November Thanksgiving

November begins the holiday season that I love. Yet I find we get lost in the busyness of it and even lost in the “I want” of it. So I am beginning my new tradition this year; 30 days of Thanksgiving. Every day I am writing down one thing that I am thankful for and I wanted to share it with you. May this encourage you to take some time to really think about what you are truly thankful for and perhaps post it somewhere so you can be reminded of these things when your world seems tossed about and gratitude may seem far off.

1- I am thankful for perfect fall days. 2- I am thankful for the beautiful fall colors that paint the landscapes. 3- I am thankful for the new friendships that God has given me in the past three months. 4- I am thankful for my time in the states and how I have two homes in two countries. 5- I am thankful to take my next breath. 6- I am thankful for my Tica family here in Costa Rica. What a blessing they are. 7- I am thankful for languages and that I can speak Spanish – though that might be questionable today. 8- I am thankful that Jesus died for me and is now my mediator of the Covenant. 9- I am thankful for my amazing friends that God has perfectly placed in my life. I couldn’t do without them. 10- I am thankful for the amazing grace of God that not only saved me but sustains me daily when I have done nothing to deserve it! 11- I am thankful that I get to return back to the best job in the world with my 40 girls today! I'm also thankful to all the men and women who serve, have served, and have given their lives for our freedom and our country! 12- I am thankful to finally see the sun for the first time since I have been back in Costa Rica. 13- I am thankful for sleeping in late. 14- I am thankful to be able to worship our God freely without the fear of being persecuted. 15- I am thankful for hope. 16- I am thankful for a new day with a blank canvas and all the colors in the world to paint this day...oh what will the creation look like at the end of the day? 17- I am thankful for technology that allows me to talk via phone with friends as if I lived in the same country and also to be able to talk "face to face" and have a cup of tea together. 18- I am thankful that I can live in the freedom given through Christ Jesus. Psalm 119:45 "I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to Your commandments." 19- I am thankful that I can choose to live in the joy of Christ no matter how I feel or what my circumstances are. 20- I am thankful to see the moon and a few stars that rarely are seen at this time of year. 21- I am thankful that my real true right is to be a daughter of God and with that my inheritance of Christ! 22- I am sooo thankful to God to have amazing friends both in the US and here in Costa Rica with whom we share life authentically...meaning not just the good but the oh so ugliness and rawness of life. I couldn't do without you my friends! I am also thankful for the salvation of Ana Cristina today! 23- I am thankful for the Kentucky team who pour out their love on my girls during their trip this week. I am thankful for the Omaha team who purchased and mailed 100 Bibles so that each girl that comes in can have their very own, easy to read Bible! 24- I am thankful for Skittles! 25- I am thankful to have a family away from home to celebrate life with. I am more than blessed. I am also thankful for having turkey for the first time in 3 years for Thanksgiving! 26- I am so thankful that God can and does radically change our ashes for His beauty. I am thankful for the 11 girls who graduated today! 27- I am thankful that God is our Great Comforter! 28- I am thankful for those who continually support me through their sacrificial financial gifts and prayers. I could not do what I do here without an awesome team at home! 29- I am thankful that my internet has worked for several days straight so I could finish my program proposal. 30- I am thankful that it rained some last night so I was able to sleep some.

Well that was fun and I think I have a new tradition. No not one that is only for November but I think for every month I will be doing this. It’s good to have to take a moment and think about what I am thankful for in that day. So what are you thankful for?

November 2010 Graduation

Friday was my third graduation that I have attended since I began working at Renacer and it has to be one of my favorites. I have known these girls for over a year now and have invested in their lives. They are so beautiful and have grown up so much in the last year that I have known them.

The day started off with me and one of the social workers opening our Renacer salon; we did the hair and make-up of the graduates. Thankfully it was a beautiful day without rain and humidity so all the straightened hair stayed straight and didn’t fuzz up like graduations of past.

The families of the girls who graduated and of the girls who are in process came to support their loved ones. The Bank of Costa Rica and some of their employees came, along with the director of PANI (it’s similar to children and family services), along with others who support our program and most importantly our girls.

