On Thursday, our group got to take a break during the day from regular work activities, and enjoy some time playing tourists.  It was also a special day for us because two people with us had decided to get baptized when we went to the beach- and today was beach day.

After breakfast, we collected into our three group vans and headed west and north through a few neighborhoods and shopping districts, beyond the big sports park off of our approach to San Juan island, and over a bridge, finally arriving at our destination, Balneario El Escambrón- our Puerto Rican beach.

East of the big Spanish fort, this pleasant public beach was empty when we arrived at around 10 in the morning.  Featuring a natural harbor outlined by a coral reef, the beach features a long and pleasant pool in which to swim and look at some of the local aquatic life without being pounded by heavy surf when the ocean is frantic.  Upon arrival, it was a warm and sunny morning, and the water was appealing.

Before we went out into the water, Chris Herman (our construction team foreman) led a morning devotion.  It was pleasant to hear the reading of the Word and reflections upon it with the murmur of splashing waves behind us.  After the devotional, our group leader Tiffany Mares and Jim Weaver led Kala W. and Carlos (“Christiano!”) Sandoval out into the water.  Two professions of faith, two commitments of life to Christ- two dunks in the Atlantic. It was great.

The Beach!

Chris gives the morning devotional.

A post-baptism hug.

After the baptisms, everyone else headed into the water for some time swimming.  For two people, it was a first, swimming in the ocean.  After a short stall, me and my brother decided to go in.  I swam for a while out to the reef that I had seen some others had visited.  Foolishly, I forgot I was in nature and a terrain foreign to me, and I climbed up onto the top of the reef.  Standing on rocks that put me about a foot under the water line, I looked like I was pretty much standing on water, which was a strange experience- to be looking out back at the shore from a decent height.  It’s when I lowered myself back into the water and ventured farther toward the ocean that I put my hand, and then a foot, down on some prickly things.  At that moment, I realized like Donnie that I was “out of my element”, and I crept back off the reef beach-side and with stinging extremities, breast-stroked, doggie-paddled, hopped and waded back into the shallow water.  The stinging increased, and I buried my affected hand and foot in the sand hoping for brief relief.  Little came.

Up the beach.

Following this, Scott and I reconnected and waded out of the water and walked up the beach to a trail and a rise that crested at an uncovered observation deck.  We talked as we walked (or, as I limped), sharing delight about the trip, simple observations, and chatting some about the future.  After looking around from the deck, we decided to wander back to the group- but not before we stopped to chuck fallen and unripe coconuts at rocks, to lob rocks at coconut clusters in a few trees, and to grab a few to carry back to camp.

As we got back to the group, dark clouds were moving in toward us, but we still had some time before a scheduled lunch to explore a little, so several groups from our company assembled and wandered off in a few directions.  Shortly after Scott and I left with Chris and Carlos and Elijah the young prophet and Carlos and his fiancee and her daughter, the rain began to fall.  We didn’t make it to far away from the beach before sprinkles became steams, and streams became sheets of rain.  We got back to the vans as the rain fell steadily, some folks changed their clothes, and reassembled, our posse left the beach, and the rain, for lunch.

We ended up eating lunch at a restaurant in old San Juan, taking a long long table in the back of the long long room.  Featuring a mix of American and Puerto Rican sandwiches and dishes, I ended up getting, of all things, a Western omelette.  Let’s hear it for a spirit of adventure!

The Jim's at lunch.

After lunch, we boarded the vans again and headed back to our lodgings and took it easy for a little while before we headed out to that night’s engagement.

After dinner, we went as a group to visit another church in the area that wanted us to visit.  The storefront church was in Canovana, tucked away in a neighborhood that was surrounded by expensive housing developments and upscale stores that made me feel more that I was in Florida than Puerto Rico.  We were greeted at the church by a small cadre of attendees which included several pastors and a worship leader and several women with children.  Our group filled most of the seats set out for visitors. We were greeted warmly by a pastor from the podium, and by the smiles of regulars.  Worship started, which was led by Tiffany and our youngest team member, Jake the teenaged Bieber, who accompanied her on guitar.

Worship at Canovana

After a few songs, “Christiano” Carlos Sandoval spoke a good message, and then a few of us gave our testimonies- Claudia (Carlos’ fiance), Brianna the Writer, and myself.

"Christiano" Carlos sharing from the Word at the Canovana church.

Brianna shares her story.

Hearing testimonies of team members was one of my favorite parts of the trip.  Often, if we were not at the main church in San Juan, we were meeting with a church that was really only 3 or 4 or 5 people, and so we often had opportunities to publicly share with one another about how we came to know Christ, and what He has done in our lives.  Through those testimonies, we got to see into one another’s lives, and leap over some of the usual work you have to do to get to know someone else. And because each testimony focuses on God and His hand in our individual lives, I could gain encouragement from everyone else’s stories.  Our lives are each a story of His handiwork, meant to be shared and read.  The testimonies were great stories to hear, indeed.

After the service that night, we went back to the conference center, had our day-end group reflections, and following that, a number of us stayed up and played the weirdest card game I have ever seen (although it was really fun) for a few hours.  I won’t name it here in case I actually remember how to play it and rook a sucker or two of my friends to play it with me.  But it was a game of suspense, and challenging thought.  Many had played it the night before and my brother had it all figured out, but it took me a bit to figure it out, even though I didn’t hit very many landmines in plays that made me seem like I “got it” better than I really did.

I had two chances to share my evolving testimony on this trip, and I will talk about them in a separate post, but in both instances, I felt God talking to me as I searched for words to try and describe my life and walk with Him to others.  Both instances were challenging and emotionally-pressing moments for me, but moments I cherish, because from them came some insights I told myself I needed to hang on to coming out of this trip.

It was a great day 8 in Puerto Rico.