing to be with a family.  The first day he sat down for lunch I noticed that he prayed for his meal and that told me so much about that young man. 

We took a break from swimming to have lunch and after lunch most of the younger children made crafts while the older children continued swimming.  Darla turned 50 on Thursday so the Tias made her a birthday cake and the children made a birthday banner for her....an item that I know she will cherish.  They sang happy birthday to her in Spanish and then we sang in English.  Before the children boarded the bus we gave them and the Tias the gifts we had taken to give them....then the difficult part....putting the children on the bus and watching them drive off.  Our time with the children was over.  We had been looking forward to our time with the children for months and then in a moment our time with them had ended.

We concluded the night by having another birthday cake for Darla at dinner.  What a great way for Darla to celebrate her birthday....she will take with her for the rest of her life the memories of not only that day but the entire week.

Our time with the children had concluded so that left us with a free day on Friday.  The group had the option to either go ziplining or hang out at the hotel on Friday morning....8 of us decided to do the ziplining including Meredith (my 10 year old daughter).  Meredith started having concerns Thursday night about ziplining and was trying to decide if she would do it or not.  After breakfast Friday morning 8 of us (Meredith included)boarded a van and headed out through the jungle to go ziplining.  We rode the last part of the way up the mountian in the back of a pickup truck because we had to drive through a river that the van could not cross.  Once at the sight I asked if Meredith and I could go together to which they said "no".  This was not the answer she wanted to hear.  They put our gear on us and it was time to go.  I went ahead of Meredith to be on the other side when she came across.  Let me tell you, if you haven't gone ziplining before you need to....it is awesome.  So now it is time for Meredith.  As they hooked her to the line she starts to cry and the guide ask Darla if he should take her down or what should be do.  Darla said her daddy is on the other side so you need to just push her.  He did and we could hear her screaming all the way over....she made it.  After that first run she loved it....I was so proud of her.  We spent the next 2 hours zipping through the jungle in Costa Rica loving every minute of it.

The only issue we really had the entire week was our flight leaving Costa Rica was 2 hours late taking off so we missed our connection in Atlanta.  Delta put us in a hotel Saturday night and we flew home Sunday morning to our families.  This was my first trip to Costa Rica and my first time on a mission trip that ministers to orphans.  I can tell you that without a doubt it will NOT be my last.  If you are reading this and have not been on a mission trip of any kind....you have to go a one.  The experience will change your life.  In Matthew 28:19 Jesus tells us, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..."  Is God calling you to leave your comfort zone to go on a mission trip?  His Word doesn't say a select few are called to go....ALL Christians are called to go.  Join me on the next mission trip.  You will NOT be sorry you did I can promise you.

Thank you for praying for our team.  Please continue to pray for the children at the Villas and Cocos homes.  You may not know their names but He does.  Hope to see you on a mission trip sometime in the future.

Matthew