La Belleza Para Las Cenizas Beauty For Ashes

April/May 09 Newsletter

2009-07-15T07:13:00.002-05:00

Okay so I was really late on this one but I finally got it out! http://lifepointozark.com/media/pdf/2009-05_lovelandNews.pdf

Learning To Ride A Bike

2009-07-12T14:01:00.004-05:00

Today I was on a date with Jesus at Parque Bosque. The sun was shinning, the wind was wrestling the leaves, the mountains gave away some of their secrets, and the perfect temperature made it just…well, perfect.

I love watching people and from time to time I would get distracted. There were these two that I couldn’t take my eyes off of for awhile. The man was tall for a tico, his white beard coming out from under his ball cap encircling his proud smile for his grandchild. He was teaching his grand-daughter, who looked to be about 8 years old, how to ride a bike.

He would show her how to get on the bike and would position the peddles for her. The loving grandfather would hold on to either her or the bike as they started off for the grand adventure. At times he would only hold on to the back of the bike, or the front of the bike, or just her shirt; wherever he felt would give her the best chance to do it alone without getting too hurt.

The grandfather was so encouraging and would give her instructions on what to do. Sometimes it wasn’t all fun; she did fall off several times. Yet her grandfather was right there to encourage her to keep trying.

As I enjoyed every minute watching these two, God started showing me this is how He is with us. He will show us one step at a time how to do the next new thing in our lives. He demonstrates how to get started; He even positions the peddles for us. He guides us and when He knows we are ready He begins letting us do more. He is there always with His hand on us being our cheerleader.

He’s there even when we fall off the bike and get hurt. God our Father, picks us up, checks our wounds, does the healing He needs to and helps us back up on the bike again. As we ride, He is running right next to us, never letting us out of His sight or reach. He rejoices in our success and laughs with us. He is ever so gentle and never calls us stupid because it takes us longer than we think it should, or we take detours. He is always there loving us ever so sweetly.

What an awesome God we have that cares to teach us, show us, guide us, love us, and be there for us every moment of the day.

Saca Tus Máscaras

2009-07-06T21:00:00.005-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I helped my friend Kathy at La Carpio with the Saturday group of teenage girls. I taught the lesson.

The afternoon started off a little rough. I had put in my brand new pair of contacts from my brand new boxes, but one was bothering me and I thought it would settle down after a few. So I left and caught my two different buses to head to La Carpio.

By this time it has been 2 hours and my contact was still bothering me. When I got to the building it was locked but I had to get the contact out of my eye and clean it. So I thought for some reason, it was a good idea to do it right there outside. Everything went fine until I was holding it up making sure it was clean and then the wind came. My contact took off like a feather and fell somewhere behind me in the tall grass. The two ticos who were there wouldn't give up trying to find it, though I had. This now meant I was unable to read my notes or even the Bible. But as always God had His plans.

I got to talk to a girl who was 15 and taking care of her 5 year old sister. She had very sad eyes and a heaviness about her that a 15 year old should not have. She told me that she has been living in La Carpio for about a year now. Before that she was living in Nicaragua with her grandparents. Her mother left her in Nicaragua when she was less than two years old and moved to Costa Rica.

This young lady knew only her grandparents as her parents. She never had contact with her mother until her grandparents died and she had to move to Costa Rica and meet her mother for the first time that she can remember. It's a very hard situation for her as her mother's boyfriend isn't the nicest; her mother has 4 other kids; and she is living with "complete strangers". Her fragile heart was breaking before me. This sweet girl helped me out with a lot that day.

The girls played some games for a while and then I began teaching "Saca Tus Máscaras" meaning "Take Off Your Masks." God directed me to talk about how I have worn different masks in my life and what they were and why; and the ones I still struggle with. Then I shared about how they get in our way of living a true life and shared with them what God tells us about them. I then shared that God wants us to put something on every day to protect us but it's not our masks, it's His armor and so we briefly talked about the armor. After the lesson we made masks.

