Monday, February 27, 2023

February soon gives way to March--Costa Rica was a February highlight

Two  more days in February and then March.

I don't know about you, but 2023 is going by fairly quickly for me. Where has February gone?

I got to go to Costa Rica at the beginning of this month for 5 days. What a great experience that was! I hadn't been in 11 years, since a mission trip in 2012. This time I went with a colleague (Rev. Leslie Daniels) to a new place to me. We went to Ciudad Quesada, to a camp-- Campamento Nehemías. It was formerly called the Methodist Rural Center. Though we were there only 5 days (with two of those days being travel days), we got quite a bit accomplished. We got to see and participate in an English lesson --their first one-- on Saturday morning. We attended church in Pital on Sunday morning and stayed for lunch. On Sunday afternoon we handed out suckers to the kids in the neighborhood at Mirador. We had local guides (two kids) taking us around and helping us meet the kids. We experienced Walmart and helped shop for some school supplies as school was starting back up. We painted a concrete wall, first white on one day and then black on the 2nd day. The white was the base paint. We toured the camp, hiking down into the rainforest, seeing the beautiful creek area. We met two different mission teams from KY. The day we flew out, we got a great tour of Dr. Russell's property, seeing the incredible prayer chapel, the top of the land, the horses, and of course, the UT cart. It was a great trip and I am so glad I got to go, even though it was a quick one.

Coming back home, the retired guy had shoulder surgery and some clean up on his biceps the following week, so it was back to reality fairly quickly. All went very well with his surgery and his recovery is going well too!

Then, Ash Wednesday came and began the Lenten season.

Now we are heading into March.

As the fog gives way to broken clouds and blue skies, so February begins to give way to March. As the lyrics go: 'Time keeps on slippin', slippin', into the future.'

It was good to be back in Costa Rica-- was it the 14th trip?!?! I need to go back and count them all up-- a business trip while I was teaching at Bryan College, mission trips, honeymoon, a family spring break trip..... Can you tell I like this place? Landing was wonderful. Being able to speak Spanish, meet people, eat Costa Rican food, drink Costa Rican coffee-- all that was wonderful too. It was too short, but it did my heart, mind, soul, and body good.

Pura vida.

As I continue to live the adventurous journey, enjoy these pictures from the Costa Rica trip:

Leslie took this to prove I worked.

Leslie took a photo of  me in the amphitheater. There is a sweet spot where you can hear yourself. :)

Leslie took a photo of us with Dino at Walmart.

I had some stickers made for the camp.

Soda shop on the way from the airport.

Zarcero

Zarcero

the stained glass windows inside

still Zarcero

our friend

beauty everywhere

more beauty

more beauty

Costa Rican banana phone :)

chapel

mural (one of MANY)









inside the welcome center



English class on Saturday morning






getting the tour from Paul (center)









tile inside the one of the cabins, on the bathroom floor








there were several of these along the path in the woods 










mansedumbre--meekness

goso (gozo)-- joy
I think there must have been a "Fruit of the Spirit" trail and these were the only two signs I saw.

This truly was a "little piece of heaven".






Park in Ciudad Quesada, all decked out for February




Camp sign by the road

flowers at Pital church

at Pital church





Pastor Luis

communion bread-- melt in your mouth!

Sunday School hallway upstairs

Mirador

Mirador

Church in Mirador

cortesa amarilla-- yellow ? (in English)



Paul playing with the kiddos in Mirador

Cotton, yes, cotton, growing in the front yard

dogs playing and tails wagging


newest and youngest pup--Dingo

Tiny friend in my shower







Got the wall painted! With the help of Leslie's parents!




Ice cream break





Welcome center

Dingo-- so dang cute!

Leslie and her parents, Jerry and Chris

Leslie and I were left to paint it black by ourselves. 

Pavilion by chapel

We did it!



Way to go, Leslie!

Sunset, coming home from a quick visit to see a place where they feed folks.

Pineapple!

Queso on the left and Calucho on the right. 

The team got the wall up!

Breakfast! Gallo pinto and fruit!


Blanca, a wonderful cook and helper

If the steps down are too much, take this path.



One of Dr. Russell's horses

the infamous UT cart!


Dr. Jerry Russell feeding one of his horses

view from the prayer chapel

view of the creek from the prayer chapel

prayer chapel

prayer chapel

tall grass-- "brillante" it is named

view from the top




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