I keep sitting here, staring at this blank screen, hoping that something will come. My fingers will just automatically begin emmitting words which will then appear, in some orderly fashion to render some type of message, discussion, meaning, and my thoughts, feelings, and experiences will be expressed, shared, and the points made. But, despite my effort, my effort of doing nothing, surprisingly, nothing comes.
So, forget the eloquent speech, err typing, the fancy language, and the catchy stories, I'm just going to update on Panama, and the things that are going on in the Kingdom of God here. Again, my updates have not come as readily as I had hoped, and there tends to be a great lapse in between entries. We have three weeks left, and I vow to change this trend!!
Rachel and I started this past week at UDELAS for our second session there, working with the staff, faculty, and students of the English department. I have three students who are continuing from the last round about there, Tania, Raul, and Yaremis. Rachel, has two, Profesor Kaur and Justo.
Originally, we were not going to continue on at UDELAS, and what was planned to be just three or four weeks there, quickly became a month and some, and now, over two months. God's plans seem to continuously surpass those of our own, and He continues to show us that His way is best! We decided to extend our time at UDELAS because the thought of leaving behind these readers that we have come to love so much and who are so eager to study the Word of God, at home and in our sessions, have been too encouraging, too promising, to ignore, and we can't stop now. I want to tell you about each of my readers, so that you can pray specifically for them. I leave Panama in 23 days and I want these souls to be listed in the Book of Life. God wants these souls in Heaven with Him oneday, and His Spirit is ready and willing to move into their hearts today, the moment they accept the promised Son.
I meet everyday with Tania, who is the receptionist at UDELAS. She's a firecracker, a hard worker, a dedicated friend and employee. When she's swamped with work, we'll sometimes read at her desk, or I'll just go down and chat with her throughout the afternoon. There's always a crowd, lots of laughter, and plenty of rolling of the eyes. She knows everything that's going on, and I'm convinced she is one of the main reasons the English department stands. Her heart, just like all hearts, is yearning for an intimate, complete, genuine relationship with her Creator. She's looking, whether she's aware of it or not, for the peace that passes all understanding, and the pure joy that fills us and carries us into tomorrow. She's started reading the book of Matthew on her own, and is determined to finish the book of Luke with me and to start on Acts before I leave. Pray for her diligence, her aching heart for the Lord, her vulnerability to His ways. Pray that she will obey the gospel, and that a crown will be reserved for her above. Pray that the deceiver will not interfere more with her schedule, making her too busy to read during our set hour each day.
After Tania, I read with Yaremis. Oh, Yaremis. She's a young, tourism student who completely taught herself English from watching TV and listening to music. Talking to her, you'd think that her parents were fluent or that she went to a private, bilingual school, but she didn't. Her self-discipline and intelligence taught her English. Or, perhaps, the Lord saw that she learn it, so that she would oneday find herself studying the Bible and finding the Truth. On the first reading session with each student, I always explain to them that we will use the book of Luke from the New Testament as our English textbook. I want to be upfront with them, I don't ever want someone to feel like they've been tricked into a Bible study, an attempt to change their minds and insult their culture and tradition. I tell them we use the Bible for many reasons: 1. It gives them an opportunity to express themselves, their feelings, their ideas, their opinons, and to defend their believes, all while using vocabulary and speaking in a more personal manner than they get in an organized English class. 2. We use the Bible because as a Christian, I believe that it is the Truth and I also believe that people should actually read the Bible and then determine whether or not they believe, rather than listen to what someone says or follow in the tradition of their family, they should have the information to make an education decision whether or not to follow Christ. When I gave this spill to Yaremis, she immediately pushed away the things on her desk, leaned down real close to me, and very clearly said, "I'm my religion because it's my parents' religion, but I'm looking for a new church because I don't think mine is right, and I think I want to be a Christian." How's that for God's hand leading her to LST? And, so, we began, and I promised her that I'd only tell her what the Bible said, and that I wouldn't just tell her, I would show her in the Scriptures, so that she knew it wasn't my interpretation, but what the Lord has said. Yaremis began studying with me and began reading the book of Matthew at home. And, she's soaked it up like a sponge. She wants to know the history, the why's, and so often we spend our hour talking about the Bible and never get to even open up the Luke workbook. Rarely do we actually spend an hour, but more like an hour and a half, or more. In one of our last reading sessions she told me that she thought she would decide to become a Christian and we talked about baptism, but she also mentioned that she is scared of disappointing her family by leaving her church, and we talked about sacrifice, committment, faithfulness of God, and genuine, unconditional love. Please pray for Yaremis. We haven't been able to meet this week, and I do not want that to continue in the upcoming week. She's so close to deciding to make her life completely about following Jesus Christ and Him alone, lift her up in prayer, please lift her up to our Father. She is a soul that wants Her Savior, and is heavily considering accepting the eternal gift of Life from Him, pray that she has the courage, the stamina, the strength to do it, to deny herself, pick up her cross, and follow her Lord.
My third reader is Raul, is full of life, color, and flare. Raul's a tourism student, a model, a dancer, and so much more. He's hilarious and I always have good laughs with Raul. He has a strong faith, and is 150% of an all so flamboyant eighteen year old boy, and also taught himself remarkable English. Raul has traveled all over the world, and I have really enjoyed talking to him about the places he's been, especially India, where he and his grandmother did service work for a summer when he was a kid. Raul believes in Christ and believes that He guides His heart to follow the ways of the Lord. Please pray for Raul, for his soul, for his relationship with Christ. God knows what Raul needs in this life, so I ask that you will ferverntly petition our King to meet those needs so that Raul might be confident in His eternal home. I ask that you pray for Raul much like Paul and Timothy prayed for the church in Philippi: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11)
A few people have asked for an update on Isabel, a woman who I read with back in February. I'm happy to say that Isabel and I started reading again last week. She's teaching English, is in school still, and is a full time mother and wife, so her time is limited, but we've worked out for me to go to her home twice a week to continue to work through the book of Luke. Pray for Isabel. I can see the Lord working on her heart, prying through her self-defenses to speak the Truth and give her His hope, to expose His purpose for her life, and to fully reign as her Lord and Master. I've noticed a change in Isabel, a change that went from being slightly more distant, never personalizing anything, to being thoughtful in her responses, as if she's carefully considering her thoughts and views, and, almost as if she's not thinking of them for the first time. Isabel has been on of my readers that has made her mark and stayed on my heart the most since I've been in Panama, and I ask you to please, please keep her in your prayers. She faces a lot of fears in considering accepting the entirity of the Gospel, and I pray that the words that Jesus once stated to the Jews will become evidence in her life as well, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
When schedules allow it, Rachel and I spend our evenings studying the Word with some families that Raul, the minister, regularly studies with. Please continue to pray for these families, that they will accept the Truth, obey the Gospel, be baptized in Christ's name, and will belong to the family of God. They have studied the Bible and know what they must do, but still, for some reason, are hesitant. Please pray that their hearts will be penetrated and that Satan's deception will be exposed, for we know that Christ has already overcome Him and that their decision to follow the Victorious One will in turn give them the joy of redemption. Pray for their families, pray for their children, pray for the lives, that they may know that "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37), and that their souls might be saved by the one who has already made the offer of salvation, become the sacrifice for all of the world, and who's reaching His hand out to all of the world, rejoicing in each and every person who reaches back and takes hold of the promises made for Him.
