We are leaving CR...We are not leaving CR...

I wanted to update you on how we ended our year here in Costa Rica. Aaron and I both tested at Advanced Low which is one level higher than what we were needing to be for Mexico. So we were both very happy with this score and really saw how God helped us obtain this level of language this year.

What a crazy week this has been! We are currently in Costa Rica awaiting our flight to Mexico this next Monday, May 4. We were delayed because of the swine flu epidemic currently still spreading in Mexico City. Please pray they will be able to get this under control before it gets worse. So because our house is being filled by a new Missionary family tonight we had to move out. Another IMB apartment will be available tomorrow for us to stay in throughout our remaining days here. So for tonight we are in a mission team house with a lot of bunkbeds! However, we were invited to go to the beach one last time by another IMB family. So we decided we would enjoy one more place in Costa Rica that we have yet to see. We will be gone Tuesday through Friday. Then we will come back and probably repack for the 3rd time! Sorry there are no pictures attached to this one but will get some others up real soon for you. We will keep you updated on our upcoming travel plans. Have a great week!

Easter in Costa Rica

I can't believe Easter has already come and gone!! How fast it went by. We had a small break from school, Wednesday through Easter Sunday. This break came at just the right moment as we are packing and cleaning the house for the next family to move in. Good Friday morning the Catholic Church had a Crucifixion parade. They start about a 2 miles from their church and walk back and reinact the walk Jesus made to Galgatha. Overall it was very interesting to watch. I could see that this was a very important part of the Catholic church here in San Jose. Saturday afternoon we had a small Easter "egg" hunt at our house with our friends The Burtons. However instead of eggs we just had wrapped candy to hide. So each child could find 1 each of the 4 types of sweets we had for them. I think they had a really good time with this. Easter morning the girls woke up and went to find their Easter "baskets". I am getting really good at improvising! They loved finding their surprises. We went to church Easter morning and was excited that we were arriving on time for once. We walked in to find that the 8am service started at 6am and the 10:30am service started at 9am. We didn't know that the services were changed for Easter Sunday. Oh well, we'll just say we were REALLY early for the 9am service. So we waited and were able to have a good conversation with the Pastor. We really had a great Easter and were able to relax with a little down time in order to reflex on the great sacrifice Jesus did for us. I really feel that with the parade it really helped me to picture myself there on that walk to Galgatha. It brought tears to my eyes. In the picture link below are pictures of everything mentioned above along with a short video of the parade. Try to picture yourself there 2000 years ago as a bystander watching the procession. Hope you and your family took time out this year to give thanks for the sacrifice that took place 2000 years ago for you! May God bless your week.

Prayer bug: Pray for our visa process that it will be completed soon and we can move on to what God has for us in Puebla.

Easter

Secret Sisters

Below is kind of a schmorgasborg of pictures. But here is a run down. Mylee and I went to a Surprise Baby Shower for Cohen and Amie Ezelle, other students, that we have been in school with since our First Trimester. Because they are getting ready to leave also, we took up a collection and purchased a Visa giftcard for when they return to the states to have the baby. They will be traveling next Monday and she is about 8 months pregnant. Please pray that the baby waits!!

Also included are photos of a Secret Sister Fellowship. At the beginning of this Timester, ladies signed up to have a secret sister throughout the 4 months that they can pray for and encourage through notes and little gifts if they desired. So this past Monday was the "Revealing" fellowship. Our time started off with a little activity, then we had snacks that were made by me and a few of my friends (Thanks ladies). While they ate their snacks, I had a little devotional time with them. After that was the "revealing" part. This was the most fun! Nobody knew who they had. Everyone had kept it a secret! I had no clue who mine was. Her name happened to be Connie Andy. She thought I knew who mine was since I had put it all together. But my good friend Christina and I made it to where I could have fun with it also. It was a great time together and hope another lady will carry on Secret Sisters.

There are other random pictures of the girls that are pretty cute(I might be biased)! There is also a small video of how our yard is cut. I will leave it up to you if the art should be adopted in the US=). Have a great Easter and please be on your knees for our visas to come, in order to purchase our tickets to Mexico!

Baby Shower/SS Fellowship