Yesterday was the church's second official service, but me and Enrique's first. He went to the service and I volunteered in the nursery (Waumba Land). The church and the children's area are actually in two separate buildings so the parents have to drop off their kids and then drive to the church. When I told Enrique that that seemed odd, he reminded me that North Point is so big that it's practically the same distance between some of the environments and the sanctuaries!
The building that we meet in is a strip plaza in the shape of a train with stores for kids; it's great! Inside, kids play and have fun until everyone arrives (To get an idea, please visit www.smilesandgames.com and click on "Entretenimiento Activo" on the right). We had 23 children ages newborn to 5 years old and eight volunteers (including me and Ashley and her mother and mother-in-law who are visiting). The Bible story was about Jonah and the whale and that we need to obey God because He knows what is best for us.
Two of the volunteers are teenagers who speak English perfectly because they grew up going to English schools. I asked one of them an innocent question, "When did you become a Christian?" and she said, "I'm not". I was surprised and asked for more details. She said that she's Catholic because she was baptized, had her first communion, and her confirmation. A close friend of hers invited her to Openhouse (http://www.openhouse.cr/). She loved it so much that she decided to volunteer with the kids. She said that in her Catholic church, the Bible and God's truths are not explained in a way that is easy to understand; there are rules and rituals, but not a relationship. Please pray for her as she continues to hear Biblical truths and apply them in her life.
When the parents came to pick up the children afterward, I was surprised at how many couples were either mixed like us - American and Latino - or bilingual for one reason or another. I was overcome with joy to play a small part in the spiritual formation of these children and the volunteers because they represent families who, for the majority, are seekers who are going to a church for the first time where they "get it".
