Emmanuel Costa Rica Mission Trip

The Weekend!

2011-06-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 17th

Today was our last day working in Estrada, a lot has gotten accomplished over the past five days and it is amazing to see how our building has come along. Since the day before we had finished painting almost all of the building we all took turns with making concrete or playing with the kids. We all felt the pressure of trying to balance work and play, making sure that we gave as much time and attention to the kids as possible while still contributing to the finishing of the concrete floor.

Our time spent with the kids was full of excitement and joy but at times, frustration and an inability to communicate with the children due to the language barrier. We spent the majority of the day in the church since the building was getting the final sections of the concrete floor filled in. The whole day we made bracelets and colored an enormous amount of Disney coloring pages. Several members of the group, including myself, found ourselves frustrated at times because we didn’t understand how the kids could keep asking us for more, until we realized that they have nothing at home, and then we were happy to give them more. We started to see how us being there was positively impacting the kids and how we had built friendships over the past five days.

We later departed after lunch for Puerto Viejo where we would spend two days just enjoying our time together and wrapping up our trip to Costa Rica. We arrived in the late afternoon and we were joyously greeted by air-conditioning and hot showers (at least for most of us). After frolicking in the pool for about an hour, after we had settled in, Joseph found himself being reminded of our cold showers at Earth, when Gracyn, Kelsey, and myself along with Joseph and Buck’s power was shut off, which we have come to the conclusion was caused by every possible light and fan, along with the air conditioning, being turned on. Let’s just say we got a tad bit carried away by the excitement of familiar surroundings that reminded us of home.

That day we reflected about our time in Estrada and on all the friendships that we had made with the sweet children. After dinner we only drove around town, we saw a pack of dogs (which is never a good sign) and decided that night, Puerto Viejo didn’t seem like a good idea.

All of us are enjoying our time together and have seen how we can impact the lives of the kids of Estrada and hopefully have created lasting friendships that they will remember for years to come. We are all starting to miss our friends and family, but the trip is fast approaching its end and we are not ready to go back to our normal lives and leave our new friends and our new found home of Costa Rica.

-Colleen K.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Today was our whole day at Puerto Viejo. After enjoying my first breakfast without rice and beans (although they were still an option) in five days we went to go zip lining. Cait conquered her fear of heights and came along for the ride. It can be seen in the video. We got to fly 300 feet above a raging river and see howler monkeys in the trees. Nick was attacked by an iguana perched on the third platform. Animals in Costa Rica seem to dislike Nick. It leapt a good seven feet from a standstill. The second half of the day was spent at the beach and in the town of Puerto Viejo. The beach was nice. I was attacked by a crab pinching my toes. In town we bought souvenirs for our families and ourselves. I successfully haggled a vender for the price of a stuffed animal sea turtle from $6000 ($12) to $5000 ($10) although by this point I was almost broke in colones so I didn’t buy it. It was very enjoyable to have some vacation time while we are here. Returning to rice and beans was painful afterwards. Overall a great day.

-Ben K.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Today was our last full day in Costa Rica. We started the morning with a nice breakfast (without rice and beans) at Puerto Viejo. Most, but not all of us, were awakened by the annoying, but really cool howler monkeys. All though it doesn’t really matter, the sun rises at like 5 here. At around 8, we took off for Estrada for the last day. We had a morning service there. The church service was very nice even though I didn’t understand half of it. The kids were still lined up outside the church. Even through the dark, they find light in God.

After saying our goodbyes to all the kids, which was very difficult, we headed back to Earth University for our last night’s stay. We had a big group game of soccer and finally had some downtime to reflect on the amazing week that we just experienced.

-Ryan W.

2011-06-17T05:48:00.000-07:00

We woke up early this morning and worked hard, so hard that we were able to leave the job site at three instead of four. It was a slow, but exciting day. We did a lot of concrete, which Buck was excited about because earlier this week everyone painted. Around ten or eleven, all the children started arriving. We made bracelets and colored. We had to set a limit for how many beads they could use, because some would use about twenty for only one bracelet, it was a very big deal for them when we told them they could only have nine. Once the bracelet excitement was over, all the boys came walking towards us all excited, and one had something in his hand. It was a baby parrot, and they explained how it had fallen from its nest and they didn’t want it to get eaten. We told them to put the baby back in the tree so that it wouldn’t die, and one boy climbed up the tree and put it back. The same child threw rocks at a dog earlier, so it was interesting to see him so sweet and gentle towards an animal.

Soccer seems to be the kid’s favorite game here; we have a “world cup” everyday, Costa Rica vs. the Americans. I hate to say it, but they seem to be much better than us, even the five year olds. There was always laughter going on today, from some children starting a paint war with Kelsey or Joseph swinging the younger kids on his arms. They always seemed to have cute little smiles on their faces. Even we were laughing, because even with a language barrier the kids are really funny and precious.

Once we got back to Earth University, it was pouring down rain. So instead of rushing inside to get dry, we played outside for a little while. We slid around in the mud and splashed in the puddles; I was even picked up by Ryan and Nick and dropped in a giant puddle. During the rain, I stopped and realized that even though I really miss my family and friends at home, we are also a family here and how nice it is to be together.

-Maddie D.

Youth Trip Wednesday: Happy Birthday Kelsey!

2011-06-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

Today is my sixteenth birthday and in my family we have a tradition of eating birthday cake for breakfast, because it is very difficult to have the whole family together at once in the afternoon. So my older sister Gracyn bought a pastry and declared that as my birthday cake, which started my day and birthday off with a bang. Which was needed since we had an interesting night with new species of bird called the Ryan Wade. Needless to say the night was interesting.

Once we arrived at the school, we got right to work with the girls painting again and the boys mixing concrete. Of course with our amazing girl power we had the entire bottom half of the school painted before the guys had even finished mixing the first batch of concrete for the day.

When the children arrived we went into the church and taught them how to make bracelets, which turned into the youth member making the bracelets and the children playing with beads. While working today we also had background music and five second dance party every thirty minutes.

One of my favorite parts of today was playing soccer with the children and whenever the ball would fly over the fence, all of the children would run to climb over the fence and get it. After we finished working for the day a few of us walked to the shop down the street and I bought mini malo (which is a kid that follows Joseph around) ice-cream. It made my day when the first thing he did was offer everyone a piece of his ice-cream cake.

To finish the best birthday a girl could have; we were at dinner when the group made me stand on my chair while they sang happy birthday in Spanish to me and everyone in the cafeteria started to tap their glasses.

If I was able to spend my birthday with anyone besides my family, I’m glad it was with these people because they are like cousins that you see all the time, and I love them.

