In Costa Rica March 2010..... "The Olvera's"

We're Home! 

Thanks to all that have been following our blog. We are glad to be back home and so grateful to have had the opportunity to serve Jehovah in the Quepos Congregation. For all those who don't think it's possible to serve where the need is because of financial reasons....You can!  We never had the funds until we prayed for help and commited ourselves into going...then within two months, it was Jehovah that took care of us the rest of the way. A service call turned into $2500.00 in plane tickets and our March bills while we were gone came from an insurance company wanting to give us a cash settlement from 2 years prior. (When's the last time an insurance company offered to pay you...just because) We have had the wonderfull opportunity in experiencing first hand how Jehovah takes care of His people!  Just like back with the Israelites...He always provided what they needed at the right time...it was them that chose to not listen and walk away from their creator.  Let each of us never make that mistake and always draw close to Him.  We now look forward in sharing with our family and friends the many experiences we've encountered along the way and hope to encourage all those considering to serve where the need is to take a leap of faith and accept the invitation that Jehovah gives each of us at Psalms 34:8 to...

Not bad looking for 5:30am!

On a shuttle to our plane and boarding fro Denver, CO

Elesia was the first one to board...she was excited to be going home to see her friends...

and Erika was playing peek a boo with me.  I think she was excited too!  Logie was too little to see from where I was, but I can only imagine what was going thru that little head of his...

We waited on the runway for a little over an hour...patiently of course!

And then up, up and away...

Landed in Denver...WOW it is cold here...snow on the ground! 

 

We ate and the kids played around...

Up and Down...Up and Down

and now waiting to board our final flight...

See You Soon!!!

But it was time to get on the road...our ride arrived at 9am...we loaded up, picked up the Corona's and said good bye to Quepos for now...

This was the new highway that was just finished 1 month ago.  What use to take almost 2 hours on a windy dirt road now only takes 30mins.... Everyone loves the new highway!

We stopped along the way for a potty break and to get snack to eat.  Yummy empanadas filled with black beans.  We took a picture of the hard working chefs and back onto the road for our arrival to our condo in San Jose... "Villas Cariari"

The grounds are beautiful here and we checked into our 2 bdrm unit for the night with Chaba and Ang.  We headed off to the mall to get a bite to eat and we saw the first McDonalds in a long time...but we didn't eat there even though that's what Logan really wanted. 

We had lots of options at the food court in the mall and everone ate what sounded good to them.  Anything from Sushi to Chicken

We found this Pharmacy in the mall and it was great!  We picked up some things that we wanted and Nate got some great foot medicine that he needed.  He was so happy here that we took his picture.  There's still hope for him...haha.  Oh ya, I picked up what is a prescription in the US for Erika as just an over the counter medication here and the price differance was incredible!  A $298.00 bottle in the US was under $40.00 here.  I guess it all comes down to GREED. 

We looked around and Elesia tried some things on.  She was having too much fun...

Miss 'Proper' here!

We headed back to our room. The scenery was pretty and the weather was perfect.  NO Humidity!  and a cool breeze.  Enjoying every bit of it...while we wind down and get ready for our 3:30am pickup for the airport

As we sit and meditate on our wonderful trip and how we got here we remember that we are helping in fullfilling the prophecy at...

I've realized that sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone, take a leap of faith and let Jehovah guide us...and then we will experience 'the blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it'  Proverbs 10:22

Tuesday, the 23rd

A very full day of service, schoolwork, cleaning, studying for meeting and then off to the beach for our last play at the playa. 

"Oh ya baby!!!! Did you catch that wave?"

Logan is a natural..... and Elesia and I had fun jumping the waves...

while Erika did what she loves the best....baking in the sun and then cooling off in the water

We stayed just long enough to enjoy our last pictures,

and a beautiful sunset....

before packing up and heading home to get ready for meeting. 

Our last tuesday night meeting was wonderful and sad at the same time... Nate and I were asked to do the presentation of the special edition of the Watchtower on the Kingdom.  I was his householder for the presentation and was suppose to be familiar with the 'Lords Prayer', but believed that God's Kingdom was only in our hearts.  He then talked about Rev 5:9,10 where it states that this "was made to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth"  (more than just a feeling within my heart) and explained that in that prayer...we pray for that Kingdom (Gov't) to come here on earth, and then offered the magazine and impressed the importance of going to my own copy of the Bible to look up more scriptures that were listed in the article on what the Kingdom is and what it will do for mankind. He shared the comforting scripture in Rev 21:3,4....It was a nice example on how to offer the special magazine

A wonderful congregation....I will miss bunches, but so glad to have the opportunity to be here and meet sooo many great people that are my brothers and sisters too.  Just imagine how amazing Paradise will be when there is no evil in the world and everyone is happy and all serving the one who created all.