The girls were great to work with and it was fun and I was surprised at how well it went, even without being able to read my notes. God is great to always show up when His Truth is being taught and a person is willing to allow Him to speak through them.

Thank you so much to those of you who were praying. Your prayers helped make this possible. Thank you for being a part of this ministry of changing ashes into beauty of the Lord.

I Cut My Hair Off

2009-07-05T20:55:00.004-05:00

So I have been needing a change for a while. Perhaps it's a last 6 months of being in my 20's crisis or something like that. Nonetheless my hair was cut off for some mental break down but I really like it a lot! Here's a few pictures of it.

Sharing in Church

2009-07-05T20:32:00.004-05:00

I have been attending a church called Mision Cristiana Enmanuel Siloh for about 2 months now and have fallen in love with it. It's a small church with about 50 people. Besides myself there are only two other gringo families. Last Sunday during service Pastor Alex was talking about us, the gringos, and how we're a blessing to them and how they want to be a blessing to us. Then Pastor Alex asked the church if they would like us to do the next Sunday's service; and so it was we were doing the next service.

Today was that next Sunday's service. I got the pleasure to sing with their praise team along with my friend who played guitar and sung. Our theme was that everyone is a missionary, not just us who left our countries. So each of shared with them a little about how God has called us to missions.

I always love looking back at how God has called me because there's a lot of times that I allow satan's lies to get into my head and heart and I really start questioning if I'm really suppose to be here. But God is amazing and always knows when I need to look back at how He has undoubtedly called me and has opened the doors for me to be here. Then I got to share that great joy with others and even in another language.

The pastor has a tendency to call people out to pray for a certain thing or a person or group. I was up in front with the praise team and he was talking about the family. Yet I must confess I was half listening and half off somewhere else. He was looking at me and I was looking at him and he said something about praying for the families of the church. Then he bowed his head but didn't begin to pray out loud. Then he looked at me and I was like "Oh you mean me." Of course I even said it in Engligh. Silly me. So then I was frazzled and totally butchered it. But thankfully God knows our hearts adn He knows what the prayer was.

It was a great time worshiping God and allowing Him to speak words in another language through each of us. I'm truly blessed.

Urgent

2009-07-02T20:19:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I posted the blog below about the safety here. I'm asking once again with great urgency for prayer. It's is rapidly becoming worse and all of the things I have heard of are within a 1/2 mile or less from my house. And where I have to, among many others, walk through.

Today a gringo, who isn't from my school, was shot in the foot and leg just a few blocks away from my home. This is going to sound a little weird but I think you will understand. Thankfully it was because the gringo was being "stupid" and that the robber didn't shoot him "without his idea of cause". Meaning the gringo was out in the park with his computer and had been warned many times that that was a bad idea. Then he tried to fight the armed robber and run away from him instead of just giving him the computer. But God is good and allowed several students to be over in that area this morning to see it all and one of the students was a doctor. So that student was able to attend to the gringo.

Nonetheless it's getting worse rapidly. As mentioned in the post below, please pray for safety, "street smartness", and a spirit of peace, not one of fear. Thank you again.

Prayer For Safety

2009-07-01T20:12:00.003-05:00

Please pray for safety for us here. In the past few weeks the number of armed robberies has increased and over the past 4 days or so there's been at least three people robbed at gunpoint walking down the main, very busy road here in broad daylight. This main road and the park is one I go by and use every day.

I'm trying to not live in fear and trust God. At the same time I'm trying to be smart and take only the bare minium with me, I'm even thinking about not carrying my bag for awhile.

Pray for protection and safety if a robbery does happen. Pray for the poilce to begin heavier patrols of the area. Pray that we will all be wise and also not live in fear of our surroundings. Thank you for your immediate prayers in this.

And So It Began To Rain

2009-06-29T15:42:00.004-05:00

Costa Rica consists of two seasons; the middle of December thru April is summer or the dry season and May thru the middle of December is winter or the rainy season. During winter, the rainy season, it rains every afternoon for at least 3 or 4 hours. By October it's common to have rain all day and for several days straight.

