The question everyone keeps asking finally answered in the most depth detail with pictures!
Sunday: It’s our second off day and we were encouraged to sleep in until 10! We were in charge of our own breakfast today, but my team didn’t know that so we ended up eating leftover sandwiches from yesterday’s lunch for today’s breakfast. Then we headed to McDonald’s to get some last bit of WiFi in before giving up our phones for the week. Shay and I quickly got bored of that and took the long way home looking for an adventure, but couldn’t find anything to do. We got home and made some ramen noodles for lunch and decided we wanted to take a trip into the city. So we gathered a group and began the walk to the bus stop. We waited and waited for a bus, the first two that came I had to ask if they were headed to the city, but they were not, so we waited some more. Then finally the third bus came and told me they were going to San Jose! So my group paid our small fare and hopped on. It was a 45 minute drive, but we made a friend who kept us entertained. He was a native Costa Rican a little bit older than us who had lived in London for 8 years then moved back home. He shared some of his story’s and asked of ours then before we knew it we were saying goodbye and stepping into the city. It was so crowded, there were shops upon shops, and everything was covered in graffiti. But it all looked great, it was clean and looked inviting and vibrant. Along all the empty walls were street vendors selling all kinds of things from beautiful handmade jewelry to remotes that went to nothing ( I still don’t understand that but I saw vendor after vendor who just had dozens of tv remotes he was selling). We walked up and down streets, talked with some vendors, and checked out lots of shops. It was a great day on the city and I enjoyed being completely immersed in the culture. Now we had to head home. We walked to bus stop after bus stop looking for a bus that would take us back close to our house. After about 6 attempts I finally found us a bus that said it would take us to the shopping center right down the street from our house. After the 45 minute drive we passed right by the shopping center and the bus didn’t stop, we began to freak out when a nice lady pushed a button that notified the driver to stop and we could get off. Now we were expecting the bus driver to take us to the next bus stop, but no. He immediately pulled over on the side of the highway a let us out in a grassy area so we walked along the highway back to the overpass into our neighborhood and made it home. We were exhausted but we Definitely spent our off day well.
Monday: I started the day with a prayer for instructions from God. For the past three days I had been going to McDonald’s and Walmart and couldn’t stand another day spent like that. I begged God to give me a clear way to serve Him, and sure enough he answered me. After breakfast, more cereal yay, I was laying in a hammock outside bored out of my mind listening in on other people’s conversations trying to find a good way to spend my day when Destiny and I began to talk and I shared my struggle with her. She encouraged me to ask if I could join her team for ministry for the day. I didn’t think it was even a possibility, and couldn’t get the nerve to ask until Destiny got up and began the question for me. The squad leaders didn’t hesitate in telling me that I could definitely join. God answered and I finally got to spend a full day in ministry. We began at a daycare where I quickly made friends with preschoolers playing house. Then we played freeze dance with them and the kids were ecstatic; their smiles were heartwarming. Next we brought the kids inside and sang songs and played games. Then the team split up as it was time for the kids to eat, I left the preschoolers to help with the babies! I couldn’t have been happier to hold the babies and feed them their lunch. After cleaning their chubby cheeks, I helped lay them down for a nap. Then we cleaned up and headed out for our second ministry of the day. We spent the afternoon at a school where we arrived just in time for nap time! I patted backs of kindergarteners as they struggled to fall asleep. Once they had all drifted to sleep I was asked to come help clear out a separate building that was being used for storage. We moved chair after chair and desks upon desks and piled up trash bags full of junk until the room was empty. Next we swept the floor, scrubbed the walls, and mopped. Once we finished the room was good as new. I was so proud of the work I had accomplished and couldn’t have been more thankful to spend the day serving God’s children.
