We have always had projects that are separate from the mission focus of the CRM. We feel that these projects could use more of our time. We will continue to work with the youth group at Santa Rosa de le Palmera, tutor, and teach English. Brett would also like to continue in woodworking. We hope to further develop those programs which we have already started. Our prayer is that God can use us effectively in this manner. Please keep us in your prayers as we find out what the next few months hold for us, as well as our future beyond December.
We would like to thank all of you for the many ways in which you have supported us before and during our endeavors here in Costa Rica. Your prayers, presence, gifts and service have enabled us to live and work with the people of Costa Rica. Our prayer is that through our relationships with you that Christ has been experienced more richly by the people with whom we work.
English Classes and Tutoring …from Brooke
I am working with a new English student, Maritza, who is 21 years old. She lives with her family on their dairy farm, just up the hill from us in San Juan del Quebrada del Palo. She is fairly advanced in English classes, but needs a lot of practice with conversation. We`ve been using a text book which uses the Bible to explain English grammar concepts.
Until recently, I had been working on Saturdays with a girl named Ariadna in English and Art. We studied English for an hour, and would then switch to painting and drawing. She is the daughter of Milena, whom I worked with last year in English in Linda Vista.
Ariadna painting on our back porch
Eylin and Daniela have had some slight improvement in their studies. Eylin passed all her exams… except for Social Studies. I believe Daniela is still failing 2 subjects. Both Brett and I have been working with them to try to make the material easier for them to understand. Last week they began the final trimester of the academic year. We pray that they will have the determination and desire to ¨hit the books¨ and do well in all their classes.
Eylin is living with her grandmother now, which is a blessing in that she doesn`t receive threats from her dad that he`s going to take her out of school. The unfortunate side effect is that it`s given her more liberty to talk to a particular twenty five year old on the phone and see him once a week. I`ve encouraged her to respect her parent`s rules even though she isn`t living with them. She still has no desire to go to church because she finds it boring and believes it to be too legalistic. Please pray for her and also wisdom for me to know how to give her counsel.
The English class that I was teaching in Ciudad Quesada ended, but will start again at the end of September.
I`m still working with Yaime and Mainor in San Rafael in English 2 days a week.
CRM Project Document ...from Brooke
Despite our above mentioned departure from the CRM, I am working on a digital document that Mary, the director, asked me to complete. The idea is to make a digital portfolio of the camp`s projects over the years. There are a number of churches (which the CRM and VIM teams have built) to document photographically and to layout on the computer.
Abstinence Program ...from Brooke
In June, we helped a team from Bearden United Methodist in Tennesse with an abstinence presentation at a high school in Venecia. As a result of the positive reaction from this presentation, David Ault sent a college student, Justin Grimsley, to continue the program in August. With Justin, we went to a high school in Rio Cuarto, just down the road from Venecia. We had the support of an English professor from Venecia, named Gerardo, who helped set up the meetings and give the presentations. Justin and Gerardo also gave the presentation to the youth at the Methodist Church in Pital. The pastors were very excited about the course, and want to continue sharing the valuable information contained in the presentation.
The program was based on the Just Wait course. A powerpoint presentation was given to both boys and girls, then they were split up, so they could ask questions in a same-gender friendly environment. At the end of every presentation, students were asked if they wanted to make the commitment to wait until marriage to have sex. Those that wanted to make the commitment were given “promise rings” and signed a “contract” stating their commitment. We found that younger students were more eager to sign the contract. Several of the older students who had already had sex were excited, yet nervous, about having another opportunity to recommit themselves.
We don’t have a very clear understanding of when students here receive sex education. When we asked the students if they had ever heard any of the information presented in the course, or if they had the opportunity to ask questions about sex, the general response was that they didn’t. Although, we talked to some professors who said they received the information in Biology in the 9th grade. Overall, it seemed the students went away with more awareness of the nature of STD’s, the definition of sex, and information that might allow them to make better life choices in regard to their bodies.
The CRM is very interested in presenting this Just Wait program to pastors, so they can in turn present it to the youth in their congregations. Also, the counselors in the high schools we visited are interested in continuing the course on a yearly basis. Obviously, it is something that is lacking in Costa Rica. Please keep this program in your prayers.
Bearden Methodist group, June 2009
Justin and Brett presenting to high school in Rio Cuarto, August 2009
Gerardo presenting to high school in Rio Cuarto, August 2009
Youth Group ...from Brett
Our youth group meetings have moved to Saturday nights. The youth have decided that they want to lead their own worship service and are trying to figure out all the ¨finer¨ spiritual and technical points. I like to compare it to a parade in small town where there are only enough people for the parade, but nobody is there to actually watch, which might be a good thing since everybody is participating.
We are trying to support the youth in their various gifts, to let them know that there are many ways in which they can share their faith and worship God. We pray that all their gifts and talents will be used and developed by God for his Kingdom.
In an effort to get them motivated about starting their own service, we traveled to the youth group at the church in Ciudad Quesada in August. To help them think of ideas of working with kids in the community, Brooke brought some of them to the Children`s church at the same church.
