Year in review part 2 July too . . . . well October

 Wow.  Looking back, I am not sure how we survived July.  It is a blur.

We started out by going on our first family "missions" trip.  A fellow missionary was going in to an area in the country called Rio Frio.  We all went with her.  We were not responsible for any of the set-up, we just went to minister, and maybe help translate, so we call it our family mission's trip.  We had a blast.  The team was broken up into 3 groups.  Maggi went with one, Emma went with another, and Dave and I went with the third.  The girl's both loved it.  There were so many young people, and they incorporated the girls into their teams, before the time was over, Emma was a clown, Maggi was in the drama, and they were praying over anyone they could get their hands on.  We loved watching our girl's participate in ministry.

Emma as the Clown

One of the churches in a community in a remote pineapple plantation

This was the commute after the service.  

Then. .  . We were able to host a team from West Texas and New Mexico.  We had a great time, but worked hard.  We worked with a local church to host a sports camp.  We had planned for a max of 100 kids.  The first day we had over 200.  We were in way over our heads.  The team was led by an MK that used to live here, so it was fun to be part of his team.

 Judy, Dave's mom came for the summer.  She was such a blessing to have with us.  She cooked, cleaned, prayed over so many people, cried, laughed, and fell in love with the people of Costa Rica.

Maggi finds someone to hold everywhere.

   

 As a testimony to this outreach, I have to share this story. . . One of the long time members of the church came up to Dave After the service and told him, that on the back row, he saw one of the drug dealers, not a low level drug dealer, but Leader and gang member.  He never thought that the this man would step foot in the church, let alone be able to have the gospel presented to him.  I can't say that he was saved in the service, but that was a "first" step in what we will believe will be the beginning of a change in that community.







Then. . . My home church from Lake Wylie, South Carolina came.  It was a dream come true, to share our home and ministry with my "people".  The men worked on a classroom for missionaries from Latin and South America to come and be trained in missiology.

The men started with a poured concrete slap, and worked as long as daylight would permit.












I took the group of ladies with me to different schools, to minister to 5-6 grade girls.  The ladies shared snacks, did a craft, and told them of their worth and beauty in Christ.  We also worked with a church in a strong Catholic community with street evangelism, and helping in the service.










 A fun story: Emma had dressed as super girl, with an "s" on her check.  Well, after the morning and afternoon in the sun, she had an "s" sunburned check for quite a while.













We also worked with a church in a strong Catholic community with street evangelism, and helping in the service.

This was such a sweet time, I was able to bring my home church to share in my ministry for girls in Linda Vista

Lake Wylie Christian Assembly, took a little piece of our hearts when then returned home.

Finally, after ministry for 5 of the girl's 6 weeks of summer, we went on vacation.  It was wonderful.  We were able to rest, play, swim, and sleep in.  It was a great way to decompress with the girls.  I asked them if they thought it was too much for the summer.  

This was their answer, "we would do it all over again!

We saw lots of this. . .

We got to be a family on vacation in Costa Rica!  

The last day of summer. . . . . . 

August

As soon as we got back to San Jose, the girls returned to school.  

Emma started 5th grade and Maggi started 8th grade.  The summer helped recharge Maggi, not only physically, but each group that came refreshed her mentally, and she grew stronger in her faith.  She gained the knowledge that she didn't have to feel lonely here, because she had friends all over that were praying for her.  

While the girls were back in the swing of things, I was able to bring Judy to  Chica's club with me.  She did a great job talking about how each one of the girls are a light on a hill.  We were able to have a time of prayer, and shared a craft letting them know that when they look in the mirror they "BRILLA" or "SHINE".  Judy did a great job, is was an honor having her share.

Judy also helped each girl make a nametag.

 I was able to attend my first women's retreat with the ladies from my church.  My Spanish was stretched to the limit.  I drove more than I cared to, but bonded with the ladies, and felt like I belonged and was connected to these caring ladies.

September.

