Costa Rica 2019 - Day 7

Hola! 

It's Laura and Jeremy here and we're here to tell you all about our adventures on Sunday.

We started the morning eating breakfast at our beautiful hotel complete with a suspension bridge! The bridge overlooked the Colorado River (different river) and was scary but so cool! We were then on our way to zip lining, but not without a few hiccups. On our way to La Fortuna we found ourselves right in the middle of a bike race! We were stopped a few times, once for about a half hour, to let the bikers pass through. The entire drive we were passing and driving alongside these bikers. We had fun cheering them on! We stopped at a bakery for some treats, had a delicious buffet lunch, and then finally arrived at zip lining. A few of us went to a nature preserve for a guided tour to look at some animals, sloths included! The rest of us braved the heights and had a blast zip lining. We lucked out with the weather and only had a bit of rain despite down pouring just an hour before we got there. 

Exhausted from a fun afternoon, we headed to Sarapiqui to camp out in our platform tents. The tents have beds, an attached bathroom, and a covered outdoor deck overlooking the forest. It poured, lightening and thundered all night making for a beautiful evening in nature. We stayed dry and enjoyed another great Costa Rican dinner, good conversation, and a round of Farkle, a dice game in which Mike destroyed us all, though Mau had a promising come back. Falling asleep to the rain and distant flashes of lightening was so serene and the perfect end to our Sunday.

Submitted by Laura Gay

Costa Rica 2019 - Day 6

Costa Rica - Day 6

Today we left Nosara and drove NE to a National Park called Rincon de la Vieja.

We hired a guide Hugo who led us on a 3 hour hike. We learned about different species of snakes and other animals indigenous to Costa Rica. We even saw a rattlesnake and lots of little green lizards.  There were lots and lots of stairs which we divided and conquered. We also learned about the 4 different types of tropical forests. Cloud forest, Rain forest, moist forest and dry forest. We saw a bunch of Killer trees that latch onto healthy trees and kill them by blocking the sun to the healthy tree. As we were leaving we saw a group of white faced monkeys. We survived the hike after spotting the rattlesnake.

After the hike we checked into our hotel called Canyon de la Vieja Lodge.  Some of us went to the pool and others took hot showers for the 1st time this week due to water was cold from previous hotel. BRRR!

We are enjoying a great meal at the hotel restaurant.

Submitted by Jean Hepner

Costa Rica 2019 - Day 5

Costa Rica Friday  - Day 5

Today was the dedication of the houses we built. It was a very emotional and moving experience, and tears were flowing as the families expressed their gratitude in having their dreams fulfilled.  The strength of their faith in God brought them to this day. One of the mothers, Jorlenis, shared her joy and gratitude with such passionate conviction that she and husband will be able to raise their family in a new, dry and secure home. She invoked God's blessings on our Lombard team and we definitely felt filled with God's graciousness. 

 

We explained how generous people back home donated money for the materials and paid labor for their houses. We presented the families with sealed envelopes containing the list of the donors and asked the families to pray for the donors and to ask God to bless them for their part in building the houses. 

After the dedication we went to Lagarta Lodge up in the hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There we had drinks while watching the sun set. It was a beautiful sight and the clear skies produced a gorgeous sunset. 

After Lagarta Lodge we went to a restaurant in Nosara, where Maximo had reserved the entire upstairs for us. There were almost 30 of us - our team of 16 plus many local persons who helped build the houses. We enjoyed a delicious dinner, and said our goodbyes to our Costa Rican friends. 

Tomorrow we leave our hotel in Nosara and head inland for our R&R. 

Our experience this week was everything we could have wished for. We completed building 2 houses, we developed warm relationships with many people who live here, we built a strong loving community within our own group, we enjoyed learning about Costa Rican culture (and food), and we have wonderful memories we will cherish forever. We give thanks to God for all these blessings. 

Written by Christine Tani

The group after the dedication.

