Happy New Year! BOOOOM!!

I’ve been on Christmas break the last two weeks.  I took the opportunity to visit the Osa Peninsula on the southwest Pacific coast. It’s sort of a wild west place, being very difficult to drive to, as well as the scene of a gold rush in the 1980’s. I flew down to Puerto Jimenez, a funky little town on the Golfo Dulce. Spent three days watching the water and two red macaws eating almonds. After that,  I took the ferry to Golfito, an old banana port on the mainland. Then by bus through some beautiful country reminiscent of the Shenandoah Valley to San Isidro del General. The next day the bus carried me over the Mountain of Death and back to San Jose. Fifty minutes to fly down, eight hours to get back.

Christmas in San Jose is a lot like it is at home, with a shop-to-the-death mania fueled by a mandatory year-end bonus. My grinchyness aside, it is very much a family-oriented holiday with lots of religious celebrations. The traditional holiday food is pork tamales cooked in plantain leaves.

One of the things I will never forget about being down here is New Year’s midnight. The use of fireworks has been increasing throughout December, but New Year’s beat anything I have ever seen or heard in my life. From 11:50 p.m. until 12:45 a.m. the view and sound from my back porch could only be described as a very realistic recreation of the battle of Gettysburg. Explosions large and small went off for almost an hour with the rapidity of corn popping. The sky was lit up by a multitude of colors, then gradually obscured by a haze reeking of gunpowder. Pickett’s charge occurred on my block for about ten minutes at 12:30, then things began to die down slowly. I’ll bet that there were enough fireworks shot off in my sight to fund the operations of the Diocese of Costa Rica for five years.

New Year’s day was another thing entirely. This entire country shuts down– No buses, taxis, open restaurants, just empty streets. I did not see this coming, so I spent the day loafing and dining on cereal and mango juice. I  think this happens again Holy Week, so I’ll have to be sure and forage before Easter.

Back in the groove this coming Monday: St. Mark’s, Huntersville, arrives in two weeks. Have a peaceful week.

Traveling Here and There

My apologies for being so long between blogs, but it’s been a busy time in Costa Rica for the last few weeks. Since I last wrote, I’ve visited the Rev.  Sonia Richards (who stayed with us last year for a couple of weeks when she was a deacon). Then we hosted a group from St. Timothy’s, Winston-Salem, while they explored companion relationship possibilities around the country. The next week I spent along the Caribbean coast, helping local congregations prepare vision plans. After that, I traveled with Bishop Gregg to the northern Pacific coast to scout out likely places to plant a new church. Peter Macon visited the last three days, so we worked on planning for the new school in Heredia and attended Cristo Resucitado’s Christmas party for the children in Barrio Guarari. Bishop Gregg left this afternoon to return to North Carolina. Other than that, it’s been pretty quiet here.

We have a Christmas break at Diocesan House until January 4th, so tomorrow I’m off on a safari into the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica. I’m riding the bus from San Jose over the mountains to San Isidro del General. The next day will be a long bus ride to the old banana port of Golfito. After a taking a ferry to the Osa Peninsula, I’ll spend three days in Puerto Jimenez, which was a boom town during the 1980’s gold rush. Then I fly back to San Jose next weekend.  

Next week I’ll try to catch up on my blogging and fill in some of the gaps in my adventures. Until then, have a blessed and peaceful Christmas!

It’s a Plentiful Harvest

Bp. Monterroso blesses the new diocesan officers

My companion diocese presentation

San Francisco de Asis, convention host church in Limon

Convention delegates at work

The Diocese of Costa Rica held its annual convention on November 13 and 14, in Limon on the Caribbean coast. Limon is the country’s largest port, exporting bananas, pineapples and coffee. The convention met at the church of San Francisco de Asis, where we received a warm welcome and more food than we could eat. Our business included the anticipated reports, resolutions and debates, but what I really enjoyed was the opportunity to see Disciple classmates from last year’s trip, and meeting a host of new friends. This gave me a chance to spread the word about the companion relationship between the Episcopal dioceses of Costa Rica and North Carolina.

