Crazy Little Thing Called Life!

This past week has been crazy! It went by so fast. I finally feel like I’m in my place here. I’ve finally been given permission to put pictures on facebook so I have created a group. If you would like to see the facebook pictures please let me know and I will give you access. This week I’ve been focusing more on journaling and quiet time than on my blog. That is why I haven’t posted many blogs,  lol! The Lord has been speaking to me through His word. I had been struggling with being broken hearted for these kids. This past week the Lord has shown me that these kids are His and their future and what happens to them is not something I should be worried about.   Luke 20:25 says “And he said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” These kids are not mine. They are the Lord’s; they are not mine to worry about because they are in the Lord’s hands.  

Craziness this week = 1) another tia found a bat in our laundry, 2) one of the boys peed on my hand while I was giving him a bath, 3) we had a bat come in the house one night, 4) I found a frog the size of a small dog in our laundry area 5) We watched Rolie Polie Olie! In Spanish!! 6) I heard the twins praying outside “Gracias a Dios…” so cute!

On Sunday, I cooked all meals and prepared the snack ! It was a success.  We had eggs and toast for breakfast and for lunch we had pasta with chicken, onions, tomatoes, cucumber with rice and topped with Italian dressing. For dinner we had beans and French toast. Yum!! All but one of my kids loved the food. I think 9/10 is pretty good. And Ma loved lunch. (Lunch is the biggest meal of the day.)

I’m learning that Prayer truly is the greatest gift I can give these kids J.  Some of these kids have had a rough past, but this place, is a place of peace and rest, place of Joy and hope. This is a place of smiles, giggles and is full of hugs and kisses J I can’t wait to come back!

My week in Facebook statuses:

·         Monday: Psalms 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

“I trust You God with where I am, and believe that you will have Your way!”

·         Tuesday: “Had an awesome day exploring with the other tias in San Jose today. In the morning, it's back to this crazy thing I call life lol!”

·         Wednesday: “Trying to get 10 kids to sleep is no easy task, but I wouldn't wanna b anywhere else :)”

“Veronica found a bat in our laundry and killed it with a broom stick, and I found a frog the size of a small dog in the laundry area ....what a day!”

·         Thursday: “I finally took pictures of my beautiful kids :)”

·         Friday: "To know You, is to want to know You more!"

·         Saturday: “One thing I've learned in my second month here is Costa Rica is I'm am expert and adding and subtracting any numbers that = 10. I ♥ my kiddos!”

·         Sunday: “Two meals down one to go! Ma loved lunch and I'd say 9/10 for breakfast and 9/10 for lunch is pretty good. And both the twins had three bowls of lunch. Sweet success!”

Pictures of My Kiddos

I haven't posted in a while I've been working on emailing pictures of my adorable kids. So if you'd like to see them let me know. :) I'll send them your way.

Weekend and Freetime :)

Sunday was a crazy day. It was just me and Ma till about 8:30. So I pretty much clothed and bathed all the kids singlehandedly. Ma bathed one and put clothes on two (so that leaves 9 to bathe and 8 to clothe). What a job!  Then I got to go to church. The message was in English translated to Spanish. The message was awesome. It was about how to end the drought in your life. It was great!  I got to take my two little girls and Coni (the youngest of the two) stayed with me in church. She did great and this was only her second time out of the house. She’s two and so precious. She sat on the floor and played with the bulletin; it was so cute! When we came back it was lunch time and nap time. Then I had two hours before my day off started, and all the kids played outside. So all the tias hung out together, and then I headed to get the key to the awesome cabin I got to stay in. Monday I just chilled and enjoyed my time off till later that night when the other tia’s day off started. We all hung out and talked in casa 5 which is just for two tias. They don’t live in the casas with the kiddos. We had dinner and talked about school and the kids. It was really encouraging to talk things through together. (All four of us are volunteers from the U.S.) Then today we got up and headed out to the capital, San Jose. We shopped around then I showed the other girls around since I’d been there a couple times last month, and we made it back before dark. I then helped put the kids to sleep, and unload our wagon of food we got. I bought a coffee mug today in honor of the fact I’m now addicted to coffee. Not because I love it just cause if I don’t have that extra caffeine I get a headache, boo.  It’s been relaxing to have a few days off. And in the morning it’s back into the swing of things! J I missed my kids!

