Costa Rica Volunteers
Returning The Favor
By Steve Phillips
A group of Costa Rica
volunteers is working
through the United
Methodist Church on a
Hurricane Katrina relief
project in South
Mississippi.
Pastor Rodrigo Godinez
and six of his church
members see this project
as a tangible means of
saying thank you for the
past support of visiting
American mission teams.
Wil Bailey is an
American missionary to
Costa Rica.
"We've never done
anything like this
before. The missions we
usually do are bringing
teams from the United
States down to Costa
Rica to help. So, this
is completely, we've
kind of turned it on its
head and it seems to be
working," Bailey
explained.
They call it a "reverse
mission project." The
Costa Rica volunteers
will spent the week
repairing homes in
Jackson County. Despite
the distance, this
faith-based group is
happy for the
opportunity.
Speaking through an
interpreter, Pastor
Rodrigo Godinez, said
his Costa Rican team is
pleased for the
opportunity to share
God's love.
"Distance, it's just
distance. But even
though we are a long way
away from our homes and
families, we also have
families here. We are
here as part of the body
of Christ and with
people who love the Lord
and are serving the
Lord," he said.
This "reverse" mission
trip is truly an
international, multi
city, multi church
project. Rocky Mount,
North Carolina is the
home church to the
American missionary to
Costa Rica who's a part
of this team. The trip
was underwritten by
First United Methodist
of Blue Springs,
Missouri, with
assistance from other
Methodist churches in
Florida, Georgia and
Mississippi.
The visiting volunteers
come from a church that
is usually on receiving
end of mission work.
That's why this Katrina
relief project is so
special.
Team member, Linda
Aguero, says the
visiting volunteers are
like family.
"We are so, the whole
group, we are very, very
happy. And also we enjoy
seeing that we can do,
it's just a little bit,
but we can do something
for these people," she
said.
After spending the week
repairing storm damaged
homes, the visitors will
have a little time for
relaxing this weekend.
They're planning a visit
to Six Flags before
their flight leaves from
Atlanta. |
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