The Workings of God

One of the most encouraging passages in the Bible is Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those that love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Regardless of what goes on around us and in us, sometimes, God has not lost control. His soverignty is supreme. He is the Rock that will not be moved, and in Him we take our refuge.

While not having access to t.v. is probably a good thing, it sometimes means I'm a bit out of the loop. Case in point: I was visiting with a neighbor when she asked me if I had heard that the world was going to be destroyed by earthquakes in two days (May 21). I said, no, and she didn't seem to have a lot of details, so I promised to do some research and get back to her.

I discovered, what the rest of the world already knew, that a false prophet named Harold Camping had predicted dire earthquakes and the "beginning of the end" for the world on May 21, with an apparent encore scheduled for Oct. 21. I call him a false prophet because he made "end of the world" predictions for 1994, and as we're still here, I can safely say that he was wrong. The Bible tells us not to heed false prophets, and the Bible tells us that "If what a prophet procaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him." Deut. 18:22

The more I read the angrier I became toward those who would prey on the fears and vulnerabilities of their fellow man. But, then I realized that this was a golden opportunity for me to witness to my neighbor. Using Camping's fallacies as a platform, I could take her through the gospel while using the authority of God's word to disprove Camping. From that point on I was no longer angry, but rather grateful for how God works all according to His purposes.

I went back to my neighbor with the facts about Harold Camping and my Bible and showed her why we were not to listen to this man. However, according to Matt. 24:36 "but about that day or hour no one knows. . ." If this be the case, then shouldn't we be ready for the "end" or "judgement" every day? She agreed and we talked some more, but I feel she doesn't fully accept the gospel of Christ.

I want to thank you for reading about my experience, and I ask for one favor. Please pray for this lady. I hate to see her remain in fear and bondage, "for God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" II Tim. 1:7

Toddler Rescue

O.K. - It may have been too long since your last blog if you've forgotten how to access your account! But here I am, and here's the latest. Two Sundays ago, we were merrily on our way to church services at Christian Life Center. Charlie was slated to teach Sunday school so we left a little early. We were travelling down the highway in a monster truck when we rounded a curve to find a toddler in diapers shuffling across the HIGHWAY! Charlie and I both looked from side to side to see where the parents or older siblings were, but no one was in sight. Charlie pulled off the road and we both got out. We were walking slowly toward the child and talking "sweetly" so as not to scare him. But then, I heard a car coming so I rushed forward and grabbed him up. He didn't seemed scared of me, but he couldn't tell me where he lived. There were a few apartments off to the side and a single house on stilts. I took him toward the apartments, but then someone pulled up and said that he lived in the house. So off to the house we went. At the base of the long flight of steps we called out "Good Morning," as is the custom here. The mother came out with several children. She was grateful to see her son, but she hadn't know that he was gone. After all that, we made it to church on time, and Charlie did a great job teaching on faith. I wonder what our next adventure will be. Oh, ya. . . I already know. I'll blog about it next. :-)

Operation Christmas Child comes to Toledo District

For years our family has participated in Samaritan's Purse's Operation Christmas Child's shoebox program. Devon would even write letters to the children, and in all but one case, he received a letter in return. We think this is a great way to share the joy of Christmas and the love of Jesus with children who so desperately need it.

Well, imagine my surprise when missionary Bob Farley asks us to deliver around 500 shoe boxes in the district in which we live! I never dreamed we would have the privilege of seeing the children receive their gifts. Right now the boxes are sitting in my living room. :-)

We have 5 different groups to deliver the boxes to. Here's how it works. The children will be gathered and given the good news of Jesus' birth and why He came, and then they'll be given their boxes. Most of these children go home to share their gifts with the rest of their families.

I hope to visit with many of these children and take lots of pictures, too! What an awesome opportunity to be goodwill ambassadors for Jesus Christ!

Devon helping to deliver shoeboxes to CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) missionaries

Kekchi Indian

Today, while Devon and I were mowing the lawn, a Kekchi man walked up to us and spoke in Spanish. He explained that he was Kekchi and wanted to know if we understood Spanish, because he didn't know English. We said, "yes" and he asked if we had any work he could do. Well, Charlie wasn't here (he was visiting a village named Hicatee with other health care workers) so I told him that I didn't have any work, but I would give him lunch.

While I was making a sandwich, I remembered the Bible Charlie had just bought in the Kekchi language. I had looked at it, but couldn't make any sense of it. So, I had the idea to give the man a small job.