Kelsey D.

Youth Trip Day 2

2011-06-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

The group started the day off with a bang today, my sister Kelsey took her malaria pill before eating which results in an extremely upset stomach. Needless to say breakfast was very eventful. After breakfast we played a rousing game of ninja and for all those who don’t know what this game is it is awkward slow motion karate in which you freeze after moving. Upon arriving in Estrada we were given the task of painting the outside of the parish hall. The ironic part was all the girls on the mission trip were outside while all the boys on the trip were inside. ( even though I was pleased not to be mixing concrete). We painted the entire outside of the parish hall before lunch just in time for children to arrive.

Today we played world cup , USA vs. Costa Rica ,with the children with a soccer ball five times too small with so many little bare feet around us. Not to brag but USA won ten to nine the first game, and the second game we lost terribly. The kids here take soccer very seriously, one tripping Ryan Wade because we were winning. We also had a mystery bug bite/ rash that attacked Ryan after he climbed the fence to get our miniature soccer ball back. 27 bug bites and too much Benadryl later he was exiled to his own seat on the bus until they went down.

While we were all busy playing outside and playing with Ben and Buck were working hard in the building mixing and pouring concrete. They worked nonstop until lunch and then even harder after.

I know I am missing my friends and family back home, but it makes it a lot easier with all these people here. This is not your average mission trip group or youth group. We argue like family and play like family. This is my second family and I love them all for it. I think that is what makes all this so memorable. They aren’t just people you are here with they mean something to you and I am so blessed be able to spend this time with them and experience this with them.

-Gracyn

The floor of the Parish Hall

Painting the exterior

The local children help paint

Painting Ninjas

Youth Group Trip to Costa Rica!

2011-06-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

Today, the first day of our time here in Costa Rica, we worked hard, met many unique people and ate nothing but beans and rice (which is quickly becoming my least favorite food). This is actually my first time out of the country. Costa Rica has been very different. Although I am loving my time here, I find myself wanting to spend time on Facebook, and catching up with friends. Hopefully this urge to connect with technology will pass. Today we did a lot of painting and mixing of concrete. The highlight of my day was when a couple of church parishioners and I took a short trip to the local store. We walked with many of the kids, most who were outgoing, however, some tended to stick to themselves. I met some kids who look to have a shaky past, but hopefully my time as well as my group’s time with these children will help them to find love in Christ and find love in friendship.

-Nick W.

Kelsey in the tropical rain

The group from the second floor of the school

The author, hard at work

On the bus in Costa Rica!

Maddie washes the concrete steps!

Playing with the local children in the field

(look at that bridge to the right - beautiful!)

Friday, Final Day in Estrada

2011-02-18T19:33:00.001-08:00

It is hard to imagine that we have been in Costa Rica for nearly an entire week, but as we look around the site of our mission project in Estrada, it is clear that much has been accomplished. Today's work included the erection of the final fence posts forming a perimeter around the church and school, and we are told that our efforts have laid the foundation for securing this property in the coming weeks.

Our "boss man," Sergio, aligning the fence posts

While the work outside is quite demanding, the relationships among the missioners has grown and the load of each shovel full of dirt is lightened by humor and many hands.

Bishop Hector (crouching) with the digging crew

Likewise, the relationships among all of us and the children continues to flourish. Our departure from Estrada today was especially heartening, as we shared a noon time Eucharist service and a wonderful meal (on fine china) with our hosts.

Joseph and the "Amazing Technicolor Entourage"

The impact of this building project is growing with each trip, and we are all encouraged by the local participation of the parents and their families as the structure takes shape, and its uses can be imagined.

Our departure from Estrada and the accommodations at Earth University led us back to San Jose, where we were again greeted by Bishop Hector and his gracious wife, Sandra. Following worship and reflection in the Diocesan House chapel, we enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Sandra and got ready for the long day of travel ahead tomorrow.

We are all looking forward to our return to Emmanuel and can't wait to share this experience with each of you in person. Thanks for following our adventure and for your prayers while we were away.

Written by: Marcia and Gary Krasicky

Thursday, Day 4

2011-02-18T18:24:00.000-08:00

Hello to our dear family and friends. I told Meg I would do the blog tonight because, as a newcomer to this mission, I had to tell you that I am experiencing a life changing adventure. I had listened to many of the people who have come before, but I now know why they said that it was hard to explain the feelings they have about Estrada. Each morning I wake to the excitement of returning to the village, the villagers, and, MOST OF ALL, the amazing and precious children. Tomorrow will be a difficult day. Lynne, my sister, and I are concerned that the children we are packing to bring back may make too much noise or make our bags over 50 pounds! I wonder if children have to have a passport to leave Costa Rica. Adoption takes too long, and we are having trouble with their parents. Some people just won't let go! Michelle, I am bringing Deyner and we may have to share custody!!

Some of the beautiful children of Estrada

Today was a short day because we were travelling to Limon to visit the school where Rev. Irma Watson is now the principal. She was at our service on Sunday. It was a memorial service to honor the 10th anniversary of her father's death. During his life, he was a beloved person of Santiago. After visiting, St. Mark's School, we visited her church, San Marcos, in Limon. It was a charming and welcoming place, but needs much work. We were touched by the very young children in the back of the church who were learning English. As you can see in the picture below, SOME of the students were worn out!

Sleepy head John and his little buddy

Although we enjoyed our little excursion, we all agreed that we would have rather stayed in Estrada and work and teach. It is where our hearts are!

I must tell you how proud you would be if you saw the HARD work that is being done. I am in awe of our friends who are digging the trenches day after day. I have gone out to dig a few times, but for some reason they hide the shovels. That is fine, because my heart is filled daily with smiles, hugs and little blessings. I can still sweat in the Parish Hall. I must say that the language barrier with the children has been frustrating. It amazes me how patient they are with those of us teaching. We are especially touched by the way these children take care of each other. Each day we leave, I thank God for bringing us to this wonderful mission. As we pass the children on the street, waving and smiling, knowing that they will be wandering around, we see what God wants us to do. Soon, these children will be safe, will learn many new things, and know that the entire building is wrapped in love from the people of Emmanuel Church. Thanks be to God!

Oh, by the way, we all have a great recipe for rice and beans!!!

Written By: Sandy Lampros

Wednesday, Trip 4

2011-02-16T19:11:00.001-08:00

Greetings from Earth University. It's not even 10 o'clock at night and I'm already ready for bed! We had another successful workday in Estrada, and I had the privilege of spending the afternoon working with the (large!) group of children who came to the parish hall for games and treats. The picture above is of two of the children... aren't they beautiful?!

