tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31584631242457490332024-02-02T00:50:41.338-08:00Walking By FaithOur family of 6 striving to walk only in faith in Costa Rica.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.comBlogger316125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-88969721635708182362014-08-28T09:30:00.000-07:002014-08-28T09:30:02.144-07:00Journey of Godly Reminders ~ Part 3The sunset is creeping on us fast. Here in Costa Rica the days start very early. Dusk is around 4:40am and it is dark at 6:00pm. We had been hiking for several hours, pretty much a very steep incline the entire way. We came upon a school where a woman shouted from the porch asking what we were doing and where we were going. <br />
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We stopped, rested our backs and our feet, and chatted with this lady. And gladly used the facilities {an outhouse} she offered. A 4X4 vehicle passed by and she looked at us like we were crazy...."Why didn't you ask him for a ride to get you further," she asked us. Hindsight....we should have all gone running like crazy chickens asking for a ride! </div>
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We loaded back up and hiked some more, daylight is ending and we are not going to make it to Roca Quemada tonight. Our options of places to pitch a tent are scarce to say the least. We are about thirty minutes from dark, you can see the thunderstorm rolling in from a distance, and our options on each side of the road are a wall of red clay or the deep valley of jungle {a drop off}. Moving as fast as you can when hiking and hauling 30-40 pounds on your back, our goal was just keep moving. We came across a small open spot where a couple horses were grazing. An answered prayer, I am sure each of us were praying about.</div>
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We all waited outside a bamboo fence while Keith stepped inside the yard of a very humble home {a bamboo and grass hut structure} of a Cabeccar family. This would be where we camped for the night. A man walked out to the field and staked the horses. It is 5:50pm and thunder rolling in. I think we all pitched our tents in record timing. </div>
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I have to throw some humor in here for you. I am a girl who loves a soft bed but likes to camp as well and can rough it when need be. I knew this would be a rough trip. My question to David before I left was, "Will there be a river? Anywhere? Anything to get clean?" He assured me that would not be a problem. Ummmm, yeah that didn't happen. Remember back when I said I would never truly be able to relate the entire experience to you because it would be void of the things you could see with your own two eyes, feel with your heart, taste, and let's not forget the SMELLS! I am beyond disgusting. I will just say, I wasn't the only one in the same condition..ha. There are about 179 layers of sweat, grime, and mud. My hope of a bath tonight vanished around 5:00pm when I knew we would never make it to the river tonight. My cleaning up consisted of unhooking a small black hose, soaping up a washcloth and washing my face and arms, filling my water bottle, and running back to the tent. The lightening in Costa Rica is wicked...WICKED. I love storms here, the lightening is beautiful, and I love the rain. But not when I am at the top of a mountain in an open field. </div>
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This trip brought an whole new meaning to the verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." As the lightening flashed and the thunder was crashing, I prayed constantly for God's protection over each one of us. And, at the same time was so thankful that this lightening was not striking where we were at, because it strikes so close to our house all the time that the windows rattle and your heart takes a few steps out of your body. This trip was definitely a journey of lots of prayer with the Lord. A reminder that we get busy in our daily routine and my prayers just become routine and not hours of uninterrupted communication with God. </div>
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I finally fell asleep and managed to nap for a few hours. My camping mates did not fair so well with the rain that poured continuously until the early hours of the morning. Reid was floating in his tent and moved in with his parents in their two men tent with all of the gear. Jessica was semi-floating in her tent. And, I believe the others managed with only the bottom of the tent being wet and everything that was sitting on the bottom of the tent being wet. Everyone was up and packing bright and early and we were heading down the mountain by 6am.</div>
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{all packed up and ready for day 2}</div>
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This part of the trip I think was definitely the hardest. It was hours of down, down, down....sliding down, slipping, falling, and so much mud caked on your shoes that they were coming off and added several pounds of weight. </div>
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The further we went the muddier it got. About an half hour into our hike, we came to the most amazing view. Pictures cannot capture the justice that God's majesty portrayed. Breathtaking, and really silence, was an appropriate response as we all stopped and took in the peace that surrounded us.</div>
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We finally reached Roca Quemada, much later than we had anticipated. At this point we met Yamileth, one of the women who is working with Dr. Judith in helping teach prenatal care and newborn care, and most importantly she is saving lives. Her stories are an entire other post all alone. </div>
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{Yamileth, Keith, & Emily}</div>
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We were supposed to meet Yamileth at the "store" ( a small shanty consisting of tuna, sugar, rice, and beans) the night before, but we did not make it. She was sitting in the doorway waiting for us when we arrived at 9:30 Thursday morning. She told us her plans to visit a pregnant woman in another village later that day and asked us to come with her. We agreed to meet her in this village later in the day. We headed to the river to filter water and restock and then continued our trek further into the jungle where we camped in the yard of another young woman who has also helping the women on the reservation. </div>
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{This is the Chiripó river where we filtered water and treated the filtered water with </div>
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While we were down at the river there was a woman washing clothes in the river with her children. I mention this because many people have died on the reservation doing this very thing. One particular family we know adopted two children whose parents and other siblings all died one morning when they were down at the river and out of nowhere a huge wall of water came. It was a sunny morning when this happened, but it had been raining higher up the mountain and the river started rising fast and went downstream, taking the lives of this family, except two children. Drowning is the number one cause of death on the reservation. Every time we went down to the river to do this or had to cross a river this was always in my mind. Everything can look fine, and then in an instant life is gone. You never know when life will be over. It can be any second of any day. I know this, there are things that remind us of this, but when you are literally standing in a place where you know people have died from something they didn't expect it seems even more surreal. Another one of those Godly reminders, a reminder of why we are here, a reminder of what we are doing, and that the journey to these people is worth every bit of the hardship. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-48063958706362955762014-08-13T21:18:00.000-07:002014-08-13T21:18:52.032-07:00Journey of Godly Reminders ~ Part 2This trip to the Chirripó Reservation included myself, Keith Avaritt, Lesa Avaritt, Rob Moore, Heather Moore, Jessica Moore, Reid Moore, and Emily Siemens. Just sharing this journey with these wonderful people was a Godly reminder in itself of the sheer blessing of being able to call these people friends who are family. We had some fun times with lots and lots of laughter and some tears.<br />
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We left the home of Isaias piled into the back of his little 4X4 truck and along the way picked up two more people, a woman named Gladys and her six year old daughter along with a couple of newly purchased chickens. We all found it totally ironic that the chickens were being transported in the plastic sack bearing the name "Pipasa," the Costa Rican chicken processing company (same as Tyson for those of you in the states). We all became a little bit closer in the back of this truck with 9 people, 8 packs, 8 backpacks, and two chickens.</div>
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Gladys is a woman that David and I had heard about. She is a very petite woman with the most muscular arms I ever seen on any woman. The unanimous story we keep hearing is that she is one of the strongest women on the reservation and carried 2 bags of concrete, each weighing 50kg (that is more than a 100lbs each). She carried this the entire way from the point where we started hiking which is approximately 8-10 miles to the entry of Roca Quemada (the first community in this part of the reservation). Talk about some phenomenal stamina and strength. It is almost unbelievable, I mean to carry 200lbs of concrete, but if you only knew what kind of terrain she is climbing and the grade of the descent make this unfathomable. </div>
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She and her little girl climbed into the back of the truck with us and sat quietly. The sweet little girl with her had sad eyes; she looked tired and uncomfortable. Lesa pulled out a little sucker and piece of bubble gum and you could see the whites of her teeth as she broke her lips for a beautiful smile, a little hesitant at first as she looked to her mom first. This little girl had sores on her arms that looked so painful. My first thought was that she had been beaten and burned on her arms. They were whelped like a what you would see on a slave that had been beaten with a whip. But, yet they also looked like something had bitten her in the middle and it had become grossly infected.</div>
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The time came for us all to pile out and start the hike in. Our driver thought if he emptied all of us out of the truck that he might could make it further with our packs and help us out a bit further. I was hopeful but not confident that it would happen. The steep grade of the roads and the incredible amount of very wet mud made it impossible. He made it about 300 feet when it was determined that would not be happening. Deflated, but oh so thankful that he was able to take all of us and our packs this far. </div>
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What an awesome view to be engulfed in when you are out on a stroll....well, not a stroll,</div>
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This sweet man unloaded our packs, grabbed one of our backpacks and hiked with is for a couple hours and then turned around and hiked back to his truck. This part of the trip is hiked on what they call a road, with steep grades that are not even legal in the states, and is red clay. The first couple of hours were a hard climb...up, up, and up. We passed several people and almost every one of them that stopped asked me "Where are you going...What are you doing...Who are you...Who are you going to see?" They are all curious as to what in the world are crazy white people doing out here. And us white people are SLOW compared to their almost run. From where we were dropped off they can make that hike in 3.5-4 hours, our pace doubles that time. </div>
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wet, wet, wet...and my shoes weighed like 20lbs...I know they were!}</div>
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Gladys hiked with us for a couple hours before she went on ahead of us so that she would make it home before dark. She told us during this time about her daughter's arms and that she had just gone into town (a 7-8 hour hike each way for her) for the second time to get medical care for her daughter. I can't recall the exact name, but there is an insect here in Costa Rica that causes severe lesions on the body and can only be treated with an injection of a certain medicine. There is nothing you can take by mouth or any creams that you can apply that will make it go away. And with children the lesions usually become worse and worse because they touch them. This was the second time she had taken her for this exact thing and they would not give her the injection. They keep telling her that isn't what she has and tells her to come back later and they will look at her again. This is typical social medicine here. They've given a her a cream but nothing is helping and her condition is worsening. She had taken her this second time because she was having a hard time breathing through her nose. The insides of her nose were swollen and red. This mother left a doctor's office again with nothing to help her daughter. Before she went on ahead of us we stopped and prayed that God, the greatest Physician of all, may heal her and give that precious child comfort and take away her pain. </div>
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{Pictured Left to Right ~ Gladys, her daughter, Jessica, Lesa, Reid, Emily, </div>
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me, Heather, and Rob}</div>