Submitted by Doris Carter

Costa Rica 2019 - Day 4

Day 4 - Written by Mike McGuire

Today was the first day with everyone at the work site. Some team members helped erect panels for the second house. Others started work on the screens and windows, some painted, and built stairs up to the platform. 

It was impressive to see the two houses built up on one platform, with a staircase welcoming the families to their new homes. The group was assisted by many Costa Rican workers; family members and others alike. Work began on dedication plaques that will hang above the front door of each home. 

We ended the day with a relaxing dip in the pool and a delicious dinner.

Day 4 - Written by Doris Carter

It felt a little odd today that we weren’t celebrating July 4th. If we were home, we would have been getting ready to go to a barbecue and to go see fireworks. However, we had a great day in Costa Rica.  

Since materials we needed weren’t going to arrive at the job site until noon, we had  the morning to go visit one of the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica.  Once we got to the job site, there was a flurry of activity for the rest of the day. We were making window frames and installing windows, making screen frames and installing frames, painting, and building stairs, railings and and benches.  And by the end of the day, the two homes were done! We are looking forward to the home dedications tomorrow. 

P.S. At lunch time, we were treated to a show of about a dozen howler monkeys in the trees behind the homes we were building. 

Costa Rica 2019 - Day 3

Day 3

Submitted by Doris Carter

Costa Rica 2019 - Day 2

Hello! 

We started our day with a wonderful pancake breakfast prepared by our most gracious host, Mao. 
It was a little hotter than yesterday with 87 degrees and high humidity. 

We took the first load of panels to the house site and the offsite team started putting up the first house! A small team made a trip to the lumber yard for more supplies while the rest of our crew continued making and painting panels. All 54 panels for both houses were completed in spite of a late afternoon down pour. We finished our day hot and tired but feeling very satisfied and proud of our hard work! 

We enjoyed cooling off in the pool before enjoying another delicious meal and camaraderie. 

We look forward to Wednesday where we’ll all go to the house site and continue working on the houses. 

Written by Peggy Livermore

Costa Rica 2019 - Day 1

Continued thunderstorms last evening—arrived at the hotel—Paz Gallo (don’t try to look it up—there is no website.). Beautiful morning with clear skies—for now.  

Killed a small scorpion in our bath this morning.  Will start work sometime this morning when all the materials arrive.

Agape!

Peace,
Dan

Written by Dan Jares

We've arrived!

Sunday, June 30, 2019

We all have arrived in Costa Rica safe and sound.  Had dinner at the usual Chinese restaurant after driving through thunderstorms.  We're looking to arrive in Nosara in a little while.  Mail's van now has WiFi, so many are checking their phones.  

God Bless you all!

Peace,
Written by Dan Jares

Stay Tuned for entries from the Adult Mission Trip to Costa Rica June 30-July 9, 2019

Friday - our last day of work

Es possible!  Two houses in 5 days.  Our First Church of Lombard team worked hand in hand with our Costa Rican friends and the grace of God. It was surreal to see a pile of wood, cement and nails turn into homes for the families of Heiner and Karolay and Dennis and Yesenia, Mercy Home #128 and # 129.  We now feel experienced in framing window and screens.  We finished 2 hours ahead of schedule.

After finishing the houses today there was a dedication service to welcome the families to their new homes. The dedication was attended by all workers, friend and families.  We were moved by heart felt prayers and a song by Laura Gay.  Many children’s faces lit up when they received the gifts we brought to share with them. 

After the dedication we were treated to a fabulous dinner at Maximo’s home.  We were able to visit a family who live in a Mercy Home built 2 years ago by the First Church crew who were here in 2015.  We saw how beautifully it was finished to welcome their new baby.  We are grateful to spend a week making new friends and become closer to those we know. This is truly Agape in action.

Porque sin fe es imposible agradar a Dios.  Because without faith it is impossible to please God.

