Hooray! Everyone slept well and was ready for Thursday! Some team members even slept in a little longer and skipped breakfast, knowing that yummy Czech pastries, coffee, and tea would be waiting for us when we arrived at the school. We can hardly believe we have only two teaching days left!
Our morning devotional reminded us that every one of us has a story worth sharing. We were challenged to think about what our lives were like before we trusted Jesus, how we came to know Him, and how He continues to work in our lives today. Our personal testimonies are powerful reminders of God's grace and love, and we should always be ready to share them.
We also reflected on how this applies to our time teaching English. We don't need to complicate language; we simply need to communicate clearly and honestly. As students learn English, they begin with simple words and phrases. The same is true when sharing the gospel. We don't need complicated language to communicate the life-changing truth of Jesus Christ. We can share the good news using clear, simple words that help others understand His love.

After our devotional, we walked to the school. The air was crisp and damp from the previous night's rainstorm, but the clouds seemed to highlight Teplice's beautiful fall colors. What a lovely way to begin another day of teaching!

When the bell rang, it was time to head to class! Today's English lessons focused on food and cooking, with plenty of fun, hands-on learning.
Students participated in a scavenger hunt to find pictures of different foods, raced on a board game to identify food groups, and practiced the English phrases needed to order at a restaurant. Then things got interesting as we introduced the differences between the metric and imperial measurement systems.

Using measuring cups and kitchen utensils, students compared the two systems. They were fascinated by the differences! To top it off, students read a chocolate chip cookie recipe. They loved this activity, especially since chocolate chip cookies aren't something they typically eat in the Czech Republic.  Who knew food could provide so many opportunities to learn English, share a few laughs, and build relationships?
We also had a special visitor! The Mayor of Teplice had heard about our English week at the school and stopped by to meet our team. What an honor to welcome him and share a little about what we are doing!

The day seemed to fly by. Each day, we see our students grow more confident in their English. They are becoming more comfortable speaking, participating, and interacting with us. What a joy it is to be part of their story, even if only for one week! We pray the relationships we are building will leave a lasting impression long after our time together ends.

As the final bell rang, the excitement in the hallways grew. The students were eager for the afternoon activity: a student-led photo scavenger hunt around Teplice with their English teachers! But first, SNACKS! Seriously, how many Pringles and bottles of Kofola can an eighth grader eat and drink? Apparently, quite a lot!

Once everyone had fueled up, Matt explained the rules. Each of the six teams received a list of 25 items and places to photograph around Teplice. Each group member had to appear in every photo alongside their English teacher. The teams had 90 minutes to complete as many photos on the list as possible. Of course, there were rules! Leave someone out of a photo, and your team could be disqualified. If you returned to school late, you could be disqualified, too. With all the directions explained, it was time to send the students on their way. We gave them the signal to GO, and off they went!

Ninety minutes later, the teams began rolling in—well, more accurately, running into the school! The competition was close, and the excitement was contagious. After a tight race, Logan and Rachel's class came out on top! Prizes were awarded, congratulations were shared, and then came the bittersweet part of the afternoon: saying goodbye and sending our students home.

It's hard to believe tomorrow is already our last day of teaching. We have shared so many smiles, learned so much about one another, and watched friendships grow in just a few short days. We are grateful for every opportunity to connect with these students and show them the love of Jesus through our words and actions.

After a full day of teaching, exploring, and running around Teplice, we headed back to the hotel. We had some extra time to work on our lesson plans for Friday before gathering for another delicious Czech dinner. There was certainly no shortage of good food!  As we enjoyed dinner and reflected on the day, we were reminded once again that missions is about more than lessons, activities, or even the language we teach. It's about people. It's about relationships. And it's about being willing to step into someone else's story and share the hope we have in Jesus. Our time here is short, but we trust that God is at work in ways we can see and in ways we may never know.  Tomorrow is our final day of teaching, and we want to make every moment count. Please pray that our words will remain seasoned with salt, that our conversations will be encouraging and meaningful, and that our students will see something of Jesus in how we love them.  We are thankful for the opportunity to serve in Teplice, and we look forward to seeing what God has in store for our last day!  Trust and obey, for there is no other way!

After another wonderful night’s sleep, we think even those who struggled to sleep during the first few nights of our mission trip are finally catching up! Our team enjoyed breakfast together before gathering for our morning devotionals.  Today’s reminder was to keep our conversations “seasoned with salt.” Scripture reminds us to keep our words meaningful and full of grace. We can bring joy, encouragement, and hope into a classroom simply by how we interact with others. Our goal isn’t to force a conversation or push for a particular response. Instead, we want to faithfully represent Jesus in everything we say and do.  Our challenge was to make it less about us and more about Him. What does that look like in the classroom? Sometimes, it means talking less and listening more. By giving our students room to share their thoughts, interests, and experiences, we create opportunities to build genuine relationships. We want each student to know they are seen, valued, and worthy of our time and attention.

With that reminder fresh in our minds, we headed to the school. As we entered the teachers’ lounge, we were greeted with a wonderful surprise: warm apple fritters! What a treat! The incredible hospitality we’ve received from the school administration all week has been a blessing. We are grateful for the kindness and support they have shown our team.  After enjoying our sweet surprise, we headed to our classrooms as the school bell rang.

This week, our team has the privilege of teaching the entire eighth grade during English week. We have six classes, with two teachers assigned to each. The student-to-teacher ratio is fantastic, giving us plenty of opportunities to connect with students individually and build relationships.  Today’s teaching themes were sports and health, which sparked lively conversations! We played games like Taboo and Swat It, using a fly swatter to practice English vocabulary and listening skills. Seriously, what eighth grader doesn’t love using a fly swatter in class?  There was lots of energy, laughter, and friendly competition. But even better than the games was the opportunity to connect with our students. Every conversation, shared laugh, and moment of encouragement gives us another opportunity to demonstrate the love of Jesus.

Our team is grateful for the school administration's support, the encouragement we give one another, and the unity we share through the Holy Spirit. Thank you for continuing to pray for us. We truly feel your prayers!

After lunch, we shifted gears and prepared for an afternoon of games in the school gymnasium. Callie did a fantastic job organizing the activities, and we were ready for some fun!  We kicked things off with group games, including Rock, Paper, Scissors; Egg, Chicken, Dinosaur; King; and Ships and Shores. Then the students chose their next adventure: football (soccer) outside, volleyball in the larger gym, or dance lessons in the smaller gym.  There was something for everyone!

For the next few hours, students and our team members played, laughed, competed, and connected. Sports created a natural way to build relationships—not only with the students we teach in our classrooms but also with students from the other classes.  Sometimes, the best conversations happen when you’re simply spending time together. A shared game, a little friendly competition, or learning a new dance can break down barriers and open the door to meaningful connections. We’re thankful for these opportunities to get to know our students beyond the classroom!  And let’s just say that by the end of the afternoon, we had definitely earned our dinner. Between running around outside, playing volleyball, and dancing, we had plenty of hot, sweaty team members! Depending on your age, there may have even been a few aches and pains. But everyone returned to the hotel tired, happy, and feeling fulfilled after another wonderful day.

After cleaning up at the hotel, we headed out for a hearty Czech dinner. The menu included pork schnitzel, chicken schnitzel, and tenderloin medallions. After all that activity, we were more than ready to eat!
We finished the evening by preparing our lesson plans for tomorrow. It’s hard to believe we’re already more than halfway through our teaching week. The days are flying by!
As we reflect on today, we’re reminded that sharing the love of Jesus doesn’t always require a big speech or a perfectly planned conversation. Sometimes, it looks like listening carefully, laughing together, encouraging a student, or showing up with a willingness to serve.
Our mission is about more than teaching English. It’s about building relationships, showing each student that they matter, and faithfully representing Jesus in every interaction. We pray that the seeds planted in these everyday moments will keep growing long after our team returns home.

One-on-one conversation: One of our teachers talked with a student about the stickers on their water bottle, each pointing to God, and shared their Scripture meanings. The student’s response: “I like your water bottle”. Thank you for being part of this mission through your prayers, encouragement, and support. Please continue praying for meaningful conversations, growing relationships, and opportunities for our words and actions to reflect the love of Christ.
We are grateful to serve, grateful for these students, and grateful for the work God is doing here in Teplice!
Děkujeme vám! (Thank you!)

After a good night’s sleep, our team was ready for another exciting day in Teplice! Tuesday’s English lessons took us on a journey through travel, American culture, and plenty of Texas! We came prepared with our best Texas expressions, including “y’all,” “fixin’ to,” and, of course, “Yeehaw!” We were ready to bring a little Texas to the Czech Republic!

We started the morning with breakfast and our team devotional, focusing on James 1:19, which reminds us to be “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”  As we reflected on this verse, we were reminded that teaching English is about so much more than sharing information or helping students learn new vocabulary. It’s about being intentional, building relationships, and truly listening. Listening communicates value.  As English teachers, we want our students to know their voices matter. As they practice speaking English, they may share stories about their families, hobbies, dreams, challenges, and questions. Some conversations may be simple, while others may open the door to deeper discussions and meaningful connections.
Our challenge for the day was to ask thoughtful, open-ended questions and really listen to the answers. We want these students to know that they are seen, heard, and valued—not simply as students in our classrooms, but as people created and loved by God.

