Even *more* official!

Lakeshore Church Missions

Now That's Fair! 2

Because the coffee sales are a hit,
we've added items to our fundraiser!!!

Fair-Trade Delicious Dark Chocolate with bits of crunchy Coffee Bean
Sugar Cane from Costa Rica
Cocoa from Peru
Coffee from Guatemala

{Please purchase before I eat them all!}

$4/bar





Fair-Trade Sugar Cane!
Fun Fair-Trade Sugar Cane straight from the heart of Costa Rica.
There are many sugar cane farmers where we will be working. These farmers only receive $20 for one tonne of cane from the major corporations. Can any one say, not fair?
This cane sugar is in larger granules than that of regular granulated sugar (if you can imagine!), which makes them perfect for dessert or cappuccino toppings. Of course, it can be used in any place you would use table sugar, too.

$5/bag




Again, all of these products are from Costa Rica, and Fair-Trade ensures that the farmer receives a fair portion of the profits. This, in turn, supports the community, and the sales of these goods also supports our volunteer venture this fall.

Please place your order with us, and we'll get them to you!

Our Support Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

We are excited to announce that we are returning to Costa Rica to serve with a mission organization for 6 months! Starting this October, we are being sent by Lakeshore Evangelical Church in Dorval, QC, to work in a little town called Tuis de Turrialba, in the mountains of Costa Rica. In this town, there is the Christian mission “Voz Que Clama” (VQC), which (translated from Spanish) means “the voice that cries out” (Mark 1:3). Last summer we had the opportunity of meeting the directors of this mission during our trip to Central America and were able to volunteer on a few small projects. We’ll be returning this fall to extend the work of VQC, but in some new directions and on a much larger scale! VQC focuses on:
a) Providing a hospice to a number of indigenous individuals with physical and mental disabilities, who could no longer survive their mountain communities.
b) Venturing into the remote mountain communities, a 1- to 3-day hike from Tuis, to bring aid and service to the people there.
c) Giving service to a budding community of Christians.

Among the array of service opportunities that we will have, we’ve been blessed with opportunities to pursue what God has given us passions for… Candice will be working with nutrition and health concerns in the local as well as remote indigenous communities, similar to those she worked with during her Master’s degree. Tom will be working with people with disabilities and using his rehabilitation engineering skills to help enable them to participate in meaningful activities on a small hobby farm operated by the mission.

We are sending this letter to you for two reasons. First, we need your prayers on a series of fronts: for God to move in us so that we can be his hands and his feet, for us to be strong when faced with the many challenges that lie ahead of us, and for the community and people that will be receiving us and those we will be working with. Second, we are faced with the challenge of raising $20,000 to help us get there. We fully believe that God will provide and allow us to follow this dream. We would deeply appreciate if you would consider helping us in making this venture possible. If you would like to contribute, a tax-deductible donation to LEC-Costa Rica can be made {using the enclosed envelope}. If you want more information or are interested in other ways you can be involved, please feel free to contact us at candice.and.tom@gmail.com, or contact our home church, Lakeshore Evangelical Church, who is partnering with us in this venture, at info@lakeshorechurch.ca or at their website, www.lakeshorechurch.ca

Thank you for considering us in your thoughts, prayers and support.

Sincerely,



Tom and Candice


LEC donation disclaimer: All contributions designated towards a specific program or project approved by the board will be used as designated, with the understanding that when the need for such a program or project has been met, or cannot be completed for any reason determined by the board, the remaining contributions designated for such a program or project will be used where needed most in other mission projects.

Financial Logistics - Update

We are so excited to announce that the Board of Governors of Lakeshore Evangelical Church has unanimously voted in favour of supporting our venture as well as making it a part of their ministry. Not only does this mean we have their pastoral support and advice, but also any donations made towards the trip will be tax deductible!

This support has made such a huge difference in our lives, and affects the decisions of many other people. Nothing but the hand of God has made such a relationship happen. We are so extremely blessed and humbled by their decision!

Thank You, thank You, thank You!!!

Now that's Fair!

While we await word on the fundraising logistics for 'straight up' donations, we have explored options for additional fundraisers...Ones that make things a little more tangible! I'm pleased to introduce you to:

Costa Rican Fair Trade coffee, grown right from the area where we will be working!! This stuff is so socially and environmentally friendly it even comes in a compostable biodegradable paper bag. Cool, eh? The product is logistically arranged by Oxfam, and from the fields of Costa Rica.




It's a delicious medium roast for you; a fair price for the farmer working in our area of Costa Rica; support for the local community; and a fund raiser for our service in Costa Rica. Everyone wins!!

These are 400g bags (1lb) for a suggested $14, and you can order them in ground or whole bean form.

