A new missionary intern

This morning began early with us leaving for the airport at 4:30 am to pick up our newest intern from Canada, Lynae. Lynae is 29 years old. One of our "other" ministries through Global Outreach Mission is to use the campground as a "hub" so to speak, where people who are interested in spending a bit longer period of time, (other than being on a short-term team of one or two weeks) on the mission field can go and be exposed to the culture of the country, and experience missionary life firsthand. Lynae will be with us for two months. She will be learning basic Spanish from Katherine, our ministry partner, living in the home of Gloria, our camp assistant cook and baker. Lynae's gifts are with children and she is educated in the field of music. Next week, she will be going with us to the orphanage just to play with the kids and get to know them and allow them to feel more comfortable with her. Then in July she will begin teaching keyboard lessons at the orphanage to some of the kids.

So, over the next two months, please keep Lynae in your prayers as she serves here in Costa Rica along with us. Pray for her safety, her health, being away from her family, as we work as a team, the adjustments to the culture and food here. Pray that God would use her mightily for His kingdom!

Ministering at the camp

One part of our ministry involves being a conduit for groups to use the campground facility through rentals. This is this weekend's rental group at the camp. A Youth Group from an evangelical church in Cartago, a nearby town, about a half hour from the camp. Today, we did a lot of "behind the scenes" ministry; washing dishes, helping our camp cook with food preparation, running the camp store, working on a clogged kitchen sink. I found a little break in today's schedule to take some pictures of the kids as they had a time of praise and worship. For me, I really enjoy this part of our ministry. Today, I got a chance to participate in the audience and sing along. Mostly, I enjoy praying as we do the behind the scenes work of the campground so that God can work through others. My prayer today was that hearts and minds were open to be changed for His glory!

Welcome Home!

This is "Tiquita". Her name is pronounced Tea-Key-Tah and in Spanish it means, "little Costa Rican girl". We call her "Tiqui" (Tea-Key) for short. She is the newest addition to our family from the animal shelter. We got her on Tuesday. Tiquita has replaced our dogs, Luna & Otis. We found a nice home for them on a farm where they were allowed to stay together in January. Our neighbor's husband works at night and sleeps during the day. Luna & Otis were not any different from any other dogs, they barked on occasion when someone came to the door, protecting their house and the kids. However, our neighbor's wife would not stop complaining about the occasional barking from our dogs, though her sister next door has four dogs who wake us up at night, every night. We decided to take the "upper road" and find a home for the dogs since we are the "visitors" in this culture much to our neighbor's delight, but sadly for our kids. We took Tuesday OFF from ministry since our weekends are booked here at the camp until mid-August, and we ventured out to the pet shelter. Heather was designated ahead of time to pick the perfect kitty which we think that she did! Tiquita is two months old and much to our surprise had already been "fixed" that morning when we found her. Ken thinks they operate on the animals so early just to hopefully find homes for them. Tiquita had a rough go of it on Tuesday night and Wednesday we think just because she is so young. She is doing much better now doing the "normal" kitty kinds of things, hiding behind furniture and jumping out at us, running through the house as if something is after her. She is recovering well and she is a sweet girl. The kids are enjoying having a "pet" of their own! Welcome home, our barkless friend!

Saturday catch-up

Saturday is usually a catch-up day in our home. A day to do laundry, clean the house, clean through the refrigerator, try and catch-up on emails, etc. I've not been sleeping well as of late. While I was gone in the States our neighbor added a fourth dog to his entourage! Somehow, Ken has adjusted to the neighborhood "noises" of chickens, turkeys and dogs and sleeps pretty well with the exception of his sleep being interrupted due to robberies. Again, last night someone was in the camp even with renters on the grounds. They broke into one of the cars parked inside the closed gates. As soon as the car alarm went off they fled the campground. Ken was up until 1:30 a.m. with police filing reports. Well, while I feel like going back to bed already; I suppose that there is much that I could be doing here on behalf of our family. Maybe tomorrow I can sneak in a nap!

Always exciting and always a challenge!

Today has been interesting to get much of anything done, around the house, at the camp. First, we lost power. Then, the community turned the water off for a good portion of the day. It's funny how often I go to the sink and turn on the faucet expecting water to come out. Right now, the power has come back on, so I am boiling water to do the morning and noontime dishes. We never really know what to expect here in our little neck of the woods with regard to ammenities. It makes it all a challenge and kind of fun!

Just a pretty picture

This is our daughter, Heather, on the boat headed back from Tortuga Island. Not sure what she is thinking, if anything, probably just relaxing. She's just a sweet girl and she helps us so much in ministry!

