It’s hard to think about how much time we have left in this country. Today was the second day of VBS at Boca Baptist church, but it’s also our second to last day in Costa Rica.
We started our day with a devotion, as usual. The topic focused on finishing the race strong, and that is exactly what the team is doing!
Each new day of VBS has been better than the one before. Each time we get our timings down better, explain the crafts and games a little better, and know what we need to do better, but those things are just the basics. Each time we go to the VBS we grow a little closer to the kids, strengthen bonds a little more, and fall in love with this country a little more deeply. It’s exciting to see kids return the second day, kids return from the year before, kids show up from the first church for round two, and to see new faces.
Today’s VBS was no exception to this pattern of growth. It’s amazing how we get to start each and every day playing with the kids outside, bonding with them and making connections. Craft is a blast, getting to see their creative side and helping them make something fun that they love. Lunch is great too, getting to serve the kids food, but my favorite part of each VBS day is worship. Hearing all their little voices sing by as one as they worship God is something I’ll never forget. The kids always get into the music, shouting their loudest and praising the lord together with us. Every time they sing a song again, it’s with more joy and enthusiasm than the time before it.
VBS was especially special today, because after it ended we just didn’t pack up and leave, but we ended up staying extra and singing worship songs with some of the people from the church. They sang songs in Spanish, and we sang songs in English, but that didn’t change the fact that we were all worshiping the same God and having fun together.
At times, the language barrier seems like a huge wall keeping us from connecting with the kids in the way we want to or communicating with the people at the church in general, and God has gifted our team with five amazing interpreters this year. But honestly, yes the language barrier makes communicating with the kids harder, but it doesn’t make it impossible, and it hasn’t prevented our team from connecting and loving these kids.
After leaving the VBS, we went back to the house to gather our things before heading out for shopping in La Fortuna and spending one of our last nights at the hot springs.
This team has done some amazing things this year, bonding with kids, pulling off the VBS’s, connecting with people from the churches, but just because our time is running out, it’s doesn’t mean those amazing things are going to stop happening. Tomorrow is our last day, and this team is fully prepared to bring our best all the way to the finish line and finish strong. I can’t wait to see what has left in store for Costa Rica 2019!
~Savannah Moore