Mon 24 Jul 2006
Word from the Youth in Costa Rica!
Posted by Chuck Holton under Events, Our Missionaries
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Ruthie Gray sent the following message today after hearing from the group in Costa Rica:
Hello,
We finally got word from the group last night, Taryn called us from the camp payphone there, we were very glad to hear, as none of the parents had gotten word of their arrival.
As you know, they left Thursday. It was a 16 hour trip total. Lots of driving, a flight from Newark to Atlanta and then a LONG layover, then flight into CR. She said once they got there, everyone just divided into rooms and went to sleep for a few hours.
The conditions at the camp seem nice from what she described. It has rained a few times, which it is their winter/rainy season there, but it hasn’t been too bad she said. I could hear the kids in the background laughing and having a good time, singing “The sun will come out tomorrow”. Also, they have a charter bus taking them wherever they need to go right now. They went to a mall on Saturday, and also did some shopping for things to bring home. The McDonald’s could not understand them very well, so Taryn ended up with 2 combo meals:))
They went to a rain forest, where there are all kinds of wildlife and beautiful flowers and plants, also they did a zipline there.
Yesterday, they performed the drama that she is in at a church. She said it was packed. In the afternoon, they went door to door witnessing. They split into two groups. One group got to several houses, but her group only made it to two. That was because at both houses, the men seriously considered the plan of salvation. One of the teens would witness, the translater would help out, then he would talk to the person for quite a while. At the first house, the man accepted the Lord! At the second house (and this was where Taryn got to witness) the man came very close to accepting the Lord, but then was concerned that he was just not good enough. To hear Taryn talk of these things is so thrilling, her whole perspective on life is different right now.
There are 43 in the group. Don’t know if I mentioned before that the counselors from NY went to CR with them, so they have them as well as the 5-6 youth leaders that came to NY with the groups. Everyone is doing well, please continue to pray for strength and good health!
Will keep you updated, and as you know, the group will be there through next Sunday (30th) and begin travel back Monday, arriving here in Charleston Tuesday morning around 10:30 AM.
Ruthie