The work we are doing (digging ditches, mixing concrete, carrying poles) is only a small part of the impact Emmanuel is having in the community. The children come everyday with so much enthusiasm to learn from us and experience all that we bring each day. Despite the language barrier, so much love is communicated between us and the kids everyday that I leave with my heart practically exploding everyday. Today as we pulled away from the work site, there were a group of about 7 or 8 kids waving goodbye outside my window of the bus. I opened it just so I could hold their hands and remind them to come back tomorrow. I told them I love them in my best Spanish and they just smiled. Their stories have impacted me deeply and I am so burdened to give them the best I have.

Rest assured that your friends from Emmanuel are making the most of our time here in Costa Rica. When we come together each night to reflect on our days, the heartbeat of our mission shines through, and we are honored to serve together.

Below are some pictures from today:

This is Marta and one of her new friends. She is a companion officer in the Diocese of Costa Rica and my roommate this week!

We had a blast with the May pole today! The kids were hilarious.

These four girls got dressed especially for their performance (an animated dance) around the May pole.

And last, but certainly not least, one of our epic adventures today when our bus got stuck in the mud.

Written by Caitlin Clendenin

Trip 4, Day 2

2011-02-16T18:47:00.001-08:00

So here's the story: the blog from yesterday mysteriously disappeared. It told me that it posted, and then it disappeared. We're all pretty sad about this, but I (Meaghan) am particularly sad about this because there is nothing worse than having to re-write something you have already written!

Because of this inconvenience, I'm going to quickly highlight some of the great parts of yesterday and show you some pictures. The pictures are the best part anyway, right?

We had a great day of work yesterday. More cement mixing which is RIDICULOUSLY hard here. If you want to try it at home, take a shovel out to your back yard and then put your youngest child (ok, maybe your middle child if you still have an infant) in it and then try to lift them repeatedly. Oh, and try to simulate 85 degrees with humidity. It's really hard, is all I'm trying to say. Others in the group were doing still more difficult shovel work while they dug trenches where we were pouring our concrete. Still more of us worked in the building with a massive group of children. They did crafts, sang songs, and played games. We have more and more people at the work site every day, and the mood is joyful.

You'll see that we have posted a video below. The ground we are wheelbarrow-ing concrete over is extremely bumpy and hard to navigate, making an already challenging task even more difficult. At one point there is just a huge ditch full of water. Gary and John found two four inch lengths of cement (like a cement 2x4?) and rigged a bridge for us to get the wheelbarrow over. I felt compelled to try a balance beam routine, and the great Cait Clendenin offered a terrific commentary. I hope you enjoy the video! Here are the promised pictures:

Sandy showing a picture to Ishmael

The kids doing their crafts

Yesterday's craft

The Krasicky's

Mav on the bridge

The poles along the edge of the property

Joseph fanning Lynne off at the end of a long day
And finally, the balance beam routine:

TRIP 4!!!

2011-02-15T05:50:00.001-08:00

Greetings to all our family members and friends back in North Carolina! This is the first blog entry for our February 2011 mission trip to Costa Rica, and we thank you for tuning in to hear about our trip.

For those of you who are reading about our project in Costa Rica for the first time, here is a brief introduction to the topic. Our Parish (Emmanuel Episcopal, Southern Pines) is working with the Santiago Mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Costa Rica to build a school and parish hall in Estrada, Limon Province Costa Rica. The building, once completed, will be called Hogar Escuela (Home School) Estrada. Santiago Mission, and the school, are nestled amongst the banana plantations of Costa Rica. It is an area of tremendous natural beauty, and great need.

This is our fourth mission trip to Estrada, and our principal project will be to construct a fence around the church and school. We are inspired by the contributions of the teams which preceded us, the Parish-wide moral, spiritual and financial support of this important project and the support of our families back at home. We are having a wonderful experience and know that it would not be possible without you.

Our team members are Meaghan Kelly, Caitlan Clendenin, Marcia and Gary Krasicky, John Fessenden, Mav Hankey, Carolyn Giltzow, Cynthia Norwood, Sandy Lampros, Lynne Brown, Stuart Mills and Joseph Payne. We are also working closely with Marta Davis, the companion relationship officer of our own Diocese of Costa Rica.

We convened on Saturday morning early. After a brief prayer together in John Fessenden's driveway, we set off for Charlotte. From Charlotte Douglas we flew directly to San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. We were met at the airport there by Marta, and our bus driver Marcos, and drove directly (with a brief stop for dinner at Rancho Robertos, an Emmanuel roadside favorite). to Earth University, where we are staying.

On Sunday morning we worshipped in the church at Santiago. The small church was filled. The congregation included 30 or more children, many of whom we knew from previous trips. We were made to feel extremely welcome. A beautiful lunch was provided afterwards in the new building which is looking awesome! After a tour of Earth, we ate dinner in the cafeteria, played a spirited game of "Truth, Truth, Lie" (a getting to know you game), read compline together and separated for some private time.

Today was our first day of work at the jobsite. Within a few minutes of our arrival at Santiago, two trucks arrived with construction materials for our project. These materials were purchased with funds provided by generous donations from our parish, and we worked together to unload and store away the materials. A natural circle was formed as we unloaded more than 1300 cinderblocks and stacked them alongside the new building.

We then separated into work teams. One team dug trenches to accomodate the fence around the property. Another team mixed concrete on the ground, hauled it to the trenches and placed the poles in the concrete. Others worked cleaning the jobsite of debris. We also hosted and entertained a group of local children in the new building.

All in all, it was hard but rewarding work. We are impressed by the accomplishments to date, but also very much aware of the additional work required. Over the course of the day we were all conscious of missing our loved ones back in the U.S. on this Valentines Day. We look forward to seeing all of you when we return on Saturday, February 19. More tommorrow . . .

In the meantime, here are some pictures from our trip so far:

The flowers at beautiful Earth University.

Two of the children of Estrada

Cait Clendenin with the local children

The building in its current form

Teenage Mutant Ninja Surgeon

The pile of cinderblocks we moved from the truck

Digging out the ditch for the foundation of the fence

Written by Stuart Mills

Trip 3, Days 7 and 8!

2010-07-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Our last full day in Costa Rica began with beautiful sunshine and a breakfast by the ocean. Due to our late arrival and the rain the night before, we hadn't really gotten to see much of the beach until morning. We planned to meet late in the morning so that everyone could relax or sleep in as they chose. Some took advantage of the air conditioned room and slept in, while others had an early breakfast and went for a walk on the beach.