The cabin of Debora did two interpretive dances and the cabin of Tamara sang a couple of songs. Wendy was the highlight of the afternoon. She gave her testimony that has been long in the making. This was her third time to Renacer and her last opportunity. She hadn’t seen her mom for over a year and six months until Friday when her mother came to the graduation. The joy and excitement that shone from her face was contagious. At the end of her testimony she told her mom, through sobs of tears, how she was sorry for all the pain she caused her mom and that she has changed and is a new woman who hopes to earn that trust back. There were very few dry eyes after that.

What incredible greatness that God has done! Only He can take such ashes and turn them into such splendor and beauty. Please be in prayer as some of the girls are now back at home yet some continue to live on campus because they have no family to return to. Thank you for your support of these girls!

P.S. You might be wondering why I haven’t posted any pictures of the girls. Unfortunately I can’t because they are under our protection and of the state so there can not be any pictures of them on the web.

Thanksgiving

(Sorry I’m just now posting this but my internet is not working very well, something with the provider.) This Thanksgiving was my third one here in Costa Rica, which is so hard to believe; yet it has to be one of the best. This year I didn’t wake up sad that I wasn’t with my family. I wasn’t sad that I wasn’t in the states. Sure, I wish I got to sit at the table with my family in Jeff City but I was thankful that God has given me another family. Not a new family nor a better family but another family.

The morning was a warm and beautiful morning that by afternoon, of course, changed to chilly and rainy. I started the morning by sleeping in some and then a walk up to Jimmy’s Frutiera (place to by fruits and veggies) to pick up some fruit for Thanksgiving Dinner. When I got home I turned on the Macy’s Day parade and cut up fruit, talked to several friends back in the states and got ready. I met up with my friend Melissa to take the bus to meet another friend, Abbey, to head to Tres Rios. (In picture: Katie, Melissa, me and Abbey).

It was a fun and relaxing day. I met a new girl named Katie, who was here for a week on a vision trip. We hung out at my friends, Brian and Cathi Duggan’s home where several other families joined in the celebration. For the first time that I have been in Costa Rica I had turkey for Thanksgiving and oh was it just delicious! We had the full spread of food.

What a wonderful God we serve who gives us so much to be thankful for! I decided this month that I would keep a Thanksgiving list in which every day I wrote one thing I was thankful for in that day. I will be posting it here in just a few days. It has been so fun to do that I think I’m going to do that every month. November is not the only month in which we should give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

The Turkey!! Need I say more?

The Feast!

The Desserts! Pumpkin Pie - I went back twice!

I think even Oreo got her fill of turkey.

A Dream Come True

When a girl comes to Renacer she borrows a very used, beat up and usually hard to read Bible. She then returns the Bible when she leaves and the Bible goes back to the next girl who begins her process. It has been my dream, for the last year that this would change. I dreamed of when each girl could have their very own, new and easy to read Bible that they could take with them when they leave.

I told the Omaha team, who came in July, of my dream. They were incredible and they bought 100 Bibles so that this dream could come true. They sent 28 Bibles with the Kentucky team who got here on Friday and today I received the other 72 via mail. I can’t wait to get them in the hands of each girl that lives with us. The most awesome thing is that the next 64 girls that come to Renacer will have their very own Bible! Praise God for how He answers prayers in abundance! Thank you to all those who bought the Bibles, mailed the Bibles and even brought them. Lives will be forever changed. I can’t thank you all enough!

To God Be the Glory

Really? God really wants to do amazing things through me? Me of all people? Really? Has He not seen me over the past several weeks? Months? Years? Has He not heard me complain out of frustration and my thoughts of injustice? Has He not seen me curled up in my bed avoiding Him because of heartache and depression? Has He not watched me try to numb my mind on aimless TV or time on the computer? Me? Really?

What an amazing God, who has seen me in my utter weakness yet chooses to use me. I’ll be honest; the last two and half weeks have been so hard. I feel like I am walking a tightrope that’s about to give at any moment and I’m not sure how I would survive the fall. Yet God, in His faithful love, has been supporting me and inviting me into His Word and has been sustaining me by those Words.

