Hannah's Questions

So as an update on one of my former posts, we have now learned that Caleb told Hannah that babies come out of the belly button.
So, yesterday she asked me,
"Mommy, do babies come out of the mommy's belly button?"
"No, Hannah they don't." I replied.
"Well then how do babies get out of the mommy's belly?"

OK, so now I am SOOOO thankful that God gave us a friend who is wise and I remember what he had told his little girl when she asked the EXACT same question.

"Well, Hannah, God made a special place for babies to come out of their mommy's belly."

That was it! No more explanation needed! FOR NOW....

Reverse Culture Shock

Many people told me that upon landing in the US that we'd experience reverse culture shock. I can't say that it has been a "shock," but we have DEFINITELY noticed the MANY differences. For instance
Today during the church service, I had to reach a foot away from me to even touch Doug, where as in Costa Rica the chairs in our church were so close our shoulders always touched.
There is no garbage on the streets here.
There are no bars on the windows.
We don't have any keys. That one is weird. To have no keys means really no responsibility for anything. Very weird!
People actually greet each other on the street. I was litterally shocked that some lady wished us a Merry Christmas as she passed us on the side walk.
We drive a mile to WalMart, not walk. (Although Doug and I did walk the other day for "old" times sake.)
The houses are so much bigger here. Especially the bedrooms!
There is a mail system! In Costa Rica they don't have street names or addresses. For instance, we lived in San Franscisco of 2 rivers, in the bario of The Pacific, 450 meters east of the pharmacy in a house that was directly across from the Day Care Center Step by Step. Our house was salmon colored with white bars on the left hand side. Try writing that in a small space that asked for your address. Praise God there are addresses in Chile and a postal service!!!
We are gradually adjusting to the changes and know that this is all just one BIG transition. We hope and pray that wherever we are we will never take the little things for granted!
We are also VERY thankful this Christmas season that Christ was willing to experience "culture shock" by coming here to earth.
May God bless you and your families this holiday season!

Back in the States

We're back in the states for 2 months. Actually 2 months from today we'll be arriving in Chile and beginning to get settled! WOW! As things progress, we'll update you! God bless and Merry Christmas!!

Wrapping up the last few days

Has it really been a year since we moved out of "our" house in Troy, Ohio and began the journey of visiting parents before flying down here? God is SO good! It has been a world wind year, but we are all speaking Spanish and LOVE IT! Even Caleb just yesterday was so excited when he said, "Mom, I can understand this whole TV program in Spanish and it's only been a year!!" I can't wait to see how fluent they become while living in Chile!

Even though the year has gone by SOOO fast, I know it's been a WHOLE year because of our new found church, friends, and teachers that I will miss terribly. I might even miss our little house and the LONG walk to school. But for now, we are preparing to leave our little house on Saturday to stay close to the airport before flying back to my parents on Sunday.

Over the next few days we'll get to...
Go to our neighbor's son's kindergarden graduation
Take a beloved teacher out to lunch
Graduate from ILE with neighbors watching and hearing the gospel, although we think they may be saved.
Doug will "run" downtown to return our modem and pay any last minute bills.
Finish getting the sold items to their new owners

We've sold almost everything and we'll be getting rid of the last few items this Saturday, including our sheets, which is why we're going to stay in a hotel by the airport.
We are sad to leave here, but SOOO excited to visit with family, friends, and churches stateside for a couple of months. THEN OFF TO CHILE!! YAHOO!!!!

UH, OH it's coming...

The other day Doug overheard the very end of a conversation between Caleb and Hannah.

"You know Caleb, I still don't understand how a baby can come out of a mommy's bellybutton."

We have not taught her that! In fact she's never asked how babies get out of a mommy's belly. She knows that babies are connected to their mommys' through the cord that then becomes the baby's belly button. This is probably her confusion. I don't think we'll set her straight though until she really asks. Innocence is a wonderful thing!!!

Just a little reminder that they grow up WAY TOO FAST!!!

Our Last Sunday...

This past Sunday was our last AS A FAMILY at Impacto Vida Nueva Baptist Church here in San Jose. I say last as a family because, although the kids and I will be attending next week, Doug has signed up to run the San Jose Marathon which happens to be next Sunday. Here are just a few pictures, which capture our precious memories of our time as a small part of this family.

Some of the guys that greet people as we come in the door.

Jose talking to some of the "SCORE" missionaries.

Doug with Esteban

Doug with another Jose and another Esteban.

My "little sister" Emily, helping with crafts in the nursery.

Aunt Patty Colier praying with Caleb and Hannah's Sunday School class.

The young people hanging out before church

The song worship

Praying for us as we leave for the US first and then on to Chile.

Prayer by Max Bastos

Pastor Paul Colier preaching about TRUE Thankfulness

Caleb in Jr. Church with Jose

Esteban, Jil, Doug, Pastor Paul, and Max

Doug and Heather with friends Esteban and Fanny

Hannah with brasilian friend Melissa. Her parents are missionaries with Word of Life and have recently moved from Brasil to Costa Rica. Her dad is American and her mom is brasilian. Her dad, Steve was an MK from Brasil.

Some of our friends, Max & Helen Bastos with their children Pedro, Marianna, and Daniella.

Caleb & Hannah with surrogate grandparents, Jorge and Thelma.

After church dinner in honor of Thanksgiving.

