The HOPE at the Top of the Hill...The HOPE through the Hole in the Wall...The HOPE that Glows in the Darkness

Today started with something a little different.  Well, at least after breakfast.  At which, Ryan W. said... "I do miss breakfast meats!".... Yeah, that is not a part of the Tico culture it would seem.  What is a part of a Costa Rican breakfast is black beans and rice, and I have been told by the HOPE folks that I am on my way to being an honorary Tico... because I am eating it every morning now.  (I think I might be in the minority!)

But after breakfast?  The staff of HOPE took the CRSMT26 team on a Prayer Walk in Pavas.  This is something they do on a regular basis, even when there are no mission trips.  These people are serious about their commitment to this place and its people.  The bus took us to an outer edge of Pavas, to a place where a railroad runs within 15 feet of tin-metal shacks filled with families, many who have children.  We walked along the tracks and prayed silently for whatever burdened our hearts concerning the poor in Pavas.

I have no pictures to show, for it was not that sort of event.  It was far too somber.  The pictures are in my mind, and there are memories recorded in my private journal.  To truly understand it, you would need to make this walk yourself along those tracks.  Should you wish to do so, I know a gal... I can put you in touch.  

At the far end of the walk, before turning to go back, Paula of HOPE had small groups of us join her on a small ledge overlooking a steep valley that plunged even further down from where we stood.  Ramshackle 'housing' stretched as far as the eye could see.  She talked about one small house in particular, the only true A-frame house in an ocean of sheet metal..but it was not very large at all--a single room.  And it housed a family of seven!  She also listed many things that just continued to layer the paint strokes of poverty over the canvas before us.

But then... she told us to look carefully through the buildings, up the alley beside the huge tree that is the landmark for directions in the neighborhood.  All the way at the top of the hill... you could see the HOPE building.  Many of the kids who come there live in the vista we had right before our eyes.  And they look to the HOPE at the top of the hill, where, God willing, they learn to look to the Great Source of Hope for their lives.

It was a quiet ride back to la escuela, where the ladders and paint brushes awaited us.

I will not blog long about the school today, for today was base coat day, which is about as exiting to read about as (you knew this was coming).... watching paint dry!   But the team worked hard, and we had to get a lot done in order to stay on schedule so we can complete the two rooms this week.  By this time, we have sorted ourselves naturally into those who are tall and/or better on the ladders, and those who can get up and down off the floor without needing a case of Advil after doing so... and so the work naturally divvied itself up and proceeded nicely.
The biggest surprise of the day came from the students of the school. This was the second day of the current school year for them, and their first full-length day...so after we finished painting we were waiting for a recess to end so we could eat our sandwiches before departing.   Some of the interns began to play with kids, and then one girl approached Ryan V. and handed him her school notebook and a pen.  After much hilarious language confusion, it was figured out that she wanted him to sign her book.  It went viral.  Within minutes, tons of ticos y ticas were approaching all the interns and our team, asking for autographs.  Suddently we were Hollywood, baby!
Tomorrow, when we return should be able to begin painting the geometric shapes in one of the two rooms.  Exciting stuff!

After we got back to the HOPE building, Paula once again spent a few minutes telling us some more about HOPE, their vision, and the "Pillars" of their inspiration to help the people of Pavas.  The second of those pillars is to feed them because, in Paula's words summarized... it does not make sense to try to teach them math if they are starving!  While she talked about it, she mentioned them being served through that "hole in the wall."  

Afterwards, I found myself thinking "what hole in the wall?   I have not seen no hole in the wall!"  So, during a bit of downtime, I got nosy and went exploring.  There is a break room for the staff, just off the main room, where the water cooler is kept for us, and I had noticed a kitchen back there, so I poked my head in there, and saw our HOPE guide Lucy, and I asked her about the Hole.  She grinned and took me on a tour.  Through the kitchen, around behind the break room, at the back of the facility, is a service counter, with a secure roll-top metal door, and it turns out they serve over 350 meals per day through that hole in the wall!  I got to meet the kitchen staff, who were very nice (I am glad Lucy was there to translate, my Spanish is not that good yet!), and I thanked them for what they do.  Boy howdy.  350 meals per day.  Home-cooked, delicious, nutritionally balanced meals.  What a blessing to the people of Pavas.

(On Thursday, rather than having a sack lunch, we will partake of one of the meals....yummm)

BTW, at this point, you might be asking yourself...."Why did he skip the First Pillar and talk about the Second?"   Answer:  I am leaving that for the last.....

It was a particularly fun and blessing-filled day with the kids today.  It was a pretty small group... Paula had found out that one of the schools was going to run long today for some reason or the other.  But today's theme was "Jesús conoce mi nombre", (Jesus knows my name) and it was centered around the story of Zacchaeus.
And the kids who came today?  Paula told us they were kids who really needed, for many reasons, lots of one-on-one love and attention... they needed to be known.  God knew exactly what he was doing sending us this small group today!   He does indeed know our name, our hearts, our desires, everything about us.   He knows the kids of Pavas, in all their desperate need, and today He chose us to help minister to this group of them.

And now, dear reader, back to the First Pillar that HOPE wants to provide to the people of Pavas.  Safety.  Security.  A Safe Space in the midst of very unsafe community.  Paula talked about the construction of the new building and how she was tasked to designate locations for the emergency lighting that would activate in the event of power outages.  Power outages are fairly common in all of Costa Rica, and especially Pavas, and at their previous building, it was always SOP to immediately send everyone home immediately if the power went out.

And then... there was the first power outage after their new center opened.  The building was packed with older kids.  Paula pulled the staff to one side to issue directives, to implement the SOP, when one of the kids approached and inserted themselves in the 'conference'.

"Please don't send me home.  If I am here, my mom knows I am safe.  She knows where I am.  I will be ok right here.  It is safe here."

At that point, the procedure changed.   HOPE is a place of safety.  Period.
That is their First Pillar of commitment to their Community, and it has been accomplished.

Pavas is a daunting place at night, when the darkness reigns.
But through the power of the Holy Spirit, and with a lot of love and help from all over the world, Paula and her team are there to resist the darkness.

HOPE is lit up all night.  The facility glows in a very dark place.  
The Source of its light cannot be stopped by the darkness.
It shines across the main boulevard.
It shines into the three schools within a few minutes walk, reflecting off of the bright, geometric shapes on the walls.
It shines all the way down into the ravine, to that little A-frame house with the family of seven.

Candle on the top of a hill?  You betcha.
Come, little one.  Climb the hill.  
Let us introduce you to the True Hope of all mankind, the one who dispels all the darkness.