During this short period of time, we educated each other about our countries, cultures, lives, and Christian journeys. It was amazing, but even when our translators were not around we were able to communicate extremely well in spite of the language barrier. Each month we write each other updates about our experiences. I value this program greatly because not only does the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) send missionaries; it receives missionaries. God’s word is translated and experienced in different contexts by different cultures around the world. I hope to share here a brief view of what I have seen. Please note that my experiences do not reflect universal truths, merely a glimpse of the truth surrounding the community in which I am working.

The R&M Program has partnerships with different Christian organizations in Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica. Since I was assigned to Costa Rica, I am working specifically with the Fraternity of Evangelical Churches of Costa Rica (FIEC). FIEC placed me with a host family in the church where I would be volunteering.

For my first four weeks I took 80 contact hours of intensive Spanish at Mesoamerica Language School. Then, started work full time. My job put me in three different cities with at least two hours a day on buses traveling to and from work. During this time my host family, the Espinosas, taught me bus routes, answered questions, and cared for me like I was one of their own. Their compassion and generosity over the last nine months has been a gift of grace that I will never forget.

Thursday, the day of rest Each Monday, I design and teach activities at a center for the elderly in the city of Hatillo. Whether it is bingo, arts and crafts, or even chair aerobics, this group of 15 seniors brightens my day and keeps me laughing. Tuesdays and Fridays are spent in the FIEC main office in San Pedro where I teach computer lessons, fix computer problems, and type research material for Arturo Piedra, a Central American historian.

Each Wednesday, I conduct three different English classes at our church in Higuito. The first class is 25–30 Pre-K through 2nd graders, and they are a huge challenge for me. These children with short attention spans, dozens of questions and tons of energy have taught me to lighten up and just go with the flow. In the evening I have two classes: Basic and Advanced English. On Saturdays, I help with the church youth group, and on Sundays we have a four-hour church service. Thursday is my day to relax, recoup, and do laundry.

The success addict
In the early months, I struggled with learning Spanish, trying to work in different cities, and most of all adapting to a new culture. I believe one of the reasons I was supposed to come to Costa Rica was to learn how to fail. I know this sounds strange, but in the United States we are taught at an early age to be the best, to make the most money, and to always keep producing results. I had become a “success addict.” “Failure is not an option” was my motto. Results, accomplishments, and success became a higher priority than the people in my life. For this perfectionist to learn Spanish, adapt to a new culture, and be of assistance to my assigned community, learning to fail was my first significant lesson. My second was “God does not need perfection, He just needs faithfulness.” Thank God compassion and sincerity surpass all language barriers. In time, I did learn to speak Spanish, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to become fluent.

Food poisoning
I have experienced the greatest culture shock in the kitchen. As the daughter of a registered nurse, I grew up being very germ-conscious, always refrigerating food after opening it, and of course, washing dishes in hot water. I enjoy oven cooking and was spoiled by my last apartment’s dishwasher. Since the only hot water in the house is from the electrical shower, dishes are washed in cold water. This minor detail just reminds me of camping. Since electricity is really expensive, the oven is only used two or three times a year for birthdays or special holidays. The rest of the time, we cook on a small travel gas stove.

Dairy products and fruits are stored in the refrigerator, but leftovers are secured in the oven from bugs. At day’s end, leftovers are sometimes refrigerated or generally just left in the oven until the following day. At first I was convinced that I was going to die from food poisoning, but nine months later, I have not gotten sick. I am still a little phobic of hours-old meat, but when you are hungry, food is food.

Spiritually rich, materially impoverished
Laundry wise, we have a semiautomatic washing machine and line dry our clothes. At times, we have to hand wash them. Water and electricity in Costa Rica tend to disappear for hours. My Tico family is essentially Costa Rican low-middle class. They are materially “poor” by the standards of the United States, but they are among the wealthiest in our congregation. Our church family contains many who are materially impoverished. Only six of the 85 in the congregation can afford to tithe each month and with so little income the church struggles to pay a pastor. There are four families in our church who do not have running water. It is very difficult to visit their houses. On one occasion, I climbed a dried steep waterway to visit a family in our church. Their metal shack was smaller than the average living room. The couple lives there with eight children on an earth floor, with no plumbing. An uncovered barrel holds water for cooking and drinking. They also have two small hammocks serving as baby beds for their four-month old twins. Three of their children attend my English classes. During the rainy season (May through November), this family and many others are in danger of landslides.

Due to deforestation, the earth just melts away as the rainwater rushes down the mountain. There are 200 of these homes located on their side of the mountain. Many times when tourists visit the beautiful country of Costa Rica, they only see the volcanoes, rainforests, beaches, waterfalls, diverse animal population and vegetation. My experience has shown me another side—the violent and sad side of Costa Rica. I knew two people who were murdered this year, took two people to the hospital one alcohol and the other domestic abuse-related), and I was robbed in broad daylight.

In San Jose (the capital), there are 8,000 child prostitutes and the trafficking of children is a major problem. Costa Rica has not been plagued by wars like other Central and South American countries, yet in the last 20 years refugees from those countries have fled here to start a new life. Many of the locals will tell you that because of this, Costa Rica is not as safe as it used to be. Some of my good friends are refugees from Colombia. Their stories will bring you to tears and yet their faith in God is incredibly strong. Many families are doing everything they can to survive. When there is no work, what do you do?

The Face of Poverty
For me, poverty has a face now. It is really hard to know that I can go back and live a comfortable life while my friends here will always struggle to make ends meet. Daily living with the poor is difficult. It makes you evaluate who you are, what you have, and what God is calling you to do with those resources. Our culture says “Keep moving. Keep striving. Keep accumulating newer and better things.” As we consume in excess and abuse the world’s natural resources, the laws of mathematics prove that there is less for others around the world. Furthermore, transnational corporations have introduced advertising campaigns to lure Third World residents into a more consumptive lifestyle. The poor of Costa Rica are trapped between Third World poverty and First World expectations. This tension creates discord in communities and families.

We are not born to rescue those who have less than us, but I do believe that we are called to a life of solidarity with each other. The greatest gift we can give someone is our undivided attention. This was a hard lesson for me to learn. Many times when I would go to visit families, they would tell me about their problems, dreams, and fears. During these times, I unexpectedly found myself unable to respond in Spanish. I believe being temporarily mute was God’s way of teaching me to be still and just listen.

New perspective

Through the R&M program I have traveled to Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. It has been a wonderful, life-changing experience. The “old” definition of a missionary does not apply anymore. As a missionary, I did not go to change the culture or impose my perspective of how Christ should be worshiped in Costa Rica. I did go to learn, share, and live beside my fellow brothers and sisters. In return, I received a new perspective of Christ’s ministry and God’s calling in my life.

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