I asked him to read me verses so I could hear how to pronounce the words. I chose John 3:16, Romans 3:23, and Romans 6:23. I tried to record him with my flip so I could practice later, but I didn't push the right button. Hopefully, he'll come back, and we can go over some more verses. Next time, I'll add Romans 5:8!

It was awesome hearing him read verses I know in English, in Kekchi, and then discuss them in Spanish. I was on a high for several hours after that. Please take a moment and pray for him and his people. He lives in a remote village on the Guatemalan border.

Can You Belize It!

"Can you Belize it?" is almost the national motto of Belize, and right now it is very appropriate for us. We have finally made it to Belize. We are so excited to be here and very grateful for all the prayer and financial support that helped us get here. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

We have just finished our second week here and already alot has happened. Being ready for the plane trip was a feat in itself. After pulling an all-nighter (not unusual for Charlie, but HIGHLY irregular for me) we made it through airport security with no minutes to spare to board our flight. I thought, oh, no, we'll never be able to walk all the way to the terminal in time, but our terminal was the first one after security! That's never happened before. I thought it was mandatory that one must walk 2 miles to get anywhere in an airport. :-)

I forgot to mention that due to airline regulations, I had to take my preciouses (Emmy and Iggy) to the airport the day before the rest of us flew out. That was an adventure for my mom and me to find the right cargo bay for shipping animals. Hint: it isn't anywhere near the main terminal! But all is well, and they met us the next day in Belize customs.

We had a connecting flight in Houston. When we landed we were hungry so Charlie went off in search of food. When he came we started to eat and before we were finished, we were called to board our flight. Talk about short lay-overs. We made it to Belize at 11:30 in the morning!

We were greeted by Iggy and Emmy first and then by veteran missionary to Belize, Bob Farley, his wife, Rhonda, and Belize Votech missionary, Lyle Rainey. What a blessed sight they were. It was hard to take in that we had finally made it. Praise be to God who doesn't give up on us and promises to finish what he has started.

We still had several hours to travel by road, so after lunch in the capital city of Belmopan, and a brief shopping trip, we headed on our way south in a borrowed van (Thank you, Bob and Rhonda) to our new home.

We arrived after dark (it gets dark between 5:30-6:00) to a welcome sight. Our wonderful neighbors had cut the grass, cleaned the house and made the beds. Global missionaries Cohen and Amie Ezelle had stocked us with necessary foods and with cake and ice cream to celebrate my birthday, which was the next day (15th) We couldn't feel more love and accepted.

After sleeping well, we awoke to roosters crowning at 5:30 - not a bad wake up call. Charlie was anxious to take us on a walk around the property, so off we went with Emmy and Iggy in tow. About half way through our "tour" Devon and I came across a coral snake (Charlie and the girls were a little a head) After a constrained squeal of "SN-SN-SNAKE!" the snake made a little for us and then turned into the jungle. Our property abuts a jungle, and sort of mountain. It's very pretty.

I decided that sitting on the porch might be safer, so that's what I did. Charlie and the children were in the front yard talking with a neighbor when a wild bull moseyed into our yard. The children thought that was great and started to run toward the bull, but Charlie warned them that he could be dangerous. Just then the bull started bucking his hind legs in the air and then charged our neighbor. No one was hurt and the bull eventually wandered off down the highway. Our house is right on "the highway" but really it looks just like a regular street.

About 2 days later we were having our family Bible time and reading from the book of Exodus, when Mary-Esther saw a scorpion crawling down our wall. I knew there were bats in the attic, but scorpions? Oh, well, Charlie fought it bravely, and after the scorpion stung the weapon (broom) many times and hissed its heart out, it gave up the ghost and died. One more victory!

The children were a little apprehensive about reading anymore in Exodus because they likened the incident to the story of Inkheart. If you are familiar with Inkheart, you know that characters from the books the father read came to life in our world. Poor Mary-Esther didn't want us to get read about the fiery serpents!

I have so much more to tell you, but I'll save it for another day. Right now, I have to go make tortilla from scratch.

Until then, joyful in Belize

Charlie and Devon in Belize

Charlie and Devon flew to Belize on Thursday, Sept. 16 for a 6 week reconnaissance trip to set up our mission and to make living arrangements for the rest of us. As you've probably guessed the girls and I are staying in the states until Charlie and Devon return. Their return coincides with the Global Outreach Missions Conference in November.

