Thank you for those of you who prayed for us during our travels yesterday. We returned to Costa Rica arriving around 1:10 p.m. in the afternoon. It was a difficult departure as we left our daughter, Heather, behind to continue her studies in the community college. I can't say as I've ever seen two siblings cry as much as Kyle and Heather did at the airport. This missionary service over the last four years has always had Heather in the midst of it all. Of course, it was a teary day for all of us as well. It feels strange to walk past her room here in the house in Costa Rica and not have her here. We are sad because of it. Yesterday would have also been my nephew's 38th birthday!
Please continue to pray for our family, for Heather as she continues to adjust in the States and studies, for Kyle as he clearly misses Heather (they are very close and apart from the age difference one might think they were twins, always together down here), pray for this Mama who misses both "her girls" (Danielle & Heather) and please continue to pray for healing over Karl's untimely death.
But, we are here, and we are here because of His strength and His promises that we can count on during these days!
Revelation 21:3-4 "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away".
AMEN!!!!
Showing posts with label Serving in Costa Rica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serving in Costa Rica. Show all posts
Monday, January 02, 2012
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
The day after....Christmas!
Our next team arrived! They were here at the camp for a week and a half. They came as a children's ministry team with two "handymen husbands". I think that you will see from the pictures below that we strive not to be your "cookie cutter" ministry; always seeking to do things in ministry that will stretch those who God has sent to serve alongside us as well as our family!
The children's ministry team wanted to do something with the orphan home kids, but we have found that having them at the camp and working with them there is much easier on us as far as transporting the team and supplies to and from the orphan home, and we usually have much better behavior from the kids when they are at the camp because they realize that it is a privilege to be down at the camp.
The theme that the team had decided upon using was two-fold; CEF's Wordless Book and it's colors, and an overall theme that "I'm Special to God"!
My job was to take their "ideas" for programming and help them make it into a program that would work best with these kids. Much like VBS programs are run at home, I decided on a rotation of stations after an opening with songs, and the Bible story message. At this station, the ladies are coloring fingernails in the colors of the Wordless Book to reiterate that message.
With every team before you can even begin working on ironing out the team's ministry while they are here; you have to do sorting of the supplies which they bring with them. In an email I was asked what I felt that this group could focus on bringing down. I asked them to concentrate on getting donations to make hygiene kits for the ongoing homeless shelter ministry that we have, and if they felt that they could, small gifts that could be used in gift bags to minister to the Mom's at the orphanage. Here is one of the completed hygiene kits for the homeless shelter.
One of the ministries that is near and dear to my heart is the homeless shelter ministry and in our initial conversations, I asked the team leader if she thought that her group might be interested in preparing a meal at the camp to take with us to a homeless shelter and feed the men there. She was more than sure that the group would want to do that! Having our partnership with Promundo Fundacion means that we call them when we are setting up the logistics for a team with a date of when we would like to serve a homeless shelter. They then call around in their network of homeless shelters and find out which homeless shelter needs a meal on that date (the homeless shelters survive solely on donations and many shelters frequently go without the ability to feed those being housed there) and they call us back and tell us which one to go to and how many we can expect to cook for. When the team commits to doing this, we do the grocery shopping of all the supplies that they will need to carry this out; drink, plastic cups, plates, silverware, napkins, spaghetti, sauce, bread and butter. Here's two of the ladies beginning to prepare the sauce. In addition to serving the men, someone shares a testimony and other teams have done dramas.
Because this team was smaller in number, we asked a friend of ours who also ministers through Promundo Fundacion to come and help us with this group. Roberto and his wife, Patricia are Costa Rican missionaries in their own right. They live on the support of others and the focus of their ministry is children, but they also work with homeless shelters like us. Ken and I have heard Roberto's testimony and he was as a child an orphan. Who better than to lead the games and music with the orphan home children than Roberto & Patricia? Being given up by my biological mother for adoption at 2-1/2 yrs. old I understand that there is a need to have "trust" restored in the minds and hearts of these children. Here, Roberto's activity is building trust within the orphan home, by having the girls do this activity girl-to-girl as well as the boys doing it boy-to-boy. Some of the other activities that we did with the children divided them off by each individual home and we all were witnesses to God moving them toward restoration. By the end of week of VBS, 66 children from the orphan home made first-time commitments to the Lord!
After church one morning, a Costa Rican friend came to me and said, "do you know why I keep asking you if I can buy one of the bunkbeds at the camp from you"? (Of course, we need all the beds at the camp to house teams and rental groups) My reply was "no". She then told me that she had a neighbor who had five children and that they had mattresses, but not all of the children had beds, in fact, two of them had to sleep on their mattresses on the floor. I told her I could not promise her anything, but I knew with the January team that there would be construction workers coming and maybe we could help out in some way. She was happy enough that I would try to help out her neighbor-friends. At the time of this conversation with her, I didn't know that two of the husbands accompanying their wives were handymen on the team! When they got here, I told them the story, and they were more than thrilled to be asked to make them. Other jobs that they did included replacing roofs on the two cabins and the other missionary house. The family that needed the bunkbeds lives in Palomo where the church that was meeting in the camp has moved too. Below is their picture. We invited Pastor Mario to meet us there at their home to pray for them when we surprised them with the bunkbed delivery.
When the beds were complete I called my friend and found out that the day we were delivering them was the little girl's birthday! It's amazing to us how God opens doors for His work to get done!
The children's ministry team wanted to do something with the orphan home kids, but we have found that having them at the camp and working with them there is much easier on us as far as transporting the team and supplies to and from the orphan home, and we usually have much better behavior from the kids when they are at the camp because they realize that it is a privilege to be down at the camp.