When the school bell rang, it was time to start lessons! This time, our team brought even more energy and enthusiasm to the classrooms, and the students responded with their own excitement.  The theme was travel and the United States, with a special spotlight on the Lone Star State. Texas flags decorated every classroom, and the students were eager to learn about our home state. Some classes brought snacks and treats to sample, while others dove into conversations about all things Texas.  Here’s a fun fact that surprised many of our students: Texas is approximately nine times the size of the Czech Republic! That certainly gave us plenty to talk about!  But the Texas fun didn’t stop there. We finished our lessons by learning the words and motions to the classic song “Deep in the Heart of Texas.” Before long, the halls were filled with the sounds of Texas! To make the experience even more special, our very own guest fiddler, Mike Berry, played the song on his violin. It was a memorable moment, and this lesson is quickly becoming one of the students’ favorites!
Who knew a little Texas music could bring so much joy to a Czech classroom?

After our morning lessons, we grabbed a quick lunch in the school cafeteria and got ready for one of the day's most exciting parts: afternoon Game Time!
This is where relationships really begin to grow. Through games, laughter, and conversations, we connect with students outside the classroom and get to know them better.  Our missionary, Matt Schonhoff, kicked off the afternoon by sharing why our team had traveled all the way from Texas to spend a week with them. The message was simple but powerful:
God loves us. We love God. And because of His love, we came!

Matt explained that God created each student, loves each one individually, and desires a relationship with His creation. Our team had taken time away from work, school, and everyday responsibilities to be there—not just to teach English, but to share the love of God with them.
What a privilege to help these students begin to understand that the God who created the world also knows and loves them personally!  We were also grateful that Marek, the pastor in Teplice with whom we are partnering, joined us. He shared about his church and its community ministry. Petra, a church member, introduced the students to the church’s youth programs and invited them to participate.  We pray that these introductions will lead to new friendships and opportunities for students to learn more about Jesus long after our team returns home.

Then it was time for games, games, and more games! Board games, card games, plenty of laughter, and lots of snacks filled the afternoon. And what middle schooler doesn’t love snacks? Chips and Pringles were especially popular, and students enjoyed Kofola, a Czech soft drink often compared to Coke.  Between the games, snacks, and conversations, we saw friendships beginning to form. These moments may seem small, but they are important steps toward building trust and creating opportunities for deeper conversations.

Eventually, the snacks were gone, the last games were played, and it was time to say goodbye. We told our students how much we had enjoyed spending time with them and that we couldn't wait to see them again tomorrow.  Our team walked back to the hotel, enjoyed a little downtime, and then gathered for dinner. We finished the evening by debriefing about the day, preparing our next lessons, and getting ready for another full day of teaching and connecting with students.

As we reflected on Tuesday, we were thankful for the laughter, the conversations, the Texas songs echoing through the hallways, and the friendships beginning to take shape.
More than anything, we were reminded why we came.  We are here to share the love of a God who sees, knows, and values every single student.  Whether we're teaching English, singing about Texas, playing a board game, or sharing a snack, every interaction is an opportunity to reflect His love. We may never know the full impact of a conversation or a simple act of kindness, but we trust that God is at work in the hearts of these students.

Please continue to pray for our team as we build relationships, listen well, and look for opportunities to share the hope of Jesus. Pray that our words will be gracious and our conversations meaningful, and that these students will come to know the One who loves them more than they can imagine.

Until tomorrow, we’re saying dobrou noc (good night) from the Czech Republic—and a big Texas YEEHAW!

Today was our first official day of English classes, and our team was excited, a little anxious, and ready to get started! After months of preparation, we finally had the opportunity to meet our students and begin building relationships in Teplice, Czech Republic.
Starting the Day with Purpose
Our morning began with a delicious Czech breakfast of hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, cheese, bread, sausage, and, of course, coffee and tea. After breakfast, we gathered for our team devotional, where we were reminded of an important truth: Every student has value.
As we prepared to meet our students, we challenged ourselves to look beyond the names on a class roster and see each student as God sees them: uniquely created, deeply loved, and valuable to Him. We challenged one another to intentionally learn and use each student's name throughout the week. Names are personal, and learning them is one small but meaningful way to show students that they matter.
After praying, we gathered our supplies and walked to the school, conveniently located just a short distance from our hotel.
Upon arrival, the principal and school administrators warmly welcomed us, gave us a tour, and showed us our classrooms. We were excited to learn that the entire eighth-grade class would participate in English Week! Colorful posters throughout the school advertised the special week, building anticipation for what was ahead.
We also met Merik, the pastor of a local church in Teplice, and his daughter. They will join us throughout the week to introduce students to their church, share about student ministries, and, most importantly, share the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are grateful for their partnership and the opportunity to share the hope of Jesus with these students.

Let the English Classes Begin!
When the school bell rang, our team was ready for our first 90-minute class session. Our opening theme was All About Me, giving teachers and students a chance to learn each other's names and discover more about each student's personality, interests, and life.
And yes, everything was in ENGLISH!
Our daily schedule includes two 90-minute class sessions with two 20-minute breaks in between. We are also learning that Czech schools operate a little differently from American schools.
For example, when you enter the school, you remove your outdoor shoes and change into indoor shoes. That's right! Slippers or house shoes are the norm. Our team agreed that this is one Czech tradition we could definitely get on board with!
Our second class focused on All About Family. Students shared about their families, learned new English vocabulary, and participated in a lively game of charades. We even used candy as an incentive to encourage students to speak English and participate in class.
We were impressed by the students' English skills and enjoyed watching them gain confidence as they practiced speaking. Every conversation gave us another chance to learn something new about one another and build meaningful connections.
As the classes unfolded, we were reminded that teaching English is about more than vocabulary and conversation. It is about building relationships, creating opportunities for connection, and showing each student that they are seen and valued.

Discovering the Beauty of Teplice
After our morning classes, we enjoyed lunch at the school. Our Czech meal included fried cheese, potatoes, and soup. It was a delicious way to experience another part of Czech culture!
After lunch, we reviewed the day's lessons, shared stories about our amazing students, and gathered our belongings to return to the hotel.
Tomorrow, our schedule will look a little different. Instead of returning to the hotel after lunch, we will stay at the school for afternoon activities as part of the special English Week schedule.
With some free time this afternoon, our team hopped on a local bus and headed downtown to explore Teplice and learn more about its history.
We discovered that Teplice is known for its rich mineral springs and long history as a spa town. The town's origins are connected to the discovery of its hot springs, and it has become known as one of Central Europe's historic spa destinations.
We enjoyed walking through town, taking in the beautiful architecture, colorful flowers, and gorgeous autumn leaves. The rich fall colors were breathtaking! It was a wonderful opportunity to experience Teplice's beauty and spend time together as a team.
After exploring the town, we shared a delicious team dinner before catching the bus back to our hotel.

Looking Ahead: Trusting God with Tomorrow
Our evening ended with lesson planning for tomorrow's themes: Travel and Texas! We are excited to see how our students respond to these topics and look forward to another day of learning, laughter, and building relationships.
As we reflect on our first day, we are grateful for the school's warm welcome, the opportunity to teach eighth-grade students, and the privilege of serving alongside our Czech partners.
Most of all, we are carrying today's reminder into every classroom: Our students are more than names on a roster. Each one is a person created in the image of God, worthy of our attention, love, and care.
Please continue to pray for our team as we teach, build relationships, and share the love of Jesus throughout the week. Pray that our words will be gracious and seasoned with salt, that students will feel comfortable participating in English, and that God will open doors for meaningful conversations about faith.
We trust God with each conversation, each new friendship, and each opportunity to share His love.
We can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

                                               Trust and obey, for there’s no other way!
Our Czech Republic mission team is officially on the ground, and we couldn’t be more excited to see what God has in store for us!
Our journey began Friday, October 16, as we departed from DFW, filled with anticipation, excitement, and prayers for the days ahead. After traveling overnight, we landed in Prague on Saturday, October 17. What a joy to finally arrive in the Czech Republic! We were excited as we began taking in a new country, adjusting to the time change, and preparing our hearts for the ministry ahead.
On Sunday, October 18, we made our way to Teplice, where our mission truly begins to take shape. Today was our orientation day—a time to get settled, learn more about the ministry, prepare for the week ahead, and grow together as a team. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside one another and are eager to see how God will work through each conversation, activity, and relationship.
Why are we here? We have come to share the hope of Jesus with eighth-grade public school students in Teplice who have never heard the Gospel. Through English conversation lessons and after-school activities, we pray for opportunities to build relationships, demonstrate the love of Christ, and share the truth of who Jesus is.
As we prepare to meet these students, we are reminded of our team verse, Colossians 4:6, which encourages us to let our conversations be gracious and seasoned with salt. Our prayer is that God will guide our words, open doors for meaningful conversations, and give us wisdom to recognize the opportunities He places before us.
We know that sharing the Gospel isn't simply about what we say—it's about how we love, listen, serve, and reflect Jesus in every interaction.
Would you pray with us?

