Favorite Memories

Beth Cantu:

One of my favorite parts of this trip, besides the amazing food and beautiful views, is just getting to know the people. They are all so loving and accepting of us and it's so sweet. At the church we went to saturday night and sunday, we really got to know the people. They made dinner for us saturday night..I don't like fish but we had mahi mahi and surprisingly, I ate it all. Sunday we did a children's program in the park and afterwards, we played with the kids and played soccer with them. I think one of my favorite things is playing soccer with all the locals..it's so much fun!! That night at service, all the people we'd met earlier that day were there. The service was incredible. I've never seen people worship that way and it was amazing. They danced and jumped and clapped and sang and pretty much just went crazy for God!! It was so amazing joining in the them in worship!! After service, we spent a very long time taking pictures and saying goodbyes..it was really sad saying goodbye. I've come to love these people and they are truely showing us how to love in a way i never knew.

Josh Crabtree:

My favorite part of Costa Rica has to be playing soccer with the kids. I loved it because, one I love soccer two I love doing little things and getting big responses. It makes my day when I look down to see a little 5 year old Costa Rican kid with a big smile on his face and screaming Spanish at that I don’t understand at all!

Alyssa Crawford:

After the church service last night the pastor asked all the children to come up to the stage and then asked the missions team to come up and pray for the children. While we were standing up there getting ready to pray for them they put a liquid on our hands. we all thought that it was hand sanitizer so we could "protect" the children from our "germs" and we all started rubbing our hands together. but then we all realized it was baby oil and we were suppose to dab it onto the children's foreheads while we pray for them. i thought that was pretty funny. While we were praying for the children there was one girl that really stood out to me, and so i put my hands on her and i started speaking in my prayer language and she buried herself into my stomach and i wrapped my arms around her. I couldn't control myself. it was so overwhelming, I can't even describe it. there are no words. After that they started worshiping again, but it was different this time. They started dancing but it was different than any other dancing. it was beautiful. at first we all were kind of nervous to go up to the front and dance with them but then we overcame it and it was wonderful. Best dance party ever!!! I really wish we worshiped like that in the United States. It was incredible. Everyone was so comfortable and they didn't care how crazy they looked and the best part... the presence of the Holy Spirit was so apparent.

Chelsea Peebles:

It's incredibly hard to choose a favorite memory thus far. One of them would have to be when some girls who I had played with at the park grabbed me wanting me to sit with them at the church. They were so sweet and beautiful and so eager to communicate. It was like we made up our own language.

Krista Cockrum:

I enjoyed worship at the church. I think it's so wonderful how freely they express their worship to God. The "Dance Party" at the church was by far my favorite moment! I couldn't stop smiling, it was such a glad moment!!

Tyler Wassam:

My favorite memory was all the people freakin out when we left the church in Palmar Norte. And the papaya song! (Video coming soon ...)

Kassi Broihier:

I am so grateful we serve a relational God. Yes, we have taught memory verses, testified to God's grace, led precious little voices in songs of praise, but what our little tico brothers and sisters will take away from our brief visit was the gringos travelled far to show them the love of God through play. All of my favorite memories surround the moments - relationships that surpass the language and culture barrier. Today we jumped around and led a 2 hour service. We were so tired and sweaty and some even fell asleep in the 20 minute bus ride. And all our students kept asking for was to return to the park to look for and play with our new friends. They don't want to rest or goof off. They want to experience Costa Rica and the new definition of God's love. Worship.

Parker Rozean:

I loved playing soccer with all the children. It was so much fun seeing the joy on their faces and hearing them laugh at us when we messed up. I hope we have a lot of time to play and talk with more kids in the days to come.

Kyle DeVries:

Bryan is the best. Bryan was from the church in Palmar Norte. He was roughly 25 years old. He could speak basic english so we spent hours teaching him things in english, while he taught us spanish. We exchanged emails and facebooks. He loved us and we love him. :)