Thursday, October 4, 2012

I'm on Tico Time

It has been way too long since I last posted and I am very sorry for that.  I do have an excuse though.  I'm on Tico Time.  After having been in this country for almost two months now I am becoming very assimilated to the culture and one of the specs of culture that I have been forced to adopt is the concept of time that Costa Ricans (Ticos) are accustomed to.  Tico time consists of a go-with-the-flow get stuff done, eventually (quite the opposite back in the States).  It actually is quite nice, albeit frustrating at some points, but I learn to deal and adapt.

Enough excuses.  So as I am writing this blog post I am sitting at the kitchen table at the Diocesan Office back in San José.  That is right, I am no longer at the beach but back in the capital.  My life of luxury at the beach, as it seems, has come to an end.  So, getting along with what I have been up to these past few weeks.  On the weekend of September 22nd we opened St. Paul's by the Sea.  After a few years of planing and searching with the tremendous help and support of St. Paul's Winston Salem, Bishop Monterroso's priority of expanding the church (not just in numbers but in geographical location) had been made into reality.  St. Paul's by the Sea in Tamarindo is the first Episcopal mission in Costa Rica to reach the Pacific coast.  That Saturday night we celebrated the opening of the mission with a reception in which we had delicious BBQ and tasty baked goods provided by local businesses and friends.  We had a great turn out, about 70 people or so. Needless to say I was very pleased.  The next morning we had our first service in the new mission and it was fantastic! We had plenty of clergy there from both here in CR and from St. Paul's WS (thank you Rev. David Hodges and Rev. Mike Bradshaw) to help celebrate.  As it turned out we had 53 people attend our first service, although we had a large crowd from San José come to help celebrate this opening and also a group from St. Paul's WS who helped get everything ready the week before.  But I will take 53 any day! Side note: Last weeks service had 14, which is a very respectable number and we are looking forward to higher numbers in the months to come.  It was really amazing to see something that I, even though had been working on it for a month, poured myself into come out with success.

That monday I returned to San José with Liza and El Obispo for meetings we had planned for the next week.  Skipping ahead to yesterday... so it had finally come time for Liza to head back home to Virgina.  After spending the last 16 months putting so much effort into this position of service she should feel very satisfied with the work she has done for the Episcopal Church in Costa Rica.  She has been a tremendous asset to everyone here and we are very grateful for all that she has accomplished.  I know I have some big shoes to fill (I have been told this on several occasions).  So now it is yours truly at the reigns of the Companion Diocese Officer position and I am excited, yet very nervous for what lies ahead.

But wait there is more.  So as it may have seemed like I was done living a life of luxury at the beach, actually turned out to be a silly thought.  The beach just can't get enough of me I guess.  I am returning to my second home in Tamarindo on Monday and will be spending the rest of October there helping Padre Pedro with the new mission as it is in its baby steps.  This time I will be located smack in the middle of town and walking distance from everything...I mean EVERYTHING.  I do not know how I am able to be doing this but the big fella upstairs is looking kindly upon me.  Cannot wait to see what comes next.  Also I promise to make more of an effort to blog more often (I have been harangued by my family too many times to count to put up more posts)

Pura Vida

Ryan

1 comment:

  1. Yes, more updates please!! So do you even wear a watch? :) Hope all is well!

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