The hotel dining room is an open room with beautiful views of the ocean and we all enjoyed listening to the waves as we ate breakfast. After breakfast, most of us decided to spend the morning taking an Aerial Tram Tour of a nearby rainforest while a few of us decided to stay behind and relax by the ocean.

We arrived at the rainforest and were met by our guide, Hugo, who first took us took us on an hour long walking tour around the gardens and the serpentarium. We were all especially impressed by the medicine garden and all it had to offer. At the serpentarium Hugo explained how to tell the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous snakes and about ehd ifferent varieties of snakes that are indigenous to Costa Rica. We then walked around and saw a variety of snakes in cages, including a boa constrictor whom we had fun teasing.

After the walking tour we split into two groups and went up into the rainforest on gondolas for the aerial tour. On the way up the cars hung lower into the rainforest, allowing us to see up close the trees, plants, and animals there (one group saw a sloth, one group a monkey, and both groups many spiders and birds). Our guides were wonderful, stopping the gondolas several times to allow us longer and more detailed looks at things. On the way down the cars hung up higher giving us spectacular views out over the forest to the ocean.

After a late lunch at the restaurant we had eaten at the night before (it was so good we just had to go back) we went back to the hotel to enjoy the beach and the hotel pool. A few of us braved the waves and went out into the ocean, though none of us was brave enough to try surfing. We went to dinner at one of the popular local restaurants where we sampled delicious seafood and Costa Rican dishes before heading across the street to TCBY for dessert.

We also socialized with members of a youth group from the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia, South Carolina. Although not technically from NORTH Carolina, Trinity is participating in our companion diocese relationship with the Diocese of Costa Rica. This particular group had been working during the week at the Diocesan House, and will eventually be building a new school in Heredia, near San Jose.

We shared Compline together when we got back to the hotel before going to bed.

We woke in the morning and had breakfast, enjoying our last hours at the gorgeous beach before reluctantly packing and boarding the bus for the final time. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time, said goodbye to our magnificent driver Marvin, and checked in before heading to our gate. We did some last minute shopping before having lunch and watching the Argentina-Mexico soccer match in the waiting area at the gate.

Overall it was a wonderful trip and touched us deeply. I know personally, having been on the last trip in February, I felt that I knew what to expect from the week, but from the moment we arrived I found myself constantly surprised and awakened by new experiences and insights. I feel incredibly blessed and grateful to have had the opportunity to visit this wonderful community and country not once, but twice. I hope that through this blog we have been able to convey to all of you, at least a little bit, how much these trips and the community and people of Estrada mean to all of us.

See you all again in February.

written by Katharine Vess

Trip 3, Day 6

2010-07-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Our last day at Earth and in Estrada began much as the other days had, with a breakfast of rice and beans and a short morning prayer, this time led by Katharine. We arrived in Estrada and were greeted by our work crew and a group of children (some of whom had run to the church behind the bus). To our surprise and delight there were even more new faces among the children gathered and we set about getting to know them and finishing our work projects.

The painters worked hard and soon ran out of paint and so moved on to help with other projects. On the second floor of the building, most of the outer frame was up and so we worked to get as many of the roof trusses up as possible, an interesting and impressive feat without a crane! And of course, we continued to play with the kids, enjoying our final morning with them.

After a delicious lunch, which we enjoyed with many of the children, we took lots of pictures and received lots of hugs before reluctantly loading onto the van and heading back to Earth one last time. After quick showers and a few last minute purchases at Earth we headed out. You may remember that when the group was here in February, they purchased a tree to plant on the Earth University campus in the name of Emmanuel Episcopal Church. We talked with the staff at Earth and they told us where the tree was planted, so on our way out we stopped to visit our tree. It is still very small, but looks good. It is a part of a nice hedge along the side of the road that leads to the main campus.

The main road through the mountains of San Jose was, thankfully, open, after being closed on and off during the week due to mudslides, and we made it to San Jose by 5pm. We stopped at the Diocesan House to drop off Father John, who had to return to Emmanuel a day early for the Bishop's visit on Sunday, and Clarence, before quickly getting back on the road. Unfortunately, the new road to the Pacific coast was closed and we had to take the long way, driving through the rain and traffic for three hours before arriving at Jaco Beach. We checked into our very nice rooms at the Cocal Hotel and Casino before going out for a late dinner.

Leaving Estrada, and all of our new friends there was sad and we were all sorry to go. Saying goodbye, however, was made easier knowing that our connection with this community has been strengthened and that we will return, some of us in person, others through pictures and stories brought back by others who will make the journey next time.

Trip 3: Day 5

2010-06-25T08:20:00.001-07:00

During one of our previous trips here we befriended a student from Earth University named Kenny. This week he approached us and asked if we would participate in one of his school projects. We agreed, and so this morning began with a 6:30am tour of an urban gardening installation at the University. The tour was conducted by Kenny's project partner, a young man from Ecuador called Washington- just Washington. It was great to see more of the campus and learn a little about gardening an urban environment.

Then we set out for Estrada where we worked and played a whole long day. This was probably the hottest day of the trip so far. The heat, and the understanding that this fabulous work week is almost over, weighed on most of us. But as usual, we were provided with plenty of refreshments by our local hosts, and we stuck it out until the end of the day.

On the work front, we painted, plastered, dug, cleaned and generally tried to make ourselves useful. It was satisfying to see some of our work projects near completion.

But the most significant progress made today was on the community front. The children of Estrada arrived right as we pulled up to the job site. We began inside with more bracelets and puzzles (much harder puzzles than we intended) and coloring. As the morning advanced, the kids split up, some helping with our work and some playing soccer in our makeshift field. A favorite activity in the afternoon was swinging Tarzan style on a vine at the back of the church property. This provided hours of fun - for safety's sake, more than a few prayers were required from the sideline. The number of children visiting us grows everyday - to our amazement. We have all been touched to see new faces each day - new kids and, more recently, some of the local mothers.

One of the families invited us to their home - this is a first for us in Estrada. Michelle, Jonathan, and Geoff went with the family into their house for a tour of a typical Estrada home, and into their yard to pick a load of water apples. These were enjoyed on the bus ride home.

After dinner at Earth we met as is our custom to wrap up the day. Clarence led us in a discussion of the presence of God in our project. Michelle officiated as we closed our day with Evening Prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book (these were sent compliments of Meaghan, whose presence is felt here every day).

We have all enjoyed our work week. Tomorrow is our last day of work and we will be sad to say goodbye to our friends in Estrada. But we are also looking forward to our trip to the Pacific Ocean on Saturday!

Michelle and one of the children.

Kenny's project.

The metal framing.

Hard at work!

This week's progress!

Trip 3, Day 4!

