Costa Rica Campaign--Monday

We spent Saturday and Sunday with the team in Guatemala and then flew to Costa Rica early Monday morning.  We arrived about 10:30 and Pastor Rodolfo was there to pick us up and take us to the hotel.  A walk to Subway for lunch was just what we needed; after which, we met with Pastor Steve to share info on the Guatemala trip and learn what had been happening in Costa Rica.  He flew to Nicaragua about 3:30 p.m., but we were our paths crossed if even for a short time.

The team in Costa Rica is one person larger than Guatemala--47.  They came from Murrels Inlet Baptist Church, Murrels Inlet, South Carolina; First Baptist Church, Foley, Alabama; Ridge Avenue Baptist Church, West Monroe, Louisiana and Woodland Park Baptist Church, Hammond, Louisiana.  As always there were both familiar faces and new faces--just the way we like it.

Last year and again this year we spent August 1 handing out tracts and praying for all of the people who were making the journey to the national cathedral in Cartago, Costa Rica.  Here's a recap of what this pilgrmage, called the Romeria, is all about:  

In August the Basilica of our Lady of the Angeles is the object of extensive pilgrimage and visitation by about 2.5 million believers throughout Costa Rica and other surrounding countries, many of whom join in the celebrated 22-kilometer walk to the basilica during the Romería. Though many people start the pilgrimage from locations all over Costa Rica, some, as a demonstration of their piety, choose to crawl the 22 kilometers on their hands and knees.  (Click here to read more about it.)

We started by forming small groups and praying together and then for thirty mintues we walked along with the group and passed out a tract called "The Words of Mary,"  after which we walked against the flow (still passing out tracts) until we returned to the park.  Because we want to be sensitive to the event, we only stop and share the gospel with people who are not participating in the walk.