We are becoming accustomed to life in the city...Guatemala City, that is.
Sunday, we worshipped with the brothers, and sisters, at a local church and enjoyed both the worship and sermon. Afterwards we joined a missionary family at Appleby's, yes, the same restaurant as in the states, for lunch and lemonada con soda, my favorite drink! In the evening, we joined some other missys for dinner at Chili's and another lemonada con soda. What a welcome to the city!
Monday, our supervisor's wife assisted us as we rejoined the communication world and purchased cell phones. Now, if we can just understand the spanish on all the bells and whistles of modern communication! Afterwards we all accomplished some other errands while driving around in the city.
Then today we began some of our orientation by visiting the embassy and registering there to begin the visa process and then the mission office. More city driving but this time as passengers!
Tomorrow, we will begin the process of house looking, a drive out of the city to Chimaltenango. Pray for us that we will know the home that God has prepared for us when we see it, if not tomorrow, then sometime soon, but all in His timing.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
We're home...
It really was like coming home today when we arrived today. We are living in an apartment at the Arkansas House with plans to begin looking for your new home next week. Pray that we will find His place for us. We will update throughout the week. Thanks for your continued prayer for us.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
It's that time again...
Yep, it is that time again. We are deep into packing and making sure everything fits in our luggage allotment. We are deep into saying goodbyes and visiting friends and special places/restuarants for good eats and special memory makers. We have completed our classes and are ready for graduation on Friday.
Saturday we arrive "home" in Guatemala. It has been a long journey but in another way the journey is just beginning! Thank you for continuing to hold us before the Father. More as the journey unfolds in Guatemala...
Saturday we arrive "home" in Guatemala. It has been a long journey but in another way the journey is just beginning! Thank you for continuing to hold us before the Father. More as the journey unfolds in Guatemala...
Friday, April 17, 2009
Now It Can Be Told!
We kept quiet about this until after our family's visit. Sometimes, it's just better not to know these things!
Several mornings ago, I (David) stepped into our shower as I do each morning around 6:00 a.m. As I turned around, there he was hunkered down in the corner of the shower where I had just stepped --- big as a full grown armadillo, ten pounds at least, massive, ugly --- a big black hairy gigantic (did I say big?) tarantula! Ok, he was only about three or four inches wide. He just seemed as big as a full grown armadillo. To say the least, I made my way out of the shower quicker than I had entered. Glynis said that I was making some sort of a grunting sound.
I debated if I should let her see it, but I knew that there was no way I could not. I said, "Come here baby, look at this!" She walked into the bathroom, took one quick look at the little critter, and ran. I am not sure where she was running, but I knew she had no plans to linger in the bathroom. Then it crossed her mind to get the camera, but being in my circumstances, I didn't feel that the time was right for flashing photos.
What does one do with a tarantula in the shower? Can a tarantula run fast? Do they jump? What happens when you whomp a tarantula with a shoe? I surely didn't want to close the door with just him and me in the bathroom. Not knowing any other sensible alternative, I chose to deal with him using the shoe whomping method. After sufficiently having a Sunday School lesson with him with my bedroom shoe, I transported him in a stack of tissues to the comode for a watery burial.
Therefore and henceforth, before we get into bed tonight, we will take a look to see if the covers have any unusual lumps! You just never know...
It's all in the exciting day of a missionary!
Several mornings ago, I (David) stepped into our shower as I do each morning around 6:00 a.m. As I turned around, there he was hunkered down in the corner of the shower where I had just stepped --- big as a full grown armadillo, ten pounds at least, massive, ugly --- a big black hairy gigantic (did I say big?) tarantula! Ok, he was only about three or four inches wide. He just seemed as big as a full grown armadillo. To say the least, I made my way out of the shower quicker than I had entered. Glynis said that I was making some sort of a grunting sound.