As it likes to happen the torrential rain starts just a few minutes before it's time for me to leave school and head home. Today's rain was literally coming in sideways. This is always bad because it's impossible to stay dry due to the angle your umbrella has to be. (Trust me, I am at the low-advance level of a professional umbrella user - It's tricky.)

As I walk my 8 minutes home, my mesh tennis shoes begin to fill up with water and my rolled-up pant legs are filling up with water as well, in the cuffs! I was wishing that I didn't have my books so I could just forego the umbrella all together. I finally got home dripping of water.

BUT the fun doesn't stop there (otherwise it wouldn't be a true Costa Rican story.) Due to home my apartment is made and how it sits in the carport of a tico family; it's prone to rain problems. If it's a torrential downpour (like today) and if the rain is angled in the perfect direction (like today) then the rain likes to visit me through the 1/2 inch to 1 inch gap under my front door. (I found this out last week!)

So today it was unavoidable, my friend the flood was coming over for lunch. Thankfully the tiny semi-automatic washer I have comes in handy. It has it's own little part to put clothes in to spin dry. So it becomes very useful when I only have four towels to dry up the flood. Oh wait that's not all to this story.

My laundry room has given me much grief with rain and now it's much better until all the ingredients come together so perfectly, like today. Because it is a laundry room and ticos aren't fans of dryers (they are so expensive to run) there is a hole in the wall where air and sunlight can come in to dry the clothes. So once again one of my towels had to soak up the minor flooding in the back.

Let's go back to the kitchen where the front door is. My apartment is not the best constructed place, and there are several cracks in the wall and it so happens that in two other places the rain decided to enter in through these cracks and through the molding of the corners of the ceiling; which took up the other two towels.

At least the mopping in the kitchen area will be taken care of today! I'm just a tad worried about how my apartment will fair while I'm back in the states for 6 1/2 weeks...The joys of living in Costa Rica. One can't help but laugh. Otherwise you'll be a pretty unhappy person throughout winter here!

I NEED YOUR HELP! ASAP!

2009-06-16T17:37:00.003-05:00

(I know this is a long one but it’s one of the most important ones you can read. So please take the time to read this.)

As you might know I am returning to the Missouri Ozarks on 15 August to 1 October. I’m very excited about this opportunity to be home, attend a beloved friend’s wedding, see the new baby of another beloved friend (once he is born in September), to worship with the people of LifePoint, and to see all my friends who I have missed so much.

Besides loving on friends, I am also home to raise support for the next year (August ‘09-August ‘10). I would like to do two big fundraisers while I am there. My goal is to raise my entire year of support which is $24,000 through fundraisers and individual support. I know God is able to provide all of this and more. So this is where I need your help.

GOLF TOURNAMENT I need to find several people who would be willing to put on a golf tournament for a fundraiser in September. Some tasks to be done: costs, find course, adverstise to find golfers and I’m sure other things. I will work alongside of them from Costa Rica until I return home. Obviously, the more people who can help the better it can be. I have a friend, who has a friend, who had a fundraiser tournament and raised their entire support for an entire year (for a family of 4). This is an immediate thing that we need to start working on.

DINNER/DESSERT THING I would also like to do some type of dinner, maybe a spaghetti dinner or something, in September. I have several ideas for this and would like to work alongside with several people who would be willing to help bring this all together. I would love to begin working on this no latter than the beginning of August.

“CAFECITAS” (This is a Costa Rican favorite daily custom. Around 3-4pm the ticas will fill their coffee cups and have pastries called empanadas.) What I would like to do with this idea is set up as many “cafecitas” as possible. I would like to take about 45 minutes to share with each small group about what God has done in me and is doing in me during my first year here in Costa Rica. I would like to share about the ministry that I will be working in and have a time of prayer. I would like to then extend the opportunity to those there to be a part of this ministry in several ways; being a prayer partner, being a financial support partner, and/or holding their own “cafecita” to help spread the news about what God is doing here with the teenage girls of Costa Rica. My goal is to have at least 25 of these small groups. (Now I can’t promise that many bags of Costa Rican coffee…sorry.) I would like to get started now setting up dates for these.

