Wednesday, February 13, 2013
First Time for Everything!
Costa Rica and I have shared a lot of first together. It's the first country I've lived in outside the States, the first place I ever sang worship songs in a different language, the first country that stole my heart.... The list is really never ending. We have also shared a lot of "big girl" moments together. The first apartment I ever lived in alone, the first oven I ever picked out and purchased, the first refrigerator I've had to buy, the first home I've really had to furnish. These are all grown up things that Costa Rica has shared with me.
Next month Costa Rica and I will hopefully be sharing another grown up moment together, as I purchase a vehicle! This is not my first car I've bought, but I've only purchased one and I was pretty much on the phone with my Dad the entire time I was at the dealership! This time it's different. I'm in a foreign country purchasing a used vehicle, thats as old as I am, from a local, and I know nothing about cars minus how to drive them with minor flaws. The entire situation is different from the states. I just learnt last week that here in Costa Rica you have to hire an attorney to do all the paper work with the purchase and the title. An attorney?? I've never hired an attorney in my whole entire life, and frankly I wasn't planning on it.
I know this all might seem crazy, but I'm really not too concerned. The ministry has an attorney I'm sure I'll be able to use, and Victor, our awesome construction guy, will be going with me to pick out the car, test drive it, make sure it's mechanically sound, and not let anyone scam me. All of these things are already taken care of.
There is one problem. I'm still short financially. The cost of cars down here are ridiculously expensive! I'm looking to purchase a 1987-89 Suzuki Samurai. These little 4x4s are great for Costa Rica! They are tiny enough to fit in all the small parking places and in the narrow streets, they are a little off the ground so a giant pot hole shouldn't be able to kill it, and they are pretty reliable. The Sami has been around for 25 years and they are still everywhere down here! That was a well made vehicle! A Suzuki Samurai will cost about $3500. This is all before the attorney fees and taxes with will probably run $500-$700.
Right now I have $3000 to use for a car. As you can see the numbers won't add up. I'm in need of at least $1000 to be able to purchase a vehicle.
With all this hassle, I'm sure you are wondering why I need a vehicle. First of all safety. Where I live, in Alajuelita, it is very dangerous. I live in the ghetto of Costa Rica. It gets dark around 5:30pm everyday all year long. Once it's dark outside, I simply can not leave my house unless I'm in a car. It is far to dangerous to walk anywhere at night. Secondly, I'm still hoping to go to language school in the fall to learn Spanish. There is a great school here for missionaries, however it's just far enough away that taking a taxi twice 5 times a week would be a ridiculous waste of money, or I'd have to take 2 buses which with all the stops and waiting, I'd be spending one and a half hours to get there, ONE WAY! There is no way spending that much time on a bus will fit into my schedule, since I'm planning to also do ministry half days while I'm in school. Thirdly, having a car will add so much convenience. When I have a car, I will be able to drive myself to the grocery store instead of taking a taxi or needing another missionary to take me. I'll be able to drive to other peoples homes and be able to visit them. I'll be able to drive the youth leaders home after our bible study on saturday evenings. There are so many ways that having a car will be a total blessing. I'm sure you can understand my need and how this can make my personal ministry even better.
If there is anyway you could help me get a vehicle I would highly appreciate it!! My goal is to purchase one at the beginning of March. I really need people's help to make this happen. I know God has a plan. Please be praying for this gift and a chance for it to better my ministry.
If you would like to help support me monthly or give a one time donation towards a vehicle or Spanish school, please contact me at Whitleeshrum@gmail.com. I'd be more than happy to answer questions or direct you on how to give either by mail or on PayPal. Thank you so much for your generosity!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Pencils and Crayons
When I was little I used to love shopping for school supplies. I always got so excited when we went to Walmart and they started putting out the supply list by school and grade. Looking back I don't know why I was so excited, but I loved getting to go through and pick out never been used items! One of my favorites was picking out folders. Yes folders. I loved Lisa Frank folders. They were awesome! They were so colorful and had cute animals all over them. I simply loved them.
This past week we had our child sponsorship distribution day. 6:8 Ministries strive to get 200 children, who live in deep poverty, to be allowed to go to school without burdening their already struggling parents. This year we have sponsored about 150 of the 200. It's interesting to me, how deep this burden can be on parents who may have 5 kids going to school, while being a single and/or unemployed parent. Sending a kid to school is supposed to be free! It's getting them a free education that they desperately need! Why is it so hard to do?? Well, here in Costa Rica school is free, but they must provide their own uniforms, all required school supplies, and even times their own textbooks. That doesn't sound free now does it?