The theme that the team had decided upon using was two-fold; CEF's Wordless Book and it's colors, and an overall theme that "I'm Special to God"!
My job was to take their "ideas" for programming and help them make it into a program that would work best with these kids. Much like VBS programs are run at home, I decided on a rotation of stations after an opening with songs, and the Bible story message. At this station, the ladies are coloring fingernails in the colors of the Wordless Book to reiterate that message.
With every team before you can even begin working on ironing out the team's ministry while they are here; you have to do sorting of the supplies which they bring with them. In an email I was asked what I felt that this group could focus on bringing down. I asked them to concentrate on getting donations to make hygiene kits for the ongoing homeless shelter ministry that we have, and if they felt that they could, small gifts that could be used in gift bags to minister to the Mom's at the orphanage. Here is one of the completed hygiene kits for the homeless shelter.
One of the ministries that is near and dear to my heart is the homeless shelter ministry and in our initial conversations, I asked the team leader if she thought that her group might be interested in preparing a meal at the camp to take with us to a homeless shelter and feed the men there. She was more than sure that the group would want to do that! Having our partnership with Promundo Fundacion means that we call them when we are setting up the logistics for a team with a date of when we would like to serve a homeless shelter. They then call around in their network of homeless shelters and find out which homeless shelter needs a meal on that date (the homeless shelters survive solely on donations and many shelters frequently go without the ability to feed those being housed there) and they call us back and tell us which one to go to and how many we can expect to cook for. When the team commits to doing this, we do the grocery shopping of all the supplies that they will need to carry this out; drink, plastic cups, plates, silverware, napkins, spaghetti, sauce, bread and butter. Here's two of the ladies beginning to prepare the sauce. In addition to serving the men, someone shares a testimony and other teams have done dramas.
Because this team was smaller in number, we asked a friend of ours who also ministers through Promundo Fundacion to come and help us with this group. Roberto and his wife, Patricia are Costa Rican missionaries in their own right. They live on the support of others and the focus of their ministry is children, but they also work with homeless shelters like us. Ken and I have heard Roberto's testimony and he was as a child an orphan. Who better than to lead the games and music with the orphan home children than Roberto & Patricia? Being given up by my biological mother for adoption at 2-1/2 yrs. old I understand that there is a need to have "trust" restored in the minds and hearts of these children. Here, Roberto's activity is building trust within the orphan home, by having the girls do this activity girl-to-girl as well as the boys doing it boy-to-boy. Some of the other activities that we did with the children divided them off by each individual home and we all were witnesses to God moving them toward restoration. By the end of week of VBS, 66 children from the orphan home made first-time commitments to the Lord!
After church one morning, a Costa Rican friend came to me and said, "do you know why I keep asking you if I can buy one of the bunkbeds at the camp from you"? (Of course, we need all the beds at the camp to house teams and rental groups) My reply was "no". She then told me that she had a neighbor who had five children and that they had mattresses, but not all of the children had beds, in fact, two of them had to sleep on their mattresses on the floor. I told her I could not promise her anything, but I knew with the January team that there would be construction workers coming and maybe we could help out in some way. She was happy enough that I would try to help out her neighbor-friends. At the time of this conversation with her, I didn't know that two of the husbands accompanying their wives were handymen on the team! When they got here, I told them the story, and they were more than thrilled to be asked to make them. Other jobs that they did included replacing roofs on the two cabins and the other missionary house. The family that needed the bunkbeds lives in Palomo where the church that was meeting in the camp has moved too. Below is their picture. We invited Pastor Mario to meet us there at their home to pray for them when we surprised them with the bunkbed delivery.
When the beds were complete I called my friend and found out that the day we were delivering them was the little girl's birthday! It's amazing to us how God opens doors for His work to get done!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
As simple as water
Yesterday afternoon the town crier informed us that the water would be turned off today for line repairs. It's always nice to have advance notice! So, this morning Ken and I were up early to fill the necessary containers to be able to do today's chores; filling pots to be able to boil water to do the dishes later (we only have cold water here and always boil water to ensure the dishes are clean) and for cooking. Of course, taking a shower was high on the list of priorities as well before the 7:30 or 8 a.m. "turn off".
It's not so hard to recall how much easier things "appear" back in the States having just returned back to Costa Rica a little over six weeks ago. What is more amazing is how God has allowed us to adapt back and forth between our two homelands. It's odd how the mission field "changes" you. Most people come here and can't believe how long it takes to do the dishes for a family of five, boiling the pots of water. I go home to the States and struggle with remembering how to load and operate our dishwasher, and my daughter or son-in-law have to hold a "reminder session".
Simplicity, it's not as bad as it sounds, and later today, I will be reminded of how nice it is just to be able to turn on the tap and watch the cold water flow.
It's not so hard to recall how much easier things "appear" back in the States having just returned back to Costa Rica a little over six weeks ago. What is more amazing is how God has allowed us to adapt back and forth between our two homelands. It's odd how the mission field "changes" you. Most people come here and can't believe how long it takes to do the dishes for a family of five, boiling the pots of water. I go home to the States and struggle with remembering how to load and operate our dishwasher, and my daughter or son-in-law have to hold a "reminder session".
Simplicity, it's not as bad as it sounds, and later today, I will be reminded of how nice it is just to be able to turn on the tap and watch the cold water flow.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Scipio Center, NY
One of the churches that we were invited to while we were home in the States was the Scipio Center Community Church located in Scipio, NY (Central NY). They asked us to be their guest speakers for their week-long VBS program. The theme of their VBS was the Rain Forest! We came armed with all the fascinating photos for their kids that we could find on our cameras; you know, the tarantulas, iguanas, bananas on the trees, the monkeys, all things Rain Forest and Costa Rica! We had a great time sharing with them on a number of different levels; what it means to be a missionary, what a missionary does in a foreign country, what our family does in Costa Rica for work and for fun, etc.
