Joe, "The Twin" Street Sculptor | ||
|
An Unexpected, but Delightful Detour...  Ms. Keeler took advantage of an unexpected shift in the schedule that left some free time to emphasize the Costa Rican residents' appreciation for art. We detoured and swung by the beautifully green and airy central park, Parque Central, and church, Iglesia de la Concepcion Imaculada, in Heredia. Chipping away on vast chunks of dense volcanic pumice was "Joe," the local "street" sculptor. Working feverishly, he stopped only occasionally to give passersby a handout explaining his altruistic endeavors, which is the following true story... GOD'S SCULPTOR In Heredia, a small city in Costa Rica, lives God's Sculptor. People in the city know him as "The Twin" (Gemelo). We will call him Joe. Joe will be 60 on November 30, 2004. Everyday at 5 A.M., Joe leaves his home and heads for the city's central park where he works 10 hours daily on his sculptures under the curious passerby's looks. He works amidst a garden of more than 50 sculptures of all sizes and themes. Joe is certainly an inspiration for all of us who see him every day. He is a man totally imbued in his work, a man who truly enjoys what he does, and who brings enjoyment to others with his works of art. 
Three years ago, in 2000, Joe almost died of an overdose. For 50 years, caught in the grip of alcohol and drug addiction, he even was the leader of his own drug dealing business. But, that day, in the face of death, everything changed. The doctors saved his life with 12 consecutive shots. After this experience, Joe went to live alone in the middle of a coffee plantation for 8 months. In this isolated place, and in daily contact with nature, he prayed, red the Bible and reflected on his own existence. People thought he had gone mad.
 During this period, God spoke to him in visions. During a drug induced trip, Joe saw a figure on a stone. After words, he bought a chisel and a hammer and started working the stone until he sculpted the form he had seen. Previous to this experience, he had not sculpted anything in his 57 years of life. In other visions, he felt God was calling him to change his life.
Joe then made a promise to God. For the next three years of his life, he was going to work 10 hours daily chiseling stones. In another vision, he saw a family dancing together and then he made it on stone. Joe asked God for enough life to work on 50 stones, one stone for each one of the years he had spent as an addict. So far, Joe is working on his 54th stone.  At the beginning, he would work and had just one meal a day, but then he felt very weak and could not continue working. Then, the mayor of the city gave him permission to work in the park where passersby put some coins in a little poorbox he placed next to his sculptures. With this money, he could buy more food during the day. Many people have offered to buy Joe’s sculptures, but he does no sell them. They are God's work for God's Glory, he says.
 On November 30, when his promise is finished, he will decide what to do with his sculptures. He plans to open a museum with his sculptures and a Bible school. With the money he may collect from the visitors, he hopes to open a place where he may give shelter to the homeless and addicts who live on the street.
On weekends, children love to come and ride on Joe's stone elephants. Joe enjoys them too, remembering the one who said, "Let the children come unto me, because theirs is the Kingdom of God."
Costa Rica Art - Adventure Tour Reservations
|
||
About Costa Rica
Copyright © 1998 - 2005 | ||