• Pray for our team as we adjust to the time change and prepare for a full week of ministry.
• Pray for the students we will meet—that their hearts would be open and that God would prepare them to hear the Gospel.
• Pray that our conversations would be gracious, our actions would reflect the love of Jesus, and we would be faithful to the opportunities God gives us.
• Pray that we would trust and obey, even when we don't know exactly what God has planned!

Our Czech Republic Mission Team is in the final countdown before we leave. Prayer is essential as we prepare. Our Czech Republic team's mission is to build relationships with our eighth-grade students so we can share the gospel. We will do this by demonstrating God's love through teaching English in a public school setting. We appreciate your prayers and support. Pray that our conversations would always be full of grace, seasoned with salt so that we may know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:6)

Our mission team still needs additional funding. This Sunday, the tables by the mission map will be filled with all kinds of sweet chocolate treats to purchase. Stop by and help us get to the Czech Republic! 

Friday... ¡Viernes!  The last full day of our trip.  This is the day reserved for the team to do something fun, and to recover and relax from all the hard work of the last four days.  Several months ago, in the Connections Center back at Frisco Bible, the team voted between three options, and the winner was....(look above)... ¡la playa!.

BTW, if anyone was wondering why I repeated the title of the blog at the beginning....  The actual title cannot have exclamation marks in it.  This is an HTML thing.  No way around it. And the phrase "¡Qué <something>! is very much a Spanish thing to express degree of emphasis , and ¡QuéHamburguesa!...will come up later.  I wanted my ¡! exclamation marks back...

Ryan W. was feeling better today, but not enough for a long day out in the sun... he felt it would make for a longer day traveling on Saturday, so opted to stay at the hotel and continue to sleep off the stomach issue that hit him.  ¡Qué triste! (sad)

Our destination for the day was a resort called Punta Leona (Lioness Point), on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica about 53 miles WSW of our hotel in San Juan. It is not a quick 53 miles. LOL.  Traffic in Costa Rica is...interesting.  To say the least.  And we had to climb over a volcanic mountain range to get there.  I found myself wondering what Europeans explorers must have faced trying to cut their way through this terrain without the benefit of established roads.

We made one stop on the way, at the Rio Grande de Tárcoles, a river that is known habitat for los cocodrilos (crocodiles).  We got off the bus on one side of the bridge, took pictures and then joined our bus driver on the other side to continue on our way.  Lucy the guide said the number of crocodiles had been lesser of late due to the construction on the bridge, but we did see three of them, and a cool white bird, and our own shadows in the river!

Finally, there are tantalizing visions of the Pacific through the windows, and we turn into a security gate leading to the resort.  After a rather long trek on a bumpy gravel and dirt road ( Allison and I were bouncing in the back of the bus... I was having flashbacks to elementary/middle school days... that was a LONG TIME AGO!), and then Lucy had us checked in, we had our green wristbands, and we were off to spend a few hours on Playa Blanca.

Highlights of the morning beach:

• The monkey in the tree that was trying to eat the iguana
• The iguana jumping down from the tree onto the sand right by where we were sitting
• Alex coaxing the iguana up onto his arm  (The Lizard Whisperer!)
• Beach chair rentals that cost 9,000 for a pair!   (ok, CRC... Costa Rica Colones. $18 US)
• Guide Lucy setting up a hammock
• Guide Lucy falling asleep in the hammock.
• Rob & Denise waking up Lucy for no reason because of time confusion.  Of course Lucy set an alarm.  She knows what she is doing.  OOPS.

Playa Blanca (White Beach) faces the Pacific directly, and has a very steeply sloped beach, so the waves are pretty strong, and they crash right at the edge of the beach.  All of the team members who played in the water talked about how much of a workout it was to fight the wave action, and especially getting in and out of the water through that last break.  

But it was still fun.  In this author's opinion, there is nothing like the ocean and a beach for relaxing.  I have been pretty much a parrothead (if you do not recognize the reference, you can look it up) all my life, I think.  Whether you play in the surf, bodyboard, walk, sleep, read, or just sit under the almondrillo (surely one of the world's greatest shade trees) and talk to a loved one... it is a great way to reset.

After cleaning up our feet, we got on the bus and went to the hotel restaurant where we enjoyed the all-you-can-eat buffet.
As we were walking into the restaurant, Lucy pointed out a much bigger iguana that was right there between the road and the wall of the restaurant.   Alex the Lizard Whisperer decided to try and repeat his earlier success, and...well... lets just say it did not go so well,... a HISS, and a lunge... and the whole party scattered.  Big Brother Lizard was having none of that, thank-you-very-much!  

The buffet was enormous, with a wide variety of entrees, sides, breads, and desserts.  Your Blogger had a plate full of food, including local favorites, but for an appetizer, opted for an honest-to-goodness hot dog.  Was a nice taste of home!  Gringo Food Instance #1.

Then the group headed to another part of the resort where the beach was a sheltered lagoon, and there were freshwater facilities as well.  Dan, Ryan V, Boaz, Lucie, Tall Sam, Alex and Sam decided to while away their afternoon playing water volleyball, while Darren/Denise and Rob/Allison just chilled in the other swimming pool.   At one point, Allison and I got out and went looking for scarlet macaws... we found two sitting on a branch, but kind of removed from the swimming area and not easy to see.  About that time, Lucy came back and said she had found the sloth, so Allison and I put on our shoes and joined her.. just as we walked out of the pool area, the macaws took off and flew over the pool together.. they were magnificent!  (but unfortunately, too fast to capture with a picture)

Together with Lucy and the bus driver, we went and saw the sloth over by the river.  Lucy is studying to become a higher level of certified guide in CR, and she is very knowledgeable about many, many things in her native country.  She is a lot of fun to be with on this trip!

After the sloth, it was time to change out of swimsuits and start heading back, with one stopover at a big souvenr shop.

After dropping many, many thousands of CRC on mementos for ourselves, friends and family, we started the long drive back to the hotel in San Jose.  Dinner was Chicken Quesadillas and French Fries.  Gringo Food Instance #2.  During dinner, Guide Lucy was sitting with myself, Allison, Alex, and Sam, and we were discussing favorite Gringo Foods back in the States.  Since our son Matthew had come to CR in 2021, I related the story about how he always wanted to get Whataburger immediately whenever he would return from college at Hillsdale in Michigan.  Lucy got tickled about the idea of the name "Whataburger".  I told her it was literally like ¡QuéHamburguesa! and she just kept giggling.

After dinner, we had a short meeting where Denise gave us some very helpful insights about handling the emotions that we would feel post-trip, and some books we could read about poverty and missions...and then we called it a night.

And... although I will write one more short blog about our travel day, this was the last full blog report of our trip.  And who knows if any of us will return here again, so I will sign this blog entry off with some verses from my all-time favorite poem by my all-time favorite poet.  It is very, very germane to what we did today to recover and rest.  

The Pacific Ocean has already effaced our footprints from Playa Blanca, but our impact on Pavas and the children at HOPE will remain...by the grace of God.

Thursday!  Last day of the Service portion of our trip.  The day started off on a down note, as Ryan W. had come down with a stomach bug, despite all cautions of eating only foods prepared by the hotel or the missions/HOPE team.  He was so disappointed not to be there for the last day of the painting and especially with the kids at the HOPE center.

We arrived at the school and had just a few things left to do on the painting, and then the cleanup.  The final work was done on the shapes, and then the tape was removed.  Then the team swarmed both rooms and touched up the lines everywhere to make them nice and crisp.. and we were DONE!   The rooms were put back like they were, desks and furniture cleaned, and then Director Paula arrived with the school Headmaster/Principal and the teacher of one of the rooms.   There was a short wonderful fiesta as all the kids of that particular class were brought in to see their changed room, and the looks on their faces made all the sweat and sore muscles absolutely worth it!

Then the team headed to HOPE for our luncheon, where we got to partake of the meal that would be served to the people of Pavas that day.  All of the HOPE staff, the summer interns and the mission team sat in the main room and enjoyed a meal of beans, a delightful chicken and vegetable medley, and potato chips.  Then we cleaned and reset the room and started getting ready for our last day of camp with the kids.

Surprisingly, this was also our first day of steady rain.  This is the rainy season in Costa Rica, but so far on this trip, it had not happened.  Today it did, but... as you shall see, it may have caused a blessing for one member of our team in particular.   The staff made the call fairly early to have the welcome recreation time indoors (it takes awhile to dry off the playground equipment and grounds to make it safe), so games were placed around the main room, large swaths of brown paper were taped down and crayons laid out for coloring, and the Blue/Green/Red teams headed to their respective places to prepare while the skit team rehearsed.

Finally, the time arrived, and the kids started coming in even a little early.  Paula saw no reason to make them stand out in the rain any longer :)   Yours truly was laying on the floor at one of the large paper sheets, coloring, when to my surprise, a boy came flying in, plopped down beside me, and joined me in the coloring.  It was the first time this week that one of the HOPE kids went straight to me upon their arrival.  Miracles really do happen at HOPE!  Maybe it was the rain, maybe it was Providence.... what do you think?  And all around the room there was a lot of fun being had with Connect Four, Dominoes, Uno, more coloring spots, you name it!

After we sang our opening song "Adios Al Ayer" (Goodbye Yesterday), said our theme "La mejor decisión es seguir a Jesús", and prayed to "El Señor", the kids watched the skit and headed out for the last round of crafts and recreation.