This first picture is of Jo Beth and Heather leading the music. Jo Beth has actually been to Costa Rica and served alongside of us on a children's ministry team. Heather and Jo Beth hit it off and since this is my sister, Wendy's, home church; whenever we get to visit her and her husband, Gary, Jo Beth and Heather get to see each other. They make a GREAT team, along with Jo Beth's sister.
This is just a few of the preschool kids. They are so much fun! Many had a lot of questions about missions and living in a foreign country. You never know what seed God might have planted in the heart of one of these small children.
I found a Dr. Seuss book entitled, "If I Ran the Rain Forest" and while it didn't have any Biblical basis, the book itself, had lots of whimsical drawings of rain forest animals and the four floors of the rain forest. This was an educational tool and I read it to the younger groups of kids while I was there one day. They all had lots of questions about the rain forest which this book helped to answer. Though, the rhymes in true Dr. Seuss style were real tongue twisters!
Five days of being in front of the kids, while only for five to ten minutes, by the last day, I was hoarse! I shared a couple of different illustrations, tye-dying a coffee filter with different colored food colorings each representing a "difference" that we saw in the Costa Ricans when we first arrived to Costa Rica, but explaining they too are made in God's image, and that God sees them as equal to us. When I held the folded coffee filter up and began to unfold it, the kids began to squeal at the beauty in the tye-dyed filter and I explained that "differences" make us all unique and beautiful before God.
One day, Heather, Kyle & Jordan joined me up front, and we just sat casually and answered all the questions they could think of to ask; what do we eat in Costa Rica for food? What is our favorite foods in Costa Rica? What do we miss eating while we are in the States that we can only get in Costa Rica? Did Heather or Kyle have a boyfriend or girlfriend in Costa Rica? What do we do for fun as a family when we are not working?
On the last day, as I was wrapping up all that we had talked about, I had one of the Youth Group help me out on an illustration using a remote controlled car as I did an invitation. I used scripture from Romans and had the Youth represent "me" and demonstrate how without Jesus, and me controlling the remote car, I tend to steer my car in different and sometimes wrong directions. But, when I accepted Jesus, He took control of my life, and the car was on a much better, direct path. Praise the Lord that 7 children accepted Jesus at the end of the week! Thank you, Scipio Community Church, for investing in the children of your church and community. Truly, they are the future of your church. And, thank you for allowing us to participate in your VBS. You were a blessing to our family and we enjoyed feeling like part of your family!
This first picture is of Jo Beth and Heather leading the music. Jo Beth has actually been to Costa Rica and served alongside of us on a children's ministry team. Heather and Jo Beth hit it off and since this is my sister, Wendy's, home church; whenever we get to visit her and her husband, Gary, Jo Beth and Heather get to see each other. They make a GREAT team, along with Jo Beth's sister.
This is just a few of the preschool kids. They are so much fun! Many had a lot of questions about missions and living in a foreign country. You never know what seed God might have planted in the heart of one of these small children.
I found a Dr. Seuss book entitled, "If I Ran the Rain Forest" and while it didn't have any Biblical basis, the book itself, had lots of whimsical drawings of rain forest animals and the four floors of the rain forest. This was an educational tool and I read it to the younger groups of kids while I was there one day. They all had lots of questions about the rain forest which this book helped to answer. Though, the rhymes in true Dr. Seuss style were real tongue twisters!
Five days of being in front of the kids, while only for five to ten minutes, by the last day, I was hoarse! I shared a couple of different illustrations, tye-dying a coffee filter with different colored food colorings each representing a "difference" that we saw in the Costa Ricans when we first arrived to Costa Rica, but explaining they too are made in God's image, and that God sees them as equal to us. When I held the folded coffee filter up and began to unfold it, the kids began to squeal at the beauty in the tye-dyed filter and I explained that "differences" make us all unique and beautiful before God.
One day, Heather, Kyle & Jordan joined me up front, and we just sat casually and answered all the questions they could think of to ask; what do we eat in Costa Rica for food? What is our favorite foods in Costa Rica? What do we miss eating while we are in the States that we can only get in Costa Rica? Did Heather or Kyle have a boyfriend or girlfriend in Costa Rica? What do we do for fun as a family when we are not working?
On the last day, as I was wrapping up all that we had talked about, I had one of the Youth Group help me out on an illustration using a remote controlled car as I did an invitation. I used scripture from Romans and had the Youth represent "me" and demonstrate how without Jesus, and me controlling the remote car, I tend to steer my car in different and sometimes wrong directions. But, when I accepted Jesus, He took control of my life, and the car was on a much better, direct path. Praise the Lord that 7 children accepted Jesus at the end of the week! Thank you, Scipio Community Church, for investing in the children of your church and community. Truly, they are the future of your church. And, thank you for allowing us to participate in your VBS. You were a blessing to our family and we enjoyed feeling like part of your family!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
A comedy of errors, as of late
We got back home later last night than we expected from Panama because we were not even halfway home to Costa Rica and our van broke down. Fortunately, our insurance covers towing and a taxi ride home! Our 90 days were up in Costa Rica and we had to go to Panama to have our VISA's stamped. For the second time, we had a difficult time getting back into Costa Rica, and thought we were going to be stuck at the border between the two countries. This time, we had to produce documentation (a flight schedule) that within the next 90 days we would be leaving the country and returning to the U.S. Fortunately, with our grandson due to be born in three weeks, we had just made flight arrangements last week and were able to go to an internet cafe and pull those confirmations up out of our email. Otherwise, the fine would have been $1,000 and we would not have gotten back home into Costa Rica. We have done everything by the book here, and as our Costa Rican lawyer has recommended, as far as leaving even before our time is up and we are still having to jump through hoops it seems. On Tuesday morning before we even left the hotel we got a phone call that our house back in Costa Rica had been broken into. When we got home, it was obvious that some things were moved around, but it doesn't appear that anything was stolen. The door had been left halfway open, maybe for someone to come back, but we got back home before they could. Tonight, we got a phone call from the mechanic that we need a new motor to be placed in the van. This mechanic is one that we trust and he does good work. The cost will be about $2,600. Please keep us in your prayers. I wish that I could say we weren't discouraged. I'm off to bed to have a good scream into my pillow....ahahahahahaha!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Thank You Hickory Grove Church/Grandma & Grandpa Dundon are here!
