March 10, 2010

The "stand-up" truck ride to the farm sites took legs of steel to balance ourselves along the rocky, potholed road.

It may seem remiss that we haven’t included any photographs of the children. Sadly, there is a reason for this. On day 1 all of us were asked to sign a paper stating that we would not post any photos of the children on the internet. Apparently there are certain children that might be put in harm’s way if their photo were seen. So no pictures til we return home and share what we now have stored on our cameras.

Although we are working very hard and the projects that Roblealto has asked us to do are really money and time-savers for them, it’s the children that matter the most. Everything here is done for them, and this fact is obvious no matter where you look. It starts in the houses, all eight of them, scattered around this beautiful and calm complex. Looking out over the city of San Jose, this property has a feeling so unlike the city. The peacefulness is here even when the children are out playing loudly and acting like kids. The presence of God is clearly felt at Roblealto, and it seems like everyone senses it in such a way that it slowly alters the way they are. Including our team.

The bucolic countryside...on the Roblealto property, while on the farm tour.

Each evening we have had the privilege of spending a couple of hours with our house families. We share dinner and then play with the children, or talk with them, or hug them. Each of the houses has its own individual personality, created in part by the house parents, especially the “mommie” (which is what the children call her). The “pappie” is generally away during much of the week working in the city or somewhere else. After an evening with the children, we all shake our heads and say, “how do they do it?”

Over the course of the last 5 days our relationships with the children have blossomed. Some of us – like Terry & Lisa, Dean & Diane, Mark & Cindy, and Jill & Jody have established relationships over the past 3-7 years so it doesn’t take long to pick up where they left off last year. Of course, in some of the houses the children are all new; and every house experiences change on a yearly basis as some children age out (generally they leave in December of their 13th year). But there are always enough familiar faces to feel connected.

Jill and Jody’s house, Casa Jardin (Garden House), is run by a single mom and her 16 year old son. The energy and love needed on a daily basis to keep the chaos of 10 or more children under control is amazing to behold. Jill and Jody have seen a lot of maturity in the house mother Marielas since last year, which was her first. Her spark of liveliness and ability to engage the children with fun and silliness makes her a real joy to be around. But make no mistake, she is able to keep the house under control. That’s a distinguishing characteristic of these house moms: combining loving gentleness with firmness in just the right balance.

Casa Milre, where the Thomas’ have now been for 3 years, sent them off with a bonfire, complete with campfire songs and roasting marshmallows. The house father, Martín, captured the whole family’s heart when he said, “Tonight you will put out the fire; and next year you will light it.” No language barrier has kept 11 year old Dillon and 9 year old Jessica from plunging right into the middle of the house family’s activities. The boys so accepted that Dillon into their midst that they showered him with tiny presents, mostly all of their marbles – which is a great pastime for all of the boys here. Bringing children

along has been an invaluable learning experience both for the WC Pres team as well as Roblealto. Who knows what the future holds?

The Chrismans have been coming for 6 years (Lisa for 3) and have built a strong relationship with the house parents of Casa Provenir (meaning that which is to come). They have even visited them in their home outside of the temporary Roblealto house. They have seen the children of the house parents grow up over the years. The father of the house father worked at Roblealto for 45 years, and as a sign of their appreciation, gave him a house on the land owned by Roblealto.

We bagged up our dirty clothes to be washed and ready for more dirty work.

In Casa Jesse, Patrick and Richard have seen controlled chaos at work. The house is comprised of all boys whose energy level is present all the time. The first night one of the boys was very standoffish but by day 4 he was out playing football with Patrick in the front of Bonanza House. Richard has been especially touched by the house mother who asked him to help her practice her English. Pointing to her workbook, she asked that he say words out loud so she could take notes. The agreement is that she will work on her English over the next year while Richard is supposed to bone up on his Spanish. Anyone for taking bets on who will learn more?