ARE YOU INTERESTED? First, pray to see how God wants to use you. Then, I need you to email me at sunshineloveland@gmail.com with how you are interested in helping, as soon as possible. PLEASE do not think “I would love to help but I’m sure she already has enough people.” If everyone thinks this then I will not have any of these fundraisers. There is always a place for you to be used.

THANK YOU! Thank you for being a part of working with God as He changes the ashes of the teenage girls to incredible beauty, as only He can, by helping me raise support, by supporting me, and by praying for me. I would not be here without the incredible team that God has provided me and continues to grow for me. Thank you.

PS. 2010 CALENDARS I am currently working on putting together a 2010 calendar of my photos from Costa Rica to sell as another fundraiser. More info to come…

Newsletter is coming!

2009-06-16T17:32:00.002-05:00

I give my apologies that I have not sent out my newsletter yet. Things have been crazier than I could have imagined! But don't you fret. I am currently working on it and hope to have it emailed before midnight tomorrow. Thanks for waiting...and praying.

Teaching on Saturday

2009-06-10T22:16:00.002-05:00

I'm very excited yet nervious about teaching this Saturday. I will be teaching the teenage girls of the La Carpio ministry about the masks we wear and what God has to say about it. I am responsible for three hours worth of material (all in Spanish of course.) There will be a craft, some type of game (that I have no clue what it will be yet), and then the lesson.

Please pray for me in these next few days to get everything done the way God wants. Please pray that God will provide the ability to share in spanish and that I would understand what the girls are sayin. Please pray that the girls will be responsive and will begin and/or continue to know the face of the perfect savior, Jesus.

SUCCESS!

2009-06-10T18:32:00.003-05:00

I have always been nervous and even intimidated by the idea of going to a doctor here due to the language barrier. Would I be able to tell them exactly what ailes me or what I need? Would I be able to understand what they said to me? Thankfully the school has a doctor that speaks English that I visit when needed.

It was finally time to spread my wings and go to the eye doctor. I have been having problems with seeing for about three months but never would go. I had no choice as I only have contacts for about two more weeks.

My friend, Melissa who needed to go the doctor as well, and I ventured down to an eye doctor to see if we could get an appointment for sometime in the near future. (It's not like you can just look in the phone book and call them...I don't even know the name of the doctor.) Of course in good Costa Rican style the rain came pouring down as we began walking to the doctor's office.

I have always been nervous and even intimidated by the idea of going to a doctor here due to the language barrier. Would I be able to tell them exactly what ails me or what I need? Would I be able to understand what they said to me? Thankfully the school has a doctor that speaks English that I visit when needed.

I asked the receptionist about making an appointment and she said we both could be seen right then. Now how nice is that? And get this only 6 mil for a contact lenses exam...that's less than $9! There were only one or two things that I didn't completely understand but it wasn't that important anyways. We were able to get my new power for contacts and for the lenses in my glasses. Sadly they cost about the same as they do in the states.

After my exam my friend got her eyes checked. I had to help interpret for her as she has only been speaking Spanish for a month. She got lucky...she doesn't need her contacts and glasses because she has great vision! LUCKY.

I was so thankful to Marta, the eye doctor, for her patience and willingness to help us. Now I may not be so nervous when I have to go to another doctor. The next one...the dentist. I'll always be nervous for this one. Even in my own language!

Missouri Here I Come!

2009-06-03T18:34:00.002-05:00

I have great news. I will be in Springfield from 15 August to 1 October. I'm excited to share in the celebration of a dear friend's marriage and welcome in the newest member of a family of another dear friend. Also during this time I will be getting together with people to share more about my ministry and time here in Costa Rica. I also will be working intensly on raising support for the coming year. I look forward to getting together with everyone and can't wait to see all the beautiful faces I miss so much. Please contact me at sunshineloveland@gmail.com if you are interested in hearing about my adventures here in Costa Rica.