Grandma & Grandpa Dundon arrived safely on last Friday around noon.
We were more than overwhelmed with the ministry supplies that our home church (Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church, in Four Oaks, N.C.) sent down for a very needy church here. There was so much that we gave some of the items to our home church here, and they were so grateful to receive items that they cannot even buy here! We even still had enough to restock our children's ministry closet, that is after Grandma and Heather spent two days reorganizing it so there was enough space for items to be put away!
On last Sunday evening, we drove about an hour from here to go to the church that we knew needed the supplies for their evening service. I presented the Pastor with the supplies before the church service began. I imagine she wondered why I was hauling around a suitcase! To Hickory Grove she said toward the end of the service in front of her congregation, "Thank you so much to this church in the United States who cared so much about our church. We have been praying for a long time about our children's church program and the lack of supplies that we have. Tonight, through your church, our prayers were answered".
Now that's what it's all about! Thank you Hickory Grove. What you sent helped two churches and the campground ministry!
While Grandma & Grandpa have been here the kids have enjoyed showing them around the campground, introducing them to favorite fruits and foods to eat. The boys have been sleeping at the white house on the campground with them which reminds them of when we used to live in the States and they would get to spend the night at the Grandparents! I've already heard Kyle and Jordan comment to them that "time is going too fast" and "how they wish they could stay here with us". That's the kind of "low" side of being a missionary and having to watch your kids go through those growing pains of not having enough family around. We keep reminding them that in just about three months we will be home in N.C. again with so many people who are waiting to see them! By the way, while we are home in July, if you would like to have us come to your church, or you're an individual who would like to host a small group in your home to hear what we've been doing in Costa Rica and have your questions answered, we would love to hear from you at: sherri.dundon@yahoo.com. We would love to set up a date to do a missionary presentation in your church or home.
We've been enjoying the last couple of weekends off as Global Outreach recommended taht we close the camp from rental groups in the entire month of April. More details will come in another post about how you can be specifically praying for us! We have a lot of work coming in the next few months and are in need of your prayers!
We were more than overwhelmed with the ministry supplies that our home church (Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church, in Four Oaks, N.C.) sent down for a very needy church here. There was so much that we gave some of the items to our home church here, and they were so grateful to receive items that they cannot even buy here! We even still had enough to restock our children's ministry closet, that is after Grandma and Heather spent two days reorganizing it so there was enough space for items to be put away!
On last Sunday evening, we drove about an hour from here to go to the church that we knew needed the supplies for their evening service. I presented the Pastor with the supplies before the church service began. I imagine she wondered why I was hauling around a suitcase! To Hickory Grove she said toward the end of the service in front of her congregation, "Thank you so much to this church in the United States who cared so much about our church. We have been praying for a long time about our children's church program and the lack of supplies that we have. Tonight, through your church, our prayers were answered".
Now that's what it's all about! Thank you Hickory Grove. What you sent helped two churches and the campground ministry!
While Grandma & Grandpa have been here the kids have enjoyed showing them around the campground, introducing them to favorite fruits and foods to eat. The boys have been sleeping at the white house on the campground with them which reminds them of when we used to live in the States and they would get to spend the night at the Grandparents! I've already heard Kyle and Jordan comment to them that "time is going too fast" and "how they wish they could stay here with us". That's the kind of "low" side of being a missionary and having to watch your kids go through those growing pains of not having enough family around. We keep reminding them that in just about three months we will be home in N.C. again with so many people who are waiting to see them! By the way, while we are home in July, if you would like to have us come to your church, or you're an individual who would like to host a small group in your home to hear what we've been doing in Costa Rica and have your questions answered, we would love to hear from you at: sherri.dundon@yahoo.com. We would love to set up a date to do a missionary presentation in your church or home.
We've been enjoying the last couple of weekends off as Global Outreach recommended taht we close the camp from rental groups in the entire month of April. More details will come in another post about how you can be specifically praying for us! We have a lot of work coming in the next few months and are in need of your prayers!
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Holy Week: Bread, bread and Buns!
I feel like we've all gained at least five pounds this week! It seems like every day, someone has stopped over with bread which is the custom here in Costa Rica in celebrating Holy Week! My neighbors have been busy all week baking all different types of breads for this weekend, beginning tomorrow, Good Friday, when family members and friends will stop over to visit and celebrate the resurrection! We've been given bread with coconut, dried fruits, and with figs. So good, but so fattening! Even though we've had a group here all week renting the camp; missionaries from all over Central and Latin America; the boys jumped in to help me crank out some "sticky buns" to give as gifts back to the neighbors!