Please keep praying that my kids can heal from their past and finally find a forever family and a future. 

My Songs of the Day

Everything by Lifehouse

Dancing with Orphans - this may be stupid but it made me cry when I listened to it last night because for devotional time last night we listened to a cd of kid's music (Thanks Katie Powell) and danced our hearts out.

And one that continues to be my favorite - Always Enough by Casting Crowns

You want the truth? Here it is!

I haven’t really laid out how I’ve been doing emotionally on this trip. Yes I knew it would be taxing having to speak Spanish all day and draining because I have 10 kids under the age of 5 and 5 of them still in diapers, but I haven’t thought much about the kids themselves. Yeah it’s easy when you just think of them as kids that live here nothing more, but when I hear the older ones pray at night it breaks my heart. Every one of them prays for their mom and dad, and I’m sitting there knowing that some of them don’t have a mom and dad.  Their reaction to my parents being here is crushing, and it’s been a week but they still ask about my parents. And when I leave what am I supposed to say ok goodbye going back to my nice house, my nice room to a family that loves and misses me?

It would be so much easier if this was just an orphanage. I can handle the idea (it’s heart wrenching, but I can handle it) of these children not having parents because of some unknown reason, that I can put my mind around and yes it’s hard but is do able. But when I have to be told that I need to watch when I play with a 5 year old where he puts his hands and when he’s playing with the other kids because he was sexually abused that my mind will never comprehend.  Some come from abusive situations and other just abandoned. But even the ones that have no home like a 4 year old in my house(whose been here 4 years), Lord help him because he is always in a state of anxiety because he has no idea what’s happening in the future.  I can’t help but cry out to God for Him to provide a forever family for all these kids.

Tonight I’m having a hard time battling with my flesh! Please pray that I can overcome it because all I want to do is go home! Not because speaking Spanish all day is hard or because I’m home sick or because every night I’m so drained and brain dead, but because in three weeks I’m leaving these beautiful children here and going back to my perfect world but it’s not really the perfect world that’s important it’s something as little as knowing that I have a family!

Praise the Lord for this place this is a place of refuge of abused and abandoned children. It’s a healing place for those whose spirits are broken and even at age 5 think they have no purpose in life. It’s a place of rediscovery that their lives do matter. It’s a place for children to receive physical and emotional needs while learning all about the most important thing which is to have Christ in their hearts.

Please pray for me as I keep my head up while trying and make a difference in these kid’s lives. That the Lord will work in my life because when dad asked me tonight if I was glad to be here I couldn’t answer yes because I know that in a couple weeks I leave. And please pray the Lord help me find purpose in this trip. (I know he doesn’t have to have one)  I meet with the Director Monday to hear more about the kids in my house and their past, please pray that the Lord will emotionally prepare me for that because now I am not. As much as I want and need prayer for myself emotionally I also ask that you pray for each one of my children that the Lord will provide for them a forever family that will love and provide for them.  I so desire that for all of them I’ve never had a stronger desire!

All of this is just another reminder that I have nada que dar!

Fun times with the kiddos! :D

Yesterday morning when I got up I was put on bathing duty during which I learned how to bathe 10 kids back to back. Then after I got cleaned up and had breakfast I got to take both of my oldest to the zoo with the other older kiddos. It was fun! We saw many different animals and they loved it I also got to meet some other tias that are here. After that we came back for lunch. After lunch was homemade popsicle time out on the soccer field then dinner playtime and bed. My fb status pretty much summed up my day. It said “today I learned how to bathe 10 kids back to back, that I can fit three kids on my legs and still watch tv, and catch the other child that's trying to jump in my lap. An avestruz is an ostrich and those two hour nap times aren't just for the kids :) Te amo aqui y all 10 of my kids!”

Today I clothed the kids and then after breakfast I washed and dried all the dishes (which has to be done every meal or snack (that’s a total of five times a day, dishes for at least 10 ppl) ) then I helped put all the clothes on the line (with 10 kids laundry is done every morning), and I got a shower. It’s amazing what you can do from 6-8:30am we had devotion time and then we took the kids outside to play. They played different relay games and then were running through a puddle of water which soon became mud. Then all the tias including myself got pulled into the mud. Then we slid on a tarp with soap and played with water balloons. Then the tias had a tug a war fight over the mud puddle. All the kids and the tias loved it, and everybody was soaked! Then we ate lunch outside we had hotdogs yum!  Then I took a nap and then we played inside cause it was raining.  We had another tia and a new helper today and the other tia left around 3 and the other girl around 4 so for about 3 hours it was me all the kids and Ma. Needless to say I’m pooped!

