Ready for a new look

Hope you like the new look of the blog. We have finished our first trimester of language study. We are not fluent by any stretch of the imagination but we can communicate and that is the purpose of our study.

We both completed our classes with all A's but the one grade that counts the most is our mission evaluation. There are 10 possible ratings in the OPI, our grading evaluation: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Superior. Each of these ratings have specific skills that must be demonstrated to achieve this rating. Our organization requires us to reach a level of Intermediate High before we leave language school for Guatemala and a level of Advanced Low before we leave for furlough. We both tested at Intermediate. Thank you for your prayers. It is only as the Lord has enabled us that we have progressed so well. Continue to call our names to the Lord daily. It is such a joy to go to Him in prayer and know that He has been reminded of us even before we entered His presence.

We are enjoying our days of vacation. We will spend time in review and relaxation. Monday we head with some friends to Volcano Arenal - we'll post pictures when we come home. Then the next week we are headed to the beach for several days. Then the next week we will again begin classes. Pray for safety in travel, refreshment in body and spirit, practice in speaking, and opportunities to minister in His name. Refreshment poured like rain upon our hearts and spirits...

Thirty One Years...

David and Glynis are standing against the backdrop of the lights of the city. Our daughter Rebecca says we always find neat places to celebrate our anniversary and again it is true - Ram Luna located on the hillside outside San Jose, Costa Rica. The clouds lifted and we had gorgeous views of the city and beyond.

At the Ram Luna Restaurant in the hills above Aserrí, the food is authentic, the atmosphere is elegant and the view is breathtakingly amazing. Guests will feel they have the stars at their feet as they enjoy a deliciously authentic Costa Rican dinner above a vast sea of lights twinkling in the valley below.

Every Wednesday night, the Ram Luna Restaurant is transformed into a Costa Rican street festival with delicious and authentic dishes arranged into an extravagant and all-inclusive dinner buffet for a memorable evening named “Tierra Tica.” The marimba, a traditional percussion instrument resembling a giant Xylophone played by up to four musicians, played before the dancers began traditional dances in colorful costumes.

The “Cimarrona,” a folk dance present at all Costa Rican festivals, arrived complete with drums, trumpets and the “Payasos” of Aserrí. The giant “Payasos,” danced, selecting partners to join them on the dance floor, no, that would not be us as you can well imagine! Now this is a Payasos! Believe it or not, this mask is standing on the floor and is still that much taller than I am! These one was especially made for the Ram Luna and stands guard at the door welcoming guests to the restaurant.

Just two years ago, we would have never thought that we would be standing on a hillside outside San Jose, Costa Rica celebrating 31 years of marriage! Just look at what God has done!

Where has the time gone?

Can it be that it is now August and that we are entering our fourth month in Costa Rica, that we are completing our first trimester of Spanish study, and are heading toward our first real vacation?! Where has the time gone? But as we look back, we see the hand of God displayed brilliantly in the vistas of Costa Rica, in the grades we have received, in the language we can understand, and in the conversation in which we can share. God is so good! Who would have thought that at our age we would be embarking on this new journey of life?

And can it be that 31 years have passed since we walked down the aisle of the church and became husband and wife? The 6th of August we celebrate the joining of our lives in this exciting journey of marriage that we started on a Saturday evening long ago. Where has the time gone?! But again, we look back and we see the Hand of God displayed. Four beautiful babies who all accepted Jesus as their personal Savior and matured into wonderful adults with the added delight of the three Christian husbands who love God and their wives, our three daughters. Thirty one years serving together in fruitful ministry in the states. Years of leading others to embrace a vision for the lost of the world before being rewarded with gift of ministry among the people of Guatemala, via language study in Costa Rica. God is so good! Glory to the One who knew the plan even before history began!

And can it be that the God who walked before the Israelites in the wilderness walks before us even now? Some thoughts that keep surfacing over and over while I am reading Deuteronomy during my devotions these days reveal His purpose - think He might be trying to say something to us?
1. Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The Lord your God which goeth before you, He shall fight for you...
2. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God...For the Lord thy God is a merciful God.
3. Unto thee it was showed that thou mightest know that the Lord He is God; there is none else beside Him...Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
4. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
5. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.

That same God is the One who goes before us and day by day pours Himself into us. Oh that we be clean pure vessels for Him! This same Jehovah who desires to reveal Himself to me, desires to use me to share His Gospel with those who do not know Him. And dare I think that the author of language will not teach me Spanish so that I can speak His words of freedom and hope?! I think not!

This issue of time is really only an issue with us humans. In the realm of God all is eternal from the beginning to the end! Oh for the eyes to see as only He can see!

Goodbyes...

