Mission Update.. Mission Trips

What suprised you?

2009-09-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

What surpised you about this summer's trip to Costa Rica? As I reread the journal we kept, many commented on how surprised you were that even with limited common language, communication was not a barrier. Were your surprises about how much we have in common with the families we met or how our lives are so very different? Once comment was "we may speak another language but our core values are extremely similar." What memories pop into your head about our time there? How was your life enriched by the experiences you shared with your new friends in Costa Rica? A mission trip is never over. You will always carry the memories of the people you met. You'll never forget the children that counted on you to be there to play one more game of UNO or to ask you for just one more sparkly foam stick-on for their art project. You'll always remember the worship at Los Guido and the 3 year old "evangelist" who engaged you all in joining in the dance for the Lord.

Returning home is sometimes a let down because you are on a huge "high" while being part of some very special experiences. I know the Brimfield church was waiting for the travelers to share stories the Sunday after returning. It's been fun to watch some of the youth remain in touch on Facebook. Keep sharing the story with others. For it is in that story, God's story is told over and over again. Stay in touch.

Here we are!!!

2009-08-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Now isn't this a fine group? Couldn't have asked for a better team. Thanks Mike for all your photo taking. We will enjoy all 974 of them! (Just think that is after he pitched over 125 of them...a few of the waterfall photos from the bus were blurry, go figure.)

Transforming a woodworking shop into a home

2009-08-22T12:38:00.001-07:00

Stephanie, Collin and lots of other young people began by carrying out the wall board that was making way for drywall. A woodshop was being moved out so that Daniel, Sondra and little Simon could have a small apartment.
Mike is showing the walls and metal studs that are waiting to be covered by the new drywall. The apartment will consist of 2 bedrooms, a small kitchen, and a small living room. Daniel and Sondra were very excited to know that their own special space would soon be ready.

After the drywall had been hung, taped and mudded by our expert (David), the girls began the process of sanding the seams. Hailey almost has her nose covered!

Even though we didn't get to see this project from the beginning to the end, we knew another team was on the way to pick up right where we left off. The painting was completed by them and the family has moved into their new quarters. They were so thrilled to have a place to call home and we were thrilled to work with them to make it happen.

Sam and the boys

2009-08-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

Sam works with our young ones in wonderful ways. Mitchell and Sebastian would be called into action to pick up fallen nails and screws, pick up scrap materials and move them to a scrap pile or move the roofing materials. Here you see Mitchell and Sebastian with gloves on and moving the alumium roofing sheets toward the waiting team of roofers. Mitchell and Sebastian enjoyed being part of the "guys" and the important work. Sam was never too busy to take the time to get the kids involved. This is Sam's 4th mission trip to Costa Rica and each team has been enriched by his ways. Sometimes he is a bit noisy or even nosey but overall he's a team member that is always there to keep us all involved. He knows very little Spanish but he has never had any problems communicating with the workers from Costa Rica. They can hardly wait for him to return.

New skills practiced...

2009-08-11T10:26:00.001-07:00

Michaela and Hailey sand the mudded drywall.

Sean spent 2 days working around steel beams, water pipes and more to get the ceiling tile hung in the bathroom.

Anissa helped by brushing down the freshly sanded drywall.

Desiree paints a wall in a Sunday School classroom.

Craft time and Chaos have lots in common

2009-08-11T10:12:00.001-07:00

Photos can't begin to show craft time at its peek. This looks calm but believe me it wasn't. We had kids on the floor, standing as close as they could get around 5 tables, sitting on the floor and using the church pew for their desk. This is our first day so we maybe had 75 or 80 kids. Markers were everywhere. The metallic markers were in high demand so they traveled quickly.

Moms and even the babies were involved. No one is left out. They just loved having something to take home. The other requirement was, all craft items needed to be the same. The little ones wanted to do the exact same thing as the big kids. More on this later.

Our kids loved this part too. They were thrilled to communicate with limited language with children. The language of love is universal and very understandable.

Singing praises with the children

2009-08-11T09:47:00.001-07:00

Singing praises is an aerobic exercise at Los Guido. When VIM teams are at the church, the children look forward to dropping by the church to sing (and dance) praises to God. Who needs physical education when you have singing at the church.?

Our team spent 3 working days at this church with each afternoon from 2:30 to about 4:00 doing activities with the neighborhood children. The singing begins and the kids come running. Some hear the music as they walk past on their way home from school. (The school is located right next door to the church and operates 3 shifts of classes with 650 kids 6 days each week.)