Catching up on my day off!!

I didn’t do a good job of keeping with my blog the last week sorry I’ve been none stop all the time. Last Monday we had class in the morning, which was nice. I had a two page paper due and a 10 min presentation on the dictators of Nicaragua. It was a bunch. The only thing that was bad is that my teacher crazy and gave us all this work the other class just and the paper, but I guess it was good for me. I needed the extra practice. 

We went to La Paz waterfalls. It was a resort and they also had birds, humming birds, butterflies, big cats like jaguars, snakes, I got to ride an ox cart, and I saw three waterfalls they were gorgeous!

Toucan!!

Me and Kalie on a traditional ox cart

Me and Sam at the Waterfalls

We went back to San Jose after class for some last minute shopping I bought some really cute stuff!! :D

Thursday we went to Volcano Poas, but the clouds were so thick we couldn’t see anything. We had class in the afternoon. And that night my mama tica made me and Sam my roommate the other professor that had been staying with us for the past two weeks and my mama tica’s daughter and the two girls in our group that were staying with us Katie and Roxie, lasagna. It was so good it was our going away party because Mark (the professor) wasn’t going to be there Friday night.  

This is all you could see clouds but it was really cool.

Friday morning around 4 in the morning a pipe broke and my room and a couple others flooded. Thankfully the people here never keep anything on the floor just in case water is on the floor and the houses are always tile. But they didn’t tell me and Sam that, but they only things that got wet weren't a big deal all electronics and stuff were safe. So for the first time in my life I swept out water of a house lol!  

That morning we had our final presentations and graduation.  Then a few of us headed to the pool until it was cloudy and time for the usual afternoon showers. It’s the rainy season so it rains about 2-4 every day. Sometimes earlier sometimes later sometimes all day you get the picture.

Friday night we packed and the power went out for about three hours so we colored took a nap with the rain hitting the tin roof, and when my papa tico came home we ordered pizza. And we had pizza by candle light. Then shortly after that the power was back on.

Me and Samuel one of my teachers with my diploma stating that I've finished my minor.

Saturday we said our goodbyes and we headed to the airport. My parents were supposed to get here Friday night but they missed their flight. So they were scheduled to get there around 11:15 no big deal I could wait two hours.  Well their flight got delayed so finally after 7 hours of waiting in the airport I finally got to see them. I showed them around and we ate at my mama tica's resturant, and they got to see my papa tico's jewelry store. Then my parents dropped me off at the orphanage. I unpacked and it was time for bed.

Sam and I with our mama Tica!

Sunday I got up and took a shower helped bathe the kiddos and cleaned a little before going with the director and her family the other volunteers and the set of twins in my house to church. After church my parents came back and we had orientation. And I found out that my days off are Monday and Tuesday. So since my parents were here until early this morning I got to leave around 3 and travel and be with them. Which praise the Lord was an awesome blessing it was perfect timing and just what I needed to finish out this last month strong.  

Today I don’t work until three so I’ve been trying to get all my photos up on facebook and catch up on my blog.

As I’m sitting here listening to some of the children cry and scream because they don’t want to take a nap, I’m reminded that all these children come from different backgrounds, and they’ve gone through more that I'll ever know. So whether they have suffered physical or emotional abuse or are suffering from depression and abandonment. Sometimes we don’t give kids enough credit and think that they are just kids, but kids feel pain and hurt just like adults and even if a kid is brought here from the hospital they still experience and have abandonment issues.  

Please pray for these sweet adorable children I can only remember a few of their names since I haven’t spend much time with them, but I have 10 kiddos in my house 8 boys two are twins and 2 girls.

Birthday Celebration Pura Vida Style!! And an Awesome God Moment!!!!!

I just can’t get enough of the Song “Always Enough” from Casting Crowns there’s just no words to describe! I can just put in my headphones and have a mini worship with My Savior. It’s great!!

