Dear Family and Friends,
Thank you all so much for your support, both financially and in prayer, in getting me to Costa Rica. I wanted to share about what my team accomplished that week and what I learned. I am also happy to share about my plans for after graduation, so read on!
Our trip started on Friday February 27. My parents surprised me in Charlottesville and took me out to dinner. It was great to see both of them before I left. Late that night we drove to Reagan airport in DC and after sleeping on the floor for a few hours we were able to board our plane. We were on our way to Costa Rica with a layover in Miami. We arrived in Costa Rica a little tired, but it was only around noon on Saturday and we met up with our leader, Will Hasley. The trip was extra important to me because Will was my bible study leader last year and he is serving as a missionary for a year in Costa Rica which also plays into my future plans. Will works with the Evangelical United Methodist Church in Costa Rica as a full time missionary. It was great to see him and be able to spend a week hearing what he has learned in his time there.
As we loaded up the bus and headed to lunch, I realized it was really great to be practicing my Spanish again. After lunch we headed to an orphanage which was one of the many outreaches of the Methodist Church there. They have purchased a plot of land overlooking the city of San José with plans to build houses for orphans. We met the family in charge of the orphanage and got to hear about the plans for the orphanage. It is going to be a great place for orphans to grow up and get an education in hopes of breaking the cycle of poverty. After visiting the orphanage we had a 2 hour bus ride through the rainforest to where we would be working for the week- Puerto Viejo.
Most of us fell asleep from being so tired, but as we entered the rainforest we had to stop. The traffic was all stopped and it was raining. The road was blocked to what we think was a landslide. We were stuck in the rainforest for hours and not sure when we were going to get out. Instead of our group complaining from being hungry, tired and stuck, we all got along and there were no complaints. Eventually we were able to pass, and got to see that the traffic in the opposite direction was backed up for miles as well. We arrived at our hotel late that evening and had dinner before going to bed early.
Sunday we went to church and in the afternoon we got to go zip-lining through the canopy of the rainforest. It was so much fun and our leaders surprised us because we had no idea that we were going to be able to do that. Most of the week there we worked on building a church and community center. The building that they were using was a concrete slab with a makeshift tin roof that leaked. This new building would be a huge blessing to them as well as an outreach. They used to building to educate adults in the area who did not complete their education as well as other outreaches to the community. We spent most of the week laying concrete, plastering walls and laying tile in the church. They needed money to work on the building and could only do so when teams visited to work on the church. The Costa Ricans were so thankfully that we were there to help serve them. The pastor’s wife cooked us lunch everyday, and it was delicious. We also looked forward to the fresh pineapple at every meal.
In the late afternoons we went to different churches to teach children Vacation Bible School. We sang songs, performed a skit of David and Goliath (where I was David) and we helped them make crowns which they could color and decorate. We taught them that big or small, whoever you are- God can use you for great things. We ended each VBS with a time to play with the children. They loved crawling on our back and just running around. It was so great to see God’s love through them. They did not have much, but they had what was important and that was enough.
On Thursday night we led a worship service for the church. We led the church in Spanish songs and a few of us got to share our testimony. I was one of them. It was an awesome experience to share with others what God has done in my life and that God has great plans for each and everyone us. The next day we packed up and headed back to San José. The trip this time was under 2 hours because the road was clear. It rained from Sunday until we left the rainforest Friday morning in Puerto Viejo, but the rain did not dampen our mood. It was a joy to be serving in Costa Rica. We arrived in San José at the orphanage and spent the day working on the foundation for the first children’s home at the orphanage. It was only foundation work, but it was also the basis of great things to come to the orphanage caretakers as well as the children that will be living there. This was our last full day in Costa Rica, but I wanted to share with you all what I learned.
When we first arrived in Costa Rica, I noticed that it was not as poor there as what I had observed on my mission trip in Bolivia the previous year. One of my teammates pointed out to me that, while their physical needs may be different, their spiritual needs are the same. This completely changed my perspective. We were there to serve their physical needs, but their spiritual needs as well. This enabled me to serve them better. Also, the last night there, we all took communion. We went up one at a time and our other group members took turns praying for us. Sometimes it is easier for others to see how God is moving in our life before you do and that was true for me. It was such a powerful time of encouragement and one of my favorite memories for the week. It showed me that we really need to encourage one another in all of our daily interactions.
Finally, I have made plans to be a missionary in Guatemala next year through my home church in Lynchburg, which is also a Methodist church. I am not fully sure what I will be doing or where I will be in Guatemala, but plans are underway. I am waiting to hear back from my contact, but his wife just had a baby so he has been a little occupied to say the least. I was able to discuss with Will how it is to be a missionary. He was very real with me. He shared how it can be very difficult being on your own. The language barrier and a lack of people around your age can hinder meaningful conversation at times. On the other hand he also encouraged me as to how much I will be able to grow next year. The good outweighs the bad. I will be less dependent on other people next year and more dependent on God. This is where I need to grow and it will be a great opportunity for me. It was so encouraging to have that conversation with Will.
Thank you all so much for your financial and prayerful support for getting me to Costa Rica and keeping me safe. I learned so much in the week there and things that I will carry with me to my next stage of life. Graduation is just around the corner, but I am not worried about what is next. God has big plans for my life and all I need to do is trust in Him. Thank you all again God Bless!
-Bobby Pearson
