Twenty-one Glenn folks ventured to Monteverde, Costa Rica to the UGA Ecolodge in a trip sponsored by Glenn's Environmental Committee. They have returned inspired and awed by so many things:
We had such an amazing trip and will forever be thankful to Glenn for the opportunity and the fellowship. In Costa Rica there was always something amazing to see, on the ground, in the trees or in the air. We found ourselves taking the time to observe our surroundings and to appreciate he natural beauty around us. We are going to try to do this more in our lives back in Atlanta. We often miss so much racing from one appointment to the next forgetting to notice the people and the things around us.
The Rollins family
I remain intrigued by the full extent of the sustainability of the farm. Our guide advised that other ecolodges grow mint in the kitchen garden and call themselves sustainable. Not here! Our shower water was wonderfully hot, much to my relief after hearing it was heated by the sun in our rainforest. They cooked with methane gas, produced in the biodigestor from animal waste. The cows were milked twice a day, and large pitchers of steaming hot chocolate were served to use the milk. We were hesitant to use the morning butter as it had the consistency of mayonnaise, but it turned out to be the best butter I have ever tasted, especially when served on the homemade bread. As Alice observed, it brings a whole new meaning to "made from scratch" when you make your butter and cheese from the morning's fresh cow milk. This was a trip I will never forget.
Susan Peterson
As magnificent as the country was, and as educational as the trip was in many ways, my "ah-ha" moment came several days later, as I sat on my own deck in the middle of the Fernbank/North Georgia Piedmont Forest. How fortunate we all were to be able to go to Costa Rica AND how fortunate we are to live here in Atlanta, Georgia! Maybe we will all appreciate our forest, trees, beautiful birds, mammals (ex., squirrels), plants, insects in the same way as we did last week in Costa Rica. We need to steward them as well as the Costa Ricans are trying to do in their home country!
Who is ready to go back? There are more lessons to learn...:)
Dell MacGregor
I totally loved the trip. The best part was getting to know other members of Glenn better. The mix of ages, minds and talents was wonderful. It was great to have little girls on the trip. They put a different perspective on everything. We were their age once!
Donna Burbank
Wonderful experience! I admire the mission of reforestation & reduction of pesticide/herbicide use in production of agricultural products we consume daily. What are small steps towards this way of business and changing values that we can implement in our own goals of sustainability here?
Gardner Neely
What a wonderful group. And the children! Lecturers were informed and prepared. Concern for the environment outstanding. The coffee farm was responsible.
Wesley Stephens
The Eco Lodge's Vision and Mission statement - photo by Jan Lichtenwalter.
The stunning beauty and diversity of the environment and God's creatures was surprising. I was not prepared for the variety of mammals - agoutis and coatis, as well as two species of monkeys that we saw. And the birds were unbelievable - some with stunning brilliant colors and exotic tails.
Lynn Speno
The trip surpassed any expectation I had, and most of that had to do with getting to know our Glenn members better! I didn’t fully fathom how enriching the experience would be for Charlotte —not only from the lectures and knowledge gained from the UGA-CR staff and tours but the interactions she enjoyed with her fellow Glenn travelers. The multi-generational aspect of the trip made it very special. Like Lynn, I am missing the sounds of birds and the quiet, serenity of being in nature. How cool was it to look for and appreciate the birds, monkeys, coatis, etc. along our path everyday. I also learned how unique it is for a church to have an environmental committee, and am proud of Glenn for being such a trendsetter.
From Charlotte: "Definitely surprised to have rice and beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And, you need to enjoy life’s small moments because you only get one life. So you should take risks and have fun.” (referencing the trip overall and the zip lining/vertical drop specifically).
Colleen Golden
Please join the team in the Ward Fellowship Hall after 11:00 a.m. worship on Sunday, April 30 for a slideshow of pictures, the sharing of stories, and a sampling of Costa Rican food. All are welcome.