As for Rachel and me, we are winding down each day and seem to be stuck in this awkard in between state. We still do not have a full schedule at UDELAS, so we ask that you will please pray that God will guide those who are willing and ready to receive His word to read Luke with us. Please pray for us that we will stay motivated, empowered, and trusting God in all that we do. Pray that we will not tire, especially as the weather changes and goes from hotter to hottest mixed with humidity that is no doubt a cloud that just sits upon you as you walk, soaked by sweat, down the street :) Pray that we will maintain the same excitement, vision, the same hope that carried us to Panama and that we will continue to see the value in each of these readers. Pray for us as we prepare ourselves to go home and to many unknowns and uncertainities. Please, pray that above all, our hope will be in Christ Jesus and Him alone.
May Paul's timeless words echo throughout our hearts, our minds, and our spirits, to keep us dedicated and working hard until the end: "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Benefits of Wisdom
“…Do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the first fruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
The man who gains understanding,
For she is more profitable than silver
And yields better returns than gold.
She is more precious than rubies;
Nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are pleasant ways,
And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
Those who lay hold of her will be blessed.
By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
By understanding he set the heavens in place;
by his knowledge the deeps were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight;
they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble;
when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the Lord will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.”
Proverbs 3: 1-28
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Pura Vida, Chica. En Costa Rica
This is my first entry in over three weeks and I have much to tell—we have new readers, new friends, new schedules, and more. But, the biggest and most exciting adventure to tell when we escaped the threat of becoming illegal immigrants to find refuge in the mountains and forests of Costa Rica for a weekend of “Pura Vida” as they say to our north…pure life/excellence.
Neither Erica, Rachel, nor I had ever been to Costa Rica, so outside of a few recommendations from people at home, we searched the web and thumbed through our trustworthy (or at least we hoped it was) Costa Rica Backpacker’s Guide to traveling on a budget. My parents were generous enough to bestow such a great Christmas gift upon me last year, and without it, we would have felt even blinder than we did with it in tow. We landed in Alajuela, Costa Rica at the “San Jose” airport, which is about as much in San Jose as the Cincinnati airport is in Cincinnati. We planned on going to the north, but our first stop was the ATM. Let me explain something. When I lived in Europe, everything was on the Euro, which is pretty similar in formation to US dollar, so it was not too difficult converting the amounts and throwing around numbers daily. The value between the two currencies was not even, but it was close enough to give rough estimation of cost. In Panama, they use the US Dollar, granted, it is often referred to as Balboa (which I find humorous because they only have US dollars and Balboa change), so we have not had to bother with currency exchange at all. A blessing from God? Yes, I think so. Especially since we have to record our EVERY expenditure to turn into LST a monthly budget. So, we land in Costa Rica, and having read in our informative guidebook that Costa Ricans will NOT accept the US dollar, we bring little cash along with us for the trip. We head directly to an ATM. We’re all prepared to withdraw cash, planning on withdrawing like, I don’t know, 200 Colones, thinking that will be between $150-$200 US dollars, and anxious to see just what these Colones look like. Excitement quickly fades to disillusionment? Is that a good word? Why? Number 1: Fifth Third, the bank that holds ALL of mine and Rachel’s funds apparently has very few relations with banks in Costa Rica, and our card is, of course, rejected. Would have been nice to have known before stepping foot into a foreign country with only $20 or so on hand. Oh, let’s just withdraw our own personal money and we can pay ourselves back—wait a second, that’s in Fifth Third, too. Number 2: 467 Colones (or some obscure number like that) is equaled to $1 US dollar—you do the math. Confused—to say the least. Luckily, Erica was able to withdraw cash and spot us, and the ladies at the currency exchange windows were kind enough to roughly estimate and label each bill’s equivalency in US dollars. Much to our surprise though, our math was wrong, and when Erica though she was taking out like $100, she took out $400.
…Oh, to be a fly on the wall…
We had been forewarned of the mob of taxi drivers waiting outside of the airport, so we strategically planned to fight through the crowd and find the city buses, head South to San Jose, pick up a bus, and then head north to Monteverde or Santa Elena…wherever we decided when we got there/wherever we were when we realized we should get off the bus. Hotel reservations—please, do you think we plan that far in advance? The guidebook had a nice organized list of hostels and the like, so we were trusting and praying that they’d all just have perfect availability…besides, we still weren’t quite certain where we were going to end up. So, we pushed through the broken English offers of taxis and made our way to the city buses. When we finally thought we had broken threw the taxi multitude (All with yellow shirts to nicely match their yellow cabs.), we heard a clear, English voice from behind. His name was Johnny, and he instantly became very helpful, and suffice it to say, we ended up getting in the car with him, and driving to a town called Puntarenas, where we’d be able to jump on a bus and get to our desired destination much quicker. We pile in his car, backpacks, bodies, and guidebook and begin a journey that we were praying would turn out alright. Scared? No. We were looking for adventure. Besides, he had a Christian bumper sticker on the back of the cab, an ID, and lots of other things that made him a legit travel agent.
Once in the car, we settled in to an extremely cheesy movie on Costa Rica and discreetly tried to muffle our laughs at the man with the ponytail and the girl with the crazy clothes…About seventy five kilometers down the road…the car starts smoking, perfectly in front of a beautiful vista. I’m not sure which brought more humor to me—that our unexpected taxi had broken down or that Rachel stood over the hood offering mechanical advice to the driver. (In her defense, she says she knows some stuff about cars…I, for one, do not know enough to evaluate her knowledge, so I will remain mute on the issue.) Got the car started again, and we booked it to catch what was then referred to as the “last bus” to Monteverde for the day…if we miss it, we’ll land ourselves in Puntarenas, a place we had not referenced in our book, and we don’t do anything that the book doesn’t tell us to do. That’s just the way we roll—we can only be so free-spirited, ok?
