Saturday, June 21

Flight Information:

Depart from DFW — Saturday, June 21 on AA #1053 at 10:04 AM, arrive San Jose (SJO) at 1:19 PM (direct flight)

Return to San Jose’ — Sunday, June 29 on AA #320at 11:59PM, arrive DFW at 5:24AM (direct flight)

We will meet at DFW (check gate number prior to departure) ready for an exciting faith journey to Costa Rica. We will arrive in San José and the bus driver will meet us outside the terminal at the airport after we all claim our luggage and get through customs.

We will begin our journey to the Hotel El Bambú in Puerto Viejo where we will stay throughout the week. All lodging and meals will be paid for at the EL Bambú.

Sunday, June 22

Breakfast at the hotel and worship with El Tigre UMC, a local congregation. Recommended attire for this service is dresses for women and dress shirts and slacks for men. Lunch at the hotel. The team will experience a rain forest or a chocolate tour. Dinner, devotional, and team meeting at the hotel.

Monday, June 23– Thursday, June 26

7:00 am — Breakfast at El Bambú

8:00 am — Load up bus

8:15 am — Arrive at EL Tigre, have devotion, and begin work

11:30 am — Break for lunch at the church

12:30 pm — Begin work again

3:00 pm — Begin cleanup at work site

3:30 pm — Head to VBS with entire team

4:00 pm — VBS at various rural locations

5:30 pm — Back to hotel

6:30 pm — Dinner

7:30 pm — Group time, reflections, devotionals, and free time

Friday, Jun 27

7:00 am — Breakfast and devotions at El Bambú.

8:00 am — Complete any work needed at the work site. Pack and check out from EL Bambú. Lunch on the road on our own. Depart for Arenal Volcano. Free time in the afternoon. Lodging paid — all meals and activities on our own for the rest of the trip.

Saturday, June 28

Free day — educational tours, hiking, horseback riding, hot springs, rain forest tours, shopping, zip lines, fishing, etc. The hotel will help set up different tours for the group when we arrive and costs vary.

Sunday, June 29

Return to San Jose and fly home

Monday, June 30

Arrive at DFW at 5:24AM

Arrive home safely. Wash dirty clothes and sleep in your own bed again with the joy of receiving many priceless gifts from God, the people of Costa Rica, and our team along with the gratitude that you “went out to be God’s people in the world!” God is good!

Contact information while in Costa Rica:

Email messages can be sent from El Bambú.

 

Telephone numbers:

Ray Zirkel, missionary — 1-281-385-9068

Hotel El Bambú — 011-506-2766-6005, www.elbambu.com

Rev. Phyllis Barren — 817-715-1944 (cell phone)

 

Cost for the trip is $1,200 (excluding meals and tours at resort and airfare)

The first payment of $600 is due immediately to hold your reservation.

The second payment of $600 is due by April 1, 2025.

Registration is required and payment can be made online.

If you write a check, make it payable to First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth with “2025 Costa Rica Mission Trip” in the memo line and bring it to the Main Church Office, Attention: Rev. Phyllis Barren, or send it to Rev. Phyllis Barren at 800 W. 5th St., Fort Worth, TX 76102.

Please provide your full name exactly as it appears on your passport and your passport number with your first payment. We will have complications at the airport if the name you give them when we book your ticket does not match your passport, so please double-check this information.

Remember that flexibility and new unexpected cultural and unique spiritual experiences that might emerge on the trip are always important to consider with our proposed itinerary!