I am so thankful that God has placed some amazing friends in my life with whom I can be the authentic me. I am thankful for friends who will give me a good swift kick and speak truth to me. I am thankful for friends who have given me Scripture that speaks into the exact fears and emotions and hurts I am struggling with. I am thankful that I can run to God’s Word, wait on Him and thus be strengthened even more than what is humanly possible. Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

So last night I went to bed refreshed and I woke up refreshed, ready for today. I didn’t know what God had in store for me but I was excited since the team from Kentucky was back visiting us and I was going to start individuals today. Wow, how blown away I am of how God can and does use us in our utter weakness.

Today, I had four individuals in which all of them we discussed their doubts of their salvation, so all four sessions looked a lot alike. But during the first session with Maria Fernanda, as we were discussing our sins and Christ’s forgiveness of our sins, the gravity of what God has called to me began to sink in. (I wrote in an earlier post about how I’m beginning to see the weightiness of what God has called me to.) But today I saw the gravity of it. I am in a hand-to-hand, life and death battle with Satan for the eternal lives of these girls. Thank God that He is fighting for me and with me. I was overwhelmed as I was talking to her. No wonder Satan is trying to stack the cards against me. He forgets though, that the One who overcame death itself is on my side and I live in the victory of that!

So I ragged war with Satan today not only for myself, as I have been doing, but for the eternal lives of these girls. I am excited to say that the three who doubted their salvation found security that they were saved and we discussed their need to speak the Truth daily into their lives. I am even more excited to share about Ana Cristina, who six months ago, did not know if she believed there was a God. Today she wanted to and accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior! How exciting! Please continue to pray for these girls as they find security in the salvation that only comes through Christ. Pray for the battle that we are engaged in for the lives of these girls.

Again, I shake my head in disbelief that He would use me even in my utter weakness. I have found new strength for the moment and for the day that only comes through waiting on the Lord. The exciting thing is that this new strength is superhuman strength. Only God can do that! The only way to describe today is…to God be the glory and His faithful love endures forever!

You Are Personally Invited

We all love to be personally invited to a party, a wedding, or whatever the event is because it makes us feel notice, special, thought of and important. Think of that invitation where did it begin? The person of the event took time and carefully thought through their purchase. They chose what the best invitation would be for their event. The script and the exact words were painstakingly gone over and over until it was perfect. They chose wisely the people they wanted to invite and then they sought out your address and addressed each envelope, sealed each one and put a stamp on it so it was certain it would make it to your hands.

You go to your mailbox and amongst all the bills and junk mail there is a fresh breath of air…the invite. You put all other mail aside and open it. You read it and then place it on your fridge so you will remember to either attend or to send a gift or your regrets for not attending. Then you go on with your day, your week, your month and that beautiful invitation has become part of the background.

Over this past week, God has been placing the concept of invitation in my heart. He’s been inviting me in Matthew 11:28-30 to…Come and rest. Come and listen. Come and learn how. In Psalm 23 to…Come and be renewed. Come and be guided. In Psalm 119:28-32 to…Come and be encouraged. Psalm 119:45 to…Come and walk in freedom.

In John 1:37-39, two disciples of John the Baptist have “turned and followed Jesus.” When Jesus saw them following Him, He turned to them and asked them “What do you want?” (Oh, what a beautiful question! A question in which warms even the hardest parts of my heart. My Savior wants to know what I want.) The two responded “Where are you staying?” and Jesus doesn’t just tell them instead He says “Come and see.” Then they spent the rest of the day with Jesus. Come and see.

So why am I not resting, listening, learning how, being renewed, being guided, being encouraged, walking in freedom nor seeing like I should? God showed me in John 1:37 my problem…I haven’t turned and followed Jesus. Sure I follow Him in areas of my life…but ALL of my life? The two disciples, one of whom we find out is Andrew, were first, disciples of John the Baptist and when John told them “there is the Messiah” they “turned and followed Jesus.”

I began to think about what it means for me to turn and follow. The invitation is there. Jesus has found me as he found Philip in John 1:43 and has personally given me the invitation to Come and see. Yet the turning and following is where I fail often. When we turn, we must change directions, we must change the purpose of our directions, and we must do something different.

Perhaps we’re angry and we have a right to be angry, but to accept the invitation that Christ offers us then we must relinquish our bitterness and right to remain angry. We must give the anger over to Christ and allow Him to heal us.

Perhaps we have a broken heart that doesn’t want to let anyone else in. We are holding onto what little shattered pieces we can scoop up in our shaking hands. To accept the invitation of Christ we must relinquish those broken pieces to Him. We must trust Him with them and for Him to comfort and heal our hearts.