On Friday we headed to Montezuma, also known as Montefuma because it’s pretty much like Bob Marleyville. Anyways we got to school to find the bus was broken and we were an hour late, but we when the van arrived we still had a chance to make it to our ferry we had to drive an hour, but as we pulled up to the dock the ferry was just off the shore. So we hung around the beach area got some food, and hung out for a couple hours before the next boat. Then after the boat ride we had another hour or two ride. On our way to the hotel the driver suddenly stopped the car and said “get out get out get out!!” We were all like what? But then he said, “Monkeys in the trees hurry get out before they go away!” So I got to see monkeys!! Then we got settled in the hotel and checked out the beaches, ate dinner, look at some shops, and called it a night.

Saturday was my birthday!! Thanks for all my birthday day wishes. I woke up. Ate an awesome breakfast, and got to go on a hike to a waterfall. And we climbed up rocks and jumped off and climbed under the waterfall. It was gorgeous. The hike was strenuous we were like rock climbing across all these different rocks. Then a few of us ventured up to the top of another waterfall and it had a rope swing, but we literally had to climb the mountain. When I was crawling up under the waterfall I slipped and I’ve got some pretty awesome bruises.  It was a great way to spend the first half of my birthday day.  

When we got back to the hotel around lunch time I skyped with my dad and I got a chance to hear my grandparents sing Happy Birthday to me. Then we went and just chilled and hung out for the rest of the say and lay on the beach. The only downside was it was sprinkling rain like all day, but we made the best of it. Then we got all dressed up and went to a pizza place and I treated myself to pasta for my birthday. And they sang to me and I got a pineapple pizza dessert thing. It was good. The girls got me a package of Oreos, I loved it! Then some of us went out later that night. I also got to skype with Adrienne and mom.

Then this morning it wasn’t really raining, but right b4 we were about to get on the boats it’s started pouring really bad. Finally it let up enough to bring the boats to shore; we got on and headed about an hour to Tortuga Island where it was sunny and beautiful. We got to snorkel and I saw a bunch of different fish. It was awesome. Then we had lunch on the island and we laid out. My shoulders, and legs, and arms are really red, but not too bad. Then we barely made the ferry and it was so packed we sat on the floor in the isle for an hour and a half. But then after another hour van ride back, we showered up, and all of a sudden my mama tica came up to me and give me a birthday present. It was beautiful diamond stud earrings. There gorgeous then while I was putting them on I hear Katie and Roxie’s voices. There two girls that came with our group and live with our mama tica’s daughter. They’ve been over a couple time and we’ve been over to their house because they don’t live far. Anyways I walked out and my mama tica burst into Feliz Cumpleaños (Happy Birthday) They I got hugs from everyone, and we feasted for dinner we had yuca which is like potatoes, and  pigs leg and for desert she lit a candle and we had tres leche, which is an awesome cake! It tastes kind of like when your cake gets soggy from your ice cream. It’s so good. Then I got to see Knox on skype with my dad.

Couldn’t ask for a better birthday day weekend! I am blessed. Please be praying for me as I finish up school. I’m having a hard time dealing with it all and at times the stress is making me physically sick. On top of regular home work I have a 3 page paper about my field trip to San Jose, 10min oral presentation on Nicaragua, with handouts and a PowerPoint, then Thursday another paper and 15 minute presentation.  ………………Total God Moment sorry got to stop and give Him praise… As I just finished typing that part I iTunes happened to be playing “Everlasting God” by Lincoln Brewer, and there is a part when a boy quotes scripture from Isaiah and part of what he quotes says, “He gives power to the weak, and strength to the powerless, even youth will become weak and tired and young men will fall in exhaustion, but those who trust in the Lord will find new strength, they will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” 

As I about to type please pray that I will receive strength from Him because that’s the only way I can do it. And I praise him for my struggle with this because that is what is keeping me latched on and falling deeper into Him. PRASIE THE LORD!!!