No Internet

2009-05-18T11:54:00.002-05:00

I moved two weeks ago and as in good tico style I still have do not have internet. It always takes about 5 times calling the company before they get around to you. So this is why I have not been able to post any new blogs recently. I do have so many things to post and some are ready for as soon as I get internet. The company says they are coming out today so hopefully there will be some new posts very soon and my newsletter. Stay tuned!

My Heart is Torn

2009-04-28T19:49:00.002-05:00

These past two days have been busy for me although I'm on break from school. I have had the opportunity to go to the two ministries I'm interested in working at once I graduate from language school on 14 August 09. They are La Carpio and Renacer; both working with teenage girls.

La Carpio is a severely improvised town of more than 4000 people, of which 75% are children. At the end of the main street (the only paved one) of the town is the one and only dump or land field for all of the San Jose area. The majority of these precious people are Nicaraguan refugees from their civil war. Many of them are illegally here and therefore unable to find legal work.

These people are some of the poorest in Costa Rica. I don't know the exact statics but the percentage of those who are hungry and without food is much, much higher than the percentage of the entire country.

CFCI has a huge influence in this community. They have an incredible program for the teenage girls there. They have so many needs and few workers to meet these needs. They have a school program for them; starting a lunch program for the girls at the school so they can spend the entire day learning and not just half of it. They also teach the girls English; have a classes for them to learn new trades; a program for some of the girls to work so that they also can have an education and not turn to other ways of earning money. There is a Saturday program that they do a Bible study, craft time, game time, etc. There are so many opportunities to be used here and I can see myself being there in a heartbeat.

Then today came and I went up the mountains to see Renacer (the ministry that God used to bring me here). Renacer is a year long program for girls 12-18 who have addictions. Most of these girls have come off the streets and a lot don't have family or their family chose not to be involved. They have room for about 50 girls at a time.

The campus is a beautiful campus that is nestled into the forest close to the top of the mountain. Palm trees line the sidewalks to the houses that the girls live in. Today was the weekly move everything out and clean. The girls all were smiling and respectful as we toured and spoke to some.

At this time they don't have a missionary up there and have been praying that God would send one to them. There are a lot of similarities of what I did back in the states but it would be centered around Christ! The one person who can forever change a life! The one person I wanted to talk about to my kids in the states but couldn't due to ethics.

I had really hoped that I would not feel right at one of the places, but that didn't happen. Now I'm torn, I want to be at both! There are pros and cons to both. I know God will use me whichever one I choose. But I want to be where God wants me to be and where I can be used the most. So now it's time to enter into a season of specific prayer. Please enter into this time with me as I seek His leading and direction. I'm excited to see where God has me and I can't wait to start working with these girls.

March 09 Newsletter

2009-04-25T10:23:00.001-05:00

For those who didn't get this via email here's a link to my newsletter. http://lifepointozark.com/media/pdf/2009-03_lovelandNews.pdf

Finally After 8 Months

2009-04-22T21:29:00.003-05:00

For as long as I have been here, 8 months (can you believe that?), I have always wanted to see a sloth. Sadly my luck has fallen short. I have seen the butt of one several times as it lays curled up in the tree sleeping. But that's not what I want to see. Finally, of course I didn't have my camera on me, we saw not just one but two sloths!! (This picture is from my friend.)

Although they are the slowest animal, they are one of my newest favorites. They are just so fun to watch, as if he was in slow-motion. And they are just too cute. However not so much when you think about how over 300 types of bugs can live on them because they move so slow. Yuck! With that aside they are so flippin cute and funny! It was worth the wait!

Kidnapped by an ATM Machine!

2009-04-20T21:20:00.005-05:00

Before I begin my story let me set up the pre-scene; that being the Costa Rican ATM machine. Unlike the states where you can find an ATM on almost any corner, here you can only find an ATM at a bank. It has it's own cubby hole on the side of or at the front of the bank. It has a glass door that is tinted in the middle so people can't see what you're doing.