While we’re driving, he gave us some CD’s to choose from and Erica selected the Christian music CD. He clarified with us a few times before he put it in, wanting to make sure we understood that it was Christian music. I guess no one had ever requested it before. This ended up leading to a great conversation and introducing us to a man who believes that Jesus Christ is His Savior but who is in one of the valleys that we all face at one point or another in our faith and walk with the Lord. The point is, before this conversation, he was just our really nice taxi driver. After this conversation, he became our brother, our friend, another soul working for the Promised Land. We were not planning on taking an hour and a half taxi ride when we go to Costa Rica. And, we really didn’t have the budget for it, but when he approached us, something just told us to go, something just made us feel like it was ok, that it was safe, that we needed to go with him, and we didn’t really know why, but once he presented himself to us, there was little discussion about whether or not we would go with this man to Puntarenas. And, then, it was so clear. This wasn’t our plan. It was God. This man needed encouragement, he needed to be reminded of Who is important, he needed to know that he is not alone on this walk of faith. The point is that anyone can be a missionary. Anyone can be an evangelist. Wherever one goes, there are people who are dying before knowing the Word of God. They’re thirsty for it, they’re hungry for it. We have it, we just have to offer it to them. We just have to offer ourselves to God for His plans, and be willing to pause and make a change in order to complete His will and not our own. His knowledge far exceeds our own, and when He looks at us, He not only see the very instant, but He sees what could come as well, and He responds accordingly.
So, we leave our new friend, board the bus at a little bus stop right on the beach. We sat down in the comfortable seats (a step-up from Panamanian buses) and stared out the window to catch a glimpse of an old man who encompassed pura vida, playing his guitar on a bench, while others sat nearby just listening. As we approached the Monteverde area, we reached for the most useful tool we brought with us—our tour book—so we could start reading about a hotel for the night and determine the landmarks of our desired destination, but, when we all reached into our bags, we realized that our lone friend, our only guide, the source of all our information was AWAL…it was gone, disappeared to the Costa Rican abyss of who knows where…all we had left were our cunningly ways, cute smiles, and Panamanian slang to get us through. The culprit will remain nameless, but she’s a girl with brown, curly hair. You decide.
We got to Santa Elena, and decided to get off there, before Monteverde (partially influenced by full bladders that could not go any further, a good judge for destination, if you ask me)…We quickly found a place to stay (thankfully…that could have been a disaster that mimicked the time Haley and I crashed above a pub in what seemed like a halfway house in Vienna, Austria.) We had supper in a restaurant…ready for this…with a TREE growing through the middle of it—the restaurant had been built around the tree, which was pretty cool in my book.
Santa Elena looks a lot like a little Colorado ski-town, complete with a plethora of Gringos and more English than Spanish, but we loved it from the moment we stepped foot in it (Granted, it was quite the adjustment having to watch what we said about, because nearly everyone around us spoke English…this surely will hold awkward moments for us in the coming month when we return to the US and we forget that we are easily understood and our talking fast will not protect our secrets.). We stayed in a little hostel for only like $12 a night or something ridiculously cheap like that and the next morning set off to make Rachel’s Central American dream a reality—zip-lining through the rainforest. We headed out, got harnessed in and started…We did nineteen lines in all, lasting from just like 10 seconds long to almost a minute, and varying in height between fifteen feet and three hundred feet. It literally felt like we were flying through the trees and then just when you thought you weren’t very high, the ground would seem to drop off out of nowhere and then you’d be gliding far above the canopy and just finding yourself say, “Oh my gosh” Over and over and again. We also go to do a Tarzan swing, which I would be lying if I tried to say I wasn’t nervous about it at all, I’m not much for free falling, but I was propelled in when I was pushed off the platform, fell for a few seconds, and then few swung through the trees. Needless to say, it was quite the thrill…No, Barb and Jim, I did not beat my chest and howl like Tarazan. You don’t have to ask.
After we went swinging through the rainforest, we went back to Santa Elena to sit in hammocks, eat lunch, and await the next adventure—a Jeep, Boat, Jeep tour through the mountains to La Fortuna, a town on the other said of a huge lake (hence the boat) and the home of one of three live volcanoes in the world. We were all geared up ready to go with visions of a Wrangler with the top off and a roll cage thing picking us up to four-wheel through the mountains while the wind and dust blew through our hair and the sun scorched our pale skin…imagine how our deep our hearts sank when we weren’t greeted with a jeep, a truck, a hummer, or any other “adventurous” vehicle, but rather…a mini-van…a flash back to family vacations to Myrtle Beach had become a live reality to Rachel and me all the way in Costa Rica. Apparently, false advertising, as in lying, is allowed in Costa Rica. Oh yeah, did I mention the couple on the bench seat next to me, liked to be very “affectionate” while traveling?
Despite the disappointing, but very comical, transportation, the scenery was beautiful and we enjoyed the view…granted, through tinted windows rather than an open top. When we got to the boat part of the trip, the part that was accurately described to us, we crossed the lake and had our first view of the Arenal Volcano, towering over the rest of the mountains, and the towns at its feet. We had a night tour booked to begin at 5:00, so when we reached the other shore of the lake, they whisked into another mini-van (also supposed to have been a jeep) and quickly landed us very timely in front of our hostel where our night tour was patiently waiting on us.
The Arenal Volcano is one of three active volcanoes in the entire world, as in having red lava pouring down its side, volcanoes in the world. It’s said to erupt every five to fifteen minutes, but while we were there, it was erupting much more often. God has blessed me with being able to travel all over the world—I’ve peered into the Grand Canyon, looked over Niagara Falls, floated down the Nile, been in the mountains of Thailand, but nothing, NOTHING, has ever been or ever will be, I’m convinced, as amazing, as pure, as humbling as standing before a tremendous volcano, a volcano that in time has wiped out entire villages, has towered for years upon years, and has taken countless of individuals to meet their Maker. The red lava is only visible at night, hence why we took a night tour, and the entire volcano is blocked from being hiked or getting in near proximity to it, but from our vantage point, maybe a mile away from the foot, the fiery glow oozing down the steep sides looked like fireworks in the sky. A cloud sat on the top, but we were told that on a clear night, you can actually see the lava shooting out of the summit. As we witnessed the molten lava pouring down the sides, I’ve never felt so speechless, so inadequate in my words to describe the power that stood before me, and more so, the power of its Creator, my God. And, to know, that He had given us, little white girls from the Ohio and Wisconsin, the opportunity to stand before it and witness such an amazing, threatening, and beautiful destructor without having the slightest threat of harm. In its shadow, the word humility does not do justice the feelings I had inside of myself and the praises that I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs. To top it off, at the same time God had given us another opportunity to speak of Christ to a struggling Christian. Our tour guide, a young man, was so impressed to meet Christians his own age who believed in the extreme life that Christ calls us to live. Again, when our lives are open to His plan and not our own, He rewards us beyond belief. We must learn to be intentional, in everything we do—and when we are, even if we’re planning on going on a tourist adventure, He will provide us with opportunities to speak His name, and will bless us for doing that.
