I’m typically the editor – not the writer. Jon is the story teller. I’m more facts and details so this one may fill in some holes. However, don’t forget we’ve only been here for three weeks so some “facts and details” may change since I have limited knowledge to back them up. The three pictures are the sign for Hogar de Vida, Jerbin on the three-wheeler, and the upper house where I work.
As you are aware, we’re in Costa Rica. The country is about the size of Maine and is directly south of Nicaragua and north of Panama. It’s known for having great weather and being a mixing pot of European, Asian, and Caribbean island descent. Overall it’s a very westernized country versus Guatemala – I only make the comparison because that’s more what I was expecting / am used to. Everyone here wears western clothes versus any traditional clothing. There are not really any major crafts or textiles that stand out as Costa Rican. I chuckled a few days ago because I saw a store selling pottery. The sign informed customers that their pottery was truly Costa Rican while pottery sold by vendors on the beach is actually made in Nicaragua and pawned off as made here. I guess 80 or 90 kilometers in my mind doesn’t justify paying the store prices. Plus, I’ve never been to Nicaragua – having something from there sounds more interesting anyway.
Costa Rica is also known for being very environmentally / ecologically aware and active. They have vigils for egg-laying tortoises and so on.
So anyway, we’re in Costa Rica and working at Hogar de Vida para Los Ninez in Atenas, which is in the district of Alajuela. Tim and Dena Stromstad and Barb (don’t know her last name) are the American missionaries who work there. However, it’s really a nationally run organization – there is a national board affiliated with Children of Promise (http://www.childrenofpromise.org/) and then under them are Tim and Dena and the staff. Dena is the director (over the tias and kids) and Tim is the administrator (more over the men workers and other operations). Olga, one of the house moms, is also a full-time supported missionary. All the others are paid staff.
Hogar de Vida (home of life) is officially a foster care facility for abused and neglected children taken from their homes by the government. Most kids are there for about two years while the government does an official investigation of their situation / parents / etc to 1 – determine if they can return back home 2 – go live with extended family or 3 – eventually become officially abandoned and available for adoption. Just like life in the US, many of these kids are born to single mothers who love them but just can’t care for them. They are abused and/or neglected – typically by their fathers or their mothers’ current boyfriends. It’s a cycle – a child grows up without being raised and then goes on to have children of their own with out knowing how to raise them.
Thursday afternoons are very hard at Hogar de Vida. It’s parent visitation day. Some of the kids don’t even know their parents – the twins came at six months old and are now almost three. Their mom shows up and brings candy but they don’t really know her from any other person who gives them candy. Some of the kids get pretty worked up on Thursdays anticipating visits or crying when they’re over or being depressed and dejected when their parents don’t show at all. One of the burdens that has been placed on Tim and Dena’s hearts is for the parents of the kids. We’re currently helping the kids in life and hopefully in their spiritual lives, but what are we doing for the parents….right now not too much. It’s a cycle and unless we break the cycle with the parents, their kids will eventually fall back into bad situations and homes.
There are currently 23 kids at Hogar de Vida. They are split between the casa arriba (upper house) and the casa abaja (lower house). I work in the upper house as a tia (aunt) five days a week cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children. There are typically three or four tias on duty at a time during the day, three during the evenings, and two overnight. Jon and I are currently living in the third house – which I think is currently unnamed. I refer to it as the third casa (casa tercera) or the yellow house. It is currently under final construction and painting and then will be ready to be opened to house tias and children as soon as enough staff becomes available. Each house has a live-in mom or parents and two overnight tias plus the other day-staff tias. Right now there is not a live-in house mom/couple for the third house so it’s sitting empty.
Jon has been spending his days painting our house and other random things on the property. Due to cultural differences, he can’t do a lot of the same stuff I’m doing. He can play with the kids but not much past that. In Costa Rica it seems they are highly suspicious of men with kids – abuse is a big deal here.
Olga, the house mom of the upper house, is constantly reminding the tias that our goal at Hogar de Vida is not about getting our chores done or making sure the kids are fed and in bed. It’s about Jesus and His saving grace for our lives and the lives of the kids. She’s always encouraging us to use each moment as a teaching opportunity and a time to praise God for what he’s done versus just another day of work.
Sometimes that comes easier than others. I’ve found when all else fails – for example with Pamela, a six year old girl with major anger and possibly ADHD tendencies – I have to hold her tight and sing Amazing Grace. It’s the only song I can come up with in times of emergency. It works. The grace and the English (b/c she doesn’t know what I’m saying) are enough to calm her down so I can actually talk to her and let her know that in the midst of her tantrum, I care about her and want the best for her. It’s great to see progress with her but also wrenches my heart when I really think about it. Because in just a few weeks she’s come to know that Jon and I aren’t pushovers about discipline but that we also really care. And she respects it in the end every time. And soon we’ll be gone and eventually she’ll be back with her mom or dad or some other relative probably in a life once again without boundaries and discipline. All I can do is pray for her because I can’t fix it. Only God can protect her.
