Last week I wrote about getting lost on our way to church. Through some miscommunication, the preacher had sent me his home address not the address of the church. He came to our apartment to meet us yesterday and to be sure that we had the correct address to the church. He is a very nice man named Ronald Martinez and is married to Nora. They have three children between 17 and 22.
Since we were not exactly sure where the church was, we decided we would catch a taxi there and walk home. Church started at 9:00, then at 11:30 there is Sunday school. Ronald introduced us and said we would be part of the family for the next year. When the worship time finished, almost everyone there came and greeted us and said they are so happy that we are here to worship them. It was a very warm welcome. I remember back to times I have visited at other churches when no one talked to me, so it is always very comforting to be the visitor and feel so welcome.
Everyone was excited to meet Haley. She was so tired when it was time for Bible class, but she was so excited to go to be with other children. She gave everyone hugs and even some wet slobbery kisses. She also broke my necklace during church and beads went everywhere.
I was just looking at the map and learned that the next time we walk we could do it in under a mile instead of the slightly more than two miles we walked today. Oh wellk, I can always use the exercise.
Praise God, for he is good.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Splish splash
It rains here everyday for most of the afternoon usually on till about 9:00. We made the best of the few minutes that it was not raining to go play at the park. We tried to teach Haley to jump in the puddles, but she would just stand there for a couple minutes then sit down really hard. God is good. Classes start Tuesday.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
God, the show off
In the years since we felt compelled to move to Honduras, God has always reminded us that he is in control, not us. Four years ago near the time we got engaged, our hearts raced with passion for the Honduran people. But God gently reminded us, “Children your time has not yet come. I will guide you, just wait.”
We went ahead and finished our schooling to better prepare ourselves for the mission work we hoped to one day pursue. While making our plans to move to Honduras, we said we would move July 2009, just a few months after we both finished our degrees. I am sure that God laughed at us when we told him again what our plans were. Just before Matt graduated, we found out we were pregnant. We were going to have a baby due the EXACT DATE that we were planning to move to Honduras. God was saying to us, “Have faith! I have great plans for you, but this must be on my timing, not yours.
Even after Haley was born, we still felt a conviction in our hearts that God had a place for us in Honduras. On one hand we were being told to wait; and on the other hand, great things were happening that moved us closer to our goal making it difficult to wait. Many times, I told God, “Don’t you know this is where I want to be? I want to serve you!” I could almost hear him respond at times, “Yes child, I want you there, for I have great plans for you. Child, even Jesus spent many years in training before I allowed him to display my glory.”
Time past, and many events occurred to the point where our church family decided to stand next to us in our effort to serve the Lord. This came at a point that we were once again unsure of God’s leading in this great journey. At this point, God was saying clearly to us, Trust me. I have great plans for you. Plans far greater than you can imagine. Remember, child, my timing, not yours.”
During our journey, God has constantly reminded us that he is in control, and we are not, even when we desire to serve him. Sometimes he has exhibited his control by telling us to wait. Often times we are reminded of his control by the provision at just the right time in our lives.
Now, as I sit in my apartment in Costa Rica, (a place I thought I might one day visit, but never dreamed I would be living, even for a short time) I laugh because of all of the times God has gently said to us, “I want you to go, but first you must wait and grow.” Now he sends someone that wants to give $150,000 to our long term dream of helping homeless children learn trades and have a better life. No one had gone in search of this money; though we had prayed about it. In fact, my dad thought he was going to a meeting about an entirely different part of his ministry. This meeting and donation agreement all happened while I was flying to Houston the day we began the next chapter of our journey began. I guess God was showing off as he proclaimed, “This is my will for you, but remember that it is by my hand you are guided not your own.” There truly is joy in the journey.
With love,
Matt, Nicole, and Haley
We went ahead and finished our schooling to better prepare ourselves for the mission work we hoped to one day pursue. While making our plans to move to Honduras, we said we would move July 2009, just a few months after we both finished our degrees. I am sure that God laughed at us when we told him again what our plans were. Just before Matt graduated, we found out we were pregnant. We were going to have a baby due the EXACT DATE that we were planning to move to Honduras. God was saying to us, “Have faith! I have great plans for you, but this must be on my timing, not yours.