Goodbyes...they just never get any easier! Sunday, we second and first trimester IBMers said goodbye to the "graduating" Spanish speaking IBM missionaries who will be launching out to their fields of service in the next few days. Two of those people are very special to us because we have lived with them most of the past six months.
Mary and Jessica became our "daughters" when we were at Orientation in Richmond. We traveled to Costa Rica with them and have spend these past months enjoying learning together. Now granted they are Spanish speakers and we are Spanish learners, but we all have learned more while being here.
Mary McPherson will be traveling to Mexico (but she has a heart for Guatemala also) as a journeygirl for two years.
Jessica Dooley will be serving in Peru for two years. They are both godly young women who have a passion for people to hear and accept the Gospel of Jesus. We are proud to call them our "daughters" and laborers together for the Kingdom. Still goodbyes just aren't easy! We love you girls!

Cartago and the Orosi Valley

On a recent Saturday, we traveled with some missionary friends through the town of Cartago to the Orosi valley for lunch at a unique restaurant. Cartago, about 30 mintues from San Jose, was Costa Rica's first city.
There are two prominent attractions in the city. In the heart of the city, a public park winds through the ruins of a large church destroyed by an earthquake in 1910 before it was completed. Construction was abandoned after the quake because the workers could never quite align the roof again. Today a beautiful park with neatly manicured gardens and plenty of benches surrounds the ruins.

The most famous building in Cartago is the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles which stands on the east side of town. Inside is housed a shrine with the tiny figure of La Negrita, the black Virgin. Legend says that La Negrita first revealed herself in 1635 to a peasant girl and has over the years granted cures for illness and other difficulties. The walls of the shrine are covered with a plethora of tiny silver models of body parts, guns, planes, trucks, sports trophies, etc. given as thanks for the virgin's miracle granting powers. Of course, outside the church vendors sell these items as well as little candle replicas of La Negrita. (Remind you of any stories in the Bible?) August 2 (the day of this post) is the day of dedication to La Negrita. This week tens of thousands have walked to Cartago from San Jose and from all over the country in devotion to the powerful statue. Today there will be much "celebration." Last night some of our missionaries gathered with a local church to distribute tracts to those pilgrims who would accept them. Pray that the gospel message given in spoken word and written word would continue to sound the truth in their hearts and minds and that many will receive Christ, the only One who can forgive, cleanse and heal their disease of sin.

High on the mountain is the restaurant Sanchiri which overlooks the Orosi Valley considered one of the most beautiful valleys in Costa Rica. The Reventazón River meanders through the valley until it collects in the lake formed by the Cachí Dam. From the open air restaurant we overlooked the town of Orosi at the head of the valley. Looking across the moutain we viewed the coffe plantations on the side of the mountains.
Afterwards, we traveled into the town of Orosi where stands another colonial church, built in 1743. A small musuem displays religious artifacts. Here people gather to view the artifacts, hear the traditions, observe the feasts, pray the prayers - but do they know the One who alone can forgive and heal their lives of sin, bring peace, and provide assurance of heaven? That's the reason why everyday we struggle to learn the language so we can share the One who alone provides Forgiveness, Hope and Assurance. Remember to pray for us to learn and be able to speak this message effectively in the heart langauge. Do you personally know Jesus?

25 de julio de 2008

On July 25, the people of Costa Rica celebrate the Annexation of the District of Nicoya, or the "Anexion of Gauanacaste." Guanacaste is in the northwestern region of Costa Rica and is the largest of the largest and least populated provinces. It is CR's "wild west" due to the hot, dry climate, long stretches of plains and the many cattle ranches. The huge umbrella-shaped Guanacaste tree is native to the area and gives the province its name. The typical Guanacaste is a robust cowboy, taking care of cattle on horseback. Like the US, the legal holiday now falls on the Monday closest to July 25th so we will join the holiday on Monday with no school but Friday we celebrated the Anexión in the tradional way like people all over Costa Rica. That celebration includes folk dancing in beautiful costumes and marimba music. The women of San Jose wear white costumes while women of other cities wear different colored skirts. And then we enjoyed "horchata" a beverage made with milk, ground rice cinnamon, peanuts, chocolate and sugar, and "tamal" a corn dough filled with pork and vegetables, wrapped in a banana leaf and boiled. Wish you were here -
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Now THIS is my kind of class...

Yep, I've finally found My kind of class. We have been studying foods, cooking terms, recipes, etc. in my all female conversation class and someone suggested we try our spanish skills at a local restaurant for lunch. So today was our day...
Casa Conde, a local hotel and restaurant, was the place of choice and what a beautiful place it is. We "dined" on the patio beside the pool in beautiful surroundings and elegant dining - buffet lunch of soup, numerous salads, 2 meat and 2 starch entrees and bread, dessert and frescos for only 3 mill colones or about $6.
Ready to join our class?


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