For those new to our ministry, Charlie will be training evangelistic health care workers. There is a desperate need for health care as well as the gospel of Jesus Christ among the Belizeans in the remote southern region along the Guatemalan border.

This is a time of transition for us. We are of course enjoying seeing everybody and catching up, but we also want to get to Belize as soon as possible. We are currently on deputation to raise the funds needed to begin and sustain the medical mission in Belize.

You can be a part of this mission with monthly support or a one time gift to:

Global Outreach International
PO Box 1
Tupelo, MS 38802

Please note our account number on the memo line: #3017

100% of donations are given to our specific ministry. The home office keeps NO portion for their operations. And, of course, all gifts are tax deductible.

We need everyones prayers for we cannot do this in our own strength, but in the Lord's.

God bless you all.

Gringo Daddy in Costa Rica

After a near eternity waiting for a delayed plane to arrive - after a missed plane - my Dad arrived in San Jose on July 7. We were all thrilled to see him and to show him our Costa Rican world.

Daddy was eager to see new things, try new things, and do several mission projects. He was a real trooper while walking most places in a deluge. It is the rainy season, after all.

New tastes for him included mango, payjibayas, and mamon chinos. New experiences included attending a Spanish speaking church, riding public buses, and surviving the taxi "thriller" rides. Also shopping at open air markets.

While here, Daddy represented the Voice of the Martyrs four different times. Once to a men's prayer breakfast, once in church, once at a youth camp, and once in our chapel at school. He also helped our family pass out lunches and tracks to homeless people in downtown San Jose.

At the end of one short week it was time for him to leave, and as arranged, he escorted our four children back to Mississippi to have a summer vacation in the country. They're having a great time with Grandmother and Grandaddy and have had a visit from Grandma and Grandpa, as well.

We will join them August 12 for a month of preparation for Belize and to visit family and friends. These are exciting times!

Nicaragua

Well, these next couple of posts are a little late, but I don't think posterity will mind too much!

Because all of our visa forms were lost or stolen, we had to stay in Costa Rica on tourist visas instead of student visas. Which meant that we twice had to leave the country for roughly 72 hours. I have an earlier post of our first trip out that we took to Panama.

For our final trip, we decided to head north to Nicaragua. Some dear missionary friends, the Johnson family, that we went to school with had recently moved to Nicaragua. We would be able to visit with them, stay in their home, and see the work that they are involved in.

We took a pretty nice bus that had a working (albeit, stinky) bathroom that we were very grateful for. At the Costa Rican border we had to get out in the rain and stand in a line with our luggage for 3 1/2 hours. With four children, you can imagine what I was thinking about this situation, but instead of complaining, I decided to pray that God would use this circumstance as a way to strengthen our character (which meant I definitely had to keep a cheerful disposition for the sake of the children). The way Devon, Colleen, Scarlett, & Mary-Esther responded to the challenge can only be called a miracle. I am eternally grateful to God, and so proud of my children for the grace in which they comported themselves.

We were so excited to be back on the bus after waiting for so long, and proud of ourselves, that when we drove for 5 minutes and then had to get off again at the Nicaraguan border and wait another hour, it was almost too much. I compare the experience to giving birth to Devon. How I was happy that the whole ordeal was over, only to be confronted with afterbirth pains. I just wasn't prepared for it! I guess we shouldn't take anything for granted, or get cocky.

We found out later that the Johnsons waited 4 hours on the side of the road for us so that they wouldn't miss us. We didn't have any way to communicate with and tell them of our delays. I am so humbled that they cared so much for us that they gave up their own comfort confined in a van (due to the rain) beside the bus stop.

We immensly enjoyed our time with them and seeing the work that they are doing, but all too soon, we were heading back to Costa Rica. Thankfully, the wait at both borders was less than an hour. Praise the Lord. Our next trip will be to beautiful Mississippi!

Appendectomy and Panama!

This news is a bit on the dated side by now, but I'll relate the details, anyhow. On the 17th of February, Charlie woke-up sick. He first thought it was a virus, and with determination went to school. (Missing a day of school here is like missing a semester's worth of classes in college. Okay, I'm exaggerating a wee bit.)

Anyway, by the end of classes, Charlie was much worse, and wondered out loud whether or not he should go the the hospital. Charlie never wants to go to the doctor, so I began to worry. We went, the doctor ran a few tests, and Charlie was admitted to have an appendectomy that evening. WOW! The medical staff took good care of Charlie, and he came home two days later, minus a little piece of himself, but feeling much better.