Our kids were sometimes hesitant to join in the singing (mainly a language problem). However, many times they were literally pulled into the dance weave and singing by a little one. How can you turn down the little hand that reaches out to you? It wasn't long before our kids had joined in and enjoyed bing part of the praises being expressed.

Final Packing is underway....

2009-07-27T14:04:00.001-07:00

Are are ready for the mission trip to Costa Rica? Some team mates are looking forward to reconnecting with some old friends. I am sure that Collin and Anissa are hoping to see the bus driver Luis. (We've requested Luis and hopefully he will be our driver, no promises.) I trust that if Luis is our driver, Anissa will see that he is properly introduced to everyone. Gene and I always feel so welcome as soon as we step out onto the sidewalk following the long process of getting through immigration once we arrive in San Jose. The first face we will see is that of Luis Alvarado (not the same as the bus driver but you will soon learn, there are many men with the name Luis). Luis makes sure we get all of our luggage loaded on the top of the bus and he sees that we get to our hotel. He's met our plane whether we come with a team or just the two of us...he's there with a big smile and warm hug.

Another person we are always happy to see is Rosa who plans and prepares our lunch and evening meal each day. We can't expect our food to be the same as at home so enjoy new tastes and get used to rice, beans and great fruit. Our teachers on the work site will probably be Wilberth, William, and Mario. They will teach you how to do the job their way. It may not be the way you've done it before but be a good student and learn their way of doing things.

Remember always, we are guests. Be a good listener and observer. Always greet our hosts when you enter a room. Please show appreciation to those who are working to make your time in Costa Rica meaningful and pleasurable. Mucho Gracias is always appropriate. When taking photos, be considerate. Think first how you would feel if someone came into your space (home, church, or country) and took photos. We'll talk about that later.

Continue packing. We'll be at the airport before you know it. Blessings, Bonnie

WELCOME SHELBI

2009-07-21T06:10:00.001-07:00

Shelbi is our newest team member... signed on yesterday. She had hoped to go when the team was forming but had some schedule conflicts that have since been resolved. So with great joy we have our now 18 year old granddaughter joining us. Welcome Shelbi. She has been on a mission trip to Mexico in March 2008 and really loved working with the children there. (Note the photo.) She should have plenty to do at Los Guido Methodist Church this trip as there are many children in the neighborhood where we will be working.
We will be doing children's activities at the Los Guido Methodist Church. They have about 100 children who come to the church for 10 meals per week and many of them also come on Sunday for worship. Teens, think of some games that you enjoy playing and we will schedule some afternoon game times for the kids in the neighborhood. I know that team member Desiree has some soccer balls that she is bringing and they LOVE SOCCER. What other games might be fun on the cement slab driveway/parking area? Anissa this sounds something you might be able to help us with.
See you at the airport soon. Blessings... Bonnie

GREAT TO MEET VICTORIA AND SEBASTIAN

2009-07-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

Victoria and Sebastian from San Antonia, TX will join our team in Costa Rica. Their flight lands just about 7 1/2 hours before the Indiana group of 18 and one from Baltimore arrive at the San Jose Airport.

One of our travelers, Denzel Coolman, has not been able to get his passport so he will not be going with his grandparents, Bob and Sandy Coolman. I personally am sad that he is unaable to join us because I'd looked forward to seeing Denzel again. Denzel grew up in the Valparaiso United Methodist Church and has since moved to Texas. Denzel, we'll have another mission trip one day and you'll be able to join us at that time. Going to miss you. Give your mom and brothers and sister an extra hug today. We hear that you will be coming to Indiana when we return. I'm looking forward to seeing you then.

Team, are you are getting your personal items organized? The word is...rain and cool nights so that means packing a sweatshirt and light jacket along with your rain gear. Hot on the weekend at the beach. More on that later. Continue to pray for God's guidance for our mission in Costa Rica. Blessings, Bonnie

Preparing To Serve

2009-06-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

What does one do to prepare to serve? In just 6 1/2 weeks, a team of volunteers will leave the comforts of home to travel to Costa Rica. For some travelers, it is the first time to go out of the country or even the state of Indiana. We are much more than tourists. We are coming to learn more about being a servant of Jesus Christ; share love and joy with those around us which includes our team mates, learn about another culture, and return home with a story of how through giving, a gift was received,
In Paul's letter to the Colossians (Chapter 3:12-14) he gives us clues about how to be a disciple, one who serves others. Read this passage and find at least 5 things that would be very helpful as you prepare to serve. We'll talk about these things as we continue to prepare for our time in Costa Rica.

