2023 - Day 4, Part 1: Painting, a School Visit, and an Afternoon to Relax!

Today we woke up and headed back to the church from yesterday to continue our painting project. Because we were running late (Tico Time!) we knew we would only have an hour to get everything painted before the soccer clinic started. The kids jumped right into work. We divided into a couple teams and some of us painted while some of us picked up trash in the neighborhood. This neighborhood in Limon used to be swamp land and is still built along canals and floods often. There is a lot of trash around. In only an hour, we filled up about 10 trash bags with bottles, glass, etc.

At the hour mark the painting wasn't completed so we left the girls + Scottie to paint with Senora Harrison & Emily Timmer. The boys + Abbi, Ronny (our host), Bryan Timmer, and Clausen all went down the road 5 minutes to lead a soccer clinic at the local elementary school. When we got there there was pure chaos - the kids were so excited to see the "handsome Americans". Once it settled down a little bit, we found out the PE teacher was gone for the day and she was the only one who had access to the ball closet, so we had no balls for the soccer clinic! But we adapted and overcame! Ronny went out to purchase two soccer balls, Jose once again stepped in as an incredible translator and helped us get the game "sharks & minnows" going - even though we had one failed attempt where all the kids just ran away around the corner after we said go! The game continued for a while, then Ronny returned with the soccer balls, but by then the kids were really only interested in practicing their English, giving us hugs, and getting autographs and selfies with the boys & Abbi. At the end of our time there one of the sweetest things was that one of the girls started handing out money to our boys! Talon received one of these coins and said, "we can't keep that!" And snuck it back in her backpack, but she gave it to him again. Ronny said we have to keep it because when she returned it she said, "you have to keep it to remember us by." So Senora told Talon every time he sees that coin (he put it in the back of his phone), he needs to pray for that girl. 

We then returned to the church and helped the girls + Scottie clean up. They did an AMAZING job finishing up the painting project and working as a team! They definitely worked hard today & worked effectively as a team. 

We then went to subway to pick up some food before heading home to spend the afternoon at the beach and in the pool. It was really nice to relax a bit and spend some time bonding as a team!

Tomorrow we will update you on today's team reflections and our Devos while we are on the way to our rafting adventure! 

We would love prayer for our team - we are at the midpoint of our trip which is usually when personalities start to rub. Please pray for bonding, unity, and for each of us to see each other through God's eyes. Please pray for energy and endurance as we finish out the week strong. Please pray for soft hearts amongst our students as they receive feedback from one another or our chaperones. Please pray for each of our students leading Devos, that they would have the words to speak and that students hearts and minds would be open to learning more about God's character as we study the names of God.