Perhaps we are depressed and can’t seem to find the strength to get out of bed yet. We walk through the day barely holding on; wondering when our tightrope will finally break and we loose everything. To accept the invitation of Christ we must relinquish our strength to Him. We must trust in His strength to help us live in His joy that we can choose.

Perhaps we are just busy. We run here and there with the duties of families, jobs, activities, friendships and the list goes on. To accept the invitation of Christ we must stop, take a breath and give Him our time. We must trust that He is worth giving up some of the busyness.

No matter where we are at, we must stop something and turn to see Christ and follow Him. It’s not easy as I have fought Him this week on giving Him certain things. I have tuned Him out and told Him that I’ll get to Him later. Or that I hurt too much to focus on Him right now. Or I just don’t want to. Yet Psalm 27:8 sweetly whispers to me “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord I am coming!’” Sometimes I turn from my ways and let this verse take me to my beloved Jesus who is inviting me to come and talk and there’s other times when I just push that truth away and carry on in my own things and my own ways.

The most incredible thing that He has been showing me is that He still continues to invites us. If I was God, I would have given me up a long time ago. Thank God I’m not. But because of His unfailing love and mercy He continues to invite us into a relationship with Him. He invites us to first believe and accept Him and to become His children. But that’s not where the invite ends. He continues, every day to invite us. He invites us to know Him more, to see what He is doing, to rest in Him.

Have you seen that when He invites us there’s always an action for us. We get to rest, to talk, to believe, to be encouraged, to walk in freedom, to listen and so forth. He doesn’t invite us to come and see but stay back and don’t say a word. No He invites us and to come and see and get to know Him even more personally as the two disciples did when they spent the rest of the day with Him. It’s always a personal invitation to have a personal encounter with the One True Living God, Our Savior, Our Father, Our Lover, Our King, Our Comforter, Our Protector, Our Hope, Our Life.

So what will you do with your personal invitation today from the One who knows you best and loves you more than anyone else could ever love you? My prayer is that we respond “Lord I am coming!” Then turn and follow.

I would encourage you to look online and listen to the song You invite me in by Meredith Andrews. Part of the chorus says, “You invite me in. It doesn’t matter where I have been. Your arms are opened wide. There’s nothing left for me to hide. You invite me in. It doesn’t matter where I have been. Your arms are opened wide. Now holding me to Your side.”

Nine More!

Today was an unexpected day. First, it started off cloudy and cold which usually means I’m wearing my gloves and a scarf at work. But then the sun came out about 10am and although the wind was cold the sun felt so good. It stayed out for most of the day up on the mountain though it had rained down below at home.

All of the staff was requested to attend Encuentro which normally doesn’t happen. So my first thought was maybe they would be announcing that the other girls would be graduating. At the end of Encuentro Cindy began to announce advances. One after another, six girls found out that they have finished their process. Two of whom have been in the process for 20 months. Melania, Saray, Jessica, Hellen, Genesis and Maria Fernanda are now officially done and beginning the exciting yet scary part of entering the real world.

Three more girls were told that they would be going through the graduation ceremony but would not yet be finished with their process. They are at the phase in which if they work hard, would be done within a month and half. Yet that really depends on them and how the work on the necessary things. They get to “graduate” next week because the next graduation is in May and they are so close to being done, staff didn’t want them to have to wait another six months. Wendy, Arisha and Massiel are so excited that they will soon be finishing their process.

What an incredible thing to witness. Tears of joy, shock, happiness and even a little of fear of the unknown were flowing from not only these nine girls, but the staff and other residents. What an incredible example for the girls at the beginning of their process to see that they too can do this and can be in these girls shoes in May or in a year from now. So that makes eleven girls graduating next Friday. YEA!

The Advances Begin

I always love being at Encuentro (the first therapeutic group of the day) on Tuesdays when the girls find out who advanced in their process. It’s even more exciting when graduation is the following week (Friday, 28 November) because some of the girls find out that they have officially finished their process.

Tuesday, two girls, Jennifer and Andrea, found out that they have completed their process. To see the joy overwhelm them to tears can’t even be put into words. I, myself, moved to tears because of how proud I am of them. These girls were already there when I began working at Renacer but they were early on in their process. I have seen them grow up into young women who have a wonderful life ahead of them.