Although we have had an active year in 2009, with ten mission groups and over 150 people coming to Costa Rica to work on construction, educational and medical projects, eleven local congregations and two schools have not yet found North Carolina partners. Part of my work here is to assist the companion process by helping congregations in the two dioceses find each other. The folks I met in Limon are enthusiastic about the chance to share their ministries with us, from rebuilding churches and constructing schools to developing social outreach programs and starting new congregations. As Jesus tells us, the harvest is plentiful and waiting on more laborers.

I’ll be returning to North Carolina in January to attend our diocesan convention. I’m working on setting up a booth at the convention where I can tell the Costa Rican story and invite delegates to explore mission opportunities for their parishes. We already have fifteen groups scheduled to come here in 2010, and it would be great to be so busy that I’d need an assistant.

I’ve included some pictures of the convention for you. Enjoy, and have a good week.

From Dream toward Reality

Bishop Monterroso signs the deed to the Heredia property

The Rev. Jorge Urrutia and Bishop Monterroso discuss the final building plans with Peter

The Bishop and Peter look over the building site in Heredia

Peter Macon is on his way back to Davidson after three days in San Jose, and what a busy time it was! Peter and I met Wednesday morning with Bishop Monterroso and the architect and engineer for the Hogar Escuela Heredia project. We reviewed the school site plan, discussed some suggested revisions, and decided on the final building layout. The school will appear essentially as it does on the architect’s drawings which I left at St. Alban’s during my recent visit. The only major change is to shift the location of all bathrooms to a central area to reduce construction costs. The detailed construction plans will be drawn now that we have determined the general building design, then the permit process will begin. Actual construction should commence by February. Peter will make a presentation on the building plans, schedule, and costs at the parish meeting on Sunday, November 22.

Peter is also bringing back a list of possible dates for mission trips to Costa Rica to work on the new school and any other projects we choose to undertake. Now is the time to start planning trips for 2010, so that we can do the necessary fundraising and assure we have lodgings available for us at Diocesan House.

We started the planning process for bringing the Rev. Jorge Urrutia, the vicar at Cristo Resucitado, to North Carolina next June for an intensive English-language course at Queens University in Charlotte. Jorge will stay with us in Davidson while he attends classes, and will also have time to worship with us and see the workings of our parish. This time will be valuable for both our congregations, as Jorge will be able to communicate much more freely with us in English. Now it is our job to learn some Spanish!

St. Alban’s has taken steps to ensure that the Guarari children’s Christmas party goes on as planned at the neighborhood community center. After four years of providing a party and giving gifts to local children, Cristo Resucitado was unable to find money for purchasing gifts due to the economic downturn. When we learned this, we shook the trees a bit and  down dropped enough money for Christmas presents. Many Guarari kids would have no joyful Christmas experience if not for this time of fellowship, and we couldn’t let that happen.

Now that Hogar Escuela Heredia is changing from a subject of discussion to a real building project, we hope each of you will prayerfully reflect on how you can play a part in this work of the Holy Spirit. If you have building skills or are willing to learn some, we have a place for you in Heredia. If you enjoy gardening, we have a place for you. If you feel led to participate in a medical or dental mission in Guarari, we have a place for you. If you’d like to help Cristo Resucitado hold a Vacation Bible School next year, we have a place for you. If you have any other particular gift or talent that you’d be willing to share with our sisters and brothers in Costa Rica, we have a place for you. If you can’t make a mission trip yourself, but are willing to contribute money or pray daily for our companion relationship and the work we will be doing, we have a place for you.

I’ve included some photos of important milestones in the Heredia project, and of Peter’s visit with us. As you enjoy them, begin finding your place in this amazing journey of faith.

