First Summer Update (and much too late)

As you can probably tell from my lack of blogging, we've been kept very very busy this summer. It's hard to know even where to begin, but I'll try. (Warning: I'm way behind, so this is going to be long!)

Eastern: The Masters students from Eastern University's International Development program spent a week with us at the end of April. We outfitted the ADE center with a new kitchen and bunk beds enough for 27 people - and just in time. It was a great experience for everyone involved. The Eastern students got to see some of Costa Rica, study natural disasters (specifically volcanos), work with the ADE colegio students, and help both ADE and our local community. There were also lots of really good discussions between individuals and the whole group and development, sustainability, ecology, and community resilience to name just a few. For our ADE colegio students, it was great for them to get to build some relationships with new people, learn about development and disaster preparedness with the masters students, get a view of higher educational possibilities and take part in serving their own community alongside others. It was great for our staff (myself totally included) to really get to have meaningful conversations with others in the same mind and gain the experience of hosting a group of that size. I was really exhausted after that week, but it was definitely good.

Nicaragua: Shortly after the huge group left, I headed on the Tica Bus to Nicaragua to renew my visa, visit my friend Leah and relax. It was so great to see Leah and Hemby who are in Nicaragua for the year with Manna Project International. I just hung out in their house (and pool) for a few days and read. I also got to see some of their projects and have lots of good convos about community development, learning from the good and bad of their program. It was a sweet time thanks to Leah - You're awesome :)

Interns: We've got interns (and volunteers) here for the summer! Amanda Rinker, previous YL leader at East Mont, came down in May. She's taking her summer break from getting her masters and seminary degrees to get her hands dirty in this community. Her specific role is working with our agriculture project (which Morgan, who was here over spring break and then came back for a couple weeks in May, helped to start). Lauren Ko, also a Hokie alum, came down in May also to be here for the summer. She just graduated from Tech and is working hard here. She's specifically working with some of the environment issues going on here with the reconstruction. Lauren and Amanda have been each so helpful with all of the different projects and needs we've got here. They've done everything from moving rocks and painting signs, to creating handbooks and inventories. For one week in the end of June we had Karen here doing a week of intensive English learning with our students. With years of experience in teaching English and in the process of getting her masters degree in it, she worked hard for a week and brought down tons of awesome resources. Hopefully from the training and resources she gave me, I can be a better English teacher! Now Maria is here for the month of July all the way from Austria (we met while I was in Vienna). She's up for doing anything and everything we need and filling a great need for us this month. And of course, we can't forget Mikki who was here from April to the end of June. She definitely was here right when I personally needed her - and I miss her lots now that she's gone. Look at all the amazing people God brought to join us during this summer. Blows my mind!

Georgia Group: We had a group of high school students from Georgia here for 2 weeks. They spent the first week down in our ADE Center seeing the area, working with our students, and learning and serving in this area. For the second week, they went to a small town on the Caribbean coast to do some service/learning there and our group went with them. Our students worked hard to fundraise for the trip. They hosted a Bingo night in town and made enough money for everyone to go. (Bingo is maybe the most and only successful fundraiser in this community - no lie). It was a great time with our students and serving another small community like ours.

Restaurant: Here's the big one that has totally changed my time here in many ways. On June 11th, 2010 along with the opening of the World Cup, we opened a restaurant with women from our community! It's been an exciting but very challenging venture. I myself have never really worked at all in the food service industry (much less starting a new one). So I've been learning a ton. The women are incredible! For me that's been the greatest part, getting to know each one of the "associates" (as they're definitely not employees as we're all partners in this business). The women range in ages and family status, but what is greater is bringing together and seeking relationships across borders that are usually not crossed - specifically between Evangelicals and Catholics in this community. It's been so great for me getting to know each one and feeling more and more like a part of the community and have friends (close to my age or older - unlike before when my only friends were my students)! It has also been very challenging and definitely needs your prayers in terms of money and response from other local businesses. You can check out our new website (still with lots under construction) at: www.RestauranteArcoiris.org


To come in July and August... visitors, camps, and my family!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Though it's the day before Christmas, it doesn't quite feel like it to me now. I'm currently sitting at a little internet café about fifty feet from the Caribbean. Up until last Friday or so I've been working a ton, doing everything from painting the house to working on getting organized and advertising for the spring break trips (which if you`re interested in learning more or maybe coming check out the facebook event here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=370727355220&index=1 ). Now I`ve had some time for the holidays, which is definitely needed as the past few weeks have been nonstop.

Last Wednesday, Tomas's sister (from Scotland) and mother (from Maine) came to join us. On Thursday, the Dozier family had to move out of their house as it was being rented and moved into my house with me. So my little house has had 8 people in it with mattresses on the floor everywhere. That has definitely been an interesting experience but good and a bonding experience. Over the weekend we did a lot: went to a couple's house for dinner, went to my first Costa Rican wedding, went to the local school's graduation (from Kindergarten and 6th grade only), went to church and had company over. Oh and we've played a lot of games like Boggle, Taboo and Apples to Apples).

Then Monday morning I left early to meet up with my roommate Kim (who had gone home to be with her family in San José for the holidays) and her family as they invited me to go on a little vacation with them. We drove a long time on some crazy roads. We stopped at a number of different stores along the way so that Kim's dad, Rolando, could sell the cutting boards that he makes, sells and distributes. Then we were on our way again. Somehow, he didn't get directions ahead of time and so we would just ask on the side of the road which way to go when we came to crossroads. Overall this tactic worked, except for a pretty important missed turn. We ended up going a couple hours on this crazy rocky/dirt road out in the middle of nowhere that led us to a river, which we found out was just about on the Nicaraguan border (on the Caribbean side), like far northeast in Costa Rica. It's actually a place where a lot of Nicaraguans cross the border illegally and is supposedly a not very safe place, though praise God we didn't have any problems at all. Once we figured all this out, we got back on track and found a place to spend the night).

The next morning we drove another long crazy road and ended up at the right location this time. We took a boat through channels with unbelievable nature and animals on all sides to Tortuguero. This place was beautiful and incredible and very chill. The people are all really friendly and relaxed. There are hammocks all over the place (which I slept in one for like an hour and woke up to a dog sleeping next to me as my guardian and friend). We took a canoe tour with a local guide where we got to see everything from toucans to lizards, turtles to crocodiles. God's creation so amazes me and I took tons of pictures that I`ll have to share with you later).

Yesterday we spent the day in Cahuita, an adorable beach town farther south on the Caribbean coast. The beach is definitely my kind of beach as there`s jungle right next to the sand and sea. I walked along the beach for hours. Right along the path I saw lizards, a sloth, and monkeys. (On a little side note- seeing and hearing all the monkeys really makes me want a pet monkey, but unfortunately it's illegal and I'm told they make very bad pets). This little town is also really cool as it's pretty small and chill right on the water. People here are nocturnal and it's almost like a different culture as they speak a different language and everything. I like it a lot and can definitely see why it's a more touristy area.).

Later today Kim and I are being picked up by the Dozier clan and heading to Panama to spend Christmas day there. Where we're going I hear is even more beautiful and amazing then where I've already been. I'm pretty excited, though it will be a very different Christmas than I have ever had. I'll definitely miss spending the day with my family, but it will be a new experience.).

Thanks for reading this long update. I figured I owe you one as I've been bad at updating this. I'll try and put up more pictures and things soon. I put a few on the facebook event mentioned above, so definitely check it out. I love you all and thanks for your thoughts and prayers!).

1 John 3:16-18