It's been awhile since I last posted and I am excited to be back here with some thoughts and writings! We've got exactly 10 days until we depart for our first mission trip of the summer. When I say we, I mean Doug, myself and a few of our new GTD Interns and participants. Once there we will meet up with more Interns, Leaders and Participants. Together we will be leading up two mission teams with Erika Rodriguez and David and Tessa Ashe. Saying we're excited doesn't quite express the feelings we all have about this trip! This summer our teams will be part of the groundbreaking of the first building to be constructed on the Banyan property, aside from the original house and corral already there. It's been years in the making and this year all the pieces are falling into place. This building will the first of many and the hub for teams to gather for meetings and lay their heads to rest after a busy day of working on the property! God is so good and we praise him for the ways he is blessing this project!
Tuesday night, June 1st, GTD will be hosting it's 2nd Annual Costa Rica Missions Banquet at the Pinellas Park Performing Arts Center to help raise funds for CR Interns and projects. It's going to be an informative night and one of celebration as we share the many blessings God has been pouring out over this project! -AMEN!!!
Summer Adventure Program Begins!
I am so excited to have hit the road today with Doug, Christina, Jessie, Brittney, and the GTD dog's Faith and Courage. We are driving up to NC to set up base camp for our first three Adventure Trips of the season. We have 11 trips total this summer. Our first trip will be Sunday with FCD ( Family Center on Deafness) followed by Plymouth Baptist Church of Indiana and then GTD's Annual Public Adventure Trip "SLAMMED".
We left about 10 hours ago today and in those ten hours we have already made some great memories, some that include a bad tire, cramming 2 dogs, 4 girls and one guy into a Pathfinder, dog slobber, exploding ice-tea, great conversations, the hottest day in Florida history (not really, but it sure felt like it) and 10 hours of being gone and only ending up 4 hours away from where we departed!
Tomorrow is a new day, a gift, and I am looking forward to getting to bed so I can wake up and experience the memories unfold.
We left about 10 hours ago today and in those ten hours we have already made some great memories, some that include a bad tire, cramming 2 dogs, 4 girls and one guy into a Pathfinder, dog slobber, exploding ice-tea, great conversations, the hottest day in Florida history (not really, but it sure felt like it) and 10 hours of being gone and only ending up 4 hours away from where we departed!
Tomorrow is a new day, a gift, and I am looking forward to getting to bed so I can wake up and experience the memories unfold.
2009 Costa Rica Uno
2009 Costa Rica Uno Team
We would like to thank Russel and Pennae Johnsen of The Johnsen Family Fund for their generous donations which are enabling several service projects in Costa Rica.
It's been three days since leaving Costa Rica and although my body is here physically, another piece of my heart has been left behind. In my day to day routine I find my thoughts drifting off to all the special memories made that are now tucked away in the corner of my mind.
This would be my third trip to Costa Rica and from the moment the plane touched down it felt as though God was welcoming me back to this beautiful land of mountains, luscious landscaping and beautiful people.
We stayed in Guayabo on the Banyan Resource Property that GTD is helping to develop into a school, fish farm, retreat center, orphanage, mission and adventure base.
Our host missionaries, Doug and Gayla Richardson, warmly welcomed us along with their visitors, Gayla's sister Deb and her brother in-law Pastor Don.
Don and Deb
While staying on the property we were blessed to have a local Costa Rican woman named Aryselle and her daughter Lillianna cook amazing meals for us.
Aryselle, Lillianna and Juan
Monday evening we had the privilege of Aryselle's husband Juan sing for us and share his testimony. It was a beautiful night full of music, dancing and laughter. Ariel, a local 17 year old Costa Rican joined us and gave the team lessons in Salsa. Needless to say, we American's have a lot to learn!
Each day together started out with daily devotions and ended with a nightly
Impact Point (biblical teaching).
Nightly Impact Point
In the mornings we spent 30 minutes apart studying God's word. Once finished we'd join back together at the Corral to share what we had learned during our quite time. Each person on the team participated in big ways, shared their hearts and allowed God to use them to teach each other. The comfort level together was high, emotions were raw and there were even moments of tears and belly aching laughter!