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When we see these situations that seem so helpless, and you feel like there is nothing you can do to really help them, there is. We can advocate for them, we can show them love, make God's love present to them. We hold the most powerful help to them. We have God on our side. We have Him any time of day or night. We can call on Him at any time for anything. And we can share Him with others. You begin to feel so deflated when you see first hand the harsh realities of life for these people here and you wonder what in the world am I, one person going to be able to do to really help these people. There is so much need that there is just really not a tangible place to begin. There is only one place to start and that is showing and sharing God's love. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-48860856255018895382014-08-11T21:11:00.001-07:002014-08-28T09:54:08.818-07:00Journey of Godly Reminders ~ Part 1I have thought a lot the last week an half on how I could accurately describe and give you a true portrayal of our trip to the Cabécar Chiripó Reservation. And I have concluded that it really is not completely possible. You need all five senses to feel, see, touch, taste, and hear everything. And as time passes, even I forget the tiny details. I could write for days and days and probably never break the surface on everything that I could say about that trip, from the back-breaking trek to the heartbreaking realities of the lives of the Cabécar Indians. <br />
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I am so thankful that this trip was something that my husband wanted me to go on, and while he wanted also to go very badly, he asked me if I would like to go while he stayed with the kids for a few days. He drove us as far as he could to the reservation and then turned around and made the long trip back home solo to take care of the kids. He wanted us to have as much time as possible out there in the short amount of time that we had, because if he had not driven us the 3.5-4 hours then we would have had to spend 8 hours getting there on the bus system.</div>
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Yamileth, one of the Cabécar women, who works with Dr. Judith to help the woman on the reservation is married to a Tico, and her husband, Isaias had planned to drive us as far as he could in his 4x4 truck and then we would hike the rest of the way in. When we arrived he invited us into the home he, his wife, and son share with his parents. His mother had prepared us lunch before she left early that morning to go take care of her grandchildren. This family by Costa Rican standards is poor, by American standards poverty stricken, and by Cabeccar standards very well off. It is all in how you look at things and by what standards you hold. This family invited us into their home and have opened their arms and hearts to us like family. I had only met them once before, but this trip allowed me to build a foundation for a relationship that I am sure will only teach me things that I hope will make me a better person and better steward for the Lord. </div>
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One may think that rice, beans, and chyote (a squash like vegetable) is not a grand meal, but the fact that this family prepared that for eight of us is huge. I know that it is not a light gesture when people offer you a food or drink here, because they are literally offering you all that they have, the food that they are stretching for their own families. I always feel immense guilt when eating their food, but also feel such honor as they wash their best plates to serve you and search all of the cabinets in the kitchen in fridge to serve their eight guests. I have never seen hospitality like what I see here, because these people will offer you something, anything when they have hardly anything to give. And they give with such pleasure. The attitude that these people show always reminds me of what I think God means a cheerful giver to be. While I cannot see the inside of their hearts, I do see their outward demonstration of happily giving you everything they have and not a giver of their extra leftovers. </div>
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I feel so privileged to be on the ground in this country and to be a witness to these things that are such simple gestures, but such huge reminders to me of the expectations that God has for me. So, thirty minutes into arriving and the journey of Godly reminders starts. And, so our journey begins, as Rob says, "I spent one week here one day."</div>
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Oh, and we can't forget the laughs we had as we arrived and David found himself stuck in mud and sawdust. Funny how you will let the locals talk you into doing things that you know will not work. They are relentless when they tell you something will work and you kindly decline and they are very persistent in insisting that it will be fine. </div>
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And you find yourself in pickles like this.....</div>
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This picture does not even begin to depict the hilarity of the situation. But </div>
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us girls had to move our way up the hill and turn around because it was so </div>
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with mud only minutes after arriving. Side note: The girls made the final</div>
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push that made the difference. : )</div>
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We will just say we were all in some really awkward sitting positions to fit</div>
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all 8 of us and our 8 packs and 8 small backpacks into the back of this...</div>
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The beginning of a very bumpy ride that we were so thankful we had, and that appreciation grew</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-58758162627134688542014-07-22T17:03:00.000-07:002014-07-22T17:03:31.476-07:00Cherry Limeade...Sonic?Can we just say it is hot and I am craving some Cherry Limeade Sonic drinks!! So, the other day when I was trying to think of a girly cupcake for a sweet nine year old at the Residencia de Vida here in Atenas, I was looking at my low stock of cupcake liners wondering what am I going to do with green liners...it is for a girl. <br />
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Some of you may have seen a picture on Facebook, but if you haven't then here is the final product.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCzlPwz8Q5rk3qKNeRRJMDLhnBw-Qj5gec3I0pyeK7r6Z9WRX26Ncm20koNpPineXFRnd6Mgb-9hAJOw6xqMnsade6GhIozSuSOMCWh0msisgvvGxEzmgPDXfzYrQi8SaT4IA47HArEA/s1600/DSC_9630_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCzlPwz8Q5rk3qKNeRRJMDLhnBw-Qj5gec3I0pyeK7r6Z9WRX26Ncm20koNpPineXFRnd6Mgb-9hAJOw6xqMnsade6GhIozSuSOMCWh0msisgvvGxEzmgPDXfzYrQi8SaT4IA47HArEA/s1600/DSC_9630_edited-1.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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I would love to share the recipe but I honestly can't. I looked at about three different recipes online, worked with the ingredients I can find here, and then made up my own recipe. I have some chicken scratch notes to see if I can duplicate this again. So, if I make these again, I will try and make some better notes that can be shared. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpRGt7bDYL5xtPO5Psiftg0Qx7HyNZuyqtYdQpUBirQOE6Zxc2YgEzx5qoGFolaFyQMtjOsp7CUhNAMlvOKZuIpgIlLzU1SG23Bf4dJ4EQJ428gIhHbQV5PnK9rAecN6WGl8hJyWm2jD4/s1600/DSC_9625_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpRGt7bDYL5xtPO5Psiftg0Qx7HyNZuyqtYdQpUBirQOE6Zxc2YgEzx5qoGFolaFyQMtjOsp7CUhNAMlvOKZuIpgIlLzU1SG23Bf4dJ4EQJ428gIhHbQV5PnK9rAecN6WGl8hJyWm2jD4/s1600/DSC_9625_edited-1.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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I thought they turned out super cute and were quite yummy too! I think I need to make some homemade Cherry Limeade drinks this weekend. The cupcakes didn't quite quench the craving I am having for that fizzy drink.</div>
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I dream of one day having a little pastry and dessert shop. You know one of those dreams that are far more romantic on your head, the ones where you don't experience the labor intensive hours only to see you made $1. I love to make pretty desserts and all because I have a dream, but until then I will serve anyone who is willing to eat my desserts from my home. So, if you know me or live close to me I will make sure you gain a few pounds. I can't keep all the desserts and bread that I make. </div>
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Have a Sweet Tuesday!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-22395433989960944532014-07-17T23:23:00.001-07:002014-07-17T23:23:44.536-07:00"Puentes de Vida" ~ Bridges of LifeA little over a week ago our entire family made a very long day of it and headed to the edge of the Cabeccar Reservation. And I am so thankful for good little travelers who really don't complain about long hours in the car. Daddy's only complaint is the too frequent bathroom stops...usually instigated by Mom. I know, I am as bad as the kids.<br />
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It was an amazing day! Several months ago we met a Costa Rican doctor who has dedicated his life since his medical career started to the Indigenous people of Costa Rica. We got to meet his wife the other day as well. She is an American and is also a doctor. They went to Med School for the sole purpose of doing medical mission work. They don't just do things here and there, these people live to help these people. You would just have to meet them to fully comprehend their love for these people and see their desire to serve, completely and fully serve. </div>
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They live about a mile outside of the reservation in a very small and very modest cabin. He drives into the city to work in administration in one of the private hospitals where he has been able to make contacts and raise awareness for their work on the reservation. The rest of their time is spent on the reservation serving these people and teaching them life skills that these people may not have ever had the opportunity to learn without their help. They have raised funds to build foot bridges as drowning is the number one cause of death. I could go on and on telling about the many different things they have in progress. I don't know when they sleep! </div>
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I have mentioned before the program that they started for the Cabeccar Women. Judith (the American doctor) started a program 16 months ago. The first 8 months she had several women enroll in a coarse she had developed to educate women on basic prenatal care, postnatal care, and newborn care. She has taught these women basic things and this basic knowledge has saved lives. These women went through the 8 month coarse and have been on the ground for 8 months now educating other women and helping other women. She gave them something that will give for generations, and that is education. </div>
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During election time in Costa Rica it is the law that government officials have to deliver ballots to the tribes. One of these women who completed the coarse was seeing a women at the end of her pregnancy. From the basic things she had learned she knew that a particular woman needed to leave the reservation and get to a hospital. She did not know all of the physiology of what was going wrong, but she knew that something was wrong and if this woman did not get help, then she and her unborn baby would both die. This young woman prayed that God would help her, help her find a way to get this woman the help that she needed. These people are hours from the nearest hospital if they have transportation by a vehicle, and a vehicle can only get to the very edge. Government officials arrived via helicopter to deliver the election ballots. This woman acted quickly and used every resource. I believe without a doubt that God answered her prayer with that helicopter. I mean, what are the odds? That is a God thing! Only He sends a helicopter at the very moment it is needed. She was able to arrange for this woman to be transported on this helicopter to the nearest hospital. She used the knowledge that she was given, the resources God gave her at that moment, and she acted. Her actions saved this woman and her unborn baby. Had she not been able to be transported out by that helicopter she and her baby would have died. She was having a placental abruption. For those who don't know that medical lingo, that is when the placenta (what supplies nutrients and complete oxygenation to the baby) starts separating from the uterine wall. She noticed the beginning signs of an abruption. The doctors told her that she would have not survived if she had not gotten to the hospital when she did. They did an emergency c-section. When a placenta completely separates from the uterine wall you have minutes to do a c-section and get the baby out. AKA....a nurse's nightmare!!! Everyone on the unit moves at LIGHTENING speed!!!! </div>
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{Left: Dr. Judith, Yamileth, & Gendry}</div>
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I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that there isn't a nice labor and delivery room for these women with state of the art external fetal monitors, 4D ultrasound machines, epidurals, and an OR steps away from the delivery room. These women don't have that. They were born in a place, not of their own fault, where these aren't options. Their reality is laboring on dirt floors without medicines, no idea what is happening to their body, no doctors, and at times delivering a baby completely alone. They don't have everything that so many of us take for granted. </div>
