For first time readers to Making a Difference, here are the 4 principal and governing factors which allow our multi cultural community to become engaged.

1. Inspire Change.

2. Build Community.

3. Facilitate action.

4. Strengthen Engagement.

Here below ANGEL shares with us his current participation in community affairs.

As part of the social and environmental responsibility my employer started in May of last year, a number of initiatives to support and sustain organized groups and environmental projects in the community of Matapalo have been spearheaded. We began our involvement by supporting a series of community projects: the Matapalo beach sea turtle nursery, the ASVO Volunteer Program, the Professional Technical High School of Matapalo, the Matapalo Beach Lifeguard program which is composed of specially trained Matapalo youth, a beach reforestation program done collectively with ASANA and Hacienda Matapalo and finally involvement in the Ecological Blue Flag Committee of Playa Matapalo.

With the sea turtle nursery, according to the report ASVO, 140 nests were implanted for a total of 13,498 eggs planted and a release of 11,379 turtles (84.3%).

With Lifeguard Committee we are working on improving their organizational capacities and resources in seeking and incorporating more youngmen and women to assist in the implementation of preventive and safety measures for visitors to the beach.

We are also involved in a reforestation program that aims to increase forest cover on Biological Corridor Path of the Tapir and improve connectivity between forest patches to facilitate movement of wildlife. Last year they planted trees on the banks of the river and river Portalón Hatillo with school children and Santa Marta de Hatillo Portalón School. For this year are expected to plant about 16,000 trees and began activities with children at the school gate and planted 600 trees of 22 species on the banks of the creek Barbudal. The species are native to the ecosystem and provide food, shelter and protection against erosion. The trees are produced in the Hacienda Matapalo nursery.

With the Blue Flag committee of Playa Matapalo, we have been working on the values of protecting the environment, improve health conditions through improved sanitary conditions, water quality, safety and information for tourists and the community in general. This year we were awarded one star, but the goal for this year is to get the three stars, which effort requires a substantial amount of work.

The successful achievement in a short time frame in each of these projects have been due to the efforts of many people engaged in the development of the community. These examples to other community youth have provided encouragement to potential leaders who up until now have kept a low profile. Their sense of support from the private sector has inspired these otherwise quiet spirits to community activeness, realizing that they each have a talent to contribute in the overall effort to develop their community.

Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to Angel for his example of hard work and leadership. His organizational skills and hands on philosophy to get the job done has left its mark on the community infrastructure. In addition to and of equal importance he has influenced others to community action and helped us all to realize we each have a little something we can give of ourselves.

This month’s Making a Difference profile tales us south again to the Matapalo zone of our Aguirre county. It is always a privledge to be able to share with others the stories of how certain expats make the important decision to be active participants in our community as oppossed to those who only complain about the cultural differences that separate us.

For those who are new to the column, here below are the principles of this ideal to citizen action.

1. Inspire Change.

2. Build Community.

3. Facilitate Action.

4. Strengthen Engagement.

This month’s profile is dedicated to a young women whose story is similiar to many thousands of volunteers involved in the International Peace Corps program. Here below she shares her story of dedicated service to the community of Portalon, 20 minutes south of Quepos.

My name is Bethany Van Kampen and I´m a Peace Corps Volunteer working in Portalón Zone de Aguirre. I´ve been at my site for almost 2 years and am about to finish my service. I am dreading leaving my community. I feel extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work in this area. I love my work and the people who I work with, and I love that I´m able to get away to incredible beaches just a bike ride away. I am working to make a difference in a community and happen to be doing it in paradise – who could ask for more?

My Peace Corps program is Rural Community Development and our framework/objectives are: Residents of small rural Costa Rican communities will experience improved quality of life through improved organizational development and increased engagement in educational opportunities.

RCD GOAL 1: ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Local Development Associations and community groups will improve skills and practices in organizational management to plan, organize, lead, and obtain and coordinate resources to meet community development priorities. The specific objectives of this goal are: Planning, Organizing, Leadership, Coordinating and Managing Financial Resources, and Fundraising and Proposal Writing

RCD GOAL 2: EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Rural community members will expand activities and improve resources to increase access to, and quality of, educational opportunities. The specific objectives of this goal are: Strengthening English Skills, Organizing Extra-Curricular Activities, Improving Educational Resources for Schools, Expanding Vocational Education & Preparing for the World of Work

I have worked in all of these areas, yet my favorite projects are those working with girl and women empowerment. Below you can find a short outline of some of my favorite projects and tips on how to start similar projects in your area. If you are interested in collaborating on any of these projects with my replacement volunteer, who will be arriving on May 20, please let me know! You can email me at Bethany.vankampen@gmail.com.

