Spanish III Students Minister in
Costa Rica
On Monday, March 10, the senior class of
seven students left for Costa Rica for a missions/educational trip
led by Emily Mayer and our teacher, Miss Ximena. After orientation,
we met our host families with whom we would be living and attending
school. It was a stretching experience to stay without our
classmates in a home where only Spanish was spoken, and some of us
accidentally said some things that were quite humorous.
On Wednesday, we went on a scavenger hunt in the town
of Heredia before arriving at DeLynn and Gloria (’88) Hoovers' camp,
Pura Vida Missions. While staying at Pura Vida Missions, we traveled
every day to La Tabla, an area thick with drugs and poverty. We
helped build a wall out of tires and dirt to keep the nearby
trash-filled river from eroding the ground near a church/mission
house. We learned flexibility when the rain continued to pour,
forcing us into the church building, where we had an opportunity to
relate to the kids who were also trying to stay dry. Our days at La
Tabla culminated on Saturday with a special time for the kids filled
with candy, balloon animals, music, face painting, and coloring.
The next day, we visited a church in Moravia where
Sasha sang a solo before we went to Sunday school with the youth
group. The rest of the day and part of Monday we went to a resort
where we swam, relaxed, and ate incredible food. Tuesday, we were
able to see a volcano before heading off to San Jose for some
shopping. We traveled home the next day, tired but full of memories
and grateful for our time in Costa Rica. Thank you to all of you who
helped us by praying for us and supporting us financially. –Linette,
Grade 12
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Creation Museum Makes Science Fun
On Friday, March 14, the high school, along with several
parents and teachers, loaded into vans and made the two-hour trip to
Cincinnati to visit the Creation Museum. This museum presents the
story of how the world came about from a Biblical point of view.
Before touring the rest of the museum, we first went to the
planetarium. This presentation showed how we think our solar system
is so huge, but in reality, it is only a speck compared to the rest
of the universe.
After the planetarium, students broke up into groups
and were given two hours to walk through the museum. The story of
creation, the fall of man, and God’s plan of redemption were
presented through a series of rooms with vivid pictures, wax
figures, and movie clips. Plaques explained the evolutionist’s
beliefs of how the world came to be along with the creationist’s
beliefs, and explanations as to why the evolutionist’s theories
couldn’t possibly be true.
After walking through the museum, we watched another
film, which presented the argument between evolution and creation
and told of the mistakes of evolution and how it could never be
true. The movie threw a couple little surprises at us like our
chairs vibrating and a startling spritz of water in our faces,
resulting in shrill cries from some of the girls. Overall, the trip
was very educational, enlightening, and fun, and we enjoyed our day
off.
-Brooke, Grade 11
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Restoring Physical and
Spiritual Eyesight
Nicaragua, on a medical mission trip. Members of the
group included Dr. Kenlyn Miller ’87, the ophthalmologist, Dr. Phil
Seventeen ambitious individuals spent two weeks in Managua, Shetler
(staff ’86 -’91) one of two optometrists, and Pablo (staff ’78 -’87,
’05 -’07) & Judi Kauffman serving as interpreters. Rosedale
Mennonite Missions teamed up with
Medical Ministry International from January 26 through February 9 to
dispense glasses and perform eye surgeries for the poor of
Nicaragua. Kenlyn wrote that in ten working days the group fitted
556 pairs of glasses, saw 740 people and performed 73 cataract
surgeries. Also, 73 people indicated first time comm itments
to Jesus Christ.
According to Pablo, it was rewarding to see most of the
people coming out with glasses, because ”sight is really an
important thing.” Even though the work was repetitious, the people
in charge “made sure that we didn’t get over- extended.” Phil
described the experience as “pretty intense, challenging and
stressful” with “long lines of people arriving as early as 3:00
a.m.” Among the challenges the group faced were the language barrier
and the inaccurate auto refractor (an instrument that gives an
approximation of a prescription).

When asked whether he would do this again, Phil
responded, “not next week, but yes, I’d do it again.”
Plans are being made for another group to go in January
of 2009. For more information contact Levi Miller of London, OH, (levicora@juno.com),
or Kenlyn Miller of Harrisonburg, VA (Rockderm@yahoo.com).
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