Saturday, December 6th, 2003

This was our busiest day of the whole trip. We ate a quick breakfast and were out of the house by 8:30 AM. We had to get to Coronado because several of the young people had put together a skit and they wanted to get a chance to practice it before the scheduled time. So we arrived early. The young people started practicing their skit. John, Larry, Susan, Moises, and Mary Lynn all decided to go do a little souvenir shopping. I decided to stay and study as I needed to prepare for the meeting that evening. I also was preparing for a youth study that was to occur the same day in the afternoon. While I studied, I watched the youth practice their skit. They were showing in the skit how the Devil has influence over people of the world by giving them alcohol, drugs, and money, but that the people were basically unhappy with that. Then a couple of preacher's came along and taught these people the gospel and they left all of their evil ways behind. This in turn destroyed the works of the Devil. When the others returned we watched the youth perform the skit. After it was over, Moises asked Larry, John, and I to sing a few songs in English for the youth, which we did.

Originally we wanted to have the skit in the Town Square and use it as an evangelistic tool. But the place had been reserved for another event. So we walked from the building to the Town Square where we handed out literature and invitations to the meeting. We handed out over 1000 invitations to come to the meeting that evening and hear the gospel. After handing out these invitations, we went back to Eduardo's house for a big lunch. We ate very well. While we were there, I told Maritza that I could not eat any more. She asked me if I remembered when they came to the United States last year and I told them to "eat, eat, eat?" She told me, "now it is my turn to tell you to eat, eat, eat." She made me laugh so hard at this that my sides were hurting. They just kept bringing us more and more food. We ate all different kinds of fruits while we were there including fresh pineapple which was so ripe and tender you could eat the core. The fruits are just incomparable to what we have here in the United States.

After lunch we rested for a bit and then watched a little soccer on TV. Soccer is the national pass time in Costa Rica. For almost the whole week, we had heard several talk about two different soccer teams that were to play on Sunday, Leaga and Saprissa. They told us that this was the "classic" game in Costa Rica. We turned the TV off and the men and the young people got into the van and we found a little park where we could have a devotional. I spoke during the devotional on 1 Timothy 4:12. I emphasized the importance of each of the things that Paul told Timothy to be an example about. The devotional went very well. It was kind of cold because we were on the side of a mountain and the mist was coming off of the clouds and chilling us. After the devotional, the youth played a little soccer on a concrete soccer/basketball court. The rest of us watched. While we were having our youth devotional, Susan was teaching a ladies class. After the ladies class, Mary Lynn went through a "workshop" on crafts for young children's classes. One of the ladies who is a member at the church at Coronado knew enough English to translate for Susan and Mary Lynn.. Her name was Laura. The women really did appreciate having their special time together.

After these two events concluded, we all gathered back at Eduardo's house for a short time. I needed time to change clothes. That morning and afternoon had been fairly sunny and I had taken off my hat during the devotional period. We were outside, and the sun really did burn my skin on my forehead. I looked as red as a beet. That evening I was really sunburned. So I looked very red. Nevertheless, I went about the preaching anyway. The song service was excellent. Everyone sang out and the acoustics of the building really amplified the singing. I preached on the subject of the church being the called out body of baptized believers who do all to the glory of God. The message was well received and we had a few visitors from the work that we had done earlier that day. We were encouraged to have the visitors with us. The members were also encouraged by the lesson. Carlos translated for me that evening and did a wonderful job. After the services this evening, we all went to Taco Bell for supper. We treated everyone who wanted to come to their meal. We got home late and all went to bed to rest for the next day, Sunday, the Lord's day.

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