It is 5:30am on a rainy day on a reserve high up in the mountains of Costa Rica. I’m lying on the twin mattress of the top bunk that I’m sharing with another girl. We had gotten to the reserve two days ago and spent the day before digging a 2 metre deep septic tank for the local church and we were getting ready to go back and finish the bathroom the church has waited so long for. It’s hard grunt work and the rain and bugs don’t make it any easier, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Although I didn’t know it when I signed up, this missions trip would change my perspective on life forever.
Originally, I decided to join the Costa Rica 2015 team as a good selfimprovement experience and to see another part of the world; my reasons were very selfish. I knew that we would be helping people there and I was eager to do that, but it wasn’t my primary reason for going. The minute I met the pastors of the church with which we were collaborating, my whole mindset changed. I suddenly had this intense desire to make a lasting difference in someone’s life. Over the next ten days, I became invested in the work we were doing and the people we met.
We served directly with a small church in Cartago, a city about two hours west of San Jose and roughly half the population. We painted their church, ran a service and interacted with the children of the community. On the reserve, we worked from start to finish on an outdoor restroom and a drainage trench for their remote church. I was able to demonstrate my initiative by leading in prayers and devotionals, by giving my ideas on the work projects, and by taking responsibility for building new relationships with my team members as well as the people we met.
Some of my input on labour methods saved us time and energy. At first, I was skeptical about how much of a difference we were making, however, when the village leader and pastors thanked us for what we completed, I saw the immensity of our contribution. The outdoor washroom would make the three hour walk to church for mothers with small children easier, the drainage trench ensured the foundation would last longer, the new coat of paint gave a run-down church a new atmosphere. I saw how just a few small changes and some compassion can transform a community!
It was then that I realized that the fact that we took the time and expense to come showed them that we cared, which is something they rarely see anymore. The people there depend on first-world organizations to keep them afloat and I am eternally grateful to have been a part of that. Although I was involved in the Costa Rica trip for only a couple months (including planning and the actual trip), this opportunity made me realize how important community work is. Following the trip, I developed a new eagerness to make a change in the world.
So, I joined my school’s Free the Children group where we have worked together to plan out this school year’s fundraisers in order to complete our Brick by Brick endeavor which will result in a school in Africa. This trip also confirmed my aspirations for the future. As a high school senior, I have really been feeling the pressure to choose what I am going to do with my life. I had considered things like dentistry or physiotherapy, but I never felt like those careers would satisfy me. I came to the conclusion that I either wanted to help people or the environment.
One thing that led to my decision to work towards becoming a conservation biologist was the fact that Costa Rica is a ‘green’ country. This means that it is against the law to defile the ecosystem in any way or pick plants that you aren’t farming or growing specifically along with other standards. Basically, they are working very hard to preserve their country’s biodiversity. I chose this pathway because this profession will allow me to work towards improving the world for future generations and without a functioning environment, there is no hope for a healthy population.
I will also continue to reach out to the marginalized by participating in local homeless shelter drop-ins and food drives, but also go on another trip abroad. My community has supported me in all my endeavors. I have had such tremendous encouragement from my former team members as well as those in the congregation of my church. I find it very easy to sink into discouraging thoughts such as “what difference can leven make,” or “I’m not smart enough to get through these courses,” or “compared to other people, my accomplishments mean nothing.
They inspire me everyday keep going and remind me of the bigger picture. Spanning over my four years of high school, did small intervals of volunteer work like making pies for a private school fundraiser or running a canteen for our annual hockey tournament. I spent a lot of time helping cater some dinners with my church as well as cleaning and maintaining it. Both the school and the church are struggling financially. Since private schools do not get funded by the government, they must constantly host events to raise money to even keep their teachers.
