Today is Sunday, the day of rest, and guess what…it kind of was. Sometimes it gets so busy and hectic that you don’t have time to stop and smell the…whatever flowers they have here. But today we could smell the bogenvelias, or whatever they were, I could just make something up and you wouldn’t know the difference anyway. But I am not like that, so we actually did smell some things, like the cinnamon tree leaves and the chocolate plant, and the chickens, though they weren’t really flowery smelling. 

We started off going to childrens church, and we all split up into smaller groups and went to the houses where the kids had gathered. Then we would lip sinc some Spanish songs, play games, and watch Oscar give the kids a simple gospel message. Our group had some younger children, so we were coloring with them. I was helping Oscars little boy, Ostali, to color. I picked him because I figured I could color better than him so I wouldn’t have to listen to some little girl laugh at me again (yes, again, since it also happened last year) because I don’t stay in the lines. Well neither one of us was very good, but at least Ostali had an excuse, since he is only 2, and he thought I was pretty good, because I kept picking up all the crayons that he dropped. I learned 2 Spanish words, baca verde,  green cow, and I thought it turned out pretty good, as you can see below. I can almost hear my daughters laughing, but because we don’t have cell phone service, I actually don’t have to listen this time. It was a good start to the day.
Then we had lunch, went to the “lookout”, which is not a bar,  but the highest point in the area which overlooks the lagoon, which is a volcano crater filled lake, walked around town, and came home. We went thru all of our supplies and equipment to get ready and pack up for our 6:30 departure for the countryside. That is always the best part of the trip, as we get to work alongside the people in the small country towns. The biggest problem is at night when we have to listen to the ignorant animals who think nighttime is for keeping the Yankees from sleeping by constant cackling, barking, or snoring. I forgot my flame thrower again, so I am not sure how I will handle it this year. I hope better than the past, but you will have to read my old blogs if you want to read about my regrets or failures the last 2 years. And if you are the type of person who likes to dig thru the past to find the disasters, I bet you also are the type to rubberneck at accidents, or the type who reads tasteless blogs. So just keep reading if the shoe fits. 

We had really good group time tonight, and I really like our team. We sat in a big circle and introduced ourselves and gave a brief bio, then discussed what we saw and learned and how we saw God in and thru it. It is great to get to know and build relationships with fellow Christians, so we were all very encouraged. We went to Oscars newest church for 5:00 service and he did a good job of preaching and leading. He is a wonderful pastor. 

Well that’s all for now, as I am a bit tired-ish. So I will say good night in Spanish….Bon jour baca verde, not that you would know anyway.

Blessings,

Dr Mike