"Home"

Where is "home" anyway? Technically I'm "home" here in Costa Rica with my family after being solo in Chile for 9 days. But we'll all be going "home" in less than 3 weeks to visit with my parents in Florida. Then "home" to visit my in-laws in WV, before going "home" to Maine to visit with my siblings and extended family. Then we'll be going "home" to Ohio to stay at the same house that was truly "home" for over 2 years.

So, where do we consider "home?" First, I know the Biblical response is in heaven with Christ. "For where your treasure is, there your heart is also." However, here on earth, where do we consider "home?" Really, our nuclear family is "home." When we are all together, we are "home." However, we are truly looking forward to having a physical "home" to live in with stuff that is familiar to our family.

All of this moving has been REALLY hard on our kids. They really don't know where "home" is. Each time you walk into your "home" please pray for Caleb and Hannah and for other MK's who didn't ask to give up their families, physical homes, and belongings to be a part of a missionary family. Pray for wisdom for the parents of these special kid missionaries. Balancing ministry and the real needs of our kids is hard.

Here in Chile

I've been blessed to have seen the doctor down here, and PRAISE GOD they have everything that I need. The doctor understood everything and after a nice conversation in both English and Spanish, I feel comfortable that my medical care here should be just as good as what I would have in the states.

On another note, we've found a house!! I know it seems fast, but I've been looking at houses on-line for over 3 months and after seeing this one we decided that since it becomes available in the beginning of February, has everything we need, has plenty of space to have people over, and was within our price range, we'd try to reserve it. Therefore, over the next few days I have to get the money out of the bank to put down a deposit and such, so that we can sign a contract hopefully before I leave on Saturday. If not some fellow missionaries will sign and we'll transfer it all when we get here in February. Here are some pictures with the current resident´s furniture... I´m sure I´ll post more once we´ve moved in.

The office/guest room window that you walk by to get to the ¨front¨ door.

Looking from the back yard toward öur¨front gate - basically looking at the driveway.


Back yard with slightly covered patio

View of kitchen from the front door. Kitchens this size are VERY rare in Chile. They are usually gally type kitchens because it is offensive to have anyone else in your kitchen while you are cooking. Mostly because in the past and in the upper classes the maids/nannies do all the cooking, so one wouldn´t want to offend someone by asking them to help you cook or even join you in the kitchen while you cook.

Off to the right past the ¨kitchen¨table is the covered laundry area with extra storage. Before getting to the table, also on the right is the entrance to the SMALL maid´s quarters. Obviously we will NOT have a LIVE IN MAID, so we´ll use that possibly as a homeschool resource room or something.

View from Living/Dining room looking into office/guest room, front door to the right past the stairs and open staircase.

Office/Guest room that actually has an attached bath.

Dining area of the Living Room/Dining room combination

Living room section of the Living/Dining room with the sliding glass doors out to the backyard/covered patio

Master Bedroom and Bath - We are praising God that this house has PLENTY of storage space, like closets, because here in Chile they are practically non-existent.


The Kids´bathroom directly across from the stair landing

The kids´rooms are mirror images of one another. They´ll each have a closet like this one and a small area to use as a desk. For Caleb he´ll probably just use it to stack toys, but for Hannah I think she´ll probably want an art station all to herself.

EARTHQUAKE!!!

I forget to mention that we had a 6.2 earthquake last night around 1 in the morning. I guess it happened on the Costa Rica and Panama border. I was slightly awake and could hear the ground rumbling and got out of bed to walk to the kids room when the main part ran right down the hallway of our house. It was bouncing pretty good (or I was mostly still asleep). Caleb had some lego toys on the side of his bed that got bounced off and ended up splattering over the tile floor. And then . . . just like that it was gone.

Kind of like the thief that ran across the top of our roof in the middle of the night over the weekend.

Too bad Heather was in Chile - she missed all the fun!!

I don't mind these little ones, kind of interesting, but I'm certainly hoping we never have a big one here or in Chile. Although I hear that Chile is overdue for a big one . . . .

Meanwhile back in Costa Rica . . . .

Following up on my wife's post below . . . here is our story back in San Jose.

So Heather called us and said we needed to go pick up Mr. Bunny International at the airport on Friday. His flight was to land at 10:30 so we needed to leave early to get there. Well to start off we had very little money at the house and we were not going to get paid for another two weeks so we need to get to the airport as cheaply as possible. Praise God that Costa Rica has an incredible bus system to get around the country, but it is still a process.

We left the house around 9:45 and walked over to the school (15 to 20 minutes - depending on how grumpy the kids are that day) and went to the bank. Well the first bank we went to did not have the ATM functioning so we had to walk further down the block to another ATM. While waiting in line we saw some other friends so while talking to them 3 other people jumped in front of us in the ATM line. Things to remember in Costa Rica -personal space is not much space at all - so if you are more than 12 inches from the person in front of you in a line - technically you are not in line at all - and people will feel free to avail themselves of those enormous 12 inches.

So finally we got our money from the ATM, walked up the street and then went and waited 10 minutes for the bus. This is the bus to get us from our part of town to downtown San Jose. This ride isn't too bad - maybe 20 minutes. Once we got into downtown San Jose we had to walk a good 10 blocks or so through downtown San Jose to the bus stop for the buses going out by the airport. Just as we walked up to the station one bus left so we had to go get in line for the next bus. Thankfully a lot of people go out to this side of town so the bus was filled pretty quickly and off we went. This bus ride is at least 30 or more minutes because through out the trip they are constantly picking up and dropping of people. So Gallatea arrived around 10:30 and we got to the airport around 11 or just after.

