Costa Rica, Then & Now

We first traveled to Costa Rica in 2002 with Habitat for Humanity. Calling ourselves the "Valentine Brigade" because our visit was in February, we worked for 2 weeks on the foundations of 6 houses. There were, if I remember correctly, 12 of us on the team plus our team leader Mateo. We stayed in a simple rustic place of lodging; it was a former school for deaf children, with dorm style sleeping quarters, bathrooms and a main dining hall in a separate building. There was a small cooking staff that came each morning and each evening to prepare our meals. Lunch was on the fly, at our job sites.

I remember the overwhelmed feeling that caught me completely unaware when we landed in the airport and never fully abated until we were back on American soil. I was made ill by the food, the temperature, and the stress of  facing one more day of being stretched. I was so out of my comfort zone.

Yet, the beauty of the landscape, the sounds and smells, the rain, the sun, and the warmth of the people captured my heart. Despite the constant struggles with nausea and other physical discomforts, despite the pain I was from an undiagnosed rotator cuff injury,(torn just prior to our departure)  and despite the clash of personalities between several of the team mates, I was still so very grateful to be there and experiencing all of it. Especially sharing this experience with my husband.

It was my first time going on an out of the country humanitarian aid trip. We were a mixed group as is common with Habitat for Humanity. Some of the team were staunch Catholics, a few were staunch agnostics. We also had a Jewish family and to round it out, one Christian Reformed, one Charismatic and Bruce and myself, at the time, Presbyterians. It made for some interesting Theology but we were brought together by one common theme: helping those in need through providing adequate housing.

This time I felt much more prepared for the culture shock. In fact I think I can safely say I had no culture shock at all. I knew all about how septic and plumbing works in this country. I knew what to expect food wise and brought my own back up snacks. I knew the people in my group were all born again, Bible believing Christians. I thought I was fully prepared for whatever came our way.

Never think you have it all figured out.

When we went with H-4-H I didn't know what my role would be and I was frustrated by not being able to do a lot of the physical work the job sites required. I hid behind the camera and fetched a lot of tools for my husband. I felt a little guilty about being there, having been sent by other peoples generous contributions, and not feeling like I was pulling my weight. But no one on the team looked down on me. They were appreciative of my documenting each days work.  I found my niche and I did my best to provide encouragement and comic relief.

When we signed up in 2010 to go with our church to Macedonia I again faced that question of what would my role be? I was again struggling with my shoulder (having retorn the right rotator) and knew the physical requirements for the job were not in my bag of tricks. I was elated to learn that my presence as a prayer warrior and photo-journalist were more than enough to earn me a place on the team!

This time, this trip, it was laid out from the onset that I would play the role of recorder. And I did it to the best of my ability. Daily blogging journals, daily uploads of pictures for all our family and friends back home. I was happy to also dig in with sorting clothes for the children and would have gladly helped with food prep and other household chores if it had been asked of me. It was made clear however from the onset that the Tia's working there had a firm grip on the situation and help wasn't really needed. So I happily snapped away.

Someone asked me today if I left my heart in Costa Rica. I smiled but shook my head. No. While the memories of this visit now mingle happily with the first, and the country has its charm, I am and always will be a home girl. And this.... this is my home.

R&R Part 2

Sunday's Adventure: Tortuguero Canal

Tortuguero is located on the Northern East coast of Costa Rica. East Coast as in..... the Caribbean. We spent the greater part of our Sunday there, exploring via the canals. What an amazing place.  It's been likened to the Amazon. We traveled through the Rain Forest of Braulio Carrillo National Park to get to the providence of Limon, where we abandoned our tour bus in favor of a canal boat.

I wish I could remember the names of all the different birds we saw. I wish I could remember all the delightful facts our tour guide gifted us with! I wish I could have taken more pictures!! It was such a treat to just sit back and feast our eyes on all that lay before us.

It was a warm day but breezy and rainy-- um, hello, it's the Rain Forest!! Good thing we're from Washington. But warm rain is much better than cold rain. Still, once you are wet.... there were a few chilly moments but I think my goosebumps were more related to the spectacular sights than cooler temperatures!

For me, the highlight of the tour was the walk through the quaint village of Tortuguero. About 4500 people reside on this island that is only reached via boat or plane. They have their own medical clinic, school and plenty of little eateries. I wish we could have stayed there longer and explored. The beach was the best part. I DID put my feet in the Caribbean Sea but it's not good for swimming.... rough surf, strong currents and.... sharks!!  The beach here is THE key nesting site to 4 different species of sea turtles, 2 of which are endangered. It was not turtle nesting season but it was still fascinating to learn about it.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll stop talking and start sharing.....

our tour guide Jungle Tom did an exceptional job of educating and entertaining us.

ready to roll the river!

better than the Disneyland Jungle Cruise!!

just a few of the scads of birds we saw! the one on the left, wings outstretched is drying his wings.