Yes, packing your bags is also an important part of preparing for this mission trip. Keep in mind we are not going on vacation. Oh, we'll have lots of fun but... it will be different than vacation. Traveling with 20 people can be taxing at times. We need to be sure that "patience" is one of the things we have packed. Many times what has been planned gets changed at the last minute. It is best to get a real laid back attitude and just roll with it. So for this week, think about the things for which you have little patience. What can you do to increase your level of tolerance? Try to figure out why you react in the way that you do. As you prepare for your mission trip, work on practing "patience". You'll need it! (Don't forget to be practicing a bit of Spanish in the process.)

Los Guido Methodist Church - Panes y Peces

2009-05-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

About 4 years ago, Pastor Edgar Ponce opened his home to a few of the children from his congregation for a meal or two. Norma (his wife) just made extra for their family and shared. When the number of "guests" outnumbered their family on a regular basis, Edgar decided to began a ministry of feeding the children two nutritious meals each day. They are now feeding 85 chidren 10 meals each week. Women in the church (mothers of some of the children) prepare breakfast and lunch. The program has grown so much that these women now receive a small salary for their efforts. In a community with nearly 50% unemployment, even a small income is better than none.

The program is called Panes y Peces. Students of Spanish will know this means Loaves and Fishes. While our team is in Costa Rica, we will worship with this congregation. The worship service is quiet different than the one we experience in our Methodist Churches. For sure, no one will fall asleep for it is full of music, dancing and story telling.

Panes y Peces brings families to the church. They now have a weekly youth worship service in addition to the regular Sunday worship. In addition to attending worship there on Sunday (August 2) will may have a work project at the church even if for only one day. Projects such as renovating the current restrooms in the church, adding a woodshop, adding a room for the sewing machines, and making room for a small library are projects that are on the list for summer 2009.

With the arrival of summer break, I hope that team members are finding time to do some extra reading about Costa Rica. What makes this country so very different than most countries in the world? One day, we'll get the answers to all these questions. Blessings.

One More Has Been Added

2009-05-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

We now have 20 team members confirmed for July 31- August 9. The most recent addition is Desiree King from Albion, Indiana. Welcome Desiree.

In the weeks ahead, youth are going to be finding support group members or sponsors. Sponsors are essential for our young people. Sponsors are prayer partners for the individual and our team. Sponsors may provide financial support which many times is the only way some youth will be able to participate. And the fun part of sponsoring a youth is when these tired young people return home, the sponsors are right there asking for a report about experiences. Now...kids get busy and find those sponsors.

A scripture passage that might help us focus on our mission comes from 1 John 3:16-17. This is not the gospel of John but the 1st letter to John. It is a small letter, 3rd book from the end of the New Testament. See how this might be a challenge for us not only in Costa Rica but right here in Indiana.

Now for a bit more research about Costa Rica. What religious group is dominant in Costa Rica? What are the top five exports for Costa Rica? As you are doing some reading on Costa Rica, what interesting fact did you find that you would be willing to share? The quiz is just around the corner so I hope you are keeping up.

Our Team Is Growing...

2009-05-11T11:00:00.001-07:00

Since my favorite place to volunteer is Costa Rica is the orphanage, I'd like to share more about what we'll find there beside children. This year we will be also greeted by 3 dogs. The new director believes that the pets are good for the children. When we were there in 2008, we were able to meet one of two. I can't remember this dog's name but he followed the kids everywhere, loved to play fetch, and seemed to know his way around. We'll want to enjoy the dogs too but let the children direct how you interact with them.
The weekend we have added 3 new team members. We now have 19 youth and adults preparing to go to Costa Rica. From the Brimfield UMC there are 10 team members (7 youth and 3 adults) and from the Valparaiso 1st UMC there are 9 members (2 youth and 7 adults). We can have more people join the team, the only hitch at this time is getting seats on the airline.
Do you have any idea how many people live in the San Jose area? Do you know the population of Costa Rica? What countries border Costa Rica? One day you may have a quiz so see if you can find the answers....and remember them!

Hailey's Going Back

2009-05-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

Here's Hailey Crawford with two friends she met in March 2007. She's responsible for giving me the nudge to take a team of youth back to Costa Rica.
Hailey was a super team member. She never flinched at any task she was given. Kids were around her all the time and she had smiles and hugs for them all. My concern is ... will she be disappointed when she returns? Is she looking for familiar faces? The children who were close to her in 2007 may not be there in 2009. How will she feel if she recognizes one of them but they don't remember her? How will her role as a team member in 2009 be different than in 2007? What was she thinking about when she said she wanted to return?

