It's Saturday!

I promised last week, when I was writing here about the upcoming week, that I would post on Saturday about God's faithfulness.

Here's that post.

We made it! A whole week went by with DeLynn not here, with a huge list of to-do's, and with a multi-lingual staff that I had to keep busy, and God kept me sane, allowed me to understand Marvin even when he was speaking a million miles a minute in Spanish, and provided all that I needed. (p.s. I could not have gotten through this week without Marvin. He is a miracle worker.)

You know why I love coming down to Costa Rica every year? Because I learn what it means to depend on God. Because every year, I am put in a position (usually one that DeLynn picks for me), that feels uncomfortable. It usually means more responsibility, and having to keep a multi-lingual staff busy and happy, all while accomplishing tasks that I "mostly" understand. That is a lot harder than what I have done before. A lot different than previous jobs and ministries I have been in charge of. And so...I depend on my Creator, and grow closer to Him.

This is the question: How do I bring this sort of close relationship, this relationship in which I depend on God, back home with me? Amazing how, the minute you get home, you fall back into the mundane, the every day ways, the schedule. I think part of why I come to Costa Rica every year is to get away from that...to remember what life is really about and why we are here.

It's Saturday. Praise the Lord.

Apple Pie...One year later.

For those of you that are faithful blog-readers of mine...you'll remember that last year, one of the first nights staying with my host family, my host "dad" started making noise about apple pie. "Do you have apple pie in Canada?" he asked me. "Yes..." I replied curious as to what would make him think of apple pie?! "With the criss-cross top?" he asked. "Yes..." "Do you know how to make one?" he asked me, with big eyes. "Well, I think I do," I said. And that's when it started. I made a pie...it burnt cause the oven was too hot...and he still wouldn't share it with anyone.

So, when I returned this year to visit, talk was in the air about apple pie. He definitely was wanting another...Carina had lost the recipe I'd given her, and so she'd never made one for her dear husband. So this time, I decided I needed to make two, to ensure he got what he wanted and that the rest of the family would be able to try some.

On Sunday, then, I enlisted the help of Carmelinda. It was her first pie, and my second! We had fun. Carmelinda posed for me...
And then we posed together. Now...truth be told. This was taken today. Because, I took Gloria and Carmelinda with me to see my host family. We all ate pie. Then when we came back, the other staff were jealous, and Gloria and Carmelinda still had the taste on their tongues. So...we made two more tonight. Aren't they pretty?
Here's Carmelinda with my host "bro" Jose Andres. While the pies were baking they played outside, and ran in every two minutes asking, "Is it ready yet?" Carina commented on how similar they look...they could be brother and sister!
And here's my newest pic of baby Julian. Carina was making him laugh. He is getting sweeter and sweeter, I swear.
Oh, so in the end...the apple pie was a sucess. Both times. And neither time did it burn. One day, I'll actually make apple pie in Canada. For now...it's just a Costa Rican specialty.

The Final Days.

Early this morning, DeLynn and Chad left for Nicaragua for the week. DeLynn left Howard and I in charge...and I'm a little nervous about this. There's a lot to do this week, and a lot that needs to be finished and ready to go, because on Saturday, the first half of our staff arrives. And that signals that summer has officially started.

Last night I had a dream (keep in mind I'd been watching "The Terminal" beforehand), in which I was working for an airline. Turns out that there was a terrorist on board one of the flights, and I had to be the one that talked him out of doing whatever it was that he wanted to do...over the phone. I hate the phone. 100 times out of a 100, I would rather be talking to you face to face.

Anyways, I woke up and felt like that was symbolic of my week to come (not that I view Howard or Marvin, or any of the staff as terrorists...let me get that straight)...but more that we have a major task to conquer this week. And I know that things will not be "smooth as butta" like we all hope and dream they would. And...I will have to communicate with Marvin, which is always a bit of a challenge because he likes to talk a million miles a minute, and use slang, in Spanish...it's the equivalent for me of talking over the phone.

Saturday, I will write another entry about how awesome God is, and how we made it through the week, and how we're ready for the teams to come. Ok?

One of those...erg...days.

Today was the kind of day that I like to forget about. You know, when it rains, it pours.

Today was one of those days filled with miscommunications, broken-down vehicles, computer frustrations. Basically...please pray for us!

the party resort.

Today is a rather hard day to get work done. We came back last night from spending three days at "Fiesta Resort" in Puntarenas...and now all I want to do is play volleyball, jump in the pool, and eat and drink for free. Anyone else interested?

Here's some pics so you can be jealous of me...

First off...all of us at dinner. 6 staff, Delynn (who's taking the pic), Gloria and Carmelinda, and then our cook, Rosario, her brother, Marvin who does all the errands that we need done, and his wife, Lillian (they're at the far end). It was a fun group to be at a resort with.

Here is DeLynn. And this is why every staff person at the resort knew who we were...

Here we are. Eating. As always.

This is me...burnt. It was supposed to be a pic of me and Carmelinda...but she got "shy".

Here Carol is showing you the area where we lay around...and got burnt. And here's us staff...at the wet bar...
Rob just couldn't get enough of the free stuff...
Here I am with the boys at the pier. Patrick and Chad are my body guards...and Rob takes the pictures (he has the perfect arm length)

Well, that's the end of that. Get ready for a series of pictures of me sitting around figuring out menus and schedules.