Margaret McCormick/ Meryl Short

Thursday

It is the end of our fourth day here in Costa Rica and as I am writing this blog, I hear the sounds of laughter from newly strengthened friendships all around me and it makes me smile. That is what happens when you travel to a new country together, eat together, share prayers and smiles, encourage each other and work so hard you can hardly take another step together. We are a team with one mission, to build homes for a family. As the week has progressed, we have had the opportunity to meet the people who are anxiously awaiting the big day tomorrow when they finally get to move into a real home. A home with screens and glass on the windows, a concrete floor, a door that locks and a roof. A roof that will protect their little ones from the pouring rains that often comes in the heat of the afternoons. 

The smiles on the faces of these families show pure joy in their anticipation. Several of them have been working side by side with us each day because they want to help make their own dreams come true. The young children are so happy to see us each day and greet us with high fives and smiles every time we arrive. This is why we are here. This is why the Mercy Home Ministries team does what they do. This is not easy. This is hard. It is hot, it is uncomfortable, we rarely have a bathroom, and we eat on buckets with chickens and puppies around us. They put on metal roofs in the hot sun with nothing to shade them and never, ever complain. These men inspire us all day long. We may speak different languages but somehow we are all able to work together side by side to get these homes built and ready for these families to move in when we dedicate their homes to them.

Each family has selected a verse from the bible which will be painted on a beautifully painted piece of wood that will be hung above their front door. This verse will remind them of God’s love for them and the love of the team from First Church of Lombard who came to help them have a special home to raise their children.

Today the first house has been finished with only the door left to be put in place.  The second house is ready for the roof to be put in place tomorrow morning.  Certainly there have been challenges but there is plenty of laughter and some ingenuity to solve the issues before us.

I had the chance to ride with Maximo today to run errands around Nosara.   It is an amazing experience to spend time with him.  He stopped to show us some of the 40 plus homes Mercy Home Ministries has built in the Nosara area.  Folks are always excited to see him and share stories of their families.  However, more families are in need of a safe, dry and adequate space for their families.  They write letters or have someone write on their behalf to express the need.  He shared the story of a group of students who came to build a house and one of the locals who volunteered to help build asked if he could be considered for a home.  They challenged one of the students to raise the funds to build this hardworking man a home and it looks like it will happen.  Maximo and his entire team are so dedicated to what they do it is inspiring to all of us – to help make a change for one family at a time.

So as we eat our meal tonight we are ready to finish the last hours of work and experience the dedication of these two homes, numbers 128 and 129 for the Mercy Home Ministries team, to see the joy of the parents and children.  We have learned so much from them.

By Stacy and Mark Meyer

Wednesday

We started our day by watching a group of howler monkeys at our hotel.  There were a number of females with their babies.  Our group was divided into two groups, one stayed at the hotel to finish two panels and paint all the panels for the one house.  The other group went to the site to start to assemble the first house.

Most of us arrived on site for the first time today having spent the last two days at the hotel assembling panels. Arriving on site always puts this trip into perspective. We meet the family and their neighbors and often times we see their current living situation. We realize how little these families have but we also see how much joy they have. They are so appreciative that we are there and quickly join us in assembling their house. Panel by panel we unloaded the truck and panel by panel we started putting the house together. Soon these panels started becoming walls and the walls formed rooms and by lunch we had raised the walls of an entire house. This process is truly amazing and requires teamwork, communication, and of course lots of laughs were had by all as we worked in the hot sun. After a delicious lunch brought to us by the first group back at the hotel, we quickly (well, as quick as we were able) drove over to the second house and unloaded the panels at their house. This site was filled with wide eyed children watching us work, a brand new baby only one week old, and lots of chickens getting in the way.  The family graciously joined in unloading the truck including one little boy who eagerly “helped” us carry panels. We then left this site and returned to the first house to work on the windows and roof. We worked until the weather had other plans, suddenly down pouring rain as we finished up. It was a great way to end a long, hot day, all huddled under an abandoned house next door.  

By: Laura Gay and Julie Schubert