July 28-29: Travel There & Day 1

Just a short little timeline/synopsis of what we did on Thursday and Friday as our team joined together and traveled from San Jose to San Jose (California to Costa Rica)... our internet went out when we arrived Friday night due to a big storm, so I haven't been able to post until now. 

Travel there: (evening of Thursday, July 28)
Team met at 5:30pm at ALFC   

On the road for San Jose by 6pm. 

Arrived at SJC at 7pm. 

Checked in and through security by 7:45pm. Got dinner in the airport. 

Boarded around 8:30pm. 

Took off 10:15pm, delayed about 45 minutes from original departure time.

Arrived LAX 11:10pm. Taxied/waited 15min for gate to become available. 

Disembarked 11:30pm. Escorted to next terminal/gate, thanks to Pastor Bob's broken foot. 

Boarded 12:15am. 

Departed 1:00am. 

Landed in San Jose, CR 7:15am (CR time, which is one hour ahead of Pacific Time). 

CR journal: Arrival/Day 1 July 29

Picked up by Bolings and headed out at 8:30am. 

Breakfast at Soda Nidia at 10:30-noonish. Gallo pinto and traditional tortilla con natilla! Mmmm!

Puente Río Tarcoles 11:15. Saw the crocs at the river bridge. 

AutoMercado in Jacó 12:30. 

Arrived at Bolings at 3:30. 

Dinner at 6. Homemade by Debbie. So good!

We all took a stroll and got caught in a downpour at 7:30/8. Drenched. Then the lightning and thunder were overhead. And lightning struck the house, leaving the wifi down. 

Hope the wifi is up soon so I can post more, with photos. 

I'm using a friend's hotspot right now to check and post really quickly. 

T minus One Week Until Departure!

Dear Family and Friends,

In one week, I will depart with the 12 other members of Abundant Life Foursquare Church’s Team Costa Rica for our mission trip! We will be taking a redeye flight out of San Francisco on Thursday, July 28, and serving in Costa Rica until Friday, August 5. I’d like to update my supporters regarding this upcoming trip and the status of our team’s progress in preparation.

The fundraising goal of $1,500 for the Costa Rica trip has almost been met! I’m short just $101! Between your generous contributions that have flooded in, support from my church (ALFC), and some personal fundraising efforts, my balance nears the goal! I’ve been blessed and encouraged as I hear from friends and family who have been supporting me both in finances and prayer. In addition to donations, I’ve been doing some fundraising with my church family at ALFC. We put on an Enchilada fundraiser in our community, which brought in over $400 for me alone; we made over 1,100 chicken, beef, and cheese enchiladas for pre-order and after-church sales! A fun way to bond with team members and meet others in the church congregation. Thank you for your continued financial and prayer support!

Aside from the financial preparation, I’ve been getting ready mentally, spiritually, and physically. I’m getting my head back into the “Pura Vida” mindset (the Costa Rican, aka “Tico,” catchphrase). I’ve contacted a few of my Tico friends back in my Central American “patria” (“homecountry”). I’m excited to return to familiar lands and friendly faces, as well as to meet our missionary connection, the Bolings. My packing list is made, and I’ll be ready to organize it all in a suitcase and fly out next week! In this month leading up to the trip, I’ve been spiritually preparing by working on daily devotionals, which the rest of the team has individually been completing simultaneously. I am feeling enriched and spiritually ready for this trip. Physically, I’m happy to report that after my respiratory and allergic/asthmatic struggles during/post-Philippines, I enjoyed a relatively-healthy spring and start to my summer! Unfortunately, over this past weekend, I got hit with a flu-virus that completely wiped me out (I literally was in bed for a day, sleeping 24 hours to recover!). This week I’ve been having a go of it, trying to ease myself back onto a regular diet. But I’m really craving some gallo pinto (rice and beans) and Tico cuisine next week, so it would be great if my digestive system would get back in line prior to that! Prayers for physical healing and strength are ALWAYS appreciated!

