Tranquillo...wow!!

So, I thought I would write about our exciting adventure this weekend. One of the volunteers at AM, Diana,  knows the owner of a beach house in Playa Junquillal, who was nice enough to let all the volunteers come stay for the weekend for free.  Playa Junquillal is about 2 hours south of where we live, and we were so excited about our little Friday night get-away!  However unbeknownst to us, we would never see the beach this weekend....duh duh duh!!!

We left right after Fun Friday with the kids in Potrero.  John and I drove together and we followed another car full of volunteers on the half paved/half dirt road to Junquillal. It had just turned dark and we were in the middle of no-where, when our car brakes completely stop working.  After about a mile of honking our horn/stopping/calling our friends in the other car who weren't answering/etc we finally were able to stop and get our friends attention.  Thankfully we were on a flat dirt road at the time (Blessing #1), but unfortunately in the middle of nowhere.  After looking at the engine in the dark and having no idea what was wrong, we decided that we would go up to this one bright street light to possibly park our car in a safer place since there was nothing we could do at this point.  Thankfully, there was a little bar/restaurant off the road where three tico guys were hanging out. They said we could park our car there and one guy lived there so they thought it would be safe (Blessing #2). There was a slight decline to get into their parking lot, so thankfully one of the guys had a line that he connected to his own car to give John some tension while entering the parking lot, (Blessing #3) which was a huge help and much needed!!

The plan was to get into the already packed car with our stuff when other volunteers (Natalie and her friends), who we didn't know if they were for sure were coming, arrive on the scene.  They had extra room in their car to take us the rest of the way and they are coming back early in the morning so they can drop us back off (Blessing #4).

The house was amazing.  We cooked some awesome Chicken enchiladas and shrimp scampi and I had a lot of fun talking to Natalie's friends in spanish!  John and I said a few prayers before we went to bed hoping that our car would still be there in the morning with tires intact, etc.

The next morning, Natalie calls her dad to ask if the INS (CR national car insurance) offers towing services in all of Costa Rica and he confirmed they did. So, we eagerly call the INS and they said that we will get 40 km worth of free towing...which will get us into a pretty big town where we know has multiples car repair stations (Blessing #5).  However, after giving our car information, the INS tells us that we are not the owners of the car ... so no free towing for us.  Sadly, there is not AAA in CR (sorry Mom, who has faithfully given AAA as Christmas presents for the last 5 years).  John and I are quick to ask about other for-profit towing companies, come to find out there are no other towing companies in CR because the INS is the only way (scratch Blessing #5).  Sadly, at this point, Natalie and her friends had people waiting on them back home so we told them to go on and we would figure something out.  Right around that time, the guy at the bar tells John that he thinks there is a small mechanic place a couple miles down the road.  Right when he is telling us this, an American couple stops to ask if we need help (Real Blessing #5).  They gave us a ride to the mechanic. On the way the couple explained that they were on their honeymoon but on their 2nd day, they were on a ATV tour and fell off a 20 ft bridge and had to go to the hospital for stitches on her face/hip/etc.  They said they were headed to Mal Pais now (which I now feel sorry for them even more because our friends from church were showing us videos of their trip to Mal Pais last week and they literally had to cross 3 rivers created by the rainy season...very scary!)

After the mechanic's aggressive dog literally tries to bite John's leg off and I'm screaming nearby...the mechanic after 2 attempts gets his dog tied up (I guess that's Blessing #6...it could have ended up really bad).  The mechanic says he will ride his bike and meet us back at our car...so we start on our 40 minute walk back to our car. Fifteen minutes into our walk, the mechanic and now his younger brother stop and pick us up the rest of the way because they now have a car (Blessing #7).  He figured out what was wrong with the car (the line to the break fluid was broken) and said he could fix it...so we slowly drove to his shop.  At this point, we are figuring out they are super nice young guys (21 and 17 years old).   I was telling the younger brother that I wish our radio worked because I would love to listen to spanish music to improve my spanish skills but instead we've been listening to the SAME cd for 2 months. He starts tinkering and in 10 minutes we now have radio (Blessing #8) and the older brother successfully got our breaks working again (Blessing #9). After spending about an hour with these guys, John asks them how much it costs. The older brother responds back with 'Tranquillo', which means 'don't worry about it' in this context. We obviously resist multiple times and he finally accepts our money, which we were so happy to give (especially given our situation). It's just amazing how nice and giving people are sometimes! John and I will never forget his one word response...after such a crazy day!!! (Blessing #10).

