Last day in Cachi, Costa Rica!

Today (Tuesday) is our last full day in the beautiful mountainous city of Cachí. Our time here is been a gift and getting to be a part of this culture and what God is doing here has been a huge gift.

The time spent here was short, but for those of us who have been here many times it felt like being home; continuing the relationships built from previous summers, playing futsól against some of the same players, laughing at funny conversations in Spanish, and witnessing to local shop owners who have been here for years.

For everyone else who had not been here before, they embraced the way of life in Cachí in a matter of days; learning phrases in Spanish to communicate with the locals, singing worship songs in Spanish and praising God with the body of believers here, and sharing how God has changed their lives regardless with locals, even with a language barrier.

We have been able to minister and serve Cachí through painting, picking up trash in the streets, and teaching English and sharing the Gospel in upper school classrooms. You can see the smiles on the faces of those in the community when they see us serving. It’s another bridge to building into those relationships for a future opportunity to witness.

The team also had the opportunity to experience attending youth group in Costa Rica. It’s pretty similar to how we structure things in the states. This youth group in Cachí has grown significantly over the years. I (Kaila) have asked some of the ticos if they have small groups or Bible Studies that they do together as peers and they all have said no. Be in prayer for them about this; that small groups would form and they would have that strong community with each other.

For a culture and heritage experience we hiked for over an hour to a waterfall in the mountains. The team had a teaching on the Holy Spirit and then swam in the waterfall!

Tomorrow morning (Wednesday) we head to our next location by the beach to debrief. Our time there is also shorter than normal but we are so looking forward to learning and hearing about what the Father has done in their lives this summer.

Thank you for your continued prayers, love, encouragement, and support throughout our entire summer. It has been such a joy to get to know, disciple, teach, and do life with this team of students.

Pray for smooth and safe travels as we make our way back to the U.S. in just a few days!