Mother Elizabeth Marie Visits CR

E.M. with children and their teacher at Hogar Escuela, Barrio Cuba

Singing in the nursery

A preschool class

Smiling faces greet us

More new friends

Hogar Escuela playground, with neighboring homes beyond

Hogar’s new computer lab for kids and their parents

New government-built homes in Guarari

New and old homes in Guarari

The Bishop and E.M. look at the new school site

The Chapel of Cristo Resucitado, above the locksmith in Heredia

Elizabeth Marie, Bishop Monterroso, Jorge Urrutia, and Clarence

This week we welcomed the Rev. Elizabeth Marie Melchionna to Costa Rica. Elizabeth Marie came down to learn about the Diocese of Costa Rica, the congregation of Cristo Resucitado, and their new school and chapel site in Heredia. She also enjoyed meeting Bishop Monterroso and his wife Sandra, the Rev. Jorge Urrutia from Cristo Resucitado, and a happy host of children at Hogar Escuela in Barrio Cuba. This was E.M.’s opportunity to prepare for the upcoming process of planning St. Alban’s 2010 mission trip to help build the new Hogar Escuela for Heredia and the barrio of Guarari. Rather than orate any further on the joys of E.M.’s visit with us, I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. Have a good and peaceful week, and be sure to ask Mother Elizabeth Marie about her trip!

What would Jesus do?

We are just beginning to say goodbye to hurricane Ida this morning. There wasn’t much wind in San Jose, but we had a lot of rain. Flooding problems to the north and on the Pacific coast, high seas in the Caribbean. Pray for the folks in Nicaragua and Honduras, as they are expecting 30 inches of rain in some areas, and suffer greatly from mudslides during these storms.

Bishop Monterroso and I visited the congregation of Todos los Santos on Sunday to celebrate All Saints’ Day with them. The church is in a neighborhood called San Rafael Abajo on the outskirts of San Jose.  As its name implies, this area is lower in elevation than the rest of the city. This made for a very warm fiesta, with much fanning and brow-wiping. The best way to keep comfortable here is to go downhill to warm up, and go uphill to cool off.

The Bishop and staff are going full-tilt in preparation for the diocesan convention in Limon next week. We are also waxing the floors and washing the dog in anticipation of the arrival of Mother Elizabeth Marie and Peter Macon. The Rev. E. M. will spend several days learning about our sister congregation of Cristo Resucitado, the Guarari barrio and the new school and chapel project. Peter will be going over the school plans with the local architect and engineer before the plans are submitted for building permit review. This visit is an important step for St. Alban’s in planning for our 2010 Costa Rica mission trip.

I read in the paper this morning that the city government and police are spending today demolishing several neighborhoods of squatters’ homes on public spaces in San Jose. Officials had cleared these areas of tin-and-wood shacks in mid-September, but the people returned the following week and rebuilt them. Authorities plan to construct parks and recreation areas on the sites to prevent further problems.

My question is this: What happens to the people who tried to live in these places? It’s easy for me to put myself in the place of folks who have homes in neighborhoods near squatter communities. I understand about safety, protecting children and property values, because I have worried about all of that as a homeowner and parent. What is harder for me is to walk in the shoes of a man or woman who has to resort to building an illegal shed to live in, because I can afford nothing else. Or imagine raising a family in such a place. Or contemplate the prospect of doing the same thing over again in the same place or another, knowing the outcome will be the same. 

What would Jesus do? This worn-out question has become a cliche, a filler for tee shirts and bumper stickers. Many of us roll our eyes when we hear it, thinking of answers like ”Don’t say bad words,” or “Stay out of the back seat of parked cars at night.” We may not take seriously someone who would ask what we feel is such a lame question.

But what would Jesus do, if he were confronted with this concrete circumstance, in this particular place and time, involving these real people? Would Jesus put himself in this situation? If he did, how would he respond? One way to find out is to read about Jesus’ behavior in situations he encountered in the gospels. Another is to open ourselves to the reality of the human Jesus, let  ourselves be present in unsettling circumstances, and see what happens.

 

Tile one day, kinkajoo the next

Last week I traveled with a group from Holy Comforter, Charlotte, across the mountain to the village of Germania. We spent three days laying ceramic tile on the new parish hall and sacristy floors. We began our trip on Sunday by celebrating the patronal fiesta of San Lucas with the local congregation. Our tiling and grouting skills greatly improved during the week, and by the time we were done, we knew what we were doing. Mercifully, we had a couple of ace tilers guiding us.