We finished off the night, and for that part our big activities in Cost Rica, by spending three hours soaking in the hot springs that come off the volcano, at a resort called Baldi—peaceful, relaxing, soothing, to say the least. They had over twenty something pools of hot, hot water—rewarding to us who can count the number of hot showers we’ve had in the last four months on one hand, and who were frigid in the cool evenings of Costa Rica. Each pool offered something a little different, complete with a curvy waterslide that a man poured water on from a bucket to keep it slick enough to get you started and slick enough to almost kill you at the end. Not quite sure it would have passed an US safety inspection. The treasure of the resort was finding the pool that had tile beds built into the pool itself, which sat right at the foot of a big waterfall. The water temperatures varied from lukewarm all the way to 152 degrees…which almost burned the tip of my toe off when I tested it out and which almost caught me when I tripped on the edge…I think I would have died if I had landed in it!
Sunday morning we spent sometime exploring the adorable town of La Fortuna. Sadly, Costa Rica is really expensive, so the shopping was limited, but the backdrop was priceless, with views of the volcano on a clear day. We then headed back to Alajuela, where we stayed for the night, in order to catch our flight out the next day. After having the fear of not being able to leave Costa Rica—even though we were able to get money out of an ATM finally, we used it all before we got to the airport, only to find out that we each had to pay some tax in order to leave…we all know that that the ATMs in the airport don’t accept our card…so use a credit card, right? VISA only…how’d we manage to leave the US with having three MasterCards between the two of us and no other access to emergency cash is beyond me…how’s that for planning? But, Erica, always prepared in Costa Rica, came to our rescue…otherwise, we might still be in Alajuela, begging for someone to take pity on our little, Gringa souls.
Our trip to Costa Rica was priceless and was a journey in and of itself. God took perfect care of us, and always provided a way out of a jam. He reminded us of His faithfulness everyday as everything that should have gone wrong worked out meticulously. Rachel and I have talked several times since leaving the States about Jesus’ words that described why He, God, came to earth as man to suffer and die: “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10. So often, people have the idea that to be a follower of Christ means to be a follower of a boring, uneventful, life filled with laws dictating your every move, but being a disciple of the Lord is so much more than that—when one is living for Him, he or she never knows what tomorrow will hold, he or she has no roots in this world and can be blown in the wind and know they’re ok because their foundation is in Christ, not in this world…he or she’s always in constant motion, constant travel, constant adventure because they know that this world is not their home. Christ came to give life abundantly, the word that some translations use in John 10:10, and abundance is not found in Him denying us of joy, excitement, bliss, it’s found in Him giving us a purer form, a simpler form, a more natural form, outside of artificial stimulations, of pleasure and fun. It’s in giving us thrills that can help shape our eternity, make us into royalty, make us into Children of God, and when we let Him, He will treat us just as if we are citizens of His paradise, of Heaven. We have got to start sharing this Life in the Fullest and living it in the Fullest, because that’s where joy abounds, where surprise happens, and the greatest blessings come…even unexpected ones like watching a dangerous volcano erupting before your very eyes or taking you to unknown worlds across the sea. . Blind faith is sometimes the best means to an unimaginable outcome and future, because He knows what He’s had going on for us, and had it even in the works before our very time.
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
Neither Erica, Rachel, nor I had ever been to Costa Rica, so outside of a few recommendations from people at home, we searched the web and thumbed through our trustworthy (or at least we hoped it was) Costa Rica Backpacker’s Guide to traveling on a budget. My parents were generous enough to bestow such a great Christmas gift upon me last year, and without it, we would have felt even blinder than we did with it in tow. We landed in Alajuela, Costa Rica at the “San Jose” airport, which is about as much in San Jose as the Cincinnati airport is in Cincinnati. We planned on going to the north, but our first stop was the ATM. Let me explain something. When I lived in Europe, everything was on the Euro, which is pretty similar in formation to US dollar, so it was not too difficult converting the amounts and throwing around numbers daily. The value between the two currencies was not even, but it was close enough to give rough estimation of cost. In Panama, they use the US Dollar, granted, it is often referred to as Balboa (which I find humorous because they only have US dollars and Balboa change), so we have not had to bother with currency exchange at all. A blessing from God? Yes, I think so. Especially since we have to record our EVERY expenditure to turn into LST a monthly budget. So, we land in Costa Rica, and having read in our informative guidebook that Costa Ricans will NOT accept the US dollar, we bring little cash along with us for the trip. We head directly to an ATM. We’re all prepared to withdraw cash, planning on withdrawing like, I don’t know, 200 Colones, thinking that will be between $150-$200 US dollars, and anxious to see just what these Colones look like. Excitement quickly fades to disillusionment? Is that a good word? Why? Number 1: Fifth Third, the bank that holds ALL of mine and Rachel’s funds apparently has very few relations with banks in Costa Rica, and our card is, of course, rejected. Would have been nice to have known before stepping foot into a foreign country with only $20 or so on hand. Oh, let’s just withdraw our own personal money and we can pay ourselves back—wait a second, that’s in Fifth Third, too. Number 2: 467 Colones (or some obscure number like that) is equaled to $1 US dollar—you do the math. Confused—to say the least. Luckily, Erica was able to withdraw cash and spot us, and the ladies at the currency exchange windows were kind enough to roughly estimate and label each bill’s equivalency in US dollars. Much to our surprise though, our math was wrong, and when Erica though she was taking out like $100, she took out $400.
…Oh, to be a fly on the wall…
We had been forewarned of the mob of taxi drivers waiting outside of the airport, so we strategically planned to fight through the crowd and find the city buses, head South to San Jose, pick up a bus, and then head north to Monteverde or Santa Elena…wherever we decided when we got there/wherever we were when we realized we should get off the bus. Hotel reservations—please, do you think we plan that far in advance? The guidebook had a nice organized list of hostels and the like, so we were trusting and praying that they’d all just have perfect availability…besides, we still weren’t quite certain where we were going to end up. So, we pushed through the broken English offers of taxis and made our way to the city buses. When we finally thought we had broken threw the taxi multitude (All with yellow shirts to nicely match their yellow cabs.), we heard a clear, English voice from behind. His name was Johnny, and he instantly became very helpful, and suffice it to say, we ended up getting in the car with him, and driving to a town called Puntarenas, where we’d be able to jump on a bus and get to our desired destination much quicker. We pile in his car, backpacks, bodies, and guidebook and begin a journey that we were praying would turn out alright. Scared? No. We were looking for adventure. Besides, he had a Christian bumper sticker on the back of the cab, an ID, and lots of other things that made him a legit travel agent.