As for the planning and other prep, there aren’t as many logistical details or items to prep for this trip as there were in planning for the Philippines trip. The Bolings will have a Bible School put together that we will help facilitate. Our team is compiling packets of supplies to contribute to those programs. Last I heard, we might endeavor to help construct a new building on site. Also, Bethany and I will be dancing a couple ballet numbers en pointe (in toe shoes) and hopefully leading some dance camps again with local kids. I’m excited for whatever this trip may bring, and will post updates along the way on my blogsite, http://laraincragain.blogspot.com.

I’d love to hear from any of you via the attached Support Response form; even if you’ve already returned one! Your ongoing support and encouragement is much appreciated.

Blessings and gratitude,  Lara

Click to enlarge & download, fill out, and return to me please & thank you!

February update

Dear Family and Friends,

Abundant Life Foursquare Church’s five-person contingent will depart on our Philippine adventure in less than three short, jam-packed days (Feb. 11-22)! Many of you are inquiring as to our team’s progress in preparation, level of excitement, and financial status.

Let me begin with the latter; praise the Lord that my $2,500 for the Philippines trip has been raised! Between your generous contributions, support from my church (ALFC), and some personal fundraising efforts, I am feeling the love! Hearing back from my friends and family and receiving kind words of support, I have been feeling uplifted. At Abundant Life Foursquare Church, our Dessert Auction fundraiser was a BIG SUCCESS after our Family Worship Service on Sunday, January 31! Many thanks to those who submitted dessert entries that raised over $2,100 towards our collective team funds! An additional love offering was also taken in service, as it was Missions Sunday, and those funds are being put towards supplies for when we are working there in the Philippines. We are overwhelmed with gratitude! I am also about halfway to my goal of $1500 for my other service trip, to Costa Rica in July/August. Thank you for your continued financial and prayer support!

Seeing to the logistical preparations, as per my list-making nature, in the last few weeks I’ve been writing out my packing list, adding things as they periodically occur to me. Contrary to my customary last-minute packing from said list, I am currently trying to start packing a couple days in advance, since my schedule has me running around like crazy! The to do list is ever-lengthening, as I juggle life’s events and work: at the high school, dance studio, and team prep at church. We’ve developed a Vacation Bible School program, gathering our resources to put together supplies for crafts and games, writing puppet show scripts, choreographing dances and hand gestures to songs. I work a 12-hour day on Thursday, before driving right to the airport that night for our red eye flight to Hong Kong. (That 15-hour flight is sounding like Zzzzzz!) Therefore, prayer support for strength and energy is much appreciated!

I am very excited for what the Philippines will bring (and not just warmer weather--though these 80º days here in California have been nice this week!). When we arrive Sunday morning, local Philippines time (they’re 16 hours ahead of Pacific Time right now), after literally 24+ hours of travel, we’ll hit the ground running: two church services at which Bethany and I will be performing dances, and attending Valentine’s party. Monday-Wednesday we’ll be putting on two VBS programs per day, before driving to Pampanga Province to do it all again in San Fernando Thursday-Saturday! We’ll do a couple work-service projects, build a puppet stage, conduct/teach dance workshops, probably dance our pointe-ballet and contemporary/lyrical dance numbers countless times, and make a ton of friends/see old ones!  Of course, all these ‘plans’ are subject to change.

Please check in on my blogsites: http://larainthephilippines.blogspot.com & http://larainCRagain.blogspot.com
for up-to-date information regarding fundraising, preparation efforts, getting to know my fellow team members, and reading/seeing photo updates while we are on the trips. On my Philippines blogsite, you will find a link to our team’s group on Facebook, through which you can follow us during our trip. I hope to be diligent in posting photos of our work and the people we encounter, as well as video of our dances!

If you have yet to return a Support Response form, I’m still accepting those. I’m looking ahead to my Costa Rica trip this summer! Blessings,  Lara Lichten