First of all we went downstairs to the security office to find out where we needed to go. The lady there said we needed to go upstairs to the Copa airline office and talk with them. So we walked back across the street, up the escalator, across the people bridge and into the check-in area. We walked up to the Copa check-in line and the guy at the front of the line said that our bunny was probably not at the office but at the cargo office. This office is about 2 miles before you get to the airport so now we went back across the people bridge, out to the road and got a taxi. The taxi thought he knew where the location was so off we go - out of the airport. Thankfully the taxi guy did know where it was and so we went inside. We talked with one lady out the front desk and she pointed us to Copa's cargo office. Down the hallway and in the door we went. The lady at the cargo office said she had no news about a bunny at their office but did some phone calling to find out where and if an international good-looking bunny in a white tuxedo suit might be. Finally she found out that the international good-looking bunny in a white tuxedo suit was actually back at the airport. Well this was good news except that there were no taxis on this street and the bus stop was quite a bit down the road. So out the door we went, walking away from the airport down the highway for 15 or so minutes to a cross walk. We went up the stairs, over the people bridge, down the stairs and then back up the road to the nearest bus stop.

Praise God (once again) that almost immediately after we got to the bus-stop a bus going to the airport was coming down the road so we got back on the bus and back to the airport. At the airport we went up the car ramp to the upstairs section, across the people bridge and back to the Copa airline check-in desk. I talked with a guy at the desk, who did some more calling, and finally he said I needed to go back downstairs to the security checkpoint where everybody leaves the airport. He said one of his co-workers would come out and either bring the bunny or take us in to get the bunny. So back across the people bridge, down the stairs, across the road and down to the security office we went.

Somehow I had the impression that the guy would show up fairly quickly since he knew that we were already waiting down there. Well the first 10 minutes went okay, then 15 . . . now Caleb and Hannah are laying on the ground and we are looking like a homeless family looking for handouts. 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes . . . now I feel like a homeless family looking for handouts. Maybe I should have had a cup to ask for bus fare back to the city. After a little more than 45 minutes the tall guy from Copa airlines comes out and says . . . "Sorry but I can only take one of you into the airport - security rules!!" So what do I do with the kids? "Well you can take the kids back upstairs to the check-in office and we can watch them there for you."

Back across the road, up the escalator, across the people bridge, back to the Copa check-in desk. I left the kids there with the workers and went back across the people bridge, down the stairs, across the road, and back to the security check-in desk . . . expecting the Copa guy to still be there. Well ten minutes later he finally shows up. I mention that I wasn't real "excited" about leaving my kids up at the check-in desk and could he call up to check that they were okay. By now I've kind of got the worried sick feeling in my stomach that somehow somebody has my kids booked for a flight down to Colombia by now. So he called and the supervisor of the office went out and took my kids to the back office of Copa where it was much more secure.

So now Copa guy and I walk into the airport back through customs and to the baggage claim area . . . and there sat our wonderful, furry, ball of joy international good-looking bunny in a white tuxedo suit. (Do you get the feeling of how much I love this little guy now . . . ) So we grab the bunny and start walking back out, but now we need to stop at the special customs desk where they check all the paperwork for animals coming and going through customs. Paperwork . . . what paperwork . . . there is no paperwork for the bunny because it is all down in Chile with my wife. (Well actually the paperwork, bunny food, water, and stuff like that had all started the trip with the bunny back to Costa Rica, but somehow it managed to fall out of the plane while our international good-looking bunny in a white tuxedo suit didn't . . . oh the luck!!)

Anyway so we ended up talking with Mr. Customs official trying to explain that indeed this beautiful bundle of joy in the cage was indeed Costa Rican (they couldn't tell by the white skin), and that it never actually made it into Chile because the customs officials did not like the paperwork with the bunny (that now was NOT with the bunny). So Mr. Customs official went off to talk with THE Mr. Customs OFFICIAL for some time to explain that we had an international bunny crisis with no papers to prove just how grand and big this international bunny crisis was.

Finally he came back and said I had to give him all my information including my grandmother's great aunt's maiden name and that they may come to our house in the next month to ensure that this fine, good looking bundle of joy and happiness is well and prospering at our home address. Which by now if you have read this blog or our prayer letters you know that there really is no such thing as an address, it's just a rough location for a house behind a barbwire fence.

So I gave Mr. Customs official my information and our family tree back to Norway and then out through customs, across the road, up the stairs, and back across the people bridge I went. I got to the check-in desk and they said I could go back the hallway to the back office, which I ended up taking the wrong corner and almost getting lost in the back of the airport. That would have been a good conversation to have with the security . . . and finally find my kids.

Back out through the maze of hallways, past the check-in office, over the people bridge, across the parking lot, down the car ramp, out to the road and down to the bus stop we went. A few minutes later we finally snagged a bus for the ride back into town. By this time we were all pretty tired and I think I started to hear the rabbit speak Spanish to me. I don't know what was scary, that I was hearing the rabbit speak Spanish, or that I was beginning to understand him. If he didn't have such big front teeth I think his pronunciation would have been better!!

Finally we got back to San Jose, and I was pretty certain that we were not going to make it across town walking again so I finally broke down and got a taxi for the ride home.

All in all, from the time we left the house to the time we got back was close to five hours. Five hours to retrieve and bring home this little wonderful, sweet, adorable, loveable, international good-looking bunny in a white tuxedo suit.

Can somebody say - RABBIT STEW!!