Exactly one week later, we had to leave the country for three days, because we are here on tourist visas that last only 90 days. (We had tried to apply for student visas, but all our paperwork was lost or stolen between Miami and here.) There's a good chance there are people in the US walking around with our identities. If you happen to run in to anyone using our names, please be suspicious!

We decided to travel to Panama. The trip included a bus ride of seven hours, a washed out road that we had to traverse on foot. Since we don't have "walking on water" down pat, we all got wet, I obtained some new scrapes and bruises. Charlie, who was still recovering, carried both Scarlett and Mary-Esther across the water at the same time. I have a picture of that. After that unexpected adventure, we went through customs (out-of-doors), and crossed a treacherous bridge on foot with lots of missing planks and railings. We had made it to Panama! Then, after buying return tickets, we took a taxi to the Caribbean and then a 30 minute water taxi to our destination of Bocas del Toro.

Once there we had a good time snorkeling, scuba diving (for Charlie and Devon) (Yes, Devon has his scuba license now. Like father, like son), and playing on the beach. We got to eat on a boat, and actually have shrimp! (All the girls and I ordered shrimp) (Can you say, "like mother, like daughters?)

The way home was basically a reverse of the above without the treading through water bit. The biggest highlight of the way home was sitting right between the smelly bathroom that wasn't functioning and a mother and daughter, where the mother was picking lice out of her daughter's hair and flick them away indiscriminately! Doesn't that just make you itch all over? I was paranoid for a week.

Please believe me when I say I'm not complaining. Just stating the facts. We accomplished our goal, had some fun, and learned to appreciate the simple pleasures of home. What was that Paul said about learning to be content in every circumstance?

Love to you all, and enjoy all the simple moments of life,

Audrey

Preparing for my Day

This morning I was lying in bed, thinking about getting up. I started thinking of the best way to start my day with God when I started comparing what I do to get ready physically with what I do to get ready spiritually. I came to the conclusion that I do alot more to get ready physically.

Physically, I: take a shower/brush my teeth, eat breakfast, get dressed, fix my hair/apply make-up, & feed my family

Spiritually, I: read my Bible & pray, sometimes routine-like, if you know what I mean.

I've decided to apply how I get ready physically to how I get ready spiritually, and see what happens.

Here's my experiment:

1. Just as I take a shower to "clean-up", I will confess my sins to Christ to have them washed in His blood.

2. Just as I eat breakfast to feed my body and give me energy, I will feast on the Word of God, and really let it speak to me.

3. Just as I get dressed for the day, I will put on the armor of God in order to be equipped for whatever comes my way.

4. Just as I do my hair and fix my make-up to "try to look nice", I will sing praises to God Who does all things well.

5. Just as I prepare breakfast for my family to nourish them, I will look for the opportunities that God sends me to minister to other's needs.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and my family as I endeavor to seek Him more fervently.

God bless each of you as you follow Christ in your own lives.

Pictures to go with Last Post

Gratefulness and God's Power

It's been a while since I last wrote an entry. I am constantly amazed at how quickly time goes by. This life truly is a vapor. What I really want to share is how easy it is to slip into an attitude of ungratefulness and self-reliance.

The recent earthquake in Haiti has left thousands upon thousands of people homeless, hungry, and vulnerable to to the evil that continues to march on. And these numbers don't include the ones that lost their lives in the earthquake.

Over the last two weeks we have experienced two earthquake tremors (small) that were enough to shake the buildings we were in. They lasted only for 3 seconds, but it was enough to remind me that I am not in control. I can't imagine what an earthquake that lasted for 30 seconds would be like. I am told that those 30 seconds were the longest of many people's lives in Haiti. We make plans, but God directs our steps. (I think that's somewhere in Proverbs or Psalms)

Also, the students at the academy where our children attend, put up signs to remind us to pray for the Haitians, and to be grateful for what we have been given. They were very poignant reminders of how we should direct our thinking. I'm including pictures of them with this blog.

Lastly, my devotion this morning included Psalm 75. God states in verse 3 , "When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who holds its pillars firm." Horrible events happen everyday and sometimes we need to be reminded that God is in control. He has ordered our steps, and will give us the grace to walk therein.