We went up and down several canals, then beached at the village of Tortuguero, inhabited by approx 4500 people.

Mr. Iguana sunning himself. 

Mr. Green Iguana!

Cute little froggie riding on our boat. He liked Bruce's orange jacket!

the Love-Burkes at the Caribbean!!

Spider Monkey (center) and the giant hairy ball is the 3 toed sloth.

Caribbean Sea Beach~ Land of Turtles.

To Make Sense of it All

Today was my first day back to work. Bruce started a new job (house construction project) today too. Felt like it was a bit of a push to get back into the groove but I think we're doing okay for a couple of people struggling with jet-lag and a tangle of emotions.

Can you ever come away from a (mission) trip to another country without some feelings of confusion? We spend so much time preparing for the trip, and then our time there is so brief in the grand scheme of things. The travel alone takes a huge chunk of the time allotted. A day to recover from travel, then hit the ground running, hoping to cross the language barrier, the cultural differences, the things we take for granted now removed. Having gone on 3 out of country mission trips now, I feel only slightly better equipped for preparing to face the challenges, but I still get stretched in ways I never expected.

The first couple of days at Cherie's home, I watched from the sidelines a great deal. Remembering that the children were adjusting to their new home, that they didn't know us, that they had plenty of reasons to not trust strangers, I gave them a wide (comfortable) berth. I smiled a lot and said what I could in their language but that only got me as far as "Hello" and "How Are You?"  I was content to take pictures, lend a hand where I could and get to know Cherie better.  Bruce was in full-on project mode from the get-go, making his lists for materials, scoping out the work and figuring out assignments for the boys. I never fail to marvel at his self confidence when he is in his work environment. He excels there and it makes me proud to watch him. In return he told me how thrilled he was to see me relaxed and playfully exchanging limited Spanish at the Fiesta that first Friday night.  I must admit, that despite my grasp of the language, I do feel more open to fumbling my way through it. In the past I kind of hid in a corner and froze in fear anytime someone tried to engage me in conversation.None of that this time.  I count that as progress!

Each day allowed the children to get used to our presence, to open up a little more and I, in turn, more willing to make overtures. By the end of the week they greeted me with wide smiles, their sweet little voices trilling as we entered the casita.

I really enjoyed getting to know Cherie. Her dream for the future of Residencia de Vida is amazing and I have no doubt she will pull it off. Cherie's dream began almost thirty years ago. She dreamed of a room full of children, running to her, calling out her name. Since that day, Cherie has prayed about starting an orphanage. God gave her assurances over the years that it WOULD HAPPEN. We were blessed to be there the day the children 'came home' and blessed to play even a small, small part in things.

Again, I am looking at all the work that went into getting us ready to go, the actual trip there and then the trip back home. It seems like a lot of work for barely a week's worth of what we did while there. Sometimes I find myself questioning the sanity of it. Would it make more sense for us to just send money to someone in that country to do the work? Would our money go further that way? Should we stay home and put the money and energy into local charity outreach projects instead of going afar? There can be arguments made for both ways.

There are things we learn about ourselves while involved in a trip such as this that we will never learn if we just stay in our comfort zones. There are tests and trials and stretching and growth that only comes from traveling out of the norm and into the great unknown. What it really boils down to is answering the call that Jesus gives....
Some of us are called to go next door and help the widow who lives there.
Some of us are called to counsel kids at summer camp
or work in hospitals
or volunteer at a literacy program in our local schools.
Others are called to help in soup kitchens,
to sponsor a child in a third world country,
to send Christmas shoe boxes.
Sometimes it's just giving someone without a smile, one of our own.
We are all called to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the way God wired us.
Sometimes it does mean leaving the comforts of home and selling all we have to travel half way 'cross the world to serve for a year or a lifetime..
And sometimes it's just a 2 week stint.

Our time in Costa Rica cost us something and I'm not speaking of the financial cost, though that was great. There was a physical cost as we struggled with health issues, a mental cost as we crossed those social and cultural barriers. But perhaps the greatest cost was emotionally. You find your heart being broken as you learn about the people you are helping, only to be patched back up and then broken again. Day in and day out. Each tear a child sheds is one of your own. Yet the return on investment is overwhelmingly great. And that's something that only makes sense in our God's economy.

T'was the Day After Christmas...

and all through the house
not a creature was stirring
not even my spouse.

Stockings were worn
for the the first time in days
as snow frosted mountains
awaited my gaze.