Tuesday: Today was the first real day of my ministry, but that didn’t start until 3pm. So the day began like every other day with an ice cold shower at 5:45 , cereal for breakfast at 6:30, then a half hour of morning devotion. In devotion I prayed again for God to give me instructions for my morning and also to bless me with a great afternoon of ministry. Following devotion, we had team time where we gathered together and discussed some topic questions about our first week in Costa Rica. Then from 9:30 – 1 I was free. The time was well spent. McKenna and I walked to the bakery and I bought an amazing strawberry jelly topped pastry and we became a journey to find a church. After about a 20 minute walk full of good conversation, we found the church we were in search of. It was closed and locked up, but even the outside was beautiful. It’s a Catholic Church called The Immaculate Heart of Mary, in Spanish of course. There seemed to be no one at the church so we decided we would come back Sunday when it is sure to be open. I left with a good feeling about that church, so I look forward to seeing what it may have in store for us. We returned home, had pb&j’s with chips and a banana for lunch then loaded on to the bus to head to ministry. We arrived an hour early, so we helped move pieces of the roof from some workers trucks to the building where our ministry was. That was Definitely rewarding and I enjoyed feeling useful, needed even. Then the after school program, Lifting Hands, opened up so each of us headed to our assigned positions. I sat down the desk I would spend the next three hours behind trying to have a positive attitude. But my doubts were right, I was bored out of my mind. I handed one snack to each kid and wrote down their name (the best I could anyway, I don’t think I spent a single kid’s name correctly) so no one tried to sneak back for seconds. One little girl kept trying to come talk to me and hangout with me, but every time she came to the desk she would get in trouble by another volunteer. That was the most interaction I had with any children today. However, the volunteer who was working next to me sending kids to the class they were supposed to attend, was great to talk with. She actually lived in Austin, Texas for three years and got her associates degree in biology, so it was cool to get to talk to her. Overall, I did not enjoy the time at ministry. I watched my team mates coloring with the kids, playing games, and dancing, all with smiles on their faces while I jealously sat behind a desk. I think I’m going to ask to work in a different position tomorrow. I was Definitely longing for the great ministry I experienced yesterday. But I continue to pray for understanding as to why we have such limited ministry and to find my place in my own ministry, so I will fake a smile and put my best foot forward.
Wednesday: I’ve been living in Costa Rica a full week now. Crazy right? My morning was pretty uneventful today nothing exciting happened. I woke up early, had some cereal, did some devotions, then hung out until it was time for ministry. Now I wasn’t really looking forward to ministry, but I was planning on asking for a different position so I wasn’t dreading it either. However, when we got to ministry the lady who is in charge wasn’t there and the lady taking her place asked for the same person who was the receptionist yesterday to be there today and said that it was important that it was the same person, my heart immediately sunk and I was mad. I stood there as she talked to my teammates about their positions telling myself that it’s not about me and that I need to have a positive attitude and serve the lord in even this tiny, boring way. Then about two minutes after she finished talking to us, she came back over and apologized to me and said that I couldn’t be the receptionist today because on Wednesday’s a certain guy comes to do it. I couldn’t hide the smile on my face as I excitedly told her it was not a problem at all. My whole mood was changed and I was soooo happy. I got to spend my three hours playing with kids, actually interacting, and even making connections. First, I played with two girls who were practicing cartwheels and backbends. I showed them i could do it too and then helped them perfect their skills and began teaching them how to do handstands. After they got bored and left I went and played some intense soccer and become good friends with a 13 year old girl named Maria as we competed against two younger boys who were much better at soccer than us. We had a great time laughing and screaming together as the boys juked us or kicked the ball full force straight at us. Later, I moved inside to the board games table where I made friends with two seven year old girls named Hennessy and Diana. None of us could understand each other well, but we played a great game that was the same concept as sorry, but instead used a board designed like outer space and had monsters as the game pieces and you simply rolled a dice to see how far you would move. The girls loved playing. Then we played a memory matching game and I lost. Then before I knew it it was time to head home. I said goodbye to the girls and they hugged me and begged me not to leave and I promised them I would be back Friday since tomorrow is our off day. I absolutely loved actually making connections and I could not be happier about how well my ministry went. I left full of energy and extremely happy and out going. I wasn’t shy like I have been. I talked to so many of my squad members on the bus and I finally felt like myself. It was a wonderful feeling to be so happy and energetic, I pray that it continues.