But while we're walking, let's travel with a heart of gratitude and be the hands and feet of Jesus to a lost and suffering world.

Blood Letting

Like everywhere, the Christmas season brings with it great joy but also the need for blood. (Blood banks, I mean!) Accidents are always on the rise this time of year, and trauma patients find themselves in desperate need of life-giving blood.

Whenever we can, Charlie and I try to give. It's something that cost us very little (just a tiny bit of fear and a little fatigue - for me, that is ;-). Once given, our bodies begin to replenish the blood, and we have joy knowing that we are helping those in critical need.

So, when our school had a blood drive, we were excited. Thankfully I had been taking my vitamins and my iron level was high enough for me to give. It was wonderful knowing that I was helping people right here in Costa Rica.

This Christmas may we remember that Jesus came for the very purpose of giving us the ultimate blood transfusion, so that we may truly be called "the sons of God." There's enough for everyone, and it's always the right type!

Merry Christmas to all!

Our Turkeyless Thanksgiving

We celebrated our first Thanksgiving away from home this Thursday. It was a unique experience. For one thing, much to my surprise, the rest of the world does not celebrate our Thanksgiving. Imagine that! We had classes on Thursday, but our break time was cancelled so that we could get out an hour earlier. It was also warm for the first time in weeks. My version of warm, that is. It was 81 F. and the sun came out in all its glory for about 2 hours. I really enjoyed that, even if it doesn't seem to go with Thanksgiving.

We gathered for a Thanksgiving "Lupper" at the house of friends (Chris and Laura) with 4 other families. We had a wonderful time relaxing, socializing, being grateful for the little things, and of course, eating. We had quite the feast even though there was no turkey or ham. Chris carved the chickens and I made a roast the way Carla Tyndall taught me (in the crock pot with a whole jar of pepperoncini). We had casseroles, mashed potatoes, green beans, macaroni & cheese, Texas torte, bread, and lots of desserts. It was great!

We all shared things that we were grateful for, but could not state the obvious of God, family, and friends. I was thankful for our hot shower with good water pressure and the ultra soft sheets that we brought with us. Both of these are truly blessings.

Even though we couldn't say "friends", we are very grateful for our friends and family in the States that haven't forgotten us, and for the new friends that God has given us here in Costa Rica. We feel like we have known them forever. It reminds me of the the Girl Scout song: "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold." I love all my silver and gold friends. Thank you for your friendship; you are shining treasures.

Happy Thanksgiving or Feliz Dia de Acciones de Gracias

3 Weeks to Go!

It 's hard to believe, but there is only 3 weeks left in the first trimester. I'm not sure if the work is getting hard or we're just tired, OR BOTH! We've had a lot going on for several weeks now. Three weeks ago our family went to a beach resort so that Charlie could attend a continuing medical education course. The course covered how to conduct an exam in Spanish. While we enjoyed the time at the beach, we've had to pay for it in catch-up with school; although, I did teach the children every afternoon at the terrazzo by the pool.

Last weekend Charlie and Devon went a father-son retreat up in the mountains with the same organization with which I teach English. They had a good time except that Charlie came home very sick. (Horrible body aches and 103 fever).

While they were gone I began shopping for 23 presents for orphans for whom our school is throwing a Christmas party next week. Shepherd's Fold Church in Lumberton, MS and our Sunday school class (Brent McBride's class) at FBC, Tupelo, MS donated the money for the presents. Thanks! I didn't realize, however, how hard it would be to go from shop to shop, carrying what was purchased at each one, without a car. I've never cared before that we didn't have a car (I like to walk), but this was one situation were I could have used it. After 4 trips over three days, all the presents are purchased, wrapped, and ready to hand out to some beautiful children.

This week, Charlie missed 3 days of school because he remained so sick, and then on Thursday, we had to go downtown to immigration to apply for visa extensions because our student visa information has not arrived from D.C. yet. That was close to a nightmare. Mary-Esther was threatening to be sick, so we decided to take her with us. I didn't want to leave her at school when we wouldn't be near her. (We don't have a cell phone) Well, when we arrived at immigration, the waiting room looked like a giant doctor's office waiting room crawling with "sick germs". I began to think that I had made the wrong decision to bring Mary-Esther. She began to cough continuously, so Charlie took her outside while I waited for hours for my number to be called. Everything turned out alright, and we now have our extensions.

