Friends and Activities

On the left: Rosario On the sofa: Al, Carlos, John and I

Hello! I'm back!

We have been busy with friends staying with us. Our friends from the States are here and our friends from the capital came over for a couple of nights to see them because they know them also. It has been raining a lot since the wedding, so we really haven't been able to do much driving around.

Our visit with Yirardi and his parents went well. They are very close to coming to the Lord, or they might just have done it already, but are afraid to be too open about it because of their families. Dad has never driven to the capital because he is afraid of the traffic there; therefore, throughout all the ordeals of surgery and chemo therapies, they have always taken the bus. But this time, they wanted to go up and back in one day because it was a doctor visit to see the results. He told us that he prayed that the Lord would give him peace about driving, and he said that he drove just find and that he wasn't afraid! Also Mom said that the words that the pastor spoke Sunday afternoon at the service here in the chapel kept coming back to her, and that she was also less nervous about what the doctor was going to tell them. They got a good report from the doctor and Yirardi went back to school on Thursday and Friday. He will be on full school schedule starting tomorrow, Monday. PTL!

Saturday night we had our first couples Bible study. Everybody was there, except for one couple, and we had a new couple who joined the group while we were away and S & V were leading them. We had a conflict because Saturday night there was a very important soccer match, kind of like our Super Bowl. It was decided that we would have the Bible study first, then eat while the game was on. Our friend, Al, lead a study on forgiveness, why we have to forgive, what it is and what it isn't. Our friends from the capital, Carlos and Rosario were here also. John had the idea of having Rosario share her testimony about forgiving her father at the end because we know of a few in the group who had father issues. She did and then lead us into a prayer of forgiveness. I could hear some people crying. Afterwards, one of the women talked to Rosario for a long time. Our hosts barbecued meat and sausages while we were watching the game. The meal was delicious! I brought cakes, but there was also rice pudding for dessert. We left at about eleven after the game was over because Al was going to preach in both churches today, but they stayed chatting until past midnight.

Today, Sunday, Al spoke in both churches about faith. There were some decisions for the Lord in the second church. Also, our friend whose house we use for the Bible studies went to church. He has been dropping his boys off, but today he stayed. The fact that he and Al are from the same country helped a little.

Please pray that the seed that it is starting to grow will take root in these hearts. Pray for continue health for Yirardi. Also pray for Jose Pablo, the new Christian who had blood poisoning last time, who has lost his job. Please pray that he finds something even better than what he had soon.

Until next time...from the beach...

Rosario and I

Miguelina and Luz

Vianka and John

Wedding album

Yirardi and his parents

Johnny and Regina

Sinai and Osvaldo; new couple

Girardi

Fabian and Alejandra

Getting dinner ready

Our hosts: Luis and Irene

Mother and daughter

Dinner!!

Church in Pinilla

Just a few of us waiting for the service to start

Many Blessings

Hello, dear friends! You are probably wondering what was happening here at the beach. Well, a lot! That's why I haven't had the time to blog!

Friday the car needed to go to the mechanic that was going to take it to the DMV check up. Our neighbor gave him a ride back. The good news is that the car passed after two tries (it needed realignment) and we got it back at about at about 9:00 pm. We didn't do much all day without a car. I had dinner with some of our neighbors, but John stayed home to wait for the car.

The day of the wedding finally arrived, and we were in the midst of a flurry of activities. We were up early to go to the house where the reception was going to take place to decorate. The tables and chairs were supposed to be delivered in the morning, but by eleven o'clock, we had done all we can do and still no tables and chairs. We had to leave because all of us needed to get ready. John had to wash the car because we were transporting the bride. While washing the car, he notice that a tire was a little low, but in a few minutes, it was completely flat. We called a friend to help change the tire (the same man who was waiting for the tables and chairs), but when they got the spare out, it also had a whole in it! By that time it was 2:00 pm and we were supposed to get the bride. We are so blessed to have our next door neighbors! They were invited to the wedding also, so John called on him to use his car for the wedding. He has a very nice Land Rover. They went to get the bride while I got ready. We had kept the wedding dress here the whole time so that it would be a surprise for the groom and the wedding guests. I helped the bride get ready. Alas! Somehow the comb got detached from the veil, which she had taken home, and we had nothing to put it on. Next door neighbors to the rescue again. She had a clip with off white material attached. I was able to sew some of the flowers for the veil to that, attach the veil and put it on. It looked like it was all one piece! Perfect! I took a lot of pictures around here.

Then it was time to go to the church. We called the pastor and told him that wee were on the way, so the timing was good. We were only 30 minutes late after flat tire, veil, and pictures. The ceremony was just beautiful. The pastor did and excellent job talking about what the Christian marriage is about. There were some unchurched people in the wedding party, but they all really liked what the pastor said. From there we caravaned to town for the reception. It is not a custom here to honk horns and parade around town, but we did it. We went twice around the central part of town, where the soccer field is located. Everybody loved it.
The reception was also very nice. I am not sure what they do at weddings here. The bride is from Honduras, the groom and the pastor from Nicaragua, the host for the reception from Colombia, I am from Cuba, John from the US, and we all planned the wedding together! We had a great time at the reception, but I am sure it was not a typical local wedding.