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I don't know to what extent or frequency that I will be able to help these women and this life-changing program that Dr. Judith has started, but she has extended the offer for me to help her with this program. This is an answered prayer for me. I was able to sit in on the last meeting with two of the women who completed the coarse. I am in complete awe of their example to serve others and to love others like Jesus. These women walk hours and hours to see just one woman or one newborn baby. And then they do it the next day and the next. They are changing lives, one life at a time. If one life is saved, one life is changed, one life is able to see the love of God, truly know the love of God, and obey that awesome command that will free them, then the many hours in a car, hours hiking, the horrible Montazuma's revenge that strikes will be worth every second of my time and my family's time. Because this is what it is all about...following Him, wherever the path may lead. Please pray for this opportunity that has been set before us and that we will be able to plant seeds. Keith, Lord-willing, will arrive with a group of 7 on July 28, and it is planned to travel to the reservation and go in further on July 30. David wants me to be able to go on this trip. I have only been to the edge of the reservation and not completely in, so this will be my first time. As much as he wants to go, he is staying at home with the kids so that I can do this and spend some time with some of these women. That is the most difficult thing about some of our work here, it means we each fly solo, because the kids can't always come, and this is one of those times. So, please pray for all of us.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-24191355304016255092014-06-28T16:38:00.000-07:002014-06-28T16:43:18.696-07:00It Takes A Village<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some of you have already volunteered your time and money for the Days For Girls Project that was led by Melanie Gaddy for the girls and women in Haiti. But for those who have never heard of this, it is an awesome organization and I wish I had known about it before. Because it is awesome. It makes me want to have my sewing machine here.<br />
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{Click <a href="http://www.daysforgirls.org/" target="_blank">Here</a> for more info about this organization}</div>
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There are women all over the world who endure their cycle every month without the needed hygiene products. There are more women who don't have these things than women who do have these things. As inconvenient as that time of the month can be to some, imagine living in conditions where you had no access to the things you needed, and if you did have access, having no money to pay for these things. That is the reality all over the world. </div>
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I have so much to blog about and share with everyone. First off, the medical clinic that I have mentioned in some of my recently previous posts is becoming a reality. The building materials were purchased last month while Keith Avaritt was here. The main idea and focus of this clinic right now is for it to be a place that women can stay if they need medical care during their pregnancy. We want this to be a place they can stop on their hike out to seek more medical care, or a place where a doctor can come in and treat them. While thinking about a supply list for the clinic, one of the most basic things came to mind. These people do not even have access to feminine hygiene products, much less postnatal pads. Then Melanie Gaddy ran the Days for Girls Project for the women and girls in Haiti, and I believe this was God showing me a way to help these women now. No need to wait for a clinic, these women need these items now.</div>
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{This is Magdalena, a native of the Cabeccan tribe, a women who is dedicated to educating and helping the girls and young women of her tribe.}</div>
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I NEED YOUR HELP! This Indigenous reservation is home to thousands of women. I am dreaming big, but how awesome if all of these women could eventually have these items! The <a href="http://www.daysforgirls.org/" target="_blank">Days for Girls</a> organization is helping make this possible. This organization has figured everything out. My initial goal is to have 50 regular kits and 25 postnatal kits brought with Keith Avaritt at the end of July. We have exactly 3 1/2 weeks to do this! The organization asks that we donate $10 a kit to cover the costs, so they can turn around and make more. Please pray about this and see if you can help just one women or more. With God all things are possible and I know that He will supply the need. Huge things happen when everyone helps. With a village of people working together, a huge task, is nothing. Anyone who would like to make a donation for these kits can make a tax deductible donation <a href="http://www.footprintsofcharity.org/?page_id=10" target="_blank">here</a>. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see the donate button for the Days for Girls Project.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-34113813571311593552014-06-26T20:46:00.001-07:002014-06-26T21:00:51.941-07:00All For A CravingWell, after lots of Pinterest failures, and a few successes, I can add another success to the drawing board. ENGLISH MUFFINS! That was my go to breakfast in the states. I love English Muffins toasted, spread with some peanut butter and then drizzled with honey. Growing up I would mix the peanut butter with corn syrup, but you know with the "at least gonna try to eat healthier...with some things," I now use honey instead of that awful high fructose corn syrup. I just reserve that awful stuff for that healthy pecan pie that is at least 800 calories a slice, and I am probably being generous with that calorie count.<br />
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A few months ago I had seen a recipe for English muffins, looked at it, and thought that is too much trouble for that. Then the other day I saw another one that said they were super easy. I took a look, and they looked super easy. And would fix my craving for some good English Muffins. I can find them here at PriceSmart (aka Sam's in Costa Rica), and I have subjected myself to that cardboard before. That is the usual for most things here. If you want something good, you have to make it for yourself.</div>
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Go to your pantry and pull out these ingredients.</div>
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<ul>
<li>3 2/3 C flour, plus a little more for kneading</li>
<li>1 envelope of dry active yeast (or 1 1/4 tsp yeast, if you buy the huge bag like me)</li>
<li>1 tsp salt</li>
<li>1 tsp sugar</li>
<li>1 C lukewarm water</li>
<li>2/3 C plain yogurt (I used sour cream, but in Costa Rica the sour cream is very similar to yogurt)</li>
<li>Cornmeal for sprinkling</li>
<li>Oil of choose for skillet, I used coconut oil</li>
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You can do this by hand in a large bowl or if you have a mixer that just means less work for you.</div>
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Whisk together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Then dump the yogurt in. </div>
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Add your warm water. Not too hot or you will kill the yeast.</div>
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Then let the mixer do the work, or start stirring with a big wooden spoon.</div>
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While the mixer is mixing sprinkle a large cookie sheet with the cornmeal.</div>
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I mixed on speed 2 until I knew the flour wouldn't fly out everywhere, then I sped it up to high, or on a Kitchen Aid I used speed 8. I let the mixer run for about 7-8 minutes.</div>
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Then I generously floured my pastry mat before placing the dough on it. Then I sprinkled probably an 1/8 C flour on top of the dough. You then roll it out to be 3/4" thick and cut them in 3" diameters. I used a kitchen cup.</div>
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Place them on the cookie sheet then sprinkle corn meal on the other side.</div>
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Cover and let rise for 1 hour. If it isn't warm in the house, just place in the oven and turn the oven light on.</div>
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It is crazy how they start puffing up in the skillet. I noticed they didn't rise a ton in the hour, but puffed very nicely when I started cooking them.</div>
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They were super yummy right off the skillet!</div>
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I converted David and the kids. He does not like English Muffins. But he managed to eat two, hot right off the skillet this afternoon. Planning on making some breakfast sandwiches soon. This recipe made 13 muffins. With 6 of us, they won't last long enough for me to need to freeze them unless I double the recipe, which I probably will next time. I would pre cut them, wrap individually in saran wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. Pull them out the night before and place them in the fridge. Try these soon! You won't regret it. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-54985108449042207252014-06-18T21:46:00.000-07:002014-06-18T21:49:12.709-07:002 Years and Counting...<div style="text-align: center;">
Be warned. I did not proofread. <u>No time</u> for that.</div>
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<br /></div>
Time flies. In some ways it seems like just yesterday that we were going through the stress and trials of an international move with a family of 6. And today, I sit here in shock that we are now legal residents of Costa Rica. It is kind of surreal. In my wildest dreams, ten years ago, I would have never imagined this would be my life. Amazing how God works in our hearts and changes our lives, sometimes in a blink. In some ways the past two years seems like just that, years, and then in other ways it was a blink, a blur. But, it is official, we are residents and pray that the Lord will guide our steps and keep us here as long as he wants us here.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What is going on in our life?</span></div>
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<ul>
<li>I have a daughter who starts 4th grade in two weeks!!! What??? She passed third grade with flying colors and tested way above grade level on her standardized testing. Post Grad on some of them!! Go Olivia!</li>
<li>Two little boys who have two more weeks of 1st grade and then will be BIG 2nd graders. Whom also did amazing on their standardized tests and tested way above grade level. Go Carson and Logan!</li>
<li>A little Princess who is starting Kindergarten, a year early. She is bored and is ready to start school. So, I have a very eager Kindergartener who is ready to start in two weeks. Wish me luck!! 4 kids schooling. I already have NO spare time! Yikes.</li>
<li>David is juggling 2 services every week and 3 every other week, 2 different locations. And was in much need of his two Sundays off while we were in the states. He does this along with everything else he has going in the middle of the week. He is an amazing man! And all of it in Spanish! And the best husband and father!! Kind of love him!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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{hehe..I couldn't help it. This was one of those </div>
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things I just happen to catch with the camera.</div>
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He usually proof reads and checks my posts,</div>
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but not this one.}</div>
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<li>We have been so encouraged by the new group of Brothers and Sisters in the Atenas area that are meeting in our home on Sunday mornings. They make me feel like home. Mrs. Gloria is my second Mama and also doesn't miss a beat correcting my Spanish and making me repeat everything a million times until it meets her satisfaction : ) And she doesn't let David be my crutch when I don't understand. They are family!</li>
<li>Spend every Saturday evening studying with the Atenas group for 3-4 hours. Love that I get to go to these. We have an amazing neighbor, Rita, who loves our kids to pieces, and is always here in a second to help out. She and her two daughters come over every Saturday night to watch and play with the kids. The kids love her and her family and love going to her house and them visiting us. This was a huge blessing meeting her almost a year ago. She looks out for us all the time!</li>
<li>Keith visited the reservation while he was here and looks like the clinic is going to happen. Construction has not started yet. My understanding is the lot is being cleared. Things may be slow on this front for now, the rainy season has begun. I don't think the supplies could be taken in there right now. </li>
<li>Have spent the last week recovering from our whirlwind trip to the states. The kids and I spent 6 weeks there and David came for 2 1/2 in the middle. It is hard being there without him, but you have to make those plane tickets worth it! I say whirlwind because we didn't stop until the last week we were there. When you don't buy anything for over a year, except a few things here and there we have brought down, it makes for major stress trying to get every SINGLE person clothes and shoes...especially when kids grow out of clothes while we were there!!! WHAT??? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>Working on getting supplies for the five Indigenous women who are helping fellow women on the reservation. So far we have a fetal doppler donated and also a TOCO/FHR monitor donated. I am working on obtaining some other supplies and getting prices for the items that are needed now, clinic or no clinic.</li>
<li>Starting the process for Days for Girls for the women and girls of the Cabecar Reservation. I am hoping to get this going and have the first of, I hope, many projects of this down here at the end of July when Keith and Lesa Avaritt visit and Rob and Heather Moore visit. Time cruncher!! It will be here before I know it.</li>
<li>Have got to get my continuing education credits done sometime online, so I can keep my nursing license. Planning to meet with the Doctors who have been working on the reservation for years and start volunteering doing medical things (I couldn't think of a better word!). I miss medicine and nursing so BAD!! I need this. Looking forward to this meeting.</li>
<li>Trying to find the time to study Spanish, but lately there has not been any dedicated book study time, just using what I know and correcting what I can and learning from the real life experiences.</li>
<li>Meal times are Spanish practice for everyone at the table. </li>
<li>Trying not to get stressed...I am a lot better than I used to be, but then some days I think about things too much. Usually I am so busy I don't have time to think and that is a good thing..and bad.</li>