The San Lucas folks threw a banquet for us on Wednesday night after work, serving a great variety of local dishes. All feasted away and had a grand time.  The lights went out just as the meal began, and I can assure you that it is pitch black in the jungle at night! Our hosts began singing hymns and clapping in the dark until candles were found and we continued our dining. Many friendships were formed that evening. One of the young girls proudly shared pictures of the six-foot-long poisonous serpent her daddy had killed in their yard. I made a mental note to stay out of the bushes and their yard.

We returned to San Jose on Thursday, then spent Friday visiting a local volcano and a waterfall park. Although the volcano’s crater was shrouded in clouds, we could hear the water boiling in the lake at its bottom. The waterfall area teems with hummingbirds, butterflies, monkeys, frogs, birds, and large, carnivorous cats. I was introduced to an interesting mammal called a kinkajoo, with large, very expressive eyes. It seemed to be intrigued by me (I’ve always been very intriguing), and rubbed its head like a cat on the cage next to me. Then it peed on my shoes. I made a mental note to be less intriguing in future.

This week I’m working on grant applications and trip planning. Will try to have a more exciting time, but without the snakes, cats, and kinkajoos.

Fiestas are HOT!!

Santiago Chapel and the new building

Confirmation

Eucharist

My girl friend

I’m sitting in Restaurant Spoon up the road from my place, watching Costa Rica and the U. S. play their futbol game in Washington.  Ordinarily this is a quiet place, but tonight there is plenty of whooping and screaming. If Costa Rica wins, I won’t sleep tonight for the horns blowing out on the street. If the U. S. wins, I’ll have to stay in the house  tomorrow with the curtains drawn. (Costa Rica scores: pandemonium!)

On Sunday, the Bishop and I returned to Santiago Chapel in Estrada for their patronal feast of St. James. Santiago had been flooded several times by the Rio Chirripo since I was there last summer with the mission group from Emmanuel, Southern Pines (Costa Rica scores again: chaos!!). The churchyard appeared to have dried out well, but many truckloads of stone had to be dumped there so that equipment to back up to the new building without sinking out of sight. The first floor walls are finished and concrete is soon to be poured for the second floor. Hubert Maies, the layperson in charge, says that the first floor will serve as a parish hall for eleven months of the year and as a swimming pool during the other month. If I can channel what little geekitude I have, I’ll add some pictures.

These patronal feasts are a hoot! Communion and confirmation with the Bishop, followed by a big meal and party. Another great opportunity to extend my consecutive-days streak of rice and beans (I’ve lost count). These occasions remind me of parish dinners at home in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. If there is anyone you haven’ t seen in the last year, you’ll see them on this day (U. S. scores: grumbling).

The only down side to the day was the ferocious heat and humidity. Everyone present was soaking wet before the first hymn was sung.  I kept thinking that the clergy in their vestments would surely collapse. Instead, I began to unravel during the announcements. Just as things started to spin around me, I realized the vicar was introducing me as an honored guest. I kept it together long enough to mumble, “Muchas gracias,” praying hard that I wouldn’t hurl all over these kind and gracious people. I spied an empty seat in a pew, plopped down and put my head between my knees. The Lord was merciful and all ended well (U. S. scores again: groans).

St. Alban’s should consider holding its own saint’s day festival. Without the heat. I can’t remember when St. Alban’s day is, but I hope it’s in January.

Costa Rica and U. S. final score is 2-2, which I gather by the silence is as good as a win for the U.S. I’m going to creep home and close my curtains.

Proddings of the Spirit

I had a grand week at home! Costa Rica is a great place to be, but it’s still nice to spend some time in my own casa with my familia. Caught up on the local news, visited with good friends, and spent a lot of time bonding with Nigel, our new dachshund. He’s three years old, long-haired and a real cutie.