Cindy and Mark are with a new family this year in Casa Bosque (Forest House), the house that the 2009 WC Pres team helped construct last year. The family they were with the past 6 years is still here, too, so the Tilton’s have had a chance to do plenty of relationship tightening. Through the help of an interpreter, the children in Casa Bosque shared their heart wrenching stories last night. Their stories, however, only touch the surface of what they have experienced in their young lives. Some of us don’t really want to know the pain or ugliness of their stories. Either we’ve heard enough over the years, or we’re familiar with the tragedies they speak of. And for every child who is helped by Roblealto, there are hundreds more still living the nightmare somewhere in a shanty house or on the streets.

But Roblealto is a place of hope and listening to some of the week’s experiences from our team members warms the heart. Take Lois and Kathleen in Casa Eden, for example. A couple of nights ago they returned from a shortened evening with their family. The kids had acted up terribly and the photos that were supposed to be taken with them had to be rescheduled. Tonight, though, it was a completely different story. Lois and Kathleen were greeted by 20 cards of apology, 10 for each of them written individually by the children. Full of love and colored hearts, these cards sparked the meltdown of these two women. One of the boys, whose mother is dead, told the women that they “were angels sent from heaven to replace his mom”. Tears were flowing and increased when the house mother hugged the ladies and said she knew they “had been sent by God.” What’s left to say after that?

Jaime and Ron spent the week in Casa Nido (Nest House), which Jaime described as the happy house. Although the house parents are brand new, they took over from a very seasoned couple, Francine and Jonathan who has set a very strong spiritual tone in the house. The children – three sets of siblings – might also explain the tight bonds that are felt in the house. Except for some of the newest kids, who are still a little shy or withdrawn, the interaction with the children is wonderful, loud, and fun. As Ron pointed out, “You wouldn’t know Casa Nido is a house for troubled children.”

Last year Harriette and Norm were in Casa Nido and were overjoyed to be able to reunite with the 5 who are still there. This year, however, the Heibels joined Casa Bethesda, which is the polar opposite. The 10 boys, all of whom are ages 11-12, are boisterous and just barely able to be controlled, primarily because several of them are new and still adjusting to life in a structured, loving home. Mayala, the house mother, has the patience of a saint. She is a seasoned “mammie” who realizes how troubled some of these boys are and is able to give them what they need. For some, it is allowing them to hug her for long periods of time; for others, it is letting them take her hand. She also has 17 year old Michael – the one exception to the age limit at Roblealto; he is a developmentally disabled boy whom is being trained in a special work program. This will be his last year.

There is so much more that could be written about our house experiences. Pictures will tell the story best when we return.

He looks innocent enough when he sleeps during the day. Maybe that's why he's the nighttime barker we all wanted to shoot.

March 9, 2010

La escuela is being completely rennovated, and it includes a painting from top to bottom.

Our American sense of order and routine keeps slipping in. We are used to working to a prescribed schedule, doing tasks the way we’ve been instructed. We have a set of expectations about what the job is we’re supposed to accomplish. Yes, that’s an American way of looking at things, but that’s not necessarily one that is adhered to in Costa Rica, and certainly not at Roblealto.

For example, when we arrived on Saturday we were told we would eat with our house families every other night. By Sunday afternoon that had changed back to every night. Then today, mid afternoon, a cook arrived at Bonanza House and began making a delicious smelling meal. All of us were salivating – not that the House family food isn’t good. We were told that we

Kathleen was an awesome fire tender, throwing away wood items and making sure the fire kept under control.

wouldn’t be eating with our families tonight, and we all settled into that reality quite nicely. Then around 4:30 pm we were told it was all a mistake and the house mothers would be preparing dinner as usual. The meal the cook had already made would be divided among the houses. Unfortunately, not all of the house mothers got the message and so were mildly surprised to see their volunteers appear on their doorstep at 6 pm as usual! Of course, it all worked out well because….routine oriented or not, we Americans are flexible.

Ron had his own throne to watch the fire at the demo site.