We met for one last time in the main room to sing my favorite Spanish praise song. "Alaba" by Elevation Worship.  (Praise)  Yes, it is a Spanish praise song now.  It always will be for me.  When I go to the SALT Conference in October, I am going to have those words memorized, and I am going to sing it in Spanish.  And I just might dance to it.

But this time.....

Paula had told us this time would be different.  Halfway through the song, the HOPE staff and interns gathered the kids in one half of the room and continued to dance and sing the normal song with them.  The Frisco Bible Missions Team moved over to the door leading to the front exit, and formed a tunnel.

And as the final stanzas of "A-a-alaba a Dios / mi corazón" were playing, those sweet children ran through the tunnel and we gave them high-fives...
......and they were gone.

See, by the dint of hard experience... Paula had told us to get our hugs in at the beginning.  They knew that it was better to have a clean break at the end.  They have seen it time and time again.  

And they were right.  It was tough enough.

We will miss them.
We will pray for them.
Vaya con Dios, los pequeños de Pavas. 
You stole our hearts, but not our memories.

¡Hoy es Miercoles¡  Wednesday... Day 3 of our HOPE service.  At breakfast today, our Hope guide Lucy told us that the Costa Ricans call Wednesday "el ombligo de la semana", which literally translates to "the bellybutton of the week".  Sounds a little cuter than "hump day" to be honest.  Breakfast included Beef Tacos, which were crunchy and thinly wrapped (in los Estados  Unidos, we would call them taquitos)...I wanted to put 8-10 in a bag and take them with me to school for snacks while we paint LOL.

And off we went, fighting traffic around an accident (having only one route in and out of Pavas complicates things), but finally we got to school and got to work again.  Some final second coats of Celeste Blue on the tops of the walls were tackled by Ladderman (my X-Men name: my mutation is a large brush that extends out of the back of my right hand), while most of the team began working on the geometric shapes at the base of the walls, and Hope Lucy did much trabajo duro scrubbing the classroom windows.  By the end of the morning, the HOPE staff and intern was satisfied that we are in very good "shape" (drum roll, if you would please, maestro) and should be able to finish both rooms by tomorrow!

Afterwards, it was once again chaos in the courtyard as the younger members of the team and the younger interns joined the school kids (some of whom we will see later at HOPE) in very frenetic, energetic games.  (Oh to be young, and have all those power reserves!)  And the autograph sessions continued today.  Yours truly got in on the Hollywood session this time.  "¡Jesús <heart> tú!- Rob" was what I settled on.

There was one poignant moment... the team lunch had been prepared, and as usual, was being brought out in this huge white Igloo cooler.  One of the boys at the school, who also comes to HOPE every day, has learned what this means.   He sees this cooler every week during the summer when they are in school (HOPE has mission teams coming in all summer).  He came running over, a desperate look on his face, his arms spread wide.  As he got closer, he began to pat his stomach.  Later that day, an intern pointed out signs of malnutrition that the boy exhibits, signs of which I was not aware.

He is hungry.  Even with his daily HOPE meal, he is always hungry.  I have raised three chicos grandes... I know how hungry they always are... they are living power plants needing entire coal trains dedicated to them.

It is enough to tear your heart, as surely as we tore the cotton balls to make the sheep in crafts that afternoon.  You want to feed him.  You want to feed them all.  You wonder how the world can be like it is, and marvel at the effect of sin on the world.  Our Lord Jesus told us we cannot eliminate poverty... "The poor you will always have with you.." [John 12.8].   Until He returns, He expects us to be his agents in helping them, anyway we can.  The First Adam caused this, and it is our job to show Jesus to them until the Second Adam is allowed to come back and set All Things Right.

Pero te rompe el corazón...

Then it was back to HOPE for another day of loving the kids, cantando y baile, playing, arts & crafts, Bible stories, and being reminded that it is "Always the best decision to follow Jesus".  Today, the team members lined up on either side of the gate in the park in front of HOPE... I sat on the bench under the almond tree and watched as the kids started trickling in after getting their name tags and team color bandanas.  Pardon me as I pull out my Math Teacher (work starts next week... BOOOOO!)... but it was fun to watch as some kids would come in, look around, and immediately change course and make a direct vector to Denise, or Lucie, or Darren, or Alex, or Intern Darby.  I closely watched the visage of the chicos y chicas as they found the one they wanted... the one they had connected with.. and they beamed, and RAN.  Vectored into a huge HUG that seemed it would never end.  Lucie from our team even got a hug through the fence!   A girl from 2 years ago, who is too old for this year's camp, remembered her and wanted to reconnect.  Hope Director Paula says over and over that these kids just need to be seen and known.  That is why yesterday's theme was "Jesus knows my name."  They want to be seen, known, and know that someone who loves them will be there for them, and will hang around.... (more on that later)

Today's theme about how Jesus will look for and bring back his lost sheep.  Tall Sam put in a turn as Jesús, el Pastor (Jesus the Shepherd), who looked all around the kids on the floor for the stuffed sheep that was hidden in the HOPE sign up on the wall.  Mucho giggles all around!  The craft was a delightful Toilet Tube sheep that Ryan W. discovered online and Allison worked hard to perfect (the HOPE staff and interns have been very complementary of our team's crafts this week!), and the games included another round of 'find the sheep'.  (In the reflection time at the end of the day, there was some playful argument about the fairness of the hidings, we consulted VAR and it was inconclusive)

Stay with me a little longer, reader....
In the opening "briefing" at HOPE before the kids arrived, we got to hear an interview from Javi, a wonderful man who is on staff on HOPE.  I have obviously known him only 3 days, but it does not take very long at all to figure out how much he means to this place, and how valuable he is to Paula.  Allison has loved having him in the Green Room to help with crafts.  

Paula had to translate the interview, and the thing that stuck out the most was this.... Javi told a story about when he first came to HOPE, and an older girl came up to him... she was angry in countenance... in his words, he thought "she was going to bite him!" (later on that day, I had a girl stick her tongue out at me and called me "feo" (ugly) four times!)

And she asked him, in summary, "are you going to stay?"

Let that percolate for a moment.  "Are you going to be here for us?  For me?"

What she is really asking is "What kind of man are you?"

These kids do not have good experiences with men.  Men who are awful at being men are not limited to Pavas--they are a world-wide scourge.  But they are certainly a huge problem here too.  It is one of the biggest issues they face, especially the girls.  The kids of Pavas so desperately need to experience interaction with godly men who love properly, act with honor, and who will be there for them when they need them. 

They do not have that.
It is a glaring need.
Paula has been blessed to find several men on her main staff that fit that template.  
Praise God for that.

Quédese, Señor...para mí.  Por favor.
y Jesús responde:  ¡siempre estaré aquí para ti!

Pray for the men like Javi at HOPE, standing in loco parentis for the missing padres y tios y abuelos in Pavas.  For those being the living, breathing agents of our Lord Jesus Christ here in this place, the hands and feet of Love and HOPE to these little girls that so desperately need someone to Stay.

Today started with something a little different.  Well, at least after breakfast.  At which, Ryan W. said... "I do miss breakfast meats!".... Yeah, that is not a part of the Tico culture it would seem.  What is a part of a Costa Rican breakfast is black beans and rice, and I have been told by the HOPE folks that I am on my way to being an honorary Tico... because I am eating it every morning now.  (I think I might be in the minority!)

But after breakfast?  The staff of HOPE took the CRSMT26 team on a Prayer Walk in Pavas.  This is something they do on a regular basis, even when there are no mission trips.  These people are serious about their commitment to this place and its people.  The bus took us to an outer edge of Pavas, to a place where a railroad runs within 15 feet of tin-metal shacks filled with families, many who have children.  We walked along the tracks and prayed silently for whatever burdened our hearts concerning the poor in Pavas.

I have no pictures to show, for it was not that sort of event.  It was far too somber.  The pictures are in my mind, and there are memories recorded in my private journal.  To truly understand it, you would need to make this walk yourself along those tracks.  Should you wish to do so, I know a gal... I can put you in touch.  

At the far end of the walk, before turning to go back, Paula of HOPE had small groups of us join her on a small ledge overlooking a steep valley that plunged even further down from where we stood.  Ramshackle 'housing' stretched as far as the eye could see.  She talked about one small house in particular, the only true A-frame house in an ocean of sheet metal..but it was not very large at all--a single room.  And it housed a family of seven!  She also listed many things that just continued to layer the paint strokes of poverty over the canvas before us.

But then... she told us to look carefully through the buildings, up the alley beside the huge tree that is the landmark for directions in the neighborhood.  All the way at the top of the hill... you could see the HOPE building.  Many of the kids who come there live in the vista we had right before our eyes.  And they look to the HOPE at the top of the hill, where, God willing, they learn to look to the Great Source of Hope for their lives.

It was a quiet ride back to la escuela, where the ladders and paint brushes awaited us.