Group receiving their baptism certificates in Santa Rosa de la Palmera
Youth group singing at Mother`s Day celebration, August 15, 2009
Woodworking...from Brett
Until our notice, I was working regularly on projects for the camp. With the help of Adiel, a local boy, I built and installed 2 tables for the laundry room. With Tom Hymer, a visiting Volunteer in Missions I built and installed 3 new windows for the guest house.
Adiel was the student we were tutoring last year, but has since dropped out of school. Since he is just 15 years old, he can`t work yet. I am going to try to continue to work with him in the coming months in one way or another.
Teams …from Brooke
There were several teams at the camp this past summer that we worked with, which we have yet to mention in the blog.
A team from Athens, GA was at the camp in June, and they helped with construction at the dining room in El Mirador and the bathrooms in Santa Rosa, and they also led VBS in El Mirador and in San Franciso de la Palmera. Something unique about this group was that they had an abstinence course for adolescent girls while another group worked with the kids in VBS. While completing construction projects is important to the mission here, relationships are much more important. I was blessed to help one of the team members, Julia, reconnect with with an old friend from El Mirador, Leidy. Even though they don’t speak the same language, they have a connection that is inseparable. Brett also enjoyed working with the guys in Santa Rosa. It was a week full of hard work and good fellowship.
There was also a team from Wichita, KS in June, which I mentioned in the last blog. They also worked construction in Santa Rosa with Brett as well as on various projects at the camp. I was blessed to have some help tutoring from Shonda, whom I mentioned in the last blog.
A team from Columbus, GA, was here in July. They worked in construction for the dining room and a house in El Mirador. The house was a significant project for several reasons. One is that is the home of our friend, Eva, whom I mentioned earlier. Also, it’s the first house that has been built in El Mirador in over a year. This team also worked construction in Santa Rosa de la Palmera with Brett and helped dig a septic tank, painted the church roof, built formwork and made up steel reinforcement for the columns and beams. They also spent the entire a week in VBS in El Mirador. They had the same program that the Athen’s team presented, Crocodile Dock. Luckily, every team presents VBS differently, so the kids were able to learn something new from both groups. Pastor Lynn Meadows-White, whom I mentioned in the last blog, led the VBS with help from her fellow parishioners. She also helped to officiate the Santa Rosa baptisms.
Ruiz family in front of their new house, El Mirador
Columbus, GA team cheering in El Mirador
A Dentist and Vision clinic was held in July in San Juan, near El Mirador, by a team from Midland, TX. I helped translate for them a few days while they were here. They were a small group of 7, but attended to many patients in need of reading glasses and tooth extractions. They also had an extensive play area, complete with bible related crafts, for kids waiting to see the dentist.
Dentist group from Midland, TX in San Juan
One of our supporting churches, Trinity United Methodist from Gulfport, MS, was here in July with a team from Alabama. They worked construction and VBS in Santa Rosa de la Palmera. The MS team brought supplies from the Crocodile Dock VBS and worked with the Alabama team for two days of VBS . We were able to invite Eva and her family to help assist with the songs in VBS the first day, since they had participated with the previous VBS in El Mirador with the Columbus team. The construction crew painted the roof of the church and formed and poured columns and beams for the bathroom project.
AL and MS teams working construction in Santa Rosa
Al and MS teams in VBS in Santa Rosa
Al and MS teams in VBS in Santa Rosa
Al and MS teams in VBS in Santa Rosa
The language school made their traditional trimester visit to the camp at the end of July. Our friend, Amanda (http://www.alidderdaleincostarica.blogspot.com/), who just graduated from language school, led the group. They spent the morning working construction on the dining room in El Mirador and the afternoon with VBS in Linda Vista.
Language School (ILE) VBS in Linda Vista
Two short trips ...from Brett
Suegros...
We put some projects on hold a few weeks back while Brooke´s ¨suegros¨ i.e. my parents, Ron and Carol, came to visit. We did tourist things with them, like the zip line at Arenal volcano. We put them on the horses´s for a ride at Jerry and Larry`s property. We took a dip at the hot springs at Thermales del Bosque. We took them to Santa Rosa where we attend church, to meet the pastor and his family, as well as to Eva`s house in el Mirador. We then went to Playa Grande in Guanacaste and to Manuel Antonio National Park in Puntarenas. It was a short, fast trip, but nice to have them visit us and have time to see the country together.
Brooke, Brett, Carol, and Ron in Zarcero
Carol teaching Ariana how to make a whistle out of a piece of grass in Santa Rosa
Carol learning Spanish from Joshua and Ariana in Santa Rosa
Ceilidh
Last week, we were blessed with the opportunity to go to Scotland for part 2 of Brooke´s sister`s, wedding. The groom’s side of the family hosted a Ceilidh, which is a Gaelic social dance originating in Ireland and Scotland.
Katy and Colin at their blessing in disguise, Edinburgh, Scotland
The Ceilidh