Sunday morning I presented the plans for the new Hogar Escuela and Cristo Resucitado building to the  St. Alban’s congregation during adult education. We received many helpful comments and good questions, and these will be passed along to the architect and engineer. Once the plans are finalized, the permit process will begin. We’re hoping to begin construction as soon as the permits are received. Then St. Alban’s can begin sending mission groups to Heredia to help with building, yard work, and whatever else needs to be done.

Please begin checking your 2010 schedules to plan some time to share with us in Costa Rica. Mission trips usually last one week, including a day or two for recreation. The individual cost for a trip is about $1500, which includes air fare, lodging, meals, ground transportation, and tours. Work projects include carpentry, plastering, painting, yard planting, depending on when you arrive. Once the building is completed, we will work with the Heredia congregation to furnish the school and chapel, and ready everything for the first students.

I’ve returned to a busy schedule! Holy Comforter, Charlotte, arrives on October 17th for a week of work on a parish hall at San Lucas Church in Germania. Several other North Carolina congregations are planning winter mission trips, and I’ve received requests from a couple more to explore ways in which they can begin Costa Rican ministries. St. Alban’s new associate rector, the Rev. Elizabeth Marie Melchionna, will visit us soon to acquaint herself with our work here in preparation for mission trip planning.

The Holy Spirit is busy poking and prodding, encouraging all of us to look and listen for new ways to serve our sisters and brothers.  She also gives us the strength to respond with our skills and resources to make a difference while we help make disciples. Keep awake, be aware, and join us.

Our Burning Bush

This time next week I’ll be home in Davidson! This is my opportunity to have some family time, meet my new dog, visit with my friends, and share the plans for the new Hogar Escuela in Heredia with St. Alban’s. And also to shave and do laundry with hot water.

Here are some tidbits about Hogar Escuela. The Spanish name literally means “home school.” The term has a different meaning in Costa Rica than the one we are familiar with in the States. Hogar Escuela is a school which provides a home away from home for the children who will attend it. Many of them would otherwise be left alone in their homes while their parents work, or be out on the streets with all the risks that brings. Students will receive meals at school, attend pre-school classes or receive tutoring, learn to use computers, share in moral and spiritual formation, and enjoy physical exercise. Many of their mothers will also have the opportunity to learn computer skills which we hope will open the door to better employment for them.

When the first phase of construction is completed, the congregation of Cristo Resucitado will move from its rented apartment above the locksmith into the new chapel. This enables them to share the school site with their primary outreach ministry. The school will be less than a mile from Guarari, the barrio which is home to the children they are committed to serve.

The plans show a building in two sections, connected by a covered walkway. The rear section contains the school classrooms and multi-use chapel space, while the office, computer lab, and kitchen and dining facilities are located in the front area. Construction will be earthquake-resistant concrete and block, with a metal roof. There are two classrooms planned for the first phase of construction, each with a capacity for twenty-four children. When the structure is completely built out, the school will be able to accommodate up to 150 children. The chapel is designed to accommodate at least 35 worshippers.

The first phase of construction, which will begin as soon as the necessary permits are obtained, contains 2906 square feet of building space. This work will  be completed by next summer, when the school will open and the congregation will move in. The total area of the completed building will be 4090 square feet.

You will have an opportunity to see the site plan and architect’s drawings, and receive information about the projected costs and our plans for funding them, at a presentation I’ll be giving in the nave during the adult education hour between the services on Sunday morning, October 4th. Once we have a concrete vision of the finished school and chapel, we’ll be able to begin planning our mission trips to help in the construction process. There will be plenty of work for carpenters, plasterers, painters, gardeners and anyone else who’s willing to help. If you don’t have these skills, don’t worry. I’ve spent all summer watching adults and youth learn them and do them well at Diocesan House. You will be transformed when you come to work in Costa Rica. Please come to learn about this call from the Holy Spirit at 9:00 on October 4th.

God tells Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3 that he has heard the cries of his people in Egypt, and he has come to help them. God’s children in Guarari cry out for help today, and God comes now to help them. The Lord tells us the same thing he told Moses: “Go down there now and confront injustice, and lead my people out from there.” Now we must choose how we will respond.