Contributed by Natalie Pope
Just before the Coronavirus Pandemic caused all of us to shut down and shelter in place, a group of fourteen Harrells Christian Academy students and two dedicated teachers journeyed to Costa Rica on a mission to share the love of Christ through serving others.
During the week long trip, students had the opportunity to experience a new environment and culture. They tasted all kinds of new foods, put their Spanish language skills into practice, enjoyed outdoor activities like white water rafting, and spent time serving in the local community. Trip coordinator Ruth Ann Parker shared, “Our short trip to Costa Rica provided both an opportunity for learning and an opportunity for students to participate in mission work.
Christ’s greatest commandment is to love God and to love others. Our mission work in Costa Rica was centered around loving others. For example, students were able to spend a day in a remote village interacting with around 100 children and their parents. These students poured love into every relationship they formed while in Costa Rica and the Costa Ricans reciprocated that love.” Amazingly, the travelers had no difficulty getting to and from Costa Rica.
There were many people praying for their safe return to American soil, and, although the Coronavirus threatened to keep the trip from happening at all, the group persisted and they were able to have a wonderful experience.
Ruth Ann commented, “An opportunity for students to travel is truly a learning opportunity. Not only do students gain real-life awareness of new customs, cultures, people and places, they discover so much about themselves as they are experiencing things that are sometimes way out of their comfort zone.”
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