This was last week at Cafe Brit this is my roommate Samantha

A New Week and a New Class

I can’t believe it’s been five days since I last posted. I’m listening to “Always Enough” by Casting Crowns on repeat as I finish up this blog. It’s lyrics ring are so true and so encouraging. When the world tries to tell me that He is not enough that I need something more to satisfy me, this song reminds me of what and who my complete and eternal satisfaction comes!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! I thank the Lord for giving me excellent word like this. Writing my blog has been awesome for me, and I hope encouraging to others. It’s really allowed me to reflect back on what HE has been teaching me and the little miracles He’s been doing in my life. Like how He somehow manages to take my few loaves of bread and fish of time, and make me completely satisfied! I truly feel a craving a thirsting for His cool refreshing Word, Praise the Lord!! I’m getting so excited as I write this He truly is the best thing that ever and will ever happen to me! He is my all in all, my Everything, and I stand in awe of His kindness, His forgiveness and all knowingness, but yet He still cares about my little needs. I’m awestruck.

On Monday morning Sam, Roxie, Katie, Ashley and I went to the pool before class. We have a new teacher for class and I don’t like her as much as my last teacher, but the class I think is more interesting (the class is about the culture of Costa Rica) than my other class which was grammar. Then Monday night Katie and Roxie came over and my momma tica made us some kind of traditional Costa Rican meal complete with plantains, and my momma tica rented us la diaria de passion which inn English is the Notebook.

Tuesday we took a tour of Café Brit an awesome coffee plantation and we learned all about how coffee is made. It was actually really interesting and fun. Then class and when we got home from dinner we had another person staying with us. He’s a leader of one of the other universities.

Heres a picture of my food!!

Lunch was great!

Wednesday we got to sleep in and went to cooking class. We make homemade guacamole and plantains with guac and beans sandwich it was sooooooo good. It was my new favorite food. Then after class we headed to San Jose to a restaurant/show. There was a buffet, dancers, creepy weird things with big heads and people dancing in them, and fireworks. O and they told the mc that it was my birthday. And although I tried to protest they told him, and He ended up calling me Miss Georgia the rest of the night, and I got a key lime pie cake. All in all a great night

Today we went to San Jose we went to a museum and the marketplace, and the National Theater. It was so gorgeous and we don’t have class tomorrow; I’m excited about it! Were heading to Montezuma for My Bday!! I’m excited although this will be my first time away from home on my bday I get to see my parents on the 28^th.  We’re going to Montezuma to the beach and Tortuga Island.

I know I thank all of y’all who are praying for me a lot, but one thing the Lord has taught me about this past year is the power, and importance of prayer. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Praise the Lord He is faithful, and I pray the words He has given me have been and are an encouragement to others.

Here are a few pictures 

My mama tica washed our clothes!

   

Here's a picture of my room!

Me and Sam share a room

I know it's long but it's worth it!

“Jesus, Jesus at your feet o to dwell and never leave. Jesus, Jesus at your feet there is nowhere else for me nowhere else for me! Here at your feet I lay my day.”

Friday we got to study and work on our presentations then left for school. It was sad because it was the last day with our teacher, and He’s great and makes class so much fun! It was also storming really bad the thunder was sooo loud. And then I gave my presentation and it had stopped raining thankfully because during my presentation we had to go outside cause there was a 6.6 EARTHQUAKE!! It was crazy it was my first ever earthquake. Then we hung out with friends at their house and watched a movie on tv.

Saturday we left early for Monte Verde the drive was gorgeous, super rough, and 4hours long. Then we shopped around the town got some pastries, then we to a frog farm that night. We went to get pizza for dinner.

Mountain View on the drive to Monte Verde

My lunch on Saturday

Today we went zip-lining it was awesome 3 hours of amazingness. We also got to do a tarzan jump; It was like a giant swing from a platform, and my group was the last to zip line so we got to do it twice, and the second time we did it backwards; it was awesome!!  And I saw a howler monkey, it sounded like it was gonna eat me! It was so scary and loud.

Well on the way to and from Monte Verde I have the chance to just spend time with the Lord and listen to some music. These are just a few things that have been going on.  The Lord’s been speaking great Word to me lately and I think it’s worth sharing.

One the way there I wrote:

“While being here just taking the time and being able to listen to Christian music has been a blessing and sometimes I just want to cry I’m just so overcome with worship, feeling like I am nothing and coincidentally having nada que dar. I am loving the song “Always Enough” from Casting Crowns.  The lyrics are in the video below.

