Ubicación del número tres // Location Number Three.

Location- San Jose

Temperature- High of twenty three degrees low of eighteen degrees. 

Humidity- Around fifty percent humidity. 

Duration- Three weeks
Ministry- Working with children in a local ghetto.

We can now say goodbye to ridiculous heat and hello to what we would call 'Normal Weather'. 
For the last three weeks of Outreach we committed out time to a local ghetto called Sinai, which was only a ten minute walk and a thirteen minute bus ride away from the YWAM base we were staying at. 
Our time there consisted of..
-Playing football with the kids
-Showing the Jesus film
-Making jewellery 
-Sharing Bible stories
-Arts & Crafts
-Making paper aeroplanes then having competitions
-Comforting the lonely
-Bringing Joy to the sorrowful 
-Sharing our love with them
-Giving regular hugs and encouragement

Sharing the love of Christ to children who don't feel loved in their own homes.
Telling them how important and special they are in Gods eyes.
Giving them a sense of Hope and a future.

We committed our time to help with the local christian church in this ghetto every week day, only to actually find the night before we were to arrive there was a drug deal gone wrong in the house next to the church and there was a shooting resulting in a murder. But we were still standing strong knowing this is where the Lord was wanting us to spend out last three weeks. 
It did not take us all very long to fall in love with the children that came everyday, being able to join in their pure joy and excitement despite the circumstances. We had roughly fifty children that came altogether, girls and boys varying in ages. This quickly became one of the hardest places to leave and say goodbye to all the children, and even the church family. Hearing the children say I love you or trying to learn some words in English, hearing them ask when are you coming back to see us?! did not make saying goodbye any easier. For me being naturally an emotional person hearing all that hit me hard. You could say my heart broke for those children and they all definitely hold a special place in my heart.
One day I would love to go back and visit not just Costa Rica itself, but the people, the ministries we worked with and if there would be any chance, to see all the children again.
So here are just a few photos for you to enjoy..

Local homes

 Little boy showing off his sick moves

TJ leading worship at the YWAM base

Walking down into the ghetto 'Sinai' 

 Preparing some of the crafts. + some of the children

Arts + Crafts 

Making Jewellery  

Three of the worlds most precious boys

Now there was one particular boy who stole my heart. 

On the first day at the church I was standing outside with Ruben (One of the males on my team). Walking past was a Nanny holding a little boy aged twos hand. As they walked past the little boy looked at me, quickly let go of Nannys hand and ran straight towards me. Naturally I went to meet him thinking.. Oh cute little boy. He ran straight into my arms giving me a big hug and a kiss. Please note I had never seen this boy ever before. He just kept looking at me laughing and smiling before his Nanny came to pick him up and go home. That only led to him crying and yelling out "Cha Cha" Ruben then explained to me that he would be trying to say Muchacha which is girl in Spanish. He managed to get away from his Nanny again and quickly ran back into my arms, so we explained to the Nanny that we would be here everyday for three weeks and we would love them to come and join us. Also formally being introduced to the gorgeous little boy named Samuel. Sounds like Sam-well in Spanish.  So off they went hoping to see them again the next day.

Two days later was the next time we saw them while we were waiting at the bus stop, they were across the road from us. As soon as I saw them I ran across the road, and once again Samuel ran straight into my arms, followed by a big hug and a kiss. There too we met his big brother Gabriel. Samuel was so excited he kept running around but quickly running back to grab tight of my legs! The Nanny explained that he was too scared to go away in case I left him as he turned away.

Nevertheless our bus soon came so we had to say goodbye for that day. Everyday they would arrive the greeting always remained the same, being embraced by a big hug and kiss from my precious little man. Every time I was with him he couldn't be away from me, even if I just walked into the next room he would be quickly running behind me. I think it's easy to say I had never experienced a child loving me so much and loving them back so much in return, one of the most special feelings in the world! I knew saying goodbye to Samuel was going to be one of the hardest things to do. And it was.. I may or may not have shed a few tears. Knowing that there is a little boy who lives in a small ghetto in Costa Rica, who I had actually never had a conversation with/not actually being able to understand a word coming out my mouth, a little boy who I genuinely had so much love for holds a piece of my heart and I may not actually see him again.

Myself holding Samuel and his big brother Gabriel.

One of the many precious cuddles shared with Samuel

Playing Broooom Brooooom as Samuel loved to do

 So much love for this little man

And then it was to say goodbye to the family and friends we had met and all hold a very special place in our hearts, and venture off to finish with de-brief. You can only guess Gabby and I were shedding more than a few tears saying goodbye to these amazing people. 

My heart had been captured

My heart has been broken

My heart has been mended

 My heart has been ravished and consumed

My prayer to God was..

Heal my heart and make it clean

open up my eyes to the things unseen

show me how to love like you have loved me

break my heart for what breaks yours.

My prayer was answered.