Sincerely yours - Doug

Wrabitt Woes

Gallatea and I set off on a wonderful trip to Chile on Thursday. We left the house around 5:00 am and while getting checked in, they decided to put me on an earlier flight to Panama so I would have more time to change plans before heading to Chile. All was uneventful, we made it through security without having to pull him out of the cage, although they had asked me to, after I had tried to NO avail, they simply used a hand wand to check his cage. We settled into the first flight with a whole row to ourselves which gave me plenty of room to check on him during our flight. He did GREAT, however he DEFINITLY was very leary!!

I took this picture during our lay over when he slept most of the time.

Getting on our 6 hour flight to Chile was fine with no issues, this time we also had a whole row of 3 seats to ourselves. He rested and ate, while I relaxed, slept a bit, and watched a couple of the in flight movies. It was very relaxing, until...

I got to customs in Chile. First off I must say, I did not just make this decision lightly to take an animal to another country. I had called the Chilean consolate in Costa Rica, had him examined by a vet, had gotten his health certificate certified by the Costa Rican governmenet, and even visited the Chilean embasy there in Costa Rica to get his certificate for entry into Chile. However... As soon as entering the customs area, I was told that he could not enter the country. I was just stunned!! Exhausted, stunned, trying to understand these people who speak with a TOTALLY different accent and EXTREMELY FAST, and explaining everything in Spanish. They wouldn´t budge!!! OH, did I mention all 3 of the customs agents were WOMEN!! Crying just wouldn´t have worked!!

SO, I asked what my options were. They said I could have it killed... (Yeah, right? Why would I have gone though all of that trouble to kill him?! Plus what in the world would I have told my daughter?) ... OR I could leave it with Copa Airlines. (What is Copa Airlines going to do with a rabbit for 9 days straight?)

Well, there was a WONDERFUL lady from Copa who was SOOO understanding. Free of charge, she arranged to send the rabbit back to Costa Rica the next day to have Doug pick up at the airport. SO, I said goodbye to the flying rabbit and proceeded to ABWE headquarters to call my husband to inform him of his new plans for Friday. Now the pick up, was even more interesting, or so I am told. I´m hoping Doug will blog about that soon!!!

I just praise God that Gallatea made it ¨home¨ ok and now is safely hopping around our yard in Costa Rica. However, now we need to find him a permanent home in Costa Rica. Any takers???

Other than that interesting challenge that now I can laugh at, I am having a great time. I got some groceries yesterday and I will be seeing some houses and at least one doctor next week. I´m enjoying being here, but look forward to when my family can be here too!

Off I Go!

Please be in prayer as I leave first thing tomorrow morning for 9 days traveling to, in, and from Chile. I am excited to spend time looking at houses, fellowshipping with other missionaries, and getting to meet a doctor who is supposed to know something about Addison's Disease. I should have access to a computer, so if I have time, I'll update my blog from there.

Please especially be in prayer for Doug and the kids as they will be here alone and Doug will have to balance the kids, school, and other activities.

God bless!

Excited?

I've noticed something since being here in Costa Rica. Ok, I've noticed A LOT of things! But this one is an eternal perspective. Do you get excited when someone shares that someone was saved? The ministry here that we are involved with under a fellow missionary pastor is very strong in sharing the gospel and it is not unusual to hear on consective Sundays that someone else gave their life over to God. SOOOO what is the reaction. The first Sunday we heard this, I spoke up loudly and said, "Aleluja" (Spanish pronunciation). People looked at me funny.

WOW! Shouldn't we be shouting from the roof tops just like the Angels rejoicing in heaven that there will be another child of God in heaven one day? When was the last time you became genuinely excited about the salvation of another child of God? By being excited we show that there is joy and blessing in being a child of God. If we aren't excited about being His child, then why should anyone else?

By the way, I still say "Aleluja" rather loudly!

Elli

Two months after Caleb was born we were enjoying our healthy, happy, newborn, when we learned about the struggle of some friends from college days. Elli was born in February 2000 to our friends Scott and Joy (Wickholm) Bennett. She was beautiful! The doctors detected a heart murmer, but after the normal time in the hospital the hospital staff sent mother and baby home. Just a day or so later, Elli was back in the hospital after turning blue from lack of oxygen. Elli was fighting for her life at less than a week old. Surgery after surgury left Elli struggling to keep up with her peers and because of a tube that was "placed" in her throat during one of her emergency surguries, she was unable to use much of her voice box.


Elli turned 8 this past February and has learned how to communicate using a portable computer as her voice called a dynavox. Since Elli was unable to fully develope she was mostly confined to a wheelchair. She had been learning how to use a motorized one so she could have a bit more independence.


Over the years, I've watched and admired our friends Scott and Joy as they took care of Elli with love and treated her just like any of the younger kids they have since had. Joy has fought and fought to make sure that Elli would receive the necessary government assistance that Elli so rightfully deserved. All the while Scott and Joy have been active members and now Scott is an elder in their local church.


Well, one week ago Sunday, Elli passed away in her sleep. God just knew it was time to take her home. Elli loved to sing! She really just loved any kind of music, but especially Veggie Tales! We know that Elli is finally dancing with her own 2 feet, and singing with her very own voice! I can't wait to get to heaven and hear her sing! I know it will be beautiful, just as she was!

On her last night of tucking Elli in, Joy shared with her about God's love and she prayed with Elli. In her on-line blog Joy writes of tucking Elli in every night with the possibility that "this might be the last time I do this." If you would like to read more about my friend you can visit her blog site that is linked to the title of this blog. Just click on "Elli."

