We have been overwhelmed by the kind words, beautiful gifts and timely meals we have received in our last month in Costa Rica.   The packing is pretty much done, we are out of our house and while we have some loose ends to tie up, we are mostly soaking in our last week in what has been our "home country" for the last twelve years.

The people of the Emmanuel Church in Aserri invited us to a very special dinner and gave us a picture painted by Eufracia , one of the leaders in the church. It's a painting of a Costa Rican kitchen and as they presented it to us they reminded us that whenever we come back to visit there will be places at the table ready for us. They also said "Vaya con Dios" to Sarah Nash (Oly, WA) who spent a year as a volunteer, serving mostly with that congregation.

The Church in La Guacima (Mansion of Light Baptist Church) honored us during their morning worship service by washing our feet. Micah, Jamie, Mylinda and I felt a little strange at first, but mostly we felt loved as four pairs of church members gently washed and dried our feet. Mine were too big for the plastic container, but Eddy and his son smiled and made it work. There were smiles and tears and mutual expressions of gratitude. Mylinda spent most every Tuesday at the church working with "the candle ladies", the Butterfly Transformation Center, and providing pastoral care to some of the leaders. Both Mylinda and I were privileged to preach, teach classes, and serve the Lord's Supper there a number of times. After getting our feet washed we were invited to serve the Santa Cena one last time. We took turns giving and receiving that day, and I couldn't help but think that this is the way church ought to be all the time.

Our love tanks were full, but there was more to come. That same Sunday our "home church" in Santo Tomas honored us in their evening service. It's the church with the stained glass window where Mylinda was privileged to help create the "Saved to Serve" panels that now grace the sanctuary. There were more kind words, tears, laughs, and using the left-over glass from our project, they commissioned and gifted us with a lamp that replicates their windows that we can take with us. We were overwhelmed by this thoughtful act of grace.

This Friday is our last big despedida (send off) at the Federation offices where we've served alongside the national leadership of Baptist churches and their pastors. As we head into a new phase of ministry with our Latin American partners, it has been our prayer to have good goodbyes this month. Thanks be to God that we have been blessed beyond our prayers, for they have been good indeed.  

We are returning to the United States, Olympia WA to be specific, but we go with cups filled with bendición (blessing) and twelve years of giving and receiving and sharing table with some amazing sisters and brothers in Christ.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

Gracias,

Gary Baits

P.S. Thanks to those of you who have given to the matching gifts campaign. We continue to be overwhelmed by your generosity. To those of you who would still like to, there is still time to give (up until July 31) and have your gift doubled.