Day 3 or The Great Move

Well today was quite an adventure. It started very early and we hurried and then experienced the typical Latin America phenomenon………………Hurry up and Wait!!!!! I (Mark) was driving and leading the way to The Salvation Army to help serve breakfast to homeless people of that area. The wait was an accident between a bus and a small car. Just imagine cars and trucks all stacked up in both directions on a main thoroughfare with motorcycles buzzing all around between the stuck cars. After about 10 minutes of sitting and waiting we did our best impression of a Costa Rican driver and busted a move between many cars and huge trucks and took on a bus head on and won. Hahaha I am not sure how long that back up lasted but somehow I am sure it was at least an hour. Cars were driving up over the curb to get around and the bus driver just stood there all dejected. Quite an experience all itself.
When we arrived at the SA we got right to work with everybody switching up the jobs from the previous day. We also added some music to the program while the folks dined. Levi and Scott did a great job together. We fed less people this day but I had a very intense encounter with a young man that used to work at a Christian Radio station. The guy was quoting Scripture left and right but only the ones that made him feel ok and they were kinda twisted in his interpretation at that. I was really wondering how this could happen. To go from a Christian professional to homeless with an addiction living on the streets for the last 10 months. I push on him pretty hard and he did not respond very well. Understand he was pretty well under the influence when I started talking with him. He would laugh at me and make some brush off comments but in the end he cried and got up and left saying he had to because he was sensing the conviction of the Holy Spirit. We cleaned up and packed up and as we were leaving ……….getting into our vans, I saw him there, Antonio, waiting to talk with me. It was good and after some prayer and more talk, I think he may now be a candidate for the drug program there at the SA.
The ride home was an adventure too. One of our vans overheated and we had to stop and figure out the problem. After some time we figured out we couldn’t figure it out, and had to call for another ride. The breakdown thwarted our plan to go and get another breakfast at McDonalds. Probably God’s will!!!!!!!!!!! Back to the base to pack and spend some time in devotions. Lunch and a team meeting and we were ready to go to Naranjo. But first we had
to pack the van in the rain. Our suitcases were put on the roof and tarped over for the rain.
We drove in the driving rain………I mean pouring rain, for about an hour. Suitcases mostly survived.
We met and took over the home of Carlos and Anita Sala. A very generous and fun family. Their house is nice but not that big. Very nice evening, we ate supper and went to church and after that we went downtown and walked around the town for a while. Right now (2:45am), your time, the house is still awake and a couple of card games going on. Not sure when this is gonna end, but I hope soon cause tomorrow is already here.
Proclaim