Royals Celebrate Outreach Opportunities for Division III Week

What was good?
This morning we went surfing in Tamarindo. It was the first time for a lot of people but all of us had fantastic attitudes which made the experience very fun. The food we have eaten so far has been easy to adapt to as well as very delicious! We also ran into some bumps at the airport, but everyone took that time as a chance to turn it into a bonding experience through various group games. For me one super cool experience so far has been meeting new people who speak very little English. It is much easier to create relationships with others who speak the same language. In my opinion this creates an illusion that we are a separate world from those who do not speak our given language. Therefore it has been extremely fun to connect with people who mainly speak Spanish instead of English. -Macie Gavic

We had a chance yesterday, after traveling all of the way from Minnesota to Costa Rica, to cap off our day running a youth clinic in Liberia. Our Spanish speakers did an excellent job organizing skills, stations, and games, and all of our players worked hard to connect individually with the athletes, even if they couldn't speak Spanish. It was an amazing way to kick off the trip, as the athletes were so eager to learn. We are grateful for the welcome they gave us! – Coach Hunt

What was hard? What did we learn?
The hardest part for me personally was dealing with my lost suit case. It is really frustrating and upsetting that I do not have any of my stuff and I am only living on a little bit of clothes. Thankfully, my coaches and teammates are helping me out by taking me shopping and lending me stuff.

I am someone who is very specific and is comforted by knowing that I have all of my stuff. The airline does not know where my suitcase is and I think this is a test of my faith. Before we left for this trip, I asked God what ways he could use me in Costa Rica. Through this situation, He is teaching me that I all I need is Him. I don't need a suitcase full of nice clothes and favorite pair of Chaco shoes; I just need to be fully dependent on God and His love. That's all we need in any of our lives. During our team devotional tonight, we talked about gratitude. My goal for the rest of the trip is to be thankful for everything, even if I am living on hardly any clothes. God has used this situation to remind me of gratitude and being fully dependent on Him.  -Emily Sammon

What's next?
Tomorrow we leave our delightful hotel (Hotel Pasatiempo) and the beach town of Tamarindo, where several of us became surfing experts, for La Fortuna. Apparently our next hotel has a view of a volcano! We play our first match! Maria focused us on gratitude with her devotion tonight, and our prayer is that gratitude runs both deep and wide in our team. We want to be grateful, not just on a surface level, but deep in our spirit, and not just for the things that are convenient and fun in our experience, but for the breadth of it all. – Coach Hunt

From Sydnie Sybrant

What was good?
We got to play today!!! Playing internationally is a new experience for us as a team, but it was so much fun (even though we are a bit rusty). As a Spanish speaker, I have loved the opportunity to interact with the people we have met through volleyball here so far, but I've loved watching my teammates who don't speak Spanish interact with them even more. Yesterday while playing, I couldn't help but think about all of the barriers that were being broken. People often refer to language as a barrier because it doesn't allow for verbal communication and while this might be true, today it didn't matter. Using volleyball as a way to relate to one another and giving up the ability to communicate using words is so difficult, but today we got to see how amazing it can be. 

What was hard? And what did we learn?
Something that we talk about often as a team is the idea that you must be comfortable being uncomfortable, whether that's in volleyball or not. This trip has been teaching us this every second of the day, as we have been thrown into a new culture that most of us are not familiar with. Yesterday, we spent about a total of eight
hours on a bus driving through windy roads and one-way bridges, spent our third day in a row without sunshine (it's been raining almost 24/7), and played our first match in conditions which with we were entirely unfamiliar. This was difficult both physically and mentally, but it was all about learning how to be comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. We learned to be adaptable, and to find consistency among chaos that could've easily taken over and led to complaints. It's been so cool to see the growth that's already been occurring on our team, and I can't wait to experience the rest of this trip with these amazing girls!

What's next? (from Coach Hunt)
After playing a close five-set match last night, we are excited to be staying at a pretty fabulous hotel called Magic Mountain, with a view of the Arenal Volcano from the swimming pool. Tomorrow we will visit the Chachagua Rainforest and plant endangered species of trees in a re-forestation project near the volcano. We will spend time at an organic chocolate farm and learn how to make chocolate. And I think maybe we'll eat some too?? We have no environmental science majors on the trip, so we'll all be stretched tomorrow as we learn a little about how global warming is affecting Costa Rica specifically, and what local organic farmers are doing to create sustainable solutions. We're also hoping for a little sun!

