When getting directions, it may help to know where the cemetery is located

When you live in Costa Rica, one of the first things that strike you as odd is the fact that there is no standardized system of address. What does exist is what locals affectionately call, “Tico directions” aka “Costa Rican directions”. In other words, directions that will involve an oriented distance (e.g. 200 meters west, 100 meters south) from a local landmark (cemetery) or business (gasoline station) rather than your typical 123 N. Main St. Unfortunately, a recent study pointed out that almost a quarter of all mail in Costa Rica is returned undeliverable. According to one mail carrier, a typical envelope addressed to a family could read something like: From the west side of (city name) cemetery, 100 meters north, 50 meters east, cross the train tracks, yellow two-story house with a guard house in the front. As one can imagine, being a mail carrier in Costa Rica can be an exhausting and frustrating job.

I should not have been amused when a funeral service clogged up traffic near our home a few weeks ago. Just as I was returning home after a long walk with our dog, a taxi pulled over to the side of the road and asked me if I knew where the neighborhood Catholic Church was located. I told him he needed to go 400 meters south and then head left at the stop sign. A few minutes passed and another car also pulled to the side of the road and asked me the same question. Each driver was kind and courteous in their questioning but I was beginning to sense an important event was taking place at the local parish. Low and behold, less than five minutes passed and a third driver rolled down his window and before he could ask me the proverbial question, I told the driver how to locate the church. The passengers in the vehicle laughed and suggested I should charge for helping the family and friends of the deceased with finding the funeral site. But what happened next really made me chuckle and understand I had come far along in accepting a culture where streets aren’t named and buildings don’t have numbers. What did I do? Well, I stood at the corner of the street and pointed south while yelling 400 meters and head left at the stop sign. The response of the drivers that followed was hilarious.  Passengers yelled, “Gracias” and I waved as I smiled back.  My walk with Pierre was longer than usual but in the end, I was relieved most folks that passed by the neighborhood that day where able to attend a special ceremony even when street signs don’t exist and Google Maps can’t help you.

Pierre and I on our routine walk around the park

Taxis waiting to make their right turn onto the neighborhood

Unity of the Spirit

When I first shared Bible stories in the indigenous community of Alto Rio Peje near Turrialba, Costa Rica a few months ago, I sensed Kenneth and his bride, Maye, would be taking Bible storytelling to a whole new level. The Cabécar couple did not only learn Old and New Testament stories easily but they also framed sets of questions flawlessly, drawing rich and poignant answers from the audience.

The pair naturally came to my mind when the Director of Missions for the Assemblies of God in San Jose, Costa Rica asked us to train their denominational leaders with the skill of Bible storytelling for the purpose of discipleship among indigenous people groups.

Although Kenneth and Maye could not recall the last time they were in the “big city” of San Jose, they were awestruck by the sight of tall buildings and loud traffic horns. Once the training began, they swiftly presented a story from the Gospel of Matthew to the pastors, missionaries and seminary professors in attendance. Maye told the story of the calling of Matthew from Matthew 9 and Kenneth solicited questions from the listeners as it related to the Gospel story.

When the first day of training ended, many of the leaders came and congratulated them for their ability to concisely and convincingly tell the story. “You never once used note cards nor reference notes while sharing your story tonight; thank you for teaching us this incredible tool,” said the head of the missions department to the Cabécar couple.

What many leaders also learned that night was that Kenneth and Maye had been leading other Cabécars to Christ through Bible stories in nearby villages in Turrialba.  A six-member group led by Kenneth and Maye, under the supervision of their church pastor, diligently practiced telling Bible stories for weeks before sharing them in other remote villages. Even though the group speaks Spanish and Cabécar, the stories are told in Cabécar because it draws a bigger audience. According to Kenneth and Maye, not only do the Cabécar listen more attentively when they hear a story in their own language, but they also participate more freely when they are invited to give their insights and spiritual observations in a large group.

By the end of the training, I stepped to the side and allowed Kenneth and Maye to teach directly to the group. To have the couple instruct on the how-to skill of Bible storytelling with the men and women was very rewarding. What a marvelous sight it was to see the unity of the Spirit displayed for all to see.

- Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. - Colossians 3:16

Kenneth and Maye at Instituto Biblico de las Asambleas de Dios (IBAD)

Kenneth instructing the leaders on how to present Bible stories 

Kenneth and Maye coaching the participants

More than two dozen leaders came to the training 

A fateful reunion in El Salvador

I was in the second grade when I left my native country of Cuba. Although it’s been nearly forty years since I set foot on the island, I have very fond memories of my early years and the cousins and aunts that remain in the renowned capital of Havana.

Last month, memories flooded my mind after meeting three leaders from Cuba while sharing oral strategies to pastors and ministry leaders in El Salvador. The men were invited by COMCA (Cooperación Misionera de Centro America) to be better equipped to teach and serve in their respected seminaries.

After I introduced myself and shared the ministry the Lord has called our family to do in Latin America, they opened up and shared their calling as well. It was a blessing to speak to brothers in Christ who not only share my ethnicity but a love for the Gospel of Christ.

One of the pastors wanted insight and understanding regarding the ministry of Bible storytelling.  As I explained to him how Bible stories serve as the platform for small group discussions through the power of the Holy Spirit, he spoke of his love of dialogue and interactive Bible study.  “We have lots of time in Cuba; talking is our favorite past time, “ said the heavyset pastor with a grin.