Sunday morning I had to share at church, then we went for lunch at the surfer restaurant, but the service was bad that they, and we spent almost three hours at lunch. From there we went back to the newlyweds house to open presents. She was overwhelmed by the generosity of my SALT and Bible study friends. She was moved to tears to know that people whom she doesn't know would send them presents and pray for them. Since it was the third Sunday of the month, there was also a service here in the chapel where we live. Yirardi and his parents attended because they work here, also the reception hosts, and others. The pastor spoke on afflictions. John 16:33 He did not know when he prepared his sermon that Yirardi and his parents would be there. It was also and excellent sermon. Some of the couples came over to our place after the service for more fellowship. We had a great time together.

Tuesday Yirardi and his parents had to go back to the capital to find out the results of all the tests that they did on Friday. They got great news. So far he is in remission. We had to go to the airport to get our friends form the States who will spend a week here with us. It has been raining everyday since the wedding, so we have not been able to do much today. Hopefully, we will have a chance to go to the beach tomorrow. Tonight we are going to visit Yirardi and his parents to hear what the doctor said. I will share at church tomorrow night and our friend, Al, on Sunday.

Keep praying that Yirardi will continue to be cancer free. Pray for peoples' heats to be open to the Gospel. I see a lot of progress in some people. I am much encouraged.

Until next time...from the beach...

Thursday Night

Thursday morning John and our neighbor took our car to the mechanic to change some parts that needed replacement and to make an appointment to take it to the DMV check. The mechanic takes it for us, which is a lot better in many ways. The DMV is about an hour and a half from here, and we don't enjoy driving,  and it is better when a local mechanic takes it. They do a complete check up of the car, not just smog control, but the make sure that all the essential parts are working properly. We found out that every single car in the country has to change license plates by July 1st. The Post Office actually takes care of this. When John turned in his papers at the PO and showed his passport, the numbers did not match because we bought the car under the old passport and, as you know, in the US they give you a new passport number every time that it is renewed. Here in this country, you have a national ID number, which is the same number on your passport. It never changes. They don't know what to do about that. Bob, I hope you find John's old passport in our house, if we can't come up with the old, expired passport, we have to go to a lawyer here and get an affidavit. Another hassle!

The real excitement was last night. The plan was to go to the regular Thursday night service at our little town, which is better attended than Sunday mornings, and drive to the other town afterwards to the big, new church for the wedding rehearsal.  But, as it happens often in this country, there was a slight change in plans when we got to church. The pastor told us that they have been visiting a women with terminal cancer in town every night, and that she had accepted the Lord. He wanted all of us to go there and have the service at her house. It was just a couple of blocks away. We prayed and collected the offering and walked to the house. I though we were going to see an old woman, but she is in her thirties. We arrived to a very humble house with pictures of saints all over the tiny living room. She was lying on a small bed in the living room, just skin and bones and a huge stomach. Most of us stayed outside in the porch, since the place was already crowded with relatives. The pastor talked about when Jesus said "I am the door," and what that meant. Then we took another collection to help the family. She has a little eight-year-old boy and no husband. She seemed to sincerely believe in Jesus and was tracking with what the pastor was saying. It was a very sobering experience because from there we were going to practice for a wedding. John was reminded of Ecclesiastes when the Preacher says "There is a time to laugh and a time to cry."

There are 10 couples and four children involved in the wedding. The bride said that everybody involved in our Saturday Bible study wanted to participate, and it kept growing. They all got matching dresses and the works. What we thought was going to be an intimate affair with family and a few close friends has turned into a big event. This is also the pastor's first wedding ever, so everybody is a little nervous. The way they do it here, everybody enters the church and walks down the aisle, including the pastor. I am going to take a lot of pictures. We had a good time practicing! Yirardi's parents are in the wedding, of course. They told the pastor that they had to drive to the capital today for an MRI, I believe, but they would be back tonight. After the rehearsal, we all gathered around them and the pastor prayed for them again, and for the wedding on Saturday.  We got home at about eleven, and they had to get up at 3:00 am today!

Please pray for the Lord's blessing on this wedding, A lot of people who do not know the Lord will be there, and the pastor is going to present the Gospel. Pray for good weather. The reception is outdoors. Pray for all of of Christians to be a good witness in the community.

I still haven't been to the beach, but I know it is there! So, until next time...from the beach...

First Day

We started the day running! Not literally, just rushing. Breakfast was the first thing on the agenda. We had pancakes because I always leave a box of mix in the refrigerator, and a stick of butter in the freezer. We had breakfast and left to go grocery shopping. Before leaving, we stopped next door to say hello to our neighbors. They are such a blessing to us. He checked the car and the house while we were away. There is a new gas station now a lot closer than the other one! We filled up the tank and went to the grocery store, came home, put the groceries away and left for the town to meet with Francisco, Luz, the pastor and his wife. We took a large box with wedding decorations, including the runner for the church. We actually thought we were having lunch with them, but there was no lunch. The pastor needed to clarify a few things with them before the wedding. We stayed two and a half hours!

From there we went to see our good friend who hosts the Saturday Bible study with the couples and in whose house we are having the wedding reception: more wedding talk. It was six o'clock by the time we got home. We grabbed a quick snack since there was no lunch. We are still organizing our stuff, but tonight we are going next door to visit. I just wanted to let you know that we arrived and that everything is fine.

Pray for good weather on Saturday. The reception is outdoors!

Until next time...from the beach...

Leaving Tuesday morning

We are leaving Tuesday morning back to Costa Rica. Pray for traveling mercies, health and safety for us and our family staying behind, and open hearts for the Gospel.

Stay tune!