Even after Haley was born, we still felt a conviction in our hearts that God had a place for us in Honduras. On one hand we were being told to wait; and on the other hand, great things were happening that moved us closer to our goal making it difficult to wait. Many times, I told God, “Don’t you know this is where I want to be? I want to serve you!” I could almost hear him respond at times, “Yes child, I want you there, for I have great plans for you. Child, even Jesus spent many years in training before I allowed him to display my glory.”
Time past, and many events occurred to the point where our church family decided to stand next to us in our effort to serve the Lord. This came at a point that we were once again unsure of God’s leading in this great journey. At this point, God was saying clearly to us, Trust me. I have great plans for you. Plans far greater than you can imagine. Remember, child, my timing, not yours.”
During our journey, God has constantly reminded us that he is in control, and we are not, even when we desire to serve him. Sometimes he has exhibited his control by telling us to wait. Often times we are reminded of his control by the provision at just the right time in our lives.
Now, as I sit in my apartment in Costa Rica, (a place I thought I might one day visit, but never dreamed I would be living, even for a short time) I laugh because of all of the times God has gently said to us, “I want you to go, but first you must wait and grow.” Now he sends someone that wants to give $150,000 to our long term dream of helping homeless children learn trades and have a better life. No one had gone in search of this money; though we had prayed about it. In fact, my dad thought he was going to a meeting about an entirely different part of his ministry. This meeting and donation agreement all happened while I was flying to Houston the day we began the next chapter of our journey began. I guess God was showing off as he proclaimed, “This is my will for you, but remember that it is by my hand you are guided not your own.” There truly is joy in the journey.
With love,
Matt, Nicole, and Haley
Monday, August 23, 2010
Lost in Costa Rica
Lost in Cost Rica: that is how I felt the first couple days here. We tried to find the neighborhood fruit market. Not only did we walk a mile or so in the wrong way, it was so much in the wrong direction that the Ticos (Costa Rican) people we asked didn´t even knokw what we were talking about. They said, "You can´t walk there. Its too far" I later found they thought I was talking about the market in Zapote. The community next to ours. We decided to turn around thinking maybe the market was closer to the school which it was. We decieded we would limit ourselves to about $20. We didn´t spend near $20, and we got lots of fresh fruits and veggies for the week.
Sunday, we were lost again. Chuck Morris had given us the name of a local preacher, and the local preacher had given me the address to the church. Unfortunately, addresses here are pretty vague. A landmark is given followed by the approximate number of meters north or south with the approximate number of meters east and west. The cab driver drove all around looking for the church and we never found it. I learned that a lot of churches meet in houses and you cannot tell from the road that they are churches. We had the cab driver just bring us back to the park he picked us up at and instead of paying $2 we paid $7 because he spent a lot of time looking for the church for us. We walked around the neighborhood a while thinking maybe we would find a church. Oh we did find a church, but it was a Mormon church. Thus, we decided that we would just have worship just the three of us and call the preacher to give us directions to the church this week.
We are spending more of our time being lost than found, but we are really enjoying our time here. Our apartment is great and we have a beautiful view of mountains from the front steps and the back patio. Haley is having a great time because there are lots of parks near our apartment for her to play at. She is starting to walk more and more all the time. Our internet is down, but when it comes back I will post pictures.
Sunday, we were lost again. Chuck Morris had given us the name of a local preacher, and the local preacher had given me the address to the church. Unfortunately, addresses here are pretty vague. A landmark is given followed by the approximate number of meters north or south with the approximate number of meters east and west. The cab driver drove all around looking for the church and we never found it. I learned that a lot of churches meet in houses and you cannot tell from the road that they are churches. We had the cab driver just bring us back to the park he picked us up at and instead of paying $2 we paid $7 because he spent a lot of time looking for the church for us. We walked around the neighborhood a while thinking maybe we would find a church. Oh we did find a church, but it was a Mormon church. Thus, we decided that we would just have worship just the three of us and call the preacher to give us directions to the church this week.
We are spending more of our time being lost than found, but we are really enjoying our time here. Our apartment is great and we have a beautiful view of mountains from the front steps and the back patio. Haley is having a great time because there are lots of parks near our apartment for her to play at. She is starting to walk more and more all the time. Our internet is down, but when it comes back I will post pictures.
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