Next week nine more girls will learn that they, too, have finished their process. One of whom I have witnessed her entire transformation process. What an awesome and exciting thing it is that I get to actually see first hand. Oh how I wish you call could meet these amazing young ladies. Please keep them in prayers.

And The Lights Went Out

It was about 4:45pm tonight when I was walking home from a long and can I admit, a boring day at work. I noticed when I passed Pollo Rey (a rotisserie chicken place about 3 blocks from my house) that their power was out; which I could only assume my power was out. Some times this happens during the day when they have to do some work on the lines, but I quickly found out it had only gone out about 10 minutes before I had gotten home. That wasn’t a good sign to me.

The worse thing is that I have no flashlight and have only two tiny candles but no source of fire. Remember the sun sets a little after 5pm here. I was not in the most excited of moods to sit in a dark house, with no music (my mp3 player is dead from using it every night as some form of noise since my fan is broken) and just left alone with my own thoughts. I wanted to escape my own thoughts as they have consumed me lately over certain issues and things going on in my life. What was I going to do in the pitch black of night for who knows how many hours?

Thankfully my landlord’s daughter’s boyfriend brought me a super tiny candle but that was all I needed to have a little fire to light my other tiny candle. So now all my plans for my evening were put aside, what was I going to do? I could still have my date with Jesus. So that is what I did. So where was I going to read at today? I didn’t know and then I came to John and decided that was a great place to have my candlelight date with Jesus.

I just love how He makes a theme out of some days. It began last night as I was laying there trying to sleep in the “quietness” of not having a working fan. I felt like a tiny wooden boat in the midst if a hurricane inside of my own head and I had to choose to focus on Jesus. I like to take walks with Him on the beach as I picture Him painting the most perfect sunset as we talk about life. But last night He wouldn’t go to the beach with me, instead He took me through the forest and the valley to this beautiful stream. The water prancing over the rocks and then galloping down a tiny wall of rocks as it danced out of sight.

There He said “Come and listen. Give your worries and burdens to me. Come and rest.” I looked at Him not sure if I was willing to give Him my burdens and worries. They are too much. They might hurt to let go of. But I want to pretend I have control of them. All He did was sit, leaning against a huge oak tree, planted firmly. He said “Come and rest. Come and know that I am God.” I couldn’t help myself. I slowly took off my yoke that I have been trying to carry by myself and then sat next to Him. He put His arm around me and I leaned into Him.

Perfectly at that time, my mp3 player (which I was using for some form of noise in place of my fan) started to play the song The More I Seek You by Kari Jobe that says “The more I seek You, the more I find You. The more I find You, the more I love You. I want to sit at Your feet. Drink from the cup in You hand. Lay back against You and breathe, feel Your heartbeat. This love is so deep. It’s more than I can stand. I melt in Your peace. It’s overwhelming.” So there I was hearing His heartbeat, resting in my Savior, my First Love. Soon after that I fell asleep.

This morning I was listening to David Crowder and again there were a few more songs with lyrics such as ...Come and listen. The water’s edge draws you. All who are thirsty come. Come and be known. So beautiful. Then as I was preparing some Bible studies for my girls today, God gave me some sweet verses that stole my heart and spoke to where I was at. (Psalms 119:28-32, 45) I encourage you to look them up.

So that brings us back to tonight, without electricity, only a candle. It was simple. The Lord said, “Sunshine, Come and listen.” I started to study John 1 which talks about how Jesus is light and how light penetrates darkness. Here I am with one flame that is penetrating the darkness around me, providing me light to take in the Truth that is right in front of me. How much of that light radiates from me? Am I lighting the way for others by the light that Christ put in me? Where is darkness lurking in me? What are the chains and lies that I believe that quench the light as would a rush of wind put out my little candle flame.

As Psalms 119:45 says “I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to Your commandments.” Am I choosing to walk in that freedom, that light and my identity as a child of God that has all the blessings from the New Covenant in Christ Jesus? Or do I coward down and live in defeat because the chains seem too heavy? Oh the freedom that there is in Christ! The freedom we have already claimed and the freedom that Christ has already guaranteed is ours at this very moment. And it was at that moment that the lights came on again. What an incredible God we have. He’s so personal! I look forward to lying in bed to the “quietness” again and meeting my True Love under that oak tree alongside the prancing stream of rest that He gives. Oh how I need it.

