dance

dany and jonny grad this year and they are putting on a dance on saturday to raise money for their class to go to the beach for 3 days. i love to dance and can dance all night. i told dany i wanted to go and he said it wasn't a christian dance. i said that didn't matter cuz i wouldn't understand the words anyway. he asked me not to dance if i go because christians don't dance. what? of course they do. 2 sam 6.14 rejoicing 'king david danced before the Lord with all of his might' he said he knew that but here they don't then here they should. i have seen them dancing in the church in santa cecilia. i asked xinia to go wtih me, if so i will go, otherwise no cuz it's a long walk home. other people in canada were shocked when i said i danced. like christians shouldn't dance? i don't understand at all why anyone would think we shouldn't.

but then i had second thoughts. i seem to be a drunk magnet so maybe it's not a good idea.

feeling pretty cocky

coming home tonight (8/17) i felt very cocky about know that God would take care of me. at one point i wondered about the difference between being cocky and arrogant. i had taken 5 different buses to get home in 11 hours. it POURED rain almost the entire way home. when i got off the bus at santa cecilia it was 7pm, dark, raining and i had a HEAVY backpack. coming home on the bus i had already told God there was no way i could walk home with my pack. it was so very heavy and the weight of it was hurting/bruising my back. i sat down and had an ice cream and wondered how God was going to provide a way home. there was a boy there at sta cecilia that i'd seen on the bus a lot and knew that he would be making his way home but how and when i didn't know. as i sat there eating my ice cream a car went by and i thought i should maybe start walking cuz God knew where i was. as i started walking i realized my pack wasn't near as heavy as it had been all day and it wasn't resting on the swollen area. i realized that although it was raining it was not the torrential downpour it had been most of the day. there were house lights and street lights every so often but even where there weren't and it was totally dark there was enough light for me to find my way. even without using my flashlight that i had in my pack. after walking about 1/3 of the way a truck came along and the boy i knew from the bus was in the back and he got the truck driver to stop for me. because there had been so much rain there was a lot of flooding on the road and right after the truck picked me up we drove through a river across the road. a short while later the guy pulled into his driveway and we got out and started walking. mykel and i walked for about another 1/3 of the way, him in his work boots and me in sandals slip sliding away walking through all the water and mud. another vehicle approached and i asked God if we could please have a ride. there was a big soccer game (cr vs mexico) starting in 5 minutes and i wanted to see it. i'm quite certain God wasn't too concerned about the game but we did get another ride. what i hadn't seen was an even bigger river across the road not even 20' ahead. and so i did make it home in time to see the game. i walked home alone in the dark, in the rain with a heavy pack for a couple of kms, walked a couple more kms with mykel and rode the rest of the way. i had rides when i needed them, a pack that was somehow lighter, enough light to see to walk in the dark and a lighter rainfall. you never have to worry if you trust in God because He will take care of you. He takes care of me all the time.

cr team 2006

don't know what the team can do. construction starts on a new church in december. they could use drums and a guitar. they need to get a rocking band to attract the youth. i walked home with a boy who didn't speak a word of english. he said he was a christian and that he likes guns and roses although he doesn't understand a word. the youth aren't coming to church. but i think more youth would come if the music wasn't so sedate.

sex

it's illegal to have sex with a child under 18 years of age. there are warning signs throughout the country. but you can marry a child at 15 - then it's ok. ???

pata caliente

friends and family say i am this. and if you know me you know this is true. it's hot feet or legs meaning i can't sit still and i'm always on the go. it sounds better to say that i'm spontaneous than to say i'm impulsive. i get an idea in my head and i just go or just do it. like leaving nicaragua, i missed the 7.00 bus and would have to wait 6 hours so i got on a bus going somewhere to get on another bus , then another. (5 in total) it wasn't a patience thing, i just couldn't just sit for that long doing nothing.

speechless with sorrow

from my utmost 8/18 - it's referring to luke 18.22 and 23. the rich young ruler. that in itself doesn't bother me. but for me everything points to luke 14.26 and 33. God did tell me it was only for one year. i will have lived here with this family for over a year. they have become my family and i love them. i love all the boys, they are like sons i never had. i know we aren't supposed to have favourites but dany is my baby, maybe because he speaks english.

God asks us to yield to Him - everything. not just our material possessions but our relationships, anything or anyone of importance. He wants us to give that to Him. He wants us to surrender everything, every possession, every relationship to Him. we are everything to Him. He wants to be everything to us. i know i will leave here but i know i will be speechless with sorrow when i do. i am just thinking about it. but never for long as He keeps another of His promises - to be close to the broken hearted and He saves me once again. Psalm 34.18.

i can't explain it but when i sold my house, quit my job and left my family to come here it wasn't hard at all. for as much as i love my family it was easy to leave. maybe because i knew i'd be back. it's one thing to have a family that you see a few hours a week or a month or a year. it's quite another to actually feel like a loved member of a very close famly that you live wtih every day. this is where i really feel God is testing me. to see if i really will put Him first. i will.

will you?