From Haley Meyer

What was good?
It seems like the question should be more like, what was NOT good? Today was absolutely amazing. We were able to travel to Two Little Monkeys, a beautiful organic farm. We started the morning with a tour of the land, where we were able to learn about so many different plants and wildlife. The manager of the farm, Ismael, was so amazing. His joy was absolutely contagious. He picked up pretty much every plant and gave it to us to eat. We got to try some turmeric, black pepper, the world's most bitter leaf, and smelled some Allspice (not to be confused with Old Spice, as most of us did). We then got to plant our own happy little trees, and even give them some fun names. I named mine Diego and Gretchen named her tree Rana, because we got to see a few poisonous dart frogs (and a few unnamed team members were very afraid of them). After our reforestation work, we got to go swim in the river. This was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. Our whole team got to spend time just relaxing in the refreshing water, completely surrounded by the rainforest. While we were a little fearful of what our feet were touching on the bottom, we all dove in. For me, this was such a magical moment. As I sat on a rock with the fresh water rushing around me, I just took it all in. The scenery was out of this world, pictures and descriptions would never do it justice. But more than this, I just thought about how amazing it was to experience this with these girls. There is something so special about this team, as we all just endlessly pour into one another.  The way this team holds each other accountable, pushes each other to be great, and selflessly loves each other is so inspiring to me. As I sat and watched my teammates "be" in this pure joy, I could not help but have a huge smile on my face. It is so incredible to see how God has used this team to pour out his love to those around us.  It has been so evident in our interactions with each other and with those we meet here, how amazing our God is. His love shines through each and every one of these girls, and it is absolutely incredible. I would not have wanted to experience this with anyone else.

What was hard?
I am not going to lie, not much of today was challenging. It was all just so incredible. For me personally, the most challenging thing was our van ride to the farm. While it was much shorter than our 8 hours on the bus yesterday, it was still a bit of challenge. For a tall person with long legs, who does not really love crowds or small spaces, the 40 minutes on the bus in the back row was a bit of a challenge. We were flying through some winding mountain roads, with some bumpy off-roading as well. But believe me, it was all worth the hot and crowded van ride. And we did not have any van sickness today, maybe just a few bruises from the bumpy roads.

What did I learn?
We were all so inspired by Ismael. We talked in our devotion tonight about how contagious his joy and passions were. He was so proud of everything he has accomplished and so excited to share it with all of us. This experience taught me a couple different things. It first taught me how important it is to protect God's creation. Seeing how intricate the environment and ecosystems are really opened my eyes to the importance of protecting them. Ismael encouraged us to leave the earth better than how we found it, which I thought was a really cool way to think about the work we are doing in our lives. It also taught me how truly beautiful God's creation is. Just sitting outside, seeing the plants and trees and wildlife (yes, even the scary and poisonous dart frogs) was incredible. (A fun side note, poisonous dart frogs are red with blue legs. They are often called blue jean frogs, haha!) Anyway, it is amazing to think about how God has given us this creation to enjoy and learn more about him. And finally, this experience taught me how important it is to do something you truly love. We were all so excited and intrigued, because Ismael was so passionate about his farm. As I go into my senior year and start thinking about my professional life, I want to always remember this experience. I hope someday the love and passion I have my work will inspire others, like Ismael inspired us.

What's next? (from Coach Hunt)
Tomorrow is a pure tourist day! No matches or service projects, just a day to "take in" Costa Rica. We will be hiking to La Fortuna Waterfall, and then ziplining through the rainforest, in the shadow of the Arenal Volcano.  After lunch at an organic farm, we'll be visiting a natural volcanic hot springs.

In my second tour with Bring It Promotions, after having traveled with them to Nicaragua in 2016, one of the things I have appreciated most are the people they bring into the lives of our players while on the tour. In 2016, we met incredibly talented and passionate people in Nicaragua, who were inspiring to so many of our athletes. Today, from Haley's words, it's clear that Ismael and his family were equally inspiring. In the middle of the rainforest, God's creation is mind-boggling. From frogs with poisonous skin, to plants that curl up when you touch them, and others that are natural anesthetics and turned our tongues numb after eating, to trees that can live for 800 years, and ants designed to fertilize mushrooms, it's truly humbling to begin to understand how complex and fragile, and at the same time, how resilient, our world is. It was a privilege to spend time with someone who has invested so much of his life learning about his part of the world, and how to care for it well. I'm so grateful that our athletes were able to see his passion and, as Haley indicated, start to think about how they can inspire others through the individual passions they have.  

From Rylee Forshee

What was good?
After a long day of hiking and zip lining in the rain forest, we headed to a local restaurant for chicken quesadillas. I feared our conversation would revolve around small talk, but as we snacked on our plantains and guacamole, I quickly learned that God had different plans. If you've meet Brooke (our tour guide from Bring It Promotions) or heard about her, you know that she lives in a state of constant giving. Apart from giving tours across the globe, for the past nine years Brooke has started and developed a nonprofit for adults with disabilities living in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. As I sipped on my mixed fruit smoothie, I couldn't help but be amazed by all that God has done through her. As a college student, I could relate to Brooke as she mentioned she wasn't sure where she was going in life. She shared with me stories of how God lead her to a school for disabled children and moved in her heart to create her own nonprofit. Each time that money ran tight, God provided. Each time a teacher was needed, God provided. What a sweet reminder it was to hear Brooke's story of God's provision and guidance through the midst of uncertainty. Throughout the rest of this foreign trip, I look forward to seeing Gods guidance through unexpected "small talk."