Guias y Scouts (Boys and Girl Scouts). I began this project in September of 2008. It is currently our most active community group and my most sustainable project. I would recommend this program to anyone. You just need to call the regional director (Pedro Ramos for Puntarenas, please call me for this contact info 8869-4712). They will come to give an informational video on Boys and Girl Scouts in CR and motivate the community members. You then must create a 6 parent committee to be the junta. Once this group is formed, you can become an official troop and begin. Pedro will come to your community every few weeks to assist in the planning phases. He will help to create your children´s groups (see table below) and to train your children´s group leaders (must be 18 or older). We currently have 70 children participating in this program. They meet each week for activities (e.g., sports, art and crafts based) with their respective group leader. They participate in camping trips every month or so and have also volunteered frequently for sea turtle conservation groups. We just received a small grant to buy tents and camping equipment so that more children are able to participate. Please contact me for more information!

Group  Name           Ages                 Number of Children in Portalón

Manada                     6 ½ -10 ½           27

Tropa                        10 ½ -14 ½         33

Tsuri                          14 ½ -17 ½         10

Total 70

Chicas Poderosas (Powerful Girls) This is a popular Peace Corps program that teaches girl empowerment. I have taught this program (12-14 weeks) to 2 groups of 5th and 6th grade girls. The program is best for girls of this age, but can be tweaked of course to match any age group. The themes are: communication, team work, self-esteem, nutrition and health, drug prevention, gender roles, sexuality and dating, my values, my goals, making decisions and my future. Each class includes an activity (arts and crafts, games etc), discussion, and then written work exploring the theme in the student´s. I will be happy to provide the girls´ notebooks (which you can print for under a 1.000 at a libraría!) and teacher´s guide to anyone interested. You can also organize a group of girls and teach this program informally. The kids will go crazy for any sports, games, or arts activities. I recommend organizing the group though the school and using permission slips.

Voces Valerosas (Brave Voices) This is another Peace Corps program that was created by the committee which I participate on, WIDAGAD (Women in Development/Gender in Development). This program teaches creative expressions such as poetry, photography, collage, opinion, biography, photojournalism, interviews and drawing while incorporating one of the following themes in each session: Economic Justice, Human Rights, Female Leadership, HIV/AIDS, Domestic Violence, Sexual Health, Peace and Justice, Self-Esteem and Body Image. The girls´ notebook and facilitator´s guide is available to anyone interested in teaching this program. Voces Valerosas is more appropriate for teenagers. I would recommend contacting the high school about putting together a group of girls to participate in the program. Many girls here are not free to express themselves. I have found that the frustrations of living in a machista society are often silenced and suppressed, yet are very real and strong. You may be surprised and amazed by the works the girls will create in the program.

This year, the WIDGAD committee created a Voces Valerosas girls art magazine and leadership conference which was held on March 11 in San Jose. Over 30 young women from Peace Corps sites throughout Costa Rica were able to participate.

Las Mujeres Unidas de Portalón (The United Women of Portalón)- You will often find that many rural active communities have or have had a women´s group. To me, this is one of the most important community groups. I began the first women´s group in Portalón in June of 2009 and after only one year, I am happy to report that we are now launching a hydroponic farming small business with 10 women from the group. The idea behind a women´s group is to offer opportunities and orchestrate projects specifically geared to the female population. A women´s group can more easily solicit courses for the community through INA (National Learning Institute), MAG (Ministry of Agriculture), CNP (National Production Advisory), INAMU (National Women’s Institute) and other government groups. These courses offer certificates upon completion and greatly improve community members´ chances of obtaining a job. A women´s group can also receive great support from government groups to start-up a small business.

