Hello Everyone!

Well, not a whole lot has happened since my last post. I’ve been working on designing a brochure for the Children’s Homes, which is much harder than you would think it is. And I got to babysit an almost two y/o little girl twice last week. She is such a doll! I’ll have to get a picture to show you.

This past Saturday was Mother’s Day in Costa Rica, so my entire host family with all the kids and grandkids came over for a big lunch. It was fun and delicious but also an interesting experience. I don’t know about you, but when my entire family in the States gets together for a holiday we’re usually talking or playing games for a couple hours after we eat, and we take our time eating. Well, I’m sure that my host family stayed at the house for an hour and a half, tops. It took me by surprise. But I think it’s just because they see each other literally every day.
And I finally got some pictures of them all! So now, I introduce to you my Tico (Costa Rican) family:

clockwise from lower left (forgive my spelling): Marcelle (tica sister-oldest), Isabelle (Marcelle's daughter), Doña Olga (mama Tica), Jennifer (tica sister-23 y/o), Don Carlos (papi Tico), Michelle (tica sister-2nd oldest), Charlie (tico brother-18 y/0), Glorianna (tica sister-16 y/o), and me.
Macelle's husband, David, was taking the picture.

That little guy in the corner is Felipe (Michelle's son). He's at the house every day while his parents are at school and work. Jeffrey, Michelle's husband, was visiting his parents that day.

Don Carlos spent days marinating this huge hunk of pork for the lunch.

I think this is one of the most entertaining things for my family, Isabelle's handheld PS2. :) Everybody plays it (except my tico parents).

In other news, what has God been teaching me lately? I think that one of the most significant things was when I realized that I was a terrible missionary. A good missionary should assimilate to the culture, build good relationships, and know how to do their job. Right? Well, God could have sent tons more people more qualified than I am. Really! I’m not the perfect person for the job. So I was wondering, “Father, why me?”

Then He brought to mind the verse that He had given me at the beginning, when I was writing my first letter about my trip. It’s 2 Corinthians 12:9—“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” … God’s plan may not make sense to me because I can only see as far as right now, but He sees all the way to the end of my life. He even knows how His plan for me affects His plans for other people. Nothing is a surprise to Him. When He became Lord of my life, He knew that I would not be perfect. Yet He desires perfection in His children; He said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)” And I am constantly in the process of being made perfect.

He desires my obedience. “This is love for God: to obey his commands.” (1 John 5:3) So I continue in obedience, trying to always keep my eyes on Jesus who is “the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2)”. I know beyond a shadow of doubt that I am here for a reason, and God has a plan for me here whether I know what it is or not. Have you heard this saying: ‘God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called’?

So I am anxious to know what God’s plan is. He always surprises me with more than I expected.

Prayer Requests:

-continue to pray for relationships to be developed

-pray that I would live daily in the ‘joy of the Lord’

-pray for patience and peace

Thank you all for your prayers and the notes that you send me. I love hearing from you as it always brightens my day! I am praying for you, too, as God puts you on my heart, and I would love to know how I can pray more specifically.

Be blessed!