<li>Still waiting on Cool Whip to be imported. My friend Dom says the local Coope grocery store will import anything. I think I am going to test his theory soon. I will keep you posted on that.</li>
<li>Trying to make my kids be bookworms. Carson is a natural bookworm. Liv is a bookworm with my old American girl books. Logan, well, we are working on that. Leia makes up her version of the story : )<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>I actually missed "casados" (typical tico cuisine) while I was in the states. But, I was filled with Larry's and as much Mexican food as I could get.</li>
<li>We need a beach day. I mean we live 40 minutes from the ocean and we haven't seen it since January, when my parents were here.</li>
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Our plate is full but our cup runneth over will all the blessings we have received from living here.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-45786568414449510562014-04-26T05:00:00.000-07:002014-04-26T05:00:00.015-07:00April Newsletter {by David}Here is David's newsletter for April if you have not already seen it. If you are not on his email list and would like to be added please send me an email. Simply click on the green envelope icon with wings under the FIND ME, and it will pop up an email. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-79803318795143557602014-04-25T11:17:00.000-07:002014-04-25T11:17:16.332-07:00Reservation UpdateSeveral weeks ago I shared about our visit to the Cabecan Indian Reservation and our hope to help them in a humanitarian way in the future. From talking with Israel, a medic who works for the Costa Rican public health system, we initially thought that building them a small building to function as a clinic would be the best thing. During this visit he gave us contact information of a husband and wife, who are both doctors, that have helped the Cabecan Indians for several years in many different ways. <br />
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A couple weeks ago we were able to meet the husband, Dr. Alexi. It was a very informative meeting and he was able to explain a lot of things about the public health care system here in Costa Rica, the needs of the Indigenous people of Costa Rica, obstacles we could face, and current projects that he currently has going to help the people on the Cabecan Reservation and other highly impoverished areas of Costa Rica. There were so many things we would have had no way of knowing if we had not been able to meet with this man. It was also nice to be able to discuss these things in depth in English. It was more difficult speaking with Israel, the Cabeccan, because we were both speaking our second language. </div>
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Dr. Alexi explained to us that he has had several run-ins with the CAJA, the public health care system that operates here in Costa Rica. During his many years of devoting his time and private funding, he had confrontations with the CAJA. They informed him that they did not want him helping them. He simply told them he was simply enabling the Cabecans with skills to help themselves medically and to be able to recognize when they need to leave the reservation and try and seek medical help. He has also been teaching them basic skills like hygiene, basic prenatal education, and other similar things. </div>
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Unfortunately, what Israel had hoped to accomplish by having a small building for a clinic will not be able to happen the way he was originally thinking because of the CAJA and him being an employee of the CAJA. The CAJA will not send a doctor to work on the reservation. Israel had hoped that the CAJA would allow him to work from the clinic, but Dr. Alexi said the CAJA will not allow that because he is only trained to give out immunizations. So, a clinic built by an outsider could jeopardize his job with the CAJA and the few things that they do receive from the CAJA. Dr. Alexi said the only way that we could possibly get cooperation from the CAJA is to meet with the director of that reservation and ask them if they would man the building if we constructed it. The downside to that is we are essentially building a clinic for the Costa Rican government that may or may not be used. Dr. Alexi says the Ministry of Health administration changes with every president and while maybe one administration might man it, the next one might remove anyone from there. And the building would be the governmen's do with as they wish. We do not want to get involved with the government, so we need some more time to figure out how our help can be the most beneficial and how we can do that without the CAJA getting involved. </div>
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{what you see is the "town" that is a 3/4-1 day hike from the edge of the Reservation}</div>
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We are still brainstorming and looking at all the different options and things that we can do to help them wether it be constructing a new structure (without the involvement of the CAJA), possibly making modifications to existing structures, supplies, or many other things. To see what would best meet their needs, we need to spend some more time talking with the people on the reservation. </div>
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Keith is coming in May to give David a little break and allow him to meet us in the states to visit with our family. While Keith is here, he is currently planning, Lord-willing, to visit the Cabecan Reservation and talk more with the people and Israel. Distance and time are keeping us from being able to move forward at a more timely pace. We have faith that the Lord will guide this work and will make it very evident what we are supposed to do in the right time. Please keep praying for the work here and these people on the reservation and that they may see God in everything we say and do and lead them to the truth.</div>
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{Israel and David- first meeting}</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-912425567565602162014-04-25T09:02:00.003-07:002014-04-25T09:02:28.167-07:00I Say "Healthier"If you know me really well, you know I love to bake, create in the kitchen...and it usually has to do with sweets. I mean I will cook anything and enjoy cooking everything, but desserts, breads, pastries, cookies...now that is where the fun is. I try to be healthy, I really do. I am better at controlling portions than controlling the what the contents are that I put in my mouth. I go in cycles of trying to cook healthy...well, maybe that isn't completely accurate, it "healthier" than what I would normally eat. But, hey, I am trying. <br />
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A group of girls, whom I went to school with, and I started a little support group to help keep ourselves motivated and share our ups and downs of just being healthy. They all keep it real. And real is how I can live. To me real life is trying. I try to be a healthier person but I still live, meaning I want to eat yummy food and carrot sticks do not count.</div>
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This muffin recipe has always been my "go to" muffin mix for all of my muffins. It was loaded with a ton of sugar and lots of shortening. A couple of months ago I decided to see if I could make it a little bit healthier without compromising the wonderful taste and perfect muffin texture. And SUCCESS!!!</div>
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Some would still say it isn't healthy, but I say it is a whole lot healthier than what I was making before. For me, this is healthy. Actually this modified recipe is better than the original. <br />
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Go enjoy some "healthier" muffins!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-34486112871437882232014-03-17T19:01:00.001-07:002014-03-17T19:01:55.992-07:00Love Knows No BoundriesThere is pain and suffering all over the world. There is sickness. There is poverty. And there is no God in so many of these places. So many people have no idea what the concept LOVE really is. They have no way to know what LOVE is because they have never truly seen it or felt it. How will these unloved people all over the world ever know what LOVE is, if we do not show them what LOVE is. We have to LOVE them for them to know LOVE. We have to be the light that brightens their world. Their world can only be brightened by God's love. And we are the vessel that can show them. The ways of showing love are endless. There is just really no end to how we can show and share God's love. <div>
We have been here in Costa Rica full time for over 21 months. Everyday here is a new day with new challenges, many celebrations, and heartaches too. Living here has been such a blessing to our family. We are blessed to be able to see the broken, because seeing it truly changes you. It changes the way you think about everything. This place has changed me. And I pray these experiences that I live everyday, keep changing me to be a better servant for the Lord. </div>
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Our life is truly full here. There is so much work to be done and not enough hours in the day. We continue to have church services in Los Altos and studies with the people in that community. David continues weekly to try and make new contacts in the area and share the Gospel. It has been so encouraging to see members at the church in Los Altos take the initiative and share Jesus with those they meet. One of the young men have been accompanying David when he is out trying to meet more people. Developing relationships with people weaves you through a web of meeting more and more people. Through this process we have met more people who live in other areas. </div>
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{This is Alejandro. He has been going with David and meeting new people.}</div>
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We have had weekly studies with a group of people in an area called Barrio Jesus. These studies have been a major course of encouragement for David and I. These people are so hungry for the truth, in its simplest and raw form. They are eager. They are thirsty for the word of God. We sit for hours at a time engaged in His Word, asking questions, and looking straight in the Bible for the answers. Please pray for this new area of work and that God will be glorified and His will and truth will shine brightly. It is our hope and prayer that we will soon have a church meeting in this new area. </div>
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There are so many other things that are in the works here in Costa Rica, and we are just in the beginning stages of planning and praying about. I cannot wait to share all about it. Some of you who personally know me know that I am a registered nurse and I have a passion for medicine and helping people heal with the knowledge of medicine and the miraculous healing powers of God. He hears prayers and he answers. And it is such an awesome thing to be a part of helping someone back to health and witnessing miracles of life through beautiful births. That being said, I have missed that part of my life from the states. I have missed medicine. I have missed delivering babies terribly. It was not just a job to me, it was a service to the Lord. And, it has been on my heart since before we moved here to be able to use my knowledge to help people here in Costa Rica. Like I said, I can't wait to share more, but this is it for tonight...just pray, pray for God to lead us down the path and show us the possibilities and that everyone involved will know the Love of God because it is so great.</div>
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{one footprint at a time...}</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-59099725736954648462014-02-27T13:37:00.000-08:002014-02-27T13:39:25.479-08:00Red Letter Words<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">GO RED TO END IT!</span></div>
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"Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and need." ~ Proverbs 31:8-9</div>
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I always have grand intentions of getting things blogged. I have a little notebook that I am constantly scratching down random thoughts, sometimes just little things I want to remember, other times blog post ideas, and then those things that I need to be reminded of so often. With that said, I had an entire other idea that I was mulling over this morning while I was running...but then I saw all the <span style="color: red;"><b><u>END IT</u></b></span> pictures.</div>
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While we feel as if we are so small and that we can't possibly do anything to help and there is nothing we can do - WE ARE SO WRONG! To end Human Trafficking, you are right, I can't stop it, you can't stop it, or your church, but together with <span style="color: red;"><b>CHRIST</b></span> we can END IT. Anything is possible with Christ, Phil 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It does not say some things, but ALL things. </div>
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This was a great educating experience for my children this morning. They needed to know this. I got the red pen out and started marking, and we started talking. Talk about some questions, and funny understandings from a four year old. After I marked and we talked, Leia went running to find Daddy and her words, "Daddy, Daddy, I have a red mark so no one can sell me." Okay, so she didn't get the whole picture, but we gotta start small here. The other kids have been learning some about slaves, since they have been studying about the wars in England, France, and the War of 1812, so slavery has been mentioned. They thought that since all these wars were fought that no one allowed slavery anymore. I explained that these people are owned, they are property, they have no life, they have no choice, they are nothing. They are treated horribly, they are punished, they are hurt physically, mentally, and endure things that we could probably never truly imagine. They are still young and we didn't get into the even harsher realities of what most human trafficking consists of, but it was the beginning of a conversation that we will continue to have. Because, like it or not, the trafficking is everywhere. It is in front of your eyes, and you probably walked by someone in at least the last week that is imprisoned to this. </div>
