All Things Beautiful and Creepy

The kids have become really good butterfly catchers.  They don't even have to go outside to catch them.  They catch them inside the house.  Yes, didn't you know we have a butterfly house, along with some nasty huge bird-sized moths.  They are constantly catching both.  They have been using the little pint plastic strawberry containers from the market to catch their butterflies.

Nana brought them a fancy little butterfly catcher house and magnifying glass.  You would have thought she gave them a million dollars inside this little thing.  They loved it and couldn't wait to use it.  Butterflies are everywhere here.  They are always nestled in the wild flowers and flittering around.

They are ready to go!

He had a blast and was this animated the

entire 2 hour hike.

He thought he wanted to go, then

decided after we walked one way down

the street and came back that he 

was going to stop off at the house

and stay with Daddy and Leia.

Ready to GO!

Thy sky was beautiful that morning.

And the sun was super intense, even

with sunscreen.  That was my first burn

here, complete with scabbing blisters 

to the shoulders.  Next time I will 

take the sunscreen with and reapply!!

Again, more AWESOME beauty just steps outside the 

front door.

Nana spotted this thing crawling in the bushes along our walk.

It was the creepiest caterpillar I have ever seen.  I took 

lots of pictures and we went on.

We captured out first butterfly.  We did 

WAY more chasing than catching.

And we lost more out of the butterfly

net than we were able to keep.

Searching hard.

They are Gonna' Get It!

Using her nifty new magnifying glass to 

look at the leaf-cutter ants.

Proud of his Catch.  Who said it had

to be fish??

On our way back to the house, we came across the same 

caterpillar.  He had made it quite a way and was in

the middle of the road.  I wanted David to see it, 

and not just the pictures.  So, I caught it with the net.  

That thing was CREEPY!!  I don't know how

many times I squealed, and it was the longest 

walk back to the house with this thing!

And at the end we only came home with 2!  That was 

a lot of work for 2 butterflies.  Maybe we will get better

at this butterfly catching.

Awesome Wonders (just out the backdoor)

Just a drive to town brings beautiful landscape made by our God.  The beauty here is just AWESOME!  Like I have said before, pictures could never captivate the Awesome Wonder that is before our very eyes everyday here.  From my back porch you can become mesmerized by the mountains and the fog misting the mountains and on clear days you see the bright sun shining across the mountain tops and valleys.  At night it is spotted with lights all across the mountain.  LOVE IT!

There is so much that we would love to see and do here.  But, as the story always goes, that takes time and money.  While my Mom was visiting we finally made it to the waterfall (that is only 25 minutes by car...not sure if you remember my post of the trip that took all day by buses and then the entrance to the waterfall was closed that day) that is really close to us.

You are allowed to swim in the pool.

David walked (or slipped his way down the 

mossy rocks), stuck his toes in, and was done.

He said it was super, super cold.  Must have been

really cold if he wouldn't get in.  

You can see how huge this is by looking at

the waterfall to the left, and David, the speck, is

just to the right.

That is as far as he made it.

This was beautiful.  I cannot even imagine what Niagara Falls looks like.  The kids thought it was super cool and kept asking where all that water was coming from.  It was hard to see all the way to the top.

I think her expression says it all!

Nana and Carson

Our little stinker : )

Can't you tell she is full

of MISCHIEF!

Having a blast!  She asked if everyday could be like

this day : )

We found one thing here that is cheap...Swimming!! And the grounds were so pretty.  Pretty sure the slide was made by hand.  You could see where the concrete had been framed by wooden forms, wooden forms removed, they painted the concrete blue and white, and you slid down on ceramic 12x12 tiles, complete with grout joints.  You ought to ask David how that felt ; ).  I did not brave the slide.

1st trip down the slide.

I was very surprised that the kids all climbed up the 

stairs on their own and slid down on their own.

He was not that enthused the first trip down.

I think there is a smile there.  

He always got stuck and would have to 

scoot down, because he didn't 

weigh enough.

She was completely content in the 

kiddie pool until she scared herself 

by falling face down in it and could get up.

Nana can move really fast!!  If you see

her you should ask her about it : )

See Saws....remembering the playground days.