2010-06-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

We started the day off today the healthy way, with rice and beans! After a reading of the Family Prayer from the 1928 Prayer Book from Nancy Collins, we jumped in the van and it was off to our favorite town of Estrada once again.

This morning was a little different though. As we pulled up to the church our arrival was greeted by a deluge of children pouring out from the church doors! We weren't off the bus before they had surrounded us with hugs and smiles. Our tasks for the day were immediately split between the building's work and playing with the children. Some of us continued to paint metal framing, some returned to plastering the interior and exterior walls, and some began working with the children in the church.

We have been working alongside a construction crew that has been welding and installing the framing on the second floor. They are a dedicated group who sleep on site and who will hopefully work until the building is complete.

We continue to grow our relationships with the crew, the church members of Santiago, the local children, and each other. Speaking from my experiences here thus far, the trip has revealed to me the quality of the character that exists within Emmanuel's family and within those who are so honored to serve. The day was an uplifting collection of creativity, cooperation, and compassion. We witnessed moment after moment of love and fellowship from the members of the church helping with lunch to our own bus driver working with Geoffrey to gather bread and fruit and serve it to us once it was prepared.

There cannot be a more moving, unexplainable experience of the Spirit then when engaged in this powerful work. I know my own experience of God today was when I drew the portraits of more than ten of the children here. Those moments alone have left me with a larger heart than I thought possible. Every day recharges you for the next.

(written by Jonathan Brower)

Our fine rector, making a bracelet. (Perhaps a nice change from the daily schedule in the office?)

One of the children of Estrada.

Another child is taught how to plaster - you can't see here, but she was very excited!

A member of the construction crew welding the steel frame.

A long hallway at beautiful Earth University.

The volcano near Earth, letting out a little steam.

Trip 3: Day 3

2010-06-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

Walter Morris began our day by sharing with us a reading from Holes in the Gospel by Richard Stearns. None of us could have ever imagined how his choice in reading and prayer would perfectly describe this day. Upon our arrival at the work stie, we were greeted by Donatel with her infectious smile. A few of the children came in the morning and participated in art activities. Joanthan, the resident portrait artist, was a hit. All the children wanted a picture of themselves drawn by him.

We were blessed by the presence of Bishop Hector, Candace, and Marta (the new diocesan liaison who will replace Clarence) for lunch and the remainder of the afternoon. Candace is a priest from North Carolina that recently arrived in San Jose who is discerning her calling to mission work in Costa Rica. They all immediately helped out after lunch with as much work as they could get their hands on! Bishop Hector even showed off his soccer skills to the local kids, they were very impressed as he juggled the ball with one foot!

By mid-afternoon there was a multitude of children running, laughing, singing, and playing carefree throughout the work site. We counted at least 20 children at one time on the work site. As best described by Stuart, we had an 8 ring circus! It may sound a bit chaotic, but it was a well-oiled machine. There was everything from plastering by Geoffrey and Colleen, painting by Nancy, Bill, Ray, and John, steel been prep by Jim and Walter, a vast arrage of tasks by Stuart and Katharine, and much tomfoolery with the children by Michelle and Jonathan.

We are recognizing the incredible continued opportunities that are being presented to us day to day for future involvement in the development with our Costa Rican family. Every day we are trying to incorporate the saying that Marvin our bus driver has taught us, "pura vida", meaning pure life. We are enjoying all this trip is giving us from the relationships that we are building to the relationships yet to be made.

Michelle and the kids.

A happy camper.

PIG PILE!

Bishop Hector, hard at work!

One of the regulars...

Trip 3, Day 2

2010-06-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

This was an outstanding day for our team in Costa Rica and our Parish. We wish that every member of the congregation could see in person the small miracles happening here. This blog is a poor substitute for being here in person, but we hope you will read our blog and try to imagine this important project and the natural beauty that surrounds us. Please consider coming with us to Costa Rica in February 2011.

As you know, we are building a school/parish hall for the Mission of Santiago. The Mission is located in the heart of Costa Rica's banana plantations in the Matina Parish of the Province of Limon. Our parish has donated all of the money for this project, and provided much of the labor under the direction of Clarence Fox, the liaison officer of the Diocese of North Carolina.

After breakfast, Michelle Kaiser led us in a meaningful devotional prior to our departure for Santiago. This was our first day of work and we were all excited to get started. In fact, Colleen Kaiser jumped for joy as she left the bus at the job site. We all felt the same way, but Colleen can jump the highest!!

There were three main areas of activity. One group began the back-breaking process of digging the holes in the ground for the septic tank and field. Another group painted the steel frame for the second floor of the building. Perhaps most importantly, a third group split off to entertain children of the village who stopped by the see what is happening here at the Santiago Mission. We are all so proud of our work product, including the freshly dug holes, the beautifully painted steel bars, and the smiles on the children's faces.

Despite the hard work, there was plenty of time for reflection and socializing among us and with the various visitors, including Daniel Spence, the senior member of this church, and Hubert Miles, the senior warden. Tomorrow, Hector Monterrosso, the Bishop of Costa Rica, will join us in the trenches.

Every one of us has been touched by the efforts of our bus driver whose English name is Marvin. Marvin's principle job is to drive our bus, and he does that wonderfully. But as a volunteer, he also spent the entire day digging trenches and he even took the lead on serving our lunch. He has no particular stake in this project (he is not an Episcopalian and he doesn't live in this province) but his generous spirit propels him to help us in any way that he can, and that is just one of the many small miracles we have witnessed today.

Nearly forty Emmanuel parishioners have now come to Costa Rica to work on this project. Countless others have contributed their time, talents, and treasure. Although we are proud of our work, and take ownership of it, we are mindful that this is a parish-wide effort, and hope that you all feel as proud of this project as we do.

This evening, after dinner, Katharine Vess lead us in a spirited game of Truth, Truth, Lie (thanks Gary K!). Finally, Ray lead our Compline service, a fitting end to a beautiful day.

Nancy and Bill, taking a breather in the church.

Hubert, admiring the work.

Colleen's jump for joy!

Our beautiful surroundings.

Painted steel bars.

The neighborhood around the church.

Contemplative (or just tired?) Ray

The church with the new parish hall being built in the back.

June 2010: The Latest Mission

2010-06-21T12:19:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have been following this for a year now…We’re Back! Yesterday (Saturday), ten Emmanuel parishioners (Geoffrey Brower, Jonathan Brower, Ray Browne, Nancy Collins, Coleen Kaiser, Michelle Kaiser, Jim Pfeiffer, John Tampa, Bill Towne, Katharine Vess) gathered at church at 7am to leave for Emmanuel’s third mission trip to Costa Rica. We were sent off with a prayer by Meaghan and were off (picking up two more parishioners on the way). We were met at the airport by Clarence Fox (the liaison for groups like us and our guide for the week). We stopped by the Diocesan House to visit with the Bishop before heading over the mountain to Earth University, our home for the week.