{Simple Price Comparison:}

• Starbucks take-home coffee beans $8.99 for 226g bag
• Fair-Trade Fundraiser $14 for 400g bag
  
• Starbucks: 4cents/gram /// FairTrade Fundraiser: 3.5cents/g
  

We will be placing orders, so place your with us! We are coming out next week and will be able to deliver, or if you place your order with us next week while we are there, we will have them delivered as soon as possible after.

Cheers, and happy brewing!

It's Question Time

Tom and I are giving an oral presentation and Q&A this Thursday for some key decision makers for this project's funding logistics. If you are a pray-er, I'd ask that you ask for guidance for the hearts that are to make the big decisions. Let the Lord's will be done...No matter what that means.

Mark this day...

As far as the current plan goes, the length of time between today and the day we leave is the equivalent to the amount of time we will be in C.R.

Scary thought, isn't it?




(Countdown ticker: 182 days ... maximum length of our trip is 183 days)

Things we will miss

Appliances I wish I could bring with us:

- Espresso machine!!!
- Dish washer
- Bread maker
- Slow cooker
- My awesome blender/food processor
- The hot water tank!!

En Espanol, por favor

Necesito practicar mi espanol, pero sin audiencia esta es una problema. Tienemos las clases de Espanol cada semana, pero necesitamos mas lecciones. Usted, ?sabe espanol? Si si, necesita ayudarme! ?Por favor? Nosotros buscando una professora de Espanol.

(Ad for a Spanish teachers...)

Flight Decisions

There are three appealing options for flights to Costa Rica. At this time we are only planning on purchasing one way tickets and worry about the trip back after. This will help us feel that we are indeed 'living' down there if we don't own flights home, and it may also save us interest if we purchase them at the end of our trip versus the beginning!

We think it's best to leave from Manitoba as appose to Montreal for a variety of reasons, but most of all because of family and potentially being able to see a friend's fresh baby.


Here are our options at the moment:

1) Leave from Winnipeg on a Sunday, October 11th in the evening.

Pros:
Get to have a fair-well get together with everyone (both families! plus friends).
Get to see Guatemala's airport (may be important for flight options on the trip back)
Feel supported by those who will (hopefully!) see us off at the airport.
We will use the least 'insurance days' traveling to our destination.
Cons:
Most expensive option.
Odd flights: Travel all night via Chicago and Guatemala airports. Leave at 5:30 in the evening and arrive at 9:00 in the morning.


2) Leave from Minneapolis on Thursday, October 8th.
Pros:
(A bit) cheaper flights
Arrive on a Friday; have the weekend to settle in, share in their church service on Sunday, and then start school on Monday.
Cons:
Gas, hotel room, and time from 'drivers' are additional costs.

3) Leave from Washington on Friday, October 9th
Pros:
-Cheapest flights!
- Same pros as the Minneapolis option in regards to getting there a few days before everything gets started.
-Get to take the bus to Washington from Fargo; it would be interesting to see the geography and cities from there to Washington, D. C.
Cons:
- We are limited (due to insurance policies and government restriction) in the number of days we are allowed to be away from Quebec. This ride down to Washington and then to C.R. will potentially take 5 days (compared to the Winnipeg option, or 3 more compared to Minneapolis option) away from our time in Tuis
- Travel risks associated with busing it across the states with all of our belongings we will need for 6 months!


Thoughts???

Matters of Money

I knew I would have to post about it sooner or later...But it's the one difficult-to-talk-about part of our trip: Finances

Here is the situation:

• We will be living and serving in Costa Rica for just shy of 6 months (shortened by 2 weeks from the original plan due to provincial medicare limitations -> if we go for a day over 183 days, insurance goes through the roof because provincial medical will be suspended for the entire trip. That said, our trip length will now be 180 days.)
• We will not be employed (both leaving our jobs), we will not earn income during the trip, we will have no jobs to return to back in Canada, yet we are required to pay for all expenses for the trip: Flights, accommodations, Spanish acquisition lessons, travel within country, food, housing...You name it, we will be paying it.
  
• We are not to be a financial burden to the organization (which operates on a limited budget, as most non-profits do). However the organization has generously helped us find ways to make living there more economical, which has helped immensely.

As for the grand total cost of the trip? I am not sure how comfortable I am posting it on an open-access blog site! Especially during infant stages of a partnership. However, if you are at all curious, please let me know. I'll e-mail you the current budget without blinking an eye. We are trying to be as transparent about this trip as possible; I'm just uncomfortable posting it to the world just yet.

As for that partnership and support letters...The letters will not be sent out until the partnership has been solidified (or until we find out that, due to Canada Revenue Agency limitations, we can't form one). This is because if a partnership does evolve, that means all funds are directed to the church and we will be working through them (i.e. --> Tax receipts for sponsors). However, not all trip costs will be able to be processed through our home church (such as surprise expenses where unforeseen needs (of the people are are working with) arise...Similar to last year's funds we raised in case we saw opportunities were we could help).