It really has made me think about how you just don't know when will be the last moment you see someone, hug someone, or have the chance to show God's love to someone. Now when I tuck in my kids or send them off to bed because I am just spent from the day, I ask God to help me give from His stregnth one more time to tuck them in right, or cuddle a little longer, because tomorrow may not come.

Please be in prayer for Scott and Joy as they and their 3 other children have begun the LONG process of continuing to move forward in the Lord's will for their lives!

Bums for Jesus

Last night was girls' night out for a few of us. Some of my close friends here took me out for my birthday. It was SO great to get out of the house with friends! I miss the friends that I have here at ILE because they are continuing to spend time together in between classes and I'm never there. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being home with the kids and homeschooling them. This is what the Lord has directed us to do, but sometimes it's a bit lonely, especially without female companionship. Therefore, it was a really nice break to get out of the house!

Anyway, on the car ride there, I was saying that I'm really thankful for the transient people in my life. That I hope that I can be and have been a blessing to them and that truly many have been a blessing to me. Well, a couple of the girls looked at one another and wondered what "transient" meant. So, I explained in this context it meant the people that aren't in our lives for very long. In this year at ILE, I have many "transient" friends that minister to one another and then move on to other countries and may or may not stay in touch. Well, one of the girls had known what transient meant, but she thought of a bum. She thought I was talking about how I have "homeless bums" in my life.

Then we made the connection. Yes, a bum is usually homeless or moving a lot, often begging for money, and wears hand me down clothing. That sounds A LOT like missionary life. We move A LOT! We are asking for support to do God's work, and we often wear hand me down clothing! So, we all decided that we are "Bums for Jesus!" Anyone else want to join the club???

Editor's Note:
(OK clarification here. I understand that there are many responsible people out there that are homeless and are doing all that they can to provide for their families. My sister works for a group that helps such families find work, housing, and to provide for their families. They are not those that I would call "bums.")

Not Going

Due to a storm that has litterally camped out over the northern part of Costa Rica, all the roads up to Guanacaste where we were going to go and see the ministry, are closed. They are impassable. Sooo we'll have another quiet weekend at home continuing to process the items that either go to Chile when I go in November, that we need to sell, or that we'll take back to the states. This is a long process, but fun to purge again and be free of earthly goods! We're hoping to have good enough weather in January in Ohio to be able to purge more of our "stuff" before we ship things to Chile. We'll see, we may end up purging when we get there. Who knows!

USA or Costa Rica

Today, Doug and I were able to get away for a couple of hours to a local mall about 20 minutes away by taxi. We are thankful to have fellow ABWE missionaries who have teenaged girls who will take care of our kids. Anyway, as we stood there in the food court wondering what we wanted to eat, we truly wondered if we were back in the states. Our choices were, McD's, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Taco Bell, Subway, Quiznos, Cinnabon, and an "ice cream" place. Sooooo, we ended up going hispanic at least, with Taco Bell :).

Truly, we often wonder if are just in Miami on a long weekend. Then we head back home with the bars, razor wire, glass ridged walls, and 7 locks to open to get into our front door and we're jarred back into reality. Some days the time outside of the city is so relaxing. Oh to see a mountain or a sunset without bars on the windows. Granted living where we live, I would never get rid of the bars, but each time we can get out of the city, even for a couple of hours, it is always a welcome, yet guarded change!!

Next weekend we are excited to visit another ABWE ministry in Guanacaste. Guanacaste is an area of Costa Rica well known for its resorts and tourist trafic, but the people are EXTREMELY poor and there is a group there that meets on Saturdays at least once a month, when Paul and Patty Coulier, our pastor here and fellow ABWE missionaries, can drive the 5 hours each way to minister. Due to my health and the kids, we are leaving on Friday so as to make it a two day trip. Normally, Paul and Patty drive the 5 hours up to Guanacaste, minster, have lunch, and then turn right back around and drive the 5 hours home only to wake up on Sunday morning to minister here at "our" church. Please pray for this ministry in Guanacaste! They DESPERATELY need a pastor to take over and REALLY be able to devote the time and God's energy into a church plant. For now we are excited to FINALLY glimpse the Pacific Ocean and get to help with this ministry! I'll post more details when we get back with pictures and more details!

Thanking God for...

Keeping in line with yesterday's post, I'm giving the receiving angel some work.

Thank you God for sending your son to be my savior!
Thank you God for a wonderful husband!
Thank you God for children who want to follow You!
Thank you God for a house that is comforable and big enough for us and friends.
Thank you God for medication and doctors who help many of us!
Thank you God for friends!
Thank you God for food on our table, even treats that many can't afford.
Thank you God for family.
Thank you God for healthy bodies that function on a daily basis.

How many can you come up with?!? I have many more, but some are just not for sharing on the WWW.

What Happens in Heaven

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, 'This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.'

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.

The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them. 'I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed 'How is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked.

'So sad,' the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.'

'How does one acknowledge God's blessings?' I asked.

'Simple,' the angel answered. Just say, 'Thank you, Lord.'

'What blessings should they acknowledge?' I asked.

'If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy.'

'And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.'

'If you woke up this morning with more health than illness .... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.'

'If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you! are ahead of 700 million people in the world.'

'If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world.'

'If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare.'

'If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.'

Ok, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

I can't say that as a teacher I agree with being disrespectful to a teacher, but I was sent this story over e-mail and I thought it appropriate in our current day and age.

