Hola familia y amigos, this is Kam and Bella.
We started the morning with waking at the early hour of 4am to prepare for our travels to Talamanca. We loaded the bus and by 4:45, we were on the road. The morning was very calm and quiet, due to the exhaustion from minimal sleep.
Soon after leaving San Jose, our view became absolutely gorgeous. The bus was surrounded by mountains and lush vegetation. Many of us didn’t sleep in fear of missing the captivating view. We occupied the time with conversation and games, with moments of intermission to admire the breathtaking scenery. Who needs technology when you have the exclusive experience of driving through God’s beautiful creation?
At 6:15am, we took a detour to an open concept breakfast buffet. We fueled up on Hispanic breakfast items such as rice, beans, eggs, toast, fresh fruit, and juice. We got back on the road and arrived in Talamanca around 11:30. We were greeted by our friendly host Diego, who helped us unload and settle in. For lunch we ate chicken, rice, beans, coleslaw, and plantains which were deliciously prepared by a few local women at the reservation.
Around 2pm, children and families started to gather around the community’s home-base. This area consisted of the homes of our hosts, a church and a guest house that is still undergoing construction. Our team connected with the children by playing with bubbles, soccer, nail painting, and stickers. While a group of team members played with the children, a few presented the Sawyer water filters at the church to the adults of the community. The townspeople were extremely grateful for the generosity SEED and Push The Rock had to share.
During our downtime, Diego offered to take us on a walk to see the landscape and a nearby river. The hike was incredible and a fun bonding opportunity for us. Along the way, Diego stopped at a friendly neighbor’s house that sold homemade ice cream. The ice cream was unique and delicious.
We gathered back at the house for a familiar dinner of homemade burgers and fries. After dinner we concluded the night with testimonies by Marie, Luke, and Emily. We ended on a group hug before preparing for an early bedtime. Buenos Noches!