This is my neighborhood at 6:20pm. Can you see anything? I was told the lights were out for miles.

My workspace. You like my little Christmas tree too?

I was also having fun taking some creative pictures as well.

Hugs and Kisses Galore

Aww. Now that’s what it’s all about. Today my walk has a little extra hop to it and you almost can’t wipe the smile off my face. Life now feels like it’s back to normal. Today was my first day back to work in over 3 months. The girls were not told that I would be there today so that it could be a surprise to them.

Two groups of girls were already in the cabins while the two largest groups were still in the cafeteria when I arrived. I tried to sneak off the van because I really had to go to the bathroom before I began my round of hugs. As I waited for the office to be unlocked, I heard some yelling from the cafeteria asking if that was Sol out there. (Sol is what they call me as they can’t pronounce my name.) When I waved to them they almost couldn’t contain themselves from running out; the leaders did the containing.

Once I got to the cafeteria I was greeted with a loud cheer and excitement then bombarded by amazing huge hugs and the customary greeting of a kiss. The girls had so many questions for me and all fought for my attention. It was so fun to see how the girls have matured in just three months. Not only have they changed physically, but some have grown into young women while I was gone. So beautiful! Then I had many girls asking when I will start doing individuals (counseling sessions) and that they have a lot to discuss about spiritual matters. What an awesome job I have!!

My day was really spent mostly to myself as I worked on getting some Bible studies put together and a plan for the next few months. As I was working on the studies, I was hit with the magnitude of what God has called me to and with what He has entrusted me. I have always known this but I guess at some point it just didn’t register. Now it is almost overwhelming me at the same time humbling me and making me so excited.

I can’t wait to see what God is going to do this next year. I know He has huge plans for these girls and for me. I know it will come at a cost of much pruning, stretching, growing and dying of myself. It appears it’s going to be a hard year but an amazing year. Oh I can’t wait to see how these precious lives are transformed and even how my own life is transformed more into His likeness. Let the work begin!

Getting Back to Normal

Thank you for all your prayers as I have been adjusting to my life here again. It’s interesting in how I can forget in just three months how life ran in Costa Rica. What was overwhelming me this week would not have fazed me just three months ago. I forgot how inconvenient life is here and slow paced life is here. Of course, there were little frustrations that happened all at once that would have driven anyone crazy for a moment.

I’m glad to report that life is becoming more normal again. Tomorrow I will be returning back to work and seeing my girls which I’m so excited about. Then I will be back in my normal routine and expect to be very busy and thus my time will begin flying by. Again thank you for all your prayers, they have made this adjustment easier that I am for sure of.

Desperation in Costa Rica

The people of Costa Rica need your prayers. This rainy season has been a very severe rainy season and there’s still a month and half to go. As I reported in September, there was major flooding happening just a few miles away from me. October was abnormally dried; usually is the heaviest month of rain, but the first few days of November have made up for a dry October. My friends who live in Jaco say 3 feet of rain in just 4 days! Meteorologists report that we will see 2-3 times the average November rain of 15 inches.

Due to these rains the land just can’t take any more. Therefore rivers are invading homes, washing out streets and leaving towns as islands with no way in and no way out. One of the common dangers is landslides and there have been many that have also left towns with no way in and no way out. In fact tens of thousands are reported stranded.

About 30 minutes away from me in San Antonio de Escazu homes disappeared in matters of seconds with at least 30 counted as dead. The police and rescue workers have spent hours upon hours searching and digging out bodies of those who had no warning and could not escape. The landslides have taken out the water lines and many people; an estimated 700,000 have been without water and continue to not have access to water.

The National Police usually respond to such disasters however they have been deployed to the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border as a new dispute has exploded. (Costa Rica does not have an army.) So now the Municipal Police have been deployed to the disaster sites thus leaving many towns with less police officers and more vulnerable to crime.

Several weeks ago Nicaragua decided to begin to dredge the Rio (River) San Juan, which creates the border. The problem is that they have begun dredging on our side and have taken the Costa Rican flag down and put up the Nicaraguan flag on Isla (Island) Calero. Nicaragua has also placed their army around the island stating it’s there.