Team PBA-Part II

This was the second scorpion I saw on Chira Island. The first was in the shower stall and this was the second by the water tank. He didn't last long!

This was the church building and I am helping some of the other ladies set up their tents. When ours finally dried out the second day it found its way up to the stage in the church.

Here's one of the showers of two for 38 people for four days. There was no hot water, of course, but I didn't find it very cold since the temperatures were oppressive.

This was on Thursday in a medical clinic we did in Cartago, much closer to home, in a church. Even Jordan helped out in the pharmacy counting vitamins.

This is Tortuga Island, not the one from Pirate's of the Carribbean, sorry, but even so it was beautiful. We spent one day here with the team as their "free day" and they more than enjoyed laying around on the beach!

Back at Chira Island, this was the stove behind the church kitchen where our food was cooked for us.

This was a school we got into on Chira Island and did some children's ministry while the rest of the team was back at the clinic. We are working on some beaded bracelets.

This was in Cartago, not far from home, in the church's school room where we set up for children's ministry. Lots of kids and lots of fun.

A puppet show!

Ministry on Chira Island-Team PBA

Here is "most" of the team from Palm Beach Atlantic University sitting down for a meal at the camp, though there are a couple of empty spots on the benches. The team consisted of 30 pharmacy school students, two pharmacists and Dean Mary Ferrill, one of their teachers.

To get to Chira Island we got up and departed from the camp at 2:30 a.m. last Saturday morning, traveled four hours by bus to the port where we loaded down one boat with the mobile pharmacy, tents and children's ministry supplies. The other boat carried all of the team and their personal belongings. The boat ride was 45 minutes long to get to the port on the island.

Once there, we quickly loaded our belongings on to a truck off of the boats and then we loaded a school bus (the public transportation system for the island) to get to this church where we quickly got settled in and set up. This is the patient waiting area.

Here are some of the pharmacy students, Elizabeth on the left, Alba on the right standing in the tan shirt, Jason in the back checking patients in to the Triage area where they have their vital signs taken and wait to see a physician.

Here we have set up physician examining rooms, not quite like the States. Elizabeth is escorting the patient into a "consult room" to see the doctor on the patient's right, Dr. Manuel.

While the doctor's see patient's, outside more are lining up in the patient waiting area. To calm fears and to begin to prepare hearts, Laurence, Heather and Elizabeth are singing worship songs in Spanish.

While all of the above is going on, underneath a tree, the Gospel has been shared by Amir, second to the left in the red shirt to a couple of patients in the circle. Kyle (you can just see his blonde hair in the background) has interpreted Amir's message into Spanish. Some of the other students who are on the evangelistic team have joined in praying for these who are accepting the Lord.

We spent our nights on the island inside the church buildings in tents. Initially, our family wanted to sleep outside in the church yard. We got the tent all set up in the yard, sleeping bags inside, suitcases, pillows and went in the church's fellowship building to have dinner. However, during dinner, it began to pour outside. Ken jumped up to check on our tent and not only was there standing water inside, but it looked like a mud slide went through our tent. This is the next morning, our clothes hanging out to dry on the fence.

Children's ministry is always a challenge with mobile set ups. This is the next day after it rained and a group of the "guys" decided to play some soccer with the kids, puddles and all.

In this picture, the team brought down lots of hygiene items that had been donated to them; new toothbrushes, shampoo and perfume samples, trial-sized toothpaste, lotions and conditioners, Q-tips and just a slew of things. Here, we are filling lunch bags with some of these items for all the cooks and volunteers from the church who fed us our meals and helped us with support staff. Katie and I are giggling because the camera was not working properly when someone was trying to take this picture and this was the third attempt.

Busy...even on a free day

Today was busy! After breakfast this morning we took the team out souvenir shopping in a town called Moravia, to lunch at an a la lena which is personally my favorite roasted chicken and then we brought them back to the camp to prepare dinner for the homeless shelter which was an American spaghetti supper which the ladies and gentlemen there love which is so much fun! Tonight, the team is packing, those that are not at the homeless shelter serving dinner and preparing for the rest of the team to return. I am feeling a little more than exhausted and decided to some home from the camp and check email, Skype voicemails, etc. and just lay down for a bit. I'm finding that while I am doing much better with regard to fatigue from the surgery; I still have just a little recovering to do the doctor says and just being able to lay down for a short time and rest works wonders. Right now, I cannot locate the camera, otherwise, I would be posting some pictures! Last night, we had a great night of devotions and for the first I really shared some things on my heart with the team, though I have shared some thoughts here and there with individuals who have sought counsel from me. This team has had a real heart for evangelism. It has absolutely been amazing to see this group of young people share with the Costa Rican people and some have made first commitments to the Lord! Continue to pray for this team as they return home. It doesn't have to end here in Costa Rica and it shouldn't.

