Tico Times

Meeting the President

At twenty minutes past the hour, Lori and I stepped out of the office with our cameras in hand. We looked around and remarked that there was hardly a cloud in the sky, much less any of the usual cloud coverings draped over the nearby-mountains where they normally reside. We joined a handful of the team members for a walk down the hill to the little town of San Isidro de Heredia. Today there was a momentous and rare event about to take place. The President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, was arriving to inaugurate a newly re-done bridge.

Fourteen months ago the old bridge was flooded by high flowing water from excessive rain. When a man tried to cross in his car, he realized it was too deep, got out of the car and ended up being fatally swept away in the current. In a concerted effort to make sure such a tragedy did not happen again, the old bridge was torn down. A new, higher one would be built to replace it. Not only that, but the direction of the streets surrounding the bridge would become one-way to better help the traffic congestion.

By the time we reached the bridge, the President had already moved a block or so ahead. We weaved our way through the thick crowd of people and waited for the President to walk between two lines of students holding large Costa Rican flags. Our patience paid off. As he approached, I extended my hand and he graciously took it while saying, “mucho gusto,” (nice to meet you). I smiled, shook his hand and returned his greeting. Here was a man who won the Nobel Peace Prize in the 1980s for his work with Nicaragua and yet maintains a very down-to-earth demeanor. I felt very honored to meet him. He paused to talk briefly to this small group of North Americans with whom I stood, members of my own team. I would not be surprised if one of them ends up on the 7:00 news tonight.

This same teammate recently wrote about how he and his wife have felt like they have been living in a perpetual state of transition. I can easily relate. He compared the changes taking place in San Isidro with the changes taking place in our lives here as missionaries. He noted, “often with change, it takes time to evaluate and redirect, much like San Isidro is doing…of course the destinations remain the same, to be and make disciples, but the means of getting there change.”

As I continue walking in my new role in Costa Rica, I find that the destinations do indeed remain the same, but sometimes I am redirected while en route. Thankfully God is in control of all re-direction in my life and will guide me over all the bridges I need to cross.