To get into the ATM you slide your debit card at the door, which demagnetizes the door and allows you in. Once in, the door shuts and locks you in. Inside it is sweltering and almost suffocating hot. After hiding your money in random notches throughout your clothing, you push a button that will demagnetize the door and off you go on your merry little way. Pretty easy right? Not so fast!

Now here's the set up of the actual kidnapped. My friend Amanda and Jenny needed to go to the ATM and I went with them. We walked about 800 meters (1/2 mile) down a curvy, dark mountain road at about 7pm, Friday night. The bank was a little set back from the road, which was only traveled by cars and very few people.

Several people came out of the ATM and held the door open for us. We all three went into the ATM as it was big enough and it would not have been the best idea for me to stay out alone, in the dark, in front of the ATM. I was the last one in and I saw that there was a golden slide lock that was in the way of the door from completely closing. Me being the safety police, I decided to move it so that the door would close with us securely locked in. As the door shut, I thought "I hope that wasn't there for a reason."

It was painfully and suffocatingly hot inside the ATM room and I decided I would rather wait outside. So I pushed the button and only the bottom part of the door open and not the top magnetic lock. I hoped it wasn't working only because Amanda was using the ATM. Once again I tried and it wouldn't open. I waited to say something until Jenny was done. Then I informed them of the bad news. I had just locked us inside the ATM!"

We tried and tried to get it open. I was really afraid that we were about to break the glass from pushing on it so hard. We were in disbelief that this happened and I was worried about how long can we survive in such a harsh environment of suffocating heat. We were pounding and making noise but there was no one to hear us.

After about 10 minutes of being kidnapped by the ATM, Amanda sees a tico guy walking by and she yells out to him, "Auydenos! Estamos atrapadas!" (Helps us! We're trapped). At first he looked at her and kept walking, but his heart took pity on us (okay maybe he wanted to laugh at the gringas locas - crazy Americans). Either way he came to the door and he told me to push the button (again all of this took place in the Spanish language). I told him I know that but it's broken and tried showing him. Once he believed me, and that I wasn't just plain stupid, he looked around for a solution, I was pretty much hopeless that we would get out without involving the police to help. (Try explaining that one!) He said he would try to slide his card. I thought that if the magnetic thing was broken, his card was going to be useless for our rescue. But it worked!

It turns out that just the button was broken and that the sliding lock was there for a very good purpose! I could tell it had been that way for a very long time as the metal door frame had indentions from where the lock has hit it time and time again, allowing the ATM user to not fall victim to the Kidnapping ATM machine. I wonder if the security people ever really watch those videos from the ATM? What a laugh they would have! Who knows how long we would have had to stay inside that thing!

I'm Moving!

2009-04-16T15:59:00.002-05:00

I'm very excited to share with ya'll that I have found a studio apartment to move into on 3 May! It's a true blessing as I have been trying to figure out what to do about my living situation. I currently live with a tica family and it's been a good experience but for someone who has lived on her own for almost 11 years it's been a big change. However, I am so grateful for this family to open their home to me.

I will be moving much closer to school - I'll have less than a 10 minute walk, whereas right now it takes about 20 minutes. Which will be wonderful when the rainy season starts here in about a month. I also love the fact that I'm on the property of a tica family who seems to be incredibly sweet. She has several children and I met her 22 year old daughter, whom I hit it off with very well. I look forward to that friendship developing.

It will present a challenge due to the fact it's super small but I love the fact it's my own place to do whatever with it and I can even paint! I love that about Costa Rica; most landlords don't care if you paint the walls because they all paint the walls bright colors here! I'm also very excited that it's only going to cost $15 more than what I pay my tica family now! How awesome.

It's kinda weird because it makes it more real that this is my home now and I'm here for some time to come! I'll post some pics when I get there!

Praises to God!

2009-03-31T19:56:00.003-05:00

Well I'm alive still, after talking in chapel today. This was the first time I have ever done something like this. I have given my testimony and written lessons for teenage girls. But I have never written a lesson for my peers and for such a large group.

