A team from TCCJAX partnered in Costa Rica with 6:8 Ministries. The lucky group of 13 spent a week at various locations serving the needs of the in-country missionaries and the local “Ticos”.
Upon arrival, we took a bus trip to the Living Waters Ranch in rural Costa Rica. While there the team worked to clear some of the property, feed the animals on the ranch, gather and cut firewood, process some pork, make some electrical repairs, and conducted a first aid training with the local staff and 6:8 interns. The team also put on a showing of Incredibles 2 at El Pozo (The Well). This included hot dogs, popcorn, a drink and the movie, all free to the 70 Tico kids. The next afternoon some of the team went back to El Pozo and got to play soccer with the 30 or so kids that were there, before loading up and heading back into Alajuelita.
Once the team got back into Alajuelita, we helped prepare and serve the Friday morning meal for the homeless. 10 people showed up for the meal, and they got a hot meal along with a message, delivered by Pablo, one of the Costa Ricans that has partnered with the ministry. 6:8 prepares a meal and message a couple of times a week for the homeless of Alajuelita. After the meal, we went to the Maxi Pali and bought food for some of the locals in need. We went on a prayer walk and delivered food to several individuals and families. Some of these locals are truly homeless and live in a shelter made of wood with a little plastic spread over the top of an old mattress in a field. The amazing thing is that these folks were all smiling when we saw them. We stopped and visited in several homes and prayed with all the families and people we visited with.
The next day we went to Verbena to play with the kids in that neighborhood. If you have been to Costa with 6:8, you know the spot. We walked through the neighborhood, yelling, “Ven a jugar con los gringos!” or “come play with the foreigners.” It’s amazing how many kids come out and play with us. We played soccer, jump rope, threw balls, colored in coloring books, painted fingernails, and gave piggy back rides. I’ve visited this place several times now, and every time it strikes me how happy that place is, even in the midst of what we see as poverty. Ashly, another of the local Costa Ricans, sang with the kids and Pablo delivered another message, about Adam and Eve. Then we fed about 70 kids.
After lunch we went to another neighborhood, Tiribi, to visit and play with the kids in that neighborhood. We played soccer, jump rope, threw a football around along with letting the kids braid hair and paint fingernails. On Sunday we visited a local church in Alajuelita and got to sing worship songs in Spanish. Later we played in the park with the locals.
Everywhere we went, we were struck by how happy the people of Costa Rica are. Whether in Verbena, Tiribi or the park, or just on the street. Everyone seems so happy there. During our debrief we discussed how the people there seemingly have less possessions, but they are happier, perhaps because of that.
The church is already planning the next two trips, 12-15 December, and 3-8 June...you can sign up now by contacting info@tccjax.org