Hailey is in for a great surprise. The orphanage is a bit different today. The children are housed in family groups rather than age groups. Each "casa" has multi-aged chidren living there...more like a real family. Possibly with a few more children than most of the families we know. What is really special about this huge change is now siblings will be living together. Each house has room for about 12 - 15 children. The older children can now assume some resonsbilities for caring for the younger children.

I know that Hailey will find some new "amigos" this time. We have been told that there will be about 120 children at the orphanage this year (about 50 more than in 2007). They may even be ready for another soccer game. Get ready Hailey. Your group from Noble County may need to practice a bit as part of their preparation for the trip. Who's bringing a soccer ball? I can keep score. Bonnie

Welcome Anna Elena Strong Gonzalez

2009-04-26T13:48:00.001-07:00

In December we had a mission team in the San Jose area. Since many of us had been there before, we came prepared for a baby shower. I've never seen Charlie so nervous as the day of our shower. I think it was about that time, he realized "I'm going to be a Dad!" Angela seemed to take it in stride and was much less rattled. Our team had a great time planning and attending the shower.

Weighing in at a little less than 6 pounds on March 24, 2009, little Anna rests easy with her new parents. Coming along a bit early brought a little concern to the new parents but as Dad says, she's gaining weight and can already hold up her head. He's convinced she's the prettiest baby of all he sees and is destined for great things. What a gift she is to Charlie and Angela and what a gift of love she will always be given. Give her a hug from all of us.

Meet Charlie ...

2009-04-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

A mission trip to Costa Rica wouldn't be the same without Charlie Strong. Charlie and I met on the internet in 2005 when I was looking for a safe international destination for a "family" mission trip during Spring Break in 2006. After taking a team of 12 down to check out the possibilities, we've returned with 7 teams to this part of the world.

So... what makes us go back? The main reason is Charlie. He just takes such good care of us while we are guests in Costa Rica. Another reason is Charlie has surrounded himself with the best people who make our experience absolutely one that will long be remembered. I return to see my Costa Rican family which includes Charlie, Angela, and lots of Luis's, Wilbur, William and more.

Charlie came to Costa Rica after having served as a Wesley Foundation pastor in Texas. (Wesley Foundation is a campus ministry program located on the campus of a university.) He hosts many mission teams from universities as well as youth teams and adult teams from around the country. His love for the people, especially the children, of Costa Rica is evident through the projects that are being completed through Strong Missions.

Charlie is married to Angela and they have just become the proud parents of Anna Elena. Anna arrived a bit early but in Charlie's words is the most beautiful baby ever, besides she is the best little girl ...never cries and of course she loves her daddy. Charlie is promising new photos soon.
He called today and he's very pleased to hear that we have a team preparing to lend a hand. We aren't sure where we will be working but he has a parsonage in the process for Guadalupe Methodist Church, construction of additonal feeding space for the feeding program at Los Guido Methodist Church, and completion of a chicken barn at the orphanage. As the time gets closer, we'll have a better idea about where we'll serve in August.

Even if you aren't entertaining thoughts of joining the Costa Rica mission trip, your prayers for our mission are needed and appreciated. Good night...

Costa Rica - July 31-August 9, 2009

2009-04-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

With a current passport in hand, you too can join a group of young people and adults traveling to Costa Rica this summer. Planning a day with the children of los Guido will be one of our tasks. VBS activities for the young children ... especially craft activites are always fun for all.

Here are a few specifics for the upcoming trip:

Give your prayerful consideration to joining a team from Valpo Methodists to serve the children and families in Costa Rica. (Be prepared to also be served.)
Let us know that you are interested and want lots more information.
Airline reservations are critical. 16 spaces have been reserved and more can be obtained if the interest is there. (At least 14 places have already been spoken for but more can be added.)
The cost of the trip is $1,350 which covers airfare, ground transportation in Costa Rica, accident insurance, lodging, and park entrance on our free time excursion.
The youth team will be staying at a Methodist Church (dormitory style) in Guadalupe (located just outside San Jose, Costa Rica).
Our work is yet to be defined but the team will spend one day at los Guido Methodist Church and have an opportunity to engage in conversation with the youth from that church as well as work help serve the meals to the children in the barrio.
We will go to a National Park and experience native wildlife and beaches of Costa Rica. Be sure to pack your swim suit.

Do you have to speak Spanish? No, but it is a great place to practice what you already know. The children know some English and love to help us with our Spanish. The important part is making the effort to exchange ideas in Spanish and lots of hand motions.