La Fiesta de mi Mamá...

The second of March, my mother celebrated her 90th birthday. What a heritage I enjoy because of the lives of my parents!

Last weekend our kids, along with my sister and her son and family, prepared a fiesta for this very special birthday. And how very special as we were able to join for awhile via skype and actually see Mom for the first time since we arrived in Costa Rica almost a year ago. As you can tell below, she was the belle of the fiesta. Here she is surrounded by her 5 grandchildren and 1 greatgranddaughter...looking spiffy as usual.



No presents were necessary but who could resist these beautiful and delicious gifts? The top gift was chocolate and the lower one was vanilla. ¡Qué rico! Just wished that they could have sent us a slice or two.



My special treasured picture:

Our final Cultural Day...

Today is our final Cultural Day at school and we are using it as an international cultural day. We are heading to the Guatemala Embassy to get our final paperwork from Costa Rica in order to process our residency visas when we arrive in GUATEMALA!! Since the embassy is only open in the mornings until about 2, it is either go today or miss class one day. What better way to spend our Cultural Day than complete another task that brings us closer to "home"?

Bible Study Party...

Don't we all look for excuses to have a party? Well, the other week, we celebrated Zaida's 30th birthday.

Happy Birthday, Zaida!


Cousins and best friends...Daniella, daughter of Felipe and Zaida, and Jasmina, daughter of Zaida's sister, Jasmine, and Pascual.


Saida, sister of Jamina, is loved by all.



Sisters and sisters in Christ...Older sister, Elizabeth, Younger sister in white, Jasmine, and Zaida along with me...all are sisters in Christ.



The laughter of joy...

Can it Be...

...so long since we last wrote? So very sorry, but please don't stop following the blog. There are so many things happening that sometimes it is difficult to stop and write. We have recently sent out our March prayer letter. If you did not receive it and would like a copy, please post a comment with your email address and we will get it to you.

...we have tickets in hand for Guatemala? The time is coming soon that we will land "home." For over 20 years we have prayed for the land and people of Guatemala and soon we will settle at home there.

...we have lived in Costa Rica almost a year? As we look back over this year, it is a delight to recall the places we have visited, the people we have meet and with whom we developed deep friendships, the people who have come to visit us, the people with whom we have invested the Word of God, the foods we have tasted, enjoyed and added to our life's diet, the growth in God's Word and His fellowship, and oh so much more.

...we speaking Spanish and at times, being confident in our conversation? Well, there are many times that we speak and don't feel confident, that's for sure, but we can talk and listen and respond. That's very good! What a delight that on the way home from church this morning, as we discussed the sermon, we rejoiced in the depth of our understanding and the great insights the pastor shared. This sermon from one of the pastors that speaks really fast, even the ticos say he speaks fast.

...we still have much more Spanish to learn? Now, this is definitely a big YES. Spanish will continue to be a learning experience. Is not English a life-long learning process as you increase your vocabulary? So language learning will continue for us.

...God's amazing Grace has been extended for all mankind to hear and respond in repentance and faith to His call of salvation? May we each continue to share that message in whatever idioma we speak to all we meet. Until all hear and know and worship our Lord and Savior...blessings!

Friends...

This weekend was a wonderful long break from school as we had Friday off from school. So four couples headed to Volcán Arenal for a restful break. Oh, the sights we have seen and the glory of God we have beheld and the friendships we enjoyed.











And then we returned to San Jose and spent time with special friends from the paat whom we haven't seen in over 10 years who are visiting Costa Rica with their daughter. So from new friends to former friends...what a special weekend of friendship.

He gave the best he had!

A young missionary dad who is a fellow student spoke in chapel recently. His family lives in a neighborhood that is frequented by people who come begging- individuals, families, often ladies with small children. Recently a lady with a small boy came to their gate asking for help. He and his three-year-old son went out to talk with them. As he and his wife gathered some rice, beans, a few diapers and other things for the family, the three-year-old went to his room and returned with his Spiderman, his favorite toy from Christmas to give to the young boy. Seeing this, his dad told him not to give his Spiderman but to go and select another toy. His son went to his room and returned with another toy. They gave the items to the lady, and his son gave the toy to the boy. He said the little boy's eyes sparkled like a child on Christmas morning when he received the toy. As Dad prayed with the lady, his son went back into the house. As he finished praying, he saw his son coming toward them with his Spiderman. It was too late to stop him. He approached the gate and passed his Spiderman through to the young boy on the other side. His dad told us, "My son gave the best that he had." What a testimony of a three-year-old to us all.
He gave the best he had!

It's a fact of life for a missionary...

Probably one of the most difficult things for any missionary to experience is the separation from family during special celebrations. We have experienced that fact during the past ten months we have been in Costa Rica.

In June, we sent greetings to a daughter and her husband on their first anniversary.
In July, we sent greetings to a daughter and her husband on their 5th anniversary.
In August, we sent greetings to our son on his 27th birthday.
In September, we sent greetings to a son-in-law on his 27th birthday.
In September, we also sent greetings to his wife, our daughter, on her 25th birthday.
In September, we celebrated David's birthday with visiting friends from the states.
In October, we celebrated my birthday with dinner at Friday's.
In November, we sent greetings to a son-in-law on his 22nd birthday.
In December, we sent greetings to a daughter and son-in-law on their 4th anniversary.

Now on February 25, we send greetings to our daughter on her 23rd birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Monday, we will send greetings to my mom on her 90th birthday.
In March, we will send greetings to a son-in-law on his 29th birthday.
In March, we will also send greetings to his wife, our daughter, on her 29th birthday.

And the cycle continues. How thankful we are for today's technology which allows us easy access to communicate with them and even "see" them!

Thanks for thinking of our family on their special days.