One challenge I knew I would have to face this year, is getting close with our contacts and ministry sites knowing we would have to get up and leave them at the end of the month. I thought maybe I would feel that way with a couple people, or a few kids along the way. But to already feel this way after the first month is really a shock to me.
Our hosts Tony and Rosa have been absolutely amazing the past three weeks. They have such a passion for what they're doing here and want to do so much more. That's why it's kind of heartbreaking for me that we have to leave already and feel like they could use us for another couple of weeks.
They do so much for their organization, Fundacion Resplandecer, in which at-risk teenage boys come and live at their home. They have different classes and activities for them throughout their stay here, and I know Tony is a wonderful influence on all of them. Tony wants to someday in the future build more houses to be able to host teenage girls as well.
Their amazing spirits also flow into the local communities and churches. Rosa has been working with a small town in the middle of the countryside that has been divided and is trying to bring the two families together to an agreement. We had the privilege of working with the children of the rural community two weeks ago. They long for loving smiles, because a lot of them unfortunately were only conceived with the intention of their parents for getting legal papers in Costa Rica. Rosa wants to have monthly fiestas with the children to show them they are loving children to God.
And not to forget all the construction still needed for the sanctuary Tony wants to finish by April. We've been working really hard the past three weeks and it's only just the beginning. Almost everyday we dig out a portion of the mountain to eventually install concrete steps that lead up to the sanctuary site. And we have about 50 of 73 steps already poured that need to somehow be taken down the road and up the hill to the mountain.
I was feeling a little discouraged the other day in regards to not being able to really see any progress we've made. And to feeling like there's so much more we need to do here before we can move onto the next country. And who knows how long it will be until another missionary group comes here and can help finish all their great ambitious plans.
But then a teammate pointed out that we're just the beginning. We cleared out the path on the mountain. We started digging the massive hole for the eventual stairs. We had two fun afternoons with the kids in the countryside.
We aren't going to be able to help to the full potential that we think we have to each month, and that's okay. We are just planting the seeds in our hosts, their communities, and anyone else we come in contact with. A month is only 30 days. And if we give 100% every month, that's 1100% change for our short but long journey.
