 It's hard to believe that this is the final update of our trip. Time has gone by very quickly. We have often commented on how it seems like so long ago that we were at the airport in Dallas meeting everyone for the first time, and yet the time has gone so quickly. I don’t believe any of us really wants the trip to be over. Our time has been very rich, and our experiences keep reminding us that we are truly blessed.
 On Monday we headed out for Punta Leona, on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. After spending the afternoon exploring the area we met on the beach there for a time of Communion. Our Communion service was held at sunset on the beach at our hotel. Harry played “He Lives” on the trumpet, and we followed that by singing “At the Cross,” some in English and some in Spanish (Carlos, Giancarlo, Harry, and Julia sang in Spanish and the rest of us in English). Though we were singing in different languages, we were united. As the sun was going down, we were reminded of the sacrifice that God made by sending his son to take our place on the cross. What a special time we enjoyed with the beautiful sunset as our backdrop.
 Tuesday afternoon we gathered our things and packed the bus for the return trip to San José. We arrived back in San José just before 3:00 and had some time to rest and relax before our Dominican dinner. Carlos wanted our group to experience a true Dominican meal, so he offered to cook the meal for us. We invited Harry, Julia, and Giancarlo to join us for dinner for one last time of fellowship before we headed for the airport early Wednesday morning.
 This group of people has come together from across the United States to join in the work of God in this beautiful country of Costa Rica. As usually happens, we expected to give of our time and talents to the church here, but we were given so much more than we gave. We have developed friendships that will last a lifetime. Even if we never see them again, we will always have a special place in our hearts for Costa Rica. Our lives have been changed forever, and we will not be the same. We won’t see a mango without thinking of the fruit we shared with our brothers and sisters in Las Vueltas. We will never drink a cup of coffee without thinking of the fellowship we shared with our gracious hosts and our friends in Costa Rica. One can never truly appreciate being a part of the body of Christ until meeting and spending time with a brother or sister from another country—someone who may speak another language, who may have a different skin color, who may worship differently than we do. Only when we experience these things can we even get a glimpse of what heaven might look like. It’s an exciting and wonderful experience, and it is a blessing that cannot be forgotten. Thank you for following us on our journey. Next time you might consider joining us in person. I promise, you will not be the same when you come back home. Dios le bendiga.
Logan E. Ritchhart
Media Specialist |