Day 1 Arrival

The team was awake by 3:30 this morning, to board a 6:30 flight. After months of preparation, we were finally leaving the country! Our experience at the airport was surprisingly uneventful, especially after all the talk of increased security. We boarded in Louisville with ease, and in Houston we had to time to go the restroom before they boarded our next flight. In San Jose, we were ushered through customs and brought to a bus where four men loaded approximately 24 pieces of luggage on top of tour bus in no time at all, a truly amazing feat.

Driving through San Jose and into San Felipe, where we are staying, the first thing I notice is the disparity of living situations in Costa Rica. We passed a few blocks that would be considered middle-upper class. Then cornered next to it would be a slum, with tin houses pressed up against each other. I remember seeing this last time I was here, and thinking how unusual it is to have these two closes living so close to one another. In the U.S., the rich are usually separate from the poor. You hear about the bad part of town or the other side of the tracks--separate from those who can afford to live in nicer neighborhoods. But that is not the case in Costa Rica. Here, poor communities seem to wedge into wherever there is space.

We arrived at Pastor Angel's church, Iglesia Cristiana del Dios Viviente, and settled in quickly. Our living quarters are much different than I expected, and I'm learning to accept the fact that nothing is as I expected. We were treated to a coffee and crackers break while we awaited our dinner at 6:00. We found ways to entertain ourselves during our free time. Benjamin played with some children, Tierah and I played around on our harmonicas. Some rested and some read. When 6:00 rolled around, we began to look in the kitchen for people cooking, to help them prepare. However, there was no one around. This began our first lesson in "tico time." "Tico" is the term used to describe a Costa Rican, and "tico time" is the phrase used to describe the local attitudes regarding schedules, in that one is never set. We said dinner was at 6:00, but that didn't necessarily mean that dinner was at 6:00. This will be challenging in ministering to the Ticos. We will need to learn to be flexible and observe "tico time."

During our devotion this evening, we talked about some of the goals we wanted to accomplish while we are here, and some things we want to keep in mind. Cassie and Tierah hit the nail on the head when they commented that "it's not about me; it's about the relationships." We are here for the people, not to feel good about ourselves. We are here to serve, not be served. We are here for God, not for ourselves. I think that is the number one thought that we could keep in mind.

Tomorrow brings preparation for the ministry sites. We will be scoping them out and beginning to plan for the water systems. Please pray for us, specifically as we search for supplies for the water installations. It is my prayer that things go smoothly and without hitches, however I know that with God, all things are possible and that he has given us "every place where the sole of your foot treads" (Joshua 1.3).

-Amber