July 29: Scream, Surrender & Surf

This morning we started out earlier than usual for a Sunday because the church we have been attending holds a special service in English at 8:30 AM on the last Sunday of the month.   In gathering our stuff for the day, Angelina was asked to get the rain poncho down from the back washroom.  Soon after that we hear a scream, and see Angelina running as fast as she could from the area screaming, 'there's a spider!'  Nathan thought it was cool, us girls were freaked out and hero George killed it bringing relief to the girls and disappointment to Nathan.

We met the Bakers at the bus stop and made our way by bus and then on foot to the church building.  Worship was led by the church worship team in their second language.  Pretty impressive gifting . . . and fairly loud volume.  The sermon addressed our need to surrender wholeheartedly to God all areas of our lives in order for us to be of full use for His purposes.  These past few weeks we have experienced firsthand how He can be strong in our weakness.  Humbling.   Yet encouraging too . . . to hear that lesson repeated in the pastor’s words.

     After the service the church hosted a “brunch” for us.   Again humbling.  To be waited on by our Costa Rican brothers and sisters.   To be served instead of serving.   Grateful for servant hearts.

     We stuck around for the beginning of the Spanish service . . more lively worship and volume, typical of a Latin American church on the move.

   

  As we climb our way back out of the church neighborhood a couple from church stops and asks where we are off to and would we like a ride.  Our plan had been to make it to the main road and then catch a bus or taxi but this gracious couple decides to  drive us to our destination, a beach that is supposed to feature good snorkeling. 

Again, our hosts extend themselves and allow us to hike down to the beach to check it out for ourselves. 

Along the way we discover that the tide will be high leaving the conditions at that beach less than ideal.  It is a beautiful spot in a bay, sheltered from the strong ocean waves.   However, the beach itself is now a narrow strip of sand due to the tide being in.  Worth a visit some other day but not great for today.

     Our friends now drive us to another stretch of quiet beach from where we can walk toward the public beach close to the National Park.  We spend several hours playing in the surf, jumping through the waves and riding on the boogie boards we rented.   We end up sandy and tired but thrilled with the beautiful afternoon we have had.

The Bakers and us both rented a boogie board for $10.  Worth every penny for hours of fun in the surf!  All of us took turns - for many of us a first time experience but I'm pretty sure not the last!

     

After showering and having supper we even have time to indulge in watching some of the Olympics on TV now that our cable has been hooked up.  A good day.