I went to a Protestant Church in Alajuela with two of my friends from Normandale. The people at the Protestant Church were very enthusiastic. They sang incredibly loud and danced energetically during worship service. They welcomed us during the service and said that we were part of their family!
It was weird, but I really felt at home. The people were so warm and friendly. Many people from the congregation came over to shake our hands, kiss us, or just simply welcome us to the church. When the worship started many went to the front of the church and started to dance and shout praises to God. They sang many songs that I knew in English, but they were singing the words in Spanish. It was a very intercultural experience to say the least! My friend Chad said that he did not really feel like he was at church. He said he felt hope and a sense of peace and the service was not even boring!
A little history of the Protestants in Costa Rica-
The Protestant efforts in Costa Rica happened in the 1880s in the midst of English-speaking West Indians (Afro-Caribbean peoples), who came from the British West Indies to work on the construction of a railroad (1870-1890) between the capital city of San José in the Central Valley and Port Limón on the Caribbean coast. That is why many of the African Americans are Protestant.