These are the kind of See Saws I remember, you know

the welded kind, not the plastic bolted kind.

She is the next Olympic Gymnast.

(David, Mom, and I all successfully were able to 

hang vertically upside down with our body straight. 

David's looked prettier then mine and mom).

What is with that face?

They acted like they loved each other, umm, 

for about a half second.

Probably the coolest thing about this adventure was we had the whole place to ourselves.  A major plus to having your Saturday during the middle of the week while everyone else is working and at school.

August 2012 Costa Rica Newsletter - by David

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Greetings from Costa Rica, the heavier rains have started here but the future is looking bright. As I write
this letter I am at a loss for words to describe the depth of my excitement about how the Lord is working here. I am happy to report that we Baptized seven new Christians this Saturday. These were all people that had been attending the church services for the last two months and we have spent countless hours in that time studying the word of God together. There is nothing sweeter than seeing these people that we care for so much obeying the Gospel and beginning their new life in service to the Lord. There are several more people that we have high hopes for also and Lord willing they will heed the call of the Lord soon. I believe that these new converts are going to be an integral part of the ongoing work of reaching the lost and making new contacts within the community.

I have also been having some very good studies every week with a man that lives close to us in Atenas.
He comes from a Catholic family but he told me that he has always had a blasé attitude about religion in the
past. He is from Nicaragua and he is here working as a guard of a bank owned house. He has been living
alone in this empty house for a year now and he cannot leave the house except for short trips to town for food.  This year of solitude combined with his inability to see his kids for two years has caused him to think a lot and reevaluate his life. I found out he could leave on Sundays so I asked him this last week if he would come to the church service with us. He agreed and I think he really enjoyed the fellowship and the chance to get out of that house. I feel good about the direction he is heading and I have an open invitation to come study with him any day of the week.

We are still looking for a new place for our worship services. The community building that I had hoped to
use is not going to be a reliable option. There are not many options that are in accessible locations there but
we have faith that the Lord will provide. All the families that have been meeting with us have had various kinds of financial struggles lately because of things that they cannot control. I don't know how these people survive on the money they make in a good month much less in bad months. We have helped them where we could and they don't ask us for help but I know from being in their homes that they are facing desperate times. I have encouraged all of them with the verses in Matthew 6:25-34 and they have taken that to heart. Please remember them in your prayers and if you can help please let us know.

I want to thank everyone again that has supported us and the work in Costa Rica. Your prayers and
support make you a part of the work here and we are so thankful for your love and generosity. The past month we were short by $1450.00 on budgeted expenses. We also had to spend $1900.00 on non budgeted expenses that were mostly medical costs when Kalina had to get an MRI and see a Neurologist because of complications caused by her Lupus.

If you would like to financially support this

work please send donations to this address:

6301 Walnut Cove

Benton AR, 72019

Dios les bendiga (God bless you all)

David Raboin

Apdo #112 - 4013

Alajuela, Atenas, Atenas

20501, Costa Rica

501-303-4488 (little rock phone number

that calls us on Skype - free for most people)

506-6078-8191 (Costa Rica cell phone)

raboindavid@hotmail.com

(This isn't the picture he had on the newsletter. 

He included a picture of one of the baptisms.

But since I had already shared those....

I thought I would share this one.)

Send A Message

So, I have an idea.  Here goes...

We talk about (me, with my limited Spanish and much use of body language) our friends, our family, and others we know who are praying for the Lord's work to be done in Costa Rica and the people.  We tell them there are people who are praying specifically for them.  And they smile.

I want our new friends and Christians here to know who I am telling them about.  Connect a face with a name.  I want them to know you.  I want them to know and feel the love across borders.

We have three different families currently attending services with us and I would love to show them pictures of everyone who is praying for them.  I want them to know all the people who are praying for them.

I thought it would be awesome to show them pictures and give them photos with a little note from the person, maybe a word of encouragement, a scripture, or just something about yourself.    If you would like to do this, please send me an email (kalinaraboin@yahoo.com) with a picture of yourself or family attached and the note you would like to give them.  We will translate it into Spanish and attach the note with the printed picture and give it to them.

