It’s Friday. Friday.

     So our dreaded last day has arrived, and on a clear sunny one no less.  We finished our last work on the house, though it’s far from done, and Gianna and I were able to get our picture taken with our supervisor Jose. He didn’t smile.

     Standing at the bottom of the hill waiting for the bus, we gave our tearful goodbyes to our beloved children as they left to spend the weekend at home. I always thought I didn’t like kids, but as it turns out, it’s just American kids. I’ll always remember these little guys and I’ll be waiting impatiantly for next March to roll around so I can come back and see how they’ve grown in appearance and in their love for God. Going home is hard, but my love for the families and this place will always remain the same, even thousands of miles away.

     This lifechanging trip was made possible by the generous donations and prayers of you all who are supporting us as friends, family, etc. I can’t express how much I’ve loved being here and serving this amazing community, but know your help has made these children and volunteers immensely joyful and even closer to God through this experience.

Baby Cows

View from the Baseball Field

 

Sunset before Dinner

     We were relieved to have the morning off today and get to see some of the farm just uphill from our house. Chicken Farmer Steve Means was kind enough to give us a tour of the milking area, cow fields and calf stalls. Turns out the little guys will suck your hands if you hold them close enough, weird and adorable. After the farm, we took the bus into poor areas where the children come form and learned more about what it is they’ve been through. W also toured the day care centers where the children go who still live at home with working parents. The employees and volunteers all work so hard to keep them safe and educated and continue to do a great job at it.

     After some more work and another baseball game, we all helped decorate the cafeteria for the big pizza party later. Sitting with our children and eating Costa Rican pizza was fun, but the games after were even better. We got to see some intense action during the Spanish relative of Simon Says and a relay race. The best was definitely musical chairs, being quite the contact sport, during which I was able to shove my competition to the ground with my ten little ninos cheering me on the whole game. Once the night was over, Gianna and I stood outside the exit and handed out stuffed animals and the favor bags the children at our church put together, and they were all incredibly grateful and thankful for their new toys. Back at our houses we handed out the pictures we took a few nights before and said good night.

    It’s sad to know our time here is ending soon, but we are so thankful for spending time with every one of these children and their hardworking house mothers. Pray that we’ll be able to say goodbye with dignity!

Night Rainbow

Birthday Banners made by the Mothers

     Team Two’s Wednesday began slowly, as the third work day does, and we continued our mudding, ceiling installing, and construction tomfoolery. After work was over some of us participated in the ninos’ baseball game. Despite the harsh winds and drizzling, we had a ton of fun being a part of their teams. I was lucky enough to dive under John Nardi and make it safe all the way to third base, quite a pro.

     After dinner we celebrated Gianna’s 16th birthday with some awesome cake and amazingly sewn banners made by the house mothers. Later, everyone ran outside and was shocked and inrigued by the display of a rainbow across the black night sky. We all took photo after photo of this phenomenon before is disappeared into the dark from whence it came. This has been a fantastic week, we praise God for miracles such as this!