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Olivia wanted to share her thoughts she has had today after talking about trafficking this morning.</div>
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Costa Rica has become one of the highest trafficked areas in the world for this, and while the government here is being forced by the United Nations to crack down and do something about it, it is still happening. I blogged more about this a few months ago, and you can find it <a href="http://myraboins.blogspot.com/2013/05/if-only.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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I haven't had the time to research the origination of the <span style="color: red;">X </span>for the End It Movement. But, for me, it signifies that the only way to stop this incomprehensible evilness in this world is with the words of Jesus, the ones that share of his love, his sacrifice, and the blood that was spilled for all of us sinners in the world. One person at a time. That is all we can do. One person at a time. One relationship at a time. And sharing the One true <span style="color: red;">KING. </span>I believe all those <span style="color: red;">Red Letter Words</span> are the best and only tool needed to Free the Slaves.</div>
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If we aren't using those <span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Red Letter Words</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>then it will be impossible<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>to End IT. </div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Jesus's very words were, <span style="color: red;">"Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." ~ Mark 15:15</span></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-1583936220610508552014-02-14T09:12:00.001-08:002014-02-14T09:17:44.640-08:00Recap of 2013 by David<div style="color: #4d683c; font-family: Baskerville; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 5px;">
<span style="text-align: center;">Since I am a bit technologically challenged, I didn't know how to export David's newsletter into the blog without making it a PDF and then changing it to a JPEG, so sorry for the small font. I was able to zoom my screen in and see it fine. You can simply do that, or you can also click on the image and then zoom in on the font.</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-78053205450114744622014-01-23T11:54:00.000-08:002014-01-23T11:55:12.637-08:00Daughter of the KingAn answered prayer!! She is a daughter of the one true King. Cleansed and made whole. Washed with the water, sins removed by His blood...This is what Olivia experienced Monday, January 20th.<br />
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She made this decision with much thought and study. She chose to give her life to Jesus and to strive to live like Him. Confessing her faith of him and acknowledging that this would be a new life for her is just the beginning of her changed life. She is just beginning her journey with the Lord, and I pray she grows with Him, grows deeper and deeper with Him, and more in love with Him.</div>
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So, you teach the Gospel to others and you share the love of Christ, and in that time some choose to obey and you are a witness to that obedience. But, I must say that hearing my daughter's words, "I want to be baptized," and confessing her reasons and her understanding of the Gospel are some of the most precious words I have ever heard. </div>
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{Pretty sure this will be one of the most memorable baptisms he ever does.}</div>
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You can barely see her face, but it is that smile of knowing you are free, clean, and a </div>
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DAUGHTER OF THE ONE TRUE KING.</div>
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It was dark, and the end to a long day for many, but everyone came with rejoicing hearts to witness this very special day.</div>
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{I snapped this a few Sundays ago before church while they were waiting on me to finish my snapshots of everyone else. It is candid, and I kinda love this picture a lot. }</div>
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SHE IS A DADDY'S GIRL</div>
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I don't know why, but her recent birthday of turning 9 years old hit hard this year. I mean by American standards we are half way done. She is half way to 18! My mind kind of goes into space with this thought. It is typically your human instinct to think ahead, but I can honestly say at this moment, I am actually not thinking ahead and am instead remembering sweet memories of the past living the present, hoping we are making many more to remember.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-7594579624496429542014-01-20T05:30:00.000-08:002014-01-21T09:18:23.675-08:00A Battle For JesusYou share the Gospel, you plant the seed, and show love, and share love, and live love. This is what we tell ourselves, this is what we try to live. So many of us Christians have had "normal" lives, have known of Jesus and really known Jesus for more years of our lives than not, and we all have struggles. We all have moments where we aren't living like we should, making the choices that God would approve, and living a complete Christ-centered life. And in those moments, maybe some of us have people who love us, nudge us in the direction we should be moving, or God intercedes and takes his hand and carries us where we need to be. We have love. We have God's love, true love from our family.<br />
I was and am so fortunate that I have parents who truly love me and have always showed that love. I had a loving family that included a father figure and a mother figure. Some are less fortunate, and maybe only have one of those, but that is still one. Then there are some who, by tragedy have neither of those. <br />
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Think on this....</div>
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How does one know what love is?</div>
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How does one grasp that God, the most amazing father in the world loves them more than anyone?</div>
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How does one imagine what this love is?</div>
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How does one Believe this Father is different?</div>
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WHEN....</div>
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At the age of ten years old you were sent from your home country to neighboring Costa Rica to work as a babysitter. REALITY HERE!!!! My daughter is 9 years old. I cannot imagine doing this to my child. You come to this country you have never been to before to care for children, when you are only a child yourself. And you do this for the next 8 years. You are all alone! You are a child alone in a foreign country caring for another person's children. For the better part of the next 8 years, you never hear from your family much and do not see them. In this time, your family has grown without you. You were sent away. How does that make you feel? You have nothing! You are a child with no family. </div>
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Your family moves to the country where you are living at the age of eighteen. You have yearned for this for so many years. You just wanted your family. You wanted to be loved, to be accepted. But, the reality is they moved on without you, they grew without you. For whatever reason they chose to send you away. In your heart you know the situation for what it really is, but it is so hard to tell yourself that they must not have really loved you. You now find yourself with 4 children, living a life that you wish was better, wishing it could be different for your children. You are not married and have 4 people who depend on you, but you live constantly in war with life and yourself. </div>
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As I think about this woman, I think about how us Christians who have Jesus struggle at times in their life with their faith, and we know Jesus. We had and have people who love us, who didn't send us away, who didn't abandon us. And, we have times in our life when we think, how can I get through this, but we know we have Jesus on our side and we have him to lean on. He is there to comfort us, to carry us, to carry our load. </div>
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My heart breaks for these people who don't know love. They cannot even comprehend it. <br />
I can't expect them to understand that God is love, when they don't even know what LOVE is. </div>
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<b><i>"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." ~ Heb 11:1</i> </b><br />
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With faith, there is love. And this is the battle that Jesus fought. He is a warrior for love. And I have faith that God will show this person what love is, that they will see it. Because the Gospel is LOVE. I think circumstances make things harder or easier for people, but at the end of the day we all have to make the choice to know God's love or to not know God's love. Please pray that this one who does not know love, will know love, will have faith in the God of love, and act on that love in obedience to the one who showed the biggest sacrifice of love.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-41756312480377644602014-01-15T19:10:00.000-08:002014-01-18T12:20:57.592-08:00And the Saga Continues...No TimeIt is always on my mind, although at the back, to update this blog more often then once every 3 or 4 months. I just have not had the time. Between homeschooling the kids and then just everything that our daily life entails here, I just haven't made it on here.<br />
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Then, the few times I had a second, I just did not even know where to begin. And, again, that is my story today....Where do I begin?</div>
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2013 was a year full of so many blessings and trials thrown in as well. We are so thankful that we are here and celebrated our second Christmas and New Year's here in Costa Rica. When we moved we had no idea what our time frame for being here would be and we still do not know, you just never know what the Lord has in store, but here is 2014 and we are still here. </div>
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So many people always ask how the kids are doing, and have they adjusted? </div>
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{ pretty sure they are doing just fine...perfect if grandparents lived here }</div>
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We just celebrated all of their birthdays! Carson's isn't until March, but we had a party for all 4 of them when Papa and Nana were here. They are growing so fast, Leia is 4, Logan 7, Olivia 9, and Carson will be 6 in March. We are midway through our school year and it is my highest of high hopes that we can be all completed before we leave to visit the states in May. I know, I am dreaming high, but I will try. </div>
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The kids have thrived so much since we moved into this house that we are in now. We have now been in this house a year and are so thankful for where we are at. The location is perfect, our neighbors are wonderful, and the kids are at home. Before we lived here, I cannot say they were adjusted, doing well, or thriving. But now, they are! Praise the Lord. Because you want happy, smiling, laughing, screaming, giggly kids!</div>
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Olivia joined her friend Jimena in swimming classes for 6 months out of the past year. She could swim before but now she looks like a little professional with all her strokes she has learned. She finished that up in December and will not be continuing that this year due to the location. She has decided that she would like to give Volleyball a try, so we will see how that goes. And she is learning how to play the guitar. She has asked for a guitar for several years for her Christmas and Birthday, and she finally got one this year! When Keith arrived here last week, he gave her some instructions to start with and we shall see if we can find someone to teach her. At the moment, David and I are trying to teach ourselves so we can help her. I think David is picking it up pretty fast, and I should probably just stick with woodwind instruments! But, I have not given up yet. I just can't feel my fingertips in my left hand, even now as I type this. </div>
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Logan and Carson continue to play soccer and have improved so much over the past year. They are now scoring goals and kicking up the dirt on the field. They look forward to playing every Saturday morning. Logan begs to do Karate here, but we just don't think that is a good idea to give him and Carson instructions on how to fight with each other better! : ) They are both now reading really well. Some days they shine with their brilliance and then other days David and I wonder if their brains escaped....the life of a boy!</div>
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Leia is a ball of fire, and needs to start school soon, so maybe she will be less detractive to the others while they are doing school. She loves going in and out all day long and has pretty much stolen the hearts of all our neighbors. At any time if she is not at home, she is at someone's house playing. She has two little friends that are the same age as her and one just as equally spirited as her. They have their moments and one goes running home and then they are ready to play again in 2 minutes. She does not want to play any sports and has no interest in even watching the boys or Olivia when she was playing soccer. She has asked ever since we moved here if she can do ballet. She is finally old enough and will start that in February.</div>
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That is it. There are four of them and they can choose one thing to do, and that is it. I don't know how people keep up with all of their kids in every activity and sport. I would be running circles getting no where. Now I know why my mom gave us limits on what all we could do. It is expensive and then there is no time for anything else.</div>