I know they would just love to know all of you guys too, and this was the idea that came to me.

Proverbs 25:25 "Like cold water to a thirsty soul, So is good news from a distant land."

The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

Matthew 9:35-38

³⁵ And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds,he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Every time I see these Leaf-Cutters at work I always think about these scriptures.  

WHAT IF

we all labored together, so hard, so fervently, so intent, and 

TOGETHER

just like these ants?

Imagine the harvest that there would be!!

There are thousands of these ants all working together, with a common goal.  They all carry their load, do their share, to accomplish the task.  The Harvest that we could accomplish together is HUGE.  We can all labor, doing our part, working together, wherever we are to get the job done that the Lord has set before us.  The Harvest is Plentiful!

(I have had this blog post in my mind since we moved here.  It took me 2 months to get some good pictures of these things!!)

I Never Thought I Would

As we have settled into our life here in Costa Rica there are things that I would never have thought...

Our first electric bill was outrageous.  We don't even have lights on during the day and no A/C. We thought we were being very conservative and only turned the light on in the room you are in at night.  We took out light bulbs and were using energy efficient bulbs.  I just couldn't give up the hot showers.  And I do still bake (it is my therapy).  What was I going to do?  I thought I had already been conservative with our energy consumption.  I can't quit baking...well, I could, but I really do think that would make for some very cranky Raboins.

This was a picture from  my 1st day hanging clothes...

I have since become very efficient and learned better

techniques : )

I never in a million years thought in this day in time I would at the ago of almost 30 in the year 2012 be hanging clothes out to dry, out of necessity.  I am not a green person, so I do not do this to save energy for the world : )  I do this now to save money.  Yes, I never thought it would be my first priority to get clothes washing in the morning so they can get hung out to dry before the rain starts moving in after noon.  I grumbled about this at first, but now I have gotten used to it.  It does take time out of my day, but it also gives me quiet time to myself during the day.  : )  Usually the only one to follow me out to do this is Leia and she just quietly hands me clothes pins. Oh, and look what my mom sent in our tote that we got last night!  I just love this little apron.  And Olivia wants one too.  The things that now excite us.

Never thought I would save foil.  I think I would make my Memaw and Nanaw (great-grandmothers) proud if they saw how thrifty I have become.  And, I just thought I was thrifty before.  I always remember them washing foil and thinking how disgusting that was and why couldn't they just throw it away and get some more.  Days of the Depression did not die in their minds.  Now if it is yucky we do not reuse, so don't go thinking I am using gross foil that I have had to scrub before reusing : )  Just wanted to clarify.

Never thought I would say that my husband would become less picky of an eater (and my children too)!  He will now gladly try my new recipes after being forced to eat other things at other times by other people.  He did not like Pumpkin muffins before...he now says they are very good.  That is wonderful, except for the fact that I only have 2 cans of pumpkin that I brought from the states.

Never thought that I would have "Gecko Poop Patrol" assignments in my home.  Yes, daily assignments are given out as to who's job it is that day.  If you stay with us, you will be added to the rotation.  Ask my mom!

Never thought I would be an "Ice Nazi!"  That is one thing that I could not stand when we would visit here.  It is an act of congress to get a couple cubes of ice in your drink.  I now know why.  Freezers require electricity, which is a very valuable thing, so space is utilized for necessary items.  So, I have a small freezer space, this coming from a woman who was accustomed to a 27cubic foot fridge in the house, a 25cubic foot fridge in the garage, and an upright deep freeze.  Yes, I was a little obsessed.  Now, all of that is consolidated into a 20 cubic foot fridge.  Yikes!!  So, we only have 4 ice trays (no space for more) and I count the amount of cubes you get.

Never thought I would live anywhere else but Arkansas and never would have dreamed another country.
Never thought I would actually need to learn another language.  (I should have chosen Spanish and not French...should have listened to my mother on that one.  You know, I thought I might go to France one day).

Never thought I would choose to buy butter over buying shaving cream.  Can you believe a package of butter costs $10 and a can of shaving is $9!!!!  Insane

Never thought I would experience a 7.6 earthquake!!!!  Write that one down in the book of memories.  Whew!  Logan said he thought a dinosaur was coming in the house.  Carson wondered why his bed was shaking everywhere.  Olivia said she thought it was Jesus coming back.  And, you should see Leia reenact it.  She throws her hands in the air and starts shaking.