outside internet cafe

i-m back in costa rica at playa del coco today. the internet cafe is outside and it-s a tropical thunderstorm and i am getting wet. i-m surprised they keep this computer going. i hope i won-t get electrocuted while i-m sitting here. although it makes for a very beautiful internet spot. i am in a garden with a tin roof overhang about 3 ft on one side and 5 ft on the other 2 sides and 2 ft behind me where the rain is just pouring down. there is thunder and lightning, it-s really kinda cool and kinda romantic.

the screen, cpu and keyboard are getting wet so i better go cuz i don-t know how much longer i should sit here.

beisbol (baseball)

got to watch a beisbol game at the beach today. the tide was out so the local youth had a game. they were using a black ball and it was very hard to see it. as i was laying there watching the game the ball was hit and the fielder ran backwards, turned around and ran, literally, right over me. i couldn't see the ball and it all happened so fast i didn't have time to get up, only to roll away to the side to get out of the way. but obviously not in time. if he had been wearing running shoes he would have left a treadmark on my back upper thigh. no one had hit that far out before so i thought i was out of the way.

i will have to tan all day tomorrow just to cover up the black and blue i know i will have.

but even so it was a blast watching the game. i have become such a soccer fan i hadn't even thought about watching beisbol on tv. i found myself clapping or cheering when a good play was made.

soldiers

there are 2 fences at the border with maybe 6 feet between the countries with razor wire on top on the costa rica side. the nica side has soldiers with artillery. it's very different at this border crossing than the one near los chiles. i saw a soldier at the beach with a machine gun. it's hard to imagine the wars here between the sandinistas and contras.

i just can't imagine living in a war torn country. canadians are blessed to be living in peace.

turtle tour

for $24 i could have gone on a turtle tour tonight. what an cool experience that would've been. i hadn't booked cuz i wasn't sure i could stay awake all night, it was from 7pm to 1am. i had checked out earthwatch's website and it costs about $2,000 to come here to do a turtle tour.

after having something to eat (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at 3.30 and all days' coffee in one sitting i decided i could stay awake and returned at 5.45 to book the tour. i had overheard someone saying it was almost 7 and learned that the time changed to daylight savings today and when i arrived to book the tour they were leaving. i am still in my bathing suit so so much for a turtle tour.

costa rica doesn't change the time. but apparently some locals do and some don't - that should be helpful in understanding the bus schedule?

in nicaragua now

left cañas at 08.00 this am and finally cleared the border at peñas blancas at 12.40. it took 2 1-2 hours to go through the border. there were hundreds of people. and tons of money changers. not having my calculator on me i changed 8,000 colones for cordobas (nicaraguan currency). i got ripped off. i only changed 8,000 cuz i'd left my fanny pack (with the rest of my money and credit card) in my backpack on the bus. needless to say the money changer wasn't seen again.

see no fear here. said as i am again shaking my head at myself.

i am at a small beach town for a few days then think i will go to granada for 1 or 2 days. it's supposed to be beautiful, centuries old spanish architecture.

here, in san juan del sur, all the streets are made of paving stones. very cool. most of the houses, schools, churches and some stores in nica are made of red brick. also very cool. and with original spanish tile roofs. they're beautiful.

i have a tica bus map showing there is a tica bus terminal in san juan del sur. so of course i expected the bus to drive into san juan. not so. they let me off on the highway in almost the middle of nowhere so i start hiking down the road in the direction of the ocean. until i saw a sign that said san juan 18 kms. with a 20 pound pack and hot sun. mm - don't think so.

i talked to a family who flagged down a taxi for me. the taxi was like a bus inasmuch as he had 4 different fares in the car.

it's a small, quiet, peaceful beach town on a beautiful curved bay. poor nica shacks dot the hillside to the south, rich haciendas cover the hillside to the north and quaint little restaurants / bars all along the beach.

common sense

lol - aug 9 from my utmost - never let your common sense become so prominent and forceful that it pushes the Son of God to one side.

well there's definitely no fear of that here.

help

the odd time as i run a scenario through my mind of being in trouble and needing help, i think of who i would ask for help and as quickly as i think of some person i think of Jesus. maybe it's a natural human response to think of another human for help but as a child of God to know that He is our Helper, our Protector. and He is always there for us.

instant panic

yesterday while we worked in one school the principal asked if i would talk to the students for half an hour in english. instant panic. what could i say they had fed us lunch. instant prayer. i said yes and as i walked 12 feet to the classroom said panic prayers to Jesus for help and calm. instant response. everything went as smooth as a baby's bum.

God is so awesome! and so faithful!

feeling kinda emotional this time around

not sure why but the last few months i have cried a few times. i thought it was because of the full moons but the past 2 days there hasn't been a full moon. i feel like i'm more running away from home than leaving the country for 3 days. instead of becoming more tranquila i seem to be less. i love everyone so much but they just don't care about things and it's driving me crazy. i miss them just being away for 1 day. as much as living there is driving me crazy there is no place i'd rather be. they take immaculate personal care but as for the house and yard, nobody gives a ..it. so why should i care if they don't? they are perfectly happy, tranquilo.

