The journey has begun! First stop Costa Rica. We are staying with a missionary family on the Irazu volcano near the town of Cipreses at 6000ft above sea level. They are a very welcoming family and we are all so excited to spend time with them and be involved with their ministries.
This is where we are staying
They are involved in many different ministries it this area of Costa Rica. They hold bible studies and minister and encourage women in the villages around them. We have really felt on top of the world here on this volcano.
My team Kristy, Ciera, Danae and me
on top of the world!
They also are connected with an orphanage in Cartago. Victor and Melba are the parents at the orphanage and accept children and treat them as their own. There are kids who come to the orphanage initially in poor condition, starved, abused, and many have mental disorders, but they are always accepted and loved as their own. They have taken in 93 children over the last 35 years. The children are allowed to stay in the house until they are married (this is how a typical Costa Rican home would be), and are not forced to leave at the age of 18 as they would be at the Government orphanages. The orphanage started in a small house and currently with 39 children (from baby to 27yrs) in this orphange it was very cramped and there was not much space for the children. Just recently this orphanage was GIVEN a home to live in with a large yard for the children to play in, and a hotel donated and built a kitchen and eating area for the family outside, as well as towels embroidered with the name of each child, so everyone is able to have their own towel. This family has lived with great faith in God, and they truely show that God provides. It is so amazing to see others love so unconditionally.
We were able to spend some time at the orphanage and meet the children, and will be going there again very soon. There is a little girl in this orphanage who first came to Victor and Melba severely abused by her father, legs broken, and burns on her body. She was able to be sent to the USA to have surgery to reset her legs and is now able to run, jump and play as the rest of the children do. She is a beautiful and amazing girl, who always has a bright smile on her face.
Danae and Anita
We have also been involved with giving time to a private school here where our host Courtenay works, giving extra help in classes by aiding grade one students in reading. Another project we have been involved in is doing a wall mural on the outside of the primary wing! We are bringing life and colour to a once bare wall. Cierra (on our team) is an amazing artist and has planned and drawn out two separate murals and we are just about finished doing that!
(clockwise left – right) Danae, Kristy, me, Jessie & Ciera
A few more random things with Costa Rica that we have learned so far….
1. When Ticos (a term for the Costa Ricans) get gas, they choose an option of full, or full full! Our first experience at a gas station involved watching a man and gas attendant shake a car, put more gas in with the tip of the nozzel barely inserted, then shake it again and try to add more gas, and this continued for a few minutes.
2. Calla Lillies grow in the wild here! They are so beautiful. Our hosts told us that the owners of the property view them as weeds and cut them down, because they will sometimes grow out of control.
3. People here are generally healthy. We constantly see cyclists heading up to the top of the volcano. From where we are staying it is a 1hr-2hr drive to the top!
Anyways, this was just a little update for you all!