Once we were told we were released to come to Costa Rica, we bought a "Yay Us" cake.  So every year, on September 5th, we buy some sort of "Yay Us" cake.  We celebrated our 2nd birthday.


The same community that we held a sport's camp was doing an outreach into the community, they live in "Los Cuadros"  which means "The Block".  Because we fell in love with the pastors, and the passion they have for the community, we went back as a family to participate in that outreach.

                                                                           

You just never know who you will run into in Costa Rica

This summer, from a sweet friend, we learned the art of balloon making.  This will instantly bring a smile to almost anyone.

Costa Rica celebrates their Independence Day on September 15th.  The girls practiced and learned a typical dance for a group dance at church.  We are so proud of our little MK's

I promise I will tell you more about Chicas Club, But I ended up the month with an amazing session.  We had a session on recovering from sexual abuse with these girls.  The time invested in this community with these girls is a process, this was a step in a long transformation process.

October. . .

This was a special time for Emma.  This is her BIG dance recital.  Her big show is in October.  She has worked very hard.  Her classes are taught all in Spanish.  She goes to class 2 days a week for 2 hours.  This was a BIG thing for her, because when we left the states, she just asked if she could please do dance when we got to Costa Rica.  So our dancing queen. . .

OK, I think we are going to have the year in review end here.  

I am going to work on a post for our team we hosted in October. . . and the rest of the year. . . .

Just looking at the pictures, and reviewing the dates, I realize how amazing our life is.  

Psalm 16:5

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.  

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 

surely I have a delightful inheritance."

2014 in Review

I love looking back at the year, and recapping special events and remembering our milestones.  We will start with the first 6 months

January our family took "a middle of our first term" vacation.   We spent a week with my dad and step mom in a condo in Orlando.  During that time, my dad had been diagnosed with cancer, so we were so blessed to have an entire week to visit with him.  We also had a chance to hang around Mickey for a little while.

This would be the last time I would be able to see my father, before saying Goodbye to him in the hospital hours before leaving this earth.  God was so good to give me this gift.  

We made some magical memories.  

February Maggi started playing soccer for her 8th grade class.

And Dave and I went on a "hot" date to a volcano for Valentine's day.  

We also hosted Sustain hope from Springfield, Missouri.  We set off for several indigenous areas to establish rapport.  Sustain hope had been to visit one community several years prior, so it was exciting for them to see how the community had grown.  This was also a "planning" team, for a group that would be working in the area later.

Maggi and Emma learn how to make a solar oven

March, we continue to learn how to live in this new culture.

                                                                    We explored the city.

I wonder why people say this city is confusing?

We made new friends

                                                                          We watched a FIFA game

Celebrated International day at the girl's school

April, we worked with some other missionaries and their teams.  Dave had an opportunity to attend a training seminar in Ecuador specifically on how to reach un reached people groups. Invaluable information was gained, and we will continue to add on those concepts for the unreached people groups here in Costa Rica.

 This month the girls and I worked with a team of ladies at Chicas de promesa.  This is an at risk girls club in an impoverished neighborhood.  More details to follow about chicas.

In MayAmy had an opportunity to attend a group beginning to focus here for the Latin American and Caribean reagion in the fight agaisnt abuse and explotation.  It was  eye opening .



 We also did much prep work for the busy month of June.  Lots of planning and praying

Maggi & Emma the best MK's Ever

June was very busy.  We had a combined team of sustain hope and students from Southeastern University.  We took them to two differnet Indigenous communities.  The students fell in love with the people, and the word of the Lord went to dark areas.

Praise the Lord for Speed the Light.

We will get there any way we can.

We had to wait for the river to decrease before attempting to cross where our indigenous community was

Dave and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary in a community with no electricity.  It must be love.

We also hosted a team from the youth of Minneasota.  They used basketball as an avenue to gain access in public schools to tell others about the love of our heavenly Father.







We also met with the leadership of Costa Rica for their executive meetings.  Dave was able to present his plan on helping the country come up with a plan for natural disasters.  I was pretty proud of my man.