For each child to have 2 sets of uniforms (shirt, pants, belt, and socks), 1 pair of dress shoes, and a backpack full of required school supplies, it cost about $200. Can you imagine being a single parent of 5, who doesn't have a full time job, coming up with $200 per child every February? There is no way! And unfortunately most kids don't get sent to school because of this burden.
There is a sickening pattern that happens to most of the families we serve here. They live far below the poverty level and can't find work, they have so many children they can hardly care for them, and most father figures bail and don't take care of what is his. When this is the situation they are in, they can't afford for their kids to go to school, so most of the time they start school much later and are way behind, then once the kids get old enough to help work, scavenge through trash for metal, or devastatingly gets caught up in prostitution, they get pulled out of school to help support the family. Therefore the kids are uneducated as well. So they grow up, have several kids, can't provide for them, and the process continues.
We are trying to make a change, we are trying to encourage these families to get their kids in school and keep them there. They need an education. Please be in prayer for all of our sponsored and unsponsored children and their families, as they start school this week. Let this be a sense of hope. That God has a plan for them, not a plan to make them wealthy, but a plan to give them a hopeful future.
On distribution day I saw the hope in the children's eyes as they got their hair cut, as they admired their new clothes and shoes, but my favorite was when they would go through their backpacks of school supplies. There was 1 boy in particular that brought joy to my heart. He's probably in the 4th or 5th grade, he was sitting on a chair going through his bag and pulled out each item and tapped his mom to see what he had gotten. The smiles on both of their faces gave me hope for this little generation. It's not that we are providing them objects. But it's the joy that comes from them that matters. That they see a church has taken the time and money to purchase NEW items just for them. They aren't getting left overs, or things no one wanted, but new school supplies to encourage them to have a great school year! Who knew God could do so much with pencils and crayons. Praise God for given these children a hope and a future!
This past week we had our child sponsorship distribution day. 6:8 Ministries strive to get 200 children, who live in deep poverty, to be allowed to go to school without burdening their already struggling parents. This year we have sponsored about 150 of the 200. It's interesting to me, how deep this burden can be on parents who may have 5 kids going to school, while being a single and/or unemployed parent. Sending a kid to school is supposed to be free! It's getting them a free education that they desperately need! Why is it so hard to do?? Well, here in Costa Rica school is free, but they must provide their own uniforms, all required school supplies, and even times their own textbooks. That doesn't sound free now does it?
For each child to have 2 sets of uniforms (shirt, pants, belt, and socks), 1 pair of dress shoes, and a backpack full of required school supplies, it cost about $200. Can you imagine being a single parent of 5, who doesn't have a full time job, coming up with $200 per child every February? There is no way! And unfortunately most kids don't get sent to school because of this burden.
There is a sickening pattern that happens to most of the families we serve here. They live far below the poverty level and can't find work, they have so many children they can hardly care for them, and most father figures bail and don't take care of what is his. When this is the situation they are in, they can't afford for their kids to go to school, so most of the time they start school much later and are way behind, then once the kids get old enough to help work, scavenge through trash for metal, or devastatingly gets caught up in prostitution, they get pulled out of school to help support the family. Therefore the kids are uneducated as well. So they grow up, have several kids, can't provide for them, and the process continues.
We are trying to make a change, we are trying to encourage these families to get their kids in school and keep them there. They need an education. Please be in prayer for all of our sponsored and unsponsored children and their families, as they start school this week. Let this be a sense of hope. That God has a plan for them, not a plan to make them wealthy, but a plan to give them a hopeful future.
On distribution day I saw the hope in the children's eyes as they got their hair cut, as they admired their new clothes and shoes, but my favorite was when they would go through their backpacks of school supplies. There was 1 boy in particular that brought joy to my heart. He's probably in the 4th or 5th grade, he was sitting on a chair going through his bag and pulled out each item and tapped his mom to see what he had gotten. The smiles on both of their faces gave me hope for this little generation. It's not that we are providing them objects. But it's the joy that comes from them that matters. That they see a church has taken the time and money to purchase NEW items just for them. They aren't getting left overs, or things no one wanted, but new school supplies to encourage them to have a great school year! Who knew God could do so much with pencils and crayons. Praise God for given these children a hope and a future!
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