Costa Rica Trip Diary


Tuesday, January 30, 2001at 05:15:21 (EST): Van Loaded.
This is Tuesday, January 30, 5:00 a.m. we have the van loaded ready to leave for the Atlanta airport. The weather is almost 50 degrees, we are hoping for a good flight to San Jose, Costa Rica where the temperature is presenly 70 degrees. Should be excellent working weather! Remember us in your prayers. J. Don Crook
Tuesday, January 30, 2001 at 21:53:21 (EST) Good Flight
We had a good flight down to San Jose, got settled in our rooms, had a delicious meal in the university cafeteria, took a brief tour of the campus and plan to get to bed soon. The weather is great, about seventy degrees now at eight- thirty in the evening. Have been making some last minute arrangements for the rest of our group to have everything ready when they arrive on Thursday. Think this will be a great experience for everyone. Good night to all, J.Don Crook
Wednesday, January 31, 2001 at 19:31:39 (EST) Purchased Food
Purchased food for the group today, pineapples, oranges, mangos, bananas and another citrus. Visited the church site and it looks great. All walls will be of six inch block. Made preliminary arrangements for the Vacation Bible School. Leaving now to purchase other necessary food items. Will meet the rest of the group at the airport tomorrow. Have a safe trip down. The weather is great. J. Don
Thursday, February 01, 2001 at 21:27:29 (EST) Group arrived
The rest of the group arrived safely and actually a little ahead of schedule. Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal and after evening worship, all have gone to their rooms for a good nights' sleep. Will be going to the job site tomorrow to begin construction. Will give you a first day work report after the work tomorrow. J. Don
Sunday, February 04, 2001 at 22:12:12 (EST) Everything's In Spanish
Computers are a little different down here and of course most everything is in Spanish but I'm improving. Received all the web mail and we appreciate all the prayers, please post so everyone will know. Things are going well, after only two days of work we have over half of the outside walls up!

Had a nice tour Sabbath afternoon through beautiful mountains and country side. Everyone is working hard but enjoying it.

It is getting late and I will be going to a mercado [market] about four tomorrow morning to purchase fresh papaya, oranges, cantaloupe, strawberries, avacados, bananas, pineapple, etc,

WE ARE EATING VERY WELL! I better get to bed. Will try to send more news tomorrow. - J. Don

Tuesday, February 06, 2001 at 18:36:36 (EST) VBS
Sylvia and Janice started a vacation Bible school today in a public school near the church site. Two of the university students are helping out to learn how to conduct Bible schools. The walls of the church are up to the roof line on both sides and we are working on the gable ends to finish them on up to the peaks. We plan to have a special opening service this coming Sabbath. The local, members to be, of the village are thrilled! The ladies of the present congregation are planning a fellowship dinner for us after the service. - J. Don
Wednesday, February 07, 2001 at 10:43:24 (EST) Block Work
I think we are getting all the messages and I try to deliver each one at worship times as it just is not convenient for everyone to get to the computer. I use one in the business ofice or in another office. All directives are in Spanish and most of our people would be more lost than I am! That is the reason I send everything directly to you, hope it does not take too much of your time. We hope to finish the block work today, take a short excursion tomorrow, put the metal roof on Friday and have a dedication service in the new church on Sabbath. Plan to do some detail finish work the first of next week, possibly have a day to do some needed repairs here at the Universidah Adventista de Centro America, where we are staying and take a longer excursion before our return flight next Thursday, 15th. Lou is taking a lot of pictures. Our greetings to everyone, J. Don Crook
Sunday, February 11, 2001 at 10:46:32 (EST) Finishing up the Details
The metal for the roof did not arrive in time to install it before Sabbath so we had Sabbath School and the worship service under the old roof next door and then went into the new church to find that the roof metal had been delivered after we left on Friday afternoon.

We held a special dedication service in the new sanctuary, it was a wonderful, thrilling experience for all of our group but especially for the local members. It just seemed like a miracle to them. After the service, which is all on video, the ladies had a very special lunch for us at the home of the local elder who arranged for the land where the new church now stands.

The V.B.S. went well last week. Janice Parker told the children a story at Sabbath School after which we presented a trunk full of materials for their future use.

Many of the first timers on a Maranatha project are already saying that they want to go on another project! While I am writing, the others are out at the site finishing up the last details. I will do some more shopping for our food and water while some of our ladies are preparing the lunches which I as usual, deliver each day to our workers.

If we have extra time tomorrow, we may do some needed painting here at the college. We plan to go on an excursion on Tuesday to a national park that everyone says we just must see! It overlooks the ocean and has a variety of animals and birds. We will return to the college on Wednesday by a different route in order to visit a town where ox carts were made as well as other wood products.

Everyone seems to have had a wonderful experience. We leave the college at 6:00 a.m. Thursday in order to be on our departing flight at 8:30 a.m.

Thanks to everyone for all the prayers and messages, I usually read or print and deliver them at our worship time each evening.   J.Don

Monday, February 12, 2001 at 23:06:37 (EST) Talent Program
We had a talent program tonight after supper from members of the group, it was a lot of fun and relaxing time for a change. We leave at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow for the national park, back here Wednesday as I indicated in the last email and fly out Thursday at 8:30 a.m. See everyone soon, J.Don
Wednesday, February 14, 2001 at 20:37:36 (EST) Home Tomorrow
Just to let everyone know that we had a great excursion today! We are back at the university now, ready to have a watermelon feast, sandia down here, to be followed by worship and then a good night of sleep. We leave for the airport at 6:00 a.m. Backhome tomorrow probably around 5:00 p.m. J.Don
Friday, February 16, 2001 at 18:50:53 (EST) Group is Home
Hello to Everyone! The Costa Rica Group is home! Arrived last evening [Thursday] about six o'clock. Thanks to Pam Tuttle for the use of the Path-finder bus to and from the Atlanta airport and to Steve Luttman and Dale Walters for the driving.

On Wednesday evening we had a parting devotional service and the acting pastor of the new Turucares church attended as well as four young ladies and one young man who helped with the Vacation Bible School and two girls from the dormitory who helped out with our kitchen detail. They all expressed their appreciation and some shed a few tears as we said good-byes. Luvinia Welch, [Luvi] the girls dean also came to wish us Gods' blessings. Many of our group were also teary eyed. Wonderful how such dear friendships can be formed so quickly with people who you have only known for just a couple of weeks.

The Costa Rica experience was great but I think everyone is happy to be back home in the land of plenty and we all realize how blest we really are!

We appreciated the email messages and the many prayers on our behalf from our friends here at home.

Thankfully,

J. Don Crook