Halloween Schmaloween

So, Hiedi, Preston, and their little dog, Cusco, all arrived safely just BEFORE midnight last night. Praise the Lord! We got them settled and then passed out. Today I woke up and got onto facebook and saw about 1,000,000,001 status updates about Halloween and realized, "Oh, yeah. Today's Halloween!" Haha. Although you can buy pumpkins, costumes, and huge bags of candy here. Halloween isn't their custom or tradition, so it's just not celebrated (with the exception of some bars and night clubs). We took Heidi and Preston to the feria with us, then to Pricemart (which is like a Sam's Club), and then drug them to Automercado to finish out the morning of shopping. We did stop in the middle for some sushi at one of our favorite sushi places. It was delish!

Needless to say, after a morning of shopping, we took a couple hours to clean up the fruits and veggies and relax a little before heading downtown. We wanted to show them how to get down there so they can go explore Monday morning if they want. We took them to our favorite coffee shop and they bought a total of 4 pounds of some of the best coffee and some chocolate covered coffee beans for just under $20. You can't beat that!

Anyhow, it was a good day and they seem to be happy just wandering around doing errands with us! :)

Visitors

So, we just found out a couple days ago that Heidi and Preston, two friends from a supporting church, will coming to stay with us tonight. They have been down in Pavones in southern Costa Rica almost to the border of Panama working as missionaries. They've been working up in the mountains with the indigenous tribes and also along the beach. They wrote me an email earlier today and told me the bus they were planning to take at noon was cancelled for whatever reason and they wouldn't be leaving until about 4:30 which means they won't be getting in until at least midnight if not before. I'm excited to see them again and hear all about what's been going on down south. I'm also excited to show them around and enjoy some time with people from home. It's weird to say from home when I don't really feel like that is home anymore. I mean, it's where I grew up, but it doesn't feel the same anymore.

Anyways, I digress. I'm super tired from this week of missiology classes but I can't let Josh stay up by himself. He's pretty tired too. I'm going to go lay down and read some more of "Breaking Dawn," the last book of the Twilight series. I'm sucked in and finally found the last book here in English for $20. I couldn't not get it!

Lord, help Heidi and Preston arrive earlier than later!

October 2009 Update

October 2009 Update

Katie Carter

I love blogs. I love reading them and vicariously living through others. I like to update my own, but I'm not the greatest writer. I love, Love, LOVE photo blogs. So, through this love of blogs, I started sharing some of the things I had read with a fellow missionary and friend, Katie Carter. She was interested in blogs and hadn't had much experience so she started reading one with me and decided that maybe she would create one. She came in yesterday to school and told me she created her own blog and I am excited to have helped get her excited about blogging. She'll be working with Josh and I in El Salvador. She's planning on working with Master's Commission. She's also really funny so I can't wait to see what kind of things she puts up on her blog! Please hop over and read about her experiences here in CINCEL at Katie's Call.

Missiology

We started our week of missiology classes from AGTS today. We sit in class all morning long and have two hours of spanish in the afternoons. DeLonn Rance is teaching our class. It's been pretty interesting. The most interesting aspect today was when we talked about the new phenomenon occuring in the states right now of Christian vs. Christ Follower. If you're interested in it, look up the Mac vs. PC parody videos on youtube of Christian vs. Christ Follower. They are pretty funny and show what the new wave of change is all about.

Although I lean more toward the Christ Follower way of life, I still call myself a Christian. In all honesty, isn't that what Christian means anyhow...follower of Christ? I could care less if a person dresses up for service or if they have service Saturday evening or Sunday night. I could care less if they have bumper stickers on their car nor if they only listen to Christian music. What really matters to me is if they are following what the Holy Spirit is speaking to them, if they have a relationship with Christ and if they are trying to develop relationships and share the love and word of God. THAT is what is important in my eyes. Non of us are perfect and we need to live our lives the best we can, however it's important for people to see us as real people and not perfect robots that live by a book of rules.

Anyhow, not to get on a soapbox but I laughed because with my background and my age, I am more liberal than possibly some of the other missionaries around and I could tell that this movement bothered some other people. It's just the way I feel and think and have never had any convictions about these issues.

I'm hoping to learn a lot more. Josh is absolutely LOVING this class and is now bugging me about getting his doctorate. He is an education nut and really loves learning, especially about apologetics, culture, missions, and theology. However, at this time we just simply cannot afford it and we're still trying to pay off some of our debt. I told him once that was gone, we'd think about it. He's pretty excited though! :)

Anyhow, I'm going to enjoy having a few days without homework. Hopefully I'll be updating some more throughout the week.

Youtube, my old friend

Back in the early years of college I spent several hours searching funny youtube videos and would randomly send them to friends. It was like a mini contest of who could find the funniest videos and of course we found the classics of "Chocolate Rain," "Britney Spears Stoned," "Charlie bit me," and "Blooduh." However, for several years now I just have not had the time nor the need to spend time on youtube. Yes, I enjoy the occasional funny video posted on facebook but just haven't gone to search anything.