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David and I just had birthdays too. He is 34 and I am 31....how in the world did that happen??</div>
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The last 7 weeks have been crammed full of fun and memories. We have had my mom and dad and David's mom and dad here 5 out of those 7 weeks. So, it has been crazy, crazy here, David still trying to get work done and cram in some family time. The kids and I had lots of time at the house just hanging out and then some days exploring this beautiful country. No school, itself, was a VACATION! We were so thankful for those days of having fun thanks to our parents. It was some much needed fun time!!</div>
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{ Top of Volcan Irazu }</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxAfUVv-GtuVglkqGDQLABsihrMUhyieWiLxv0pg78ibIfYkY5j6EW1fat_ejAtIcC9YtWmhyeue7C4WhRMa2lB9yhmL8XVcHQJWGym37gPCV8bzVm5sA0ND5a7WB_30J282CqGbLNNY/s1600/DSC_6833_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxAfUVv-GtuVglkqGDQLABsihrMUhyieWiLxv0pg78ibIfYkY5j6EW1fat_ejAtIcC9YtWmhyeue7C4WhRMa2lB9yhmL8XVcHQJWGym37gPCV8bzVm5sA0ND5a7WB_30J282CqGbLNNY/s1600/DSC_6833_edited-2.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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{ Playa Tamarindo }</div>
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This past year we have developed more relationships with people here and continue to strengthen the old ones and build more on the new ones. Our days are full! Praise the Lord! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-76402229324339144142013-09-05T15:03:00.001-07:002013-09-05T15:04:23.108-07:00Sunday SnapshotsIt is my goal to take family photos of all of the families we go to church with. This is something we have been wanting to do for them for a while, but something always comes up, or someone would be sick, etc. <br />
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It is quite comical trying to take photos of them. Through the past year I have taken tons of photos and the good ones I get here and there are when they have no idea I have my camera out. They all have a phobia of smiling for the camera. It makes me laugh so hard. I know this is something normal for lots of other cultures too. They are not conceited like us Americans who love to smile in front of the camera and take tons of "selflies" for the world to see. LOL! They all stand there like we are burying someone, solemn faces and eyes. You have to be creative and tell them to do funny things, say funny things. Saying funny things isn't too hard for me since my Spanish is probably equivalent to a 4 year old...maybe. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMOB66-eqn-TBkoz0byWT2GUZARV54e1c4484UG6LOhS2QoK34bFOkZuncB-Czw6OoErw4D1xpmRNTI8p2UHPyNXNW2A7PwGnf4Z1SIHvLnvOzyAgY0bvZVYybwyUolWE5Bk1n9qVdWo/s1600/DSC_1807_editedweb-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMOB66-eqn-TBkoz0byWT2GUZARV54e1c4484UG6LOhS2QoK34bFOkZuncB-Czw6OoErw4D1xpmRNTI8p2UHPyNXNW2A7PwGnf4Z1SIHvLnvOzyAgY0bvZVYybwyUolWE5Bk1n9qVdWo/s640/DSC_1807_editedweb-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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CAMPOS FAMILY</div>
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I snapped these a couple Sundays ago after church. It was hot and SUNNY. Let me say that again, "<strike>It was HOT.</strike>" I WAS HOT! We don't have that perfect sweet hour of light right now. Some days you might have it, but other days it goes from blinding sun to dark with torrential rain. There is no scheduling a time to take some photos. With raining season, you just go outside when you can. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7tYAbtQ3jYzppVXzF_kYPf4s-Ext1wE2Cwb1clyfcHKrZZKeoKHtZxR0V4wPbU33NuQNLpIU8jc0_F-wKW1I4xnfQ1HdsdWK7yLMUdRaWVfvxdSbw5uBlVaSQ6RkvvYMxfeVUOoE7e4/s1600/DSC_1808_editedweb-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7tYAbtQ3jYzppVXzF_kYPf4s-Ext1wE2Cwb1clyfcHKrZZKeoKHtZxR0V4wPbU33NuQNLpIU8jc0_F-wKW1I4xnfQ1HdsdWK7yLMUdRaWVfvxdSbw5uBlVaSQ6RkvvYMxfeVUOoE7e4/s640/DSC_1808_editedweb-2.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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I thought (above photo) was cute. Little Valeria just wasn't quite big enough to get her face above the rail. I was working on getting some smiles...no one was impressed but Mom and Dad.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAS_3J5anLJriVcibdj_daNDCUA74m8Am9MMijyPtHvaQuyOeGlEI4e4OZpxX98jxAXT1m7Ol4uhXM5Gpz9MIFyJ4I8qtAS-cgJjlv4hvl-3rqhpA2GNayeYcx87jOyWIn0-nBTjYydw/s1600/DSC_1844_edited-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAS_3J5anLJriVcibdj_daNDCUA74m8Am9MMijyPtHvaQuyOeGlEI4e4OZpxX98jxAXT1m7Ol4uhXM5Gpz9MIFyJ4I8qtAS-cgJjlv4hvl-3rqhpA2GNayeYcx87jOyWIn0-nBTjYydw/s640/DSC_1844_edited-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We were walking around looking for some shady places to take some photos and we ran into these people. Their grandmother offered for us to come in their gate and take photos in her beautiful flower garden and rancho. I have some of those too, but that will have to be a later day. I edited these couple of pictures during school today and this little bit of computer time is about all they can handle today...there is chaos in the house.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmmFn80beCRACfbfTugDBffZYdvwKGveEQsZFxT4l0lTvWvgGIQEFP4NxAPIO5lDn_-tK8IShTL6KDx4Ab5vxh99QzkfRAixeci-tAaS4wNjsmP4rs6jDAqfrRXAzsCLTv0eojxAoc4g/s1600/DSC_1859_editedweb-2_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmmFn80beCRACfbfTugDBffZYdvwKGveEQsZFxT4l0lTvWvgGIQEFP4NxAPIO5lDn_-tK8IShTL6KDx4Ab5vxh99QzkfRAixeci-tAaS4wNjsmP4rs6jDAqfrRXAzsCLTv0eojxAoc4g/s640/DSC_1859_editedweb-2_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And, I do believe this photo is a SUCCESS. While it may not be prefect lighting, I think these are some perfect facial lines!</div>
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p.s. I don't have time to reread and check for grammatical errors and typos...I am smarter than my typing and writing may always appear, just busy and trying to formulate complete sentences with 4 kids talking, laughing, and at times screaming.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/255/841DAD2C536A4D4B07175C69ED2F7551.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-86986113191913266452013-09-03T05:00:00.000-07:002013-09-03T06:10:01.801-07:00Sweet FellowshipWhile the Moore Family was here visiting at the end of July we scheduled to have a Sunday get together for lunch and an afternoon singing. It was a wonderful day. Everyone was visiting with one another. There are some in the group who rarely speak, actually they don't at all unless they are spoken to, and others that love to chat. I always say it takes all kinds to make the world go round. He knew what he was doing. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSeIW1w3_6ExhX_6gNu8vAFDYwmHPkojsxsM5KE9JkNXVvRdjtYh3r6HxicQ5zVIJuJFy7d-rgDGh560r4jrea56LcPl09Sw7WvHN5N-a8Z0VmqaS4NBNmn5ixhR5SDs1IJ7unnxfFL0/s1600/DSC_1219_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSeIW1w3_6ExhX_6gNu8vAFDYwmHPkojsxsM5KE9JkNXVvRdjtYh3r6HxicQ5zVIJuJFy7d-rgDGh560r4jrea56LcPl09Sw7WvHN5N-a8Z0VmqaS4NBNmn5ixhR5SDs1IJ7unnxfFL0/s640/DSC_1219_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Everyone stayed for the singing. I couldn't get everyone in the photo. : )</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiessT4dhY9DJ1PMygNVYC617o3lA_sO3yEeEOhn5ra6KcA_GlzPMCMAgxs9iwze97PYubH19myjpaYUZukiuX8VGTdbKCevusfzwcGQM_Hdh6X2K42FtGtrhoigmkU5DDVn0WS1j2gHDg/s1600/DSC_1211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiessT4dhY9DJ1PMygNVYC617o3lA_sO3yEeEOhn5ra6KcA_GlzPMCMAgxs9iwze97PYubH19myjpaYUZukiuX8VGTdbKCevusfzwcGQM_Hdh6X2K42FtGtrhoigmkU5DDVn0WS1j2gHDg/s640/DSC_1211.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Visiting</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcGIDmVoiS7ebWjwnG7OMx5hDwrVUZPLGuJOLB9wr_cpClLKk0pKu8up9Lo2kQ8ohKIb4KRlRyxWd8yo1WwaqcYV-L_W9WILPBjEKo1GZfiSZPW7_AZA3V-aUNchRAWV6srlmYciZ7K4/s1600/DSC_1230_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcGIDmVoiS7ebWjwnG7OMx5hDwrVUZPLGuJOLB9wr_cpClLKk0pKu8up9Lo2kQ8ohKIb4KRlRyxWd8yo1WwaqcYV-L_W9WILPBjEKo1GZfiSZPW7_AZA3V-aUNchRAWV6srlmYciZ7K4/s640/DSC_1230_edited-1.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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Brother Jorje</div>
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From Left: Martha, Julito, Felecia & her granddaughter</div>
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This particular Sunday that we had our get together after services a new family had visited our services for the first time. David had previously met her before and visited with her very briefly. She joined us with her two children, a six year old little boy, and I believe a 9 year old girl. She asked us to pray for her husband because he had cut his hand the previous day with a machete. Automatic nurse instinct is to think the worst. I am thinking he has a mangled hand that was chopped with a rusty machete. They do not have seguro (the national insurance) because they are unable to pay, like so many people we know here. </div>
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Later that afternoon on the way home, David and I stopped to visit their family. We were very thankful to assess a hand that had a small cut to one finger that would heal fine with a peroxide cleaning, clean gauze, antibiotic ointment, and some band-aids. I did ask to see the machete, and as I thought, a really nasty and rusty piece of metal. I explained, at this point David is translating, that he really needed a tetanus shot. Tried to also tell him that it would be a good idea for him to have it anyways since he works with a machete everyday and could potentially harm himself with it. He did not want it. We couldn't understand why. We told him we would get the medication and I could give it to him. He refused because he did not want to be stuck with a needle. He said if I gave him a shot in his arm he would not be able to work. I tried to explain that he would be able to work, but if he got tetanus he would not be able to work. Oh well, we tried. God answers prayers and his finger is all healed.<br />
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We headed back to the house from a full day of "like back home" Sunday fellowship. On our way home we passed an ambulance flying down the road with crater-sized potholes. David and I both commented that someone must be in a bad way. Because in the entire year we have lived here, I have never, and I repeat NEVER seen an ambulance move in rapid manner. They drive like normal with the their lights flashing. No one moves to the side of the road. No one stops at intersections to let them pass. They sit in traffic like any other vehicle and I envision people dying in these things, because they are never going to make it to the hospital. <br />
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A few minutes after we got home we received a completely frantic phone call from Demaris. Her son had been run over by a motorcycle. They were in Atenas and were soon heading to the hospital about 45 minutes from here. She asked for us to pray. David called everyone from church to let them know what had happened. We heard from her again that night that her son had sustained some head injuries, possible some internal bleeding, and they were doing some more scans. <br />
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The next morning we learned they were sending him home and he had some follow-up visits in the following days. We went to go see him the next day and for a little boy who had a motorcycle run him over at a high speed and went down the entire middle of his body, he looked good. God had answered a many of prayers. Prayers from so many people, people in Costa Rica, people in the United States. He obviously had some swelling in his face. He had no broken bones, only nine stitches on his forehead, and not a single bruise or any swelling visible on the trunk of his body. <br />
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Since then, him and his family have been at services every Sunday. His stitches are gone, he lost a tooth, but his smile is back. He is a quiet little boy with a smile behind his mother's leg when we talk to him.<br />
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The power of prayer is a miraculous thing! I need to get some pictures of that shy smile, so everyone can see the miracle.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/255/841DAD2C536A4D4B07175C69ED2F7551.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-12217391526349004332013-09-01T18:28:00.000-07:002013-09-01T19:43:45.907-07:00Muy Ocupado<br />
Translation - VERY BUSY<br />
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Yes, that pretty much sums up my life. For years I have had goals of less. Less stress, less work, less daily over commitments. And, it is a never ending fail situation. I quit doing some things only to find other things that I need to do and commit to do and have to do.<br />
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In all of that, the blog just gets lost and completely forgotten. I said, "Forgotten." Sorry. I remember late at night when my brain is not coherent and I am in a slumber of really wishing I could sleep but too tired to get up do anything in the middle of the night sleepless state.<br />
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Life in Costa Rica. Crazy! Good! More crazy! New things! New friends!<br />
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Major Blessing- To all those prayer warriors that prayed along with us for so many months that our house situation in the states would work out with a sale or a new rental commitment, God answered. We literally received a contract just days before we were going to be out the mortgage with no rental income. While we definitely are taking a monthly loss in order to secure that rental contract we are praying God will provide. Another Year!!!<br />
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July seemed to come and go in a complete blur. The kind of blur, you know the one that is just circles<br />