I will not blog long about the school today, for today was base coat day, which is about as exciting to read about as (you knew this was coming).... watching paint dry!   But the team worked hard, and we had to get a lot done in order to stay on schedule so we can complete the two rooms this week.  By this time, we have sorted ourselves naturally into those who are tall and/or better on the ladders, and those who can get up and down off the floor without needing a case of Advil after doing so... and so the work naturally divvied itself up and proceeded nicely.
The biggest surprise of the day came from the students of the school. This was the second day of the current school year for them, and their first full-length day...so after we finished painting we were waiting for a recess to end so we could eat our sandwiches before departing.   Some of the interns began to play with kids, and then one girl approached Tall Sam and handed him her school notebook and a pen.  After much hilarious language confusion, it was figured out that she wanted him to sign her book.  It went viral.  Within minutes, tons of ticos y ticas were approaching all the interns and our team, asking for autographs.  Suddently we were Hollywood, baby!
Tomorrow, when we return should be able to begin painting the geometric shapes in one of the two rooms.  Exciting stuff!

After we got back to the HOPE building, Paula once again spent a few minutes telling us some more about HOPE, their vision, and the "Pillars" of their inspiration to help the people of Pavas.  The second of those pillars is to feed them because, in Paula's words summarized... it does not make sense to try to teach them math if they are starving!  While she talked about it, she mentioned them being served through that "hole in the wall."  

Afterwards, I found myself thinking "what hole in the wall?   I have not seen no hole in the wall!"  So, during a bit of downtime, I got nosy and went exploring.  There is a break room for the staff, just off the main room, where the water cooler is kept for us, and I had noticed a kitchen back there, so I poked my head in there, and saw our HOPE guide Lucy, and I asked her about the Hole.  She grinned and took me on a tour.  Through the kitchen, around behind the break room, at the back of the facility, is a service counter, with a secure roll-top metal door, and it turns out they serve over 350 meals per day through that hole in the wall!  I got to meet the kitchen staff, who were very nice (I am glad Lucy was there to translate, my Spanish is not that good yet!), and I thanked them for what they do.  Boy howdy.  350 meals per day.  Home-cooked, delicious, nutritionally balanced meals.  What a blessing to the people of Pavas.

(On Thursday, rather than having a sack lunch, we will partake of one of the meals....yummm)

BTW, at this point, you might be asking yourself...."Why did he skip the First Pillar and talk about the Second?"   Answer:  I am leaving that for the last.....

It was a particularly fun and blessing-filled day with the kids today.  It was a pretty small group... Paula had found out that one of the schools was going to run long today for some reason or the other.  But today's theme was "Jesús conoce mi nombre", (Jesus knows my name) and it was centered around the story of Zacchaeus.
And the kids who came today?  Paula told us they were kids who really needed, for many reasons, lots of one-on-one love and attention... they needed to be known.  God knew exactly what he was doing sending us this small group today!   He does indeed know our name, our hearts, our desires, everything about us.   He knows the kids of Pavas, in all their desperate need, and today He chose us to help minister to this group of them.

And now, dear reader, back to the First Pillar that HOPE wants to provide to the people of Pavas.  Safety.  Security.  A Safe Space in the midst of very unsafe community.  Paula talked about the construction of the new building and how she was tasked to designate locations for the emergency lighting that would activate in the event of power outages.  Power outages are fairly common in all of Costa Rica, and especially Pavas, and at their previous building, it was always SOP to immediately send everyone home immediately if the power went out.

And then... there was the first power outage after their new center opened.  The building was packed with older kids.  Paula pulled the staff to one side to issue directives, to implement the SOP, when one of the kids approached and inserted themselves in the 'conference'.

"Please don't send me home.  If I am here, my mom knows I am safe.  She knows where I am.  I will be ok right here.  It is safe here."

At that point, the procedure changed.   HOPE is a place of safety.  Period.
That is their First Pillar of commitment to their Community, and it has been accomplished.

Pavas is a daunting place at night, when the darkness reigns.
But through the power of the Holy Spirit, and with a lot of love and help from all over the world, Paula and her team are there to resist the darkness.

HOPE is lit up all night.  The facility glows in a very dark place.  
The Source of its light cannot be stopped by the darkness.
It shines across the main boulevard.
It shines into the three schools within a few minutes walk, reflecting off of the bright, geometric shapes on the walls.
It shines all the way down into the ravine, to that little A-frame house with the family of seven.

Candle on the top of a hill?  You betcha.
Come, little one.  Climb the hill.  
Let us introduce you to the True Hope of all mankind, the one who dispels all the darkness.

And so it begins!  Day one of the real reason we have come to Costa Rica... Service Day Number 1... Lunes, 20 Julio 2026.  The CRSMT26 team got on the bus and headed into the Pavas district for the first time today for a short driving tour... and I mean short, because there are only so many areas that a vehicle the size of a bus can go into... paths must be carefully chosen or the bus will not be able to maneuver enough to continue, let alone turn around and get out.

The change in the landscape was startling to see.  It had been described to us, but nothing replaced the first-hand witness through the wide windows: the heavy concentration of concertina wire on businesses; the significant and highly visible law-enforcement presence; piles and piles of trash on the sides of the road because there is no service to pick it up.

But then... we drove by the former location of HOPE, where an FBC mission team came in 2021 for this same type of mission trip... and this section was pretty.  The murals that were painted by CR2021 and others still existed... the extra paint was donated to the families of that Avenida on the condition that they work together with HOPE to paint their homes and plant trees in the median.  That rotunda, and the street that lead back to the main boulevard, had a distinctly different feel about it.

And that... is the effect that HOPE International is having here in Pavas.  One wall, one rotunda, one median, one street at a time.... More on that later.

Next we drove down a narrow street to the elementary school where we will be doing our service project this week.  HOPE has been working to beautify this school for some time now, painting their bright murals with encouraging messages in their trademark geometric patterns of varying shades of blue.  I look forward to showing you the finished product of our two assigned rooms later, but for now... let me show you what the children of this school have now.

When you look at these photos, remember that modern cell phone cameras do a marvelous job of adjusting exposure--believe me when I tell you the rooms feel darker than this.  The ceiling tiles really are in the conditions that you see.  There are broken window panes.  By the grace of God, this school just got a grant and is getting a complete overhaul of restroom facilities, and just got a new kitchen that is vastly improved.  But today, we are going to start prepping these two rooms for some new bright walls that will liven up the place and bring HOPE to the kiddo's hearts as they learn here.  So we sanded... manually... with elbow grease, and pulled screws, hooks, and other things out of the walls.  We scraped years of tape and other adhesives from walls and the whiteboards.  Afterwards everything was thoroughly wiped down with wet clothes to remove the sanding dust so the new paint would adhere.  And then the painting started, with the trim of the windows.

And with that, the first day of the service project was done.  The team had a sack lunch at the school, and then headed to the new HOPE building for the first time, where they were greeted by a raucous tunnel of HOPE staff and interns cheering us on, and we went into the main room downstairs for our first introduction to HOPE and a briefing on how our day would go.  We went over some instructions and guidelines for the camp we would be hosting, learned a "secret code word" we all needed to know (more on that later), and then got a tour of the facility, including the rooms where the various stations of the camp would be. (Education, Crafts, Games).   The new building is truly beautiful and functional, but as the director of HOPE Paula told us tearfully, the architects listened to the parents and children of Pavas, and designed the building, the park & playground, and everything about the facility to remind the "ticos y ticas" of Pavas of a "home away from home."

Right down to a living room.  Wait, a living room?  Yes, a living room.  Why does a building like this have a living room?  Because Paula recalled having to turn away a high school student in the past who knocked on the door and wanted a safe, warm place to hang out that night...and all the 'activity rooms' were booked up with smaller kids.  

Who among us does not love curling up in a comfy living room and doing our favorite activities, safe and sound?  Sounds awesome, right?

So, the Great New HOPE has a living room.  And it is for the older kids. Always.  Safe.  Warm or cool as needed.  Comfy.  

And Paula says she is still holding out hope (see what I did there?) that someone will come along and ask for a "place to read", but that it has not happened yet.  As an avid reader myself, I appreciated that yearning.   She has the space, maybe God will bring her a "tico o tica a quien le encanta leer".

And now... ¡finalmente!  The real show, the ¡espectáculo!... ¡los chicos y los chicas del Pavas! At 2:00pm the gates opened as we waited in the playground.  The kids got name tags, team color bandanas and then joined us as we just played with them for a short while before heading inside for the first part of camp.  Inside it was truly an espectáculo as the staff lead the first worship song in Spanish.  Paula had warned us that worship songs were mucho mejor en español, and it was evident that we all enjoyed it very, very much. (And no, I do not plan to dance during the songs upon my return to FBC, thank-you-very-much!)

The theme of our camp is "La mejor decisión es seguir a Jesús." (The best decision is to follow Jesus), and our first skit portrayed Jesus choosing people to follow him, from his disciple Matthew, to Zacchaeus to Blind Bartemeus, and to just regular sheep like you and me.  Would that everyone would say "Sí" to Him when He whispers "sígueme"!  After the skit, we led the kids through the three rotations for an educational story, crafts, and then more recreation and a snack.

And then, back into the main room for one more song...and I have to give it to the director... "Praise" by Elevation Worship is mucho, mucho mejor en español!  As they used to say in they country Baptist church "If that don't light your fire, your wood's wet".  There is something deeply special about singing praise to the Lord with another culture and in another language.  I have been privileged to experience it in Diné with the Navajos and now with the Ticos in Costa Rica.  And then we hugged the kids one last time for the day and they headed home.