We are hoping to raise these additional funds (for items not processable) through various fund raisers...But we aren't sure what kind of fund raisers would be best. We are thinking of importing coffee (and chocolate!) products produced from the surrounding area where we will be working. However, without knowing if there will be supporters who would like to purchase these bags of goods, we are running the risk of spending a lot of money on goods that won't be sold.

So, in short, thank you very much for your questions, but I can't offer you much info just yet. The support letters will be coming, but we are waiting to see how the funds will be processed.

And again, if you want to know the figures, please let us know and I will send them to you no problem.

Progress

1. Learn Spanish: Still struggling (and always will, I'm sure!) We smash our way through the language every Wednesday evening with 4 other adult learners. The class is a hoot! But three hours is looong.
   
2. Schedule: The trip may be moved up by a month due to insurance issues as well as us just itching to go. Potential departure dates are between the 7th and 11th of October. Flights have yet to be booked, but we are *oh* so close.
3. Finances: Still in the works. We may acquire a possible partnership with our church here in Montreal, which we are very excited about. We are also exploring different fund raising opportunities, but nothing is in stone. We are also still working on our support letter and feeling a bit nervous to hand it out. But praise the Lord for he has placed so many supportive people in our path! Just the other day a lady from our church phoned me up, mentioned she heard of our venture, and wanted to know how she could help. What encouragement, we haven't even met!!
   
4. Billion other little things: Not letting them get in the way!
   
5. Excitement Level: Growing everyday.

A bit more background

To see the initial details of our trip, please click here.
For more background information about our visit and introduction to the mission last summer, please click the link on the sidebar that reads 'Visit in summer 2008'.

--

As for a few additional details, this is what I can think to add.

Location: Mainly, we will be working in Tuis de Turriabla. The town is too tiny to be noted on Google Maps or Google Earth, but if you check out La Suiza, you in the general neighborhood. It's just a 20 minute walk down the road from there.

Type of Work: Really, the trip has a three-fold purpose and we will mainly be working through a currently established mission organization in the area (Voz Que Clama --> VQC). With them we will:

1. Help serve the resource and spiritual needs of rural indigenous communities. These communities are located hours (by foot) into the mountains. They have no amenities, no doctors, no services. If anyone requires help, they must make the long journey out into the more urban areas (such as Tuis, which is only 3,000 people), but once they get to these areas, they have no place to stay nor money to afford accommodations. These indigenous mainly deal in trades of goods, money as a commodity is not common in their culture, which makes coming to the 'urban' centers confusing, especially because many only speak their indigenous languages.
   
2. Help serve the Residence of the mission house. VQC offers a home to those with physical and mental disabilities who have been cast out by their home community due to spiritual superstitions regarding disabilities. Further, because resources are limited and hard physical labour is a large part of life, those with disabilities are deemed a burden to their society and can be left for dead. The mission currently has 7 residence residing with them; they are offered 24 hour care and a liaison with the government to receive social services they otherwise would never to able to connect with.
   
3. Help serve the community of Tuis. The community of Tuis is comprised mainly of labourers and coffee farmers. The people are generous, warm, and friendly. The mission works to bless these people with biblical teachings, sermons, as well as opportunities and encouragement to help others within their community and the mountains. Not unlike Canada, negative prejudices exist against their native people and the mission is helping overcome these barriers.

In general, we will be working along side already established projects, but will also be looking for opportunities to put our skills and knowledge to work in new areas. With Tom's background in rehabilitation engineering (engineering devices for those with physical disabilities to help them lead more independent lives) and my educational background in infection and nutritional concerns in indigenous communities of Central America, we are hoping and relying on God to put us to good use in this community. We are currently in continual discussion with the mission about specific projects, but all involved realize that the majority of the details will be worked out while 'on the ground'. Our church in Montreal has been more than generous in their encouragement and logistical support. We are currently working to partner with Lakeshore Church, but the logistics and legalities are immense.

--

P.S. > I'm always trying to think of things to post on here, but I'm not positive as to what the readers (if there will be any!) will want to hear about. Please, feel free to post questions (simply click 'comments' and add your question to the comment box on the right hand side). Feel free to remain anonymous in questions or comments if that makes you feel more comfortable.

Thank you!

"Yes, we accept this mission!"

Now that the plans are being finalized and agreements made, now that the primary stakeholders (aka moms and dads) have been notified and situation assessed; we are ready to share. I doubt if the following will come as a surprise, but it is exciting non the less (to us, at least :)


We are going as missionaries to Costa Rica for a week shy of 7 months.

We are leaving the first week of November.

This is for real.