Once in the car, we settled in to an extremely cheesy movie on Costa Rica and discreetly tried to muffle our laughs at the man with the ponytail and the girl with the crazy clothes…About seventy five kilometers down the road…the car starts smoking, perfectly in front of a beautiful vista. I’m not sure which brought more humor to me—that our unexpected taxi had broken down or that Rachel stood over the hood offering mechanical advice to the driver. (In her defense, she says she knows some stuff about cars…I, for one, do not know enough to evaluate her knowledge, so I will remain mute on the issue.) Got the car started again, and we booked it to catch what was then referred to as the “last bus” to Monteverde for the day…if we miss it, we’ll land ourselves in Puntarenas, a place we had not referenced in our book, and we don’t do anything that the book doesn’t tell us to do. That’s just the way we roll—we can only be so free-spirited, ok?
While we’re driving, he gave us some CD’s to choose from and Erica selected the Christian music CD. He clarified with us a few times before he put it in, wanting to make sure we understood that it was Christian music. I guess no one had ever requested it before. This ended up leading to a great conversation and introducing us to a man who believes that Jesus Christ is His Savior but who is in one of the valleys that we all face at one point or another in our faith and walk with the Lord. The point is, before this conversation, he was just our really nice taxi driver. After this conversation, he became our brother, our friend, another soul working for the Promised Land. We were not planning on taking an hour and a half taxi ride when we go to Costa Rica. And, we really didn’t have the budget for it, but when he approached us, something just told us to go, something just made us feel like it was ok, that it was safe, that we needed to go with him, and we didn’t really know why, but once he presented himself to us, there was little discussion about whether or not we would go with this man to Puntarenas. And, then, it was so clear. This wasn’t our plan. It was God. This man needed encouragement, he needed to be reminded of Who is important, he needed to know that he is not alone on this walk of faith. The point is that anyone can be a missionary. Anyone can be an evangelist. Wherever one goes, there are people who are dying before knowing the Word of God. They’re thirsty for it, they’re hungry for it. We have it, we just have to offer it to them. We just have to offer ourselves to God for His plans, and be willing to pause and make a change in order to complete His will and not our own. His knowledge far exceeds our own, and when He looks at us, He not only see the very instant, but He sees what could come as well, and He responds accordingly.
So, we leave our new friend, board the bus at a little bus stop right on the beach. We sat down in the comfortable seats (a step-up from Panamanian buses) and stared out the window to catch a glimpse of an old man who encompassed pura vida, playing his guitar on a bench, while others sat nearby just listening. As we approached the Monteverde area, we reached for the most useful tool we brought with us—our tour book—so we could start reading about a hotel for the night and determine the landmarks of our desired destination, but, when we all reached into our bags, we realized that our lone friend, our only guide, the source of all our information was AWAL…it was gone, disappeared to the Costa Rican abyss of who knows where…all we had left were our cunningly ways, cute smiles, and Panamanian slang to get us through. The culprit will remain nameless, but she’s a girl with brown, curly hair. You decide.
We got to Santa Elena, and decided to get off there, before Monteverde (partially influenced by full bladders that could not go any further, a good judge for destination, if you ask me)…We quickly found a place to stay (thankfully…that could have been a disaster that mimicked the time Haley and I crashed above a pub in what seemed like a halfway house in Vienna, Austria.) We had supper in a restaurant…ready for this…with a TREE growing through the middle of it—the restaurant had been built around the tree, which was pretty cool in my book.
Santa Elena looks a lot like a little Colorado ski-town, complete with a plethora of Gringos and more English than Spanish, but we loved it from the moment we stepped foot in it (Granted, it was quite the adjustment having to watch what we said about, because nearly everyone around us spoke English…this surely will hold awkward moments for us in the coming month when we return to the US and we forget that we are easily understood and our talking fast will not protect our secrets.). We stayed in a little hostel for only like $12 a night or something ridiculously cheap like that and the next morning set off to make Rachel’s Central American dream a reality—zip-lining through the rainforest. We headed out, got harnessed in and started…We did nineteen lines in all, lasting from just like 10 seconds long to almost a minute, and varying in height between fifteen feet and three hundred feet. It literally felt like we were flying through the trees and then just when you thought you weren’t very high, the ground would seem to drop off out of nowhere and then you’d be gliding far above the canopy and just finding yourself say, “Oh my gosh” Over and over and again. We also go to do a Tarzan swing, which I would be lying if I tried to say I wasn’t nervous about it at all, I’m not much for free falling, but I was propelled in when I was pushed off the platform, fell for a few seconds, and then few swung through the trees. Needless to say, it was quite the thrill…No, Barb and Jim, I did not beat my chest and howl like Tarazan. You don’t have to ask.
After we went swinging through the rainforest, we went back to Santa Elena to sit in hammocks, eat lunch, and await the next adventure—a Jeep, Boat, Jeep tour through the mountains to La Fortuna, a town on the other said of a huge lake (hence the boat) and the home of one of three live volcanoes in the world. We were all geared up ready to go with visions of a Wrangler with the top off and a roll cage thing picking us up to four-wheel through the mountains while the wind and dust blew through our hair and the sun scorched our pale skin…imagine how our deep our hearts sank when we weren’t greeted with a jeep, a truck, a hummer, or any other “adventurous” vehicle, but rather…a mini-van…a flash back to family vacations to Myrtle Beach had become a live reality to Rachel and me all the way in Costa Rica. Apparently, false advertising, as in lying, is allowed in Costa Rica. Oh yeah, did I mention the couple on the bench seat next to me, liked to be very “affectionate” while traveling?
Despite the disappointing, but very comical, transportation, the scenery was beautiful and we enjoyed the view…granted, through tinted windows rather than an open top. When we got to the boat part of the trip, the part that was accurately described to us, we crossed the lake and had our first view of the Arenal Volcano, towering over the rest of the mountains, and the towns at its feet. We had a night tour booked to begin at 5:00, so when we reached the other shore of the lake, they whisked into another mini-van (also supposed to have been a jeep) and quickly landed us very timely in front of our hostel where our night tour was patiently waiting on us.
