Feliz año nuevo! Facing the New Year typically causes us to reflect on the year that has just passed. Each year has its challenges and blessings, and that is true about 2007.
Challenges which we faced this year and their blessings include (but are not limited to) the following:
Temporarily closed door to medical ministry on the reservation. For several months of last year our attempts at doing medical clinics on the reservation were thwarted by Cabécar authorities. Thankfully, we now know the president of the Cabécar Association (the Cabécar governing authority) and have a good relationship with him. We were even able to work closely with him on the community committee for a new bridge over the Pacuare River. Through this, we have also solidified our relationship with the government physicians in the area.
Multiple generator failures. As many of you know, we do not have electricity in Paso Marcos, and have had to rely on generators for all our electrical needs, particularly for the construction and dental clinics. By the end of October 2007 we had pretty much gone through 3 generators (one of them borrowed from a neighbor for the dental clinic). As a result, the construction process has been significantly delayed. We are thankful, however, that we have never had to cancel a dental clinic. Two days before our dental clinic in December, we still did not have a generator available, but God provided. We now have a new, heavy duty diesel generator which has been performing well for all our electrical needs.
The Pacuare River bridge breaking. The suspension bridge over the Pacuare river has been in disrepair for many years. This bridge is the only access across the river for a population of about 11,000-12,000 people, including the reservation. This year, we were an active part of the community bridge committee, which we formed in order to find a permanent solution to the problem by replacing the bridge. Through our efforts, a meeting with the vice-minister of transportation resulted in his agreeing that the bridge needed replacing, and that he would put it in the budget for 2009. Two weeks after the meeting, the bridge broke (November). Thankfully, no one was hurt, and as a result, the awareness of the need for a new bridge was heightened. The bridge was repaired (a temporary fix), and the push for a new bridge continues.
Isolation. For those of you who have visited us, you know that Paso Marcos is an isolated place. In addition, we still have no communication at the property site. However, we have found that moving out to Paso Marcos has multiplied our relationships in Paso Marcos and in the surrounding communities. We have also significantly strengthened our relationship with the other missionaries in the area, which has opened doors to other relationships with the Cabécar people in other parts of the reservation.
We’d also like to share some additional blessings and new directions that the Lord is taking us:
Alekcey has been selected to be one of four people in Costa Rica to participate in the Central American Leadership Initiative sponsored by the Aspen Institute. This is a two year leadership program, mostly comprised of high-powered businessmen and government officials; however, God has seen it fit for Alekcey to rub shoulders with these people. Part of the program is to develop a socially-minded project in an area of interest under the guidance of a mentor. The possibilities are endless, but ideas for this project are forming, and we are excited to see how God is going to use this. The program’s first seminar begins in March.
Dental clinics: In December, with the generosity of the Social Action Department of Hospital Clínica Bíblica, we were able to complete one year of providing regular dental care to Paso Marcos and the surrounding communities. The dentist has made comments that by providing regular dental care to this community, he is beginning to see how we will soon be at the point of providing preventative dental care along with curative care. That’s what development is all about – making a lasting, permanent change. Clínica Bíblica has committed to at least another year of regular dental care.
Challenges which we faced this year and their blessings include (but are not limited to) the following:
Temporarily closed door to medical ministry on the reservation. For several months of last year our attempts at doing medical clinics on the reservation were thwarted by Cabécar authorities. Thankfully, we now know the president of the Cabécar Association (the Cabécar governing authority) and have a good relationship with him. We were even able to work closely with him on the community committee for a new bridge over the Pacuare River. Through this, we have also solidified our relationship with the government physicians in the area.
Multiple generator failures. As many of you know, we do not have electricity in Paso Marcos, and have had to rely on generators for all our electrical needs, particularly for the construction and dental clinics. By the end of October 2007 we had pretty much gone through 3 generators (one of them borrowed from a neighbor for the dental clinic). As a result, the construction process has been significantly delayed. We are thankful, however, that we have never had to cancel a dental clinic. Two days before our dental clinic in December, we still did not have a generator available, but God provided. We now have a new, heavy duty diesel generator which has been performing well for all our electrical needs.
The Pacuare River bridge breaking. The suspension bridge over the Pacuare river has been in disrepair for many years. This bridge is the only access across the river for a population of about 11,000-12,000 people, including the reservation. This year, we were an active part of the community bridge committee, which we formed in order to find a permanent solution to the problem by replacing the bridge. Through our efforts, a meeting with the vice-minister of transportation resulted in his agreeing that the bridge needed replacing, and that he would put it in the budget for 2009. Two weeks after the meeting, the bridge broke (November). Thankfully, no one was hurt, and as a result, the awareness of the need for a new bridge was heightened. The bridge was repaired (a temporary fix), and the push for a new bridge continues.