Our time in El Salvador came to an end and there’s a good possibility I’ll see these men again. But whether we shall see each other or not, there’s one thing I am sure of: Jesus’ ascension into heaven provides all of us the certainty that our citizenship is in heaven where Jesus is.  

But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  2 Peter 3:13

Faithful men of Cuba

Laura at 7 years old

The snake and the rooster

       “Laura, would you happen to have a Bible story about superstition that you could share tomorrow?” asked Manuel.  His invitation to present a story to the Cabécar men and women of Alto Rio Peje regarding a recent incident he had witnessed was eye- opening. Manuel and Yorlenny Porras is a missionary couple that has been serving the indigenous community for the past two years.

Manuel had observed how a rooster had been tied up to a tree and not allowed to roam around like most other roosters in the community. When he asked a member of the community why the rooster was tied to a tree, he was told that the rooster had been picking on chickens and chicks in recent days. If allowed to go on, that would mean a snake would soon bite someone in the community. As a result, the rooster needed to be tied up otherwise someone would be injured and die. According to Manuel, his observation necessitated an opportunity to cast light on a false practice that the Cabécar people had long believed.

       The story of Paul on the island of Malta in Acts 28 came to mind although it was not in the original agenda. After telling and retelling the story, questions about the story followed. When we began asking questions on how the inhabitants of the island viewed Paul as the snake fastened itself to Paul’s hand, there was silence. Pastor Marcelo Mora, the senior pastor of the community, turned quietly to Manuel and told him he did not understand the question. I explained that the islanders of Malta had acted superstitiously when they declared that Paul must have been a murderer, ‘for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live’ (v4). As we looked for ways to define and explain superstition from the group that assembled that morning, Manuel asked Pastor Marcelo if he had his permission to share his observation about the rooster being tied to a tree. Pastor Marcelo allowed him to use it as an example and Manuel then commented on the similarities of the two. While the group listened attentively to his reference, I sensed the Holy Spirit prompting me to return to the story and ask how the islanders felt about Paul after a snake gripped his hand. It was obvious that fear was what drove them to accuse Paul of being a murderer and it was also fear that caused the community to tie up the rooster to a tree. Irrational belief in Acts 28 as well as in this modern misconception practiced by the Cabécar has fear at its roots. As the story continues in verse 5, Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The contrast of Paul’s reaction led to open discussion among the Cabécar. Paul’s display of confidence and faith as he shrugged off the snake spoke volumes to the men and women who were present that day.

       Later that night, several of us were asked to pray for a young couple expecting their third child. The father had been battling nightmares and strange visions at night. When he told us his burden, the story of Acts 28 came up in the conversation. “Don’t forget, fear is not from God. It makes us weak but God makes us strong,” said the pastor to the young man before we closed in prayer.

      The amazing insights and profound observations that are found inside a Bible story can shape and mold the mind of any and every believer, as the Holy Spirit is allowed to be the great teacher.

Laura presenting Bible stories in Peje, Turrialba, Costa Rica

Manuel Porras sharing with Cabécar congregation

Pastor Marcelo Mora (left) praying for those who are about to share their Bible stories

Yorleny Porras holding newest member of the Cabécar community, baby Debora

Ministry partner, Tatiana Noriega (second from left) spending time with Cabécar young women

Ministry partner, Brendan Blowers (third from left) listening to music with Cabécar young men

Our last day of learning Bible stories at Alto Rio Peje

A trek worth making

Little did I knew when I stood at the edge of the beach in Punta Banco near the border of Costa Rica and Panama in April 2012 that my dream of being reunited with my Ngobe friends would come true.

All the arrangements to visit the indigenous communities of Carona and La Palma were made by Pastor Carlos Espinoza from the rural town of Laurel, Costa Rica.  Pastor Carlos has been mentoring the Ngobe pastors since the year 2000. He provides counsel and pastoral care to the men who live far from Christian seminaries or Bible colleges. The pastors who live in these communities had attended two previous Bible storytelling workshops and it was now my turn to return the favor and go to them.

Just a few weeks ago, my partner in ministry, Brendan Blowers and I, along with Pastor Carlos and two others, traveled eight hours by foot to reunite with the men and women I have come to know and love. I was invited to share Bible stories in their church services and help the pastors refine their skills in Bible storytelling.

The wooden church in Carona, under the leadership of Pastor Armando, meets three times a week in the evening. It was obvious when we entered the unassuming church that it lacked many comforts known to us in the West: electricity, tile floors, and air conditioning. But what it lacked, it over compensated by the warmth of the people and by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The invitation to share a Bible story with the congregation allowed me to see once again how the Word of God can pierce the hearts of men and women no matter their level of education or economic status.  The first parable I shared came from Luke 18:9-14, The Pharisee and the Tax Collector. The simple and profound six verses encouraged the believers in Carona that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (v.14.) The affirming words of Jesus resonated with the humble congregation as they identified themselves with the tax collector in the parable. Unlike the proud Pharisee in the story, the Ngobe pastor admitted he has nothing else to offer Jesus except the acknowledgment that he is a sinner saved by grace.

I often wonder if those who have less in this world understand the words of Jesus more clearly than those of us who have so much more. In the case of Pastor Armando and his church, they most certainly do.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth – Matthew 5:5

Leo, Alberto, Laura, Brendan, Carlos ready to go

Sharing a Bible story in front of the church

Pastor Armando and his wife Rosalia

La Iglesia Cristiana de Carona

Aerial view of the Ngobe community

How Brendan and I looked like without sleep

A typical house in Carona 

Pastor Armando's church pulpit