To form a group, call a community meeting with the women to explore interest and possible projects and ideas (courses, small business ideas, day care center, etc.). If the interest is clear, begin having regular meetings (monthly). A course is a great way to get momentum going when starting a group. INAMU offers a wonderful 5 month course called Fortalicimiento Personal y Colectivo (Personal and Collective Strengthening) which is offered free for rural communities. I recommend this course to begin with, as it is formal, longer and will motivate the group. Just call INAMU in Puntarenas or the Women´s Office in Quepos to solicit the course. We have received courses from INA (we received cooking, but they offer almost any trade course and also more academic courses such as computation), INAMU, MAG and CNP- you may have to call for weeks on end but free courses and certification are well worth it. After a few courses, perhaps explore small business ideas, ideally in the area in which you´ve received the training. If you are interested in farming projects, I highly recommend working with MAG Parrita and CNP Parrita. They first taught our group the basic of hydroponia and are now with us every step of the way as we create our small business. They have helped us to build the green house (they are the technical experts!), buy the materials, and run market studies. They also helped us to become a legal association with cedula jurídica.

TIPS

* Our small business is financed using the money we raised from a dance and domingo deportivo which we organized. Although there are lots of grant opportunities out there which are favorable to women´s groups, I recommend also doing grass roots fundraising as a group as it will make your project more sustainable.

* El Ministerio de Trabajo (Ministry of Work) offers salary opportunities for small businesses. The application is lengthy and the salaries are only for 3 months of the year, but it´s still a wonderful opportunity

* Machismo and women empowerment is a very sensitive issue in Costa Rica. I would recommend working in very small steps rather than crusading this cause. I waited until I had established my relationship with the community before beginning this work.

* I recommend creating a name for the group and also getting T-shirts. Our shirts cost about $10 each and have really helped to unite our group.

Once our small business is on its feet, we will be working to establish a day care center in Portalón so that women with children are more easily able to work outside of the home. Please let me know if you are interested in collaborating on this with us!

English Classes (with Centro Cultural) – 23 students completed this year-long program with me and have graduated the Gateways level of Centro Cultural. English classes are undeniably important in development work. I have lots of resources for teaching informal classes if you´re interested. I would recommend holding a community meeting to explore interest and establish a list of students. Remember that most schools offer English programs, so you may want to focus on the adolescent/adult populations.

Aerobics/Yoga- I taught both during my first year of service to the women and children at my site. This is a great way to integrate and to get to know community members. Both are very popular and easy programs to start up – just put flyers up and get the word out. This is a FUN project and also promotes healthy living practices. If wanting to teach this with children, I recommend working through the school.

Sex Education- This was one of my favorite Peace Corps projects. Dr. Andrea from the EBAIS and I taught a basic curriculum of birth control practices and sexually transmitted diseases to the 9th and 10th graders at Matapalo High School. In our area there is little to no access to sexual education. The EBAIS offers incredible FREE access to birth control (pills, the depo shot, condoms) yet because of the embarrassment and lack of education, very few youth are actually taking advantage of it. This is a VERY sensitive topic and so if you´re interested in teaching, again I would recommend working within the school or the EBAIS.

Tip- Make an anonymous question box (decorate a shoe box!) and give each student a piece of paper so that they can write their questions privately! Answer the questions at the end of the charla!

We are very fortunate that a married couple will be serving both Portalón and Matapalo. If you would like to join any of these projects, please don´t hesitate to contact me at Bethany.vankampen@gmail.com. The new Peace Corps volunteers can be tracked down in the elementary schools beginning this June! Please welcome them to our communities!

Thanks to Bethany for her service and example to our local community in Portalon of citizen action. This was the ideal of John F. Kennedy, that through the International Peace Corps program we could collectively “Make a Difference” in developing countries as just described by Bethany. As expats living in Costa Rica, without being members of formal organizations, we can also take the initiatives necessary to effect change which enhances our multi cultural experience together. All that is required is good will to do something that we recognize is within our resources and are able to do as opposed to depending on the government.

This month’s Making a Difference profile takes us south again to the Matapalo zone of our Aguirre county.  It is always a privledge to be able to share with others the stories of how certain expats make the important decision to be active participants in our community as opposed to those who only complain about the cultural differences that separate us.
One couple, Frank and Karen Walker took the initiative to create the Zacatona Newsletter which serves our area by creating community between all of us, highlighting important information and events which may be useful each month to our community members..

For those who are new to the column, here below are the principles of this ideal to citizen action.

