Easter Sunday was probably one of the best Sundays I have ever experienced in my life. My Easter Sunday was completely different from any Easter I have experienced. It was quiet. It was still. It was a time to reflect on the Lord. In Costa Rica the town of Guayabo shuts downs for La Semana Santa which translates to Holy Week. Many of the families here leave and travel to larger cities to celebrate Easter with their families. Something interesting that I learned about Easter week was that many deaths happen during this week because of the many parties and many fatalities that come from drinking and driving from parties. How sad. We stayed home this week because Danilo is the pastor of a small little church here in Guayabo. Danilo is a man of the Lord and so genuine and sweet. The night before, we all went to bed early because we were all so tired from the days events. For some reason I was not able to sleep and the wind that night was insanely strong blowing my door open. It was about 2am when I heard Danilo get out of bed and check in every room to make sure we were all asleep. He saw that wind had blown my door open and quietly closed it before heading to the table in the kitchen. Not even 5 minutes after he had closed the door the wind blew it back open again and I was too tired to worry about it. Then I heard Danilo talk and wondered who or what he was talking about until I realized that he had gotten up at 2am to pray for all of us. The truth is I was stunned. I could not understand everything he said and I honestly felt that it would be rude to try to listen to his moment with the Lord but before I tried to fall back asleep I did hear him pray for me and my future, for his kids and their lives, and his wife. I don’t know if this was normal or not for him every night but it was just a humbling experience for me that this man would sacrifice sleep to pray for the ones he loved and for a girl who was only on her second visit to his house.
So during church on Sunday Raquel and I went to do the nursery for the 2-4 years old. Now it is one thing to try to understand a Costa Rican when they are speaking spanish but it is a whole different story to try to understand a 2-4 year old trying to speak spanish. It was absolutely adorable and crazy at the same time. Another lesson that I have learned is that a kid is a kid as well no matter what country they may be in. We had 8 little ones in our class that Sunday and I completely fell in love which each one of them. Raquel and I were talking that night because we both want to adopt kids when we are older. We both would like a kid of our own one day but it really is not a big deal to us because we would much rather adopt children. Raquel started laughing at me because I told her I wanted 5 or 6 kids and so she decided to leave me alone with the 8 little ones that only spoke spanish that Sunday for a few minuets. They went crazy. Some were playing with each other, others were fighting, and one was trying to escape. Funny how at 3 a cookie can solve the world’s problems. After Raquel came back, she asked if I still wanted 5 or 6 kids with a smile on her face. She has a good sense of humor like her father. After church Danny, Raquel, and I walked back to the house. No one drives to church unless it rains and still then 90% of them will still walk to church. It is a nice little walk down a dirt road with a view of Miravalles in the background.
After church we all went to this little town behind Miravalles called Aguasclaras to visit Maritiza’s mother. I have found a little piece of Heaven on earth. Aguasclaras is the place I would like to retire to one day. It is absolutely gorgeous where their grandmother lives. You have to cross this little bridge that is over a river and opens up to a huge field of banana trees, tropical flowers, and fruit trees. Oh and the best part is that there is a hammock under banana trees! Maritza’s mother has a disease in her bones that does not allow her to walk so someone has to be with her 24/7. Maritza and her sisters take turns taking care of their mother. As she is bed ridden most of her time they will come in there and dress her, rub lotion all over her, and do her hair. They even do this not so enjoyed things like help her change her linens, giver her shots needed, and baths. I have respect for those women and for the men and women here in America who take care of the elderly. It is truly a humbling job but worth the smiles that will come across some of their faces. I think of the verse in Matthew 25:40: ” THE KING WILL REPLY, TRULY I TELL YOU, WHATEVER YOU DID FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF MINE, YOU DID FOR ME.” I admire all of you who do this kind of work in the States.
We sat there at her house with aunts, uncles, cousins, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers just drinking coffee, taking walks through the banana trees and fruit trees on her property, sitting on the bank of the river with HUGE cows and bulls literally 20 feet away with no fence, and having our own little Easter celebration. It was one of the best days. After returning home we all became somber because it meant that my trip was coming to an end. I was literally dreading going to sleep because I knew it meant waking up to leave for the airport. That night all 5 of us were in Danny’s room just telling jokes, making fun of my spanish, and literally laughing until we cried. I can’t remember the last time I laughed that long and hard. Have you ever laughed so hard that your abs hurt and you cannot breathe? That was Sunday night. My Easter was blessed and unforgettable as the Lord allowed me to witness His love for His children. He created this family to bring glory to Him and to impact their culture and they do exactly that. Sometimes I think that I get so caught up in America I easily forget the life of other people in the world. I can forget that there is life outside of our American borders. The Lord is so evident in these people here in just the way they love the Lord, people, and foreigners with a genuine heart and love.
