Costa Rica - June 20, 2005

As you read through these notes of my trip to Costa Rica, don't be afraid to ask questions. I'll answer any at the start of the next post.

Spent the previous night at the Days Inn - Airport in St. Louis, MO. Hard bed, loud air-conditioner, and almost no sleep. Had to get up at 4:30am to be at the airport early enough for a 7:25 flight to Charlotte, NC with a connection to San Jose, Costa Rica. The flight down was turbulent, but uneventful. The nine of us traveling occupying three rows of seats on the plane.

We arrived at Costa Rica around 2:00 in the afternoon. The Baptist Federation arranged for a small touring bus to pick us up and take us to the Federation offices. We used the trip to gawk at all of the new sights and sounds. Costa Rica is a very beautiful country. We were in the central valley which is the most densely populated part of Costa Rica and surrounded by mountains. The vegetation is lush and the temperatures are very moderate. It was cooler down there with less humidity than we were experiencing in Illinois. San Jose is about a mile high in altitude - like Denver, CO - which helps the heat tremendously. That day it did not rain - the first day in two weeks that they had not had some rain, but it was overcast.

After a couple of hours spent meeting the people at the office and learning about the situation in Alejuelita, we got back on the bus and traveled 45 minutes to the church grounds - to have dinner and meet our hosts. When we got there, we received a taste of what a welcome in Heaven is going to be like - we were hugged, squeezed, kissed, and embraced like long lost family members. By the time we left, I think we had become family members. Dinner was a great spaghetti meal with garlic bread and everything cooked and served up by the ladies called the "Five Stars" because the food they serve could be right from a five-star restaurant. After dinner, the "rooming" assignments were made. Six people stayed with Mario, the interim pastor at the church, and his family; two stayed with Pedro, another church leader, and his family; and I stayed by myself with Marco and Mirania, a couple my age without any children.

That first night was easily the toughest of the whole trip - I knew very little Spanish and they knew very little English. All that was left was to be patient and trust God that we would be able to communicate somehow. I also got my first taste of Costa Rican plumbing systems, but I'll save that explanation for the next time. In bed by eight after such a short night and long trip to be ready for breakfast at the church by 6:30am and work at 7:00am. A bit of reading, prayers, and lights out.

More tomorrow!