Weekend Fun...

Joe and I were able to enjoy this last weekend with a couple of missionary kids.... how much fun we had! :-) A missionary couple here was able to go to a marriage conference while we watched their girls! We were able to attend a Harvest party and then spend the next day making crafts and taking them to McDonalds! I don't think i have ever done so many crafts in my life! LOL :-) But we praise God for the great time that He blessed us with this weekend!

Reminders....

It is wonderful when God sends those lovely reminders to you that it is not about you! :-) It is not about you at all! It is about Him and what He wants..... He wants more kids!
Today Joe and I were able to get a reminder why God wants to send willing ones to other countries. Today in Chapel a group of very young kids came to lead us into worship from the poorest area of the city - La Carpio. I broke as I heard the glorious story of God in their lives and how they are now being used to further God's message and love!
Tuesday I was able to go to La Carpio again to teach english.... instead i played with the kids.... coloring, running, hugging, and just loving! Hopefully next week I can post pictures!

God is doing something...

It's funny when life seems to get harder and harder that I think... oh it is just cause God is doing something, He has everything under control. So does that mean that when everything is good He is taking a nap? I don't think so.
So Costa Rica is going well. Language study gets harder and harder as we press on but we make it. Christmas is coming soon and for some reason that is all I can think about lately. Oh well...

2nd Trimester....

So far so good.... Things are going quite well this second trimester of learning the Spanish Language! I am enjoying my Teachers and my classmates!

Today was a great day of making jewelry! I made my own earrings today.... it was great!

So Much...

Much has happened in the last couple of weeks.... Lots of fun!

We are done with our first semester! Yeay.... We never thought it was going to go by so fast :-)!
God has been so good allowing opportunities in our lives to practice the Spanish language and to learn it.
I was approached by the director of classes to let me know that are going to move me up to a higher class next semester. At first I was a little nervous because I am so behind... but the Lord graciouslly provided a tutor.... so I will be caught up!
Joe and I have been able to be used in and experience many things these last couple of weeks.
We were able to attend our first Costa Rican Birthday party... may I say wow.... along with a few pics...






We then had the opportunity to go to an English Language class to present activities in English, Develope new relationships, and share the Gospel... it was great! Many were saved but one man was searching... and Joe was able to share with him!

Then we were able to take some youth kids to the amusement park! It was great! I got sooo sick... the rides were crazy!



Joe and I were also able to be a apart of a Costa Rican weddding! It was so beautiful! And I was able to sing at the Language School graduation! Today Joe was able to play ball with a bunch of guys and share the Gospel with a Tico! It was wonderful!.... he is really searching... and Joe is hoping to start a Bible Study with him! Our God is good....

Guanacaste Weekend...

This weekend was a long weekend... yeay! Friday was Guanacaste Day here in Costa Rica. We did have classes but then enjoyed a program enlightening us all on the culture of this day. This was the day the Costa Ricans defeated the Nicaraguans. So there was song and dance...



Friday evening Joe and I were able to spend some time playing games with friends... it was refreshing!
Saturday we headed to a birthday party. The family that use to live in front of us, invited us to go with them to their grandaughters birthday party. It was a great time engaging in coversation and learning about a latin birthday party... they go all out!
Sunday was a great time at church... uplifting the members of the church and meeting a new couple that is visiting from the states for a few weeks. Sun. night we were able to spend more time with them along with a couple from the church.
Today was a day off... oh how sweet. Joe and I were able to spend some needed time together... and now tomorrow school begins again!

Thanks for your prayers!

Mix-Match Day at School...

This past Friday was Mix-Match day at School. It was great! All of us looked so hilarious! I didn't have much to work with so I layered cloths with different colors and put on TONS of jewelry! Joe turned his cloths inside out and turned around!

IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.... Here are some pics

Las Palmas...

Friday was a great day at school. We were all able to enjoy culture day that the teachers put on!
The rest of the weekend Joe and I had a great time, enjoying the beach! We were able to see monkeys and snorkel!
It is amazing to view God's creation and enjoy it for even just a little while... here are some pics...

What a Great Weekend!

Well first of all let me tell you what a blessing it was to have the 4th of July off at school. It was a nice breather! That night Joe and I got to spend some great time with friends.... eating traditional 4th of July food and playing games. BUT the best part is that a homeless man came to the gate and Joe was able to share the Gospel with him. Hopefully the words will penetrate his drunkenness!

Saturday, Joe and I got to help out a youth group from the States with a family fun day in a poorer town! I passed out invitations to a movie that we were showing that night and an invitation to church the next day. I was able to talk in Spanish the whole time and show the love of Christ! While I passed out invitations and helped face paint children's faces... Joe walked with a group around the town passing out invites and sharing the Gospel! Later that day... Joe and another ABWE missionary were able to share the Gospel with 3 other men! 2 were far gone and drunk, but one of the men really stayed to listen. He understood everything Joe was saying and knew that he would have to change his lifestyle to believe in Christ! He is really struggling with an addiction to cocaine, and is unwilling to give up his life style... but yet wants so bad to be free of it! Please pray for Mauricio that his conviction and pain would be so strong that he would cry out for the LORD! We showed the movie Facing the Giants at night in the main square of town, and it not only touched those standing around... but also the church members! It was great. Throughout the day I was so amazed to see the Costa Rican church members really take charge in sharing the Gospel and bringing people in! The Costa Rican youth group even learned the Mime that the "gringo" youth were sharing with the town! They learned it in 3 hours!