We awoke this morning to a clean sunny day and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains out our windows. After a delicious breakfast Father John led us in prayer and then we piled into the van and drove to Estrada for church. We were greeted by Father Roddy and several parishioners (most of the people in Estrada had headed out of town to watch the World Cup soccer matches). Most of the service was in Spanish but Father Roddy delivered a moving sermon in English about what it means to take up God’s cross and follow the Lord that moved us all.

Our friends at church!

After enjoying tea and cookies at the church, Father Roddy joined us for lunch in the nearby town of Bataan. We ate at the Pizza King while watching the local kids play soccer. The pizza was amazing and it so much fun to get to sit and eat while watching the kids play, cheering right along with families and friends of the players when a goal was scored.

Father Roddy

Pizza King!

Watching the game!

After lunch we returned to Earth for a tour. Jaimie, a fourth year student from Guatemala, showed us around the University’s organic and dairy farms. We saw a variety of beautiful flowers and plants as well as chickens, cows, pigs, sheep, and a particularly large cricket that Jonathan felt it would be fun to play with. Jaimie was wonderful, answering all of our questions and explaining everything they were doing to develop organic and sustainable farming techniques.

Clarence (the Diocesan liaison) and Jaimie

We had rice and beans for dinner after the tour and then met for reflections and our personal high’s and low’s of the past two days. Father John led us in Compline – it was great to be worshiping together here in this glorious place.

We are all thrilled to be here and are looking forward to getting to work tomorrow, both on the construction of the building and on developing personal relationships with the people of Estrada.

Jonathan and his new Costa Rican friend.

NEW SITE

2010-02-14T19:38:00.003-08:00

Hey Followers! Join us on our new site www.emmanuelmission2010.blogspot.com Sorry to confuse you, but we had to change the site to add all our pics. Hope to see you there!

Trip Two Begins!

2010-02-14T05:58:00.000-08:00

It has been seven months since the first group from Emmanuel boarded a plane and headed down to the beautiful country of Costa Rica to meet our friends from the Sanitiago mission in Estrada. Now, in February of 2010, four veterans from the first trip and seven new folks have returned for our second mission trip. Let the record show that February is a fabulous time to leave cold North Carolina for Costa Rica.

That said, the cold North Carolina weather did provide our first challenge of the trip when it brought us a dose of snow the day before we were leaving. Our initial itinerary was to meet at the church at 3am the morning of the 13th (Saturday) and head to RDU to catch our 6am flight. But then the weather reports started to indicate that the snow would start mid-afternoon Friday and continue all night, making a 3am drive potentially dangerous. Fortunately our group was feeling flexible, so we were able to drive up Friday and spend the night at a hotel just down the road from the airport. We met up in the lobby at 4am and began our journey southbound.

Though Costa Rica isn't actually that far away, it ends up being a very long day of travel. We flew to Houston where, thanks to a delay in our first flight, we had only enough ttime to get a snack before boarding the second flight. We finally arrived in Costa Rica at about 1pm (2pm EST). It took a while to get our things together, go through customs, and change over some money, so about an hour later we met up with Clarence (the liaison from North Carolina for mission trips), Bishop Hector, and our bus driver for the day - Olger (pronounced Ol-hair).

After a greeting from the Bishop we were on our way to Earth, the university where we are fortunate enough to stay on these trips. It took almost two hours to get out of San Jose and through the rainforests to Rancho Robertos, the excellent restaurant where we had lunch. Then another 40 minutes or so down the road to Earth. We arrived at dusk, oriented ourselves to our rooms and the campus, and succomed to our fatigue and went to bed early.

It's now Sunday morning, and we woke up to the sound of soft rain outside and the chirping of birds. We've had breakfast together, and we're waiting for a 10am bus to take us to Estrada where we will attend church at Santiago. After church we'll work for the afternoon, mostly preparing for a week of plastering the walls. The good news of this trip so far? There's rumors of a mixer. (Jennie, Clarence especially wanted you to know that). We're excited to see our friends in Estrada, and to begin work. More updates to come after that!

Below are some pictures of the group as we got off the plane in Costa Rica. The only person missing is our fine Junior Warden Gary Krasicky, who had the foresight to take the pictures in the first place. Thanks Gary!

Oh, and a special note. We were sad to learn at the last minute that Sandy Lampros could not join us on this trip because of some family issues. It being too late to get a refund, we searched for someone that would be willing to come to Costa Rica with virtually no advance notice. Amazingly, we found someone. So thanks to Katharine Vess who packed her bag, threw her passport in it, and joined us for the trip! And Sandy, we miss you.

Without further ado, our group:

Martha Parsons

Okay so it seems like we're experiencing some technical difficulties with this blog. So I'll have to list the other folks instead of showing the pictures. Sorry about that! Our other folks are Fred and Carolyn Giltzow, Katharine Vess, Gary Krasicky, Cynthia Norwood, Bob Ward, Ray Brown, Stuart Mills, Mav Hankey and Meaghan Kelly. And pictures or no, we're having a jolly good time!

Day 6!

2009-06-22T14:31:00.001-07:00

Our group in our trip t-shirts!

Friday morning we returned to our work site for our last (half) day of work. We were scheduled to work until 12pm, then have a Eucharist with some of the people from Santiago, then have lunch, then head to the beach.

Our task for the morning was making more concrete, only this time there was something a little more exciting in store for us. The crew chiefs had placed the rebar pieces into parts of the trench, and the cement we were mixing was being poured on top of the pieces of rebar to hold them in place. It wasn’t exactly a wall or anything, but it was great for us to see part of the construction beginning before we left Costa Rica. We worked hard, mixing concrete, shovelling, and more, and our church service started a bit on the late side.

The back-breaking work of mixing concrete.

Ray, helping put the rebar in place.

What the base of the rebar looks like before it goes in the hole.

Martha and Lauree, taking an important break to tree climb.

After the work, Meaghan and Father Allen, one of the priests that helps serve at Santiago, led the service together. The first part of the service was in Spanish, with English readings from members of our group. Meaghan preached a short but moving homily, with translation help from Hubert, the exuberant! The Eucharist followed in English. The experience of gathering in that beautiful and simple church, with our new friends from the Santiago Mission raising their voices in song with us was very meaningful for everyone present. Just outside we could see our work from the week, but what we realized was that even more important than the physical structure we have to show for ourselves, the relationships that we have formed with the people in Estrada is the most important thing that we will take away from here.

