Important Mission in Costa Rica
Jul 17, 2018
My Junior Journey to Costa Rica was an absolutely breathtaking and heartwarming experience. All of the students and staff on this trip came to help others with an open mind and heart. We all instantly clicked and collaborated so well together, which made our experience even more special.
On Our Way
The beginning of our journey started with meeting people from the organization we would be working with, Agua Viva.
In Los Chiles, we attended a two-hour Spanish church service. During the worship portion of the service, I tried my best to take in everything that I was experiencing. I wanted to try and understand what others were feeling, not just by their words, but by their emotion. During the sermon, a group of us helped out with the children's Sunday school. The children were all so lively and ecstatic.
That afternoon, we departed on a river cruise in Rio Frio. We saw plenty of gators, birds, monkeys, iguanas, and Jesus lizards.
Getting To Work
On our third day in Costa Rica, we began working and helping on a new site where we would build and drill a well.
The best part about my day was meeting Karen, a teenage daughter of the family whom we were drilling the well for.
National Institute of Learning
On Wednesday, I went with a group of other people to INA, a school in Los Chiles, and it was a blast! We were so impressed by their English because they had only been in the class for 3 ½ months, out of the 10-month program. The students were all around our age, as well, so we had a lot in common and a lot to talk about. The conversations and connections were so genuine.
The Last Day
Our sixth day in Costa Rica was also our last day at the well. We were lucky enough to finish the well and watch it be cleaned, which was such a symbolic moment. The family was so thankful. The grandmother also explained how every time they looked and used the well, they would think about us.
Horseback Riding and Zip Lining
Saturday was jam packed with activities. In the morning, we went horseback riding up to see some amazing views of a volcano. It was a nice relaxing ride and I loved the horse that I got to ride. We had the quickest lunch ever and then went on to zip-lining. It was so fun to go fast and experiencing such an amazing view! We then sat by the pool before going to enjoy dinner together and pack up before heading home the next day.
This trip was such a privilege to experience, especially since it was the first service based Junior Journey. I LOVED it and would definitely do it again!