I am currently in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica with a group of 15 people, 14 students and one leader, working with a ministry here called Concrete Jungle. This ministry reaches out to the youth of the area with a skate park they built and opened less than a decade ago. It has grown tremendously and God is using it in big ways. This ministry also has planted a church that is continually growing. We have the privilege of building a house for a lady and her 3 children that are a part of this church.
We have spent 3 days doing construction on the house, and we had a free day today. We ziplined through the jungle on a canopy tour this morning and spent the afternoon relaxing and resting up. The church services at Concrete Jungle meet on Sunday evenings, so we went over there and spent a few hours together sharing a meal, worshipping together, and just enjoying the fellowship of the congregation. Tomorrow morning we will head back to the work site and continue on the house. We have 3 more days of construction.
A lot has happened since we have been here, but there is one night in particular I want to share about.
Friday night, Concrete Jungle held a skate night for the youth of the community. Over 30 kids gathered with their skateboards, minds focused on competing for the new skateboard that would be awarded to the winner of the skate competition.
Seeing the number of people gathered there, and watching the kids skate for hours gave us a true look at seeing that ministry in action. The kids absolutely loved being there. Their smiles beamed across the skate park and their laughter that filled the area was contagious. They were genuinely happy to be there.
The thing about it all was this: they are just kids. They are no different from us. Most of the boys were out on the ramps, competing with each other, attempting to show off. The younger boys stood on the side, skateboard in hand, helmet buckled on their head, wide-eyed, watching the older boys in awe, daydreaming about the day they will perform numerous tricks for everyone to see. There were also the boys who either didn't know how to skate, or simply chose not to, who made their place among the dominoes, ping pong table, or as spectators and supporters for their fearless amigos.
Aside from the boys were the girls who, just as I remember, did exactly as young teenage girls do. They placed themselves away from the action, yet close enough to be noticed by the niños. They positioned themselves in a semi-circle, giggling at the boys trying new tricks, and sharing excitement over the latest gossip. They acted just as my friends and I did during our early teenage years.
It's funny that despite the thousands of miles that separates these kiddos from those in the States, they are still kids, with the same likes, dislikes, goals, and dreams. They may be growing up in completely different environments, with different accessibilities, and different opportunities, but at the end of the day, kids will be kids.
Another thing that always blows me away and penetrates my heart in such a deep way, is praying and worshipping in another culture, among people who speak another language. To me, that is one of the most powerful and most beautiful things. Several times we have prayed and have also worshipped together with the people at Concrete Jungle and my mind immediately went to Revelation 7:9-12.
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!' And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, 'Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.'"
What a beautiful image, and what a blessing to experience a glimpse of that here on earth. Different people, different environments, different lifestyles, different styles of worship, different languages, ONE GOD. No matter where you are, what your life may be like, who you are surrounded by, what language you speak, God is God, God is faithful, and God is good.