Here's a picture of my handsome helpers! I make the dough from scratch and they know how to do the rest!
Our buns rising!
All done, gooey and warm! The neighbors were so excited to receive these, but more importanly, we (the boys and myself) had a great time together making them!
Here's a picture of my handsome helpers! I make the dough from scratch and they know how to do the rest!
Our buns rising!
All done, gooey and warm! The neighbors were so excited to receive these, but more importanly, we (the boys and myself) had a great time together making them!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
A quote
"While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation"..Maya Angelou
Dear Lord,
Take a cast iron brander and burn it on my soul!
Dear Lord,
Take a cast iron brander and burn it on my soul!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Moss
"Let all the heavens resound with His name; let all the earth sing His glory and fame. Ocean and mountain, stream, forest, and flower echo His praises and tell of His power" ("Blessing and Honor and Glory and Power" Horatius Bonar)
I took this photo in Feb. when back home in N.C. they were having snow storms. The particles of moss up close reminded me of the intricacies of each snowflake that falls. (You can click on the picture for a closer view). They say that no two are alike. I was also captivated by the colors of the moss. This, coming from a person who likes to snap pictures of rust! Simple moss...a declaration of His artistry!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Getting caught up!
I just realized it has been a little while since I have posted on here. What have I been doing? Well, getting caught up on some things. We are supposed to send an update letter to our supporters every four months through Global Outreach Mission. I am a little behind (sarcastically). Like, a year behind! Our last letter went out last March when I wrote it from my Mom's hospital room and sent it into the Mission. As most of you know, my Mom then passed away in July. We also had the wedding last May, and I guess I just lost my "groove" much to the dismay of Global. Some of you may have already received our March 2010 update. Then, there's tax "season" back in the States and so, of course I had to prepare those in order to get them back in time. And, we are in the process of working on the logistics for a medical team coming for one week in May. Then, there's camp business to assist Ken with, homeschooling, Spanish lessons with homework, and the household "stuff" too. It all helps to keep us busy and more importantly, out of trouble!
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Inside the "Crater"
I check the web cam located 600 km. on the east side of the crater of Volcan Turrialba at least once a day. Just a few minutes ago, while it is cloudy and overcast down here in the Valley, the sun is apparently still shining on the Volcan, though getting ready to set! Today is a quiet day from the crater as you can see just a bit of gray smoke rising on the left side. We have that once in a while. Cross your fingers, and maybe on a smoldering day I can get a clear picture off the web cam!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The angels are singing!
Today, we finished all the projects with the team that Ken had on the "list" for us to do. After a 3 p.m. snack, the men cleaned up equipment and got things tidied up around the camp while the ladies headed to the kitchen to cook a spaghetti dinner for 100 men and women at the homeless shelter. At 5:15 we left the camp and made the trip into the Red Zone of San Jose, safely got into the shelter and set up to serve the dinner. Unfortunately, for the second time in three weeks, another church group also showed up and had dinner prepared to serve as well. We called last week and reserved tonight to be able to bring dinner in, and so this was a little frustrating for Ken & I, as many nights the homeless shelter, which operates solely on donations goes without having food for the men, and tonight again they had two dinners. The "new" Director infomed us that this would not happen again. When the residents had gone through the line and been served the Director sent word for our group to come and share their devotional as the group ate. I shared tonight since everyone felt uncomfortable having to work with an interpreter. When I was finished I gave an invitation and two men put their hands up asking for prayer. I asked them if they would mind coming forward and I would get the men that were with me (Norman, Gene, Freddy and Ken)to come back with me to pray for them. When I returned with our men just a minute later, the two men standing there had changed to eight! All the men gathered in a circle and I asked if any had come to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and one man said, "yes, I would like to pray for that". The others had very specific prayers and I stepped out of the "Man Circle" and let the men from Hickory Grove take over! I know that the angels are singing tonight and we were all so thankful to have this 1 come to the Lord! Pray that the Lord might work with the seeds that were planted here tonight. I am so thankful that our church group was willing to help us minister in the homeless shelter tonight!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Please pray, team arrival and last preparations
The team, 35 members strong, arrives this Saturday afternoon for two weeks of ministry. They are coming from the U.S. and Canada and their ministry will consist of Construction both at the camp and a remote, poor church; Medical Clinics; Children's Teacher Training; "The Pueblito" orphan home and Children's Ministry during the Medical Clinics. This morning I finished combining the Children's Teacher Training manuals (we are combining some CEF material with our previous manual), and now those are off to the copy center. Last year, we trained about 60 teachers with this training. This year we have had an even greater response and are planning on training 90 teachers. Last night we got the grocery shopping list back from Isa, our camp cook, after giving her the menu, and Ken is off doing the grocery shopping this morning. With the size of the team, plus our volunteers (doctors, interpreters, drivers) we will be housing 55 plus people at the camp; two or three people will actually have to stay in our home for everyone to have a bed. Today, I will be moving beds around in our house to make room. We will be traveling with this team to four different locations to minister. Mon. & Tues. half of the children's ministry team will be ministering at the orphan home. The entire construction team will be working at the camp on the Celebration Center building. The medical team will be at a poor church in Cartago along with the other half of the children's ministry team who will be ministering to the children during the clinic. On Wednesday, the 20th we will be traveling with the team to the Guapiles area and along the way having our "free day". On Thursday through Sunday we will be holding a medical clinic in this area along with simultaneous children's ministry. Thursday we will also be doing teacher's training. The construction team will be working on a building project serving a very poor and remote church. On Sunday afternoon we will begin our trip back to the camp. On Monday, the 25th will be another "free day" just to rest at the camp or walk over to Orosi. Tuesday, the 26th, we will be going to Tres Rios, right outside of San Jose. On Tuesday we will be doing teacher training again, the medical clinic will begin with simultaneous children's ministry, but the construction team will be back at the camp working on the Celebration Center building. We will continue ministering in Tres Rios through the 28th. On Friday, the 29th we will do a clinic and children's ministry for one day in Paraiso. On Saturday, the 30th we will be at the camp, cleaning up our mess, resorting ministry supplies and on Sunday, the 31st, the team returns to the U.S. and Canada.