The Arenal Volcano is one of three active volcanoes in the entire world, as in having red lava pouring down its side, volcanoes in the world. It’s said to erupt every five to fifteen minutes, but while we were there, it was erupting much more often. God has blessed me with being able to travel all over the world—I’ve peered into the Grand Canyon, looked over Niagara Falls, floated down the Nile, been in the mountains of Thailand, but nothing, NOTHING, has ever been or ever will be, I’m convinced, as amazing, as pure, as humbling as standing before a tremendous volcano, a volcano that in time has wiped out entire villages, has towered for years upon years, and has taken countless of individuals to meet their Maker. The red lava is only visible at night, hence why we took a night tour, and the entire volcano is blocked from being hiked or getting in near proximity to it, but from our vantage point, maybe a mile away from the foot, the fiery glow oozing down the steep sides looked like fireworks in the sky. A cloud sat on the top, but we were told that on a clear night, you can actually see the lava shooting out of the summit. As we witnessed the molten lava pouring down the sides, I’ve never felt so speechless, so inadequate in my words to describe the power that stood before me, and more so, the power of its Creator, my God. And, to know, that He had given us, little white girls from the Ohio and Wisconsin, the opportunity to stand before it and witness such an amazing, threatening, and beautiful destructor without having the slightest threat of harm. In its shadow, the word humility does not do justice the feelings I had inside of myself and the praises that I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs. To top it off, at the same time God had given us another opportunity to speak of Christ to a struggling Christian. Our tour guide, a young man, was so impressed to meet Christians his own age who believed in the extreme life that Christ calls us to live. Again, when our lives are open to His plan and not our own, He rewards us beyond belief. We must learn to be intentional, in everything we do—and when we are, even if we’re planning on going on a tourist adventure, He will provide us with opportunities to speak His name, and will bless us for doing that.
We finished off the night, and for that part our big activities in Cost Rica, by spending three hours soaking in the hot springs that come off the volcano, at a resort called Baldi—peaceful, relaxing, soothing, to say the least. They had over twenty something pools of hot, hot water—rewarding to us who can count the number of hot showers we’ve had in the last four months on one hand, and who were frigid in the cool evenings of Costa Rica. Each pool offered something a little different, complete with a curvy waterslide that a man poured water on from a bucket to keep it slick enough to get you started and slick enough to almost kill you at the end. Not quite sure it would have passed an US safety inspection. The treasure of the resort was finding the pool that had tile beds built into the pool itself, which sat right at the foot of a big waterfall. The water temperatures varied from lukewarm all the way to 152 degrees…which almost burned the tip of my toe off when I tested it out and which almost caught me when I tripped on the edge…I think I would have died if I had landed in it!
Sunday morning we spent sometime exploring the adorable town of La Fortuna. Sadly, Costa Rica is really expensive, so the shopping was limited, but the backdrop was priceless, with views of the volcano on a clear day. We then headed back to Alajuela, where we stayed for the night, in order to catch our flight out the next day. After having the fear of not being able to leave Costa Rica—even though we were able to get money out of an ATM finally, we used it all before we got to the airport, only to find out that we each had to pay some tax in order to leave…we all know that that the ATMs in the airport don’t accept our card…so use a credit card, right? VISA only…how’d we manage to leave the US with having three MasterCards between the two of us and no other access to emergency cash is beyond me…how’s that for planning? But, Erica, always prepared in Costa Rica, came to our rescue…otherwise, we might still be in Alajuela, begging for someone to take pity on our little, Gringa souls.
Our trip to Costa Rica was priceless and was a journey in and of itself. God took perfect care of us, and always provided a way out of a jam. He reminded us of His faithfulness everyday as everything that should have gone wrong worked out meticulously. Rachel and I have talked several times since leaving the States about Jesus’ words that described why He, God, came to earth as man to suffer and die: “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10. So often, people have the idea that to be a follower of Christ means to be a follower of a boring, uneventful, life filled with laws dictating your every move, but being a disciple of the Lord is so much more than that—when one is living for Him, he or she never knows what tomorrow will hold, he or she has no roots in this world and can be blown in the wind and know they’re ok because their foundation is in Christ, not in this world…he or she’s always in constant motion, constant travel, constant adventure because they know that this world is not their home. Christ came to give life abundantly, the word that some translations use in John 10:10, and abundance is not found in Him denying us of joy, excitement, bliss, it’s found in Him giving us a purer form, a simpler form, a more natural form, outside of artificial stimulations, of pleasure and fun. It’s in giving us thrills that can help shape our eternity, make us into royalty, make us into Children of God, and when we let Him, He will treat us just as if we are citizens of His paradise, of Heaven. We have got to start sharing this Life in the Fullest and living it in the Fullest, because that’s where joy abounds, where surprise happens, and the greatest blessings come…even unexpected ones like watching a dangerous volcano erupting before your very eyes or taking you to unknown worlds across the sea. . Blind faith is sometimes the best means to an unimaginable outcome and future, because He knows what He’s had going on for us, and had it even in the works before our very time.
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
Pictures of Costa Rica: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2067421&l=3b86d&id=71000688
Friday, March 28, 2008
Costa Rica...what more can I say?
Tomorrow marks our 90 days in Panama, which means the Panamanian government so kindly asks us to leave the borders of this great country or we will become illegal immigrants. So, we're taking a voyage to Costa Rica for the weekend, a country that must be outstandingly beautiful because it's called Rich Coast or Delicioius Coast or Beautiful Coast...however you want to translate it, it sounds wonderful! Rachel, Erica, and I will fly out in the morning and return on Monday, hopefully, with a new Panamanian visa that will last Rachel and I for the remaining time we are here! Please keep us in your prayers as we travel in unfamiliar territory. We are going to Monteverde, home of cloud forests, ziplining through the rainforest, an active volcano, and much more adventure for us! We cannot wait to go and see God's country to our north...your south!
Rachel and I are continuing our readings at the university, UDELAS. Rachel has two students and I have three, but the schedules are random, and it is chaotic. Please pray that our readers will be able to more dedicated to the program. We also have time slots that have not filled, so please pray that we will be able to fill them with individuals that we have already read with and who are wanting to read more, and who's hearts have already been prepared to receive the Gospel. One of Rachel's new students is a Hindu lady who is very excited to learn about Christianity and who was very happy to receive a Bible today from Rachel--while this lady believes that all religion is right, please pray that as she begins to eagerly study the Gospels with her nine year old son, that her heart will be opened to the Truth that lies within the Scripture. Please pray this for our old and new readers. One of my new readers, Tania, told me that she wants to learn how to pray and how to have a better faith, so please pray that she will also begin reading the Word at her home, in addition to our reading times together. Please also keep Isabel in your prayers, who, even though our reading/English lessons have ended, she continues to come to Bible study and seek a relationship with us and others from the church. Please, please pray for her. I want to see her in Heaven.
We were blessed to have my dad with us last week, so this week has been getting back to the old routine and looking ahead to the next two months. Please keep the work in Panama in your prayers as we explore more ministry options for after our time at UDELAS.
Thanks for all your prayers and support. We love getting messages from home, so if you have time, we'd love to hear how God is working in YOUR life because I know He is.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Pictures, Pictures, Pictures.
Here are some pictures from God's country in El Valle de Anton, where Rachel and I relaxed, played, and spent some good ol' time with God for a few days. You can see them at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064394&l=16ccd&id=71000688
Here are pictures from the week that the Harding University Spring Break Campaign was here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065416&l=4454c&id=71000688
Enjoy:) Thanks for caring!
