Nazerene District Center, Panama

My (Dan's) project this term was to serve the Nazarene church of Panama.  The Church of the Nazarene in Panama has 34 established churches with an additional 25 developing churches.  As the church has grown, it has become necessary to provide a place that all the Nazarene churches in the country can use for pastor training, youth camps, and other country-wide programs.  The church in Tocumen, Panama only occupies about one quarter of the land they have, so the administration decided to use the additional land for these country-wide facilities.  Twelve volunteers and interns traveled with me to Panama for a week to start the design.




Architect's rendering of the final Master Plan

I know that, as I write about my projects, I often write about the Lord’s provision.  I have now led my 6^th project trip, and the Lord has provided in amazing ways each time.  He has consistently been faithful to provide in surprising ways in each of my trips.  At the risk of being redundant, I want to share again about His provision.

Some of the project team working at the site

There was a very real possibility that we may not have had a single architect (the most critical volunteer) on the team until the fifth day of the trip.  God provided.  The volunteer usually responsible for determining the soil bearing capacity didn’t know how to do it.  God provided.  Another volunteer didn’t complete his responsibilities after the trip.  God provided.  It is always so amazing to see how God provides for the completion of all of the necessary parts of every project.  It happens every time, but it never ceases to bring me to my knees in dependence and praise.

It was the rainy season, but everyone had a great attitude.

Another aspect of our ministry that I haven't shared much about before now is our ministry to the volunteers of a project team.  Although my main focus in leading projects is providing a design for a ministry that enables them to better reach the poor for Christ, I also try to take advantage of the time I have with the volunteers.  Throughout the project week, we do several things to keep our focus on God as the one we are ultimately serving.

One form of doing this is by sharing testimonies.  Each evening after dinner, a couple of the volunteers take about 15 minutes to share the story about how they came to Christ.  I have heard many stories throughout my project trips about how the testimony of one volunteer touched the life of another.  This project was no exception.

Another activity is a daily devotional followed by a time of worship in song.  On several nights of the trip, this time of worship through song extended for hours after dinner.  Once, I decided to open my computer to go back to work while everyone else continued singing.  It was a joy to sit there serving Him while singing praises to Him who gave me the skills to it.

Then, at the end of the week, we have a meeting when I ask the volunteers to think about what the Lord may be challenging them to change in their lives.  During this time of sharing, one of the volunteers on this trip committed to get more involved in his church, and specifically in one of the Bible Studies.  His name is Suhendi; he is from Indonesia, but he works for an engineering firm in Florida.  He had come to the Lord through the ministry and prayers of his wife who is from Hong Kong.  Through the testimonies and devotionals during the trip, the Lord convicted him that he needed to be involved in studying the Bible.  You can imagine how pleased I was when one of his recent emails contained the following note (as he wrote it):

“Thank for the great life changing experience, I know Jesus a lot more now than before the trip.  My testimony to you is that I read Bible everyday now and I join Bible study at my church every Thursday night, as what I promised on our last devotion session.”

Sunhedi and me on the tour of the Panama Canal

Praise the Lord for His work in the hearts of His children!

Fiesta navideña de las mujeres

Christmas starts early here.  With no Thanksgiving here to signal the end of fall and beginning of the Christmas season, Christmas events start as early as the beginning of November... and they keep going until mid to late January!  I love it.

In mid-November, we had our ladies' Christmas party for the women of our church.  Everyone was supposed to bring traditional Christmas food for a cafecito (tea party, except with coffee), so we had a good selection of Costa Rican and Nicaraguan dishes... with some American cookies. 

We had a great time of visiting, enjoying each others' recipes, and sharing special Christmas memories from our childhoods.  We ended the time with making Christmas centerpieces for our homes. 

with our delicious spread of food

working on our centerpieces

my friend Liliana with her creation

sweet sisters in Christ
from L to R: Iveth (our pastor's wife), Johanna, me, Leticia, Fanny, Dina, Kathya, Liliana

 

Tomorrow night, we will do our kids' Christmas program.  We are excited about what this program is going to be like this year.  Instead of having it at our church, we are doing it in the central park of Atenas where so many people will see and hear it as they walk through town!  Our adult choir will sing, our pastor will share from God's Word, and our kids will act out the Christmas story.  Now, I just need to figure out a sheep costume for Timmy before tomorrow night...