I kept wondering if I was doing the right thing by sharing what God has been teaching me through Psalms 23, a much common chapter to many Christians. Last night I thought about just scratching it and giving my testimony, that's much easier to do. But God wouldn't let me. And then this morning as I questioned Him about being for sure, He gently reminded me through a daily Bible verse that is sent to me via e-mail that talked about Him being the Shepherd. I knew that this was exactly what He wanted.

I felt like it had started a little rough as my voice trembled. I'm sure people thought I was about to cry. But God calmed my nerves rather quickly so He could speak through me. I was encouraged at how He was so in it. I was rather certain me the ability to recall what He had given me and just to share from my heart. I was encouraged by the words as well. It was as if I was talking to myself...I am in the midst of learning from this after all.

Afterwards I quickly was blessed and shown by God why He wanted me to share this particular Psalms. I had several people who told me that they really needed to hear the things that I shared and be reminded of some things. One has been struggling with God's love for them and God reminded them of His love for them. I am just blown away by how God would use me, someone who doesn't have this down and share it to a group. But that's the awesome thing about our God, He uses us if we are willing.

I thank you all for your prayers. I could sense them as I prepared and spoke. All glory to God for His words do not come back void!

Tomorrow is the Day

2009-03-30T18:18:00.002-05:00

Please be in prayer with me as I am teaching in chapel at my school tomorrow. I'm very nervous about it and have a lot left to do this evening. This will be the first time to actually speak in front of a group for more than a few minutes to share. I am excited about what God has been teaching me as I have studied the beautiful picture of Psalms 23. Please pray that God's words will be heard and nothing of me is put into it. Pray that those in attendance will be receptive to it. Pray that I will follow the Spirit's leading throughout the time tomorrow. Thank you for praying with me.

Desfile de Los Caballos

2009-03-23T12:43:00.007-05:00

On Sunday 22 March, Amanda and I were enjoying another day of culture. Several months ago our Lengua teacher, Marlene, was telling us about the popular festivals of the Desfile de Los Caballos (Horse Parade). They have these through out the year in all seven providences of Costa Rica. It's suppose to be a big weekend of events, a carnival, and much more. We were excited to see the advertisement for it at the bus stop when we headed to Heredia.

We met on Sunday morning and headed downtown to the parade. It was a perfect summer day, with the sun shinning and a few clouds lingering over the mountains in the distant. When we got to Parque La Sabana, we saw only people dressed up in the traditional dresses and we saw no horses. We were a little concerned that some how they forgot the horses. We knew it was a celebration of el campo (the country) but how can you not have horses! We hoped that somewhere in the back of the giant park the horses awaited.

We returned to the parade route and found a sunny spot. (We even saw Superman there!) The parade began with the traditional dancers in their array of colored, flowing dresses, and the men in their matching outfits. Each dance told a story and was beautifully put together. The dresses swirled through the air, the men had handkerchiefs that swept through the air; a colorful display for the pure enjoyment of my eyes.

Dance group after dance group paraded by. There were even groups of little kids. There were also some strange plastic dolls that some guys had over their heads as they danced about with arms just swinging about. I do have to admit, I was a little weirded out by it. There were also a group on stilts. One of the guys loved working the crowed and even held babies in his arms, up on his stilts. Not sure if that was the smartest thing.

Finally, we saw the horses! There were so many of them of all different types. They pranced in a rhythmic beat, forwards, sideways, and backwards. They were incredibly beautiful. There was a trick rider who had two horses, who stood with each leg on one horse. We were next to the rope so we were sometimes up close and very personal with these gentle creatures. Some of them had their backs towards us and very close to us; all we could do is hope they didn't kick back or decide to relieve themselves. Thankfully none of that happened to us.

It was a great day to experience this part of culture. After the parade we stopped in for a taste of home, Quizzno's.

I have several pictures below but can't put them all of them on here so take a look at some more at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=147282&id=1208485417&l=eeee575376

Pictures from Brava

2009-03-23T09:59:00.009-05:00

Here are some pictures from my friend, Amanda, showing some of our day trip I wrote about in Exploring Our Neck of the Woods.

Amanda and Joel just hanging with the family.

