2018 Teams
–––February–––
In our eleventh year of hosting work teams (!), a wonderful pattern has emerged of starting each year with hard-working folks from frigid Michigan fleeing to the Costa Rican sunshine. This year was no different as our friends from First United Methodist Kalamazoo, a supporting church of ours, came for a week of ministry. They continued work on the multipurpose building, specifically stuccoing walls and preparing beams for welding together as roof trusses. They also put on a great activity with the children at the Home one afternoon, as well as playing with them throughout the week. We were thankful to see old friends and new, and to begin another year on such a high note.
Later in February, we hosted two other teams from Michigan, each of which came to work for two weeks. The folks from several churches in the Ann Arbor area (Northville, West Side, and First United Methodist) continued work at the Children's Home, primarily stuccoing walls on the first floor. They also had fun activities for the children at the Home and the Llano Grande Methodist Church.
During the same period, a small group of folks, mostly from Michigan-area churches (and others with Michigan roots), worked at the Faro del Este Methodist Church. The parsonage project there had been on hold for a while, but these hard-working folks made great progress putting up all the walls, which will later be sprayed in concrete. They also gave a much-needed cleaning and painting to the outside property wall of the church. The team also held fun, craft-filled activities for the children and women in the church.
Even though these were very busy weeks for us, we were blessed by the fellowship and love we received from these teams, as well as the witness of their hard work.
During the same period, a small group of folks, mostly from Michigan-area churches (and others with Michigan roots), worked at the Faro del Este Methodist Church. The parsonage project there had been on hold for a while, but these hard-working folks made great progress putting up all the walls, which will later be sprayed in concrete. They also gave a much-needed cleaning and painting to the outside property wall of the church. The team also held fun, craft-filled activities for the children and women in the church.
Even though these were very busy weeks for us, we were blessed by the fellowship and love we received from these teams, as well as the witness of their hard work.
––––June––––
In June we hosted some great folks from St. James UMC in Atlanta, a supporting church of ours. Several of the members have worked in Costa Rica before, some even for twenty years, while others were visiting for the first time. With the roof now on the multi-purpose building to keep the rain out, half the team worked on stuccoing whiles. While the other, much luckier, half, worked down on the soccer field continuing a perimeter wall. Even after all that hard work, they had energy and joy for two great afternoons of children's activities.
In June we hosted some great folks from St. James UMC in Atlanta, a supporting church of ours. Several of the members have worked in Costa Rica before, some even for twenty years, while others were visiting for the first time. With the roof now on the multi-purpose building to keep the rain out, half the team worked on stuccoing whiles. While the other, much luckier, half, worked down on the soccer field continuing a perimeter wall. Even after all that hard work, they had energy and joy for two great afternoons of children's activities.
–––July–––
Our final team of the year was a great mix of folks from Christ Community Church (one of our two home/commissioning churches) in Columbus, Georgia; Cokesbury UMC in Pensacola, Florida; and a family from the Boston area. Only the Lord could put together such a diverse group, but they came together as one team very quickly and worked great all week. The work this summer has been pretty straightforward: stuccoing the multipurpose building and continuing the wall on the bottom part of the property. The team made great progress, though, and we give thanks for ending this year's team calendar with such a wonderful group.
Our final team of the year was a great mix of folks from Christ Community Church (one of our two home/commissioning churches) in Columbus, Georgia; Cokesbury UMC in Pensacola, Florida; and a family from the Boston area. Only the Lord could put together such a diverse group, but they came together as one team very quickly and worked great all week. The work this summer has been pretty straightforward: stuccoing the multipurpose building and continuing the wall on the bottom part of the property. The team made great progress, though, and we give thanks for ending this year's team calendar with such a wonderful group.