Día Folklórico

Yesterday, we had a great day at Cincel experiencing various aspects of Costa Rican culture.

The presentation began with fellow missionary Ben David leading us in the song "Soy Tico" (I am a Costa Rican).

Missionaries Irene (pictured) and Salvador performed the drama, "Mercando Leña". It is a play about two savvy business people negotiating the price of firewood.

Academic director Luis and professor Roxana wowed the crowd with a folk dance.

Our wonderful friends and fellow Cincel students surprised Stuart with a Mariachi band for his 50th birthday. They were absolutely phenomenal. 

The academic director presented Stuart with a "media-teja" or a half a shingle, another cultural tradition for celebrating your cincuenta años.

The professors signed the back of the media-teja for the perfect keepsake of this great milestone.

Museo del Oro Precolombino

We visited the Pre-Colombian Gold Museum today, in downtown San Jóse. The museum contains the largest collection of pre-Colombian gold jewelry in Central America. 

Semana Santa

This morning Stuart and I ventured down to the center of town to watch the processional of Jesus as he walked the Via Dolorosa. Little kids like this one joined in as well.

A Roman guard.

An angel.

Jesus was not portrayed by an actor.

One of the thieves on the cross.

They reenacted the scene of the woman at the well. One of the stations of the cross.

One of the priests narrates another station of the cross.

Another little Jesus. Too cute.

Thousands of people followed the processional.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." -Luke 23:32-34