Day 5 in Costa Rica
Journal from Christina Ottinger:
When you pray for something, be prepared to receive an answer from God! Before the trip, I prayed for openness to changes and a willing heart to do whatever He asks of me. Since we have been here, we have had many nice surprises along with some impromptu changes in our plans. We have all been stretched beyond our comfort zones more than we could ever imagine we would be stretched. I don't think anything surprises us anymore!
So far our journey has consisted of riding in a plane, bus, canoe, ferry, and a boat. Getting to the Bri Bri Indian village has been the most interesting journey so far. Our bus had to cross some rivers on the way, in which case all of us had to get off and walk while the bus driver attempted to cross them. When we made it to the port, we all piled in our canoes and headed to the village. After the canoe rides, we had a short walk and finally we were there. The village was very spread out and surrounded by jungle. We were there to help finish the church building for Pastor Elias and his congregation. His wife and the other women from the village were so hospitable, I don't think they ever stopped cooking the whole time we were there.
Having the opportunity to play with the Bri Bri children was to me one of the most rewarding experiences since we have been in Costa Rica. Even though they had very little, the children were so happy and appreciative that we were playing with them. We played duck-duck-goose, blew bubbles, and played with the parachute we brought for them. We also gave the children the gospel presentation with wordless bracelets and did our David and Goliath play. The smiles on their faces and laughter was the greatest reward I could ever receive.
Our trip is only halfway through and my prayer has already been answered. With an open mind and heart, we have all done so much more than we could imagine and the rest of the trip is bound to stretch us even further if not completely eliminate what may be left of a "comfort" zone.
Journal from Shari Cissel:
When it comes to following God's plan, it is clear it is not always a smooth road - really! On Monday we were called to visit the Bri Bri Indian reservation. Our team traveled for about six hours on a bus across many windy, rocky roads. We crossed two "creeks" in which we had to get out and walk because the bus could not carry us. Next we rode in a canoe (hollowed tree) across a stream. The boat was filled with, our bags, drinking water, tools, water filtration system... At last we arrived, well almost. We had to walk about a mile to the village in the hot sun carrying all our supplies (David carried Allison). What an exhausting trip, but the work had not yet begun. The team immediately began to work on several projects. Finishing the roof, framing the walls, installing electric in the church to name a few. We also worked with the children in the village, sharing the gospel, playing games and giving out treats. The teamwork and devotion shared by the Journey and the hospitality of the people were truly amazing experiences. Our living quarters were absolutely lovely...well not exactly. We also have given new meaning to the words dirty and smelly. Be sure to ask a team member to share the details. The selflessness of our team was remarkable! Through God we were able to accomplish incredible things in a short period of time!