How can you pray for us?
1. Pray for this team as they travel to Costa Rica on Saturday.
2. Pray for the clinics, that people might receive physical as well as spiritual healing.
3. Pray for the children who will be ministered to in children's ministry.
4. Pray for the teacher's training, that this would bless these remote, poor churches and that their teacher's would be encouraged and blessed!
5. Pray for the team members as they minister and our family as we minister (Ken as he heads up the construction projects back at the camp as well as in the remote church, Sherri as she teaches in the teacher's training and works in children's ministry, Heather as she translates in the Pharmacy, Kyle as he ministers in children's ministry and translates, Jordan as he helps in construction).
6. Pray for a harvest of souls, men, women and children.
7. Pray that all that we say and do would glorify God, not because He needs us, but because He allows us!
How can you pray for us?
1. Pray for this team as they travel to Costa Rica on Saturday.
2. Pray for the clinics, that people might receive physical as well as spiritual healing.
3. Pray for the children who will be ministered to in children's ministry.
4. Pray for the teacher's training, that this would bless these remote, poor churches and that their teacher's would be encouraged and blessed!
5. Pray for the team members as they minister and our family as we minister (Ken as he heads up the construction projects back at the camp as well as in the remote church, Sherri as she teaches in the teacher's training and works in children's ministry, Heather as she translates in the Pharmacy, Kyle as he ministers in children's ministry and translates, Jordan as he helps in construction).
6. Pray for a harvest of souls, men, women and children.
7. Pray that all that we say and do would glorify God, not because He needs us, but because He allows us!
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Volcano Update, Dr's appt...
Last night I woke up in the middle of the night at around 1:30 a.m. to what sounded like very small pellets of ice hitting the windows and roof of the house. I thought it was just the usual wind that blows the banana tree leaves that are very close to our house. I found out this morning that the Volcano (Volcan Turrialba) has begun to erupt and that had I gotten out of bed I would have seen the ash (which they say looks like snow) and small particles of debris in the air! A now 4-mile radius near the volcano has been evacuated. Today, scientists say that there is evidence that the inner walls of the volcano near the crater are cracking, yet, they do not know for sure when the "major" eruption will occur, but they are saying it wll occur eminently. They are not reporting large rocks or lava being seen with this eruption, but on the eastern side of San Jose (the capital city) which is about an hour and a half from our location here, there was reports of fallen ash as well.
I went with Ken back to his rheumatologist today and his pelvic x-ray does show rheumatoid arthritis lesions on his sacroiliac joint, but nothing that the doctor was surprised to find or at this point was grossly abnormal. All of his blood work, rheumatoid factor, and a number of other blood and antibody counts which I cannot remember all of the names of, were off the charts in numbers pointing to rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation. He has been taken off of his gout medicine that he has been on for a number of years since he obviously does not have that condition and is starting new medicines for the rheumatoid arthritis; one of which is also used for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to help with the side effects called Methotrexate. This medicine should force his body into remission and also help limit the progression of the disease. He should be feeling much better in two weeks. He will return to his doctor in two to three months with follow up blood work, and in one year have to have repeat x-rays. Right now he is not on a rheumatoid arthritis diet so to speak, although we will be monitoring his diet closely as we always have with his gout diet, and are well aware that certain foods can contribute to flare-ups of rheumatoid arthritis.
That's about all for tonight's post. Been a long day in the city and tomorrow is packed with a meeting with the accountant for camp business, a trip to the municipality for camp documents, camp bills to pay for the New Year, a trip to the city to get the three-month supply of Ken's Methotrexate...it's time to hit the hay!
I went with Ken back to his rheumatologist today and his pelvic x-ray does show rheumatoid arthritis lesions on his sacroiliac joint, but nothing that the doctor was surprised to find or at this point was grossly abnormal. All of his blood work, rheumatoid factor, and a number of other blood and antibody counts which I cannot remember all of the names of, were off the charts in numbers pointing to rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation. He has been taken off of his gout medicine that he has been on for a number of years since he obviously does not have that condition and is starting new medicines for the rheumatoid arthritis; one of which is also used for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to help with the side effects called Methotrexate. This medicine should force his body into remission and also help limit the progression of the disease. He should be feeling much better in two weeks. He will return to his doctor in two to three months with follow up blood work, and in one year have to have repeat x-rays. Right now he is not on a rheumatoid arthritis diet so to speak, although we will be monitoring his diet closely as we always have with his gout diet, and are well aware that certain foods can contribute to flare-ups of rheumatoid arthritis.
That's about all for tonight's post. Been a long day in the city and tomorrow is packed with a meeting with the accountant for camp business, a trip to the municipality for camp documents, camp bills to pay for the New Year, a trip to the city to get the three-month supply of Ken's Methotrexate...it's time to hit the hay!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
10:52 p.m...just getting home!
So much to write, so little time! We literally just walked in the door and are ending our day here in Costa Rica. Just in time to roll into bed and be on the road again tomorrow no later than 7 a.m. Here's an update of what has been going on in our corner of the world!