One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children. The teacher asked a little boy:

Tommy do you see the tree outside?

TOMMY: Yes.

TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?

TOMMY: Yes.

TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.

TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.

TEACHER: Did you see God up there?

TOMMY: No.

TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there. Possibly he just doesn't exist.

A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions. The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy:

Tommy, do you see the tree outside?

TOMMY: Yes.

LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?

TOMMY: Yessssss!

LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?

TOMMY: Yessssss!

LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?

TOMMY: Yes

LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?

TOMMY: No

LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school, she possibly may not even have one!

'FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT'> > II CORINTHIANS 5:7

Balance and Medications

Balance - Heather? In the same sentence? Many of you who know me well, also know that I tend to go, go, go. If I have a task to do, I'll get it done, and do it well. However, more often than not that comes at the expense of my relationships. Some would put it this way... My personality type values Tasks OVER People. I have to say this is true. Sad, but true.

Anyway, since being diagnosed with Addison's Disease, I HAVE to take it much easier. I physically can't go, go, go. I think this is God's way of calming me down. See, with Addison's Disease, I don't get that extra "shot" of adrenaline when something goes wrong. Therefore, I can't get riled up about things unnecessarily. For instance, on Monday, I was riding in a taxi when we nearly had a head on collision. Most people, even after an incident like that would feel that extra "shot" of adrenaline, but not me. I simply thought, "Wow. We almost had an accident. How weird, I didn't even stress about it?.?." After talking to another Addison's patient, she told me she has had many of the same experiences, since being diagnosed over 15 years ago, so I guess that's my new "normal."

I asked my new Addison's friend, who by the way, has given birth to 4 children and manages them everyday while having Addison's, about balancing medications, and how each day I feel different. I just wish this was an exact science, but it isn't. NOT BY A LONG SHOT!!! I guess I need to take more meds when I'm feeling sick. A simple head cold can put me in the hospital again, or getting the stomach flu, or severe diarrhea. How FRUSTRATING it would all be, IF I COULD GET TRULY FRUSTRATED ABOUT IT!!

So for now please continue to pray that I would learn to balance my medication levels and that I would know when to increase based on the stress levels and sicknesses in my life. This is life long and has every day effects on me and my family.

This is just one of the medications that I have to carry with me every time I leave the house. In case of emergency, where I can't physically take another pill, someone has to give me this injection.

Memories

So here in Costa Rica, we have something called the Jesus Christ Lizard. It is called this because it walks/runs on water.

Anyway, last night I had gotten out of bed to take some of my medication, which Doug didn't realize and woke up startled as I got back into bed. This reminded me of an experience from 3 years ago. Sorry if some of you may have heard this one before...

Middle of the night, I roll over and realize I'm not going back to sleep without taking a trip to the bathroom. So I climb out of bed. I go to the bathroom. Flush the toilet. Wash my hands. Go to the kids' room and check on them. Then I head back to the bedroom...

After all of this time, Doug still hasn't woken up, until he sees a shadow in the hall coming toward the bedroom. (Side note here: Doug only sees to the end of his nose without his contacts or glasses.) So, he sees this shadow in the hall, KNOWS that his wife is sound asleep next to him, and begins what I call the "Jesus Lizard" walk across the bed with his hands held open like the talons of an eagle, while roaring like a bear. Then he stops after hearing...

"It's me! It's me!" I covered my head in fear. Doug had so much momentum he couldn't have stopped, so he just hugged me.

After asking him what he would have done had it been an intruder, he replied, "I was honestly hoping he'd turn and run."

For the next month, EVERY time I got out of bed, I woke him up to tell him.

Estudio Biblico

WOW!! I just finished my first official Bible study in Spanish as a ministry opportunity. I've prepared lots of Bible studies for my language class last trimester, but this was the first time I got to use the Spanish and the concepts that I had studied and practiced last trimester. Thank you Annabelle (my teacher)! Our new friends from Word of Life who were transferred here from Brasil to take over the ministry, asked me to share a Bible study for the ladies of Word of Life here. God is teaching me about His strength rather than my own and so I simply shared what God has been showing me. It seemed to go well and my missionary friend said it was great! I only hope God uses it, if not for anyone else who was there, but for my continued growth in Him! Here's a picture we took afterward of me with some of the ladies.

Out on the "Town"

Tonight was the first night, after many suggestions in the past that I finally went somewhere with my new neighbor Jackie. We went to PriceMart (like a Sam's club). I needed some things and so did she. She has a car. Obviously I don't. Then we went to Pali (owned by WalMart, but a lot like an Aldi). It was SO nice not to have to try to find a taxi and fabulous to stop at 2 different places without having to return home between errands to drop off the things that I had bought, only to go right back out to a different store.

Doug, Rolando, Jackie, MariaPaula (3), Hannah, Caleb, Sebastian (6), and Daniella(15) when they came over for the traditional American breakfast just after they moved in one month ago.

Jackie is SO great! She has been so helpful with my language and she is SO patient! I hope and pray that as time continues, although we have less than 3 months left here (HARD TO BELIEVE!!), that we will become closer and really be able to communicate on a more intimate level. For now, we talk about life, kids, groceries, and God.

Reading in Spanish

Regardless of your like or dislike of the Harry Potter series, it is a pretty good read, even in Spanish. That's right, I'm reading it in Spanish. It's actually pretty interesting, although I'm using my dictionary quite a bit, especially my out of date 1960's Spanish dictionary that I still have from my high school Spanish classes. I think that's because the books were written by an English author and therefore when translated it is more typical of Spain Spanish, plus the topics are quite "old school."