John and I spent the last hour of our drive home recollecting all the ways God took care of us through our friends, strangers, flat dirt roads, etc.

We spent the rest of the rainy afternoon resting/napping from our high energy/exhausting day.

Later that night, Kathy & David, cooked us an amazing lasagna meal and we had some great conversation. Even though I think their week in Mal Pais was even more exciting than ours after seeing their crazy river videos.

This may have been a very short-lived trial, but this verse came to my mind...

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2

El Llanito...Que Tierno!

Last week, we started our first Adult English class in El Llanito.  Staci, from Serve One, was able to help us contact the Community Director, Maryuri, and she was super excited to open the Salon/school doors on Monday nights to start classes.

The idea for adult classes was born when I was talking to a lot of the mothers at the recent Vacation Bible School and they were super eager about the idea. I believe the word spread across town much quicker that I could have imagined.  These are the first adult classes that they've had in their community so the enthusiasm has been overwhelming! We opened the classes up for Colegio students (7th grade and above) and adults.  John opened up the night with a prayer in spanish for all of our new students and many of them joined in with lots of 'amens'. I was sooo proud of him!  It was funny...last night we split our group into Basic english (Jamie) and Intermediate english (John), so we were in 2 different rooms.  John came in and said a prayer for my group (since I'm not quite ready to lead a prayer in spanish) and then he said a very similar prayer for his class afterwards. His class thought it was funny because they could hear him in my classroom and his prayer was pretty much the same... I guess it's hard to be extra creative when it's not your native language! Que Lindo!

We had the group write down last week why they wanted to be in class and why they thought it was important to learn. Here are some of their responses:

1)  Porque quiero tener mas comunicacion con personas extranjeros y por mi trabajo (because I wanted to be able to communicate with strangers and for my job)

2) Quiero aprender a comunicarme contigo en ingles y con otros personas y tambien porque es muy importante saberlo en esta zona porque hay mucho turismo (I want to learn to communicate with you and other people because it is very important to know in this tourist region)

3) Para poder relacionarme con personas que hablan Ingles en la iglesia a la que voy (In order to make relationships with people that speak english in the church that I go to)

4) Porque conseguir trabajo (so I can find work

After reading so many of the responses, one of the main reasons they want to learn English is to find work in order to provide for their families. A friend of mine from GE (Mr. Ken H.), gave me a book before I left. It is called 'When Helping Hurts'. The book is primarily about how Christians are helping poor people abroad (and at home) in positive ways and maybe not so positive ways.  It is a very interesting read and probably deserves a whole post to explain (in the future). However, the book does explain that by helping the poor meet very basic needs like helping/empowering a person to find a job through their own labor so they can provide for their family (food, clothing, shelter, etc) is a critical step for one's self-esteem and the ability for them to recognize the gifts God has given each person.

Last night was so encouraging! We are over our max size for the classes (21 personas)...AND it was raining. In Costa Rica, ticos treat rain like Southerners treat snow. When it rains, ticos just stay inside and you can usually expect low attendance, if any. This group has touched my heart and I hope to continue to share God's love with them!!!

Yesterday morning when I went back to El Llanito to teach the kindergarteners, I was greeted with nine precious kids running to greet me and giving me lots of hugs.  It's either me or the M&M's (that Staci so wisely taught me to bring). Here are some of the kids eating their lunch prepared by Isabella (it took us a few tries to get everyone looking in the same direction).

Also, on my drive to El Llanito yesterday morning there was a little traffic jam! And yes, I am driving a stick shift and taking a picture at the same time...but we were at a dead stop!

