Costa Rica Day Six

The pungent odor on the bus ride back to the hotel pierced my nostrils. While I know my teammates were sweaty too, the stench was from me. We worked hard today.

Our final morning of work began with the team heading to the school to complete our week's beautification project. Everyone jumped right in applying the final coats of paint to the metal window grates and doors while the Hope leaders taped our geometric design sections.   

With taping finished, we worked on the different color sections and the team worked rapidamente.  Some of the group began cleaning brushes and buckets, some painted second coats in the color shapes, and a few removed the tape to reveal our masterpiece. As always, removing tape lines in paint work also highlights flaws. We found some paint runs and a few spots the tape pulled off the plaster.

Thus, our detail work began.

Lucy and Robyn led the very detail work of the word comedor (dining room), while others continued the touch up work. In short time our four days of sanding, scraping, washing, and painting came to a fruitful completion.

What a blessing to complete our painting project!

This team is so amazing that we kept our leaders on theirs toes making sure all the planning was timed well. And since we were extremely efficient we had time to play with the kids in their gym. Several played tag, others football (soccer) with a ball of tape, and others simply spent time being present with the children.in all of the effort we continued to answer the call with "Here I am."

Next we took the short ride to the Hope Center for a special arroz con pollo lunch prepared by the Hope kitchen staff. This is one of the local favorites and it was delicious.

After filling our bellies, final preparations began for our final time with the 1st and 2nd graders. We split into teams, set our rooms, and waited for children to arrive. At 2:00 PM kids were ready to jump rope again, play endless tag, draw with chalk, and a host of other activities while nestled in the safe gates of the Hope Center.

Rec time ended to begin the opening song and story time. Professor Poof and gang shared the story of hope with the clue of death. These children know hardship, yet the most beautiful truth we were able to share this week was about Jesus death bringing hope and peace. We acted out the story of Jesus' death and resurrection with a makeshift tomb and offered the hope of peace for all those who trust in Jesus.

The next hour and a half completed our games, crafts, and floor activities where we once again declared to the little ones, "Here I am." There were sweet times of final hugs, one more moment of sharing smiles, goodbyes, and reminders of God's goodness-His offer of sufficient grace and incomprehensible peace.

Caminando con Jesus, encuentro paz. Walking with Jesus, I can have peace.

This truth has been the foundation of our hard work this week. We are tired, yet we are energized.we may not see these children again on earth, but we are confident in the Lord that His Word will not return void, that He loves these little ones even more than we have come to love them, and we trust our friends at Hope Partners to continue the good work of making disciples.

Our evening concluded with a reminder of the source of our hard and good work and a commissioning to continue the good work of showing up to sit with those in need to offer them God's peace. The Lord is our strength and we could not have completed our task on our own. We are grateful we showed up and grateful for your prayers and support.

May the Lord guide each of us to keep making disciples wherever we are.