Friday, after our harrowing adventure on the cliffs of the Pan-American Highway, we made it to San Jose for a well deserved lunch.
We ate at a restaurante tipico which was typical Costa Rican fare. I had steak, plantain, rice and beans, served on a banana leaf. After six days of subsiding on little more than rice and beans, fresh fruit, with some meat or pancakes as complement, the steak was a welcome treat, but my stomach had a hard time adjusting to the food.
I felt saddened at the restaurant because eight hours earlier and a life time away, we had just said good bye to our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ down in El Peje who were still eating rice, beans, mangos, pine apples, and chicken.
But we were Americans and not Costa Rica country folk, so our lifes needed to return to normal.
That night, we scored nice accomadations in Alajuela. My pastor, Tom, was the fortunate soul to draw me as a roommate. I took my first hot shower in six days which was a major treat. I bought a English to Spanish Bible to help me learn Spanish. I also had Tom help me digest the weeks events.
Tom said that God wasn't opposed to us being rich or having nice things. He said that God opposed us when we bought nice things for ourselves at the cost of others or without giving Him his due.
I was still grief stricken from saying good bye to my friends and to lifestyle in El Peje, so fortunately our team leader had planned a day of R & R to reaclimate us to our life as Americans.
Saturday, we went to the Peace Gardens and saw monkeys, birds, butterflies, and the most amazing waterfalls I've ever seen! I also had to buy a disposable camera from a tourist trap.
Pictures I took in Costa Rica can be found here.
We went to another tourist trap and to the mall on Saturday.
Sunday was our travel day home...supposedly. The trip was uneventful, except for a four hour delay in Charlotte which offically made our nine day mission into ten days.
I miss Costa Rica, and I definately left part of my heart there. The people of El Peje were so friendly and opened their lives to us gringos so beautifully that I believe Americans would be hard pressed to show the same affection to outsiders in our own country.
I learned what I could of the Spanish language, I learned of poverty, I got closer to my team mates than I could've ever in the Estados Unidos (often times too close), but most importantly, I got closer to God.
God bless,
David
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| Costa Rica Mission 2008: Part Two |
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