Charlie and Mary-Esther are doing better. Charlie, however, doesn't get to rest this weekend. He signed up Devon for a scuba course, and this weekend is the time that they go to the ocean to do the certification dives. Charlie was looking forward to diving as well, but now he's just trying to be a good chaperon.

Our classes end on Dec. 11 and we don't return until Jan. 11. We plan to enjoy the break and nail down all the grammar that we've crammed into our heads this tri!

Here's to three more weeks!

Funeral Experience

Today, Colleen and I received a stark reminder of the pain and suffering in this world. We were walking to the store, when we saw a large group of people slowly walking down the street. At first I thought they might be a tour group, but they appeared to be all nationals. They were wearing steet clothes, but in somber colors, mostly black. There were young people and elderly people. The whole scene really captured our attention; and then, we saw it. In front of the group was a hurst. It nearly took my breath away. I've seen many funeral processions in my lifetime, but this was different. Somehow it seemed more real, more painful. The mourners were not hidden away in dark tinted cars. They carried their grief out in the open for everyone to witness.

I'm not sure what I am suppose to learn from this experience. As Christians we know that this life is only temporary with all its diseases, death, and decay. Certainly it is a reminder that we should make the most of the time we have here to love one another and share the love of Christ with a dying world. We must hold dearly to the knowledge that this earth will pass away, and God will create a new heaven and a new earth where all things will be good and where we will forever rejoice in the presence of Christ, the King.

May all who read this find fresh hope in Jesus, today.

Mid-term!

I can hardly believe it. We have made it through half of the first trimester! So far Charlie and I are still making A's, but it is getting harder and harder. We're moving through Spanish grammar at a neck-breaking pace. I am so grateful to God that our family has remained well; only a minor cold here or there. Up to now, we haven't missed any school. However, next week we travel to Guanacaste, Costa Rica for a medical conference. We'll be there a week. The object of this conference is for Charlie to learn medical Spanish. While this is truly a good objective for Charlie, I'm afraid to miss a whole week of school. Please pray that we won't fall behind in our studies at the institute.

In other news, teaching English as a Second Language is going very well. The people that attend are precious and eager to learn. They are always so grateful and are making good progress. I also attend a Spanish Bible study on Tuesday afternoons. It is a small group of Ticas (Costa Ricans) and Gringas (foreigners). I am enjoying the fellowship with this sweet group of believers. They have so little in terms of material possessions, but their hearts for God are filled to overflowing. I hope to learn a lot more than Spanish from them.

Pictures:

Colleen turned 9 on October 3rd. We celebrated with a homemade cake, popcorn, and fruit juice in her class, and then she had a sleep over with two of her Tica friends.

Colleen, Scarlett, & Mary-Esther with Karis relaxing on campus after school.

One Sunday, we got rained out from the pool, so we played in the rain at a nearby park.

Devon with some friends at school. They look pretty good for it being 7:15 in the morning! Note that Devon is sporting his Global Outreach t-shirt. (our sending agency)

As I said in an earlier post, we go swimming most Sundays. Can you tell from the picture that Mary-Esther enjoys it?

Broadening Horizons

Since we've started school, I have been amazed daily about something. It seems that for every new word I learn, I suddenly see and hear it in use everywhere. Now the question is, did everyone and every printed sign wait until I learned some new word to use it, or was it already there? Of course, it was already there, and I just didn't notice it!

To digress a bit, I remember the countless car trips (around town and longer) before our children could read. What did the see when they looked out the window? Yes, they saw the same things we did, but they didn't comprehend it all. They noted colors and shapes at first, then patterns and individual letters. When they started to read, they would notice familiar words and the light would actually look like it was turned on in their eyes when they realized that those words meant something specific! Car trips were a lot more pleasant as well when they could share in the information around them.!

I wonder if our spiritual lives are like that too? Have you ever read a verse or passage from the Bible, and then needed or used that new knowledge that very day? Or noticed something going on in your life or someone elses that you didn't before? Spiritual warfare is constantly going on around us. I think the more we spend time with God and study our Bibles, the better equipped we'll be to stand against the devil, but also just to see what we couldn't see before. I remember the saying, "Forewarned is forearmed." Have a great day!

Did You Know That Charlie is an Angel?