Please pray that many people will hear the message of the true reason for celebrating Christmas tomorrow and that God would use it to draw people to Himself!

"Fall" in the tropics

Fall is my favorite season.  I have always loved the cooler weather, the breezes, the colorful leaves, and eating soups and anything made out of pumpkin.  But, we never have fall living here in Costa Rica.  One of the biggest blessings of our 4 month home leave last year was being back in the USA for fall.  We loved spending lots of time outside while being bundled up -- swinging at the park, crunching in the leaves, visiting the pumpkin farm.  It felt wonderful to be cool! 

I think because we experienced fall last year, I felt a little homesick during October and November this year.  Timmy, too, was missing fall and kept asking when we could play in the leaves.  So, finally, just a couple of days before Thanksgiving, we had a "fall" day in the tropics.  It was a cool, cloudy day with a breeze that made it feel like fall.

We got out the cloth leaves a friend had sent us years ago when we were missing fall and played with them in the living room:

 

We went down to the mango grove at the end of our street and crunched in the fallen leaves:

 

We came back home and made a paper turkey and drew some pictures of pilgrims:

 

And, we had chicken made over a wood fire, roasted zucchini and carrots, and cornbread for dinner:

 

 

 

It was a perfect fall day, even here in the tropics! 

Two!!

one day old

Two years ago a week from yesterday, it was a month before my due date.  Costa Rica was in a state of national emergency because of flooding throughout the country.  That morning, a landslide had blocked the main road to the hospital, which was normally at least an hour drive away from our small town in the mountains.  The family that was going to watch Timmy for us when it was time to go to the hospital was out of the country.  We still hadn't chosen our baby girl's name.  And, I went into labor.  It is a pretty crazy story, but, suffice it to say, we had quite the adventurous evening, and by the time we got to the hospital, it was time for Tabitha to enter the world (and we had decided on her name)!  I found out later that as he was speeding around the curves of the mountain pass, Dan was considering how he might need to deliver the baby on the side of the road.  We are so, so very thankful for God's amazing protection and care, and for the precious blessing that our little daughter has been to our family the past two years. 

 

The night before Tabitha's birthday this year, I could not fall asleep, but lay awake reliving that night and all that happened.  I was overwhelmed by God's care for me and our baby.  I had had a high risk pregnancy and a really difficult delivery.  Looking back, it was a scary night, but at the time, I was filled with God's peace.  I had prayed specifically that I would be able to be calm when the time came, and God answered that prayer.  It wasn't until a couple of days later, when I was staying in the hospital alone with Tabitha in the NICU, that it hit me as I looked out over the metal roofs of the sprawling capital... "I just had a baby in Costa Rica!  I could have had her in the car!  She came a month early!  I am taking care of her in a hospital where everyone only speaks Spanish!"  My reaction?  Worship.  For His power was made perfect in my weakness and His peace that transcends all understanding filled me.  I thank Him for little Tabitha and the answer to so many prayers that she is.  We love you, sweet girlie! 

 

3 months old

6 months old

9 months old

one year old

18 months old

TWO years old!

 

the "new" interns

Our current interns are already more than halfway through their internship!  We have really loved getting to know this great group.  It is the largest group we have ever had and they are a lot of fun.  They arrived at the end of the August, spent two weeks in language school, are investing in their host families, working in the office, and have traveled to Honduras and Panama on project trips.  All seven of them, plus another young woman serving here in Atenas, join us for Bible study every Wednesday night.  We are doing character studies on people of faith in the Bible and are developing a working definition of faith based on the examples of the people listed in Hebrews 11.  It's been a great study so far!