Then Sunday in church... we had already begun our service and began to get discouraged as no one from yesterday's event was showing.... when half way through Sunday school... a family of 5 walked in the doors... 2 gentlemen walked in the doors... and a cousin of one of the members that they haven't seen in 30 years walked in the door! It was AMAZING! Then as the service began to start a lady with 3 children also walked in the door... I cried as I realized it was one of the ladies that I handed an invitation to the day before! All of them stayed through the whole thing and now they have meetings with church members and missionaries to hear more about the word of God! One family is even going to come to the Bible study that we are having on Wednesdays! PRAISE THE LORD! The Costa Rican teens then acted out the mime they had learned in 3 hours.... It was amazing to see them learn it and take control of it as their own!

GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!! ALL THE TIME!!!!

Happy 4th!

This weekend is turning out to be such a fun weekend. Yesterday, I was able to go to the store and the mall to eat and watch a movie with just another girl and not Joe!
Although I love my husband it is good to get away and try to communicate and tackle things on my own, in this new culture and language!
It went well... we had a great time and did pretty well!
Today we were able to Celebrate the 4th with a group of friends. It was wonderful! We had a barbecue and played lots and lots of Dutch Blitz!

What a wonderful 4th! Hope you had a good one!

Fun In The Sun...

So this past weekend... I went on a ladies retreat with the language school! It was so great.
Such a refreshing time... and yes.... I AM BAKED....
here is a pic of a friend of mine & I enjoying a Pina Colada.... YES WITHOUT ALCOHOL!

A Wedding...

How wonderful it has been to spend time with family! And to see my only sister-in-law get married! She was
beautiful...So now... one more day and we are back in beautiful Costa Rica! Anticipating coming back home for Christmas.... :-)

Baking....

So last night was so great baking Choc Chip cookies with our Tico mom's grand daughters... Diana (small) and Daniella (taller). We had a great time making a mess! :-) Here is some photos...



But then our Tico mom came over to get the girls... and told us that her and her husband are moving! They can't afford this house that they have been in for over 21 years! So they are moving in the next couple of days! Yeah... fast! It is hard because Joe and I have grown to love this family and now we have to do it all over again with another family!

So pray.....

A 5 Year Anniversary to Remember...

It was wonderful... Joe got us the Master Suite in a gorgeous hotel here in San Jose, Costa Rica. He was able to get a great deal with through one of the missionaries here.

Friday night we arrived. Put our suitcase into this gorgeous suite...





And then headed to dinner... it was a wonderful night with a beautiful view! ...

Family Fun Day...

Yes... today was great. Joe and I were able to go to the newest Church Plant here in Costa Rica for their Family Fun Day! While the parents had seminar's dealing with finance, their marriage, and their roles. Joe & I with 2 other missionaries ladies "took on the kids", it was a great time! First we had the painting section... they painted their house or one they would like to have one day.... they were interesting!



Then we brought them all together and sang some songs... and memorized a verse, Monica (missionary) taught. They had tons of fun acting out the movements to the songs!



Next was pool time... yeah that was fun.



Then the day ended with more crafts, reviewing the Bible lesson and verse... and watching Veggie Tales.... IN SPANISH. Oh and don't forget the "mini" zip line that the kids had to go on like every 2 seconds :-) Yes it was great fun... At a BEAUTIFUL place....

More New Experiences...

Well Today was a good day. It started off by me getting out of bed at 7am.... yes 7am. It has been over a week now and my body has still not gotten use to this 2 hour change. But it did give me lots of time to do my devos, finish a load of laundry with my 20 step process, and get myself ready by 9 am to leave for the Farmer's Market.

Joe and I met up with some new friends and began our 8 block walk to the Market. It was great walking and getting to know these fellow students. When we arrived at the market I was impressed with how great a place it was. It had a park for the kids to play, a basketball court, soccer fields, and a fairly long spread of all the fruit and vegetables you and think of! Here's some pics...



I had a great time... In the sun. yeah, in the sun. Many times during this week and a half I forget that I am about 8 Degrees Latitude from the EQUATOR! So yes everyone.... I forgot to put sunblock on. AND because I had my purse wrapped around my shoulder, I now have a nice white strip among very red skin! Oh my. Well at least I got to enjoy some VERY fresh pineapple... I think it is becoming my favorite.

Joe and I came home after to see if we could get another load of laundry done before the rain came! The rainy season has begun and at about 1pm no later then 3pm the rain begins! And it is crazy! So we got it done just in time! After we decided to go to the small mall around here. And we ate at the most authentic Mexican restaurant that I have had so far! It was very good :-) And of course.... we couldn't go home without stopping at Hipermas first :-)

Holy Cow...

Yes I said Cows. Joe and I were able to go downtown San Jose today with our Tico mom. We had a great time looking at the sites and admiring the painted COWS! Apparently this year San Jose, Costa Rica decided to try something new in the downtown! They had a Cow Parade. Different painters came in with plain ceramic cows and painted each one to their liking. Unfortunately I couldn’t get pictures of all of them but here are some that I got…

We had such a great time with our Tico mom and her son. We spoke in Spanish and laughed hysterically at my blunders…. for example we stopped at Burger King for lunch and Joe asked what I wanted in Spanish. Well seeing that there were no salads on the menu… really, I decided that I would go with just one cheese burger and a bottle of water. Well, speaking to Joe back in Spanish because my Tico mom was standing there it went a little something like this: Yo quiero un quesohamburguesa y un bosque de agua. Which literally mean I want a cheeseburger and a forest of water. Yeah you read it right… FOREST of water. So I should have said un botella de agua, which mean a BOTTLE of water. My Tico mom lost it when I said forest and I was SOOOO thankful that I messed up with Joe before I went to order! But the hilarious thing is when I ordered the bottle of water and the lady behind the cash register gave it to me the company that bottled the water was called Rain Forest. So I looked at my Tico mom and said see, I got my forest of water. She lost it again….