DAY 1: TRAVEL

BY ALAINA ADAMS AND ELI KANE

To begin our SEED experience, we had training on campus. We met Leader Ben and learned about Push the Rock, which is the sports ministry organization we are partnering with. We met Megan Bigelow, the Sawyer representative, to learn about the water filters. We each practiced assembling the water filters and we sprayed our clothes with Sawyer bug repellant to ensure the mosquitoes and ticks would stay away this week. In addition, we grew closer as a group. We enjoyed 45-second hot seat and other team time activities to begin to deepen relationships. To end the first day, we also made bracelets together as a symbol of unity. Each person was given a different color string and was asked to describe what they would bring to the team over these next 10 days. We now have the bracelets to remind us of the roles we have committed to within the group.

Today, June 15th, we spent all day traveling. We began at the crack of dawn taking a Hope bus to Midway Airport where we ate a quick lunch and continued to grow closer as a group. While we waited to board the plane, we all shared our backgrounds, our family, high school experiences, and what brought us to Hope. We then flew to Houston and quickly boarded the plane to Costa Rica. Once we arrived in Costa Rica, we made it through immigration and quickly found out the Costa Rican national men’s soccer team would be arriving soon after us. People were lined up in the airport to get signatures and see the team who had just qualified for the World Cup…and here we thought they were here to greet our 3 team members from Hope’s women’s basketball team who won a National Championship this winter. Once we walked outside, we found the streets were lined for miles with fans waving flags and honking horns. We finally arrived at our guest house called AMCA and we enjoyed a nice meal before setting up shop in our new rooms. We are excited to get going tomorrow!!! Thanks to all who were praying for our safe travels today!