Visions of laundry
competing with mail,
coupled with jet-lag
has me wanting to bail.

Unpack the suitcases!
Restock the shelves!
It's keeping us busier
than all Santa's elves!

But in the midst of the clutter
way down deep inside
reflecting the mission
with a sense of pride

We did what we planned
We accomplished a lot!
We helped make a way
for Cherie and her tots.

"Mission Accomplished"
We truly can say
God is glorified
When we do things His Way.

~Thank you everyone... for your prayers and love and support during our mission adventure to Costa Rica.~

~our view Sunday Morning, our last full day in Costa Rica~ God's Promise to us all. 

I'll be home for Christmas

leaving soon to the airport and our trip home. Have not had the proper time to write about all we have experienced the past few days but once home I can catch up, post pictures and sort through all the emotions battering around inside me. it's been stretching and growing time for us here and that's always a good sign. Even if sometimes it hurts.

Do You Know the Way to San Jose?

This weekend is our chance to enjoy Costa Rica, to relax after our week of work and mission focus, to play and laugh and see new things.

We are heading out momentarily to catch a bus! to San Jose, the capitol of C.R. and explore! Stay tuned for a full report with pictures later!!

Jueves (Thursday)

Today the work was finished on the sidewalk. Bruce and Jeremy prayed over the remaining 2 bags of cement asking God to stretch it enough to finish the work. God was faithful and there was no need to run to the store and buy more! The best part of finishing the sidewalk was letting all the kids put their hand prints in the wet cement. That will be something they will always be able to look back on and point and say "That's My hand print!" Special moment for sure.

how beautiful are the HAND-PRINTS...... 

I worked with Cherie most of the day, helping her with her blog. I also sorted through the scads of pictures I have taken so far separating out the ones of the kids for Cherie. There will still be plenty of pictures to sort from here till we leave but best to not leave that all till the last minute!

Thunder has rolled across the valley and the air feels heavy and oppressive. Rain would be welcome at this point as this feels like the hottest day thus far.

The children have been playing in the yard, alternating between the wading pool, the trampoline and the swing sets. Also the dogs next door with their 4 little puppies are a huge hit with the kids. One little girl in particular loves to lug those pups around, wrapped in a baby blanket, like a dolly.

Tomorrow will be a tea party for the girls and their friends. While that is going on the boys will be learning some boy scout values. Pitching a tent, tying knots, reading a compass. Tomorrow will be also be our last full day here at Residencia de Vida. (Residence of Life) then a weekend and a day before we fly home.

Not sure what our weekend plans are yet.... most likely some time to tour this beautiful country.

Miércoles (Wednesday)

today's post sponsored by Pepto Bismal, Tylenol and Ginger Ale. 

I am sick.
It's just bound to happen when you travel to a foreign country. You can be careful about the water and places you go to dine and the foods you eat but sometimes it gets you anyway. I would add that the stresses of being in a foreign land and all the things you are not normally accustomed to will also contribute to your well-or-not-to-well- being.

So here I am on a self imposed room stay. Bruce has gone on with the rest of the team... they need to finish the concrete work today. I won't be able to contribute to the ongoing photo-ops, or cookie baking with the girls or helping Cherie develop her blog, but I can share some fun pictures with you!

~~flora~~

fresh fruit!

what you can buy with colones!

new friends

for the shoe lovers (how they can walk in these is beyond me but here everyone wears 'em!)

interesting signage.
that first one says Soda Shekinah (sheekinah: the glory of God)
Christo Rey: Christ the King gas station
A Santa Ad
Walmart Costa Rica
Frog sign in a gas station window

Martes (Tuesday)

Manual Labor

I'm not sure how it started but soon after our departure to Seatac Airport the two boys, Jake & Jordan, were renamed Manual and Labor. It makes sense since so much of the work we are doing must be done by hand. With strong backs and legs, with youthful endurance, these young men pick up the bulk of the haul and tote part of the jobs. With Bruce and Jeremy instructing them they are also learning much about construction.

Jake (Manual) in orange shirt, Jordan (Labor)  discussing maual labor. 

Installing a laundry room in the garage required a trench dug from the house to the garage in order to install the pipes. Electrical wiring needs upgrading in the garage as well. The foundation on one side of the house needs repair to keep the termites out. The stove in the kitchen has not been heating properly and needs improvement to the wiring and hook up. Bruce, Jeremy, Jake and Jordan are plugging away at this list.

Things take longer because some tools are rudimentary. We were limited on how many tools we could bring on the plane. A battery charged drill for example is being shared and sometimes one must wait for the other to finish using it so it can be employed at another task. A trip to the hardware store or lumber yard is never a quick trip. There is the drive into the village, remembering which street is one way (there are limited signs) finding parking (practically non-existent) transcending the language barrier and converting currency exchange in your head to determine if the price is fair. Jeremy and Jake's Spanish is Beuno. The rest of us.... well.... that smile only goes so far when you really need something!!

Today the guys are gearing up for cement pouring. Did you just picture a large cement truck lumbering up the driveway and backing in with it's nice long trough? Think again. Instead we have bags of cement stacked on the porch and the mixing will be done with a wheelbarrow and a shovel and it will be labor intensive.

mix cement and water, pour and smooth....

Meanwhile, inside the house... the Tia's clean and cook and do laundry. There is a washing machine in the kitchen. Moving it to the garage will give more room in the house and allow Cherie to set up clothes lines and ironing board and shelving. No need for a dryer. The sun works just fine.

solar powered dryer

I have been continuing to process the suitcases of donated clothing, sorting girls from boys and divided into sizes. Colette plays with the children, helping with crafts and discipline and also on paperwork that must be tended to as part of establishing their non-profit.

so many cute outfits!

Team Flavor
 Besides having the nicknames Manual and Labor, Jake and Jordan provide plenty of comic relief. Faux arguments where one speaks in an Irish brogue, the other Scottish are hilarious to watch. Last night Jordan carried on a running joke using the word Juan and seeing how many times he could insert it into a sentence. "Just juan more." he'd say as we either groaned or laughed at his sense of humor and cleverness.The drive home in the dark over unfamiliar roads as we took one of the Tia's home, was nerve wracking so the humor was much appreciated.

Part of being on a mission team is learning to work together and live together. there are going to be times when we rub up against someone the wrong way. Those times where Extra Grace is Required. I like the saying "give me grace in the morning and space at night." sometimes I want both grace and space at the same time and I imagine the same goes for everyone else. Today is probably the toughest hardest longest day we will tackle this week since it's cement day and timing is everything. It's hot by gringo standards and reading about the snow and rain back home sounds almost inviting. But a coffee break and chocolate cake is a welcome respite on this leg of our journey together.

homemade chocolate cake and good smooth Costa Rican Coffee!

At the end of this day we sit back with a satisfied feeling for the work we accomplished. We're doing it all for the Glory of God.

sweeping...

wiring....

pouring cement.

till next time....

Lunes (Monday)

starfruit

We have just finished lunch and are taking a short break on the shady side of the house where we are working. A gentle breeze teases my hair as I rock in a homemade rocker made of rebar. A glass of freshly made starfruit juice at my side to quench my thirst,  quite possibly the best juice I have ever tasted, the fruit picked off the tree behind the house only moments before.

The men are already sweaty and grubby from digging the trenches and building the forms for the concrete pour that will happen tomorrow.

Colette and I along with one of the Tia's will be sorting bags of donated clothing and putting them away in the children's neatly organized rooms. Along the way we are all trying to incorporate 'help' from the children, teaching them responsibility along with assuring them of the love and security they so desperately need.

I want to further address some of the questions that I know are on some peoples minds.

PHOTOS:

 As previously mentioned we cannot post pictures of the faces of the children on the world wide web. The reasons are simply privacy and protection issues. Awhile back a mother showed up at one of the orphan homes. She wanted her daughter back. She knew the location because of a picture that had been posted on the web.

She had abandoned her baby girl to the orphanage when she could not care for her but now her daughter was of 'street age"... old enough at 11 to sell to the sex trade. TO THE SEX TRADE!!You can see why a child's location needs to be kept private!! There was man who came to one of the homes stalking the child he had seen on a friend's facebook page.

For these reasons we cannot post pictures of the the children's faces. I must also be careful to not post too many pictures that might give away the location of Cherie's home. Sure, plenty of people know that a gringa lives on such and such a hill in such and such a town and takes care of several orphans but we still do whatever we can to take security precautions to protect these precious children.

So many of these kids have been sexually abused, including most of the young ones in Cherie's care. The behavioral problems the kids display from time to time keep this new mom busy from sun-up to sun-down. The children are not eager to interact with strangers such as Bruce and myself so yesterdays outing with the kids to the swimming pool at out hotel was fun to witness. Today we have had more opportunities to interact with the children and they are giving me smiles and chatting to me in rapid fire Spanish to which I can only smile in return! But they want to learn English and like little sponges soak up the words we share with them.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Someone commented on my pictures on Facebook suggesting we were staying in a resort and questioning the validity of this being a mission trip.  I wish to address this more fully....

