Ola from Costa Rica!
 

I have a team of eleven here in Costa Rica this week, working on the Abraham Project. It's a church/orphanage/daycare/adult training center outside of San Jose. It's awesome - this is our third missions trip here since 2007. My daughter lived here as a volunteer for a year in 2005. The missionaries are so much fun (two couples) and the pastor of the church is a local guy. If anyone ever wants to do a missions trip that is a fairly easy one (emotionally), this is a great place to start. We actually have two ten year olds with us, a 13 year old (her third trip here) and a 17 year old besides ten adults.

We went to church this morning, and the praise and worship was tremendous, even though it's all in Spanish. They sang some of the same songs that we do. I could tell that the sermon was about marriage and family, but that's about all I got from it. LOL!

Tomorrow we will begin work on the Project - sheetrock, painting, etc. I will be sore, but it's worth it to know that you've helped out a few orphans and missionaries!

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Hi Sherri,

I'm sure you're really busy in the KLord's work and all, so I won't keep you long. But I was just wondering....

Why does the Lord always send you to warm places? Why doesn't he ever send you to, oh, I don't know.... Siberia????

God bless your labors. Please pray for us up in the frozen tundra of Alabama.

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Hmmm.....good question. It was kind of nice to leave 20 degrees and step off the plane at 78 degrees! If it makes you feel any better, I don't have warm water in my shower. LOL

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Ola from Texas. Hope you have an awesome time. Don't work too hard. Praise the Lord, for you and your team.

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Gloria a Dios.
Tiene usted todos las palabras para Yo Vi La Luz?

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Ummmm......no Espanol!! Translation please.

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

We had our first work day today. I think I will probably be very sore by morning. I sanded baseboards most of today and I can feel it in my shoulders and back already. I'm almost 54 and not used to any physical work, so this is always a stretching trip for me. However, I also have two 50 year olds and a 62 year old with me, so I can't complain too much.

We have devotion in about a half hour. Last night's was really good - everyone opened up alot and talked about the trip so far. We do need prayer though. Last night we had one 9 year old with high fever and one 10 year old throwing up all night!! They both seem to be better today, but we don't need any more sickness! It incapacitates them and their moms.

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

I assume you are all washing your hands thoroughly in Randy's alcohol stuff :)

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

He brought enough for everyone! LOL

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

it is always a blessing for help to come to the mission field...I cringe when some people come to and tell us they are coming to check us out...lol...if people only know what missionaries face...thanks for taking your groups anywhere to do anything. By the way we have some churches to paint...ha...

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Oh my - my group would love to do that!! They are workers! Even the 9 & 10 year olds are working like adults.

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Day Two of Work - sanding baseboards again until we finished them all. Then we painted them with termite treatment, which is a strong glue smelling thick liquid that is illegal in the U.S., according to the Costa Ricans. It's not bad doing it outside, but in 2007, we painted cabinets and stairwells in one of the children's home with this stuff and we were all a little high by the time that day was over.
Then when we finished that, we started on nail and staple-pulling duty. It's much more tedious than it sounds.
At 3 pm, I had a special treat. A beautiful young Costa Rican girl that I hadn't seen in five years came to see me when she heard I was at the Project. So I spent the last hour visiting with her. She was my daughter's best friend when she spent a year in Costa Rica. She is now moving to Mauritania (Africa) to spend two years as a missionary, living in the slums. She's 25. What a brave young girl!
Tomorrow, we will take all the orphans to the zoo and then to McDonald's; then we will head to a market to shop for souvenirs. It will be our free day, and then back to work on Thursday and Friday!

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

It sounds like you are having a blast!!! So happy to hear another missions trip is going great!!!

BTW, I got to see your hubby yesterday! :)

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

GA--I'm so glad he got to see you all. Was he lonely?????

Today, we took all the orphans to the zoo and then to McDonald's. Wow! What a bunch. They were so sweet though, and just very loving. I was in charge of a ten year old girl named Erika. I could have just taken her home with me! She's so sweet! Then we took them back to the Project, and we went to a market. When we got back to the bed & Breakfast, we took a walking tour and went to a local's taco stand.

In a supermarket, I found 34 backpacks for $1.25 each!!!! They are SO nice, but it's their summer here and I guess they were clearing them out. I'm taking them to Kenya.

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

That sounds like you!! Thinking ahead for the NEXT missions trip! LOL

And yes, he was lonely....he misses ya I think ;)

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Back in the U.S.!! I'm in the American lounge in Miami right now, with a four hour layover. The team is spread out all over the airport I guess, but we are meeting back at the gate to fly to Memphis and then drive home to Jackson. What a week! It was awesome. The 13 year old on our team cried like a baby when we had to leave - and she's generally not a drama teen. This is her third trip here, and she wants to come for a year as an intern as soon as she's old enough. We were ages 9-62, white and African-American - a very mixed group. But I think it was all a success; we got a lot accomplished for the orphanage and church.

I'm home for one week, then off to our tenth annual Pastor's Conference in the Philippines. Pack.....laundry........repack!

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Saying prayers for a safe and speedy trip home! Be safe my friend! Love ya!

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

Welcome home Sherri... And, well, goodbye too! How on Earth do you do it? I trust your High Definition Pastors take care of things while you're gone...

Re: Ola from Costa Rica!
 

LOL! Eddie didn't go to Costa Rica, but he is going to the Philippines. We'll only miss one Sunday, so the people will survive! I think John Ragsdale is preaching while we're gone, and they love him! They'll be saying "Eddie Who???":heeheehee