I’ve written recently about the connections between Bear Creek Friends Meeting, in the countryside north of Earlham, Iowa, and the Monteverde Friends community in Costa Rica.

A recent email conversation began when I expressed my appreciation for the hand drawn picture on the envelope I received from the Monteverde Friends School.

Yesterday at Bear Creek Friends Meeting, our clerk, Jackie Leckband, brought another envelope to meeting that had a student’s hand drawn picture on it.

We spent a lot of time sharing stories about our connections with Monteverde Friends. Some present had visited Montverde. Others know people who have lived, or continue to live there.

Below is a video of Bill Deutsch interviewing Mary Mendenhall, an Iowa Friend who taught at the Monteverde Friends School, describing how Quakers had settled in Costa Rica and what life was like there.

As we shared these stories yesterday, we thought it would be nice to reply to the drawings from the children at Monteverde, by sending back drawings from us. Some Friends were reluctant artists but I really appreciate how everyone joined in anyway. This may be one of those cases where it’s the thought that counts   🙂