Oh, and remember that code word they taught us?  They said a kid might come up and touch us and say "Anda".  That is how they play tag in Costa Rica.  It is form of "let's go"... kinda translates to "it's on you, let's go".  When the kids first came into the playground, I was not one they approached very much... I am a very big man, and some of them do not have good experiences with big men.  I sat down on a bench and waited, trying to look harmless LOL, and waited for what the Lord brought my way.  Then Allison called me over, and said there was a boy over in the corner and could I check on him?  When I walked over I could see he was talking to (I presume) his mother through the fence, and when I asked him "¿estás bueno?", the mom walked off.... the little boy turned and looked up at me... he beamed the very best grin in the whole wide world, touched my arm and said "¡ANDA!".  And he was GONE.

Game on.
The rest of this glorious week beckons.
Bring it on, Lord Jesus.
¡ANDA!

What a full rich day this Sunday was!  We started off the morning with a little "ir de compras" (going shopping) at the Farmer's Market in the city of Santa Ana.  Our CRSMT26 team met the HOPE International interns we would be working with, and we broke up into our activities teams, were assigned a shopping list, given 5000 Costa Rica Colones, and we bought vegetables for meals at the HOPE center this week.  It was a chance to see some local culture, practice some Spanish for those of us who dabble in it, and just have some fun on a beautiful Sunday morning.

Then it was back on the bus, and we headed to Sunday worship at OpenHouse Project CR in Momentum Lindora.  In Santa Ana Canton.  In San Jose.  In Costa Rica.
That means... this service will be... you guessed it... in Spanish!

Allow me to digress a bit.  In the movie Pretty Woman, there is a scene where Edward (Richard Gere) takes Vivian (Julia Roberts) to see the opera in San Francisco. When Vivian asks how she is supposed to know what is going on since they are singing in Italian, Edward replies, "Oh, you'll know. Believe me, you'll understand. The music's very powerful."

Oh, the Holy Spirit is very powerful, for by grace we could "listen in tongues".  Yes, there are some members of the team who have varying degrees of skill in Spanish.  None of them are fluent, idiomatically or otherwise.  It did not matter.  The music was powerful, and we worshipped.  The speaker told the story of the resurrection of Lazarus, and we followed the story in our English Bibles (one of us did use a Santa Biblia on the iPad).  And the story was powerful, and we marveled at a God that could use grief and pain and suffering to further faith and belief.  (hint: foreshadowing)

And now, another digression... a break in the timeline as it were.  Our last "tourista" activity before the real work begins tomorrow... we went on a walking tour of the Historic San Jose Downtown area.  Our Hope contact Lucy lead us around the area, showering us with historical, botanical and trivial facts about Costa Rica past and present. (Your blogger's favorite?  The cork trees.  I could have stood there all day and touched them)  The weather was gorgeous, with cool temperatures and no rain to spoil the walk,

And now, reverting back in time to our session with the HOPE director.  The team learned today about some of the details of where we will serve and what we will see, starting tomorrow.  

Our time so far in San Jose has been spent in the affluent areas like Escazu (where our hotel is located)... tomorrow, we will cross the river to Pavas, and we will enter a different dimension.  A dimension where more than 64,000 people live in a 1-sq mile area.  To put that in perspective, Frisco would need to go from 248,000 people to 4.4 million people to have the same density!  The smaller town of Prosper, which only has 27 square miles to its name, would need to have 1.7 million inhabitants to match Pavas.  

Pavas is a place where trees are used as a dead-drop for a drug sale.  Tomorrow, our first lesson will be about Zacchaeus, who used a tree for a totally different purpose... in a desperate attempt to gaze upon Jesus Christ, for he just *knew* that there was something different about him, and sure enough, meeting Jesus changed Zacchaeus' life forever.

It is a place where kids lack decent housing, decent meals, complete families, safety, and are often missing simple love and attention.   HOPE International has established a forward basecamp to try and meet those needs.

So, tomorrow our team will cross over into Pavas, and we will begin our days of service.  We will join hands with HOPE and we will LOVE ON THOSE KIDS.  We are going to beautify one of their public schoolrooms. We are going to teach them about following Jesus.  We are going to hug the stuffing out of them anytime they want.  We are going to make fun and pretty crafts with them that they get to keep and take home.  We are going to hug them. We are going to play with them.  We are going to hug them.  We are going to show them the love of Jesus. Did I mention we are going to hug them?

You can help.   Will you pray for Pavas?
Do it when you read this.
Put it on your prayer list for this week.
Heck, do not take it off.
Pray for the kids of Pavas.

In grace and peace,
Rob

Today is the day!  The CRSMT26 team met at DFW Terminal D first thing in the morning, and our intrepid leader Denise (not pictured-was the photog) got us checked in as a group and we proceeded to take the Skylink halfway around the airport to our actual gate.  (International travel does have its quirks, you know).

Once we settled in at C11, team members took shifts heading off to various foodie-type places while others watched the bags, and before you know it, were were Passports-Out and getting our pictures taken as we we boarded to leave the USA.

The only real drama on the flight was when Your Blogger managed to play "Hide the Biscuit" with his cellphone, which remained AWOL for the entire flight, not to be found until the plane was empty...somehow I dropped it behind the bags in the overhead bins. The team leadership was especially glad that I did not manage to do something similar with my passport!

Having landed in San Jose, all the passports were stamped, the luggage re-aquired, the contact from HOPE International was met, and we headed to the hotel.  After a late lunch and short rest, we head out to a local ice cream establishment called 'Pops', because apparently it is a FBC Mission Team tradition to get local ice cream on every mission trip. (This is what is known as a VERY GOOD TRADITION)  With flavors like "Brownie Dynamite", "Red Fruit Cheesecake", and "Dulce de Leche".... we could hardly go wrong!

So, you, dear reader, might ask... why is the title of this post what it is?  Because those are the coordinates of San Jose, and because it is so close to the equator it is almost evenly day and night here... it gets dark quick.  But it is a higher elevation, and, for at least tonight, it was cool, and breezy, and being out on the porch at Pops was cool and beautiful and reminded me of summer nights in Maine... and I am in Central America.  How cool is that?  And the team had a great time of fellowship, living "la vida desde la baranda y la patio", and it was... 100%... Pura Vida.

¡Hasta mañana!  (See you tomorrow)

In grace and peace,
Rob

18 hours to wheels-up... Suitcases everywhere, full of clothes and craft items. (What's in this thing, rocks?!? Yes, literally, there are rocks in my suitcase!)  Messages flying back and forth in WhatsApp.  Passports secured, travel information photographed, cash acquired, packing lists nearby with items constantly being crossed off and others added on.

At one point I caught myself thinking... we are having storms here in Texas... I need to turn my Mac all the way off and unplug it before I leave.  Ten seconds later it hits me... I am the blogger, the Mac has to come with me.  SMH.  {Another 4 items goes on the packing list}

But through it all, the Master Planner has His hand on all of us.  In [Matthew 10:29-31], Jesus emphasized how much God notices and takes part in all that we do...to the extent that "..the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

The CRSMT26 members have been called to "Sigue a Jesús a Costa Rica este verano", and we trust that His Holy Spirit will be with us as we minister to the people, and especially the kids, of Costa Rica!

Will you pray for us as we do that?

Our Mission Statement for this trip:  The Mission of Costa Rica 2026 is to love and serve so that the kids can come to follow Jesus.  We will do this by fostering relationships and declaring his glory.

Our Team Verse: [1 Chronicles 16:24] "Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all the peoples"

I cannot wait to go wheels-up, and see what God has in store for us in Costa Rica!

In grace and peace,
Rob

YouTube has produced a skit that features the 11 disciples after Jesus' death. They confess to having stolen Jesus' body from His tomb and were discussing how they would say He had been raised from the dead – although, in the skit, that had certainly not happened. One of the disciples raised opposition to the plan. He said they would all be killed if they professed this lie. Then he said he had no intention of being killed for something they all knew was a lie.

This has been the subject of this blog. After abandoning Jesus as He was being crucified and Peter's 3-time denial of any association with Jesus, in a little over a month, all 11 disciples proclaimed they had seen and spent 40 days with the resurrected Jesus. Paul even mentions in I Corinthians 15:5-6 that, after Jesus' death, in his resurrected body, Jesus "appeared to Cephus (Peter) and then to the twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living …"

As we have seen from history, all 11 disciples dispersed to nearly all corners of the then known world, proclaiming they had seen and talked with the resurrected Jesus, and, except for John, each disciple was martyred by some of the most malicious execution methods of the time.

Even John was thrown into boiling oil by the Emperor Domitian. However, he survived and was then exiled to the Island of Patmos for the rest of his life.
Now, some have maintained that the stories of Jesus were all made up. However, there are several non-Christian witnesses to Jesus Christ from the time he lived, including historians and others.

Josephus
A Jewish historian who lived around 93–94 AD. His Antiquities of the Jews includes two references to Jesus, including the Testimonium Flavianum, which some scholars use to support the existence of Jesus' crucifixion.

Tacitus
A Roman historian who lived from 56–120 AD. His Annals of 116 AD describes Nero's persecution of Christians and the crucifixion of Jesus under Pontius Pilate.