1. Inspire Change.
2. Build Community.
3. Facilitate Action.
4. Strengthen Engagement.

Frank writes: Charlie contacted me stating he wanted to feature Karen and me in his Quepolandia article because of the monthly Finca Zacatona Newsletter we started back in 2007. I agreed but really didn’t know how to respond…so guess I’ll just start putting words on paper and see what happens…or as is now done start putting those words in a word processing program.
Throughout my years as an active duty U.S. Marine I learned many things.  One of those was paramount.  “If you can’t Communicate, you can’t Operate.”  You always, Always, ALWAYS communicate.  Karen learned the same thing in her years as an active duty Marine and during her years as a Corporate Manager.  Communication does a lot of things.  The most important perhaps is it creates a sense that because I am included I am a part of something.  A sense of belonging develops.  It also opens dialog and many other positive things.

Karen and I met in Hawaii, married and settled there for a few years after I retired from the Corps.  We’ve lived many other places since then.  We’ve always carried that philosophy, that axiom,  “If you can’t Communicate, you can’t Operate.”  Share information with neighbors, get them talking and an amazing thing happens…people start interacting instead of just driving down the street and maybe waving at someone.

When we bought our home in Finca Zacatona here in Matapalo in April 2007 there was a certain isolation here.   Finca Zacatona is 16 lots, some with homes, some just open land, but then with only two permanent residents: Karen and I and Ron Brutsche.  Three other owners visited a couple of weeks a year but that was it.  Peter Jermann had established a web site for the finca but living in Switzerland was hard pressed to include up-dated information.  More was needed.  So…in 2007 a monthly e-mail to finca owners was started giving up-dates on what was happening in the finca and a little local news of what was going on in Matapalo.  Later; national news which was felt would be of interest to all the lot owners started to be included.  A lot of positive comments came back from lot owners which was gratifying.

Well, things have mushroomed as they tend to do.  Others started asking to be added to the mailing list,  they then asked that friends be added.  Then people who had been forwarded the newsletter sent e-mails asking to be added to the mailing list.  Now, the newsletter goes to we don’t know how many individuals.  One person we know says they forward it to 30 people on their e-mail list.  Another forwards it to something like 142 individuals.  Anyone who gets it is free to forward it to whomever they want.

The newsletter has opened a dialog venue that heretofore never existed and which would in the past have been impossible to exist because we now have the internet and e-mail.  Other things have happened that we don’t know whether they  are a result of the newsletter or something else, but they have equally increased communication between those of us here, Tico and Gringo alike.  Bobby Workman down at the beach constantly informs all of us of the status of the Matapalo lifeguard program and the Saturday market.   Chris Cobb of The Hills of Portolon started a fantastic blog which is nothing but professional quality.   Karen and I now get e-mail warnings from the Quepos Chamber of Commerce concerning criminal activity or warnings to watch out for something.

As the axiom goes “If you can’t Communicate, you can’t Operate.”  Semper Fi!  Fire for Effect!!

Again thanks to Frank and Karen for realizing that change does not come through apathy, complaining or inactivity, but through initiatives like the one they spearheaded for our community.

How exciting to begin the year by sharing the story of a recently migrated expat to Costa Rica who knew from the start that his coming to Costa Rica was more than just to live a comfortable lifestyle in the tropics.  His story is that of many of us who have come looking for ways to INTEGRATE into our local Costa Rican communities.  What Greg Anderson and many others have discovered is that the catalyst for this integration can come through engagement in local community service.

For those who are new to the column, here below are the principles of this ideal to citizen action.

1. Inspire Change. Provide information highlighting some of our communities biggest challenges, raise awareness and motivate others to take action.

2. Build Community. Connect people with others who share the same vision for change and help them create networks to put plans into motion.

3. Facilitate Action. Offer tools for community members and visitors to our area to make commitments to act and track their progress and results.

4. Strengthen Engagement. Encourage citizen action throughout our local area and Costa Rica by the cultivation of partnerships with other world organizations like Sister Cities International to address our specific needs.

Greg Anderson came to Costa Rica for the first time in 1995.  Though he has continued to return from Tampa, Florida each year, 2009 was the year he decided the time was right to make the commitment to live full time in Costa Rica.  The investment he had made several years ago at Finca Zacatona in Matapalo would finally become his home base.