Yes.We are staying in a very nice hotel. The owners (Gringo's) have developed a relationship with Jeremy and Colette during their previous visits to Costa Rica before they launched ABINA.. Wanting to support the ministry of ABINA, they have given us a very special price for our stay. Yes, it is a lovely hotel, with a swimming pool and a restaurant. It is a 30-35 minute drive from the hotel to Cheries. Our location is in a safe part of town. We cannot stay with Cherie-- there is no room. I have been on mission trips where we have stayed in dorm style rooms and I have also stayed in motels. The trip Bruce went on to Japan last year, while the 'tents' they stayed in were rudimentary in structure, they were also warm, cozy and safe. Each time we have gone out our team leader has made sure we were safe and well provided for. A safe, rested and well fed team is important for productivity and moral, ensuring our ability to focus on the mission we are there for.

OUR SCHEDULE

We are rising each morning at 6 am, eating breakfast in the hotel dining room (included with our room fee) then out the door and on our way to Cherie's by 8. Our first couple of days were about acclimating to the heat, time change, and recovery from travel. It was also important to see the scope of work needed to be done and develop a more realistic plan and material list. Bruce had a plan penciled out before we left home, based on numerous discussions with Jeremy and Cherie but you just don't really know till you see the job site, how much work will be involved. Already just since the work began  many tweaks have needed to be made as complications and surprises have popped up! We are being tested and stretched. A trip to the local lumberyard can eat up half a day. We put in a full days work, stopping for a hearty lunch made by one of the Tia's and a coffee break usually around 3. We will go home dirty, sweaty and tired  stopping at either a grocery store or a fast food place for our supper. The fancy meals we have enjoyed at the hotel were in honor of my birthday on Saturday night. We really can't afford to treat ourselves like that every night!!

COSTA RICA:

is not Haiti. It's not Honduras either. It's not considered a 3rd World Country but it certainly has its share of poverty and  is in great need. The sex trade is just as prevalent here as in other countries. Beautiful expensive homes share the same hillside as shacks and shanties. There is no welfare system for families to rely on and while you see plenty of little churches there is still a desperate need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be shared. Costa Rica is beautiful, there is no denying this. My heart soars as I gaze out across the verdant hills and I close my eyes with pleasure as I listen to the coo of the Morning Dove. I hang on for dear life as we traverse the treacherous curves of the highway and cringe when a car honks and passes us on a blind curve. And my heart hurts when I see a child who won't meet your eyes because someone has betrayed them this early in life.

MISSION WORK

I think sometimes we develop an idea that mission trips must mean living in huts with the locals and not bathing and exposing ourselves to unsafe drinking water. Occasionally I have come up against a mindset that says 'why are you going out of the country to do work when so many people in our own backyards need it." I have no argument with the need in our own backyards. And Bruce and I have often done local mission outreach and will continue to do so as the Spirit leads. Because in God's economy there are no boundaries dividing me from my brothers and sisters in Costa Rica or Macedonia or anywhere else. In God's plan we ARE ALL HIS CHILDREN. As the song from childhood plays in my head, Red and Yellow, Black and White, ALL are precious in His sight.....  Jesus loves His children.

A friend of mine tells me how she tried to do outreach work in her local area (USA) and was shut down at every turn... you need a permit.... there's already a group doing that..... you're just contributing to their dependence on the system.....
Red Tape can certainly make you lose your momentum... It has become much easier to do outreach work in other countries! Those people are hungry for the good news while in America God has practically become banned.

So.....Where God calls we will go.

Domingo

 Santo Domingo. Holy Sunday.

I was excited about attending Worship this morning at the Iglesia with Cherie, her 'kids' and the people we met at the Fiesta the other night. Despite a definite language barrier, worship, when we are giving it all  to our Christo Rey, is the same no matter what the language! I had also brought the biblia the Gideons provided in our hotel room, which is a Nuevo Testamento with side by side English and Spanish. LOL, too bad most of the scripture reading was from the OLD Testament!

There was nothing lethargic about Worship. A exuberant praise team led us in several songs and even though  we didn't recognize the words or the tune, we still got into the hand clapping, and the presence of the Holy Spirit filled the place. We were able to follow some sermon points because of the scripture readings that were in the NT. Hebrews 6.12 was one, on not being slothful. The service was beautifully concluded with a presentation from the youth group. Set to the "Revelation Song" the youth acted out in pantomime the life of Christ from birth to his death and Resurrection. It was POWERFUL.

We mingled a little after church with the Pastor and his wife. Looks like we will be going to their home on Thursday evening for a gathering. We then followed Cherie to a small roadside cafe where we feasted on food cooked over a wood fire. Simple meals of pork, rice and beans, plantains and tortillas but filling and tasty. We brought Cherie and the kids back to the hotel after lunch and the kids had a blast swimming in the hotel pool with Jake and Jordan. Bruce and I were both desperate for naps but the kids were still splashing around by the time we came down to join them.

