For the first time, I can answer this question for both myself and all of you! During the last few months, I’ve been asked many times about the specifics of service my squad will be doing throughout the year. Each time, I’ve had to deliver the vague, yet standard World Race answer, “It varies, and I won’t know until I get there.” So frustrating.
Because of all the variables that go into each country, city, ministry, and squad, service on The World Race does differ greatly from month to month and from team to team. My impression is that Adventures in Missions’ staff only give information when it is assured and necessary, which is typically much later than I prefer. However, I’m so excited to finally be able to tell you about my team’s first week in Costa Rica!
We are staying in La Trinidad de Moravia in San José, which is one of seven Costa Rican provinces. All seven of the girls on my team share a large room in a compound that is connected to a church called La Iglesia de Dios (Church of God). We are really blessed this month to have mattresses, electricity, warm (too aggressive to say hot) showers, Wi-Fi, clean water, multiple bathrooms and a kitchen. Needless to say, we are being eased into this year, and I’m very grateful!
Our host, Pastor Marcos, leads the church and is incredibly kind and hospitable. He doesn’t speak English, so one of my tasks during the month is to interpret between him and the team. We are the first World Race team he has hosted, so we have a huge responsibility to make a good impression.
Our first ministry was making improvements to an elementary school called Centro Educativo Linda Vista (Beautiful View Educational Center). The kids are on vacation until February, so we cleaned and painted walls, soccer goals, and playground equipment (before and after pictures below). The two women in charge of the school were great to work with, and they invited us to visit the kids when they return from vacation.
We worked at the school Monday through Wednesday, and then we had a free day on Thursday. We went to a beach called Jacó, which was beautiful despite the awful experience we had traveling there and back. We had to take two buses and a taxi both ways and got ripped off from the taxi drivers and dropped off at the wrong bus station. I ended up calling Pastor Marcos to pick us up and felt horrible. Definitely my low of the week. But hey, the ocean is worth it right? (Most of my team world probably say no).
On Friday, we went to Brotes de Olivo (Olive Sprouts), which is a home for kids who have been taken away from their parents due to problems with drugs, alcohol, or abuse. There were ten kids ranging in ages from newborn to six years old. We weren’t allowed to take pictures due to security measures. The kids can visit their parents on certain weekends, but the parents aren’t allowed to visit the home. We had a lot of fun holding babies, playing soccer and riding longboards. They tried to teach us a tag game called Lobo (Wolf), but I was the Wolf and got really into it, so one girl got scared and then a boy started eating flowers and leaves off a bush. So we just quit and gave them marshmallows.
On Sunday, we helped out at the church service. Kate played a bongo and I played piano during the worship set. It was very interesting since they dance, play tambourines, and wave flags. One woman fell on the floor and we’re still not sure if it was an accident or if she was “slain in the Spirit,” since it looked (and sounded) painful. Victoria gave the message to the congregation and the rest of us helped out with Sunday school for the kids. Overall, it was a very lively experience.
Please pray for me as this week we are working at an elderly home and that’s one of my weakest areas! Much love <3