During their orientation week, we had an encouraging night of fellowship when we got to hear all of their testimonies.  Some photos of that night will help you "meet" our interns:

L to R: Andrew, Aaron, me, Cindy (EMI staff), and Julietta

 

Interns Camia and Lena are the two girls on the right

 

L to R: Interns Matt, Cheri and Andrew with EMI staff

 

Something that has really struck me about this group of interns is their excitement and willingness to serve.  Last week, we had them over for dinner before Bible study and they were all quick to jump in and help me finish up the preparation for the meal.  They were very appreciative of a break from rice and beans for a good all-American meal of grilled hamburgers, chips and guacamole, green beans, and pumpkin cake.  I'm not sure my food has ever been so complimented! 

 

We really love sharing life with our interns and are so thankful that one of Dan's roles here is to coordinate the intern program.  It is always exciting to see God working in the hearts of the interns, drawing them closer to Himself and using their time in a cross-cultural setting to teach them in new ways.  It's going to be hard to say good-bye to this group in December!



Good-bye, interns!

(This post is about two months too late, but I feel like I can't move on with the blog without acknowledging last term's interns!)

At the end of July, we said good-bye to the interns who had been with us since mid-January.  Brad, Esther, Kevin, and Allison worked in the office with Dan, traveled to Ecuador and Honduras on project trips, lived with Costa Rican host families, worshiped in local, Spanish-speaking churches, and shared life with us here in Atenas.  We got to know them pretty well as they were in our home every Wednesday night for an inductive Bible study on the book of Hebrews.  Dan and I always learn so much from our times of leading this study with the interns!



Dan and I got to know Brad and Esther the best because they attended our church here and we mentored them during their time with us.  Mentoring involves meeting together weekly for accountability, prayer, and studying a specific topic together.  Brad and Dan focused on evangelism, while Esther and I studied Biblical womanhood.

Pastor Yeremy saying good-bye to Esther and Brad on their last Sunday at our church

 

After spending so much time with a group of interns, it is always sad to say good-bye.  We pray for them as they return to "normal" life in the States, where Esther has started grad school and the others are finding jobs in their fields.  It is always exciting to hear about what kinds of ministries interns get involved with in the States, and we are looking forward to staying in touch with these four special people!

the interns with some EMI staff families and tico friends

 

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

being confident in this,

that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion,

until the day of Christ Jesus.

 

Philippians 1:4-6

We're alive... really!

Whenever things are quiet here on the blog, it's a good guess that life for us here in Costa Rica is anything BUT quiet!  The past couple of months since our last posts have been busy, full ones... filled with really good things, some hard things, and some much-needed lessons.  We took a whirlwind trip to the States to see our families, said good-bye to last term's group of interns, welcomed a new group of interns, and experienced the biggest earthquake Costa Rica has had in the last fifty years.  Dan and I have both been continuing to serve in the men's and women's ministries of our church, and I have had some neat new opportunities open up to share life and God's love with women in our neighborhood.  Our car was in the shop for over two months and, through that, we got to experience what is normal life for many Costa Ricans as we walked, rode buses and took taxis every day.  We celebrated our eighth anniversary, and have continued to be amazed at God's blessings to us through our children.  Dan is in Panama this week leading a project team, and the kids and I are holding down the fort here in Atenas! 

Just wanted to write a quick post to acknowledge that we really are alive and well here in Costa Rica!  As always, we so appreciate prayers for our life and ministry supporting God's people in Latin America.  Thank you!

our little family at my cousin's wedding in Florida

La Palabra de Vida Camp, Ecuador



Dan, high above the
city of Quito, Ecuador

I (Dan) returned from my most recent project trip way back at the beginning of March, but I am only just now getting the opportunity to write just a little about what the trip was like.
The project was located about an hour northwest of Quito, Ecuador.  The ministry we were serving was called Word of Life, or Palabra de Vida in Spanish.  They are an international organization based in New York State that specializes in reaching youth for Christ through camps and Bible institutes throughout the world.  This particular project consisted of two principal objectives.  First, we needed to develop a master plan for a recently acquired property.  Secondly, we needed to provide a detailed design for a multipurpose cafeteria building that would be the centerpiece of the camp.