Thursday: Today I woke up to a pleasant surprise for breakfast: scrambled eggs and corn tortillas! It was an amazing twist to our usual cereal. It was also my team’s off day so we did not have any ministry today. I began my morning with devotion then relaxed in a hammock enjoying our view. Then, my teammate, Shay, and I gathered a large group and played a long game of spicy uno. Spicy uno is basically just regular uno with extra rules that make it more exciting. We spent the better part of the morning getting intensely competitive in the game. Once the other teams had to leave for ministry, my team and I showered and got ready then headed to McDonalds where we get WiFi. I FaceTimed my family and texted some friends then wrote the previous blog post! Then we headed home for lunch, but before lunch I had to do feedback with my team. Feedback is given once a week with our team: each person is required to tell every person on the team one piece of positive feedback and one piece of constructive feedback. I was surprised with how well it went today since it was our first go at it. Overall, my teams positive feedback for me was that I’m considerate and always have a positive attitude. Now, their constructive feedback for me took me by surprise; to sum it up my team told me I am a natural leader and that I need to recognize that in myself and act on it. I see myself as shy and laid back so it shocked me to hear that almost everyone on my team looked at me as the leader and encouraged me to push myself in my leadership qualities. I will definitely be looking to see the leadership in myself they saw in me and see how I can step more into that. After feedback ended, we walked to a little restaurant around that corner since lunch is not provided on off days. The restaurant serves Pupusas which are a circular bread stuffed with whatever you choose. I got a pollo com queso pupusa with a coke and it was amazing. Then, we returned to the house as the rest of the teams were coming home from ministry. For the rest of the evening we just hung out and inquired about the other team’s days until dinner. Tonight, Xinia (pronounced sen-ya) cooked up some pasta with chicken and red pepper toppings that was delightful. My team was in charge of dinner clean up, so we washed all the dishes, cleaned the kitchen, and swept and mopped the dinning room. Then we returned to playing spicy uno until 10pm which is bed time. It was a great off day spent relaxing and sharing great laughs with my team.
Friday: The morning began with an amazing breakfast of rice and beans with scrambled eggs and a nice cup of coffee. Then came devotion, then I hoped in the ice cold shower and got ready for the day. Next I hand washed all my laundry from the week and hung it on the clothes line. Then my team dedicated an hour of prayer to our minister, the rest of our squad, their ministries, and Costa Rica as a whole. This is something we plan to include in each of our days since we have the whole morning with no ministry to do. Then we had some time to ourselves in which I took a nap in a hammock overlooking our backyard view. Then it was time for lunch; another great sandwich with just a single slice of ham and a single slice of cheese. My team spent the rest of the time before ministry bonding and getting to know each other more. Then we hoped on the bus to head to ministry. It’s about a 45 minute drive there, and my mind raced the entire time. I decided I wasn’t going to ask to change positions because I feel like my position will be impactful and worth it with time as I get to know each kid by name and be the one to greet them and make connections that way. Alas, we arrived at ministry and I found that another volunteer had already claimed the receptionist desk as hers. I won’t lie, I was so great full. I spent the first part of ministry sitting on the sidelines of the soccer game talking to a boy named Leo. Then a girl I connected with on Wednesday named Maria arrived and she ran up and hugged me and asked me to play soccer with her. I ended up playing awhile with her and Shay and a couple of other little boys. Then I headed inside where I made a new friend, a 14 year old boy named Jose. He didn’t speak any English but he enjoyed watching me struggle to talk with him in Spanish and in return he made me laugh with weird noses like a chicken complete with flapping wing motions and squatting to lay eggs. I spent the rest of my time in ministry playing a board game with two little girls named Paola and Raquel. I absolutely loved getting to run around with the kids today and for the first time I began to see how we’re making a difference. These kids are staring to remember us and trust us and connect with us, there’s no better feeling than that.
Saturday: On weekends, we don’t get provided breakfast so I stopped by the neighboring fresh market and bought a croissant sandwich with ham, egg, and cheese, an iced coffee, and a banana. I treated myself to this wonderful breakfast while doing my morning devotional sitting in my backyard over looking the mountain. What a great way to start a great day. Then we loaded on to the bus because on Saturdays we have ministry from 9-12. At ministry today we helped set up a garage sale then resumed our normal task of playing with the kids. Yet again, I was not put in the receptionist position I was originally assigned. So I played some more soccer with Maria and some other boys until I got tired, then we went in and played board games. First, I played with Maria and her little sister Diana. Then I played with three ten year old boys: Harrington, Ryan, and Lisclal. It was a whole different world than playing with the little girls, but I definitely enjoyed it. They were very competitive and aggressive, I put up a good fight but still lost to every game. As they left I met the cutest 4 year old boy named Mateo. He was so sweet and we cleaned up the games and talked about the different colors of things until I had to leave. Then we pilled back on the bus and headed home where my team had our pb&js. I then took my laundry off the line and folded it and headed out to McDonalds to get some WiFi to talk to my family. I spent some time there then stopped by subway on the way home to pick up a good sandwich for dinner. For the remainder of the evening I played card game after card game with my circle of close friends in the squad.
And that is what my first week here looked like! I’d be surprised if any of you actually read allllllllll of those words, but I never wanna get asked “so what are you actually doing out there?” again, at least until I move to South Africa.