of blur. I thought I would have a few weeks to catch up on "my things," the non homeschool related activities that just are a passing thought. Things like swimming at the pool, reading books, taking pictures, trips to the park, and ice cream cones were on my agenda. Well, I think we went to the pool once, I read one book, once to the park, and we managed lots of pictures (that still need to be edited) and ice cream cones a few times. It went by in a blur. <br />
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We take all visitors to Tio Mano's for some local "helado."</div>
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{New Friends - Africa, Vietnam, Taiwan, United States, Germany, and Israel represented here in </div>
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Costa Rica. Love Diversity!!!}</div>
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During that time David and I painted the church building (still not complete, need to cut in the ceiling, but hey it looks better than it did) and we had tile laid in the church. Before it was varying types of concrete from cracks everywhere, finished spots of concrete, to unfinished, and unlevel. <br />
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{We have had a full house almost every Sunday for the last 6 or 7 weeks. This particular Sunday there was not a chair left. That is such a good problem...people sitting on paint buckets.}</div>
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Nana came for a visit, of which was part of the radial whirlwind blur of activity in July. She was here and then she was gone. She came with puppets for the kids and they loved that and have had some hilarious puppet shows for us and have entertained company as well.</div>
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And we still have crazy, funny, and loud kids. Some things never change! : )</div>
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I have so much news to share that I do not even know where to begin. So, for now this is a start. Along with our normal daily activities of survival, learning, teaching, meditating, and so many other things I am wanting to start doing photography here as a free-lance. I am not a professional by any means and have so much to learn, but I think this is a good place to start. I have had lots of people here ask me to do this and others encourage me to do so. So, that has pretty much consumed my little tid bits of spare time lately. I am one of those OCD kind of people. If I am going to start this then I want to do it right. That means more prep work on the front end, but to me it results in better organization and less hiccups...or so I tell myself. I have been working on building my website (talk about a brain zapper and time consumer...and I am using a template). I started with what would be my logo.</div>
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Then I made my Facebook page. Let me just tell you the couple different times I have attempted to manage more than one Facebook page linked with my name it is a disaster. And, this time was no different. But it is working now. Yay!!!! Finally after fighting with it for 5 weeks...yes, sadly, it is true. FIVE long frustrating weeks. You can check it out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kalinaraboinphotography" target="_blank">here</a>. I will let you know when I am ready to launch the website. While you are probably living in a different country, you can still take a look and see what I am up to in the wee hours of the night, staying up really late and going cross-eyed. Because, we all know, especially homeschool moms, that there is never any time in the day for this sort of activity. I decided to take the plunge and do this. I figured if I can even do a few shoots here and there that will help pay for plane tickets to go back to the states, once a year hopefully, and maybe not drain the bank....have you seen airfare prices lately?????? And for a family of 6?? Whew! </div>
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So, Kristin, thanks for the shove!!! I laughed when I got your message this morning. Hopefully, I am back from my extended leave. And I will give the latest and greatest snippets of life here in Costa Rica serving a mighty God.</div>
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Night All!</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/255/841DAD2C536A4D4B07175C69ED2F7551.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-35691703031524063132013-06-25T14:34:00.000-07:002013-06-25T14:37:45.605-07:00Name Them One by OneI started reading this book a couple days ago. I have seen it on reading lists, Kindle's favorites, and pinned by many. Into, always, at least 5 other books, I refrained from purchasing it until now. <br />
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<a href="http://onethousandgifts.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ECo2W7IZ24vFHH7AcYpf11g7sxDmM9VPh4Yuh5pS9BnyA_PQzkntU3k4JB354rsNMEvcsI3kyiBQ44-QvnxJmQ4W3ZLs0FiHCQsbeoOwFHDUmKd7Oy5ZYw8WH2eNHOzwHZxFUUxFPzU/s640/1000gifts.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
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I am only about one third of the way into it...speechless. Guilty. Truly feeling how unthankful I have really been. A time for much prayer. A time, time that is priceless, that is given to me, to name the blessings all one by one. Deep in my heart I see the complete vanity of the words, "Dear Lord thank you for all of my blessings." And the reality of never completely stopping to see the blessings, ceasing the moment to record the blessings to my memory, and drawing attention to the smallest details He created and BLESSED me with. He blessed me with Time to see them, and I am just like this author described it, "a slave to time." She couldn't have been more right. I am a slave to time. I run against time. I wait on time. I rush against time. I fight with time...time that God has given me. Time he has given me to be thankful in all things. </div>
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<i>"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ~ 1 Thes 5:18</i> </div>
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How ashamed I am to say that I have not taken the time to see the blessings in everything and everywhere. Because they truly are everywhere, because God is everywhere. This morning after my study, all I could hear was...</div>
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I want to see the smallest things, some of the most beautiful things, things that are right in front of me, if I just looked and named them one by one. Ann Voskamp pens a challenge that I should already be living, a challenge to name all the blessings "One by One." In the rush of life I have not seen the blessings, the gifts. I have not named them, I have simply thanked him for my blessings. What are those blessings? </div>
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So, today I start naming them one by one. I want to see the thousands and thousands of Gifts that he has bestowed to me, to all of us. I want to record them in my heart, in my mind. I will journal them, I will photo them, and I will record the beauty of their sounds...all one by one. The challenge is a year...1,000 gifts, but I can do this for a lifetime, because his gifts are innumerable. </div>
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<i>Gifts Heard</i></div>
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<i>1. the choir of birds singing after the rain </i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-53701316436076633122013-06-21T12:45:00.001-07:002013-06-21T12:45:21.182-07:00Living For Him Now, So I Can Live With Him LaterMany know parts of the journey of David and I as we started questioning our lives three years ago, probably before then, but a little over three years ago was a definite marking point in time. Along with so many other couples we realized many financial mistakes we made that could have saved us tons of money, you know the ones like trading cars when you really didn't need to, etc. Then there were the things in life that we chose to do that were huge financial costs {but the biggest blessings and priceless} like making our family. That being said, we had started Dave Ramsey 5 years ago, so when we started having this change of heart in our lives we had already started the debt reduction process. <br />
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We were on the tract of "If you live like no one else now, then later you can live like no one else later." When we realized that there was more to life than what we were living, we were weeks away from bringing Leia home. We had been questioning everything and all the choices we had made and wanted to make. We continued on with Dave Ramsey, finished paying off the adoption, paid off a car, and were finally left with our house and a very small car loan. Weeks before traveling to bring Leia home, we decided after much thought and prayer that we needed to take our first trip to Costa Rica. I had had several yard sales over a span of 4 years of adoption processes and had gone through my house always finding more and more that I could do without. So, again, went through the house, sold more stuff, and booked flights for our first trip to Costa Rica. Dave Ramsey would have balked. We were not stashing the extra money toward the small car loan or the principal on our mortgage. Instead, we made our first trip to Costa Rica. <br />
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Our first trip down here, led to our second trip, then another, and another. For two years we had tons of yard sales, made hundreds of pieces of jewelry, and using birthday money, Christmas money to make these trips to Costa Rica. While we were doing this, I will be honest, we were not saving a dime. We continued with the envelope plan, and kept paying the car and house debt we had, but not knocking any extra away. We prepared to sell our house or rent our house. We prayed and prayed and prayed. Things started falling into place for us to move here. Our house rented. We literally sold almost everything, aside from linens and my kitchen. Sold both of our cars. Shipped 3 small pallets of our belongings. And moved our family to another country. It was one of the hardest things we have done and in so many ways one of the best things we have done. </div>
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Dave Ramsey would not have approved. Really, not a day goes by that I don't think about "What if." What if we had continued with the smart and more financially responsible decision of paying our house off, so that we could live like no one else later? What if we had not decided to make all those trips here because that would not have been "living like no one else?" What if we had liquidated all of our belongings and instead used the money to pay double payments on our house instead of moving here? </div>
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What if we had continued to plan our lives around smart financial decisions? We had been a slave to money and debt all those years and our logic was if we could pay off all the debt, we would be free. But free to do what? Save our money to buy the things we wanted with cash? Is slavery to cash much different than slavery to credit? In the end it is the same chains that bind us, we have just shined them up a bit because we are "debt free". Smart financial planning tells you to save and save and save so that someday you will be able to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labors. Sounds a lot like the man in <i>Luke 12:18 that said, I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. 20 But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." </i> As all these thought ran through our heads we decided to stop living for a tomorrow that might never come. We realized that we had put a lot of faith into our ability to prosper and make a bright future for our family. So we finally put our faith where it belongs, into the loving hands of our Lord and Savior. <br />
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What if we had continued on our path to debt free prosperity and physical security? This is what I know. We would have not followed the steps of Jesus. Our hearts truly would not have known the brokenness, that you just don't see in the United States. We would have never met the people here who we love dearly. We would have never made the relationships with people here and been able to share the Gospel with them. Lots of people would have never heard the Gospel. Tons of people would not have a Bible to read. I do NOT at all say these things in anyway to glorify anything about us. If we had let our heads lead us and continued to overlook where Jesus was trying to lead us, we would have not been able to spread that seed. Instead we would be storing and stashing every penny into our mortgage and possibly that IRA fund we don't have, planning to live like no one else later. A "Later" that may never happen. <br />
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James 4:14 says, "Y<span style="background-color: #fffefd; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">et you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." </span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">I don't believe in living above your means, running your life on credit, mortgaging 1/2 your income. I think there is a balance, a balance that can only be truly measured by the word of God. Some will say to listen to your heart over your mind and others will say the opposite. But lets face it, both our heart and our head can lead us astray. We have to use both our hearts and our minds to know which direction to go, which choices to make.</span><br />
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<i><b>Luke 10:27</b>. And he answered, You shall love the Lord your God with all your <u>heart</u> and with all your <u>soul</u> and with all your <u>strength</u> and with all your <u>mind</u>, and your neighbor as yourself. 28 And he said to him, You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.</i><br />
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When our entire existence is focused on GOD and what HE wants us to do with our lives, that is when we will stop making choices that are based on selfish desires.<br />
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<i><b>Proverbs 16:9</b>. The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.</i><br />