After the Eucharist we ate one final meal with our friends in Estrada, and piled into the bus, dirty and tired (as usual) to head to the beach. We stayed the night in Porto Viejo, which is on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Our hotel was called Cariblue, and when we arrived we momentarily forgot about our tired bodies as we headed over to the beach to laugh and play in the huge waves. After the beach we enjoyed more water time in the hotel pool before cleaning up for dinner.

Meaghan preaching while Hubert translated.

Michelle and the kids taking communion.

After the service we enjoyed a meal out together and spent only a little time walking around Porto Viejo before heading back to the hotel for another much needed night’s rest. Some of us have found ourselves missing the digging a bit, though we are very grateful to have the chance to enjoy each other’s company on the coast in Costa Rica!

Our hotel in Porto Viejo!

Day Five!

2009-06-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

Our day began with a visit to a local high school. We met the principal of the school, and he explained the educational system of Costa Rica. The kids were very excited to have visitors and show off their school. There are 550 children at the school, and they have a new facility. When the principal came seven years ago, he had 200 students in one old blue building with no air conditioning. They now have a computer lab, and know that learning computer skills and English is their ticket to a better future. Here are some pictures of the morning:

The school is 5th through 12th grade. This is the old building.

Our group, waiting to meet the principal.

Huberth, a member of the Santiago congregation and a retired teacher.

Huberth and the principal.

More pictures of the kids - they were happy to have their photos taken!

After leaving the school, we went back to our work site at Santiago, and were given new assigments to hand mix on the ground concrete, scoop it into wheel barrows and haul it to the site. The pictures are self-explanatory.

After many mixes of concrete, we ended the day with a fun session with all the local kids who had been hanging around in the trees and watching our progress. They have been the bright light of this trip. Lots more pics from today are below!

The work site progresses - note some gravel is at the bottom of the trench now.

A water break for tired workers.

Joanne continues to paint, and Daniel admires her work.

Filling in the trenches with gravel.

It was heavy.

A wheelbarrow full of concrete!

LIFT!

George, our general contracter. (His t-shirt reads "Too Blessed to be Stressed")

One of the neighborhood children.

Singing and dancing at the end of a long day!

The kids on top of "the mountain!"

Blog written by Joanne Kilpatrick

Some odds and ends...

2009-06-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

While we´ve told you about our work and the days we´ve had here in Costa Rica, we thought we could also add a little more information about some of the other aspects of this trip. We want you to have the full picture! So here´s some stuff we haven´t fully explained...

EARTH:

We are lodging at Earth University, which is a large school about 50 minutes from the church in Estrada. The students come from all over the world and study sustainable agriculture. The rooms where we are staying are quite nice, and while there is no air conditioning, it´s quite cool at night. We eat our breakfast and dinner in the cafeteria here with all of the students, and the food is great! There´s also a small store where we can get snacks at night. The school has a pool and recreation area (though the pool is kind of buggy), AND they do our laundry for a small fee! That has proven invaluable after the long hot days. Here are some pictures of the campus:

The Heat:

Um, it´s pretty hot here. Not Sahara Desert kind of hot, but still the kind of heat you´d rather not be digging in. We thought the bugs were going to be our biggest enemy, but it´s definitely the sun - the bugs aren´t actually that bad. We´re pretty amazed with ourselves and how... special... we look at the end of each day. You may not want to see these, but here´s some pictures to prove it. Meaghan´s sunburn after day 1 with lots of block on, and Michelle, still sweaty after spending over an hour in an airconditioned bus.

The Work:

I know we´ve told you about the kind of work we´re doing, and you´ve seen the pictures. Our writers up until this point have been extremely gracious and positive when they have talked about our digging experience. But we need to tell you, digging this foundation is HARD WORK. We get to the site at about 8:30am, and we dig until about 4pm, and we are shoveling heavy, clay-filled dirt and heaving it up over our heads onto huge piles of dirt. There are moments throughout the day when we are all certain we can´t possibly lift one more shovel of dirt, but something will keep us going - the laughter of the children that will someday enjoy this building, an icecream break, or good conversation with the other members of our group. By the end of this week, we will have done nothing but dig. One of our work project leaders told us today it would take five of his men 15 days working from 5am to 5:30pm to finish this work if we hadn´t been here. That makes us feel pretty good. It´s hard, but gratifying, and we keep joking about how important a firm foundation is for a building. Here are some of the less glamourous pictures of us working in the trenches:

The Children:

We´ve mentioned them in our other blogs, but we are completely enamored by the children in the neighborhood. They approached us tentatively on the second day, and we enjoyed a game of soccer with them. This morning they came to the site more quickly, and there were more of them. They brought more of their friends thoughout the day, and they watched us work, followed us to the store, played with us, and sang with us. It´s so meaningful to spend time with them with the hope that they will enjoy the building that we are helping to provide. In our tough and tired moments, it´s impossible not to be uplifted by their beautiful faces...

Day Four!

2009-06-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

It has been four days after TV died in our hearts. Food has become scarce, other than beans and rice. A few of the crew members have started a streak of beans and rice at every meal, Stuart seems to be in the lead with 11 (Sunday lunch through Wednesday dinner).

Today began with the usual breakfast followed by an uneventful bus ride to the work site. When we arrived we were happy to find that the trenches had not been refilled. We happily began work and had some happiness. As we began work we were filled with a great sense of being happy. J

However we were filled with a tremendous sense of sadness as we were informed that we needed to dig 12 six foot deep 2x2 holes in our trench. Sadly this was yet the beginning of a series of unfortunate events. I personally was digging my trench (effortlessly of course) (I am Ben Kaiser) when I was informed sadly that the extra hole for the trench was an extension of the corner and not just a deeper corner. L

We spent the next two hours digging down the extension to the depth of the regular trench. This was difficult to do and balance yourself so as to not fall into the trench. It was slow going but the camaraderie helped to pass along the time.

One bright spot was our hired help. He arrived about three hours into work and set into one of the corners. After about thirty minutes, I looked over and was discouraged to notice that he had already matched my days work. He was a great help and continued at the same pace to finish his corner.

Joanne spent the morning painting a beautiful painting of the church.

At lunch time we were again greeted by Mrs. Spence and her daughters armed with delicious rice, beans, potato salad, plantains, and meat. After lunch we gave “El Obispo” the hospitality gift we brought him. In return, he delivered a speech on the missions of the Costa Rican diocese, and gave us wooden cross necklaces. The bishop was a speedy worker and helped us the “hole” day.

