Our Service Project Partner in Costa Rica

During the summer of 2022, my Costa Rica Active group worked with the non-profit partner Siempre Amigos in the spectacular cloud forest region of Monteverde. They connected us with a local family living in a lush valley an hour’s drive from town. As we bounced over rutted dirt roads, I briefed the group on our project. We knew our morning would be dedicated to a construction project where we’d learn how to mix and lay cement, but it was only when we reached the work site that we learned why our work was so important. A young girl around six years old ran out of the house to greet us as we unloaded from the bus, followed by her mother who welcomed us warmly in Spanish. She gathered us in a circle with her husband standing nearby and began to tell us the reason why we were here.

Our aim that day was to help with the construction of a wheelchair accessible bedroom for her teenage boy, Gustavo. His family called him Gustavito, an affectionate nickname that the other community members also used for the boy. Gustavito had recently suffered from sudden and unexpected brain hemorrhage. He’d been in intensive treatment and therapy at the hospital, but had been able to return home to continue his recovery. The bleed had affected several parts of his brain. He was in the process of re-learning how to walk and speak. As Gustavo’s mother spoke to us, tears welled in her eyes. She told us how important it was to have many hands to do the work of laying down a smooth, cement floor in her son’s new bedroom so he could move around in his wheelchair without fear of getting stuck or tipping over. One of my students stepped forward to offer her a hug and she accepted. We could feel the gravity of this family’s strength and resilience. We also knew the responsibility that we had to do good and meaningful work for them. 

The energy of the group was palpable. Gustavo’s father and grandfather showed us where the wheelbarrows and shovels were stored and in a few minutes everyone was ready with their tools. We were taught how to achieve the right ratio of dirt and gravel, when to add the cement, and how to mix it together. By the time the morning mist had evaporated from the surrounding hills, the floor was laid. We finished the project ahead of schedule because all of my students worked without pause, only stopping to hydrate. Gustavo’s mother handed out glasses of fresh pressed sugarcane juice as everyone wiped sweat from their eyes. The bedroom floor was smooth and filled, perfect for a wheelchair to roll across. The work was finished, but we didn’t want to leave. Gustavo’s mother asked us to wait a moment while she went inside. When we returned, she was guiding the hand of her teenage son. She helped Gustavito cross the threshold and explained that he wanted to meet us. When he took the last step out into the courtyard, he gave us a huge smile. Gustavito’s little sister, Dana, bounded over and wrapped her arms around one of my student’s waist. It was difficult to express all of the gratitude we felt to Gustavo’s family for welcoming us in and allowing us to be a part of their story. The personal connections made on that afternoon were a gift and not something that any of us were expecting.