Well, after seeing several hysterical videos on Facebook, I decided I had to find some of them on Youtube and post'em! They're THAT good!

For all you mothers, fathers, and anyone THINKING of having kids:

Then there is the baby with ice cream:

Hope you enjoyed them as much as I did!

Columbus Day

Today was Columbus Day which is known as "El Dia de la Raza," Day of races, or "El Dia de las culturas," the Day of cultures. This is because it's known as the day that the Spanish arrived in the Americas and started to dominate the indigenous people. It's not necessarily viewed in the most positive light. They came over and conquered by the sword and dominated with fear. So, to try to put it in a positive light, they call it either the day of races or the day of cultures because black and european races were introduced during this time.

It's not celebrated here with any dances, festivals, or parades, but it is a national holiday that most all people have off of work and out of school. So, after 25 years of life, I'm getting a day off for Columbus Day. Interesting...

Anyhow, Saturday Josh and I ran our usual errands. We went to the feria, or farmer's market, and Dave and Terri Lee, some Missionary Associates here, told us they were going to take a day trip to Sarchi today and invited us along. Sarchi is a local craft and furniture hotspot that is known for the oxen carts that they used to use to transport rice and coffee before cars where around. So we, along with the Lees, Debbie, a professor from our school and her husband all went off to Sarchi to check out the local crafts and visit the factory where they still make the carts. I took several pictures but just haven't uploaded and edited them yet. They will come...eventually.

I had a headache almost all day so I am going to go lay down and patiently await my appointment with the chiropractor tomorrow which will hopefully help my neck and make me feel a little better!

A little bit of stress...

So we get to have a three day weekend this weekend! The only one we get all semester and we were thinking about going to the beach or even to a local hotel and just spend some time away together. However, we just got our statement and disbursement for this next month and we're over $600 short. We've been told that this happens from time to time from other missionaries. We aren't freaking out but we are having to pull a little out of savings to cover this month and hoping it gets made up for next month. This is the whole "living by faith" thing getting lived out I guess! :)

So, this weekend we'll be staying around here. Most of the other missionaries are going to the beach so we'll have a nice quiet weekend around here which should be nice as well. I'm not planning on doing a whole lot of anything except for reading. The rain has finally started picking up some. Everyone has been warning us for MONTHS about the rainy season here in Costa Rica and that it's unending. However, since we've been here there hasn't been much rain. This week it's started picking up though and it gets really chilly when it rains around here and the rain itself is cold. This makes for PERFECT weather for curling up with a good book though!

Looking forward to this weekend and an extra day of relaxation. What are you doing this weekend?

Universidad Para La Paz - Photos

Yesterday after church we went with our Tico friend, Eduardo, to the park at Universidad Para La Paz, or the University for Peace, which is an international university that studies peace. It's sponsored by the United Nations and students from all over the world come to study about peace, history, and methods. Classes are given in English and Spanish and it's appropriately placed up in some of the most beautiful country of the mountains of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is known for its peace. It has a long history of peace loving people. Back when all of Central America was part of Spain's ruling, those that didn't want to fight and just wanted to farm and live in peace migrated down to the land that is now Costa Rica. You see there were no natives that lived in this area and the Spaniards weren't interested in it because it didn't have any richest that were of interest to them. So, the people that came to live here basically had no government to rule over them and had no interest in fighting. After the independence, they took 2 years to finally set up a constitution! No one wanted to take control. How interesting...

Anyhow, they have now been without an army for around 50 years. I think it was in the late 40's or early 50's when they decided not to have an army and have been living in peace for several decades now. Most people around here don't even really understand the concept of war. I actually think it's only a matter of time before the Nicaraguans try to take them over as almost have the population is already Nicaraguan, but for now it's a beautiful idea.

Anyhow, we went up to the park and ended up taking one of the longest hikes I've ever taken. They have great trails with beautiful views and tons of natural beauty.

Centipede

Monument

Nothing says peace like a dove in your hands!

Beautiful butterfly

I love the underside of this one's wings.

Josh with Eduardo

Tree tops

Creek

There were a TON of butterflies

And spiders...

You can actually see the web coming out of this one...gross.

The view of Santa Ana

Moss

Hey mister...you gotta sister?

Beautiful bokeh

Coolest ant hill ever...period.

Eduardo holding the turtle

From the top

Apparently this is some sort of plant fungus thing?

Ah, yes. Best find of the day goes to Josh. 'Nuff said.

It was really dark in the middle of the trail. Sorry for the flash.

Such cool ants!

Vines

Daddy longlegs

Light at the end of the tunnel

Dormilona, or Sleeping Beauty, because when you touch it, it closes up