Well, I finally made it to Costa Rica, however it was in question for awhile. My plane broke down in Huntsville twice before eventually getting on the last flight to Atlanta. I got to the gate in Atlanta just as they were boarding the plane. Once we were boarded they called us all back off the plane (which is the last flight to Costa Rica that day) to fix something with the air conditioning. That only took about an hour and then we were off. Once in Costa Rica they had some kind of problem with my passport not working with the scanner. So after about 5 customs officers, a pat-down or two, and a bag search I was allowed in the country. However, since then everything has gone very smooth!
Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams from Truett-McConnell have been great. They all seem to really have a heart to serve. The past two days we have put on a couple of soccer clinics for elementary age kids. It is amazing to see that kids are the same everywhere, weather they have money or they live in poverty. They just what to play and to be loved. The first group we worked with live in one of the poorest areas in San Jose. Very few of the kids have fathers and those that do wish they didn’t. Abuse and drugs are very prevalent day and night. We partnered up with another young Costa Rican missionary that lives in this community and works with these families everyday. Diego and his wife are doing a great work here and were very excited to have some help and support. We came back the next day with tons of food to give to Diego and helped him distribute it out to the families with the greatest need. This had a big impact with these families who have never seen the Love of Christ in action in a real and personal way. That day we had another soccer clinic in a private Christian school, which also went very well. The Truett-McConnell students are getting more comfortable sharing their testimony. They all seem to really enjoy working with the kids.
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| CR soccer clinic |
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| T-M student giving his testimony |
Both teams have played two games a peace and are realizing there is a difference in the quality of play between the U.S. and Costa Rica. The field conditions have varied. The first game was at a very nice facility even though the men’s team had to play in the pouring rain (just a foot note they don’t stop for lighting and it was getting close). The next days games were played in a rough part of town and the field was a bit rough to say the least. The crowd was a lot rougher as well. You could smell them smoking weed throughout the game. Perhaps it kept them a little bit more mellow than they normally would have been. So far the girls have tied their first game 3-3 and won their second game 1-0. The boys so far have tied both games 6-6 and 4-4. However, the difference is that they have be playing against High School teams. So these college players have be playing against mostly 16yr. old with a few 17yr olds. However, in their defense the refs defiantly have quit a bit of the home town bias. In all the game we have been able to share the gospel with all the players and they have been very receptive, so please continue (or start) praying for us.
Ken
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