Home on the Range

We just arrived back safely at the Camp. It's 12:52 a.m. I am posting this for any family members of the Palm Beach team who read this. Tomorrow, it is devotions at 7:30 a.m., departure from the camp for a one-day medical clinic in Cartago and return for dinner at the camp. Maybe, tomorrow I can post some pictures in the evening. Thanks to all who prayed for our safety and the needs I posted. We had somed "Divine" appointments and we had people accept the Lord as their personal Savior which is always so encouraging! Please continue to pray for Isla de Chira and Pastor Pedro as he follows up on this contacts.

Team Palm Beach has arrived

Palm Beach arrived safely to the camp this afternoon. Tonight, David & I did orientation, we have sorted medicines for the clinic and packed them and shortly we will have dessert and call it a short night before we load the buses at 2:30 to begin our travel to the island. Thanks for all those who prayed for their safe arrival. Continue to keep us in your prayers as we minister here in Costa Rica.

Prayer Requests

The team from PBA arrives tomorrow. Today is the last day of preparations consisting of grocery shopping for a team of merely 30, our biggest team yet, preparing the finances for Ken to "pay as we go" this next week and then preparing at home, laundry and securing the house as we go out the next few days to the island and minister alongside the team. Today, I also have a doctor's appointment to have repeat biopsies for my uterine cancer, but I trust that God is in control of those results already!

Isla de Chira, where we will first be ministering with the team is a remote island off the Western coast of the country reachable only by boat. We will get up Saturday morning at 2 a.m. and drive a little over four hours by bus to get the team there, unpack the bus of our supplies and load our supplies on to boats, travel the channel by boat to the island, unpack the boats and then pack trucks with our supplies to travel to the church where we will set up our clinics that we will hold over three days. The majority of the people on the island have never been able to travel off the island themselves because the boat ride is $30 one way. It s a very poor area. We will bring in fruits and vegetables to help nutritionally meet the needs of the people there. The conditions will be very hot this time of year and we will sleep in tents on concrete flooring inside the church building. It will be much like missionary service from "days of old".

How you can pray:
1. Pray for the team coming from PBA as they travel to Costa Rica tomorrow for safety.
2. Pray for the physicians who are volunteering their time to work with us.
3. Pray for Ken, David & Katherine and myself as we work together and do final preparations today for this team.
4. Pray for the people of Isla de Chira that have physical as well as spiritual needs; that the physicians that we bring with us will be able to meet medical needs and that the Lord will prepare the way for us to minister to spiritual needs.
5. Pray for the medical clinic on Wednesday in a church in Cartago.
6. Pray for the team's free day and souvenir shopping day; that they will have fun and get some rest.
7. Pray for the team as they travel back to Florida next Friday.

Congratulations, Danielle!

Danielle called us in Costa Rica today to inform us that she has passed her N.C. State Board Examination for Cosmetology. Therefore, she is now a licensed hairstylist! Yoo-Who! She is already working at "Headquarters" in a full-time position as the scheduling secretary, but they will be advertising for someone to replace her in that position and she will be crossing over to a full-time hairstylist in the salon! We wanted to tell you, Danielle, that we are very proud of your accomplishments and are very excited for you, as you pursue your new career! We love you! Love, Dad & Mom

A random post of nonnecessity

This is not my salad bowl, but it is the beginning of salad preparations for dinner. Here in Costa Rica we soak our vegetables in a water and bleach bath for roughly twenty minutes just to make sure all the cooties are off before consumption. It takes a little getting back into the "groove" of things now that we have just come back from the U.S. and enjoyed "bagged" salad for a few weeks. You don't really realize how long things take until you get to visit back home.

This picture is for my sister, Wendy. This is Kooky, and where we found her when we returned home....hanging out on our front door step! This amuses us because Kooky, as hard as we have tried to lure her away from her owners, remains loyal to them, though they pay little attention to her. Dogs here are not considered "pets" and Kooky has lost quite a bit of weight since I have been gone in the States. Yesterday, she sat under our seats in church and we have heard stories of here hanging out at our house, leaning against the front door and setting off our home alarm system. Kooky is a very smart dog and while some may not think she is "cute", my sister would argue with you, that she is "cute" in her own right. You just have to be around her to understand! I think it's all in her personality and how she strolls the streets like "she is it". Short-term teams after all have Kodak Share Picture files on the internet with her name as their password. Well, I guess she really did miss us while we were gone. Needless to say, Kooky had a hot dog fiesta last night which she rightfully thoroughly enjoyed!