This evening Bruce and I walked the few blocks to the nearby market and picked up some things for snacks in our room. that was our supper and we were content. There are no sidewalks in this area and traffic is as usual quite crazy so walking is precarious... but hey. we're from Deming. We managed. And it is safe as far as worry about thugs goes.

Now that we have had a couple days to acclimate. assess the actual work needed to be done, formulated plans and material lists, this week will be about hitting it hard and getting as much done as possible. I have spoken with Cherie about her blog and the need for pictures of the kids for the sponsorship program. I need a little more information from her before I can run with it but expect to start working on that in the next day or two. There are bags of donated clothing that needs to be sorted for the children which will probably be the first order of business for Colette and I tomorrow as the men finish setting up for a concrete pour to repair  a section of foundation where ants and termites are wreaking havoc. Other work this week is installing a waterline from the house to the garage where the laundry room will be set up. It's going to be a busy week and time is short so we will do what we can!

The weather has been perfect. Warm balmy breezes, temperatures in the 80's....  hard to believe it's the middle of December and there are reports of snow on the ground back home. Can't say I'm missing that!

Today is My Birthday

Last night we enjoyed a Fiesta as only Tico's can host. Tico's and Tica's are what Costa Rican's are called. Tico being the men, Tica's the ladies. It's fun picking up phrases in Spanish but there is no way I can string enough words together to make complete sentences and really have a meaningful conversation with a Tica. Still, we try!! Last nights party gave us ample opportunity. Jeremey speaks pretty fluent Spanish, his son Jake is very competent and Colette is picking it up well. Bruce seems to retain what he has learned better than I.... we flounder with our spanglish and smile and use hand gestures... we get by.

The party was much gusto! Very fun. There were about 40 people in attendance  mostly from Cherie's church. Her pastor and his wife are awesome. We are looking forward to worship on Sunday with them. there were many children running around... in fact since we arrived at the house yesterday there were extra kids who came with the Tia's (aunties, which is an affectionate term for the ladies who help Cherie with the children) so I have not yet truly identified which 6 children are Cheries new family! ah well, still time to meet and get to know them.

We had lots of food of course, with a very American flavor... fruit and veggie trays, potato salad, bbq meat and coke. Oh but there was also rice and beans, and the best  fresh homemade pico de gallo I have EVER eaten.... I think I could live off that alone for many days. yum. so fresh. And cilantro grows like grass around the yard and it's spicy pungent aroma permeates the air and makes my mouth water for more.

During dinner Bruce and I got to chat with Cecilia, Pastor Javiar's wife. Cecilia speaks her own version of Spanglish, which is exactly what she called it to my delight! She is a beautiful charismatic woman with grace and humor. I liked her very much. We chatted despite the language barrier with some assistance from her lovely daughter Natalia who speaks near fluent english. Again, hand gestures and laughter transcend the language barrier.

The party highlights were a visit from 'Santa' who brought gifts for the 6 children, and a pinata. This was of course a huge thrill for the kids. The 6 children have been living at Hogar de Vida for many years, knowing that was a temporary house for them. Most of the children in the foster system are not adoptable as either parents have not released them for adoption, yet have given them up due to their lifestyle issues and choices (alcohol, drugs, prostitution) or the children have physical or mental handicaps or there are siblings and the government works to try and keep the families intact. This all makes adoption challenging. So these little homes have been established to provide safe housing for them. Hogar de Vida is one of those places and it is through them that Cherie got involved. She was a Tia there for a long time and eventually the desire to establish her own non profit home came out of her large loving heart. She started working on bringing home 6-10 children about 3 years ago and in the last couple of months things came together very quickly resulting in the children coming home this week. When we planned our trip last spring we had no idea the children would be moving into their 'forever home' the very first day we would show up at the house. But God knew.
This is very rewarding for Jeremy, Colette, Jake and Jordan who have been here previously and have done a lot of work in helping Cherie get the place set up for the kids. Bruce and I are along for the ride so to speak but we still catch the joy and excitement of the moment.