This is the first exposure that anyone in our family has had with this series. I'm hesitant to expose my kids just yet to this type of world of imagination. However when I saw the books in the bookstore here and I needed to begin reading something elementary in Spanish, I thought it would be a good way to guage the value of letting my kids read the books or see the movies. For me, it is simply a good imaginative story, but for my kids and their little eyes, ears, and thoughts, we are putting into practice the kids song "Oh be careful little eyes what you see..." Any thoughts?? I welcome comments as to what your family has done and any positives or negatives that have resulted.

Cow Stomach

Ok - so tomorrow is Independence Day here in Costa Rica. Therefore we celebrated at Church today with typical Costa Rican food, which happened to include cow's stomach. I couldn't eat it. What a bad missionary, I am. I just couldn't do it. I did taste it and tried to chew it, but it was like chewing tough fat covered in felt. It had no taste, but I just couldn't eat it. That delicacy went by the way side. The other foods were yummy. You'd think that things would be spicy here, but it is nothing like Mexico where everything has a kick to it. Here things are VERY bland but full of celantro flavoring. Enjoy your next meal and think of us!

Trip to Chile

I'm excited. Due to my seriousness of my health situation, especially in an emergency, the powers that be, and we though that it was a good idea for me to visit Chile to meet and find out about the care that I would be receiving in Chile. Therefore, I am going to Chile in November. I am SOOOO excited!!! Not only will I be able to visit with some doctors, but I will be able to transport some of our belongings there directly from here in Costa Rica so that we don't have to haul some of it back to the states and just about all over the country before putting it on a container to ship to Chile. We are also taking this opportunity to send our pet rabbit, Galatea Ann Amundson, with me. Thankfully some of the missionaries there have said they would watch over her for the few months between when I visit and we arrive in February. When Hannah received her rabbit as a birthday gift back in March, we thought we'd have to leave her behind with another family, but she has become one of the family, and so we are glad to have the chance to take her to Chile with us.

While I'm there for my 8 day visit I'll have the opportunity to

1. Visit with doctors,
2. Be sure they have my medication, and if not begin thinking about the medications that I will need to transport to Chile from the states,
3. Check out the car we are planning to buy - This is another story, but GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD!!! 2 years ago I made a list of cars that were available in Chile that would be economical and fit our family, including if we adopted. Well, some of our own ABWE missionaries are moving to northern Chile and want to sell their car. It's one of the EXACT cars that was on my list! GOD IS GOOD!!!
4. Look at the Santiago Christian Academy's (ABWE missionary kid school) school library, to see if any of the homeschool books that I am planning to use are already there. That way, I'll know when we get back to the states the books that I need to order and those that are already there. Just another way to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!
5. Look at some houses while we're there, to see what size homes and yards are available. Although we will not decide on a house in November, at least we're not planning to, it will help in the process come February when we get there!
6. Get to spend time with my future collegues on the field.

Overall, this trip will be one of searching and observing. Please pray for

• The extra cost that this trip will entail.
• The travel safety and fluidity, especially with an animal on board for the flights down there.
• The people, that God will provide to watch our kids while I'm gone.
• Doug and the kids while I'm gone
• My health with the additional stress of the trip.
• I will encounter all the medications, doctors, and medical care that will be needed while we seek to serve God in Chile.

The first FULL week

Well we've just completed our first full week of a new "normal." Overall, I'd say it went quite well. Monday we started our 3rd week of homeschool and I started my first week of "classes." Monday afternoon I had the priviledge of spending an hour talking to my language partner. Her name is Blanca. I am told she is a new Christian, and I look forward to confirming that and then beginning the discipleship process with her. I know more about Biblical Christianity than she does and she knows more about Spanish than I do. What a great exchange!!! Then Tuesday after homeschool, which we do every morning, my tutor came for lunch and our tutoring session. We mostly reviewed this week, but starting next week we'll begin to finish the grammar book that the school has already given to me. Wednesday was more interesting. After homeschool, the kids and Doug went to gymnastics which started on Monday, but I had no idea, so we started a day late. I headed out to get some groceries as we had invited an older couple from our church over to eat with us Wednesday night. They were DELIGHTFUL!! But I'll fill you in on that later! Thursday looked just like Tuesday. Fridays will look like Mondays without gymnastics which will give Doug and the kids some special time without mommy, and give mommy a much needed break. Today, I took the kids to a friends house while I went to talk to Blanca again.

Although there is something scheduled for every afternoon, it seems to give the kids motivation to get all their seatwork done before their upcoming special activity.

Funnies that Made me Smile

Through A Child's Eyes...

My son Zachary, 4, came screaming out of the bathroom to tell me he'd dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. So I fished it out and threw it in the garbage. Zachary stood there thinking for a moment, then ran to my bathroom and came out with my toothbrush. He held it up and said with a charming little smile, "We better throw this one out too then, 'cause it fell in the toilet a few days ago."

While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4- year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. The various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs, unfailingly intrigued her. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, "The tooth fairy will never believe this!"

While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased. The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his Father always said: "Glory be unto the Faaaather, and unto the Sonnn .. and into the hole he gooooes."

A little girl had just finished her first week of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother. "I can't read, I can't write and they won't let me talk!"

A little boy opened the big family bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. "Mama, look what I found", the boy called out. "What have you got there, dear?" With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear."