During the evenings we had some special guest speakers including Juan (the musician), Pastor Danello (Pastor from Guayabo church), Doug and Gayla (missionaries) , Don (Pastor from Canada) and Doug Garner (GTD's founder). For each of us these times together were incredible and our lives were forever touched by those who shared their stories.
Shaggy (Interpreter) with Pastor Danello
While in Costa Rica we had some work projects to complete. The first was a painting and clean up project of a school in a little town called Rio Blanco. It's between Guayabo and Fortuna. Together we painted two classrooms, pressure washed sidewalks, cleaned up the yard and painted the entire wall in front of the school that acts as a gate and entrance to the school.
It's amazing what a little paint and hard work can accomplish. You can see from the pictures what a difference we made. We were so excited to be a part of this community outreach program. Each team member poured themselves into the work before them and finished with a great sense of accomplishment. We only wished we were able to see the reaction of the teachers and students when they returned back to school in February.
The next project we completed was pulling up and replacing a fallen culvert outside the Corral. In addition we dug a ditch and post holes for fencing. Again, the team poured themselves into these projects. Men and Women together got down and dirty digging out clay, rocks, dirt and water. People were shoveling, swinging pick axes, digging holes and all the while enjoying every minute of it. Not once did I hear a complaint. All the work was completed with a happy heart.
In the mix of all the work we were able to explore God's amazing playground. We took a
tour of the property once by foot and another by horseback.
Another day we went zip lining through the Rain Forest Canopy.
We went to Thermal Mania (hot spring pools) to swim, fellowship and eat dinner. Another afternoon we spent at Playa Hermosa (Beautiful Beach) swimming, snorkeling, playing Ultimate Frisbee and a taking in an incredible sunset.
It's amazing to see how much work was accomplished in such little time with a group dedicated in helping out God's mission in Costa Rica. Thanks to Doug and Gayla for playing such a vital roll in GTD's efforts and for helping our team in so many countless ways. We love you both and are moved to see how God is using you. Together you are making a huge difference in people's lives.
Pictures with Doug and Gayla Richardson
Below are videos of the school yard in Rio Blanco, Playa Hermosa and the culvert work project.
Our host missionaries, Doug and Gayla Richardson, warmly welcomed us along with their visitors, Gayla's sister Deb and her brother in-law Pastor Don.
Don and DebWhile staying on the property we were blessed to have a local Costa Rican woman named Aryselle and her daughter Lillianna cook amazing meals for us.
Aryselle, Lillianna and Juan
Monday evening we had the privilege of Aryselle's husband Juan sing for us and share his testimony. It was a beautiful night full of music, dancing and laughter. Ariel, a local 17 year old Costa Rican joined us and gave the team lessons in Salsa. Needless to say, we American's have a lot to learn!Each day together started out with daily devotions and ended with a nightly
Impact Point (biblical teaching).
Nightly Impact PointIn the mornings we spent 30 minutes apart studying God's word. Once finished we'd join back together at the Corral to share what we had learned during our quite time. Each person on the team participated in big ways, shared their hearts and allowed God to use them to teach each other. The comfort level together was high, emotions were raw and there were even moments of tears and belly aching laughter!
During the evenings we had some special guest speakers including Juan (the musician), Pastor Danello (Pastor from Guayabo church), Doug and Gayla (missionaries) , Don (Pastor from Canada) and Doug Garner (GTD's founder). For each of us these times together were incredible and our lives were forever touched by those who shared their stories.
Shaggy (Interpreter) with Pastor DanelloWhile in Costa Rica we had some work projects to complete. The first was a painting and clean up project of a school in a little town called Rio Blanco. It's between Guayabo and Fortuna. Together we painted two classrooms, pressure washed sidewalks, cleaned up the yard and painted the entire wall in front of the school that acts as a gate and entrance to the school.
It's amazing what a little paint and hard work can accomplish. You can see from the pictures what a difference we made. We were so excited to be a part of this community outreach program. Each team member poured themselves into the work before them and finished with a great sense of accomplishment. We only wished we were able to see the reaction of the teachers and students when they returned back to school in February.
The next project we completed was pulling up and replacing a fallen culvert outside the Corral. In addition we dug a ditch and post holes for fencing. Again, the team poured themselves into these projects. Men and Women together got down and dirty digging out clay, rocks, dirt and water. People were shoveling, swinging pick axes, digging holes and all the while enjoying every minute of it. Not once did I hear a complaint. All the work was completed with a happy heart.