What was hard?
It's nice to think that bad days don't follow us while we are away from everyday life, but today I was reminded that bad days do, in fact, still exist. For most of us the most exciting event of the day was zip lining. As we approached the zip lining area, we were required to watch a short two minute video on the safeties and hazards of zip lining. For some reason I couldn't help but think about the embarrassment I would face if I were to get stuck in the middle of the 2,640 foot long cable. My knees began to tremble as I began to climb up the first platform, envisioning the inadequacy I would face if I failed to successfully zip line. Sure enough, I fell short. I had braked too early and ended up having to pull myself ten feet into the arms of the next tour guide. Slightly embarrassed I moved along with the group to the second zip line of the tour. The next zip line was the longest cable of them all, stretching half a mile long. Before heading down the most dreaded cable, I refused to have a tour guide ride along with me as I subconsciously prayed for the tour to be over. As I rode above the rain forest I, once again, failed to make it to the next platform. Only this time I braked over 100 feet short of the landing area. Struggling to pull myself to the end, one of the tour guides had to bring me back and unharness me. Mortified, I began crying, while I walked to yet another platform. With five more platforms to go, I couldn't help but think about the embarrassment of my struggle repeated five more times. This was when one of my teammates had found me alone, crying, traumatized. To my surprise she greeted me with a couple giggles and a hug. As I moved along in the tour my teammates and coaches looked after me, making sure I was riding along with a tour guide. I didn't like it at first. In fact, I hated it. I thought that having someone help me made me look weak or unable. But as I rode over the rain forest I was finally able to look down and see the beauty in God's creation. Today I learned that asking for help isn't bad, sometimes all we need is a couple of giggles, a guide, and a hand to hold. 

What's next? (from Coach Hunt)
Tomorrow we leave La Fortuna and travel to San Jose (although not before Macie gets one more chance for shopping in town!). We have another long bus ride, so we are praying for safe travels, and then we will play what Brooke tells us will be our toughest match of the week. I am personally looking forward to playing again and seeing how we look after all of our travel, hiking, and swimming. If we can find consistency in these conditions, it will be a great sign headed into the fall.

In addition to blogging for us tonight, Rylee did our team devotion, and talked about comparison and how it robs us from being what God uniquely created us to be.  It was a great word for us as we head into the last leg of our trip.

What was good? What did we learn? (It's all mixed together today!)
Today was filled with some of the most worthwhile experiences I've had throughout the course of this trip. We started out the day by visiting a day program and community for adults with disabilities. Asociacion Talita Cumi is a non-profit organization that represents people with disabilities and advocates for improving their quality of life. I was nervous knowing that a number of the individuals did not speak any English. We had the opportunity to get a glimpse into their everyday lives and they were overflowing with joy and happiness, while demonstrating to us the jobs they do such as gardening and recycling. Later on in the day, we got to have a dance party with them that brought a smile to the face of every individual in the room. It was so amazing to see how something so simple as dancing could completely erase every language and ability barrier in the building.

This evening, we traveled to a university and played our final match for the trip. Afterwards, we had the opportunity to eat dinner with the host team and it exceeded my expectations. I was again nervous about the language barrier but soon realized that I had learned a great deal of Spanish this week and was able to utilize my new skills during conversations. It was so cool to meet a group of women with the same passion and love for the game of volleyball, and who are busy navigating the same season of life as all of us…college. Furthermore, it is motivating and (only slightly) emotional to know that the next time the team is on the court – I will finally be healthy and able to join alongside them. (Editor's note: Celia is recovering from ACL surgery!)

Overall, this trip has been nothing short of amazing and I have been challenged in all the best ways possible. I have grown deeper in my love for this team and the way that the Lord's light shines through everyone in a unique way. I kept reminding myself to "be where my feet are" in order to be fully present and enjoy every minute of the trip. It's unbelievably bittersweet knowing that tomorrow is our last day as this team, with this specific group of girls, but looking back – I wouldn't change a thing.

What's next? (From Coach Hunt)
Tomorrow we get a little bit of time in the morning to explore downtown San Jose' before heading to the airport to return home!

A quick note from me about today… it was one of those days where so much happened that it's impossible to explain. Our time at the Asociacion Talita Cumi was a powerful way to end our trip. There were so many meaningful and tender moments, and also so many humorous and fun-loving moments. From the moment we stepped off the bus and were greeted by their drum corps, along with carefully crafted welcome signs, we felt so warmly received.  We are grateful for our time spent "off the beaten path" of traditional Costa Rican tourist destinations. Finally, watching our athletes share a meal with a university team of Costa Rican athletes was such a joy tonight. Our Spanish speakers helped fill in the gaps, but everyone was working hard to make a connection. I am proud of them for all of the ways they have been willing to be uncomfortable on this trip!