For Greg, a 24 year veteran of building homes in Kansas City, the idea of retirement was a difficult if not impossible one.  He quickly discovered that the Pura Vida rhythm of life in his new retirement status was not one easy to adapt to. Greg made immediate plans to become involved in his local community by teaching his passion of Martial arts.  There was one problem however to achieving this lofty goal….how to learn enough Spanish vocabulary related to Karate in a short enough time to be an effective teacher.

Here below, Greg shares his experience of cultural integration through his local community service of teaching Karate.

My first experience in karate was taught in the English language in Kansas City, Missouri in the year 1969. All my other instructors over the years have taught in broken English, Japanese, Korean or Chinese. We all seemed to be able to understand one another through watching and then doing the technique demonstrated. Much of the communication was through grunts and slaps on the head. I always thought this was very funny, but it did not keep us from learning.

My short vacations to Costa Rica were quite different than living in the community and actually becoming a friend of the community because of my lack of ability to speak the Spanish language. My Spanish is no more than the travelers Spanish to get a room, order food or shop for groceries. It has been very hard to express myself in more complex conversations other than the ordinary polite greetings and to intently listen to groups of people talking very fast and trying to decipher what they are saying. With time and more study my Spanish will improve and I will get over this hurdle.

As for the Karate classes, I offer the classes as a free class to teach respect, discipline, exercise and basic Karate techniques and self defense and to give the young people a place to go and something to do that is worthwhile. I was surprised to see how much interest there was. I have been blessed with the assistance of Bethany in Portalon and also Bobby and Shelly of Matapalo for there help in translation of the more difficult concepts that are taught. The students are very helpful and correct my Spanish without laughing too much. It has been a delightful experience and I would hope that all the students continue in either my class or any other Karate class due to the life long benefits produced through martial arts programs.

The classes are on Monday at 4 for children 7 through 12 at the salon by the soccer field in Portalon, Thursday at 4 for children and parents at Dos Palmas on the beach in Mata Palo, Friday at 4 at the salon in Portalon for ages 10 to 16 and Saturday at El Coquito at 2 in the afternoon for all ages. All classes are 1 hour and consist of 30 minuits of exercise. Wear loose fitting clothes and a T shirt if possible. Tennis shoes are ok and bare feet but one cannot work out in sandals. Call 2787 5005 for more information.

Thanks to Greg for realizing the importance of integrating into our local communities as an active participant and for doing so through serving others in community education.  He is setting a great example by doing his part in Making a Difference!

This months Making a Difference, is dedicated to the collective efforts of these same Matapalo community members who joined together and made an effort to restore what could be salvaged of our precious gem community on the ocean.

For those who are new to the column, here below are the principles of this ideal to citizen action.

1. Inspire Change. Provide information highlighting some of our communities biggest challenges, raise awareness and motivate others to take action.

2. Build Community. Connect people with others who share the same vision for change and help them create networks to put plans into motion.

3. Facilitate Action. Offer tools for community members and visitors to our area to make commitments to act and track their progress and results.

4. Strengthen Engagement. Encourage citizen action throughout our local area and Costa Rica by the cultivation of partnerships with other world organizations like Sister Cities International to address our specific needs.

The newly refurbished El Coquito Hotel in Playa Matapalo attest to the spirit and success of those 4 fore mentioned principles.  This community dedication enabled one hotel owner, to pick up the pieces of one such hotel, Jungle House and go forward with optimism for a brighter and prosperous future.

The hotel now boast the VOLUNTARY participation of the talents from every spectrum of life in our small beachside community…from  the gardens created by our Italian friend Eduardo, to the creation of the new menu by Chef Armando Montoya from La Mansion Inn in Manuel Antonio.  The support players like Carmen Trummer from Dreamy Contentment as well as Keinor and Jason from the Pulperia El Mar who on countless occasion loaned us cases of beer and sodas to sell at the beach because we had no revenue with which to purchase these same provisions.

Greg and Melissa Anderson, local expats here who contributed their rich pool of ideas for the aesthetics and successful operation of the NEW Coquito Hotel Restaurant and Bar.  Pablo Alvarez, who donated his time to the electronic marketing of the new web site dedicated to El Coquito, as well as a special thanks to Chris Cobb for his generous contribution in the creation of the new web site for El Coquito.

I am so proud of and give a special recognition to the Matapalo Beach Lifeguards, led by Bobby Workman and Matilda Perez, who have given selflessly of themselves, hour after hour to lift up El Coquito and giving it a new face as well as giving Matapalo Beach a fresh and safe beginning insuring ocean safety first.