Dan and the mountains of
the Ecuadorian rainforest

One of the challenges an EMI project leader faces is the fact that our designers are volunteers, combined with the fact that it is impossible for those volunteers to complete their designs during the project trip.  After they return from the trip, they have been away from their families and from their work for over a week so they have a lot to attend to.  This sometimes means that it takes the volunteers some time to catch up to the point that they can complete their design.
The reason I haven’t had time to write is because I have had the opposite problem!  I have received so much information from my volunteers so quickly and they have been so responsive that I’ve been swamped with work.  This devotion is also indicative of the project trip itself.


The project team in downtown Quito, Ecuador

Even before I left, I was worried about several challenges:

• We were going to the Ecuadorian rainforest during the rainy season!   Were we crazy? 
• We had only three days to survey a 60 acre site on the side of a mountain and surveyors can’t work in the rain.  How will we do it? 
• We had to design a multipurpose cafeteria and complete the design so that they can start construction and enclose the building before the beginning of the next rainy season.  Is that even possible?

Providentially, God assembled the perfect team to meet these challenges:

• The team was experienced.  Between the nine volunteers on the trip, only one had never done an EMI trip before; the total EMI trip experience of the team totaled over 40 project trips!
• There were two surveyors.  As the team was being recruited, no surveyors could commit to the trip, so we kept in contact with two in case one fell through.  In the end, they were both able to make the trip.
• The team was dedicated.  For example, one surveyor, along with Brad the intern as a rodman, consistently woke up at first light in order to take advantage of the morning when it was less likely to rain.

early morning surveying

However, despite all this, three days into the trip, I was even more worried.  Because of scheduling requirements, travel, and other delays, we were still working on programming on Monday afternoon.  Typically, I like to have programming complete by the end of the day Sunday!  (Programming is the time we meet with the client ministry to discover exactly what they need and want from our design, and we can’t even begin the design until this is complete.)  We were almost a day behind when we were already under a tight time crunch.  I was more and more worried about how this project would get completed.
But that would be the end of my worries.  Beginning on Tuesday morning, the talents and gifts that God had given the team that He assembled shone through like the sun piercing the thick mist of the Ecuadorian mountain rainforest.

The sun rises over the misty rainforest mountains

• Because of their experience, the volunteers knew exactly what data they needed and how to find them.
• The two surveyors were able to divide the site between them, and even though it did rain quite a bit, they were able to complete the survey of the most important, developable areas.  In fact, the rain gave them the much needed time to coordinate their work.
• Through the dedication of Fred, the architect, and Kevin, another intern who would spend the sunny hours as a rodman for a surveyor and the rainy hours assisting Fred, the basic architectural design was completed by the end of the day Wednesday!

Showing the ministry the design for the first time

Finalizing the design back in Quito

Moreover, this level of commitment has continued to today.  Just days after the team returned home, we started receiving design information from the volunteers, and it hasn't stopped yet.  Today, we are still sorting through the emails and comments that have continued to arrive from the volunteers.  As a result, we have already sent preliminary documents to the ministry for construction estimates.  This will likely end up as one of the most successful project trips I have been a part of.  Thank you for your passion and dedication, team, and thank You, Lord, for always providing exactly what we need.

 

Master Plan



Multipurpose Cafeteria, Exterior Rendering

our big girl

It's hard to believe that Tabitha is already 18 months old!  The months are flying by and she's so big; I don't feel like I have a baby anymore!  I do ask her every day if she's still my baby, and she always answers with a smile and a sweet "yeah". 

Tabitha is saying new words every day and is very communicative.  Even with all of her new words, my favorite is still to hear her call "Mommy" or "Daddy."   It's also very cute when she says "lala" (hola) or "chao!" 

Women's retreat!