Here are pictures from the week that the Harding University Spring Break Campaign was here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2065416&l=4454c&id=71000688
Enjoy:) Thanks for caring!
"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him." (2 Samuel 22:31)"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." (John 1: 1-5.) "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." (James 1:18) "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God...Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was please through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe...but we preach Christ cruficified...For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength...God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is our rightouesness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: Let him who boat boast in the Lord." (Excerpts from 1 Corinthians 1:18-31)
In the less three months I have not ceased to be amazed at what the Lord has continuously put before me--safety, health, friends, family, strength, challenges, education, humility, encouragement, faith--and I feel as if I am speechless before Him. When I go to Him in prayer, I feel as if I am before one who listens and cares, but whose ways are so far above my ways and who's knowledge and wisdom is so far beyond my comprehension that I do not even know where to begin. I have come to understand how deep and rich and prfound His Word is, yet am mesmorized by the simplicity of the parables He told and the life He calls us to live. Christianity is not complex, it is not systemic, it is not full of duties and laws to be followed religiously. It is life, it is a way, it is a direction that one, through the grace of Christ Jesus, makes himself or herself intent on following. It is black or white, there is no fence riding--you are or you aren't a follower of Christ Jesus. Righteousness isn't a checklist to be persued, it is a grace that we cover ourselves in thanks to the mercy of our Redeemer, it is a way of thinking, it is a mindset, it is a gift that we get from the Holy Spririt when we have the privilledge of receiving Him when we accept Christ into our hearts and we allow Him to literally purify us, to wash us free of our sins. And, through this Spirit, comes a deeper understanding, and more intimate relationship with the one who made us, if we let Him, and if we never stop working towards our prize--heaven.
I think the message I try to impress upon my readers the most is to read the Bible--read it for yourself. Search the Scriptures, see what He says, and believe what He says...not what I say, not what a preacher or pastor or reverend or missionary or priest says...but do and go and be what He says to be. Let Him transform you, revoluntionize you...and it's not a one step thing-
you may walk out of the waters of baptism clean and free from sin, but that's just the beginning of a life of walking with Christ. Satan is tagging not too far behind. From there, we must continue to grow closer to our Maker, build a relationship with Him, build upon Him, know Him--not of Him, but actually know Him, His ways, His thoughts, His opinions, His methods, His way, not our way. How do we get to know a person? We spend time with them, we get to know their family, we listen to what they say, we share our thoughts with them, we show them we desire to know them better, and we serve them...if we do that with our earthly relationships, how much more should we do that with the one that we wish to last eternally?
I grew up in the church, so all my life I've known the importance of reading and knowing God's word. I always heard people say that the Bible has answers to all of life's problems, and yeah, I've done the whole "read the Bible before you go to bed" thing to incorporate daily scripture reading...yeah, yeah, yeah. But, there comes a point when we have to really open ourselves up to the Word, to let the Spirit guide us in our reading, to hear the Lord's voice and use Him to connect the dots in our lives. His way is perfect and as Jesus is quoted in saying in Matthew, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30. Being away from the distractions of home and comfort and conveince, I think God is finally getting through to me and showing me the awesome gift He has given us in His Bible. His words are perfect, just as His way is Perfect...and in those scriptures lie the cure for the world, for the hurting, for the dying, for the lost--for humanity. When we come to him with a ready and willing heart, even if it's 2, 15, or 50 years after being baptized, He will teach us His ways and show us His will. Maybe not on our time, but as long we stay strong and work, literally, physically, and actually, work and prepare ourselves in Him for day we pray that we will meet Him, He will never fail to prove Himself to us again and again. No matter how undeserving we are, we are still His children, and His guidance, faithfulness, and Truth never end.
Rachel and I were blessed to spend a few days in a beautiful, mountainous area filled with rainforest and flowers (Called El Valle de Anton, see pictures above) and during our time there (except when the electricity would sponatenously shut off leaving us in pitch dark, and saying, "we should have brought a flashlight") we were so grateful to be able to escape from our schedules and spend some much time just "having a little talk with Jesus". I feel like I have grown so much from Rachel's honest and intense desire to be one with Christ, to be consumed by Him, and spending a few days with her, with someone who is more than a sister to me and who I have known so well almost all my life, was a gift from God. To be honest, being in Panama with Rachel is a gift from God is so many ways, and it's amazing to see how His plan is so much bigger than our's. A year and a half ago I knew I wanted to go for nine months to Latin America to do mission work. I did not want to go with Let's Start Talking. I did not know anyone in Panama. I was going with other people. A year and a half later I am in Panama, living in a house (not a hut like I always dreamed haha), with Rachel, doing teaching English with the Bible, an approach that I was so skeptical of before I came, and I'm staying for five months, not nine like I had planned. I'm here, on God's terms, not my own. That in and of itself is outstanding. He prepares our hearts long before we even know that He's working on us, and He builds us for His next mission in our lives. We just have to learn to surrender it all to Him--which, there in lies the hard part...surrender. As a boisterous often, much to my dismay, 'control freak', learning to give it all to Him because being in Panama is completely out of my control (Thankfully!), is humbling times 100...if you know a word to describe it...please insert it here. The truth is though, anyone could do this. Anyone that has a Bible and a willingness to share it's contents, because, as my LST trainer once said and that I never fully understood or believed until I got here, the Truth and all we need to know lies within the Bible. God has already said it all, we just have to be His deliverer.
After our few days in El Valle, we returned to the city to join with the Spring Break Campaign group from Harding (We came to Panama knowing no one and have became good friends with four other HU graduates, Betty is an HU graduate and her and Raul's son is at HU, and lo and behold here comes 16 HU students to Panama! God knows SO much more than we do!) We spent a week with the group and worked in two very, very rural areas to the West of the city. It was an amazing week, and I was grateful to have a different perspective on it. It was refreashing to have a taste from home and to sing for hours under the stars (in English). It was encouraing to watch their eagerness to serve, and it was empowering to be able to share the lessons God has imposed on us with them. Rachel and I finally got our first parasite/bacteria (who knows what it was) and landed in an extremely small 'hospital' with an IV in our arms for a few hours, while the other members of the group were seemingly 'dropping like flies' with the same critter crawling around their bellies. We're fine now, but that one night, I was determined that Jesus would take me Home to be with Him and out of my misery. But, His will prevails, and I am here, thankfully, still. It is an honor to know that I had a 'bug' while serving Christ, and although I really thought Rachel and I might die, and who knows, the medicine we got was a bit 'questionable' so we might still (just kidding mom), but it is amazing to know that so many more are sufferring to the point of death for our Lord. How blessed we are to live where we are free to proclaim His name.
