2022 Mission Exchange

8/7/22 

 

 

7/28/22 

Update from Father Matt:

 

Our time here in Costa Rica has come to an end. We have worked hard. We have made new friends. We have worshiped and prayed and played together. We will take with us a little bit of the happiness and the spirit of the Episcopal Church here in Costa Rica with us.

Today we spent most of our day exploring God's creation in Manuel Antonio National Park. We saw sloths, fur de lance, bats, grasshoppers, monkeys and so much more. 

Tomorrow we start the long journey home. Until next time!

 

 

 

7/27/22 

Update from Father Matt:

 

We have arrived in Manuel Antonio where we will spend the next 2 nights.

God sprinkled a little extra good on this place when the world was created. We give thanks for the people we have met. The friends we have made and the work we have done. Tomorrow we will experience God’s goodness in creation. Until then we say Hasta Mañana.

 

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7/26/22 

Update from the Youth:

This morning we said goodbye to Limon and headed to the small village of Rio Hondo where we built bat boxes. The San Pedro wanted a humane way to deal with their bat issues and we were able to help with that. Not even the rain could stop us.

We finished up in Rio Hondo and headed back to San Jose for a great dinner overlooking the central valley. We said our prayers and it's off to bed!

 

 

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7/25/22 

Update from Father Matt:

Today was our last day in the city of Limon. We painted well today. We painted really well today. We brightened the walls of the play and gathering of the pre-k through 8th grader school attached to St. Marks where we worshiped on Sunday. It was one of the best painting projects the youth have done.

We had a fabulous lunch by the Caribbean Sea.

We were also able to catch the end of a huge celebration for the 130th year anniversary of the city of Limon.

Today we painted. We prayed. We laughed. We did the work of God for God’s people, and for all these experiences we say thanks be to God!

Tomorrow we are off to the tiny village of Rio Hondo to build bat boxes!

 

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7/24/22 

Update from the Youth:

Today was a great day! We started our day back at St. Marks in Limon at their high mass service. Fr. Matt was the guest preacher and did a wonderful job speaking about prayer as movement.

In the afternoon, we took a walking tour of Limon city where we gained a very helpful historical perspective about the history of the state and the Episcopal church from our new friend Kendall.

And what Sunday isn't complete without an evening swim back at the hotel. We will rest well tonight and be ready to paint tomorrow!

 

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7/23/22 pm:

Update from Father Matt:

This morning after breakfast we headed to Limon on the Caribbean coast. On our way we made a brief stop at Santa Maria Episcopal church for restrooms then it was back on the bus. We checked into our rooms then it was off to lunch and a grocery shopping scavenger hunt to get everything we needed to prepare a meal with the youth of St. Marks Episcopal in Limon. This evening we cooked together. We played games together. We ate together. We danced together and we prayed together. It was most certainly a great day!

 

 

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7/23/22 am: 

 

7/22/22 pm:

Update from Father Matt:

From Charlotte to Chicago to Panama… have made it to Costa Rica!  We are all in great spirits.  Tonight we enjoyed a fabulous dinner at the diocesan house.  Tomorrow we will travel through the rainforest to the port city of Limon where we will be spending time with the youth and adults from St. Mark’s Episcopal church Limon!  For now, though, our bellies are full.  Our prayers have been said and we are going to bed!

 

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7/22/22 am:

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We have gathered together as youth from St. Francis and St. Peter’s and we are headed from Charlotte to Panama, then to Costa Rica! We are excited to connect with youth from St. Marks's Episcopal Church in the City of Limon. We are excited to learn about their customs and cultures. We are excited to cook a meal, to eat, to play, to worship, to do life together. But before all of that happens, we are praying for safe travels. We are praying for patience. We are praying for each other. Please join us in prayer this day as we continue to get to know each other, as we travel, and as we allow God to shape us in the coming day with amazing experiences with our brothers and sister in Costa Rica and with God.

 

Daily Prayers

• Friday, July 22 - Safe travels
• Saturday, July 23 - Culture exchange day, pray for an understanding and acceptance of different cultures
• Sunday, July 24 - Rest & Renewal day
• Monday, July 25 - Work projects at St. Mark's School
• Tuesday, July 26 - Building bat boxes
• Wednesday, July 27 - Quiet day for prayerful hearts
• Thursday, July 28 - Finding joy in creation
• Friday, July 29 - Travel day
• Saturday, July 30 - Re-enter into day-to-day life

 

2 Corinthians 5:19
God was in Christ, making peace between the world and Himself. In Christ, God did not hold the world guilty of its sins. And He gave us this message of peace, New Century Version

 

7/19/22:

Video Update from Father Matt: