Day Three

by Lanaya Light

With our balloon animal making skills, soccer ball, and dulce (candy), we headed out this morning for our last day of VBS in Los Guido. As some of our team walked the area and invited kids to come play with us, the rest of us were waiting with balloon animals. The kids just seemed to keep on showing up!! They were coming from all directions and it was so exciting to watch their faces light up as we wowed them with our balloon creations…or was it the candy we kept giving out? Either way, the turn out was great and the gospel was shared. There was singing and dancing, games, and the sharing of the gospel. At the end of the VBS, Ariel (one of the student leaders) guides the kids through a prayer of repentance and acceptance of Christ. It was amazing to be able to hear so many of the kids repeat this prayer. It was hard not to just sit there and be completely overwhelmed with the work that God is doing here in Los Guido. And then be completely humbled that He has chosen us to help Him do His work here. Wow!




Tonight was a special night at La Finca. Once a year, the leadership team is celebrated for their willingness to serve and share the gospel. It was such an honor for us to be a part of this celebration and just pour love onto these kids who love others so unconditionally. The night is completely about them and Mark and Meg (the missionaries) take the opportunity to serve them as a way of thanking them for all that they do. We played a game of steal the bacon with the kids and then they were served a delicious dinner. We also got the biggest piñata I have ever seen for them! And it was filled with tons of yummy candy of course! The kids had such a fun time trying to hit the piñata and the boys with the rope had just as much trying to keep them from hitting the piñata. Us Gringos and Ticos (Costa Ricans) shared a time by the bonfire eating smore’s and laughing together.



The night ended with us giving out the backpacks that we packed. As each leader from the leadership team was called up on the stage by Mark, someone from our team delivered a backpack to them. You could hear the gratefulness in their voices as they softly said “Gracias” to each one of us. It was priceless to see the looks on their faces as they opened the backpack and looked through all the things they were given. You could see in their eyes how much these backpacks meant to them. People they have never met-that they will most likely never meet, put thought, time, and money into making gifts for them to show them love. It was overwhelming and so rewarding to be able to deliver this small gift to these children of God who do His work so diligently. Mark commented tonight about how this is the one day where these kids are served and the other 364 days they spend serving those around them. Be continuing to pray for this leadership team as they continue their ministry in Los Guido, as well as their other growing ministry areas.

During the backpack part of the celebration, I couldn’t help but stand at the back of the room and be overwhelmed with the faith of these children. They have been called to share the gospel and will stop at nothing to fulfill that calling. They want to no recognition and fully understand what it means to be servant. They know that it is not what they are doing here, but what God is choosing to do through them. My prayer for my team and myself is that we will look at these kids and in turn, share the gospel with the same fervor, that we will be selfless and love unconditionally, and that we will have the right perspective. Its not about what we are doing here in Costa Rica, but that God be glorified in what He is doing here and allowing us to be a part of.