sustaining | Costa Rica Day 3

I apologize for the sudden departure and lack of updates from our trip. As it turns out, on Day 3, we left the San Jose area and ventured towards the Caribbean Coast. The hotel we stayed at lacked internet service. In all honesty, I am thankful for that. It allowed me to sit out in the evenings and learn and talk with new friends. Otherwise, I’d be working away.

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In the morning of Day 3, we made our way up to the Excelencia Familiar, the children’s home in Coronado that COF supports. I was lucky enough to make the ride up there with our missionary, Nathan, and pick his brain about this place. I asked him to tell me a few ways that COF can and does support the home and people there. His first response was prayer. Prayer for he and his wife Kaycee, that they would have the strength and wisdom to lead this community; for the children that their hearts would grow and that they would know (and understand) true love as well as learn what a good family dynamic is; for the Tios & Tias that they would have patience, wisdom & faith in growing these kids up. Another way COF supports the home is financially, of course. With COF’s support the home is able to have an on-sight psychologist who is able to see the children and home parents whenever they need it. Additionally, there are two other staff members who are there to help the home function in everything from teaching to administration and just making sure the home is run effectively and that the children are provided with all they need.

Nathan didn’t stop there. Another benefit of COF’s support is the new greenhouse. Our previous teams that have gone this year have helped construct a greenhouse that is on the property. This project is headed up by Kerry Johnson, who’s heart is truly in helping people to sustain themselves. His vision includes a tilapia farm at the far end of the greenhouse that will run off into the greenhouse. One side will be hydroponics while the other will be soil. The water from the tank will help to fertilize the hydroponics. Additionally, they’ll install gutters that will catch the rain water and direct it into two water barrels. This water will be filtered for use of drinking and living.

While we weren’t at the children’s home very long, we were able to begin planting. The kids put in so much effort and joined the team in the beginning phase of gardening. Fauricio is one of the kids who live at the home. He loves gardening so very much and has played a big part in helping this project grow. While we were there, he directed our team on what and where to plant. Some of us would step where we planted. He had to stop us and explain to us that if we step there, the seeds will sink too far into the soil and won’t be able to grow, leaving all this planting with nothing to show for it. We were quick to move 🙂

This is the staff psychologist, Vanessa. I told her that I’d heard of all the support she gives and what she does. Her response? “I fell in love with these people”.

This is Flaco helping a little one plant seeds. Flaco helps Antonio in La Carpio. He lives there and tries to be at the community center every day. Flaco helps the kids with their homework, loves on them and plays games with them. I asked him what his favorite part about being at the center is. As soon as I heard his response, I fell in love with his heart. He told me that he his favorite thing is to share the love of Jesus with the kids, to show them love. Flaco was with us all week and I loved getting to know him.

Nathan asked me to take some photos of a few of the kids that were there on the day we came. Unfortunately, a few of them were at school and were unable to be there. But I’ll be back and will be sure to get some more. And hopefully it won’t be rainy like it was this day. I’d typically shoot outdoors, but with the weather, we made do in the school classroom. Loved getting to do this for these kids 🙂