Puerto Rico: Isla del Encanto

God blessed us with the opportunity to minister and visit the charmed island of Puerto Rico during the Holy Week from April 4-13, 2009.

The people are hospitable, warm-hearted and loving. The family that we first visited greeted us with Mi casa, su casa (my house is your house) and treated us as family. We were served dinner and it was delicioso as Pastor Gabor would say to our hosts every evening. Each family served us Puerto Rican food, coffee and dessert. They are unassuming and generally happy people. Maybe because they are believers but we can sense that the people generally love life; they have the confidence and pride of being Puertorriqueño (native of Puerto Rico). They are a beautiful blend of culture and are proud of their heritage.

The beaches we visited were beautiful with one area connected to the Atlantic Ocean and another part with the Pacific Ocean. The waters are gloriously colored with clear blue and green, down to the white foamy shore. The monkey island that is usually featured in the movies looked majestic from the shore.

They have a good anti-pollution program and the skies are beautiful as pollution is not a problem. The weather is fine. They said it gets hot in summer but at the time we were there, it was like spring and autumn. The place was also a blend of greenery on side and a gradual browning of the environment as we passed by the dry area. We were able to see and appreciate pockets of auto-combustion – what an experience! If it happened in the USA, a forest fire would have engulfed the area and would create a problem. Truly the island is charmed as even with strong winds and storms it has spared the catastrophe that have hit the USA.

The scenic beaches and the mountain views are very refreshing. Their awesome historical forts, places and buildings are well-preserved. They all have stories to tell and bring nostalgic moments and memories back to life. The pace of life is laid back compared to the fast tempo in the Metro Washington, DC area but the conveniences like the eateries, hotels, department stores, supermarkets, outlets, entertainments and sports like golf are there.

1. Fresh milk is boiled before it is mixed with coffee, is the way they drink their coffee. If you know the reason why it is done, please email Pastor Gabor at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Pastor Pagan has an explanation that we are keeping as of now. By the way, try it, it’s an experience that we are doing daily now in Maryland.

2. If you are proud of your heritage and where you come from, you will not have identity confusion as to who you are even if you are in the cosmopolitan world. Puerto Ricans are proud to be Puertorriqueños and much more to be believers of Christ.

3. NEWS gives you an update of what is happening in the world from the North, East, West and South. Be sure you have told someone of the Good News (2 Timothy 4:2)

Lastly, we would like to specially thank Rosa Vasquez a big-hearted lady who shared her condo unit with us. To every one, we thank you and God bless you all!


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