A New Start

I am awestruck at the beauty I see during Global Village trips. This trip is no exception.

We opened our day today with two very special readings about starting anew and about building a house. Throughout this week we have seen how those two ideas are one in the same for families in need in Costa Rica. A safe and affordable house means exactly that: a new start. It is beautiful to see the love flowing from every shovel-full of dirt and every load of concrete mixture, love that will help ensure that these two families can have a new start.

On our bus ride to the worksite after breakfast, a member of our group felt moved to say a special prayer for the safety of our group, so that we may continue to work toward our goal. It is beautiful to see the love we have developed for each other, coming together from different places and backgrounds to become one team of friends to do God’s work.

At lunch today, many of our team members used the break time to rest. We rested in wheelbarrows, on the pile of rocks used to make concrete, on the sides of banana “trees” and in the trenches that will eventually be used for the septic system. As I lay on a homemade bench in Girardina’s back yard, I was amazed by the beauty of nature here in Costa Rica: the view of fruit trees (banana, avocado, lemon and sweet lime) and the sound of happy children playing in the neighborhood, chickens clucking and chicks peeping.

As we returned to the hotel after our work day, I heard stories from other volunteers about playing with the children and chatting with the family members, neighbors and the construction crew. It is beautiful to see lives changing as we build relationships with the families we are serving, and it is wonderful to see community in the true sense of the word.

Today we built walls. We dug giant holes for septic tanks and long deep trenches for the septic system.  We also built communities and hope for the future. These are the most beautiful things of all. 

-Bobbi Higgins