After our week with the HU group, Rachel and I spent a few days recovering from that pesky critter, visited with some old readers and prepared for our next round about with Let's Start Talking. We somewhat started this week at UDELAS, a state university down the street from us who has incorporated LST into their English curriculum. Needless to say, Rachel and I only meet with two students each this week, so please pray organization will come to the school so that we can dive in like we want to. Also, my dad was able to come and visit this week, and it's been so nice to have him here with us, to get to share our Panama lives with him and introduce him to the people we have come to love so much! If you're in Nashville, you'll have to ask him what he thinks about the "Corvina Entera", at which point he'll say, "huh", and you can say the entire deep fried fish you ate in Panama...eyes, bones, and all on your plate. Despite my worries and his lack of Spanish, he did make it home today from the mall by himself in a taxi--Go Dad!
Please continue to keep the work here in your prayers. I have been so encouraged the God's ministers here in Panama, and I am fully convinced that God could not have sat me at the feet of anyone else better to learn from than those who are mentoring us here. I'd love to share the stories of true warriors for Christ that are here in Panama with anyone who will lend an ear.
Please continue to pray for our old readers, especially Isabel, who volunteered to host our Wednesday night Bible study last week at her house. I am convinced that God did not bring Isabel to LST to learn English, but rather to start an intimate relationship and life with Him. But, I think that Satan is convinced of that as well, and is always not too far behind her. Please pray that she will put her trust in Him, and that the heart will continue to be opened. Pray also for our new readers. Rachel has one reader who is Hindu, and when Rachel explained the program to her and that Bible would be the text, she said, "Good, because I have been wanting to learn about your religion." Pray that God will continue to open this woman's heart as well.
Thank you for your comments and your notes, and for your prayers. I love you all!! I'm going to post a few links to some new pictures, so check them out when you have the time!
May God bless you all richly as He is blessing me through you!
**This was not spell checked or proof-read...no judging, please:)**
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
VBS, Darien, and Torti--I'm exhausted!!
Finally, a few moments of rest...Tomorrow!! Rachel and I have been non-stop for the last few weeks. We had a very successful VBS last week--we started Monday with 29 kids and ended on Thursday with over 50! It was beyond exhausting--we easily put in around 15 hours a day, and maybe got 6 hours of sleep a night, plus add the whole "Speaking in Spanish" thing on top of it, and we were beyond beat at the end of the week. But, it was more than worth it. We pray, and ask that you will too, that the stories of Noah, Jonah, the Paralitic, and the Resurrection of Christ will be on those children's hearts for forever and will spark curiosity and discussion between them and their parents, and help raise them up to be future leaders of Christ's church. Furthermore, we pray that it was another way that the church showed the community that their doors are always open and that the church herself, learned more about the importance of evangelism and teaching.
We spent Friday through Sunday in the Darien and Chepo provinces of Panama. If you know anything about Panama, you know that tourists and most Panamanians never travel to Darien, because of the common violent sprees between the Colombian terrorists and civilians. For one day, we were accompanied by two policemen with very large guns. Although it sounds scary, because of this trip, there is potentially an entire village of Embera and Wounaan indians who will now be receiving humanitarian aid from the church, and Lord willing, will have strengthened faiths and lives. It's a good lesson in conquering the fear that Satan so often puts in us--God will conquer, He always does, and despite the potential consequencies, we, Christians, have to tell the world about Him who lives, or they may die without ever knowing their Lord.
I want to write more, but it is already very late and I am beyond tired. Rachel and I have the rest of this week off and we are going to be hiding in the mountains for a few days in an area that I can only compare to Gatlinburg, but a million times better--we hope to be hiking in the rainforest, taking a mud bath for $1, horseback riding, and maybe, if Rachel's dreams come true, zip-lining through the jungle. But, we also are planning to use this time to really reflect what God is doing in our lives here in this place, and how we can better server His people here. I plan to bury myself into a cave with CS Lewis' Mere Christianity (thanks to Coleman for helping me pick it out last fall), my journal, and my Bible. Please pray for us, that we will grow closer to Him and the path that He has before us, working always to help make His perfect will complete. Pray also for our readers, that they will not forget the words of the Lord that they were studying. Also, Rachel's throat is not feeling too well, and we are a little concerned that she might have caught what I had two weeks ago and am still fighting the remains of, so please pray for her health and for both of our bodies that are so very tired!
Love to you all! Thank you for all your encouraging notes, emails, and posts. Even though we can't write you back all the time, know that we thank God for your prayers, smiles, and time that you share with us!
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Here are two more links for pictures!
Vacation Bible School--Mi Dios es Tan Grande (My God is So Big) http://harding.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064121&l=9ccb6&id=71000688
Darien and Torti (Where we spent the night where there is one of the only congregations in Panama that has elders)--http://harding.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064224&l=2ef3a&id=71000688
We spent Friday through Sunday in the Darien and Chepo provinces of Panama. If you know anything about Panama, you know that tourists and most Panamanians never travel to Darien, because of the common violent sprees between the Colombian terrorists and civilians. For one day, we were accompanied by two policemen with very large guns. Although it sounds scary, because of this trip, there is potentially an entire village of Embera and Wounaan indians who will now be receiving humanitarian aid from the church, and Lord willing, will have strengthened faiths and lives. It's a good lesson in conquering the fear that Satan so often puts in us--God will conquer, He always does, and despite the potential consequencies, we, Christians, have to tell the world about Him who lives, or they may die without ever knowing their Lord.
I want to write more, but it is already very late and I am beyond tired. Rachel and I have the rest of this week off and we are going to be hiding in the mountains for a few days in an area that I can only compare to Gatlinburg, but a million times better--we hope to be hiking in the rainforest, taking a mud bath for $1, horseback riding, and maybe, if Rachel's dreams come true, zip-lining through the jungle. But, we also are planning to use this time to really reflect what God is doing in our lives here in this place, and how we can better server His people here. I plan to bury myself into a cave with CS Lewis' Mere Christianity (thanks to Coleman for helping me pick it out last fall), my journal, and my Bible. Please pray for us, that we will grow closer to Him and the path that He has before us, working always to help make His perfect will complete. Pray also for our readers, that they will not forget the words of the Lord that they were studying. Also, Rachel's throat is not feeling too well, and we are a little concerned that she might have caught what I had two weeks ago and am still fighting the remains of, so please pray for her health and for both of our bodies that are so very tired!
Love to you all! Thank you for all your encouraging notes, emails, and posts. Even though we can't write you back all the time, know that we thank God for your prayers, smiles, and time that you share with us!
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Here are two more links for pictures!
Vacation Bible School--Mi Dios es Tan Grande (My God is So Big) http://harding.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064121&l=9ccb6&id=71000688
Darien and Torti (Where we spent the night where there is one of the only congregations in Panama that has elders)--http://harding.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2064224&l=2ef3a&id=71000688
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