Personal Narrative: My Life In Costa Rica

It is 5:30am on a rainy day on a reserve high up in the mountains of Costa Rica. I’m lying on the twin mattress of the top bunk that I’m sharing with another girl. We had gotten to the reserve two days ago and spent the day before digging a 2 metre deep septic tank for the local church and we were getting ready to go back and finish the bathroom the church has waited so long for. It’s hard grunt work and the rain and bugs don’t make it any easier, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Although I didn’t know it when I signed up, this missions trip would change my perspective on life forever. Originally, I decided to join the Costa Rica 2015 team as a good self-improvement experience and to see another part of the world; my reasons were very selfish. I knew that we would be helping people there and I was eager to do that, but it wasn’t my primary reason for going. The minute I met the pastors of the church with which we were collaborating, my whole mindset changed. I suddenly had this intense desire to make a lasting difference in someone’s life. Over the next ten days, I became invested in the work we were doing and the people we met. We served directly with a small church in Cartago, a city
The outdoor washroom would make the three hour walk to church for mothers with small children easier, the drainage trench ensured the foundation would last longer, the new coat of paint gave a run-down church a new atmosphere. I saw how just a few small changes and some compassion can transform a community! It was then that I realized that the fact that we took the time and expense to come showed them that we cared, which is something they rarely see anymore. The people there depend on first-world organizations to keep them afloat and I am eternally grateful to have been a part of