Sophomore Ford serves others over Spring Break

By: Katie Williams

Staff Reporter

Over spring break, many find themselves taking vacations; they go to the beach or going skiing, but sophomore Casey Ford

CASEY IN COSTA RICA
Sophomore Casey Ford diligently shares the Gospel with a San Jose child during Vacation Bible School. VBS was a a daily activity during Ford’s recent mission trip to Costa Rica.

defied the norm during this year’s spring break. Ford and two others from Parkway Heights United Methodist Church journeyed to San Jose, Costa Rica, on March 11, for a mission trip through Rice and Beans Ministries.

On Sunday, Ford attended church expecting the worship to be extremely audacious. Despite her preconceived notions, the church service was extremely tame.

Ford’s weekdays consisted of holding vacation bible schools (VBS) at local schools in the mornings on Monday through Thursday and passing out rice, beans, and milk in the San Jose slums during the afternoons. VBS consisted of Bible stories, arts and crafts, and a snack.

The slums of San Jose are very corrupt. “Parents made their livings by selling drugs. The point of VBS was to start with the kids in hopes that they would eventually reach the parents,” Ford said.

Food was distributed in the slums of Alajuela. “Our mission team couldn’t really tell what a house was. Houses consisted of thin tin walls and sheets,” Ford said. Evangelism teams were made up of several teens, adults, staff members, and a translator.

People would take the food, and the teams would ask the recipients of the food if he or she would mind being prayed over. “The best part of Costa Rican prayer was that we all pray out loud at the same time. Prayer was so powerful,” Ford said. “Never underestimate the power of prayer. I recognized what prayer really meant to these people and how much they really appreciate those who listen.” If families had little girls, those girls also received dresses. “These dresses meant so much to those girls,” Ford said.

Costa Ricans have little to no amenities when it comes to learning about Jesus. “We take so much for granted here; we have fancy church buildings and Bible studies to get to where we should be in our Christian walks, yet we don’t have that genuine faith. I heard these stories, and these people had so much faith, even if they had lost family members and didn’t know where their next meal would come from. These people were genuinely happy, and they had so much hope,” Ford said.

Ford went to serve the less fortunate people of San Jose, Costa Rica. However, she feels she was the one who received the biggest reward.