Ken has been sick and is now entering his third week of being in a state of constant dizziness. The first week we thought he had a virus since Jordan has had similar symptoms in the past, but for shorter lengths of time (only a 24-hour period). Last Monday, beginning the second week of feeling dizzy we visited our doctor. An IV was started in the office, we were given instructions on fasting blood tests that needed to be drawn the next day, and he was placed on complete bedrest and was asked not to drive. On Thursday, we received normal blood work results, and began another trial of different medications for dizziness, nauseousness and were told he still could not drive and should remain on complete bedrest through the weekend. This Monday, we returned to the doctor's for a return office visit and examination. We were referred to an ear specialist who we will see tomorrow at 9 a.m., undergo a full examination and hearing testing, and while Ken can be on his feet when he feels good, which isn't often, he still cannot drive and is still suffering from dizziness. So, YES, you could pray for Ken!
We have had back-to-back rental groups on the weekends at the camp and last week we had a week-long rental group for a unique Pastor's retreat with Pastor's attending from all over Central and Latin America.
Tonight, we did an orientation for the volunteers at one of the church's where we will take one of January's short-term missions teams to do medical clinics. Ken spoke about Global Outreach Mission, I did children's ministry orientation and Katherine & David did the medical clinic orientation. Tomorrow night, we will do the same orientation, different church location in preparation for the January team. Please pray for us as we talk to this church!
When we return home tomorrow from Ken's ear appointment, we will head over to the neighboring town of Palomo, just about 4 miles from the camp, and set up for a medical clinic that we will be hosting on Thursday Day (Thanksgiving Day) from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. This town is of low-income and has a lot of problems with alcohol, drugs, teenage prostitution, etc. We will also be taking volunteers from our church here that meets at the campground on Sunday mornings to help us with evangelism. Please pray for this outreach!
We have some good Christian friends, Gary & Debbie, who live in Orosi who have asked if they could minister to "us" by cooking Thanksgiving dinner and having us over on Thursday. They have really been wonderful to us; they take care of our dog when we have to leave the country for VISA renewals and drive us to the bus station in San Jose to get on the bus at 4:15 a.m. to travel. They just go above and beyond what would seem even reasonable to ask someone, and always with smiles on their faces! Gary leads our Sunday afternoon Bible Study that we take in English...whoot-whoot!
On Friday, another rental group will be coming into the camp to spend the weekend.
This Sunday, I have been asked to share a message by the Pastor. Could you please remember to pray for me as I finish preparing and then share on Sunday!
So, some of this might explain why there have not been recent updates from me, although as I read this over, I realize that in a little over one week we have a short-term team coming down from Charlotte, N.C. to do VBS, and I haven't even mentioned all the preparations that have already been made in advance of this team coming. All of this does keep us busy, and more importantly, out of trouble!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING and thanks for checking in on us!
Ken has been sick and is now entering his third week of being in a state of constant dizziness. The first week we thought he had a virus since Jordan has had similar symptoms in the past, but for shorter lengths of time (only a 24-hour period). Last Monday, beginning the second week of feeling dizzy we visited our doctor. An IV was started in the office, we were given instructions on fasting blood tests that needed to be drawn the next day, and he was placed on complete bedrest and was asked not to drive. On Thursday, we received normal blood work results, and began another trial of different medications for dizziness, nauseousness and were told he still could not drive and should remain on complete bedrest through the weekend. This Monday, we returned to the doctor's for a return office visit and examination. We were referred to an ear specialist who we will see tomorrow at 9 a.m., undergo a full examination and hearing testing, and while Ken can be on his feet when he feels good, which isn't often, he still cannot drive and is still suffering from dizziness. So, YES, you could pray for Ken!
We have had back-to-back rental groups on the weekends at the camp and last week we had a week-long rental group for a unique Pastor's retreat with Pastor's attending from all over Central and Latin America.
Tonight, we did an orientation for the volunteers at one of the church's where we will take one of January's short-term missions teams to do medical clinics. Ken spoke about Global Outreach Mission, I did children's ministry orientation and Katherine & David did the medical clinic orientation. Tomorrow night, we will do the same orientation, different church location in preparation for the January team. Please pray for us as we talk to this church!
When we return home tomorrow from Ken's ear appointment, we will head over to the neighboring town of Palomo, just about 4 miles from the camp, and set up for a medical clinic that we will be hosting on Thursday Day (Thanksgiving Day) from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. This town is of low-income and has a lot of problems with alcohol, drugs, teenage prostitution, etc. We will also be taking volunteers from our church here that meets at the campground on Sunday mornings to help us with evangelism. Please pray for this outreach!
We have some good Christian friends, Gary & Debbie, who live in Orosi who have asked if they could minister to "us" by cooking Thanksgiving dinner and having us over on Thursday. They have really been wonderful to us; they take care of our dog when we have to leave the country for VISA renewals and drive us to the bus station in San Jose to get on the bus at 4:15 a.m. to travel. They just go above and beyond what would seem even reasonable to ask someone, and always with smiles on their faces! Gary leads our Sunday afternoon Bible Study that we take in English...whoot-whoot!
On Friday, another rental group will be coming into the camp to spend the weekend.
This Sunday, I have been asked to share a message by the Pastor. Could you please remember to pray for me as I finish preparing and then share on Sunday!