The Bishop speaking with us at lunch. Bishop Hector taking a break from digging.

The afternoon was more of the same. The greatest excitement came when we struck water in one of trenches. It was a thrilling sight to see that we had finally dug to the water table. This fun lasted us until Meaghan and Michelle began playing with the youth of the neighbourhood. We were filled with joy watching them sing and dance.

Another highlight was when we walked down to the local store and had ice cream treats.

The rest of the day passed without incident and we headed back to Earth tired and dirty. We showered and headed to the cafeteria for another delicious dinner.

We are thankful for another safe day at work and look forward to tomorrow.

Written by Benjamin C. T.V. Kaiser and Nick Kruyer

Day Three!

2009-06-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

Today was a wonderful day for several reasons. When we made it to the church our tools were there, those that were helping with the build were vibrant and we had a visit from the best supervisor, Daniel Spence. It is a joy to be in the presence of a man like Mr. Spence. Very supportive and always willing to share a story or some history of the area, like when we dug up a miller stone and found out a sugar mill was in the area many years back. The foundation that we had begun digging the day before did not seem as deep as when we last left it, but by the end of the day we had three- fourths of it dug out and not much of a fourth left for the next day.

Mr. Spence, helping with the digging.

Many of us retained our duties as diggers and Ray Brown got promoted to shaping rebar for the concrete that was arriving for the foundation. Everyone had a role to fill knocking down the soil we were piling in the middle so more may be added, cleaning up the side walls of the trench so it would be the right width, or generally helping anyone that needed an extra hand while they were shovelling.

Ray, working the rebar.
Mrs. Spence provided lunch for us again today. We enjoyed rice and beans for a change rather than beans and rice which are the staple food of the area. She also provided a treat of a wonderful drink that was part tea and part lime, which at the time was manna from heaven for a thirsty body.

Mrs. Mavis Spence, our amazing cook!
The group enjoying the lime iced tea.

In the Episcopalian sense of community fellowship some of the younger missionaries took a break from the trenches and reached out to the youth of the area by playing soccer. In my opinion, hearing the laughter of kids lent some energy to the work we were doing and a reminder of what we are partly here for and the duties we are performing.

Playing soccer with the local children.

After a day of thorough work we returned to Earth (I still smile at that phrase) had dinner and recouped by taking a swim or just enjoyed kicking up our feet.

Written by Jason Davis

Fernando, our bus driver, tour guide, laborer, travel agent, and much more...

(A quick note to readers: We´re having some small difficulties with the Costa Rican computers. Sorry if the blog looks sloppy!)

Day Two!

2009-06-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

Santiago Mission, Estrada

Today was our first day working in Estrada at the church of Santiago. Well rested from a good night sleep in our very comfortable accommodations, we set off to the church. The church is beautiful, simple with big screen windows showing a view of the luscious greenery surrounding the church. Waiting for our equipment, we sat in the church and got to know some of the local parishioners.

Our group, before we started digging!

When our equipment arrived we started digging! Our work for the day consisted of just that; digging a trench of questionable size (the local contractors keep changing the measurement). The building we are constructing is designed to be a school on the top floor for children of the banana plantation with the bottom floor being used as a parish hall. Right now, it consists of a trench… not quite finished.

Daniel, breaking ground.

Michelle and Sarah (author of this blog entry), talking and digging.

After coming back to a much needed shower and a delicious dinner, (rice and beans again!), we had a group chat. We reflected on the day, discussing our favorite moments and our digging.

Fernando, our multi-faceted bus driver, is also worthy of notable mention. He has become bus driver/translator/tour guide/worker/friend! Always laughing, Fernando has led us through our trip, even helping with the seemingly unending digging.

So far, the trip has been extremely rewarding. Hard labor, but rewarding labor, we have gotten lots of work done and are hoping to see the end of the shovels tomorrow.

Jennie, drinking coconut milk on a well-deserved break.

Below, our almost-finished 100 cm trench.

Costa Rica, Day 1

2009-06-15T17:20:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Earth University in the Límon Province of Costa Rica!!

Our trip began today at 4:15 am with a prayer outside Emmanuel. There wasn’t a lot of traffic at that hour, so we circled up in the middle of the road and Meaghan led us in a prayer to thank God for the opportunities that lay ahead.

Our team consists of Meaghan Kelly. Michelle and Ben Kaiser, Lauree, Nick and Sarah Kruyer, Kirby and Joanne Kilpatrick, Jason Davis, Ray Brown, Jennie Rose, Martha Parsons and Stuart Mills.

After a quick dash to the airport, we met at the gate and waited for our first flight. While waiting we became aware that there were mission trips from other area churches leaving on the same flight – one for Haiti and one for Jamaica. It was exciting to see that others are also inspired to reach out to communities less fortunate than our own, and that we all seemed to be leaving on the same flight.

Martha Parsons immediately bonded with a group from Wilmingotn, NC – they were on their way to Haiti. Here is a picture of Martha and some of her new friends:

We departed on time from RDU to Miami, and made our connection to Costa Rica with no problems.

At the airport in San José Costa Rica we were met by Bishop Hector Monterrossa (“El Obispo”) of the Episcopal Diocese of Costa Rica and Clarence Fox, the Liaison Officer from our own diocese who has recently relocated to Costa Rica to assist with North Carolina mission trips such as hours. Clarence will spend the week with us in Límon. We hope to see El Obispo later in the week on the worksite. Here are pictures of Clarence and El Obispo (the Bishop is wearing purple):

About 1pm Costa Rica time (which is 2 hours ahead of Eastern Standard time), we left the airport for a drive through the rainforest in our trusty bus. After the rainforest we stopped for lunch at Rancho Robertos:

The food was great, and we set off in a well nourished state for Earth University where we will be staying for the week.

Unfortunately, we soon discovered that our first bus was not as trusty as we thought. We spent some time on the side of the road waiting for a replacement. While waiting we engaged in a lively game of Apples to Apples (thanks to Sarah Kruyer for providing the game for us). Here are pictures of our smoke filled bus and our roadside entertainment.

(Michelle was really not this upset.)

After a couple of hours, our driver (Fernando) procured a new bus, and we were on our way again. Everyone’s spirits were so high that the bus incident was taken completely in stride. Still, were all happy to arrive at the Earth University.

We are truly looking forward to beginning work tomorrow on the school/parish hall for the Santiago Mission in Estrada, Límon. There were many highlights to the day, including the safe travel, the Bishop’s presence and kind words upon our arrival and the game played roadside while we waited for our new bus.

None of this would be possible without the support of many many people of Emmanuel Parish, not to mention the grant from the St Lukes Foundation.