The team was up bright and early, braving the cold in Rapid City.  Flights were smooth with only a bit of a delay leaving Dallas.  After arriving in Tirrases, San Jose they spent the evening getting to know the staff of Christ For The City International that they will be working with:  Enrique, Kattia, and Grettel.  They were also joined by Chuck and Helena from Massachusetts, who are joining the mission team this week.  

Today the team painted the common room at the Christ For The City International center in Tirrases.  This is the center that the team will be using the rest of the week to lead a Bible school for the area children, help with the women's sewing class, and lead presentations about anxiety/depression and parenting.  Today gave the team time to build relationships with each other and prepare for the ministries they are participating in this week.

The team went on their first prayer walk this morning and had a little tour of Tirrases.  Tirrases used to be the landfill for San Jose, but has since been reclaimed.  It is now a poorer suburb of the city.  On the walk the team was able to meet some of the widows that Enrique prays for and were able to pray with some of the locals in the area.  

Area children came for the first day of Vacation Bible School at the center later in the morning.  After lunch, Lois led a presentation of dealing with depression for area adults.  Both events provided great opportunities to meet some of the locals and build relationships. 

It was another busy day in Tirrases for our team!  They walked through a neighborhood and prayed with families and handed out reading literature (tracts, devotionals, etc).  A few of the kids that we prayed with came to VBS and there were 37 children total!  After lunch, Bart and Enrique held a session on parenting.  Parents of babies through teenagers attended and had many questions.  

After the morning prayer walk, the team came back to the center with a group full of kids waiting at the gate and ready to get started!  Each day the kids had more and more fun, as did the team.  The afternoon was full of activity for adults.  Deb taught the ladies' sewing class how to make Japanese Knot Bags.  The ladies that attend the classes are learning to make items that they can sell to earn extra for their families.  While the ladies were sewing, the English Conversation class was meeting.  This is a class made up of adults who want to practice their English.  Most of them are classmates who are taking English at the local trade school.  Learning English is a must to qualify for better jobs.  The team finished the evening by treating some of the Christ For the City International staff to dinner.

Every Saturday morning at the center in Tirrases they cook pancakes for the kids for breakfast, play games, and have a Bible lesson.  The team was able to work the last day of VBS into this routine.  The afternoon was filled with youth group.  This is a community youth group and a few of the area youth pastors bring their students in an effort to build community between the churches in Tirrases.  Pastor Neil taught while Andres translated.  There was a hot dog supper after.  

It is important for the center to provide breakfast for the younger kids and supper for the youth.  Many families in Tirrases are poor and this provides the kids of the area with a meal for the day.

Sunday morning was church at The Rock Church in San Jose.  Pastor Chuck from the team preached.  After church was shopping and sightseeing in downtown San Jose.  The day was finished with a nice dinner at RAM LUNA, just outside San Jose.  It was up a mountain and had a beautiful view of the city!  This was the last debrief of the week with Enrique and Kattia.