Exhausted and a bit discouraged

Exhausted because we had 26 people here for ABWE associated game night. We LOVE doing this!!! We host it every other Sunday night. It is a great time of informal fellowship and one of our gifts is hospitality. That's why we've had over 150 people in our home since we arrived here in Costa Rica. This is a missionary tradition that we hope and pray we can carry on in Chile.

This is just one of the groups we've had. This was a singles progressive dinner. We made the main course.

OK - on to the discouragement... As I posted earlier, we were SOOOO excited that our neighbors were planning to come with us to an evangelical marriage seminar. Well, because they are Catholic and their "boss" doesn't want them seen at an evangelical event, they can't go anymore. I was SOOO looking forward to that weekend. Ok - maybe I was hoping for them to hear the gospel directly and not have to really push it home myself, but now please pray that God 1. gives me the words to say to share HIS true plan of salvation 2. God gives us the right opportunities.

On the good side, Doug is going running with the husband "R" and I have NUMEROUS chances to sit and chat with the wife "J." In fact I had my first "Cafecito" their tica home.

Thankful Idiot

So, I'm basically doing an idependent study this trimester. I'm planning to work with a language partner, a tutor, and informal time attending a ladies Bible study each week. On Mondays and Fridays, I'm planning to meet with my language partner, Blanca. She has worked with students before and as I've requested will simply shake her head "no" when I mess up. This works well for me because I'll have the chance to really think about what I said wrong. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I'll have a tutor. Graciella is actually one of the professors from the institute who tutors outside of class for additional income. Then on Wednesdays, I'll begin to learn how to decifer the "background buzz" of Spanish conversation by attending a ladies Bible study that one of the ladies from our church has.



With all of these plans and things, I have to stay on top of my learning. Well, I was at our neighbors house and her son, age 6 and in kindergarden has this book that he read to me. It's basically a beginner's reader or learn to read type book. First it works on the sounds and then reading. Boy did I feel DUMB!!!


I didn't know half the words in the book. Sure I could pronounce them, but did I understand what they meant? NO!! NO!! NO!! So they loaned it to me. After getting over 15 small pages of new vocabulary words, I feel like a FULL ON IDIOT!!! 5 and 6 year old kids know these words and I don't. Therefore, I am thankful that I have this opportunity to learn this vocab, but still I feel like an idiot!

New perspective

Through the Institute, there is a program of linking "big brothers and sisters" with new incoming students. The big brothers and sisters have the responsibilities of securing a house for the incoming family, arranging transporation from the airport to their new home, and showing them around. We were big siblings to one couple in May, Joe and Heidi Depuy, who are also with ABWE and are going to Mexico City, but we had been made aware of another family even before we had left the states in December and had committed to help them out when they arrived. They arrived last Thursday. Travis and Emily Mitten, along with their 4 daughters arrived safe and sound and have begun to adjust to life here in Costa Rica. Emily is doing EXTREMELY well, expecially since this is her first time out of the US - except for Canada I think. We've been to the local "SuperWalMart," "Sam's Club," and mall.

Through all of this, I realize just how much Spanish Doug and I have truly learned since being here. On the flip side, I also have realized just how little I truly know. Words that one uses in everyday conversation just are not there. To discuss household chores is a chore. To discuss general life details is simple, but get into anything philisophical and I'm TOAST!!! I know in time that will come, but some days I just wish God could just flip a switch and there it would all be. Too bad I don't learn from Osmosis. I'd put my Spanish dictionary under my pillow at night! Oh, the effects of the Tower of Babel!!!

Clean Bill of Health

Well, I met with the doctor today and after many blood tests and analysis, I am at the right level of medication. I simply have to change when I take one of my pills, so as to spread out the hormon level throughout the day. Praise the Lord all is well!

I also have received clearance to visit Chile in November with the purpose of meeting with doctors and seeing the hospital where I would be taken care of to ensure and reasure me that I will have the care that I might need in the event of an emergency with Addison's disease. While there I will bring some things down to Chile so we don't have to transport them all over the states before finally getting them to Chile. This thankfully includes our beloved pet rabbit, Galatea. God is GOOD!!

Opportunities

God is SO good! We now have new neighbors! They are Costa Rican and they are WONDERFUL! They are actually catholic missionaries. They help couples in crisis with counseling care and run various marriage seminars. SOOOO when the opportunity to take them to a Christian couples seminar for them to hear the gospel and to gain new ideas and resources, I shared it with them. We are hoping and praying to take them with us to this weekend retreat which will be ENTIRELY in Spanish of course. We are SO excited!

Locks of Love

That was Th'hair!

This is NOW!

For the second time, Hannah has donated her hair to locks of love. August of 2006 she donated her hair while we were in the states and again just yesterday we cut her hair so that we can send her braids back to locks of love.

Saying Goodbye

We've said goodbye to various friends this week as another trimester ends and many of our friends have completed their Spanish language training. They are moving on to their mission country and we move on to homeschooling and tutoring for me. Of course Doug will contine to take classes at ILE. Here are some pictures of the closing ceremony of Caleb and Hannah's summer camp. I have short videos too, but they seem to be too large to get up.




Me and my friend J. She has been a GREAT friend here! I will miss her dearly, but I pray for God's blessings upon them and their 4 kids and hopefully more in the future, as they go to Peru.

My language class from this trimester. Annabelle, our maestra, Amy and my friend Tasha! Amy is heading back to the states and Tasha has one more trimester before their family leaves in December for Uruguay.