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<i><b>Jeremiah 10:23</b>. I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Today marks one year since we moved to Costa Rica. We had no idea what the future held one year ago, and still don't know what the future holds. All we know is today. We pray about the uncertainties and for His will. We pray daily for HIS plan. His plan is the certain thing in life. Their are so many uncertain things in our lives but the one thing that is certain is that He gave his life for us, the Lord paved a way for us. It is our choice whether we follow. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">I WANT TO LIVE FOR HIM NOW, SO I CAN LIVE WITH HIM LATER.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">~ This post is a join effort from David and I ~</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-27657958324725364132013-06-20T14:00:00.000-07:002013-06-20T14:06:25.932-07:00Who Is the "Itsy Bitsy" Bringing Glory To?Scenario 1:<br />
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Kids are running crazy through the house. You just stepped out of shower. Doorbell has been ringing. Nobody can hear it because they are playing crazy LOUD. You are expecting a parent of a child that is at your house playing. Frantic to get something on and answer the door. Bra and panties on, you head to the front door to greet child's parent. Child's parent is his Dad.<br />
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Scenario 2:</div>
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Saturday night you hosted dinner at your house. You plate everyone's salad, remove lasagna from oven, slice the bread, fill the drinks, and serve. Oh yeah, you are hosting dinner in your bra and panties. Dinner is served. Let's sit around the table and have a nice conversation...while you chill in your bra and panties. Time for dessert. Everyone still sitting at the table while you serve dessert walking around in your bra and panties. </div>
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Call me crazy, but these scenarios I just painted are happening everyday during these summer months. Change the 1st one to kids are playing in sprinkler and you are in backyard and walk through house to answer door in a bikini. All I did was change the location to the backyard from the bathroom and interchanged the word bikini {reality...they are the same thing}. And in scenario 2, location is on your back deck with friends and interchange bikini for undergarments. So, the bikini has a different name than bra and panties, but they are one and the same. Actually, I take that back, I have seen some swimsuits that offer pretty much no coverage.</div>
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You are at the beach enjoying God's beautiful creations and soaking in all the rays....in your panties and bra...with hundreds of other people...and GOD. Yeah, he is there too. </div>
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"Am I a God at hand declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord." ~Jeremiah 23:23-24</div>
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I am pretty sure most of you have seen this video or have at least seen it floating around Facebook. This lady goes into the history of the bikini. Pretty interesting facts. </div>
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Isn't our existence to glorify God in all that we do? </div>
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Who are we glorifying when we expose our entire body for everyone to see? </div>
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What is the purpose? To show off the body you have worked for? </div>
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"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." </div>
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~1 Corinthians 6:19-20</div>
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Does walking around in a bikini {same as your undergarments} glorify God? Be honest!</div>
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Would you disciple someone and share the Gospel with them over coffee in your panties and bra? How weird would that be? Why is it okay to move from the coffee bar setting to the beach, and now all of a sudden it is okay to wear the neon printed, waterproof undergarments? Would you sit with a couple and give biblical marriage advice in your underwear? Would you stress the importance of purity to your daughter and her priceless value and shop for her bikini....then finish the conversation while sitting at the pool where everyone can take view of her physical assets? Think about it.</div>
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What are we doing? What are we teaching these young impressionable girls and boys too? Why has society, Christians, accepted this as okay? </div>
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"So then each of us will give an account of himself to God." ~ Romans 14:12</div>
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Modesty is not just a matter of what we wear, but the intent of our hearts as well. Honestly some could walk around in a potato sack and still not be modest. Our actions must be modest, our speech must be modest, and our hearts serving the Lord and serving those around us. Who are we serving when the bikini is donned? Who are we glorifying? </div>
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Maybe you agree with me. Maybe these words and videos caused you to think. Maybe they made you angry. Whatever the emotion this post evokes in you, I pray that is causes you to seek His word, His wisdom, and His truth and what we can do to bring Him the most glory.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-25248356667037087182013-06-20T04:30:00.000-07:002013-06-20T04:30:02.782-07:00Sugar RushI have been asked for this recipe so many times, that I have decided to just share it here. Then I can just reference to this link....no more retyping it and resending it more times than I can remember. <br />
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I cannot take the credit for this recipe. This is the recipe my mom and Lesa Avaritt always use. They have been eaten, or devoured by many. They will put you into a diabetic coma in mere seconds. </div>
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They are so EASY. Non-laborous. They do not take half the day to make. PERFECT!!</div>
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MAKE the DOUGH the NIGHT BEFORE!!!</div>
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2 C warm water</div>
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1/2 C oil</div>
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5 T sugar</div>
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2 tsp yeast</div>
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1 egg</div>
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4 C self-rising flour {don't have any, no worries I use <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Self-Rising-Flour/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=self%20rising%20flour&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page" target="_blank">this recipe</a>.}</div>
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Place warm water in mixing bowl and add yeast. No need to let it set. I just do this first and then get my other ingredients together. I then add my oil, sugar, and beaten egg. Then add all of the flour. Don't worry, the dough will be thinner than you think it should for a yeast dough. I mix very well with a wooden spoon. Cover bowl with saran wrap and place in fridge over night. </div>
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In the morning, flour a pastry mat very heavily. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dump dough on the mat, add more flour to knead with. I knead it for 2-3 minutes. Roll out into a rectangle. Melt 3/4 stick butter. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture over the butter. I don't measure this, I just always have cinnamon and sugar already mixed together and on hand. I then sprinkle a little brown sugar on the dough too. Roll the rectangle up. I then make my roll pieces by using a string of unflavored dental floss. It works so much better than attempting to use a knife. I use the Pampered Chef Jelly Roll pan, and it is the perfect size.</div>
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Bake for 18-20 minutes, until tops are lightly browned. I remove them from oven and let them cool 10-15 minutes before frosting them. And, again, I have no recipe for my frosting. This is approximate and you may need to add more water or powdered sugar until you have the consistency you like. I prefer more of a frosting than a glaze. If you make a runny glaze, to me, it just makes the cinnamon rolls doughy...not my thing. </div>
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3 C powdered sugar</div>
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5 TB water {I honestly have no idea, just start here, and I never add more than a TB at a time}</div>
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*another yummy version is to whip in a TB or 2 of softened cream cheese*</div>
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I mix by hand or with a hand mixer. I like it to be the consistancy of toothpaste. Frost. Eat. Go back to sleep!!!</div>
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I am good after about 3 bites, but David thinks you need 3 or 4 of them...he will surely go into a coma one day from eating these.....reason 101 why I do not make these very often.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158463124245749033.post-83883967266878500612013-06-19T14:22:00.001-07:002013-06-19T14:22:31.805-07:00Celebrating LifeMany of you know where my passion lies in regards to the orphans in this world. Once you are truly awakened by the complete and shattering brokenness of the orphan, your life really is never the same. <br />
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I have laid awake many a nights brainstorming for a "BIG" plan that would enable me to be a better voice for the orphan. A plan that would make the most impact. A plan that would help the most children. A plan that would make the most difference. In the end, all I can do is act. I can act small, act big, act financially, act in prayer. But the simple fact is I HAVE to do something, because doing nothing is not a voice for the orphans. And God is pretty clear on the role, we as Christians, are to play in their lives. Pretty simple, we are to be a part of their lives. We are to care. </div>
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"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." ~ James 1:27</div>
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And when I make my acts "pure and undefiled," I am blessed beyond measure. I am blessed with cuteness like this, smiles that stay with you forever. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bh_ENnl1aUJVHI6RtR5-wEyL4CDx4_hhWdiQ9qklKaNOU9oGR0rjhaym5UbaVlFKT5CQmKmY6LXVZj-keKopceQ4ZPGwFc-xcWebf1m-w0Pt86EJVBzN3HXSxqbepFc8U5aC8jo0Gk8/s1600/DSC_0294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bh_ENnl1aUJVHI6RtR5-wEyL4CDx4_hhWdiQ9qklKaNOU9oGR0rjhaym5UbaVlFKT5CQmKmY6LXVZj-keKopceQ4ZPGwFc-xcWebf1m-w0Pt86EJVBzN3HXSxqbepFc8U5aC8jo0Gk8/s640/DSC_0294.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I am so excited to be baking sweetness for these children for one of the local Children's Homes here in Atenas. My art and creating in the kitchen to celebrate life = PERFECT for me. I will keep you posted with their celebrations throughout the year. This sweet boy turned 5 last week and celebrated Sunday. I figured a 5 year old boy would love to dig into some butter cake, topped with chocolate buttercream, with some Oreo dirt, and construction signs. </div>
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Right now I know so many people who are in the beginning, middle, and end of the adoption process, and starting the lifelong journey of loving those little ones. There are so many, too many to list, THANK YOU LORD, but I ask that you pray for them, for anyone who is in this journey or thinking about entering this journey. They need it. That precious child needs it. And, we, the parents need it. </div>
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Everyday I am amazed at the blessings I have witnessed through adoption. The webs that have been intermingled, friendships and lifelong bonds created, just bring me speechless. I have been so blessed by this amazing thing called ADOPTION. </div>
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A little over two years ago, an old childhood friend was in Chick Fil A in Little Rock and saw my mom. She and my mom talked. She told me her and her husband were thinking about adopting. We exchanged many facebook messages. She prayed for us throughout our adoption with Leia. They soon started their journey to their Peruvian Princess. And, she wrote a book. WOW!! She recorded their brokenness, their love, and the harsh reality of so many children in the world. </div>
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<a href="http://www.takethischild.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bVTQ05f8g4m53ZoJIh4hAJLqLDRa2OoTjuKaSKDjVDHVXwsWBiisDCgB0P4u9ze2zWOsEaV4NkoolK5ifBqLrmA70wSfFZAdPaTDnYc7S_oi9AaMQ8ItfDgHHzS7NCQ9uaLqLs4dqTg/s640/1004403_10151700931059859_806872265_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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{Picture used by Calley's permission}</div>
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If you are curious about adoption, what it does to your heart, and how it can turn it inside out and then be mended with a gift sent from the Lord, then read this book. All proceeds go to the construction of The Jessica House in Iquitos, Peru. You can purchase her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Take-This-Child-Calley-Harrell/dp/1484999703/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371676223&sr=1-1&keywords=take+this+child" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Take-This-Child-Calley-Harrell/dp/1484999703/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371569979&sr=1-1&keywords=calley+reed" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDcrKQ1qNE6AzRAgtX9Wp7jifnOZU2SBixZ9ykiojrRcIFJcSJ9Q5zZBUi9zRWIvElojPu1aeQmI22tDLFoPyohzpySxQ-AtgZaE4R-ZElWJILRUS1SYaXUdtpkLuU0OxbQN3Gotg4A0/s640/51iiP7AaaFL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02582632009013810763noreply@blogger.com0