Suetonius
A Roman historian and court official who lived around 120 AD. He made two references to Jesus, including one that some scholars believe notes that Emperor Claudius expelled Jews from Rome because of disturbances caused by Chrestus.

Lucian
A Greek satirist who lived in the second century. He alluded to Christ in a reference to someone who was crucified in Palestine for introducing a new cult.

Mara bar-Serapion
Wrote a letter after 73 AD that is now in the British Museum. He wrote, "'What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise king? It was just after that their kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged … the Jews, desolate and driven from their own kingdom, live in complete dispersion.'"  Most scholars believe the reference to the Jews' wise king was a reference to Jesus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sources_for_the_historicity_of_Jesus).

Time magazine and the Wikipedia (see above) say that Jesus was the most significant and best attested man of history.  

Now, Christianity grew mightily from the very beginning of the apostle's missionary journeys. In fact, the Roman and Jewish leaders considered them such a great threat to society in general that they began horrendous persecutions of the Christians. Shortly after Jesus' death and resurrection, Nero killed, as some have estimated, 989 Christians from AD 64 to 69. And the killings didn't stop there. Because of multiple persecutions during the first 3 centuries, by some estimates, 2 million Christians had been martyred by 325 AD, mostly by the Empire."

Tacitus, a Roman historian, wrote in his book, Annals, (AD 98 -138) "Therefore, to stop the rumor [that he had set Rome on fire], he [Emperor Nero] falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most fearful tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were [generally] hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of that name, was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious superstition - repressed for a time, broke out yet again, not only through Judea, - where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also …In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights."

However, in 313 AD, after the Diocletian Persecution, Rome legalized Christianity and religious freedom was granted to all citizens. In 381 AD, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Therefore, one would conclude from all these references, that Jesus was, in fact, resurrected from death – historically!  He is the Son of God who, now, through His death, intervenes on behalf of those who believe in Him and saves them to eternal life. For, as the disciples and those who historically followed them proved, no one would die for what they knew was a lie, but they would die for what they knew was the truth.

Thomas is not mentioned very much in the Gospels. In fact, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he is only in the lists of the disciples. However, in the Gospel of John, he is in two important stories. When Jesus planned to return to Judea because His friend, Lazarus, was sick, the disciples warned Him that the Jew’s tried to stone Him the last time they were there. In spite of their attitude, Thomas said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:5-16). In spite of his enthusiasm on this occasion, however, when after Jesus’ crucifixion, the disciples told Thomas they had seen the risen Jesus in a meeting at which Thomas was absent, he replied he would not believe them unless he had physical proof of Jesus’ resurrection. When Jesus appeared to the disciples a second time, He asked Thomas, specifically, to touch His hands and His side. At his sudden realization of the truth. Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God.” It has been observed that he was the first person to acknowledge Jesus’ divinity.

Church history tells us that the emboldened Thomas traveled the farthest distance of any disciple to evangelize those in Muziris (Cranganore) on the Kerala coast in India in 52 AD. He established seven churches in Kerala. However, when an attack was threatened in that area, Thomas left northwest India and journeyed to the Malabar coast, visiting southeast Arabia and Socotra on the way. He landed at Muziria (Paraveer) in the company a Jewish merchant, Abbanes, and from there, he preached the gospel throughout the Malabar coast and founded many churches, most of which were located on the Periyar River where there were Jewish colonies. There is some evidence that he also traveled to China and then back to India. Another tradition has him going to Paraguay, as well.

According to one tradition, Thomas stood up to an Indian king (whose wife had become a Christian) when the king pressured Thomas to make sacrifices to an idol. The tradition goes on to say that the idol shattered into pieces when Thomas was forced to approach it. The king was so angry that he ordered his high priest to kill Thomas, which he did by piercing Thomas with a spear.

Another tradition states that the Brahmins, who were alarmed at the progress of Christianity, were resolved to put Thomas to death. While Thomas was praying at a tomb, the Brahmins threw at him a shower of darts, after which one of the priests ran him through with a lance. No matter how it occurred, Thomas was speared to death for preaching the resurrected Jesus.
What made this dramatic change in doubting Thomas’ life? He would say it was the moment he saw the resurrected Jesus and put his hands in Jesus’ wounds. Now, if this was a lie, as some today argue, would any man go such long distances from his home and die in such a horrendous manner for something he knew was a lie?

Philip, the apostle, is not mentioned in the first three gospels other than in the lists of the apostles. However, he is a frequent character in the book of John.  Philip had been among the followers of John the Baptist and he is unique in that Jesus called him personally to be His disciple. Jesus simply said to him, “Follow Me.” Philip answered Jesus’ call and was instrumental in bringing Nathaniel (Bartholomew) to Jesus who also became one of the twelve apostles.

For three years, Philip lived with Jesus, witnessed His miracles, and heard Jesus’ teachings. When Jesus and His disciples went to Jerusalem, some Greek men from Bethsaida wanted to see Jesus; so, they came to Philip to help them meet Him. During the Last Supper, Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus replied that He and the Father were one.

After Jesus’ ascension, Philip preached in Galilee where he performed many miracles including restoring the life of an infant in his mother’s arms. Then, he went to Greece and preached to the Jews there. In response, some scribes and a Jewish priest came to Greece to interrogate Philip. These men claimed that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body and hidden it. Philip replied that the Pharisees had bribed the Roman soldiers who were on watch over Jesus’ tomb to spread this story. When these Jewish men began to insult Jesus and lunged after Philip, they were struck blind. However, when Philip prayed for them, their eyesight was restored. Many believed in Jesus as a result of this miracle.

The Acts of Philip, written by Eusebius, recounts the preaching and miracles of Philip. He reports that he was a missionary, along with Nathaniel (Bartholomew) and his sister, Marianne, to Greece, Phrygia, and Syria. (Other sources add Scythia – a region in central Eurasia – Asia Minor, Lydia, and Emessa). Eusebius’ book also recounts that, through Philip’s preaching and a miraculous healing, Philip brought to conversion the wife of the proconsul of the city of Hierapolis. This enraged the proconsul and he had all three of the missionaries tortured. Then, he had them crucified upside down on crosses. Philip preached from the cross and, as a result of his preaching, the crowd released Bartholomew and Marianne from their crosses, but Philip refused to be released and he died on the cross.

Philip’s tomb was found in the ancient city of Hierapolis (modern Pamukkale) in 2011.

Matthew was a tax collector in the service of Herod Antipas, tetrarch  of Galilee. As such, he was hated by patriotic Jews and the general populace. Tax collectors most often increased the amount of money they charged the Jewish citizens, keeping some of it for themselves. So, Matthew was wealthy and well-educated – he knew both Greek and Aramaic. A Levite, he  was also very familiar with Jewish tradition and Scripture. Yet, he immediately gave up his high paying job and all the money he had collected to follow Jesus. That night, he threw a banquet for Jesus and included other tax collectors and sinners drawing intense criticism from the Pharisees. But, even though he followed Jesus during His three-year ministry, he was among the disciples who fled at Jesus’ crucifixion.

However, forty days later, and throughout the rest of his life, he unashamedly preached the gospel of Jesus, going as far away as Ethiopia (to the south of the Caspian Sea) and Egypt. Some early church authors even had him traveling also to Persia, Macedonia, and Syria. In addition, Matthew wrote the gospel bearing his name (attested by Papias – 95-110 AD, Irenaeus – 180 AD, and Origen – 185-254 AD, among others).

The accounts of his death are sparse and varied and are mostly from church tradition. But the majority say he was martyred – burned, stoned, or beheaded. One source says he was impaled to the earth by a spear and then beheaded.

What made this dramatic change in Matthew’s life? He said it was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Now, if this was a lie, as some today argue, would any man go long distances from his home and die in such a horrendous manner for something he knew was a lie?

Thaddeus was born to a Jewish family in Panias Galilee near where Jesus grew up. He was a farmer by trade, his mother was a cousin of Jesus’ mother, Mary, and his father was a brother of Joseph and James the Less. In 37 AD, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, he traveled with Simon Zealot throughout Mesopotamia, Libya, Turkey, and Persia. With Simon, he helped create the Armenian Apostolic Church and is known as the patron saint of desperate causes and lost cases.

Though disputed, he may have authored the book of Jude, a letter to the Eastern churches who were under persecution around 60 AD. It was a warning against pseudo-teachers who were spreading false ideas about the early Christian faith. He encouraged followers of Jesus to persevere in the face of harsh circumstances, to keep the faith, and to stay in the love of God.

Along with Simon Zealot, he was decapitated with an ax in Beirut, Lebanon in 65 AD. That is why, in early pictures of him, he is shown holding an ax. Later, his body was brought back to Rome and placed in a crypt under St. Peter’s Basilica.

When Jesus called John to be a disciple, he was fishing with his brother, James, and his father, Zebedee. When John encountered Jesus, he and his brother left their fishing nets behind to become Jesus’ followers. However, even though John was considered the beloved disciple, he did have a darker side.  He and his brother were called the Sons of Thunder. On one occasion, Jesus and His disciples were going into a Samaritan village. The disciples were sent ahead to make arrangements, but the people there did not welcome Jesus. When this occurred, James and John said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?” (Luke 9:54) Jesus rebuked them. Another time, James and John asked to sit on thrones beside Jesus when He comes in glory. Jesus rebuked them again and warned them that they would face much suffering in the future. John was the only disciple at Jesus’ crucifixion. From the cross, Jesus commended His mother to John’s care.