This year, our church, el Templo Bautista de Atenas, had its very first women's retreat.  A women's retreat may sound like something that is normal for church ministry...  However, this was such a very special event for us because not only because it was a first, but also because it would seem like something our church people would not be able to afford.  God orchestrated things in such a way that 15 women gathered at a local hotel for all of Friday, Friday night, and part of Saturday.  For most of the women attending, it was their first time to ever attend a retreat or to have a night away from their families!  (Ladies in the USA, can you imagine that... to have never, not even as a teenager or young adult, attended a ladies' retreat?)

sharing a meal together

The women of our church worked hard to make this happen.  Many of them sold watermelons door to door to have the one night at a rustic hotel.  Others worked extra jobs cleaning houses.  And, their motivation wasn't to "get away" or to have "me time" or even to "hang out with the girls" (not that those things are wrong, but these ladies' motivation was greater).  They were truly excited about the spiritual lessons anticipated through this retreat.   The theme was "Señor, sana mis heridas" (Lord, heal my wounds).  We studied the name "Jehovah Rapha" (the Lord heals) and how our spiritual and emotional wounds are healed by God.  We looked at God's soveriegnty and the role of suffering in our walk with Him.  We also discussed letting go of holding on to bitterness and hurt caused by old wounds.  The teaching was very impactful for many of the women.  I was really encouraged to hear from various women about what they learned both from the large group talks and from their personal times in prayer during this retreat.  Although it wasn't a passage used in the talks, I feel like Hebrews 12:1-3 well encompass the focus and theme of this time:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

with my lovely roommates: Felicia, Kathya, and Adriana

It was so fun to room with some sweet Tica friends!  I was in a room with two hermanas that I know fairly well, Felicia and Kathya, and then one of our speakers, Adriana, who is a missionary from Argentina.  As we were getting ready for bed, we were surprised by a serenata by some of the youth and husbands of the church.  It was really sweet!  It was fun to stay up very late talking and getting to know each other better, snug in our pjs and sitting in our four twin beds.  I found out that even when they stay up talking late into the night, Ticas still rise before dawn to shower and get ready for the day!  I took the opportunity to slip out and have some alone time with God while watching the sun rise. 

the women of Templo Bautista de Atenas

I am so thankful that the women of our church were able to have this special time together.  I am really excited about some upcoming studies and events we have planned for our women's ministry in the next several months.  Ladies reading this blog, the next time you have a time away, whether it's a morning Bible study at church or a women's getaway, please think of your sisters here in Costa Rica and pray for us!

Did you see THIS today?

I'm thinking that most likely anyone reading this blog from the States did NOT see what I saw today... 

Let's check.

Any of you see a man carrying a butchered pig, completely uncovered and slung over his shoulder, across the street and into a grocery store???

No?

Well, this is what I saw as Tabitha and I were walking through the main shopping street of our little town today.  I was just a little grossed out. 

front porch frolic

Not much makes me happier than seeing our two little ones love being together. Timmy and Tabitha are thrilled to be together after he gets home from school and they always have a good time running back and forth on our front porch. It's so cute!

running from one end...

... to the other...

... again...

... and again.

She absolutely adores her big brother!

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!  Psalm 133:1

That verse often comes to mind during these times of happy frolicking.  I'm thankful for these moments; they truly are the balm I need when there disputes over toys or a clamoring for mommy's attention.  I'm excited to see their friendship grow as they get older!

first day of school

Before we left for our furlough last year, we decided that when we came back, we'd have Timmy go to a local bilingual preschool.  Even though he's lived in Costa Rica his whole life, his Spanish is still very limited and we were realizing that the older he gets, the harder it will be for him to develop friendships here and really be able to participate in the life of our church if he doesn't know Spanish better.  So, we're sending him to school this year!  We chose this particular school since it was bilingual (Spanish and English), so Timmy will be able to learn Spanish but not be totally overwhelmed by it.  The school year starts in February here so we got back just in time for him to be there on the first day.

He was pretty nervous at first, but now he loves it!  I'm so proud of him being so brave.  He's the only foreigner in the class and so the only kid who doesn't speak Spanish well.  He's doing great and I'm so thankful!


Some photos of his first day:

Tabitha posing with her big brother before school

Timmy's classroom

the "hallway" - I love that so much school time is spent outside here!

happy after his first day of pre-kinder



Isn't it cute to see all of those preschoolers in their little uniforms?  So far, we've been impressed by the school.  It is very well-organized and they do a good job of keeping the parents informed.  Please pray for him to learn Spanish through this time at school.  And, pray for his mama who misses him while he's there!