I feel here is the dry and weary land, and Christ is my rain. Here I’m not surrounded by the Lake of Christ which is my bros and sis in Christ. It makes it challenging.  It also says “He is hope for the orphans” and everything I’m about to do at the orphanage is to show them that Hope. I can’t wait and am starting to get so excited about the orphanage, because I know this is a passion that God has given me and I’m able to use it next month.  The song also says He is “hope for the weak” and sometimes I feel weak and crave time with Him. But every second I spend thinking about or talking with Him has been so sweet and so fulfilling.

On the way back I was listening to Matthew West’s song “The reason for the world”. The lyrics are in the video.  

The reason for the world, more of Him and less of me, being reminded of the reason that I am in this world to serve the Lord, and to learn about Him, while glorifying His name and furthering His kingdom. Getting my perspectives in order that I have nada que dar, keeping my eyes towards what matters, and not what language we speak, the food we eat, where we live or if we have insects in our houses. What matters is what is eternal. Leaving and throwing down what is material and running towards what is eternal. I defiantly don’t think I am there and I may never be but my goal is it one day be able to grasp the concept “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You I desire NOTHING on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:25-26

These are just a few snippets of what the Lord has been teaching me. Please continue to pray for me in my daily walk with the Lord and just to seek encouragement from His Word. And also please be praying for all the children I will be with at the orphanage and the workers I will be staying with. Thank you to all who are praying for me.

More Reminders about Nada que Dar

I’ve been reading in Luke. And last night I was in chapter 9. I’ve been reminded of the fact that I have nada que dar (nothing to give). But also not that I have nada que dar just to the Lord but also that I have nada que dar to others. In verse 2 and 3 of chapter 9 it says, “and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey- no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.” The disciples when they were sent out they took nothing. When they arrived to the other cities they had nada que dar physically to the people. But they had the most important thing of all that can save a man from eternity in hell, but more importantly a life on earth without Christ. I can’t imagine a life without HIM!!

Also further down in the chapter in verse 13-15 it says “He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.”  (About five thousand men were there.)” The disciples didn’t have nearly enough food for all the people they had just enough for themselves and had nada que dar to the people. But when we have nada que dar as long as we are willing to give up what we have like the disciples gave up their lunch. Christ will make it work for His purpose and for the glory of His kingdom. Verse 16-17 says, “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” When the disciples gave up their food not only did Christ make it enough for everyone to eat, but they were satisfied. No one wanted anymore, and they had 12 baskets of leftovers. When you give up whatever we have, whatever Christ is asking us to give up, not only will he make to enough but He will make it more than enough. So that there is no way we can take credit for ourselves, but can keep God from getting the glory and honor he deserves.

English break

Sitting at the University just finished my power point and my composition now just need to review it all do my homework from last night and study for my test tomorrow. Well hope I didn’t expect to relax here lol! Anyways today was our last day at school and it’s been really cool to see how other countries educate their kids.

This part was written last night.

Tonight it’s kinda hot in my room. Today we had cooking class and we made pinto gallo. Pinto gallo is pretty much like rice and beans, but the Latin American way. Worked on my hw for an hour or two then we had a long class as usual. Tonight we went to the mall. Yes a mall and it was just like one back home. I had Burger King for dinner, with all that grease my body hasn’t had. I’ve been eating like fresh meat and fruit and veggies the past week and a half. Then we went to see a movie, we went and saw “Arther”.  I didn’t think it was gonna be that good but it was actually really cute. And it was in English….bonus! Only in Costa Rica can you have dinner and a movie for about $8! But including the cab that we split was probably like $10 but that’s still really good. And the theater was so nice.

Yesterday was like any we went to the school were observing and I got to see a Spanish class it was cool the kids were leaning syllables. And yesterday night we went over to other friend’s house and I ended up buying not renting but the movie “Back Up plan” was like only $4. It was great and I got to talk to my Wesley fam on skype it was so much fun!

The Lord has been giving me little nuggets of Him in my time with him which usually isn’t very long but has been filling.

Hoy es 9 de Mayo

Hoy es 9 de Mayo. Today is 9^th of May. I’ve been here a complete week and I’m loving it most of the time. It‘s frustrating at times and the Lord is defiantly teaching me patience. It’s frustrating when I go to say something sometimes I just wish I could talk in English to these people because it would be much faster and easier. Please be praying  for me as one of my sister said that my hunger for the Lord increase and that hunger be satisfied. I want to thank all of y’all that are praying for me. Prayer truly is a powerful thing.