500 trees for $700

i am working with toshi, a japanese agronomist (?), making vegetable gardens in schools. he said vision mundial is buying trees for some of the schools in the area. sadly they do not include the poorer schools i visited on the frontera. (but i'm working on him) i asked about buying trees and for $700 they can buy 500 orange trees. also talking to him about making gardens in those schools and needed a villager or family to take responsibility for the garden.

i told toshi if he would prepare a list of materials and prices for vision mundial costa rica to give to world vision canada
so if anyone wanted to make a donation to world vision canada they will give the money to vmcr to buy these materials, ie garden implements, seeds, trees.

please pray about this and if you can help please let me know and i will put you in touch with the person at world vision canada that i am involved with. this way you can get a tax receipt from world vision canada for whatever amount you donate.

on the road again

yesterday after working with vision mundial in 2 schools in 2 communities i returned to los chiles at 1.30. the next bus to upala was at 2.00 so i got on it. i was on buses from 2 to 7.40.

it got dark. i had no idea where i was going or where i would sleep when i got there. originally i had intended to spend the night in los chiles but the bus for upala was there so i got on it. but then there weren't any rooms in upala. so i got on the bus again to go to cañas.

as i started thinking i must be crazy i wondered about talking to God. i know i told Him last nite i had to leave the country for 3 days and i wanted to go to nicaragua but as i was travelling i wondered if i had listened to Him for an answer. didn't recall that i had. was He up there just shaking His head at me. as i contemplated my situation, dark, alone, no destination, no reservation i questioned my sanity again and got a little flutter in my stomach. i know the bus heading somewhere was not the time or place to start to get worried. so i talked to God. if i have said i trust God wtih my life, my future, then that included last night and i didn't have to worry. i told God that yes i did trust Him even though i didn't have a clue about what would happen last night. i asked Him to calm my fears and He did. we can say God's will be done. tomorrow, next week, next year but what about this next minute or hour. when i wonder what my future holds, what will i do, where will i go at the end of the year i also had to wonder where will i be and where will i sleep last night. usually i can anwer that. not yesterday. didn't have a clue. thankfully it wasn't something i had to worry about. even if He doesn't i find myself shaking my head at myself. i wonder why i just get it into my head to get up and go somewhere. and then i get out the map and see where i am and wonder if i wanted to go to nica why did i end up in cañas. i guess cuz this is where the bus came.

i thought of sushi as i wrote this and what an adventure we could be having.

how many people can you fit on a motorcycle?

a family of 3 or even 4 can ride all over the country here. and if you have one you carry your helmet in your hand.

last week when i got off the bus at santa cecilia (the highway) i was asked if i wanted a ride home. i knew i recognized the man so i said sure (although that wouldn't make a difference now). it has been raining so-o much the road has rivers running across it so it would've been a very slippery, muddy walk home.

there was a little boy in the drivers seat and i expected someone else was either coming or the man would change seats with the boy. nope! the kid put it in reverse and backed up. not recognizing the scraping noise he continued backing into the delivery truck sitting right beside him. at this point i asked the man how old the kid was - 10. 10 years old and he's driving. about a dozen people watched all this and then guided the kid as he jockeyed back and forth to turn the suzuki around so he could drive out front first.

his vision was between the top of the dash and the top of the steering wheel. it seems just about anything goes here. although when we got to about 200 metres from amparo the man told the kid to turn around. maybe cuz we have police in amparo and there aren't any in santa cecilia.

suitors

oh dear they're getting younger. last sunday in church a little boy, maybe 11 or 12, maybe 10, who knows, gave a note to his younger brother to give to me telling me his name. as i was leaving the church the little brother gave me a piece of scrunched up paper. i thought it was garbage but opened it to find another note saying that i was very affectionate and that he loved me. i only ever say hi and smile.

chico's story

chico's gone. he's found his family and he's gone home.

he was born in nicaragua and left his family when he was 9 years old to come to costa rica with an 11 year old brother to look for work. he had lost contact with his family and had not seen his mother and father and 3 other siblings for 12 years. he had not seen his older brother for 10 years. an 11 year old boy on his own looking for work in another country, no family, no friends.

12 years later he ends up working with an uncle who tells him where his family is. he has two sisters 25 and 15 years old. and his brothers are 18 and 23.

so he wasn't abandoned. he left a loving family to find work to help feed his family. and now he has found them again. he was so happy to be going home.

i am so happy for him but sad that i won't see him again. he is a very fine young man who aspires to sing in church, play the keyboard and become a pastor.

world vision donations

Unfortunately, due to CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) regulations the only way World Vision Canada can issue tax receipts is if the funds come into our office.

Then what I have done in the past is if someone had a specific request to purchase items/goods etc. that the World Vision Costa Rica office required/knew about...I send them a Gift Notification with instructions on what to purchase. Gift Notifications are a min. of $100 Canadian.

information passed on to me from world vision canada for anyone that had thought about donating money for here.