So, some of this might explain why there have not been recent updates from me, although as I read this over, I realize that in a little over one week we have a short-term team coming down from Charlotte, N.C. to do VBS, and I haven't even mentioned all the preparations that have already been made in advance of this team coming. All of this does keep us busy, and more importantly, out of trouble!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING and thanks for checking in on us!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
"Oh, Those Golden Grahams"
Yes, I ate the bowl of cereal pictured here! It has been 19 months since I have had a bowl of Golden Grahams; one of my absolute favorite cereals! Finally and a very rare find, a sale on this cereal here in Costa Rica at a mere $2 a box...we bought 2 boxes! You literally feel like you won the "lottery" when you find something like this. Look at me! I'm so excited I am blogging about it! Normally, this cereal is a little over $7 here a box. $7 and given that we live on the sacrificial giving of other people just ain't happening in this household!God has stretched us a lot in the area of contentment while we have been on the mission field. We were simple people back home. We are even simpler now. I am thankful for the things that we have had to go without because of importation. I am also thankful for how we are learning to "find" replacements for what we are so used to having available to us. Having to learn to go without can be a good thing! It makes you appreciate all that you previously had.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The phone call
We just got the phone call about a half hour ago that Floria's mother has just passed away in the home. Please pray for us today as we try and minister to this entire family. We will go to the house after our church service to give the family more time to gather. The body will be in the home for viewing which is the custom here. Family and close friends will be expected to visit all day and stay with the family all night. Typically, it is customary for the family to stay awake all night together as part of the grieving process. They sit in the home with the body and visit with those who come to mourn with them, drinking coffee. Usually the gifts that you do bring are coffee or food when you visit the family. The burial will be tomorrow and you follow the body through town, walking behind the family, to its final resting place. This hits just a little "too close" to home right now for our family with the passing of my Mom, so please pray for the strength that we need to minister today. We can only do this with Him and through Him. Lord, we NEED YOU!
Friday, October 16, 2009
You pick apples, we pick...
Coffee! It's that time of year! While we read Facebook entries about you picking apples, here it is harvest time for the coffee beans! I had Kyle take this picture across the road from the entrance to the camp. The coffee beans are called "cherries" and the red ones are now ready to be picked. As you can see there are still many cherries which are green. Picking coffee beans will last through January and IF the weather cooperates in that the harvest is good, picking can last as late as February. Picking here in our area is still done by hand; almost exactly the same way apples were picked while I was growing up as a child. Right now there are many new people walking the streets in our area, immigrant workers who reside in the area only during harvesting time. The air here in Orosi often times smells of a pungent, bitter odor; okay to be totally honest, everyone in our family says, "it stinks like cow poop"! Thankfully, there is no coffee processing plant on this side of the river. The smell comes from the plants drying out the coffee beans. Honestly, I drink coffee and if I had to smell that in my neighborhood all day I wouldn't be drinking any longer! What does a person earn for picking coffee? 800 colones for what amounts to about a gallon container OR in American $1.50 for the container. That's a lot of picking and a lot of teeny-tiny coffee beans! In Costa Rica, every single coffee plantation grows the same exact plant or type of coffee bean. It is the law! Seems to make things pretty fair. Hope this post makes your cup of Joe today even more enjoyable :)
Monday, October 12, 2009
Pray for Floria
When I returned home from my Mom's memorial service in August; on my first Sunday back, a woman at the church greeted me in tears. Her name is Floria and she told me that her mother was declining and was not expected to live long. With the help of Heather, she wanted to express to me her deep condolences on the passing of my mother. I expressed to her that my mother was not suffering any longer and that she was a Christian, and that her passing was better for her. With tears in her eyes she said, "when my mother passes, I want you to be with me".
Tonight, our Pastor called our home and told Kyle to tell us that Floria's mother was passing away and we were to go to the house up in Orosi. We quickly changed our clothes and picked up the Pastor and his wife along the way and went to Floria's home. Ken and I asked the Pastor and his wife to go into the bedroom before us and after a few minutes we were asked to join them there with Floria and her mother who was in bed. Her mother was very fraile and Floria looked exhausted. We prayed together with Floria and her mother, but it was hard for me to hold back tears as I held Floria's hand knowing that so many had just walked this road with me only two and a half months ago. Floria began to cry as I held her hand and I hugged her close.
We spent just a little bit more time in the house visiting and when we left Floria and I hugged each other tightly. I reminded her in Spanish that God is strong and that He would be her strength and comfort during this difficult time. She agreed as tears both streamed down our cheeks. I told her that I loved her and that fewer words were better than many!
Times like these are difficult in ministry with language barriers, but one thing that I do know is that Floria knows and understands that we love and care for her. That is the same in every language. May God use my mother's passing in a powerful way as we try and minister to this family through these difficult hours as Floria's mother's life comes to a close. To our God be the Glory!
Tonight, our Pastor called our home and told Kyle to tell us that Floria's mother was passing away and we were to go to the house up in Orosi. We quickly changed our clothes and picked up the Pastor and his wife along the way and went to Floria's home. Ken and I asked the Pastor and his wife to go into the bedroom before us and after a few minutes we were asked to join them there with Floria and her mother who was in bed. Her mother was very fraile and Floria looked exhausted. We prayed together with Floria and her mother, but it was hard for me to hold back tears as I held Floria's hand knowing that so many had just walked this road with me only two and a half months ago. Floria began to cry as I held her hand and I hugged her close.
We spent just a little bit more time in the house visiting and when we left Floria and I hugged each other tightly. I reminded her in Spanish that God is strong and that He would be her strength and comfort during this difficult time. She agreed as tears both streamed down our cheeks. I told her that I loved her and that fewer words were better than many!
Times like these are difficult in ministry with language barriers, but one thing that I do know is that Floria knows and understands that we love and care for her. That is the same in every language. May God use my mother's passing in a powerful way as we try and minister to this family through these difficult hours as Floria's mother's life comes to a close. To our God be the Glory!
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