They are Daniel Valverde, Manuel Berghammer, Jairo Jimeniz,  Frank Lopez, and Luis Carreno. These young lifeguards put their lives at risk each day to preserve the life of another.  This month alone they executed 4 rescues of ASVO volunteers.  For me there is no higher act of nobility.

These community members came through volunteering their time, talent and resources to make a difference in the life of one person, getting me back on track for 2010.  I owe a debt of immense gratitude to these good-willed neighbors and friends.

A final thank you to Ana Lyons who continually uplifts and guides me in this Coquito venture and who along with Pat Cheek have allowed me the privilege to highlight these special community members who are Making a Difference!

For our first time readers to “Making a Difference” allow me to review the 4 principal and governing factors which allow our multi cultural community to become engaged.

1. Inspire Change. Provide information highlighting some of our communities biggest challenges, raise awareness and motivate others to take action.

2. Build Community. Connect people with others who share the same vision for change and help them create networks to put plans into motion.

3. Facilitate Action. Offer tools for community members and visitors to our area to make commitments to act and track their progress and results.

4. Strengthen Engagement. Encourage citizen action throughout our local area and Costa Rica by the cultivation of partnerships with other world organizations like Sister Cities International to address our specific needs.

This month’s profile belongs to Chris Cobb and Jenny Roman from the Portalon area.  Recently the school at Portalon was blessed with 15 computers which form the basis of the new computer lab.  We all know that ¨blessings¨of this sort do not just happen.   School Director Jenny Roman, one always known for her persuasion and perseverance was instrumental in procuring the computer lab equipment and thanks to expat Chris Cobb, they now have their first program of computer web page design.  Together they have created the elements necessary to begin classroom instruction for several interested local students.   Read on with excitement as Chris Cobb explains how it all came about!

Looking For Kids With Some Computer Skills

I was thinking about the wonderful computer lab that was donated to the Portalón elementary school: 15 computers each with licenses for Windows and MS Office, and a donated network connection. There is also a wireless network setup, and the school is enabled with WiFi. It occurred to me that there were probably some bright kids who would be interested in learning how to create Web sites.

To date we’ve had four meetings. There are several kids and one of their teachers who are all interested and can see the possibilities. My first goal is to create a Web site for the school. Intro pages, a section for the kids, another for the teachers, and one for the Club Ecológico Los Tucanes. When that is successful, I want to expand it to include other things about Portalón, such as a history of this area.

Turns out my initial idea was too simplistic. These guys pick this up quick. I should have realized that they’d already know a lot about using the Web, checking out their favorite sites, and sending e-mail. I’ve decided to raise the bar and, for those who want, to teach some beginning programming skills as well.

To accomplish this, I’ve installed a copy of the Apache Web Server software on several computers, along with the PHP programming language. PHP is extremely popular these days with software development teams, from small shops all the way up to the Fortune 50 companies. I’ve also installed the Firefox Web browser, along with a couple of plug-in “add-ons” that make Web site development easier to accomplish.

At this point I don’t want to teach basic computer skills but focus just on Website design. So, if you know any “nerdy” kids here in el Distrito Savegre who might be interested, let me know.

I’d like to keep this group rather small at first, at least until I learn a little more of what to expect. It would be great to include some girls, too, so they don’t get the idea that computers are just toys for boys.

Thanks Chris and Jenny for taking the initiative to recognize need in our local community and together finding the resources necessary so these young community minds can be occupied in productive and positive endeavors!!  These efforts are the seeds that will pave the road to professional empowerment for our youth further down the road.  That is ¨Making a Difference!!¨

On a recent visit to Chicago, a friend having just read all the details of the planned Matapalo Beach Community Center sat down with me next to the lake and ask me candidly “Charlie what motivates you to realize such an ambitious project?” My response was simple and to the point. I explained to my friend that I was simply paying back in whatever way I could for all those people who showed up on my lifes stage as miracles to show me my way on lifes journey.

I explained that my father had died of cancer when I was 15 years old and as well I had the challenge of dealing with my mother’s alcoholism which intensified after my father’s death. These set of circumstances left me on the streets looking for anything and everything to find my way…….unfortunately what I found were aquaintances that led me down the wrong road into drugs and alcohol abuse.

