Saturday, August 2, 2008

Sunday Worship, Day 7

We worshipped with our Costa Rican neighbors in their small curch in Fray Casiano.  It was quite a service with much music, clapping and joy.  The spirit of Christ was all around us.  We were treated to Costa Rican dances in native attire.  The young ladies were beautiful!
 
Then In the Carpenter's Footsteps sang a song to the church in Spanish, and plan to do the same for the Christ Presnyterian Church congregation in Tallahassee when we get back.
 
Then the hard part-the good byes.  I think there were more tears shed in the last moments than all the rain we had all week.  The kids latched on to every one one of us.  Hugs, kisses, exchanges of addresses and gifts.  I'd rather have had a concrete block drop on my foot.
 
...but, we promised to complete the buiding, and so there will be at lest one more trip!
 
merlin

Saturday Evening Reflections Day 6

Every night we get together for Reflections.  It is a time for business and announcements but more importantly, to share our experiences for the day.  Tonight, we built an Ebenezer.  If you don't know the story:
 
"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen.  He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the Lord helped us'" I Samuel 7:12
 
Everyone brought something from the job site that remineded them of God's work that had been accomplished.
 
Solo Deo Gloria!
merlin

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Saturday afternoon-more photos


Sylvester and Buddy


Chino and Noel (our Nicaraguan concrete mixer) on the new slab


Our group inside the church


More kids. They were everywhere!

Saturday, Julio 26, Afternoon Report


our main man, Chino on the finished slab


Yamalee


Eryn with Yamalee and Brianna with Tailyn


Inger with Priscilla

On the building side, Pastor Carlos let us know that we got all of the hard work done, and they would be able to put the roof on the building. The church has the supplies for the roof already. Although it rains every day, the rain did not interfere with the cement work. Wonder why???

Inside, the group had a party with the kids. We also handed out packages and gifts.

This morning, we will be headed to Fray Casiano to worship one more time with our friends before heading to La Fortuna. This may be the last report from the group.

It has been a real blessing to be here. My family has met a lot of new friends from the US as well as in Fray Casiano. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Without you, this would not have come to fruition.

Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Saturday, Julio 26, Day 6, Pictures from the morning

Passing Chino on the way to work. Chino has been the local tico keeping us in line. He is a hard worker. I'll try to find a better picture. The next pictures are the floor before we got started this morning, and the last is a little dog who hung out for a while. There are no fat dogs in Costa Rica.

Saturday, Day 6, Julio 26, Eryn's Report

As usual, the church was full of action or what i like to call "organized chaos" with running kids, sewing ladies, and lots of headaches. Todays theme was fishing. Mrs. Sonia led her bible study with a new way of getting the kids to pay attention-  TOYS!!! And yes, this worked real well, besides all the screaming. The story was about Jesus and the fishermen, one of my favorite stories. So instead of a craft, we set up a fishing game, throw your line, get a toy. The kids loved it!!! So after a nice fishing trip, it was time to play. We put up another Espanol Veggie Tales movie that almost made me go deaf. The kids ran around, wanting to be picked up and spun. Dizzy stuff there. But, at least they love hanging out with us, even thought we have no idea what they say! After a fishy morning, it was time to leave & eat and boy was I hungry!
 
Eryn

Saturday Morning, Day 6

Just a quick report before heading out to eat lunch. I worked outside on the building and we were able to finish pouring the floor for the entire building because some of us went out early and got a head start. One more half day to work.

Friday, July 25, 2008

25 Julio, la manana de viernes

More pictures.

25 Julio, Dia 5

We accomplished a lot of concrete work this morning with the early start.

We also had a visit from a small group of missionaries from Minnesota. They had heard about our work so they stopped by for about 45 minutes.

Thursday, Julio 24, more pictures

"Bug" con uno tico y mi chica mas locas, Eryn.
(Victoria with a little boy and my craziest daughter, Eryn)

A hoto of the church and "concreto" work.

...y una chica mas bonitas!
(...and a lovely little lady!)

Thursday, Julio 24, Christus vive!

Hola mi amigos y amigas!

Inside the church, the sewing center was abuzz with ladies working on various items. Not much more I can say about that 'cause, to be honest with you, I don't sew.

Every time I went inside the church, the kids were all busy with crafts. Carol told me the kids really, really, enjoy the crafts, and she said some of the adults were in on the action. Ellen had them making stepping stones.

Our own lovely "Bug" (Victoria Woods, VW) has gained so much experience she'll need as a mother! Every time I saw her, she was holding a baby or had a couple of kids attached to her. Actually, all the folks working inside the church have had kids hanging on to them. The kids don't hang out with the mason crew because we're a rough crew. Actually, it's because we are pretty nasty at the end of our work.

Speaking of the building, we finally made, what I would consider, good progress. We poured the ceiling beam along one side, bucket by bucket. The lintel on the opposite side is ready to pour. It was a long process because you could not put more than 2 scoops of raisens, I mean cement, in a bucket beccause it had to be lifted up to the top of the escaffoldo. We also leveled out the floor with gravel so today will be a non-stop mud day.

Keep us and our friends in your prayers.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Wednesday, July 23, Day 3

Well, the building went painfully slow today. At the end of the day, forms were completed and the mud started to flow. It looks like some of us will be heading out an hour early in the morning to make up some time.

Inside, there was a lot of activities and laughter. The kids built stepping stones out of mortar and decorated them with "gemstones". It looked like everyone had one or two kids hanging around them. Everyone has a buddy! Emilo continued his Bible study with the teens.

We found one group of people in the neighborhood in desparate need of food, so wedipped into our pockets and bought them beans, rice and a few extra goodies. All they asked for was beans and rice. We truly don't understand how much we all have until you have an opportunity to see those who really are needy.

God has kept the rain away during work hours, and that is good news.

Until tomorrow. Hasta manana!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Tuesday, Day 2. We made it!

Yesterday, we met our other friends in Atlanta. Not long after we left Atlanta on a 767-300, the pilot told us a sensor light was on and to make a long story short, the jet circled back and landed in Atlanta. The good news was that we did not have to leave the aircraft, and we were back in the air about 90 minutes later.

We were not long at the San Jose airport, and customs let us go through unchecked. That was very nice, so we were not too late arriving at the hotel. Everyone was pretty beat so most of us ate, and relaxed.

Today we started our work in Fray Casiano. In the morning, there were about a dozen kids inside working on crafts. This afternoon, there were probably 50 or more kids. They are a lot of fun. There is a church service tonight at 7:00 (9:00 EST), and we'll be going there.

Work on the building went slower than anticipated. The lintels went in and tomorrow we'll fill the blocks. After the mud sets, we can finish the blocks and start on the roof.

Continue to pray for the folks here. They are wonderful people. Pura Vida!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Saturday, July 19. Packed and Ready to Go!

The folks in Tallahassee met tonight to finish packing up supplies. Everyone was assigned a crate full of tools, school supplies, sewing equipment and other items to share with our friends in Costa Rica. The excitement is growing! Tomorrow, we will be commissioned as part of morning worship.