Today at the school we observe at it was a little boys birthday and one thing that surprised me was the kids ate the cake with their hands. They also put stickers on the napkins and cups it was cute. But that party at school was like the kids birthday party the other students brought him gifts it was cute. Also in the school on Mondays the girls have ballet class and the boys have karate. It’s really cool.

Everything else was pretty much the same. Got home ate dinner talk to my parents and some friends on facebook  and did my hw and worked on my next oral presentation for Friday. Mucha Mucha Tarea (much much homework) but it’s good for me J I’m trying to keep a positive attitude I know that the Lord has awesome things in store for me. J

First Weekend and Finally No School!!

On Friday I went to the school again and got to help teach English in a class. One kid was so cute!!! I came up to me and said really slow, “My …name… is … Daniel.” It was so precious. And then we had to take a test and give our ten minute presentation. That went ok it was very stressful but thankfully the teachers here don’t decide our grades. My Spanish teacher that is here she decides so well probably do better that what our teacher gives. I love my Spanish teacher he’s about thirty and acts just like a kid. He makes class so relaxed and fun. Then we had a girl’s night out after school. We all made it back safely and got up super early yesterday.
Yesterday we went to the beach. We went to the same beach that I went to on my senor trip. It’s so beautiful! On our way to school to meet to leave for the beach a dog followed us all the way there he was so cute!

The dog that followed us

The Beautiful beach

 JBeach was great got a little burnt, but that’s to be expected. And got talk to Samantha Bates.

Today we got to sleep in, lounged around the house, and watched the blind side and Alice in Wonderland (in English J) while I attempted to complete my composition. And I got to skype in on my mom opening presents for mother’s day and skype with the Greers, overall an awesome weekend in Costa Rica. Living la Pura Vida!

My ankle is doing great thanks for the prayers. One thing I need a lot of prayer on for me to be able to make time for spending time with the Lord. It’s been really hard since I share a room and I hardly ever am alone. I know that the Lord has awesome stuff planned for me here and I can’t wait to experience it.  

La Esculea y La Universidad (the school and the university)

Yesterday I got to go an elementary school to observe. Talk about a culture shock! The school is about a 25-30min walk.  In the states we value time and immediate obedience.  Here in Costa Rica the students have a five minute break every hour and a half. And the students run out of the classroom and go to where ever they want. They have the freedom to walk out of the classroom if they want and the teachers don’t really care. It’s very different. Here in Costa Rica it’s not an individualistic society it’s very much a collective society. The students talk on top of each other and are very loud. It’s very loud everywhere even in the houses the walls and windows don’t keep out the noise very well.  Also the students find their way to their different places like music, the playground ect.. They are never in lines and are expected to be kids. In America we expect the kids to be little adults. The children in America are expected to be seen but not heard, but here their expected to act like kids. I like that the kids have more freedom in the classroom but I wouldn’t give my students as much. Here days at school are longer and they go from 7:30am to 12:30pm then lunch break until 1:30pm until 5:30ish. Here in Costa Rica, the society in general has a hard time saying no, and giving direct orders. So the teachers may take 10-15 mins trying to quiet down the class and start.

It’s been a great experience here in Costa Rica. My mama tica (Costa Rican Mom) is very nice and she is an excellent cook, and she washed our clothes today!

Today we took a cooking class where we learned how to make bread pudding. And in dance class yesterday we learned sala and today we learned bachata. Both classes are in Spanish of course!

School is very hard. In the school we are not allowed to speak English.  I only have on class which in the three times I have taken it we have reviewed almost all grammar that there is. On Friday we are to give a 10min speak and have a rough draft of our final composition paper. Thankfully that is only two pages. And our final paper and another 10min speak is due the next Friday. And we have regular homework that takes about an hour and a halfish.  Also are days are very long we are up at 6 and get back around 6 and go to sleep around 9ish. But we only have two hours of free time and one of those is for lunch and the other one will be used for other homework.

Two more things that are different here than at home both are gross.  First is used toilet paper goes in the trash can next to the toilet. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that one.  And the other that I have gotten use to is that there are tiny ants crawling around on the table and I caught one on my plate tonight during dinner.