I debated if I should let her see it, but I knew that there was no way I could not. I said, "Come here baby, look at this!" She walked into the bathroom, took one quick look at the little critter, and ran. I am not sure where she was running, but I knew she had no plans to linger in the bathroom. Then it crossed her mind to get the camera, but being in my circumstances, I didn't feel that the time was right for flashing photos.
What does one do with a tarantula in the shower? Can a tarantula run fast? Do they jump? What happens when you whomp a tarantula with a shoe? I surely didn't want to close the door with just him and me in the bathroom. Not knowing any other sensible alternative, I chose to deal with him using the shoe whomping method. After sufficiently having a Sunday School lesson with him with my bedroom shoe, I transported him in a stack of tissues to the comode for a watery burial.
Therefore and henceforth, before we get into bed tonight, we will take a look to see if the covers have any unusual lumps! You just never know...
It's all in the exciting day of a missionary!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Oral Exams Are Finished!
We completed our oral exams for the language institute on Monday and for the International Mission Board on Thursday. We are thankful that all went well! We will not get our evaluations for several days, but are we ever relieved to have those mountains behind us! We are aware that many people prayed for us before and during the testing. We were very aware of the presence and help of the Lord-- a direct answer to your prayers. Your prayers continue to be a great blessing and benefit to us. We are very thankful for you.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
THE day...
We returned home from Quepos Saturday in time to "follow" the progress of our newest great nephew's arrival. his grandparents are here with us and were very anxiously awaiting his arrival. He was due April 1st but decided to wait awhile. It sounded as if he was content to keep waiting so the doctor helped him know the time. He arrived late afternoon very healthy and very handsome indeed. Much love to Benjamin Brantley!!
Today we worshipped in our wonderful church El Lugar. Two language school couples who arrived with us in April will be leaving this week - one to return to the states to birth their fourth child before heading in July to Belize and the other to enter Ecuador before the elections. What a special time with them...we will definitely miss sweet fellowship with them. Next Sunday will be our last Sunday at church...and we will miss the sweet fellowship we have enjoyed with these precious friends.
We spent the rest of the day exposing the fam to more tico culture and tastes. Tomorrow we will allow them to rest and fellowship together as we prepare for our first oral exams of the week. Thus the request for THE day...PRAY...PRAY...PRAY. These exams are 2:30 here, or 4:30 EDST. Pray for calmness of spirit, clarity of thought, clear hearing, and fluidity of speech. Then again on Thursday we have oral exams at 3 and then at 4. We have so far to go but are so far from when we entered here 12 months ago. Wow! Thanks for your walking the journey with us and holding us before the Father...please continue.
Trust your day of rememberance of our Lord's resurrection was fresh as you again understood the full message of salvation. Pray for the millions whose eyes and hearts are bound by lack of knowledge, fear and unbelief.
Today we worshipped in our wonderful church El Lugar. Two language school couples who arrived with us in April will be leaving this week - one to return to the states to birth their fourth child before heading in July to Belize and the other to enter Ecuador before the elections. What a special time with them...we will definitely miss sweet fellowship with them. Next Sunday will be our last Sunday at church...and we will miss the sweet fellowship we have enjoyed with these precious friends.
We spent the rest of the day exposing the fam to more tico culture and tastes. Tomorrow we will allow them to rest and fellowship together as we prepare for our first oral exams of the week. Thus the request for THE day...PRAY...PRAY...PRAY. These exams are 2:30 here, or 4:30 EDST. Pray for calmness of spirit, clarity of thought, clear hearing, and fluidity of speech. Then again on Thursday we have oral exams at 3 and then at 4. We have so far to go but are so far from when we entered here 12 months ago. Wow! Thanks for your walking the journey with us and holding us before the Father...please continue.
Trust your day of rememberance of our Lord's resurrection was fresh as you again understood the full message of salvation. Pray for the millions whose eyes and hearts are bound by lack of knowledge, fear and unbelief.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
It's Tuesday!!