Yes, we are returning to our beloved town of Tuis, Costa Rica. A place we fell in love with at the end of our visit last summer; a place that has been tugging at our heart strings since we've left. When we proposed a 6-month visit to serve the community and surrounding area, the mission organization (Voz Que Clama) reciprocated our enthusiasm about such an arrangement and we've been making plans ever since.

Among a span of opportunities to serve while there, they have asked Tom to focus on adapting farm equipment for the residents with physical disabilities, and to run a men's bible study from our home. They have requested that I aim to balance resources allocated to the rural indigenous communities while optimizing diets of the residents living at the facility; additionally, I have been asked to run a women's pre-natal nutrition class within the community of Tuis. Both Tom and I will be highly involved in researching for, planning, and initial management of the farm (if not underway by the time we arrive).

As you can imagine, many challenges lay ahead of us. Operating in a foreign land, culture, and language will place significant strain on any relationship, including ours. The length of the trip requires us to indeed *live* in the community, not grim-and-bare situations until 'we can get out of here!' The trip will be nothing short of financially impossible because we will not be earning any income during our stay, but will be required to pay for all accommodations, flights, Spanish lessons, transportation, food, supplies, etc. We fully believe the good Lord will provide and we will be able to do this. We are unwilling to get hung up on money.

Please, join us in prayer for direction, strength, and patience. Please ask for adequate preparation before going, that my schooling will be completed in a timely manner, Tom's employer will have understanding, and we will be able to handle the stress of leaving Montreal (potentially for good), traveling to a new land without income, and having no place of our own to return to in Canada.

The year that lies ahead of us will be challenging, but we feel very blessed to be faced with these challenges and know we have a good people that will have our backs.

A few pics, in random order

Click here for a slew of pictures from our visit in Summer 2008.

Rubber Botas

Tomorrow is Saturday, and Saturday is Umberto´s day off, so he is taking us to his coffee farm! We bought some rubber-botas for the trip. Mine are white! But not for long. Maybe we will get to drink more coffee...Haven´t slept for 4 days...heheheHAHA..

Sigh, time to walk home now. Ciao.

Verde

My fingers are green.
Tom´s elbows are green.
Both of our pants are speckled green.
There is even a little part of my toe that is green.

But, thankfully, some of the bathroom walls are green too.

Language Oopies...

List of oopsies (that we know about)...

* Dirty horse? (Is that your horse?)
* This is a boob spoon? (Is this a little spoon?)
* Who are you doing tomorrow? (What are you doing tomorrow?)
* When are the animals in the trees? (Which animals are in the forest?)
* Poop! (cake!)
* It was my great pleasure to have you drive us. (Thank you for driving us!)

Words that we have taught our host family...

* Boogers! (I was nearly rolling on the floor laughing when I caught Tom teaching them that one!)
* Sneeze
* Mess

Buenos Dias...

Well, another amazing morning. We headed to town first thing and spend the remaining cash we have for this mission on shoes, shirts, and seeds. The clothes are needed for the residence of the rehabilitation house and the seeds are for the agricultural project for the families. You see, once things start growing, you can harvest some seeds for the next crop, but you need some seeds to start with!

The gratitude that has been shown towards your donations has been truely heart warming and humbling. We keep telling them it wasn't just us, but our family and friends in Canada. Yay Canada! (We will try to hold off on passing on the kisses when we see you next!)

We are going to continue on with the bathrooms today. What a 'beautiful' green they will be! Kermit would love it.

Hopefully pictures to come....

Hola!

We have had an amazing day.

Your generosity allowed us to buy a huge load of groceries this morning! We divided up the goods into packages and even had the opportunity to go and deliver to a family ourselves. There are some unbelieveable stories that we have heard, and believe me, your generosity has made a difference today.

The family we met today (a mother and a two year old child) have recently walked four days from their village in the mountains to seek help for the young daughter - she is paralized on her left side. They had to leave because her life was in jeopardy, not from her injuries, but from the community because a disability is a curse. The mother's brother was hung from a tree when he was 5 because he was not able to walk yet. So she ran away for fear they would take her daughter too. The mission has provided a short term home, and today you have provided a load of food for them.

We are also in the middle of another project - bathrooms! The primary school across the street (a very resource-poor school) is in dire need of some paint in their bathrooms. The mission has purchased the paint and we get to slap it on the walls! We just washed it today and now we are waiting for the walls to dry so we can finish the job tomorrow. The children are pretty confused as to why 2 english whities are hanging out and hosing down the walls in el bano! Oh the sign language we have had to use.

I had my first language-oopsie today while visiting the family. What was suppose to be "is that your horse?" apparently came out "dirty horse!". Oopsie.

Uh oh...We have to go, or we will be walking home!

Hasta luego!