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Every semester the language school dedicates one day of classes to what they call Cultural Day.  This gives the teachers an opportunity to teach the students about their culture.  They offered classes of Latin Music, Latin Dancing, Soccer, Costa Rican fruits and cooking classes.  Despite the popular opinion, all food south of the border does not taste like Mexican food!  Nor are all beans and rice equal.  Costa Ricans are not accustomed to much spice or seasoning as is the typical North American, so this has been one area we’ve had to adjust to.  Nonetheless, the teachers made the day very interesting and fun!!

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The day we had been waiting for has finally arrived.  A place we could call home.  Living with a Tico family has its benefits and we were thankful for the opportunity to live with Noel and Roxana, but there’s just something about having your own place.  And the timing of it all was just perfect.  As soon as we completed our house sitting responsibilities, the apartment became available.  Of course, now that means I have the responsibility of cooking and cleaning (which I love), in addition to my studies, whereas before, all of those services were provided.

I am especially grateful to be able to exercise my Spiritual Gift of Hospitality again!  Since cooking is a passion of mine, these last few months have caused me to realize how much I took it for granted.  Also, with the contacts we are making in the park on Saturdays, having a place of our own will permit us to invite them over for coffee (Yes, I said coffee…more on that in a later blog!).

Our apartment is fully furnished with sofa, loveseat, bookshelves, table, desks and beds.  Best of all, it is only 50 feet from the language school!!

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It’s hard to believe that we’ve completed 7 weeks of language school.  Friday each student received their mid-term evaluations.  Praise the Lord, Scott and I received very positive feedback from each of our teachers.  We still have so much to learn, so please pray that we will have patience because we want to be fluent NOW!

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One of the awesome privileges I’ve had so far in Costa Rica is the opportunity to walk around the neighborhood and pray.  Every two weeks, Jan and I walk a different route around where we live and pray for business owners, daycare centers, people in the parks, government buildings and schools.  We pray specifically for new laws to not interfere with the spread of the Gospel.  This exercise has really opened my eyes to see what the impact of prayer can do for a community.  I can’t wait to see how God will move in the areas we’ve been saturating in prayer.  Are you wanting to see your community won for Christ?  Try prayer walking with some of your neighbors!

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This past weekend, I was privileged to attend a ladies retreat right here in San José. This was not your ordinary ladies retreat. This was one whose focus was ministering to missionary women. A team of 16 ladies representing two churches, one in Oklahoma and the other in Arkansas, lavished us with gifts from the states (i.e. chocolate, baking pecans, lotion, etc.), but most of all, they lavished us with their love and prayers. Each of the guest speakers had wonderful testimonies of God’s grace, some even testimonies of salvation in their mid-to-late thirties. The keynote speaker, Marsha Ford, was a former IMB missionary herself. Scott and I attended orientation in Richmond, VA with her son and daughter-in-law who are serving in a country very closed to the Gospel. It really is a small world after all.