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1 Corinthians 3:4-9

"For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building."

1 Corinthians 3:4-9


Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Second report from the states

Hi all! I have only a few minutes, but this is the first time I've gotten on the computer since last Thursday...so I thought I'd update quickly.

We spent the weekend in IN- it was great seeing family and our friends from First Presbyterian in Frankfort. Sunday afternoon Matt, Ethan and I headed off for Tennessee. The girls were not feeling well enough to make the trip, so they stayed with my mom (Ging-ging). We had a wonderful visit with our friends Jim and Jeanne in TN and also were able to share meals with our friends Marvin and Teresa and also Katie D. before heading back to IN yesterday.

Tonight we'll be back at FPC for their family night and then we'll have a few days of rest.

This Sunday 5/4, we'll be at Rossville Brethern Church and Rossville Presbyterian Church in the morning as well as Hickory Grove Church in Delphi for a meal in the evening.

Don't know when I'll update again...but just wanted to let you know we are doing well and enjoying our time together with friends and family.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

First report from Indiana

Buenas Dias! Como estas?
We are doing well! I have wanted to post something for a few days, but have not been able to until this morning...sorry about that!

We've made it to Indiana and our enjoying time with our family.

We left San Jose around 3 PM Tuesday after a delayed flight and then a complete schedule change. We arrived in Chicago about 11:30 PM. got our bags and met Cheri Fine outside the airport! She was so welcoming and it was great to have such a smiling, friendly face waiting to greet us- especially considering it was midnight!

We got to bed about 2 AM and we all slept hard! The kids were fantastic the whole day. We waited about 2 1/2 hours in the line to check-in at the airport alone, not to mention the fun of the rest of the day, and they hardly complained. They kept themselves busy and it was actually a really great day of just being together!

We left for Michigan about 10 am Wednesday morning and got there with about an hour to spare before we spoke at Hiawatha Bible Church. We were warmly welcomed and had a great time meeting the church family of our friends, Doug and Karen. We spent a great evening with them afterwards at a nearby hotel. They were having water problems, so we all stayed at a hotel with adjoining rooms. It was actually really great for the kids because there was a pool and the kids LOVED that!

We left after lunch Thursday for Indiana and arrived about 6:45 PM. We've been at Roger and Sue's since and just been enjoying them and being at the original "La Finca" or the Farm, here in Indiana. (We've always called their home the Farm, so it has been fun switching it to La Finca Indiana!)

Matt and Roger went mushroom hunting yesterday and came back with a few. We've had visits from my mom and Uncle Wilbur and my cousin Andrew came from ISU to spend last night and today with us. Mark and Angyl cam out last night as well. Last night I actually met up with two of my best friends (girls from my accountability group) for a girls night, which was fantastic! I also got to catch up with a few of my "girls." (Former youth group girls- it was so great getting to talk with them).

So, today we are hanging out again - RELAXING! I had almost forgotten what this was like! It has been great and the kids are enjoying this so much!

Please pray for our health, though. The girls were sick before we left with colds and those seem to have passed, but it seems they have something else now. Both started vomiting last night and Audrey has not kicked the original cough quite yet. Now Matt, Ethan and I are all getting coughs. So please pray we can fight it all off.

Tomorrow we are excited to visit First Presbyterian Church here in Frankfort and see some good friends there. Later in the afternoon, we'll be heading off to Tennessee until Wednesday.

I don't know how often I'll be able to post, but I'll try as often as I can!

Love to all!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Vamos a los Estados! (We're going to the states!)

Tomorrow morning we leave for the states for three weeks. We'll arrive in Chicago and from there begin our journey into four surrounding states and then end up back there the last leg of our trip.

We thank the Lord for the many opportunities he has provided to share the ministry back there. We are looking forward to seeing many ministry partners and meeting with many new churches and families.

Please be in prayer for this trip, our safety as we travel, and that God would be glorified in all that we say and do.

Please especially pray for the health of Isabelle and Audrey. Audrey has been fighting a cold for about 10 days and I finally got a prescription for her tonight. I thought Isabelle was out of the clear with the cough shes had for about four days, but tonight it has started up again pretty fierce.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Checked out!

Remember what it's like near the end of the school year, especially your Senior year? There is this unconcious arrival of a series of blank stares this week at school. With only two more days of classes this week, and four next week, most people are what I would call "Checked out!" Especially so for those of us for whom this is our last trimester. Today my class began rule #7 of subjunctive, which I have been really excited to learn, but I have to admit- I am struggling to concentrate! Our family has only three days of classes left, because we leave for the states Tuesday. So, while I will be attending class these last three days, I really am going only to enjoy these last few days with my classmates.

Here is a picture of my class.


Our teacher is Laura and my classmates are Jackie, Ken and John. It has been a great tri with the three of them. We have grown together in our speaking ability as a group, which is a rare thing. We are all right about the same level and Laura has allowed us much freedom in this class. She has been so great about giving us the freedom to openly converse and not been so strict as to keep us moving on the "assigned" subject matter. We've had some really great conversations, some deep, some theological, some not-so-much, some just fun. I'll miss this group, but as John says, not enough to come back for one more tri! :)Heeheehee!

But, to finish the thought about "Senior-itis," you all know what it is like at the end of the school year- you are experiencing it now back in the states. The tiredness, looking forward to the arrival of summer (for us just the rainy season...) but any way- we are nearing the end and it feels like it. Our brains have been taxed out...Last night we were all in bed and ASLEEP by 8:30! That is rare in our house, but it felt so good!

Today, Audrey really didn't want to go to school. So she stayed with me until it was time for me to go and then we both ended up being a little bit late. BUt, that's OK! It was fun walking with her like that- we don't usually get that one-on-one time in the morning and it was good.

Have a great week!