Which is a good thing on the job site, too, where tasks might change at a moment’s notice. The painting team is still prepping walls: washing them down, spackling, sanding and taping. On Monday we were told to expect to paint by Wednesday, and that we wouldn’t be doing the ceiling. At 2:30 pm today, after prepping 4 rooms, Ricardo the site foreman said we could not begin painting! We declined to start the project that late in the day because 3:30 pm starts the various sports programs and that’s one of the important interactions that Roblealto wants us volunteers to participate in. By evening, we were told that

Tired as they were, the guys couldn't be kept away from playing baseball.

it will be ceilings for us on Wednesday. It’s okay. We’re adaptable.

The demolition project continues to be among the most physical that Roblealto teams have encountered over the years. Sledge hammering, sawing, prying, hauling, tearing apart – there aren’t enough verbs to describe all the nuances of tearing apart a house from the inside out. The proper permits didn’t come through on time to deconstruct the outside walls and roof, so the team is taking apart everything it can that doesn’t include foundation beams. Richard is making sure of that. While the work is hard – and there isn’t one person who isn’t tired at the end of the day – the comradery and fun is inspirational. Everyone looks out for each other; it’s teamwork at its best. The Roblealto staff complimented our WC Pres team by saying we are only one of two churches that they would allow to work the demolition; and we’re among the few volunteer teams whose women can wield power tools! (A little aside here about women in Costa Rica: Monday was International Women’s Day and everybody at Roblealto wore large badges commemorating the day. It was heartening to see the young boys and girls wearing the badges and learning about the importance of supporting/valuing women – a big topic at Roblealto.)

A highlight of the trip was the interaction during craft day: the house mothers were "blown away" at the gift of sewing machines and the pillows they got to make.

A highlight today was the interaction between the house mothers and the crafts team. Lizzie, the Roblealto translator, was busy interpreting the instructions for how to use the sewing machines, how to sew together the colored patches into pillows. The house mothers were so excited, eager to make their selections and finish their pillows. The finished products are truly a work of art. Seven of the 10 house mothers learned how to use a sewing machine for the first time. The instructors – Lisa and Diane – were the picture of patience and joy. Words really can’t describe how happy the house mothers were today. This is the first time that a special project was done just for them. They work so hard, up at 5 am, in bed by 11 pm. The energy needed to keep up a house of 10 boys and usually 2 or more of their own children is truly amazing. The children, sweet as they can be, are also extremely needy. They need constant attention, reinforcement, and demonstrations of love. Which is why the volunteers are so welcome. For a few evenings we can

7 out of 10 house moms learned how to use a sewing machine for the first time.

provide the love and attention these children crave. They know a lot about the wrong kind of attention and the wrong kind of expectations. Roblealto provides a different paradigm for them: one that is Christ-centered and loving. It’s miraculous to watch the subtle changes that transpire with these children, even over the short week we are here. The house mothers “take no prisoners” – they are firm with the boundaries they set yet they never raise their voices. The children may squeal and beg for another chance, but once the answer is no, it’s no.

The same discipline applies to the Roblealto approach to sports. Each afternoon after school the children have a chance to participate in one sport or another. Monday is volleyball and baseball. The volleyball coach comes from outside Roblealto and instructs the girls and boys separately. Again, the firm but gentle touch. Baseball is coached by Herrado (Magali’s husband, and she is the director of the home) and whatever volunteers he can encourage to join him. It didn’t take much for him to get Patrick, Mark, Norm, Dean and Ron out there with him. Even after a heavy-duty day of physical labor, they were raring to get out into the field and throw balls. And Dillon was right

Jaime and the refuse pile, a small portion of what's being demolished.

in his element, a great first baseman.

Tuesday is soccer. Many of the team watched the play and again Dillon had a chance to burn off some energy. Tuesday is also dance day, and Jessica had a chance to learn some new moves. So did Harriette while she participated in the young children’s movement class. Yoga type exercises were taught as well as introductory dance positions. Again, the same disciplined approach could be observed. Children who misbehaved were given one warning. After that they were asked to leave. Since these classes are only offered once a week, getting sent away is a huge disappointment, but it sets the idea of boundaries firmly in place.

Tomorrow is the farm tour: pigs, cows, chickens and produce. Should be interesting.