The really weird thing of strange masks! On all four side!

The typical tica food we had at the soda.

Just another statue mixed in with all the masks and other things in the Central Park. I love the confused look on his face.

Amanda and me with the trash can. Amanda does a better impression than I do.

Exploring Our Neck of the Woods

2009-03-21T21:33:00.004-05:00

Today was a fun and almost free adventure I got to take with two of my friends, Amanda and Joel. We haven't taken the time to really go out and about to the towns right outside of San Jose. So today we hopped on a bus from San Fransisco (cost: 125 colones, about 25 cents) and headed to Central (downtown). There we walked a few miles to catch a 30 minute bus ride to Heredia (cost 320 colones, about 45cents).

We didn't know what we would find, but the sense of adventure and being out of the city was exhilarating. We walked around awhile and saw some good clothing shops. It really was as if we were in San Jose but on a smaller scale. We ate at a soda inside the market and had chicken casados (this word actually means married) and mora drinks. (I have fallen in love with mora here, it's almost like some form of blackberry type of fruit.) Casados, a typical tico food, comes with rice, black beans, riped plantens (I do not like), chicken, mashed potatoes, and a cabbage salad thing; and the portions are huge! This whole meal only cost 1750 colones(about $3.50).

We asked the guy at the soda where the bus stop was at for the town of Brava and we were glad to find out it was just two blocks down the street. And guess what; for once the directions were accurate!! Our 15 min drive to Brava was only 150 colones (about 30 cents).

Brava really isn't an exciting town, but it has these crazy and scary mask and trashcans around their central park. Of course I didn't bring my camera and so I will have to share a picture from my friend, Brandon's trip there, and yes they are kinda scary! There really wasn't much else to do there so we left and headed back to Heredia, where we got Twix McFlurries and ate them in the central park. YUM! We also watched the police brisk a few guys but sent them on their way.

Then we were done and headed home for the day. But it was great to be closer to the mountains, out of the city, breathing fresh air, and just chillin' with some friends. Where to next week? Maybe Cartago which is about 20 minutes away from me. Stay tuned...

The Weeds of Life

2009-03-15T22:20:00.006-05:00

I love nature and its beauty. I am always thrilled, awed, and humbled by it. I love photographing it. I guess this is why God has taught me some amazing lessons through it. On my way to church one Sunday in the States, I noticed the colors that sprinkled the edges of the road. There were so many different plants that strutted their crowns.

However, these crowns were not on the “wanted” plants we long to have strutting their stuff in our garden beds. They were mean, stubborn, nasty weeds. How can something so hated be so beautiful? They come in so many different colors, shapes and sizes! Oh, how they can bring a smile to my face along a boring highway that is shimmering from these jeweled crowns.

This is where God has been teaching me a lesson from a long time. I have weeds in my life that disguise themselves as beautiful and helpful. I allow them to stay because they “add” to my landscape – some willfully and some unknowingly. But these weeds do more than "add" to the my landscape!

Weeds take away the nutrients of the good plants around them. They grow out of control and begin to make the ground awful for growing anything else. Did I mention that they are back-braking to get out! Weeds begin to choke out any new seeds planted. The ground no longer accepts good seeds because it has become so ripped of all nutrients that support real plant life.

Over the past 9 months, God has shown me what things in my life are weeds and opening my eyes to the true ugliness and devastation that comes from them. He has been showing me a little by little, the weeds that were hidden or the ones that I really just saw as decoration. The enemy, satan, is so great at making us rationalize that some of these things aren't weeds; and that it is truly helping to add to the beauty of my landscape. Or satan gets me thinking "well that's just a product of my life and there's nothing that can be done about it."

That's what the enemy wants us to believe but thank Jesus that He is our Gardner. John 15:1-2 "I [Jesus] am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more." Isn't our God great! He knows exactly which ones are weeds and He has the remedy for them! All we have to do is give Him permission to prune us, deweed us, and heal our soil (mind and heart). Then the good seed, full of life, can be taken in by the soil and produce real beauty that is nothing less than stunning.