One day one of those aforementioned miracles showed up in front of me, her name was Diane Reeves. Her son had befriended me at Hawthorne High School in Southern California. Though the rest of the history of her involvement is too long to include here, the point I made to my friend was that in my life there had been a series of people who helped me find my way in life through gentle guidance and love.

More importantly was the lesson I learned so many years previous as a young man seeking understanding on those lonely streets of Southern California. Quite simply, that we are all the product of our experiences and those experiences are limited and directly related to our opportunities. My effort to create this Center in Matapalo was my way of paying life back for the opportunities that came my way which eventually brought me to where I am today.

Life can and is a challenge for people of all ages, in particular for youth growing up in a developing village in a developing country, Who hasn’t made mistakes, adults and kids alike?…It is in the end that which develops true character and understanding.

The key, however is not to believe that there is NO WAY back to ones own routing on life’s sometimes uncertain highway. Once recognition has occurred and a sincere desire cultivated within the individual, KIM STILWELL believes that through caring guidance and offering healthier social alternatives, these same lives can begin the process of reintegration into society as productive human beings.

For our first time readers to “Making a difference” allow me to review once again those 4 principal and governing factors which allow our multi cultural community to become engaged.

1. Inspire Change. Provide information highlighting some of our communities biggest challenges, raise awareness and motivate others to take action.
2. Build Community. Connect people with others who share the same vision for change and help them create networks to put plans into motion.
3. Facilitate Action. Offer tools for community members and visitors to our area to make commitments to act and track their progress and results.
4. Strengthen Engagement. Encourage citizen action throughout our local area and Costa Rica by the cultivation of partnerships with other world organizations like Sister Cities International to address our specific needs.

Here below are Kim Stilwell’s own words as he shares with us his philosophy of community involvement, his organizations current projects, and his overall outlook for the future of Aguirre canton.

When asked to write what we are all about I was not sure what to say. The idea of giving back is a Biblical one that my family and I practice. When we came to Costa Rica 7 years ago we knew there were problems in this community and we had to be involved in a community and make it a better place. As we saw many problems…..one stood out that we needed to address: drugs and the problems that go along with them. They destroy families, cities and the very reason to exist. A group of people here in Quepos agreed and we started addressing the possible solutions. That is when we started “Asociación Esfuerzos Humanitarios de Quepos“.

Our Goal: Serve and glorify our God, serve the greater community of Quepos/Manuel Antonio and serve the addicted and or homeless community here in this immediate area.

Our Purpose: To restore, to the extent possible, persons among this homeless population to their fruitful places in society – to begin again to be productive and healthy members of their families and their communities.

As the community became aware that we were doing something 5 churches came along side to help and so did several businesses. We saw the need for a rehab center here in Quepos so we started one with 5 guys. We have been operating now for three years with an average of 9 men and we have a house affectionately called “Casa de Amor” that feeds and works to restore lives to their families and to the community through service that makes the community a better place. Several graduates now live with their families. We do this by working. We have three counselors that organize and facilitate our daily work and restoration program.

Places you might see us cleaning the trash weekly are: the road to Manuel Antonio, Manuel Antonio beach, cemetery and the road leading to it behind the Catholic Church where “Casa de Amor” is located, road around Pali and Chamber of Commerce, Naomi Park, the front of Quepos…in the rocks…gardens….road….where ever there is trash. We also are involved in planting the gardens in the front of Quepos. It is our plan to maintain these areas with community support and donations of materials, supplies and money.

We work with the Chamber of Commerce and it’s members, Manuel Antonio Group and it’s members, ICT, The City and the Mayor and the city board, local businesses, IAFA and Ministario de Salud and the Quepos Hospital as well as churches and anyone who needs us to help clean or plant gardens or anything that can make Quepos a better place.

It is our desire to build a bigger facility because of the needs.

People come to us daily asking for help and we have to turn them away because of regulations and a lack of funds. We would like to purchase the property we are on and build a facility that will better restore lives in the community. We are working with International help and local help to make this a reality and invite you to come along with us in this. We believe this can be the best facility in all of Costa Rica with the your help. Come and see it for yourself and join us in this adventure of making Quepos and surrounding barrios a better place to live.

Thanks to Kim and his team of believers who engage themselves in a purpose higher than themselves. They and others like them are the miracle workers that show up on our lifes stage to help us all find our way. They are making a difference!