That’s it for now. We will be posting again next Tuesday or Wednesday. Thank you always for your prayers and emails. And concerning emails – please email us at jonandjessica@gmail.com because we currently do not have the reply feature on for the blog.
Love,
Jessica
As you are aware, we’re in Costa Rica. The country is about the size of Maine and is directly south of Nicaragua and north of Panama. It’s known for having great weather and being a mixing pot of European, Asian, and Caribbean island descent. Overall it’s a very westernized country versus Guatemala – I only make the comparison because that’s more what I was expecting / am used to. Everyone here wears western clothes versus any traditional clothing. There are not really any major crafts or textiles that stand out as Costa Rican. I chuckled a few days ago because I saw a store selling pottery. The sign informed customers that their pottery was truly Costa Rican while pottery sold by vendors on the beach is actually made in Nicaragua and pawned off as made here. I guess 80 or 90 kilometers in my mind doesn’t justify paying the store prices. Plus, I’ve never been to Nicaragua – having something from there sounds more interesting anyway.
Costa Rica is also known for being very environmentally / ecologically aware and active. They have vigils for egg-laying tortoises and so on.
So anyway, we’re in Costa Rica and working at Hogar de Vida para Los Ninez in Atenas, which is in the district of Alajuela. Tim and Dena Stromstad and Barb (don’t know her last name) are the American missionaries who work there. However, it’s really a nationally run organization – there is a national board affiliated with Children of Promise (http://www.childrenofpromise.org/) and then under them are Tim and Dena and the staff. Dena is the director (over the tias and kids) and Tim is the administrator (more over the men workers and other operations). Olga, one of the house moms, is also a full-time supported missionary. All the others are paid staff.
Hogar de Vida (home of life) is officially a foster care facility for abused and neglected children taken from their homes by the government. Most kids are there for about two years while the government does an official investigation of their situation / parents / etc to 1 – determine if they can return back home 2 – go live with extended family or 3 – eventually become officially abandoned and available for adoption. Just like life in the US, many of these kids are born to single mothers who love them but just can’t care for them. They are abused and/or neglected – typically by their fathers or their mothers’ current boyfriends. It’s a cycle – a child grows up without being raised and then goes on to have children of their own with out knowing how to raise them.
Thursday afternoons are very hard at Hogar de Vida. It’s parent visitation day. Some of the kids don’t even know their parents – the twins came at six months old and are now almost three. Their mom shows up and brings candy but they don’t really know her from any other person who gives them candy. Some of the kids get pretty worked up on Thursdays anticipating visits or crying when they’re over or being depressed and dejected when their parents don’t show at all. One of the burdens that has been placed on Tim and Dena’s hearts is for the parents of the kids. We’re currently helping the kids in life and hopefully in their spiritual lives, but what are we doing for the parents….right now not too much. It’s a cycle and unless we break the cycle with the parents, their kids will eventually fall back into bad situations and homes.
There are currently 23 kids at Hogar de Vida. They are split between the casa arriba (upper house) and the casa abaja (lower house). I work in the upper house as a tia (aunt) five days a week cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children. There are typically three or four tias on duty at a time during the day, three during the evenings, and two overnight. Jon and I are currently living in the third house – which I think is currently unnamed. I refer to it as the third casa (casa tercera) or the yellow house. It is currently under final construction and painting and then will be ready to be opened to house tias and children as soon as enough staff becomes available. Each house has a live-in mom or parents and two overnight tias plus the other day-staff tias. Right now there is not a live-in house mom/couple for the third house so it’s sitting empty.
Jon has been spending his days painting our house and other random things on the property. Due to cultural differences, he can’t do a lot of the same stuff I’m doing. He can play with the kids but not much past that. In Costa Rica it seems they are highly suspicious of men with kids – abuse is a big deal here.
Olga, the house mom of the upper house, is constantly reminding the tias that our goal at Hogar de Vida is not about getting our chores done or making sure the kids are fed and in bed. It’s about Jesus and His saving grace for our lives and the lives of the kids. She’s always encouraging us to use each moment as a teaching opportunity and a time to praise God for what he’s done versus just another day of work.
Sometimes that comes easier than others. I’ve found when all else fails – for example with Pamela, a six year old girl with major anger and possibly ADHD tendencies – I have to hold her tight and sing Amazing Grace. It’s the only song I can come up with in times of emergency. It works. The grace and the English (b/c she doesn’t know what I’m saying) are enough to calm her down so I can actually talk to her and let her know that in the midst of her tantrum, I care about her and want the best for her. It’s great to see progress with her but also wrenches my heart when I really think about it. Because in just a few weeks she’s come to know that Jon and I aren’t pushovers about discipline but that we also really care. And she respects it in the end every time. And soon we’ll be gone and eventually she’ll be back with her mom or dad or some other relative probably in a life once again without boundaries and discipline. All I can do is pray for her because I can’t fix it. Only God can protect her.
That’s it for now. We will be posting again next Tuesday or Wednesday. Thank you always for your prayers and emails. And concerning emails – please email us at jonandjessica@gmail.com because we currently do not have the reply feature on for the blog.
Love,
Jessica