Afterwards, I took Martha (the kindergarten teacher) to her home in Huacas. She invited me into her house to meet her family and her husband was very proud with what he found/caught at his work the day before. I was petrified!  (If you are wondering it was dead...thank goodness!)

 Scott and Staci, if you are reading this...thank you so much for taking us under your wing and introducing us to the sweet village of El Llanito. We are so happy to be a small part of helping the foundation you have laid grow!

Amazing Comida!

Something that John and I think is extremely cool is how we are now buying fish. There is a house on the way to Brasilito that sells fresh fish (tuna, sea bass, mahi mahi, shrimp, etc). 

Amelia is always at her house with her porch doors open for customers. Her prices don't vary and they are much cheaper than in the stores and restaurants

She pretty much can eye a whole tuna and cut exactly the amount you request (the only picture I didn't get was of the scale).  We usually just buy a 1/2 kilo and that is sufficient for a dinner for two. Her husband and three of his partners fish every morning to ensure a healthy supply of fish. The fish are usually caught that morning or the day before. Que Rico!!

Here is the finished version on our plate!

 
Another wonderful benefit of living in Costa Rica is the fruit. We are now regulars at a fruit stand on our way to Potrero. One of the guys is a super good salesmen, he lets you try almost anything you want, and then of course I always end up buying it.  Fortunately, John and I are good fruit eaters and we never let anything go to waste! I think one of my new favorite fruits is a mangostein and the locals say it's good for cancer prevention too (not sure if it's true...tried to look it up on the internet and I couldn't find)! It is just amazing how many wonderful and different kinds of fruit that God has created (and there's so many more I've yet to try). At some point I'll have to do a whole blog on just fruits so I'll never forget them!

Here's John drinking a coconut where we live. Below are the supplies and yes that's a machete! After we drink the coconut, there is a coconut lining that you can dig out and eat (I think that's John's favorite part).  Muy rico!

Last photo...to go along with my food-themed post... a simple bowl of mango. Didier, from English class, brought us 3 mangos a week or so ago.  I haven't had such a good mango since my Mamaw and Papaw's mango tree in Florida was still alive (my dad would always say that their mangos were so sweet because the sewer ran under the tree).  I don't know how my Mamaw would always cut the perfect slices of mango. I've actually been having a hard time cutting those same slices (it feels like I'm going to slice something else).  Somebody told me a trick yesterday on how to cut them so they are not so slippery. I'll keep you posted if it actually works!

With all this talk about good food from the sea and on the land, I am just so thankful for God's creation and His creativity (once I post more pics you'll see what I mean)!

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. Genesis 1:29-30

Beginning of Session 3 at Abriendo Mentes

It was our first week back teaching English in the Brasilito Park to muchas ninos (K-6th grade) and teaching 2 Kindergarten classes in the local elementary school (all in partnership with AM & Cepia)

Below is a picture of Brasilito park where we teach English.  We have just started a Sports program that John leads on Mondays as well. It's a great space for a community classroom and place for kids and families to hang out in a positive atmosphere.

This Wednesday was my first time leading the Brasilito Kinder class in the actual school. They were learning the letter 'F' and we did an activity 'F' is for Frog. I think the word 'ribbit' crosses both languages :)

I think I'm the only one that felt like my frog had to be green!

There was a C.R. holiday on Thursday, so the schools closed down and thus we never know how many kids will show up to our program. 'Thrilling Thursdays' in Brasilito is supposed to be an extra curricular day where we do different crafts/games/field trips/etc. This Thursday we made animal masks because Animals was the topic for the week, which is tied to what they are learning in their regular school.

No, this isn't one of our kids. Didier is one of our adult students that was convinced to put on one of the kids' masks. Pretty much all the kids made a 'cat' mask, but I didn't get any pictures :(

On Friday's in Potrero they call it 'Fun Fridays'. The town has let Abriendo Mentes use some space behind their salon to start a garden. So, the kids planted a lot of seeds and finally got to put up the signs they made a few weeks ago. The space has gone from a place covered in trash to a great learning space for kids.

Stay tuned in for more that is happening in Costa Rica....