On the way home last night, Jeremy exclaimed that someone had reminded him that is was my birthday today! LOL. I had almost forgot myself. Anyway, he asked if Bruce and I wanted the day off to play and celebrate or did we want to work. Bruce and I thought about it and then took the discussion to the privacy of our room. Bruce wanted to give me whatever I wanted... hmmm, no pressure right? LOL. Well all I could think of was the list of work projects they had planned and only one full week to do it all in. I know my husband and chomping at the bit to jump in whole hog describes his heart perfectly even as he strives to bring me what I need.

what did I need? Easy answer for an introvert whose been exposed to over stimulation since Wed. So it was decided that Bruce would go with the team to work today and the birthday girl would stay here at the hotel and rest. Do I feel guilty? Not at all. I have learned that when I need downtime I need to respect that and take it. Besides this gives me a chance to upload pictures, edit them, blog, send email and ok, read all my lovely birthday greetings on Facebook, maybe read a little down by the pool and allow my body some rest.

While the water here in both the hotel and Cherie's is safe to drink and the food is not over-the-top foreign (rice and beans and corn tortillas, fruit etc) there is still something about travel that can wreak havoc on a person's body.... and I do feel tuckered out!! But as the birthday card from the rest of the team said "Hope you aren't too pooped to party" Well we partied last night so I think a nice dinner out this evening will be just fine!

Day One (and backwards in time)

The Trip Here

I feel like I lost a day. Flying out at 10 pm Wed. night traveling all of Thursday, with virtually no sleep makes today being Friday a bit of a jolt. thank goodness for the excellent coffee of Costa Rica as it provides plenty of jolts in the other direction! I can drink their coffee all day and never experience jitters or bitter taste. but i did not come here to write about the coffee, worthy as it is of good press. lol.

We left Deming around 1pm Wed. making a few stops along the way to pick up other members of our team, drop off a dog with the sitter and enjoy a meal together before heading to the airport. Getting checked in was not without challenges. there was confusion over extra luggage charges and a previously issued credit, tools in checked luggage that got sent on it's way before batteries were removed. (a no-no) then delays as the luggage with tools was searched for.... delays that almost caused us to miss our plane!! it was stressful and hectic and even scary there for a little while but we were praying and it all came together at the very last second. the second luggage issue was being the very last people to get on the plane meant there was no room for our carry on's and we had to check them at the last minute. For some of us that was problematic as we had carefully packed those carry ons for a reason. LOL. how fussy we can be some times. yes, laughing at myself....

our 5 hour layover in Miami stretched into 7? as we had loaded our plane, then the pilot discovered something not working right so we had to disembark and reload a different plane. that took almost an hour then on the new plane an unruly (ie drunk) passenger was escorted off the plane and another delay ensued as they searched for all his luggage. of course it was on the bottom of the pile!!  Oh my goodness. We decided with this many issues before we got to CR it must mean that our time in CR would be trouble free. (so far so good)  there were other disappointments  frustrations and mis-communication that seem trivial and petty in light of today's news of the horrific shooting at the school in Connecticut. It also pales in the face of the big picture of the 6 children that 'came home' today to Residence of Life.

We arrived at the hotel at last thursday afternoon and were all very happy to get horizontal for a few hours. showers and food and sleep and not necessarily in that order. I enjoyed a very refreshing dinner; a salad of avocado and hearts of palm. it was the perfect evening meal for me. nutritious and tasty but not too heavy that close to bed time.

This morning with a good night's sleep behind us, we greeted the day with smiles and anticipation. Did a quick walk around of our hotel, The Adventure Inn. It is beautifully done and yet amazingly affordable. Safe area of town-- always an important consideration when traveling.

We had a few stops to make on our way to Cherie's home. Walmart, the bank, hardware store and grocery. Going to the bank is quite involved. There is an armed guard at the door and only so many people may enter at a time. We sent Jeremy and Bruce in and the rest of us waited in the car. We waited long enough to buy fresh avocado's off a street vendor, find one child's shoe just laying there in the street, which Colette playfully perched on the windshield as a way for Jeremy (our fearless driver) to gauge if he was cornering too fast!!
Finally the men came out of the bank having exchanged our American money for Colones. Backing up carefully to extract ourselves from a very tight parking situation, Jeremy still managed to bump the fendner of the car behind us. Oh, dear! Now despite there being NO visible damage whatsoever, the owner of the car came to investigate. the owner of the car just happen to be one of the security men from inside the bank! Could it get any worse? Well, for $100 in American the man was happy to let us drive away without calling the policia. What an adventure. Just the way things are done in another country.

Finally we arrived at Residence of Life, the home Cherie has established for 'her kids'. She has 6 to start with and hopes to provide room for more in the future. We got a tour of the house and then ate a filling tasty meal of rice, beans, potatoes, salad, and a chicken fajita like dish. Yum. I was ready for a siesta after eating but oh, no, we have work projects to start. YAY for getting started!!

The men, Bruce, Jeremy, Jake and Jordan are assessing the situation  and deciding what needs to be done first. Some of the little boys who have moved here will be 'helping'. This will be fun to watch.