There have been many discussions and on Thursday there will be a big meeting of the two countries to try to settle the dispute, but it surely won’t be a quick or easy one. We pray for no blood shed as the two countries try to settle this.

I have included some pictures courtesy of Tico Times Newspaper. To read more about these two major issues you can go to www.ticotimes.net.

This is the main street and really the only one between two tourist towns, Quepos and Manual Antonio. I have been on this road at least 4 times and it's a very important artery of connecting these towns to the rest of the country and transportation of food and other necessities.

Rescue workers and others trying to dig for bodies in San Antonio de Escazu

More of the landslide.

A woman trying to save what little left she has after the landslide and flood that enter her house.

The Nicaraguan army in the standoff of the Rio San Juan.

Re-entry = Overwhelming

These past 24 hours have shown to be quit difficult. I always expect a little friction with re-entry to the USA and Costa Rica, but this took me by surprise. As I mentioned in my post yesterday I walked in to find my studio apartment painted an awful orangy pink color. Since it is a one room apartment I can’t escape it. Then my room was rearranged but at least my landlord was so sweet enough to have cleaned it for me so I didn’t have to do it when I got back. What a blessing.

I couldn’t find my picture that was a special gift to me until I looked below the sink and it was wet and molded…so that went to the trash. Then my dish soap and sponges were gone. My nice pillows that I bought were replaced with hard, lumpy, popcorny feeling pillows because mine supposedly smelt of paint fumes. All my towels and washcloths were closed in my washer with mildew forming and so were my clothes on the shelves. My house reeks of mildew and mold which is causing my allergies to flare up and even some of my health issues that went away as soon as I went to the states. It looks like I’m allergic to my house and it’s causing me to get sick. My exercise mat was ruined. My internet was working but my computer wouldn’t connect to it and then for dinner I ate some cereal I just bought that was beyond the point of staleness.

Last night as I took my little stream shower (thankfully with hot water) I just wanted to go back to the states. I forgot how inconvenient life is here and frustrating, especially with the guys hollering at you on the streets. I knew I was more sensitive to everything because I only had 2 ½ hours of sleep and tried to keep that in mind. I went to bed trying to remember what someone told me Wednesday night; I must choose to praise God when I start feeling depressed. So that’s what I tried to do.

I slept well and woke up at 8am. I was about to get up and start my day when the electricity went out – which it was out for the entire day. I feel like I’m getting sick, not sure if it’s the mold in my house or if I’m just getting sick. I hope the latter. It was also rainy, very rainy, so it was darker. So I chose to stay in bed for another hour and half. Finally I had to get out but really couldn’t do much. So I opened my door, so I could have light, and spent some good time with Jesus this morning.

I forgot how slowly and I mean slowly time goes by here. I really think that there are extra seconds in every minute here. So I kept looking at the clock and thinking “it’s only noon?!” Then God blessed me by spending time with my friend Kathy for the afternoon and then I got to spend the evening with my other friend Melissa. These were refreshing times. I came home to electricity and internet. I feel like things are getting better and I know they will it’s just a matter of time.

Thank you for praying for me as I adjust to life here again. I’m excited to get back to work next Thursday to see my girls and get back into ministry. Let’s just hope my Spanish brain will turn on and quickly. I still remain thankful that God has me here even in the midst of the frustrations of life. I’m thankful that He is always faithful and through His Spirit I am led by His grace and mercy and given the strength to handle each day as it comes or in this instance moment by moment.

Oh the Adventure!

This is just a quick little blog to let everyone know I am back here in Costa Rica. I had a great flight home from being at home (Missouri) and was welcomed back in style... Waiting in line for an hour and half. Not only the outside of my house chaged colors but my landlord painted my studio apartment a loud crazy pink...enjoying that one (can you hear the sarcasim! Pictures to come.) A major rain storm over the past few days that has caused devestation to Costa Rica and my area and has taken many lives. Due to all that Costa Rica is in a state of emergency and crisis. Also water is gone, not yet at my house, but could be gone for at least the next 3 days if not longer...wow! That's just the beginning! Please be in prayer for Costa Rica and the people who have lost loved ones, homes, and so much more.