Please be praying for me my physical and emotional health. It’s very hard and very strenuous on our brains (all the girls with me here) to speak and attempt to understand Spanish all day. I feel like I have learned and can speak much more and I have way more confidence than I did arriving here three days ago.  Also for me physically my back and ankle have been acting up since we have been walking everywhere and not on very rough surfaces. But, I trust that the Lord will help me through all of it.

I apologize for any incorrect grammar I’d like to say I’d do better next time but I think It will only get worse from here lol!

Bienviendos a Costa Rica (Welcome to Costa Rica)

Mas cosas diferencia many different things in Costa Rica,  La comida, the food for breakfast I had a huge plate of apples, pineapples, mangos, papayas, and a banana, and we also had a ham and cheese sandwich.  I had rice with chicken, plantains, and beans and drank pineapple juice and for lunch. I had rice and potatoes and beans and a desert with plantains in it and pineapple juice for dinner.

Another thing is that there aren’t many street signs ticos (tico is the name for a Costa Rican) just use different stores for markers. Me and some of the girls that live by me and Samantha got lost on the way back home. It’s about a 15-20min walk from school back home.

The customs are different for example it’s considered rude to walk around the house barefoot and to leave any light on that you are not using. The windows and walls don’t keep sound out very well. You can hear everything. The mother is the center of the house and decides everything that happens in the house including what TV channel the family watches. In Costa Rica is in the rainy season now so it’s sunny and hot in the morning and rainy in the afternoon like 11ish and sunny again by like 1. The sun rises at 5am and sets at around 6.

 Today we toured the city and learn Merengue a type of Latin American dance. Then I take a Spanish class from 1:30 to 5:30. Then I quickly head home because the sun sets here at 6:00. Then we do all the homework that is required thankfully tonight it only took me and Samantha about and hour. It’s a lot of Spanish. And at times very overwhelming and a lot of work because I can’t just hear it and understand like I can English, every word that’s spoken I have to pay attention to make sure I understand. By then end if the day I’m exhausted.

The Lord has defiantly been teaching me patience and determination today. I needed to have patience with myself in my class when I didn’t understand and determination to not just give up of just become frustrated. Also I needed both to get back to my house tonight. It was getting dark as we were walking back and got lost. Thankfully we asked for directions and found it right before it was completely dark. 

I apologize if my grammar is really bad I just finished my homework. I had to write a page in Spanish and have been speaking it all day. I have to stop and think about the word I’m trying to type in English because some of them I have almost typed in Spanish, which is a good thing I guess.

Please pray that the Lord will give me extra energy tomorrow and extra energy and desire to spend time in His Word and be with Him.

Gracias for your prayers!

The Meaning Behind the Words

Nada que dar : Nothing to Give. The Lord has been teaching me lately about self righteousness and about the filthiness of sin. He has been revealing to me that when we do things of ourselves any righteous acts are like filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”

            Christ + nothing = everything When we out of our flesh begin to try and offer Christ our deeds it doesn’t work. There is nothing we can give or do to fulfill Christ. He’s self sustaining and all powerful. Christ + nothing = everything. Because of this I have come to this place of complete humbleness realizing that I am nothing, and Christ is everything. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches, If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” So this is where I come to the realization that not only can I do thing without Christ, I myself have “Nada que dar” Nothing to give. It is only when I am in Christ that my deeds go from selfish flesh to bringing glory to, and furthering His Kingdom, which is what I strive for.  Psalms 73:25 says, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail but You are my strength and my portion forever.”

I have now described the meaning, but now for the language. I chose to title my blog in Spanish. I am leaving Sunday May 1^st for Costa Rica and will return back to the states June29th. The first month will be for school to finish my Spanish minor, and the second month the Lord has given me the awesome opportunity to serve him and love on his children. I will be volunteering at an orphanage for abandoned, abused and or neglected children. When I get back the Lord has also given me the opportunity to go on a mission trip to the Yucatan in Mexico for a week. So Spanish will be a major part of my summer.  

I am very excited and nervous to be leaving. Please remember me in your prayers while I am away this summer. These next few days if I have a few specific prayer requests, first, please pray that the Prince of Peace grants me peace in leaving my family for two months. Second, please pray for the safety of myself and the other students as we travel. And lastly, please pray that I may be able to serve the Lord in whatever He calls me to do whenever He calls me to do it, crucifying my flesh and taking up my cross. Mark 8:34-35 says, “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said; ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life must lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.’”