PS: Got my test results back- my written exam was not as good as I had thought, but it was fine considering the comprehensiveness of the test- and good enough to receive the diploma! WOHOO! My oral score was good as well! I am happy that I took both tests. It was a good experience and worth it!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Exams and "Life"

Just an update to say I did indeed survive my exams this week! Praise the Lord!

Wednesday was the oral exam and it was actually quite fun. Students have a teacher whom they've never had as a teacher for class, preferably one they do not know as well. This makes it easier for them to better asses the students speaking ability- because they are most likely not used to hearing them speak every day. I had a teacher named Saundra who Matt had last tri and she was really sweet. I'll know my level by Tuesday :)It was an easy going conversation and you all know I love to talk!!

Thursday was the written exam and it was tough. I was there for just short of three hours and it was probably the most thorough exam I have ever taken, short of the SAT's. It was a great exam though in that it really did cover everything we've learned and I am anxious to see how I did. :)

Thank you all for praying!

One other thing: Last Friday, the kids school held a talent show- with auditions before hand and everything! Ethan told us he wanted to do something for it right away. (This was a real shock since you all know how shy he is ;) )

So, he decided he wanted to write a story and draw pictures to go along with the story. At this same time, we had a church we will be visiting ask us if any of our kids would be willing to share in a children's Sunday School class about his life in Costa Rica. Ethan said he thought he could do that. So, the decision was made by Ethan to use this opportunity of the talent show as practice for the presentation for the church. So,

I just have to say, he did so fantastic! It is super cute the way he wrote it and the pictures are great- he is really a budding artist. When we go to a park to play he wants to take a notebook and pencil in case he sees something he wants to draw!!So, he got up on that stage last week, a little nervous, but hamming it up from the minute he walked to the mic. I was so proud of him and sitting there in awe of the way God can shape such a little person's heart for Him.

Here is his story: (I've spelled it the way he did as well, for effect :) )

"God wants us to be here to tell about Jesus. Life is hard in Costa Rica because homework and sisters and school and Spanish. But being here is fun because there are things in Costa Rica that I have never seen in my life.

Life is difrent becaus I have never spoke Spanish in my life. My MoM and DaD have a new job. They tell others about Jesus. We also teach them how to live like him. Life is cool in Costa Rica."

By the way, he got a third place in his age group and was the only first grader to participate!!! :)

Monday, April 7, 2008

Some things to pray for this week...

Just some things to pray for this week:

Please pray for the new Monday afternoon discipleship group in The Pines in Tejarcillos. Last week there were over 50 new kids in attendance.

Please pray for the new Tuesday discipleship group in Pastor Rogelio's house. There were 12 new children in this group.

Both of these groups are fruit from the Sharon Baptist mission team that was here a couple of weeks ago. We praise the Lord for this new fruit and ask him to preserve it and these young ones would be fruit that lasts.

Please pray for Brooke this week. She will be taking the two major exams offered at the Institute to determine both the speaking level as well as the grammatical level students are at when they leave the school.

The first test is Wednesday and it is an oral evaluation of a students speaking level. There is literally nothing I can do to study for this, just gotta go in an answer the questions with confidence and clarity. Please pray it will be a "good Spanish day" for me. :)

The second test is Thursday and it is the written exam. The allotted time is 3 hours!!! Can you say SAT's??? Pretty much it will cover anything and everything I have learned in the last 8 months! No stress there...but I actually am looking forward to an honest assessment of where I am at and then to be able to look forward to what I need to work on with my tutor once we are back home from the states. But, if you could pray that I can pull from all the info I've learned to effectively answer the questions- I'd greatly appreciate it.

Other prayer requests are simply surrounding getting ready for our visit back to the states. We have much to do and only two weeks left to prepare. We've had no Vonage phone so we've been sending and receiving an overload of emails lately- I've spent about two and half hours going through mine tonight. I had over 40 when I started and I'm down to 26 now I think...WHEW!!!

Please also pray for Pastor Rogelio and his family and their ministry to Tejarcillos. We spent a wonderful afternoon with them today. Our families mesh so well together and what a blessing from the Lord that is.

You can pray for the added kinks rainy season brings to our lives. We have officially entered into rainy season- about a month early! So, the days of rain from early afternoon until evening- sometimes longer have started and we were not exactly ready for that...Ethan gave us a cheerful serenade of "Let it rain" this afternoon as a storm flew through Tejarcillos while we were at Rogelio's house...what a ham that kid is!


Thanks for praying!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

¡Feliz CumpleaƱos, Alejandro!



Today was Alex'a birthday! We all celebrated Sunday with dinner and eggs, of course. But remember him in prayer today, if you would. In a very short time, he has become a part of our family- and will be forever. He is like an uncle to the kids and we all love him very much!

"Can I have some more macaroni, please?"

Two funny moments from yesterday:

Audrey has a stuffy nose for about a week or so. I have often asked her "Is your nose stuffy today?"

Sometime yesterday afternoon Audrey looked at me and said

"Mommy, my nose is all 'fluffy'!"

I couldn't stifle the laugh as I said "Do you mean 'stuffy'?"

And she gave this signature laugh she has and said "Oh yeah, 'tuffy!"




Then last night at supper, we all the fixings for tacos and I had made a small batch of guacomole. As Isabelle was fixing her third taco, she said,

"Mom, pass me the macaroni, please!"

The best part was she didn't even realize what she had said...

I said, "Do you mean 'guacomole'?"

To which she answered, "Oh macaroni...guacomole...yeah that!"

The mouths of babes!


The girls and their cat, Cereal

Here are a few other pictures I thought were worth sharing from our trip to Parque Diversiones last month:


Audrey with her big brother on her first roller coaster ever!


Audrey and Mommy on the roller coaster!


Isabelle and her friend Megan loving the ride :)