Christ United Mission Trip
Costa Rica 2009
When reflecting about our trip, I am so thankful my son, Will Gordon, and I got the opportunity to serve together with other Christ Church members in Costa Rica. I will remember our experience for a lifetime.
From the very beginning, it was obviously a “God” thing. The group was scheduled to go to Honduras, but because of the military coup, The State Department felt it wasn’t in our best interest to go. As we were cancelling our plans for the summer mission trip to Honduras, our team leader, Chuck Meador, was contacted by our travel agent with an alternative. There was an opportunity for a team to go to Costa Rica in conjunction with the Rice and Beans Ministry. The weeks leading up to the scheduled departure date, Chuck was working out the details with a fellow by the name of “Fred”. None of us knew Fred but trusted the Lord and Chuck to work out the details. A couple of days before the trip, I realized that I knew Fred from an Emmaus retreat I worked several years ago. We visited many times that week several years ago about mission work. It was really incredible how the Lord brought us back together full circle so many miles away. Needless to say, Chuck was able to get all the details to fall into place and it became obvious that we were not in charge. It was then I felt that we were in store for a great experience.
For some time I have been focusing on the discernment of God’s voice. Even though I am very well versed in listening to my own needs and wants, I have a problem listening to God’s. This is hard for many of us. We even have a hard time listening to each other. We are terrified of dead space in a conversation. I have been trying to find the “dead space”. Finding that point where I am not concerned about communicating my needs. A place where I am not thinking about what I am going to say next.
This experience was a great experiment in listening to God. I was presented so many reasons not to go. Will Gordon was just getting over 4 weeks of mono. My responsibilities at the office were mounting. My mother was very sick and in the hospital. With me leaving, it left my siblings in a tight spot trying to tend to her needs. I could name at least a dozen other reasons not to go, but I held on to that inspiration that told me I needed to go. I couldn’t tell you what it was but something told me that it was going to be special. I kept telling myself that it would be a great experience that Will Gordon and I could share the rest of our lives. I have always heard that Satan will provide many obstacles to one getting closer to the Lord. Before the trip, I thought to myself that this was going to be a real blessing the way Satan was trying to prevent this trip from happening.
The team God put together was awesome. Many Christians want to put everyone into some hierarchical arrangement. We tend to want to be part of some group or denomination. Sometimes we get hung up on rules and judgments. Sometimes we get caught up in keeping score. I tend to feel that we are all on the path. Some have been on the path longer but still are faced with the same challenges as those who have just stepped onto the path. And I also think God puts certain people along our path for a reason. I believe this is one way God speaks to us. I feel God formed this group with that in mind. We had new Christians and seasoned Christians. We had young and old, parents and children, single and married, and all grew and learned from one another along our path. Chuck Meador, our spiritual leader, led by example. His passion saturated the group. He wasn’t the pastor assigned to take a group of church members on a mission trip. He was much more. He was real. He lead to group to think and I feel he lead us to listen. And we led him to learn how to use “Facebook”. Christ United Methodist Church can be thankful for the season the Lord has allowed him and Katie to be with us. I won’t mention any names, but I learned so much from the different members of the team. I was inspired watching the lord work in the heart of a “New” Christian. I wished my heart could burn like that. My heart swelled seeing the children have an authentic experience with the Holy Spirit. I wished I could be that authentic. I saw the unconditional love of a welcoming community. I wished I could love like that. I saw people with nothing have a sincere appreciation for our gifts. I wished I could be that appreciative. I saw members of the team give of themselves whole heartily. I wished I could give like that. ~G.G. Ferguson
For more photos and to read more, visit www.cumccostarica.shutterfly.com.
Here are some of the comments made while we were in Costa Rica.:
Costa Rica Mission Trip day 2:
We are going to head out into the local village to work on a sanctuary. This afternoon we will be handing out rice and beans to the locals. This is a great group on this trip. I can’t wait to see the blessings. We started construction on rest rooms outside sanctuary. All the children from the surrounding are coming down to play and help.
Costa Rica Mission Trip Day 3:
Last night we went to a service at the local church where we are working. It was 2 hours long and all in Spanish. It was amazing to see the Holy Spirit work despite the language barrier. The locals have accepted and loved us in such a unique way. It is going to be hard to see who is going to receive the bigger blessing, them or the team. Today we worked more on the rest rooms pouring concrete and digging trenches. We played with the children most of the day. At the end of the day our children did not want to go. It is wonderful to see them learn from a different culture how to have the best time without TV"s or video games. We made several trips into the mountains to deliver rice and beans. We prayed for the families and received our own blessings. The team really has bonded and enjoyed themselves.
Costa Rica Mission Trip Day 4:
The team went door to door in a neighborhood inviting children to come down to a vacant lot where we set up a bible school. It was a huge success. We had over 100 people. All the parents came down with their children. It was a wonderful time to reach the unchurched. After the morning bible school, we headed out into the city to hand out rice and bean food packages and prayed for the recipients. We traveled into a neighborhood that was built in the city dump. The only shelter these people could afford was housing built in the city dump. A lot of "God" things happened today. It was a blessing to see Jesus tend to his sheep!
Costa Rica Mission Trip Day 5:
We had Sunday worship with the local San Isidro Methodist Church. It was another moving experience. After Church, We took the day off and traveled into the rain forest for some adventurous zip lining and exploring and watched the sunset on the Pacific coast.
Costa Rica Mission Trip Day 6:
Farewell Worship
Last night was a moving experience. The Church had a send off service for us and it was very special. There wasn't a dry eye in the church. We have only been here 6 days. Only four of which were spent in this community. Mission Trips are all about going forth and spreading the Good News and helping the needy. This was different. Relating to the scripture focus, we were brought here to receive the Good News. God made his plan a reality by getting us here.
The language barrier served as a conduit instead of a barrier. We were able to communicate soul to soul. God sent us here to be loved. He pulled us out of our routine and brought us here to tell us how much we are loved through these special people. Our mission was to come here and help with their mission work in their community, but what happened was we received the blessing by their witness. What happened was they helped us with our mission heart. They taught us what Jesus means when he said "love one another as I have loved you."
We where wrapped in our routines just like the disciples had become. They decided to go fishing while they waiting on the lord. Jesus called us over to the shore here and appeared to us through the love of this small Costa Rican community.
Now we set forth on a long journey home. We miss our families greatly, but it will be bittersweet, because we know that we will miss this community greatly as well.
Costa Rica Mission Trip Day 7:
We are back in the states but have left a piece of our soul in Costa Rica. We have come back to work, clients, recruiting, staff meetings, Wednesday night children's worship planning, construction, football practice, sick loved ones and some of us had to go back out on tour. Whatever it is that we have returned to has not changed, but I believe our attitude about it has. We had an opportunity to get to know one another and to experience miracles together. Some miracles happened in our presence and some will happen because of our presence. All I know is that we felt privileged to be called to play a part in His miracles. I feel we have learned that it does not matter how old we are, how long we have been a Christian or about preconceived ideas about what role we are to play in God's kingdom. It is that He called this group from many different places along the Christian path and used each one as His hands and feet for His work in His kingdom.
God Bless.