Costa Rica 2020

COSTA RICA RECAP By Steven Bain
 
Change is Inevitable. Growth is Optional.
 
As I write this recap, I can't help but reflect on how profoundly lives can change in just one week. Indeed, when we departed Seattle on Friday, March 6, we were altogether mindful of the impact COVID-19 was having on lives in Washington and around the world, but none of us had any inkling just how swiftly events would unfold and influence our own once we touched down in Costa Rica.
 
Yes, change happens, but unlike the deliberate, slow-moving sloth, who experiences change at the pace of a snail, the changes we experienced were as quick as a jungle cat. Yet, regardless of whether we experience the world's change as a sloth or as a jaguar, the point is, change is inevitable. It is the changes we encounter each day, and our responses to those changes, that eventually shape us into who we are and what we become. Thus, how we deal with change is what truly matters.
 
As we embarked on our journey to Costa Rica, we had been briefed on many of the changes we would experience. Certainly, the people and the language would be different, but that would not become an insurmountable hurdle. Indeed, visiting a novel culture and interacting with its people was a hurdle we wanted to jump and one of the main catalysts for our trip. Changes in cuisine were no doubt on the horizon as well, but those too turned out to be manageable and by the end of the week, predictable ~ rice and beans and your choice of chicken, beef, fish, or veggie! Even the heavy traffic packed onto slender two-way highways was a change, but was it worse than Seattle? Not so much. Throughout the week, our group embraced all of these cultural differences as opportunities to grow and expand personal horizons. And it was rewarding to observe the young women in our program eagerly pursue novel adventures and interactions with the Costa Rican people.
 
But it was the unexpected changes we encountered that carried the greatest impact and challenged us the most. From the moment we arrived in Costa Rica, we knew this trip would be different. As we left the airport on our bus ride to La Fortuna, Brooke Rundle, our tour guide, briefed me that the situation in Costa Rica was changing quickly due to the COVID-19 outbreak and that there was a high probability that we would have to revise our planned activities to accommodate and abide by government decisions. Nonetheless, with unexpected challenges looming on the horizon, we pushed forward, and the first two days of our trip were magnificent. The clinic and competition in Quesada were the perfect introductions to the warmth and hospitality of the Costa Rican people and our team reciprocated in kind, conducting a volleyball clinic for three different age groups and presenting much-needed volleyball equipment to their new friends. The fact that the players conducted the clinic with enthusiasm and played the match with energy and vigor after being up for nearly 30 hours were signs that this was a resilient group.
 
As our tour gathered steam, we continued to monitor the situation in the US and our Costa Rican hosts expressed growing concern for our wellbeing and for that of their country. In many ways, our visit to Two Little Monkeys farm (https://www.twolittlemonkeyschocolate.com/) symbolized that concern and became the highlight of the trip. The symbolism was captured via the educational talents of Ismael Cordero as he shared his abundant knowledge and passion for the rainforest and his efforts to reverse the impact of global warming on our planet. Planting trees alongside Ismael was a powerful reminder of how we, as God's appointed stewards of His creation, all have a responsibility to preserve the planet for future generations. But my favorite memory of that day (and the highlight!) was when Lucy, the six-year-old daughter of Ismael and Lindy, volunteered to bless our lunch in Spanish. Her prayer was a profound reminder that our relationship to Christ and to one another transcends language and culture, uniting us in common purpose and shared goals.
 
When we woke on Monday, it was clear that the situation in the US was deteriorating rapidly, and with it came our first warning that our service projects on Thursday and Friday might be in jeopardy. Costa Rican officials were considering what actions they might need to take to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and the leadership at Roblealto Child Care Association (https://www.roblealto.org/about-us/) was becoming increasingly concerned about the risk to their ministry as an infection at one of their sites could trigger a shut down that would deprive young families and children of much-needed services.
 
The changes we expected came on Tuesday as the Sports Ministry closed the National Team Training Center and canceled the youth clinic. As well, while Roblealto was still willing to allow the team to serve, the team decided that even though the probability of viral transmission was minimal (no one in our group presented with any symptoms or signs of COVID-19 infection), it was not zero and we simply could not risk exposing their ministry to this potential. While disappointing, the team channeled their energy into decorating dozens of child-sized volleyballs and, along with teaching supplies and a cash donation, presented them to a Roblealto director that visited the team on Friday evening in San Jose.
 
Each cancellation and schedule change were handled professionally by our tour guides and the character and flexibility of our team allowed them to meet every challenge with exceptional grace, thoughtful maturity and can-do, positive attitudes. They never uttered a negative word in my presence and were the epitome of a growth mindset ~ embracing each setback not as a disappointment but as a unique opportunity to learn something new. The positive attitudes displayed by the team were all the more astonishing when you consider that the challenges we encountered occurred against the dramatic changes taking place in the United States. They kept their poise every step of the way, controlling the things they could control and letting go of the things they could not.
 
To sum up, while this trip did not unfold the way we planned, we are beginning to realize that it unfolded as God planned. As I consider this revelation, it occurs to me that the unexpected mental and emotional challenges we faced were God's way of disrupting our comfort zones and stretching our faith, for without such disruptions, we cannot grow.
 
Placed in that context, Costa Rica 2020 was surely a "faith-stretcher" because I know that everyone on this trip (and many of the people we met along the way) learned something from the relationships they forged and cultural interactions they shared that will change the way they live. Life lessons such as these are priceless, which is why I am so thankful for everyone that supported our journey both financially and with your thoughtful prayers. And this summary would not be complete without a special thanks to the young women of character and purpose that shared their faith so avidly and represented Northwest University so professionally to all those we met in Costa Rica. I couldn't be prouder to be their coach.