Because the children's identity must be protected I will not be posting any pictures of the kids, from the face forward at this time. the rules are very strict. But I will be taking pictures of the scope of work we are here to do. Today is a low-key day, despite the eagerness to get started. it's a celebration day  for the kids moving home, a day for us to acclamate and get our bearings. The afternoon has brought a cooler breeze up from the valley and perhaps even the smell of rain is in the air. A BBQ is planned for tonight's dinner as part of the celebration. and right now I am helping put up Christmas lights... something that feels surreal in such warm humid surroundings. Pura Vida!

Exhaustion

makes your mind go numb. your patience wane. your body heavy. It's been over 30 hours since I really slept; the naps on the plane and in the airport don't count when you never reach REM or your body jerks awake just as you start to drift away.... add to this the lack of a decent meal, sitting in confined spaces for long -- and I mean l-o-n-g periods of time... and confusion over luggage and boarding passes and the use of the airport admirals' club... plane delays....and on and on and on. LOL. I can laugh now that I am freshly showered and have eaten a delicious dinner. Our hotel is lovely and our room is great. I even managed to post a few pictures on my facebook!

The important thing is we have ARRIVED SAFELY in Costa Rica and I am looking forward to tomorrow's adventure, seeing the sites, meeting Cherie and the children and getting a better handle on the scope of work we will do while we are here.  And of course I want to record in glorious details all the happenings since we left Deming Wed. afternoon. Was that really only yesterday?

To whet your appetite I will leave you with just a couple of pictures, all I have energy left to do....

our home away from home-- excuse me CASA, while we are here

how beautiful are the feet... in Costa Rica...

This Is THE Day!

This is the day that the Lord has made, 

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118.24

This is the day we leave. 

We are packed... 

just a couple things left to slip into our backpacks...

but we are 99.9% packed. 

Sometimes when I have been planning and preparing for so long I reach a point where exhaustion from getting ready sets in. I start feeling impatient and my perspective begins to shift. I get antsy and think "I just want this to be over so I can go on to the next thing" when I would do better to embrace the thing we are about to do with eager expectancy. I laugh at myself when I get this way, shaking my head  at my thoughts, shrugging my shoulders at the impossibility of making things move any faster or skipping ahead. 

At times like this I need to sit and delve into God's Word for balance. A touchstone. A reminder of who I am and who God is and what my purpose in this great big world is. 

Last night as Bruce and I were driving home from the last of the errands I popped in a CD of "A Fine Pair of Misfits" and got "This is for You" playing as loud as we could. This song ROCKS. This song speaks my heart. I share some of the lyrics here with deep appreciation for Sean and Tawni Sattler, the talented duo who wrote, produced and sing this beautiful song.

Let it be for your glory, let it further your Kingdom God... 

Let all I do glorify you; I am yours. 

This is for you, I am for you, I am yours. 

~~~~~

May this be for your glory God. 

My Bags Are Packed, I'm Ready to Go...

Can't help but hum this tune as we put the finishing touches on our final preparations for departure tomorrow... 12/12/12.  But really the song that is playing in my heart is one of my favorite hymns, "Great is Thy Faithfulness."  For once again our great good God has accomplished what only He can do. 

This mission trip has been months in the planning. We bought the tickets back in May when we had no money to buy tickets. God provided the funds. We committed to the trip when we had no idea what December would bring. God opened the doors.  Life has been so crazy with these constant ups and downs that often Bruce and I gasp in weariness from living in a constant state of crisis. Yet God calms our storms, brings us peace and offers us unexpected moments of rest and refreshment. When we think we cannot take another step, face another problem, or manage one more moment of conflict, God gives us grace. It's no wonder my mantra has been one of my favorite verses, from Corinthians.... "My grace is sufficient for you, my power works best in your weakness." 

What a gift! What a God!

And so we head out tomorrow, excited about how God will stretch us and grow us in this latest adventure. We are reminded of the unwritten beatitude, "blessed are the flexible for they shall not get bent out of shape."  I am chuckling as I write this, thinking of the surprises, both pleasant and NOT so pleasant that have come down just in the last 24 hours for those on our team. And it won't be the last of them. Mission trips-- no, LIFE -- has it's moments. It's a wild ride but one that Bruce and I wouldn't want to miss. Good or bad, we are in this for the long haul. 

Our Christmas day will be very different as we will be traveling home after our 2 weeks of living, learning and loving in Costa Rica. Working with the orphans is sure to be an eye opening experience, celebrating Christmas in a foreign country is sure to be one as well. We go with open hands, hard feet and soft hearts. We take you with us in our hearts and look forward to sharing about our adventures here on the blog.