The Strutting Rooster

When the team from Grace Fellowship landed in Costa Rica, they were ready for anything—except, apparently, the local wildlife. On the very first morning, while everyone was sipping instant coffee and trying to look spiritual, a particularly confident rooster strutted into the courtyard and began crowing directly at Pastor Jim. The rooster won the staring contest, and the team decided this was a sign they needed to pray for humility.

Their main project was helping a small church repaint its children’s ministry building. The only problem was that the paint color—ordered weeks earlier—turned out to be a shade best described as “electric mango.” The kids loved it immediately. The adults… adjusted. By the end of the day, the team was covered in orange streaks, and one volunteer discovered that electric mango does not wash out of hair as easily as advertised.

Midweek, the team visited homes to pray with families. At one stop, a grandmother insisted everyone try her homemade guava pastries. They were delicious—until the team realized they were also extremely sticky. For the rest of the afternoon, Bibles, notebooks, and even one unlucky forearm kept adhering to things. Still, the grandmother’s joy was contagious, and the team agreed that a little stickiness was a small price for such hospitality.

On the final night, the church gathered for worship. The team sang in English, the congregation sang in Spanish, and somehow it blended into something beautiful. As they packed up to leave, Pastor Jim spotted the rooster again. This time, he nodded respectfully. The rooster nodded back. And the team returned home grateful—paint‑stained, slightly sticky, and full of stories about how God works through laughter as much as through labor.

Proverbs 3:33-34  “The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.”

I pray you experience the favor of the Lord, Pastor Larry