Fast forward a few years and we see John, in contrast, being called the apostle of love. In his writings, he emphasizes the importance of love and the promise of eternal life to believers.  After Jesus’ death, there was so much persecution of Christ followers under Herod Agrippa that John took Jesus’ mother to Ephesus and cared for her there until she died (mid 60’s). While there, he wrote the Gospel of John and guided the Ephesian church . Then, he and Peter (who had paired together before Jesus’ death) emerged as leaders of the Christians who performed miracles  (Acts 3:1-4, 3-11), went to jail (Acts 4:1-3), defended the faithful before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:-12, 19), and served as emissaries to confirm the reception of the Gospel.
John was the youngest of the apostles and the last to die, so, during his 95 years, he was able to write five books of the Bible: the Gospel of John, the three letters of John, and Revelation. He wrote all of his books after the other books of the New Testament. Consequently, his work is more explicable to modern readers because he had time to answer the doubts and questions raised in 50+ years after the resurrection. He is also reported to have arranged the books and finalized the canon of the New Testament.

Tertullian (155-300 AD) tells us that, in 95 AD, the Roman Emperor Domitian was vigorously persecuting Christians and he ordered John to be executed by throwing him into a cauldron of boiling oil. When John suffered nothing and did not die but continued preaching from the cauldron, Domitian was angry and then had him exiled to the isle of Patmos, a prison colony off the coast of Turkey where John couldn’t talk to anyone  (95 AD). Eighteen months later John was released under Emperor Marcus Coccceius Nerva and moved to Turkey where he died of old age. He was the only disciple who died naturally.

John did not die a martyr’s death, but it wasn’t because Domitian didn’t try. John certainly lived a martyr’s life. What made this dramatic change in John’s life? He said it was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Some today argue Jesus’ resurrection is a lie. However, no man will willingly offer himself to die in a cauldron of boiling oil for something he knew was a lie.

James and John, fishermen and two of Jesus’ disciples, were brothers and possibly cousins of Jesus. Their mother, Salome, was the sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother. Jesus called James and his brother, John, “Boanerges” which meant the “Sons of Thunder” – possibly because of their bold and aggressive personalities.

At one point in his journey with Jesus, James and his brother, John, asked Jesus if they might sit, one on His left side and one on His right side, in His future glory. Jesus rebuffed them and asked if they were ready to drink the cup from which He was going to drink. Furthermore, He said, this was an honor that was not His to grant.

James was one of the three disciples who were chosen among the others to witness the raising of Jairus’ daughter, Jesus’ transfiguration, and His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. After Jesus’ ascension, he was firmly entrenched in the leadership of the early church in Jerusalem – so much so that Herod Agrippa put him to death at the age of 48 – 14 years after Jesus’ ascension. His death, the first of the apostles and the only one mentioned in the New Testament, was possibly the incentive that caused the apostles to leave Jerusalem and go to the outer parts of the then known world.

Herod had lived as a faithful Jew who tolerated the Christians at the beginning of his reign. However, his popularity with the Jews led him to lay violent hands on those who were Christians. He also thought that James had led the city of Jerusalem astray. And, according to Jewish custom, execution (beheading) with the sword was punishment for apostasy (Deuteronomy 13:6-18).

Although his life was relatively short, James turned his life around into a powerful instrument God could use. His life is a lesson that, whatever our gifts and personalities may be, when we dedicate them to God’s service, we can accomplish great things for His glory.

As our team prepares to go in Jesus’ name, we would deeply appreciate your prayers during this season of preparation. Lucie, Sam, Alex, Sammie, Darren, Denise, Ryan V, Boaz, Dan, Allison, Ryan W, and Rob have each answered the call to “Here I am, send me.” This team is passionate about serving others and sharing God’s love, and we are grateful for your support and prayers as we get ready for our mission trip.

If you want to GIVE to a team member, you can do so here . Every gift counts!

We’re excited to travel to Costa Rica this July 18–25 to serve alongside our global missionaries, Lonney and Paula Moore, with Hope Partner International. Hope Centers are currently making a meaningful impact around the world, and we’re honored to support the incredible team in Pavas who selflessly pour into the lives of children and families every day. We would deeply appreciate your prayers as we prepare for this week of service, connection, and ministry. It’s truly a privilege to be part of what God is doing in their community this summer.

Frisco Bible Church | July 6–13, 2025

What a week! As our team wraps up an unforgettable mission trip to Word of Life in upstate New York, our hearts are full—with gratitude, growth, laughter, and most of all, the presence of God.

This trip was more than a service project—it was a living testimony of teamwork, discipleship, family bonding, and the power of stepping away from the everyday to serve together.

? Spiritual Highlights

We began each day in God’s Word, and every devotional set the tone:

Day 1 reminded us that God works through those who show up in obedience.
Day 2 taught us the connection between justification, sanctification, and glorification.
Day 3 deepened our focus on prayer and perseverance.
Day 4 inspired us with servant leadership and the power of “next steps” in faith.
Day 5 challenged us to resist temptation and glorify God in the big and small.
Day 6 encouraged us to choose eternal over the expedient

Throughout the week, kids and adults alike reflected on what it means to follow Jesus practically—through sweeping, painting, serving meals, and listening to one another with love.

?️ Service Projects Completed-720 Hours of work with $10,000 in materials donated by our team

• God gave us strength, humor, and plenty of bug spray to accomplish a lot:
• Painted the train station and completed touch-up projects
• Finished a new roof on the Ranch office (thanks to our awesome dads!)
• Cleaned the Huskies soccer field, The Den, and Bollback Student Life Center
• Prepped and cleared walking trails for better accessibility
• Weeded landscaping and refreshed spaces around the Bible Institute
• Helped support kids’ camp programming and outdoor games

Every chore became an opportunity to serve with joy.

? Relational & Family Moments
From worship at the Ridge Rally to pulling weeds competitively, from hiking to ice cream at Martha’s, this trip was packed with unforgettable relational moments:

• Campers made faith decisions at the Ridge after powerful evening rallies
• Our team bonded deeply—sharing meals, devotions, and lake walks
• Younger children stepped up to serve boldly alongside adults
• Families laughed, prayed, and rested together under God’s open skies
• We ended with a night at the Word of Life Rodeo—a fun, festive finish!

❤️ Gratitude
We’re deeply thankful:

To Word of Life staff for welcoming and guiding us
To our servants —parents, teens, and kids—who served with excellence
To our church family, who prayed us through this mission
To God, who made every moment meaningful

? Final Takeaways
This trip reminded us that missions don’t always require a passport. When we step into service with humility and joy, God uses it—whether it’s painting a building or holding a kid’s hand during a game.
We return home encouraged, unified, and eager to continue living on mission—at home, at church, in our schools, and beyond.

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16
? Until Next Time…
Please continue to pray for those we served, and for our team as we carry the mission back to Texas. God is not finished—this is just the beginning.
With love,

The WOL NY Mission Team 2025

Frisco Bible Church

July 11, 2025
by Chandra Shekhar Manne

We began our Friday morning with a powerful devotional titled “The Weight of Glory and the Dumbbell of Temptation.” It centered on the importance of glorifying God in all we do and resisting the daily temptations that try to pull us off course. It was a timely reminder as we prepared for a full day of both service and celebration.

Morning: Paint Brushes & Power Sweeps

Our group split into two hardworking teams:

• Team One returned to the Train Station to finish the last touches of painting. It was satisfying to complete the job we had started earlier in the week, knowing future campers will enjoy a refreshed and welcoming space.
• Team Two, made up of volunteers and energetic kids, tackled cleaning the Huskies soccer field, The Den, and the Bollback Student Life Center. Sweeping, scrubbing, and tidying as a team gave us a sense of shared purpose—and more than a few giggles as we worked alongside each other.

After the cleanup, the kids were rewarded with some long-awaited fun and games at The Den and the Living Area. Their joy was infectious as they ran, played, and let loose in the afternoon sun.

Afternoon: Sweet Treats & Scenic Moments

Following a quick lunch, our caravan headed into town for a special treat: a visit to the famous Martha’s Ice Cream in Glens Falls. With cones piled high and sundaes in hand, we enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship—laughing, sharing stories, and simply savoring a cool break together.

From there, we made our way to Lake George. The younger kids splashed and played in the water, while others explored the arcade. Families strolled along the lakefront, enjoying the peaceful views and local shops. It was a refreshing pause from the busyness of our service projects—a time to soak in God’s beauty in creation and one another.

Evening: Rodeo Under the Stars

As the sun set, we gathered for one of the most exciting highlights of the trip: the Word of Life Rodeo. With horses galloping, music playing, and crowd cheering, it was an evening full of energy and joy. For many, it was their first rodeo—and it did not disappoint! It was a perfect way to end a day full of meaningful work and rich community.

Reflections

Today beautifully balanced serving with joy and resting in fellowship. Whether sweeping soccer fields, finishing paint jobs, enjoying ice cream, or cheering at the rodeo, everything pointed back to glorifying God—just like our morning devotional reminded us.