Barbie & Ken Get Down & Dirty in Costa Rica

Two years ago, my son and daughter dressed as the famous Ken & Barbie for Halloween.  It was perfect - oddly, they look a lot like the plastic dolls I grew up with.

Fast forward two years to last week when we went on a service trip to Costa Rica and let me tell you:  there was nothing doll-like in what I saw my son or daughter accomplish this past week, unless I missed the episode about Barbie pick axing her way through rock, mud, dirt, and tree branches in 12-inch rubber work boots with 95-degree beads of sweat dripping down her face. 

My 13-year-old, one-hundred-two-pound Orlando "Barbie," as it turns out, is less Barbie and more Xena... she was no match for the other women on the trip, including her mother.  Leah was the only female to dominate the pick-ax, and she wore the labor like a seasoned pro.  

There are reasons this surprised me.

About 6 months before this trip, Barrett, my husband, and I, sat at the dinner with table Jared and Leah, 17, and 13, and explained that instead of a traditional family vacation, we'd be venturing to Costa Rica on a service trip to assist in digging wells for Costa Ricans without clean and running water.  Jared, who had been on the trip already, was delighted.  Leah, however, was less than thrilled and went out of her way to demonstrate her feelings of discontent toward the trip in every way, shape, and form known by the American teenager.  

She wanted to be sipping on pina coladas (non-alcoholic of course) and dipping her freshly manicured toes into a resort pool for her vacation.  We were ruining her teenage dreams, clearly.

My husband, Barrett, and I, prayerfully endured through the silent treatments, tears, pleas, and anger.  

Like any good mom, I'd always go out of my way to make her feel better by telling her she'd be able to play in the sand and get a tan - there would just be a shovel in her hand!  

Why a service trip?  And why now?  

Over the last few years, as my kids have started to resemble adults, and I have entered my 40's, I have become acutely aware that life's hustle and bustle can push a wedge between me and a call to serve.  Let me be the first to admit that chronic busy-ness supresses the spirit of giving from plain view, thus hiding my deepest longings for connection, service in love, and authentic shalom.  Yet, since the day my children were born - shalom, connection, and love - are the things I have strongly desired for them to incorporate into their life.  So when it came down to making our summer plans, I wanted spiritual "things" for them this year more than a week of easy living and sipping on fancy drinks.  

I envision humble service, extravagant kindness, and a grace-full understanding of international cultures woven tightly into the tapestry of my children's DNA.  

I envision their heart for kindness to be as big as their heart for leadership, accomplishment, and financial security.  

I envision my children to embrace spiritual curiosity that asks hard, good, life-changing questions like...

How do these people over here live, work, and play, and how is God moving among them?

How has it come to be that I have so much and another has so little?  

At first glance, these people seem very different than me, but are they really?

How can I become less uncomfortable interacting people who live differently from me?

Can I be a part of someone's journey towards clean water... justice...mercy...love?  

If a question is hard and uncomfortable, great.  I want my kids asking it.

The curiosity, the questioning, and the willingness to extend a helpful hand to someone are by far the largest yet most underutilized tools that bind humanity.  

It is just that simple.  

So when I get too busy, too distant, too apathetic, or too comfortable, that's when I must acknowledge the wedge and challenge myself by putting love into action.

Love in action goes beyond "being thankful for what I have."

I can be thankful with my eyes closed to the world's realities and needs.

Love in action requires my response.  

(I am building a call-to-action into this blog for your action-packed convenience ;)) 

Love in action is hardly ever easy or comfortable:  

The work of digging trenches was incredibly difficult.  

It BURNS your back, shoulders, core, & neck. 

The 90-degree heat was absolutely ruthless.  

If you've never thought or read about manual labor, and its toll on the body, let me tell you... 

I am unashamed to admit this 44-year-old "in-shape" mom was a weak-ass punk out there.  

The Costa Rican women and men digging alongside us have a level of grit I will never have. 

Their fortitude was immediately inspiring.  

We wore gloves..

they worked with bare hands.

We wore 12-inch rubber work boots...

they worked in broken Crocs and beat-up sneakers.

We drank water from a factory-sealed jug...

they drank rain water.

The manual labor we did for a few days is the lifetime, 

"put food on the table" work for others. 

For some, there is no choice BUT manual labor.  

I envision my children understanding that - and never feeling they are above anyone in the world who is laboring their way through a dignified life.

I envision my children's eyes open, looking around, and realizing the value, work, contribution, and dreams of others, not just their own.  

I envision my children spotting a need and working to resolve it.

The week, as you see in the pictures below, was about shoulder-to-shoulder and shovel-to-shovel hard work. 

Just as much, the week was about grace, connection, smiles, learning, humility, and assisting.

We dug trenches.

We drilled a well.

We broke bread.

We played soccer.

We ate ice cream.

We prayed.

We held hands.

We hugged.

We laughed.

Clean water is on it's way - through the trenches we dug and the pipe we laid.

Health prioritized.  Thirst quenched.  Love spread.

Lives changed - including my own family's.

The blessings went both ways.

I had one hell of a time leaving. 

And guess who else did too?  

My daughter.  

Her life was not ruined.  It was expanded.  

And so was her heart.

(I have shared a lot of picture below! 👇📸)

Thanks for reading and caring!  💗

Shalom,

Annette

MORE COMMUNITIES NEED YOUR HELP ** HELP US DRILL AND BUILD MORE WELLS **I invite YOU & YOUR FAMILY/FRIENDS to be a part of bringing small communities in Costa Rica, clean and running water with needed supplies for their worksites. Below is a link to an Amazon Wish List I worked on with Bayron, the Regional Director of Agua Viva in Costa Rica, who helped identify some of the organization's biggest needs - like shovels, coolers, & pick axes.  Agua Viva is a 5-star nonprofit & you can learn more on their website below.  All items will be shipped to my home and thought I don't have a formal plan YET, I'm praying & hoping a community partner helps get these items inexpensively to  where they are needed in Los Chiles, Costa Rica!  You can write-off your donation and the Agua Viva tax ID is contained in the Amazon Wish List.    *** PLEASE SHARE!!!

Agua Viva Serves website

Amazon Wish List!!!  Please contribute, share with friends and family, and let's do this!

Please reach out to me with any questions!  

THANK YOU!!!!!!