Isolation. For those of you who have visited us, you know that Paso Marcos is an isolated place. In addition, we still have no communication at the property site. However, we have found that moving out to Paso Marcos has multiplied our relationships in Paso Marcos and in the surrounding communities. We have also significantly strengthened our relationship with the other missionaries in the area, which has opened doors to other relationships with the Cabécar people in other parts of the reservation.
We’d also like to share some additional blessings and new directions that the Lord is taking us:
Alekcey has been selected to be one of four people in Costa Rica to participate in the Central American Leadership Initiative sponsored by the Aspen Institute. This is a two year leadership program, mostly comprised of high-powered businessmen and government officials; however, God has seen it fit for Alekcey to rub shoulders with these people. Part of the program is to develop a socially-minded project in an area of interest under the guidance of a mentor. The possibilities are endless, but ideas for this project are forming, and we are excited to see how God is going to use this. The program’s first seminar begins in March.
Dental clinics: In December, with the generosity of the Social Action Department of Hospital Clínica Bíblica, we were able to complete one year of providing regular dental care to Paso Marcos and the surrounding communities. The dentist has made comments that by providing regular dental care to this community, he is beginning to see how we will soon be at the point of providing preventative dental care along with curative care. That’s what development is all about – making a lasting, permanent change. Clínica Bíblica has committed to at least another year of regular dental care.
The clinic in Paso Marcos: Because of the electricity problems, the clinic facilities are still not completed – but we are getting close. This has given us time to reexamine the true medical needs of the area and the purpose of the clinic. We have always wanted to compliment the medical efforts of the government clinics, rather than duplicate them. We have been able to develop a good relationship with the physicians and staff at the government clinic for the area (about 10 km away – 30 min. travel time). At this point in time, we feel that the biggest need is for an intermediate care facility – essentially, a place where people can stay and receive long-term treatments (such as for leischmaniasis and tuberculosis), as well as a step-down unit as people transition from hospital to home.
One last thing we’d like to share. The Lord has provided us with a home church in the U.S., called Village Parkway Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas. This in and of itself is an interesting, but long, story. They were able to send their second team down to Costa Rica this past week (Dec. 28 through Jan 5). We had a marvelous time and were able to accomplish many things including the kitchen expansion, digging out the drainage system for the road after a landslide, VBS, and a community New Year’s Eve party. We have many stories to share from this trip, and we’d like to share one here.
We decided to host a community New Year’s Eve party at the property as an alternative to the available entertainment (which isn’t much) for that day. Since this is our first time ever doing this, we really had no idea what to expect. We personally invited a few, and put up signs around the community. Apparently word spread because we counted about 100 people there. The tricky thing was planning the food for the party. Having not expected so many people, we were concerned that we were going to fall short on the food supplies. The time came to serve the meal: rice, beans, pork, malanga (a starchy root vegetable), and juice. In short, every one we served was full, and there were even some leftovers. The next day, we served the same amount of rice to our team (16 people in total) which was just enough for the meal. Now, can anyone explain to us how the same pot of rice, which was just enough for 16 people one day, fed 100 people the day before? Thank you, Lord.
One last thing we’d like to share. The Lord has provided us with a home church in the U.S., called Village Parkway Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas. This in and of itself is an interesting, but long, story. They were able to send their second team down to Costa Rica this past week (Dec. 28 through Jan 5). We had a marvelous time and were able to accomplish many things including the kitchen expansion, digging out the drainage system for the road after a landslide, VBS, and a community New Year’s Eve party. We have many stories to share from this trip, and we’d like to share one here.
We decided to host a community New Year’s Eve party at the property as an alternative to the available entertainment (which isn’t much) for that day. Since this is our first time ever doing this, we really had no idea what to expect. We personally invited a few, and put up signs around the community. Apparently word spread because we counted about 100 people there. The tricky thing was planning the food for the party. Having not expected so many people, we were concerned that we were going to fall short on the food supplies. The time came to serve the meal: rice, beans, pork, malanga (a starchy root vegetable), and juice. In short, every one we served was full, and there were even some leftovers. The next day, we served the same amount of rice to our team (16 people in total) which was just enough for the meal. Now, can anyone explain to us how the same pot of rice, which was just enough for 16 people one day, fed 100 people the day before? Thank you, Lord.
Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and friendship.