All of these things and so many more I would have never thought would be a part of my  life.  But they are.  And so are some very special people.

Oh Happy Day

Oh happy day

Oh happy day

When Jesus washed

Oh when He washed

Mmm, when He washed

All my sins away

Oh happy day

Oh happy day (Oh happy day)

Oh happy day (Oh happy day)

When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)

Oh when He washed (When Jesus washed)

Mmm, when He washed (Mmm, when He washed)

All my sins away (Oh happy day)

He taught me how to watch

Watch and pray

Watch and pray (Watch and pray)

And live rejoicing every day

Every day (Every day)

Oh happy day (Oh happy day)

Oh happy day (Oh happy day)

When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)

Oh when He washed (When Jesus washed)

Mmm, when He washed (Mmm, when He washed)

All my sins away (Oh happy day)

It was a happy day (Oh happy day)

What a wonderful day it has been!!  Seven people were baptized today.  Praising the Lord!

Here are a couple pictures that Keith took.

Short and Sweet

Some have asked if I have fallen off the BlogWorld.  No, it just got pushed by the way side for a bit.  I am trying to get back in the groove.  My mom came and stayed for a week with us and left last Friday.  I think it was the shortest 7 1/2 days ever!  We had a count down going for a while, waiting, and counting the days til Nana and Scarlett came.  Yes, the kids now have their dog home with us.  The day came and then it was GONE.

She is always making banners, signs, posters, cards...

Would not have been a complete welcome

without her sign.

Patiently waiting.  We have been working on

Patience.  Everyday they asked, "How many more

days till Nana comes?  How many days till Mammaw

comes."  And their reply, "That's too many!"

He is also very excited that his dog will be here soon.

He is just a little happy!

Blurry, but this was the only shot I got.

We did what we would have done at home in the states, except more often.  We cooked, we ate, we played!  Mom hit Costa Rican soil running.  Making our trips to town has to count, so as soon as we picked her up we headed to the kids' favorite store PriceSmart (Sam's), and I am not even kidding about it being their favorite store.  We got groceries and then took the kids to Wendy's.  YAY!!!!  A dinner at Wendy's is like fine dining to us now.  Never thought I would be so excited to go out to eat at Wendy's.  My, oh my, how fast priorities can change.

Friday us girls went to the market for our weekly produce trip then headed back home to just hang out.  We cooked lots of yummies Friday afternoon and Saturday for our first potluck at church on Sunday.  Made lots of homemade sandwich buns, assembled sandwiches, created yummy little citrus cookies, and apple bars.  That is another post...such yummy recipes.

Leia and Nana enjoying Coconut Water from

the market.

Their is a vendor who has ice chests full

of iced down coconuts.  Not sure what is with

the green ones.  I have only seen them with brown 

coconuts once.  

And of coarse lots of playing with their dog.  They couldn't get enough of the cute little fuzz ball, and she was happy to see them too.  She had been staying with my mom for 3 months.  I think she has settled in just fine.

In case you can't tell, he loves her!

He carries her around like a rag doll

all day long.

Mom came, we stopped school, stopped blogging.  She left, school had to start back (sigh) and blogging well, I am super behind on everything I want to share.  I have been going for a couple months with only 3-4 hours of sleep every night and it is wearing.  Liv broke the other laptop and has to use mine during the day for school now.  So, by the time she is done with school in the evenings and I have a spare minute at night, I am pooped and my brained completely too fried to even begin making coherent sentences or maybe even fragmented thoughts.  

This past week was a blur trying to get back into our school routine, doctor appointments, lots of new friends over to the house this week, and the kids and I moving out of moping because Nana had to leave too soon.  I think we did pretty good.  My sweet hubby went straight from the airport to the nursery (it was a botanical garden oasis).  I took lots of pictures of that.  Will share soon.  So, the countdown has already started for Mammaw and Pappaw since they are next to visit.  Logan asks and when we tell him like 70 something days , his response is, "That's too many!!!"