Note: This article is the second in a two-article series.  Click here to read Part 1.

The Moment of Truth

An unsettling quiet engulfed the normally loud bus as we caught our first glimpses of La Carpio.  Sitting in stunned silence, our students took in the scene as it unfolded right before their very eyes, the squalid conditions a far cry from the comfortable lifestyle they were accustomed to back home.

The silence slowly gave way to quiet chatter as the bus maneuvered around the obstacles along the city’s narrow streets and carefully made its way to the church where we would be spending the next four days teaching English to the older children who would be attending our sessions, conducting a VBS program for the younger ones and sharing God’s love with one and all.

Finally arriving at our destination, we disembarked, unloaded our supplies and set off for the church.  While dodging stray dogs and piles of construction debris along our path, we spied little faces peeking out from the ramshackle corrugated tin and cinder block structures we passed as we made our way to the church entrance, wondering if any of the children we encountered would be among those we would minister to in the coming days.

Upon entering the church, the quiet chatter exploded into a full-blown cacophony of released nervous excitement as we unpacked our materials, set up the classrooms and anticipated the arrival of our very first group of children.  After months of planning, fundraising, praying and preparing, our time had finally arrived.  It was about to get real.

And So It Begins…

At long last, the church gate opened, admitting the first group of smiling little faces we would be working with that day.  This was it.  The time had come to put our lessons in teamwork to the test.

As I watched the students on our mission team throughout the course of the morning I began to see familiar patterns from the previous day’s hike emerge.  Like the trail blazers, some in our group eagerly engaged the children in the opening minutes of the session.  Others apprehensively hung back a bit to observe and take in the scene.  Then there were those who came alongside the more reticent members of our group, providing them the support they needed to get involved.

Right before my very eyes, our group of individuals was becoming a cohesive unit focused on the common cause to serve the children God had placed before us.

Overcoming Barriers

One of the greatest concerns our students expressed prior to arriving was the language barrier.  While most of our students had been participating in Spanish class since the first grade, none had truly had the opportunity to test their knowledge with native speakers who speak little to no English.  As a result, our students wondered how it would be possible to make a meaningful connection with the children if they couldn’t communicate with one another.

Our students concerns were quickly laid to rest when they discovered language transcends words.  Through the use of creative hand signals and facial expressions, they were able to convey their message when the correct spoken word evaded them.  And, as the children warmed up to them, our students gained the confidence to practice the Spanish they had learned in class at our school, many times quite successfully.  As the relationships between the children and our students blossomed and grew throughout the week, so did the command of each other’s native tongue.  But they seemed to understand each other most clearly when speaking the language of the heart through genuine smiles and laughter.

While the students and chaperones worked to overcome the language barrier, we were able to chip away at the cultural one as well with open ears and an open mind.  We experienced the everyday differences, such as clothing and food choices.  We learned about the educational differences between the two groups in that while our students attend school daily for six and a half hours, the children we met only attended school for a few hours several times a week.  Some of our students were a bit envious of the reduced school schedule until they received an education from their chaperones on the long term adverse implications of less schooling.

We also witnessed societal differences, especially as we came to understand the level of responsibility some of these children had in caring for their younger siblings who attended the session along with them.

Unfortunately, we also discovered that some things transcend cultural barriers.  It is a matter of fact that the skin color of the children of Nicaraguan descent is slightly darker than that of their Costa Rican counterparts.  A subtle difference, but enough to make them a target of discrimination, especially the residents of La Carpio who are also dealing with issues related to poverty.

The members of our team were not the only ones learning to understand the differences between our two groups.  For the children of La Carpio, most with a limited frame of reference having never had the opportunity to venture beyond the community’s borders, meeting our racially diverse mix of African American and Caucasian team members proved to be a bit of a culture shock to them.

As the minutes, hours and days progressed and comfort levels grew, it was not uncommon to see the children react with awe as they first touched the silky hair of one of our blond Caucasian students and next an African American student’s wiry curls, marveling at the difference in texture.

One of the most powerful lessons we all learned and experienced throughout our ministry days is that God’s love transcends skin color and language as well as physical and cultural boundaries.

The Forging of Bonds

Through the power of God’s love, those who were once strangers soon became fast friends.  While our sessions were mainly group activities, the children we ministered to seemed to gravitate to individual students who became their best buddies during the week.  These relationships brought our own group closer together as students swapped stories regarding their interactions with and antics of their respective buddies.

All too soon our days with the children of La Carpio came to an end and the time had come to say goodbye.  Tearful goodbyes stretched on for some as we encountered several students from earlier sessions playing in the streets of town as we made our way back to our bus one final time.  Stopping for one final photo op before boarding the bus, some of our students got a last hug from the children gathered nearby.  Others managed a final wave as one or two of the children trailed behind our departing bus.

Memories Made and Lessons Learned

At the end of the week while re-reading my journal notes from the start of the trip regarding the various personalities of my fellow chaperones, the following verse came to mind:

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”  Romans 12:6a

In His infinite wisdom, God was able to use each of us in a unique way to serve the children as well as one another:

• The Whirlwind – Possessing a servant’s heart, she provided the energy we needed when we needed it most, such as when she brought us drinks to quench our thirst when we were too weary to get up and get them ourselves.
• The Jokester – Her fun-loving attitude provided some much-needed levity that broke the tension and calmed the nerves during times of stress or uncertainty.
• The Saint – This wise and loving lady provided an insightful perspective by pointing out God’s hand at work amidst the daily activities and through the various challenges we faced.

Time and experience proved that, despite our differences, our amazing and diverse group became the cohesive team it needed to be to serve the children of La Carpio and glorify God in the process.

Years of dreaming, months of planning, days of serving and bonding gone in the blink of an eye.  However, the memories of this adventure are sure to last a lifetime.

Find me on Facebook and “Like” me to stay connected!