Know what that means?! Well, today is the last day of school this week!!! AND tonight...that's right...in just a few minutes family is landing in San Jose. David's brother Loy and his wife, Claudette, his sister Wrena, and his sister Lynn and her husband Leon, are arriving to spend a week with us here in Costa Rica. We are so excited!! What fun we will have with this "senior adult convention!" We will have to post photos later because we will be off and running to see as many sites as we can see, to expose them to as much culture as we can, to eat as much tico food as we can, to buy as many sovenirs as we can...well, you get the picture.
While we are off having some fun, continue to pray for us as we study our spanish. Monday afternoon at 2:30 (that is 4:30 EDST in the eastern US) we will have our ECOs - our oral exams with the school. Pray we can practice and review throughout the weekend and then on Monday. We are taking the day off from school and from the family to study, review, and practice until the exam. Then Thursday at 3 and again at 4, pray for us as we take our oral IBM evaluations. Those are the last BIG hurdles in San Jose language study.
While we are off having some fun, continue to pray for us as we study our spanish. Monday afternoon at 2:30 (that is 4:30 EDST in the eastern US) we will have our ECOs - our oral exams with the school. Pray we can practice and review throughout the weekend and then on Monday. We are taking the day off from school and from the family to study, review, and practice until the exam. Then Thursday at 3 and again at 4, pray for us as we take our oral IBM evaluations. Those are the last BIG hurdles in San Jose language study.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Our Job in Guatemala
What will we be doing in Guatemala?
Primary Assignment: We will work among the Indigenous People Groups of Central America to study, profile, and develop photographic essays of those groups still unengaged among 70 language/dialect groups. The information gathered by these efforts will be used to address the level of lostness, specific needs of each group and provide a base of information from which to begin to better seek prayer coverage and to engage each unengaged/unreached people group. This position will entail much travel, time spent among each language group, and much computer work, processing the information gathered.
In addition, when not involved in the above activities, we will help to evangelize the Kaqchikel peoples of the area where we will be living. While this is not the primary job, our engagement and involvement with this specific people group could make a real difference in engaging them with the gospel.
The first several months will be a time of getting settled into the country, culture, language, and work. We are counting on you to pray us through it all.
Primary Assignment: We will work among the Indigenous People Groups of Central America to study, profile, and develop photographic essays of those groups still unengaged among 70 language/dialect groups. The information gathered by these efforts will be used to address the level of lostness, specific needs of each group and provide a base of information from which to begin to better seek prayer coverage and to engage each unengaged/unreached people group. This position will entail much travel, time spent among each language group, and much computer work, processing the information gathered.
In addition, when not involved in the above activities, we will help to evangelize the Kaqchikel peoples of the area where we will be living. While this is not the primary job, our engagement and involvement with this specific people group could make a real difference in engaging them with the gospel.
The first several months will be a time of getting settled into the country, culture, language, and work. We are counting on you to pray us through it all.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Pop Test...
Whoever heard of pop tests in Spanish?! Quizzes, ok, but a pop test?! My goodness!
What rule of subjuntivo are we on...well, we have finished studying all of them?! But just because we have finished studying them doesn't mean we know them!
Yep, she had us going for awhile there this morning but all in jest! Actually April Fool's Day is not celebrated here but our teacher had heard about it this morning on CNN so she planned a special treat for us. But if you are here in Costa Rica on December 8, you can celebrate Día de los Innocentes which is similiar. Have fun!
What rule of subjuntivo are we on...well, we have finished studying all of them?! But just because we have finished studying them doesn't mean we know them!
Take out a sheet of paper and use all the rules of subjuntivo (yes, all 15 rules) without your notebooks for reference. Ok, here we go, write...'Felice día de tontos' -- Happy April Fool's Day! Gotcha!
Yep, she had us going for awhile there this morning but all in jest! Actually April Fool's Day is not celebrated here but our teacher had heard about it this morning on CNN so she planned a special treat for us. But if you are here in Costa Rica on December 8, you can celebrate Día de los Innocentes which is similiar. Have fun!
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