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


 

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

 

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 commitments 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).