Every year, McKinney Christian Academy’s Upper School has the opportunity to travel abroad on mission trips. For the third year, MCA’s freshmen had the choice and opportunity to travel to Costa Rica. This year’s group contained 20 freshmen, chaperoned by MCA teachers Señora Litwin, Edna Pajela, her husband Lem Pajela, John McGinn, and their Costa Rican guide Señor Herson. This group also included five senior leaders: Will Boese, Grant Bailey, Greyson Davidson, Jasmine Danielson, and Sydney Wible.

The group arrived in San Jose on Saturday, February 29. The team spent the day getting to know their guide, Señor Herson and explored the Spanish architecture, museums and parts of Costa Rica’s capital. The next day, they toured a coffee plantation and participated in the coffee tasting sessions. After the tour, they traveled to a small town named Sarchi, known for their colorful ox-carts and various crafts. Near the end of the day, they rode a bus for a few hours to Monteverde. On Monday, the students visited a school and ministered to the children. The team was split up into groups of those who would help in the classrooms, play with the kids, or help the school with their garden since the school grew their own vegetables. The mission team also sang a few Spanish songs with the students and played games like soccer and frisbee. Freshman Daniela Morales gave her testimony to the children that day. After, the group went on thrilling zip-lines and hiked in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. On Tuesday, the team said their final goodbyes to the school after a fiesta with the kids along with testimonies from freshmen Lily Jornod and McKenna Buss. During the fiesta, two piñatas were hung for the kids to hit and the team brought in donations of school supplies and toys. As the team left the school, tears were shed as they said goodbye to the kids.  Alexis Pogue talks about how a little girl who she became close with affected her saying, “the effect the kids had on me was a feeling I had never had before, or will forget. The girl I connected with really changed me. I loved talking to her and we found out we were very similar. On the last day, she accepted Jesus. I started tearing up as I saw her make the best decision of her life!” Later in the day, the students traveled to La Fortuna Waterfall and got to experience swimming near the waterfall. On the fifth day, the group visited another school and the children there performed several traditional dances. One of the dances included the mission group to join in and dance in a circle. After the dances, the kids at the school asked the team a few questions and a game of soccer followed. After leaving the school, the group went to relax in the natural hot springs. On Thursday, they traveled to La Marina Wildlife Rescue Center to see and learn about monkeys, snakes, birds, jaguars and bunnies. They rode the bus back to the hotel in the evening and had their final dinner followed by a Salsa Fiesta. On the last day, the group left the hotel after breakfast to drive to the airport. Many tears were shed as the group said goodbye to Señor Herson. Everyone on the trip was thankful for the opportunity to experience Costa Rica’s culture and minister to the children there.