Hi Mom and Dad,
I still can’t believe that I’m here in Costa Rica. When I look at the beautiful dark green mountains
that surround us, it still looks like a movie backdrop that isn’t real. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity — it has been a transforming experience that will affect me for the rest of my life. I’ve learned so much here, including lessons about love, service, friendship, community, gratitude and more.
My site is a rural town called Guadalupe. It’s a wonderful site because of the people we interact
with there. All of the people I’ve met here are so kind, generous, and filled with love. Their happiness
because of our presence here is so touching and heartwarming. Being at Guadalupe, my group gets to
visit the school to play with all of the kids there, spend time at the community center, play soccer at the large field across from the center, and of course, work on the chapel they have there. Our task involved expanding the chapel to make it larger. The chapel has the most amazing view behind it, especially when rain is swathing the mountains with a misty veil. Today was our last day to work on the chapel, and sadly we had to say many goodbyes to the people of Guadalupe. One of the people I said goodbye to was Dona Carmen. She is a wonderful woman who I became friends with a few days ago. The sadness of leaving hasn’t hit me yet. During the day, I spent time painting and shoveling dirt. We also visited the school one last time to play with the kids; and, before we left to return to the retreat center (where we sleep), we played an intense game of volleyball.
There are so many beautiful things I’ve witnessed here: adorable children with bright smiles,
vibrantly-colored flowers, men hard at work building a wall, families coming together to make candy and celebrate, all of us dancing at a fiesta, my companions helping each other… Thank you for giving all of this to me. See you soon.
Love,
Sarah
