Day 35: Halfway and Lots of Pictures

You're all very lucky, you narrowly missed a Bon Jovi reference for the title. But, we are living on prayers, so please keep praying for us.

So, last night I went for a walk. I decided I would head over to the AM/PM and maybe get a sandwich or something, but it was closed. So, I kept walking to the park and then past the park and found an open McDonald's. I got a burger and sat and listened to music until they closed and then went home and went to bed. I'm not sure why I did. I think I just wasn't ready for sleep yet. Sometimes I wonder if nights when I don't want to go to bed would be better spent praying instead of walking around or watching TV. It might even be seen as an invitation to do so, because all three times it's been extreme on this trip, I think there's been spiritual warfare happening in other people's lives.

Anyway, we walked to the CDI today and made a tree. We've been memorizing 1 Corintios 13:4-7 (italics because i pronounced that in Spanish, lol) with the kids at the CDI, a day at a time, a few aspects of Love at a time. As they've learned about the new traits of love, we've had them write them on a heart so that it could be our leaves. Even though the tree idea was mine, I really don't have any skill to execute any kind of creative or artistic anything. So, I'm very glad we exist on a team. Izzy and Katie did most of the tree construction. They were doubtful of their work, but I think it looks absolutely fantastic. Matthew and I made more leaves. So far, we only have 2 days/branches' worth of leaves, but it will build over the next 3 weeks to 6 branches total. I took some pictures and a picture of our chalk board. I'll post them below.

After we left the CDI, we got lunch together at Soda Los Perros. A Soda is generally a little restaurant that sells typical Costa Rican food. Matthew and Katie ordered Casadas, Izzy and I got tacos ticos. They tacos were very crunchy and I think had ketchup on them. It was pretty good, all told. It was a cool little spot and very fun to get to be there as a team. As we were eating, I had a sneaking suspicion. As I looked around the restaurant, I felt more likely that it was true. I asked the lady working there and she confirmed: this place was cash-only.

But, no matter, we were very close to an ATM beside Avenida 10, the supermarket we go to, and decently close (the other direction) to the AM/PM, which also has an ATM. So, I stepped out for a minute and went to the closest ATM. It didn't work. So, I walked/jogged to the AM/PM, but their ATM was broken. But, fortunately, there was another ATM a little ways down the street at the Davivienda (i don't actually know what that place is), but the door to the ATM was locked and had some kind of swipe machine on it. I was worried for a minute that it was a members-only ATM, but the guard inside told me I just had to swipe my card there first (it was to make sure nobody slept there at night). Got the cash and hot-footed it back to the restaurant.

Since church tonight was a potluck community time, Izzy went to the supermercado to pick up the cookie dough we had seen the last time we were there. However, it was actually something else with a picture of cookies on it, so she grabbed cake mix instead. That was when we discovered our house doesn't have a cake-baking-dish (cake...pan? cake...bowl? probably pan).

Izzy and I went back and asked a guy working there: "Disculpe, es que, queremos hacer galletas. ¿Se vende aqui el...mix...para hacerlos?" He walked us to the cookie aisle where all of the Oreos, etc. live. So, we thanked him and asked a different person: "Discuple, estamos buscando la...cosa...pre-preparado para hacer galletas en el horno, ¿se vende aqui?" He let us know where the flour was. So, we thanked him and asked a different person: "Disculpe, queremos hacer galletas, pero estamos buscando el ...mix... ya preparado, lo que se pone en el horno y entonces tienes galletas, ¿se vende aqui?" He nodded with understanding (at last!) and went to ask someone who was wearing a different color, nicer shirt (i assume a manager). They walked us over to a little section beside the tortillas that was easy to miss, and they joyfully showed us... a make-your-own-pizza kit. So, we thanked them and bought a pre-made cake-type dessert to bring to the potluck.

We walked home. I took a nap to let the rain pass before I ran. It didn't, so I ran in the rain (3 miles!). Then dried off, read some Isaiah, showered, and got ready for church.

Church was really lovely. It was set up into tables instead of rows, and everyone brought amazing food. I got to sit with Alejandro, Melanie, Reychel, y Carlos Gomez. We chatted and joked and ate together. It was awesome. Josue (el esposo de Georgen) specifically came over to me to let me know which food was best (he was right), and I felt really loved by that. We got to talk a little bit afterwards, which was really encouraging. He's a really cool guy; I like and respect him a lot.

We took communion, worshiped, talked about the importance of confession. It was really powerful. I could feel the Holy Spirit doing his thing in this church. Afterwards, Gomez prayed and right before he dismissed everyone, his esposa, Doña Gladys - who had basically organized and run the event - started talking about Father's Day coming up and how beautiful it was for them to be in a church of honorable men who were good fathers, and also brave women who were fighting to be both mothers and fathers to their kids. Then she asked if I would pray a blessing over them. I have no idea why me. I was too flustered to be able to figure out how to pray in Spanish what was on my heart, so I prayed in English. Fortunately, God speaks English, too. I did feel sad that, for some there, the encouragement of being prayed for was dimmed by not understanding. But, the point is for God to bless them, not my words.

We Uber'd home. The driver took a wrong turn, but we got there. We watched a movie. I typed my blog. I'm going to bed.

Today marks the halfway part of our trip. It's a little bit crazy that it's gone so fast, but it still feels so different from home, that 36 days ago feels like a distant memory.

PRAYER

-for us to walk in step with the Spirit

-for the second half of our trip to be even better than the first

-for good team dynamic

-for good healing and growth for the members of our team

-for good rest tomorrow and Sunday

-for strong and effective connections with the kids and students

-for our church's Balkans Team, they are there now!!