Getting settled

WOW! Almost two weeks have gone by since my last post. I do apologize for that. We made the move from the city of San Jose to the rural area of Villareal in the province of Guanacaste Costa Rica last Tuesday, October 27th. On Monday, 10/26 we picked up our cute new puppy, Reina ("queen"). She is so sweet and loving and fits in just right with our family. So, Tuesday morning 10/27, the moving truck arrived at about 6 am and began loading up everything. It was quite the process. We were very pleased at how professional they were and how well they worked as a team. The kids and walked around the neighborhood as they were packing the truck and said our good-byes to Jerry, the pulperia owner, Nudia, the bread store owner and a few of our neighbors.

We then loaded up the van with a few things for the trip for us along with Wally, the hamster, Gatita, the cat, and Reina the dog! The cat had been anxious for three days, sensing that something was going on. She was so upset that morning and even more so when we put her in the cat carrier. Reina was calm and relaxed, amazing really when you think we had just gotten her the afternoon before. She slept on my lap for about 5 of the 6 hours it took to get to our new home! We could not have asked for anything better from her! The cat didn't like the trip much to begin with and must have been feeling sick and suffering a reaction from her nerves, because she somehow escaped from the cat carrier about 2 hours into the trip and had vomited all over. She finally settled herself in Audrey's lap, but then had an accident that necessitated pulling over to clean up Audrey, the cat and the van! The dog got out and walked around for a few minutes and went to the bathroom and in the meantime we got everything and everyone cleaned up. then we loaded back up and the rest of the trip was mostly uneventful! Praise God!

The excitement kept building the closer we got to Villareal. As we pulled in to the city, we all began pondering which house was ours. Matt was the only one who had seen it, if you remember. The rest of us had only seen pictures. Finally we pulled up and the landlord's family was there cleaning and had painted and it was just a wonderful surprise. I had anticipated having to clean and paint and was not quite sure how that was all going to work itself out...but PRAISE GOD! They had done it for us! What a blessing!

The movers arrived and began unpacking and setting things up for us. They were really wonderful. What a blessing God gave us in finding them! If anyone needs to move anywhere in Latin America or internationally we would whole-heartily recommend A and T movers!

The first night, we of course couldn't find anything and it was SO hot. We all looked at each other and thought (without saying so) what did we just do? But now after almost two weeks here, we have begun to feel settled, are making friends and learning how to live life here. Things are very different and sometimes not very easy, but God has truly blessed us in that we now have a community to live in and minister in. We've invited neighbors to church and they have come! We share in "over-the-fence" conversations that quickly lead to things of the Lord. Everyone knows we're the new family on the block and why we are here, even before we say it...and that's ok! We walk everywhere because we do not have a vehicle, which puts us on the same level as most. God, in his goodness, knows all and sees all. If not for the necessity of walking, we would surely miss out on the opportunities we've had to connect with many of the neighbors just because we are walking the same way at the same time. Wonderful conversations have been had just because we are walking along together. I do miss the convenience of a vehicle - and it does make getting groceries a bit of a process, but I will endure the time without one joyfully as we continue to meet more and more people "as we go." I am thankful for the neighbors who have vehicles and have offered to take me to get groceries and praise God for how he provides for our needs.

We have most of the house organized and settled. Still a few areas in the bedrooms that need to be figured out but for the most part living quarters are set up. My biggest task is the school room. It is a mass of boxes and I am waiting on a bookshelf to be made to organize the books. We've been doing what we can, much shorter days but enough until everything gets unpacked and settled. The girls and I leave on Monday to renew our visas and will be gone a week. Then Matt and Ethan will travel to Nicaragua for a few days after we get back. I hope to have the bookshelf by then and can get everything in order,. We school year round and for that I am thankful when we have interruptions like this. It helps to even everything out!

I will try to post pictures soon of the house, Reina, the neighborhood and everything. Today, Pastor Nelson and his family are coming over for lunch and fellowship. We are looking forward to getting to know them better.

Please continue to pray for our adjustment to the heat, although we praise God for several cool days and much needed rain in a row.

Please pray as we travel to renew our visas this month: the girls and I (11/9-11/17) and then Matt and Ethan (11/23-11/26).

Please pray as we build relation ships in the community, as Matt lays the groundwork for the ministry in the churches and with the pastors, and for God to prepare the hearts of those he will be discipling.

Pray for our kids as they learn how to play and have friends again. It may seem funny to say, but they have had to learn how to live with neighborhood kids again. they've been without this kind of daily interaction for two years and apparently it takes some getting used to again because I have seen a few issues springing up. They have made some good friends and we are thankful. Pray for them as they minister to them, learn about their lives, good and bad, and learn how to be kind, loving, patient, self-controlled with them.

Thanks for praying for our family!