In the mix of all the work we were able to explore God's amazing playground. We took atour of the property once by foot and another by horseback.
Another day we went zip lining through the Rain Forest Canopy.
We went to Thermal Mania (hot spring pools) to swim, fellowship and eat dinner. Another afternoon we spent at Playa Hermosa (Beautiful Beach) swimming, snorkeling, playing Ultimate Frisbee and a taking in an incredible sunset.
It's amazing to see how much work was accomplished in such little time with a group dedicated in helping out God's mission in Costa Rica. Thanks to Doug and Gayla for playing such a vital roll in GTD's efforts and for helping our team in so many countless ways. We love you both and are moved to see how God is using you. Together you are making a huge difference in people's lives.
Pictures with Doug and Gayla Richardson
Below are videos of the school yard in Rio Blanco, Playa Hermosa and the culvert work project.
Dear Family and Friends, HOLA from Costa Rica!
Apologies for not getting these pictures out a little sooner.
The team has been NON stop since we arrived and it's been amazing.
We are blessed to have a wonderful team full of enthusiasm and love for the Lord.
God is good and his love is shining upon us here. We are so blessed to be working with
Apologies for not getting these pictures out a little sooner.
The team has been NON stop since we arrived and it's been amazing.
We are blessed to have a wonderful team full of enthusiasm and love for the Lord.
God is good and his love is shining upon us here. We are so blessed to be working with
the local missionaries, Doug and Gayla Richardson and some local Costa Ricans. They have been looking after us in countless ways.
In the past 5 days we have attended a local church service, went zip lining through the canopy of the rainforest, painted...pressure washed and cleaned up the yard of a little school just up the road from the GTD property, traveled to the Playa Hermosa (Beautiful Beach), danced with the locals to live music, taken a tour of the property, spent our mornings in devotions, listened to testimonies of the missionaries and locals and have grown in many ways.
God is doing GREAT things here and there is so much to share. This is just a taste of what we have been doing.
Thank you for all your prayer.
We will update you again soon.
I hope you enjoy the pictures.
Thank you for all your prayer.
We will update you again soon.
I hope you enjoy the pictures.
Our team with Airselli, Juan (local Chrisitain musician ) and his daugher Lillianna.
Airsellie and Lillianna have been cooking most of our AMAZING meals. Juan shared his testimony with us, lead us in worship and played his music for us.
I spent two days pressure washing the sidewalks and walkways of the school. You can see on the left where I had cleaned in this picture.
Me helping to repaint the wall of the fence. We will be finishing the wall on Thursday.
Erika and Kristina painting their hearts out.
Kristina with a local patching up the wall.
Before pictues (after pictures to come soon).
Doug gave us a tour of the property. He and his wife are originally from Canada and have been here about 2 years now. Doug knows the property very well. There are horses, cows, cats and dogs on the property that Doug looks after.
A view fo the property with some beef cattle.
On our way home from zip lining. It seems as if this volcano can be seen from everywhere. It's a beautiful view.
Alex "Shaggy" helps us with our Spanglish!!He is an amazing young man with a HUGE heart for God. He does a lot of work with YWAM and is looking to go to college sometime this year.
This is one fo the most beautiful views we've seen.(Zip Lining)
Canopy Tour
Church
Our first Costa Rican meal (Rice and Beans) YUMMY!
Arrival at the airport.RE-CON WORK
July 2008
This year Doug and the interns took some time to recon a new place in Tennessee called Cherokee Bluffs. It's a really beautiful spot overlooking the river. 
Joe Lovell (GTD-Intern)
Jimmy Davis (GTD-Intern)
Rachel DayFayette (GTD-Intern)
Doug Garner (GTD Founder)
Me (GTD Volunteer) My turn! Down into blackness.
First Presbyterian Adventure Trip
July 24th-28th, 2008
I'm usually the one behind the camera so this was a self-portrait.
I'm usually the one behind the camera so this was a self-portrait.
We took this group to Cherokee Bluffs to go rock-climbing for the day.
We had to hike a short distance to the spot and once there the kids went rock-climbing, rappelling, caving, floating and swinging off a rope swing into the Tennessee River.
Bridge Jumping
Jimmy Davis (GTD Summer Intern)
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