A couple of nights ago about 2:30 in the morning, I was awakened by two very annoying dogs barking like it was their sole responsibility to wake the dead. It went on and on and on. I finally prayed that God would send an angel to shut their mouths, after all, I had Daniel in the Lions Den for a precedent! Well, wouldn't you know, as soon as I had prayed that, Charlie got out of bed (without a word) and went outside to investigate. Nothing usually wakes him up. Apparently the dogs were barking at a cat. Anyway, when Charlie arrived it broke things up, and they've been quiet ever since. So you see, Charlie must be an angel! (At least mine :-) )

I'm writing this at 12:50 in the morning because I've been up making preparations for Colleen's 9th birthday. This will be our first birthday celebration in Costa Rica.

My apologies for not posting sooner, but we were without internet for a couple of days. We weren't sure why, and then we found out that the company had cut our service because we hadn't paid the bill. You may ask, "Why did you not pay the bill?" Well, I'll tell you. You don't get a lot of bills here. You just know when you're suppose to pay them, and go to the local supermarket or bank and pay it, of course, you find out how much you owe once you get there. And if you don't, the company reminds you by cutting your service! Then you pay a late charge and wait until you get an authorization code to get your service back. Needless to say, we will put a date due chart on our refrigerator so we won't be late again. ;-)

We're still doing well in school, but some days I fell like I didn't understand a word my teachers have said. I did,however, catch that yesterday we learned all of the North America, Central American, and South American countries and their nationalites. And then, our homework was to learn all of Europe. I didn't even know all of those in English!

If you can, let me know how you are. We love news from home. You can either post a comment or e-mail us at audreygleckie@hotmail.com. Love to you all.

Fin de Semana

Weekends! At this moment, it is 6:12 Saturday morning so it is officially the weekend. I thought everyone might like to know how a typical weekend is for us. First, it's trash day, so I took that out first thing. Then, this is sheet and towel washing day. We are thankful to have both a washer and a dryer, but because of size, it takes 7 loads to wash both sheets and towels. During the week we hang clothes on the line to save money. (Electricity is very expensive here, along with everything else.) However, we do use the dryer for the Saturday loads. After the 1st load is started I read my Bible, get dressed, check my e-mail, update my blog, and fix breakfast.



Now it's time for the 2nd load. During it I wake everyone up and we eat breakfast. Then they get dressed for the day. Time to wash dishes and put on load 3. It should be about 9:00 to 9:30 now and time to go to the Open Air Market. Everyone wears a backpack to be filled and we walk to the park. Charlie watches the children who want to play and any that want to shop with me, do. (usually Colleen). We have had great fun finding out what things are and trying new things. One lady at a booth, always gives each of us a slice of watermelon to prove that they are ripe. We enjoy the treat, but it makes it a little difficult to shop with sticky hands! The first time Colleen didn't know what to do with the seeds, and the lady motioned for her to spit them on the ground, so Colleen obliged happily.



(Pause to put on load 2)



With bags loaded we walk home to bleach the produce and put it away, and of course put on washing loads 4, 5, and 6. By this time we are ready to have lunch. After dishes are washed, (we must wash and sweep immediately because of ants and bugs) the children usually like to go back to the park to play. This makes a good time for Charlie to stay home and work on bills and other computer stuff I don't know much about.



Usually in the afternoons, there is T.V. watching (mostly in Spanish), studying for Charlie and me and finishing the laundry. After dinner we get together with friends to talk and play games. God has blessed us with wonderful neighbors and fellow students.



We end Saturday with showers and bedtime stories. However, this weekend we are puppysitting for a couple who is puppysitting for another family. We are enjoying taking care of Preciosa because we miss our puppies greatly. Also Devon had a friend spend the night, and Mary-Esther and Scarlett spent the night with some of their friends. Things are a little different this weekend.



Sunday, after our morning routine, we head to church, El Lugar, it's a wonderful church with good teaching. It's all in Spanish, but the pastor gives us outlines so it's easier to follow, plus we can study it later when we have time to go through it slowly! After church we eat a snack and take a bus to the public pool in downtown San Jose. The water is so cold that I don't get in, and Scarlett and Mary-Esther swim for a while and then play at the adjacent playground. Don't worry, though, I keep a sharp eye on them. We swim until about 3:00 and then walk to McDonald's or Burger King (they are in the direction of home). After eating we walk the rest of the way home, take showers, prepare for the next week, eat a snack and go to bed.



I'm sure there will be many things to alter this routine, but these are the basics.

I'm just now posting this (I first wrote it two or three weeks ago) because I thought I had lost it. I didn't know that the computer had saved it as a draft - I just found it!