Day 7 (10/17/24)

 We boarded the bus at 5 am  for the drive to Sora.  Our first stop was around 6:20 at a rest stop/roadside coffee shop. Craig also bought some snacks for everyone on the bus.

Kara led devotions on being salt and light. These two metaphors remind us how God's presence within His children can influence and transform the world. We do not always know the result of our actions; the result may come years later, we may not see or perceive that "transformation of the world". That's ok.  We simply are called to live as God's children, and trust that He will use our words and actions to accomplish His will. 

How appropriate that the sun was rising around the time Kara was leading devotions.  It was God's handiwork and light right outside our window! 

We were passing through a beautiful area of  low mountains and lush tropical plants and gardens. 

At last we reached our destination - 

While Ramiro was skillfully backing the bus onto the church property, we even had two police on motorcycles holding back traffic

Pastor Alejandro was right there to meet us. He talks 100 miles an hour and is a true fireball of energy!

We got a brief look at the fellowship hall building where we would have the Eyeglass clinic .

For the English speakers, the boulder says "Call me and I will answer you, and I will announce to you great and mysterious things that you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3)"

Then we headed back out to the road and walked to the house next door (Pastor Alejandro's house) where the guard dog kept watch 

and an amazing breakfast was prepared.

We ate on their open air porch.

and Micah celebrated his birthday AGAIN with another opportunity to  test his lung capacity on the candles,

surrounded by his family, his Our Redeemer family and his Sora family!

We then walked back down to the sanctuary, where people from the community were starting to gather for the clinic. 

We went about our business of unloading the bus and setting up the stations. We had many local helpers!

all under the watchful eye of another one of Pastor Alijandro's dogs.

Anita and I were blessed to have the nursing station (which really doesn't have much to set up, allowing me time to take pictures) outside in the shade, 

right by a row of plants in colorful pots.

rather than in the fellowship hall where all the other stations were and where it was considerably warmer despite the ceiling fans.

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Craig found a nice spot in the shade by our station where he could give Anita explicit instructions...

After going through the Evangelism station in the sanctuary, the people came over to fellowship hall for the rest of the clinic stations. They waited patiently

and were occasionally joined by some dogs....

The clinic was well organized, as the people were given a pre-assigned arrival time, which helped to reduce the time they had to wait.

Lunch was hamburgers prepared by Pastor Alijandro back at his house. 

He also graciously allowed us to walk around back to have a look at the source of our delicious eggs that morning...

After the clinic was over, we gathered in the sanctuary. We had served 147 people in the clinic today..

Craig thanked everyone on behalf of MOST ministries;

Pastor shared what a joy it was to be able to bring members of Our Redeemer to all four churches, and see the bonds grow between our group and their church families; 

 

and Ken Peterson spoke of how appreciative he was to see this happen as well.

I loved his shirt which said "Let your faith be taller than your fear" with a giraffe picture.🦒

Then we took another group photo

We drove the short ways to Ken Peterson's home, where Martha, his wife, had prepared a feast for us. Before we sat down to eat, however, we got to explore his extensive gardens

I suspect most of these plants would not survive in Iowa, although it would be nice to be able to go to the back yard and pick some limes to make limeade....

The Pacific Ocean was visible in the distance.

We did also get to visit with the Peterson's chickens!

We then started gathering for dinner

and what a feast had been  prepared for us! The lemon grass tea was also delicious!

They had also prepared for us a cake to top it all off with

Afterwards, it was time to go back to the hotel. But before I left I took one more walk out to the cross in the garden, overlooking the ocean. 

There was the cross, bright against the darkness of the night sky. I thought about Kara reading the devotion and telling about her Confirmation verse where Jesus said

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Lord, we live in a dark world, full of poverty, crime, broken promises, broken dreams and broken lives.  Fill us with Your light and may it dispel the darkness within us so that we may share Your light with others.