After tears and a snack at a nearby restaurant,

we said more good-byes and headed home to finish packing

I had to take this picture of the kids crashed out, their last night at our home away from home!

Off to get a few hours of sleep.  zzzzzz

Laundry for five has been an adventure, but Nate showed me how to ring out the towels after I was practically dying trying to do it....Towels are very heavy when they are wet but all you do is wrap and twist!!!

(Here I showed Erika how to ring out towels, so I could take the picture.  She did a great job, so she finished the towels...)

These were dry in no time at all and Nate was back so we headed off to Manuel Antonio to get some last minute things that we wanted and have dinner with Chaba and Ang.  On the way, we ran into some of our friends and had our picture taken with them at a soda shop.  I took a picture of the sign as it had my maiden name on it...

We stopped by the vendors and had our picture taken with Luis and his wonderful sister.  They both have the Bible teach book now and have ones in the local congregation following up with them when we leave.  I pray that Jehovah draws them to him...and they accept His invitation.  They both have very big hearts for people in general.  We'll miss them!

They gave our family each a gift...from bracelets to a wall plaque and we thanked them.  They said next time we come back,  "We better be speaking Spanish".... I guess thats a good goal for the fam!

Then there is Miss Elesia who placed Bible tracts with ALL the vendors and everytime we came by they wanted to talk...How wonderful!  She brought tears to my ears...The love that she has for her creator Jehovah,  is sooo heartwarming and a great encouragement to many. 

She was extra happy this day...She turned 9!  My little girl is growing up into a beautiful person and we are sooo proud of her!

By the end of the trip, she had even little Logan placing tracts. 

Off to get a bite to eat and head back to our neck of the woods..

Yummm.  Logan and Elesia had a cheeseburger, while Erika had Chicken Nachos and loved it!

While waiting for our bus, we watched the ocean...The tide was very high and sounded sooo powerful.  there was a sign on the tree to the right that said, "Get your dreadlocks done here".  It was pretty funny!

We got our bus and headed home to get ready for Tuesday...

I think it was already 90 degrees by 9am.  It's been sooo hot!

Painting the inside a light yellow.  It looks so nice now!

And here's the toilet that Nate installed the other day.  IT WORKS!!!!  Yeah.....

Saturday service was amazing!!!  We headed off to Portosol, about 30 mins away.  I've discovered that Satin does a great job distracting people in the world...especially in the United States.  He keeps people sooo busy in life from mortgage and car payments, to credit cards and always trying to reach for bigger and better things that we don't take the time to stop and smell the flowers...I've smelled several  here and can't believe the beauty of creation and even the smallest of details that our creator has given us to enjoy like all the smells and beautiful colors....

I had two wonderful calls there....one with Bethany, she is in the Peace Corp and has been here for 2 years helping.  We talked about having the same thing in common...which is peace and shared a scripture with her and the tract on peace, then an invite to the memorial.  She will be working that night, but wants to attend the special talk...on peace.  I hope she makes it!  She was very sweet

Another call that was great was with Vanessa... She was sooo nice.  Her husband  just got laid off and now they have no income, but I told her that she still has Jehovah and He will take care of them as long as they put him 1st in their lives.  I had her get her bible and I shared Psalms 37:10 and 11.  She commited on how she looks forward to when they won't have to suffer anymore.  After a wonderful conversation and meeting her kids she agreed to a study and wants to come to the Kingdom hall for the special worldwide talk.  She has no transportation, so she can't attend the memorial as the bus doesn't run that late, but  definitely wants us to come back.  I'm making arrangements for her family to get a ride....She couldn't believe that we came all the way from Portland, OR to bring her a invitation to the memorial.  I received a GREAT BIG HUG and we both had tears in our eyes.  I will miss her and wish that I could continue to study with her....The need is sooo great!  It's sooo nice to find people that really want to learn about the bible and we can share a hope for them.  What a comfort this is!!!

I really thank Joyce and Betsy for knocking on my door and studying with me... Cora for the continuation of my study to baptism, a wonderful congregation for all the support, Jehovah for drawing me to Him and His son Jesus and now what I've experienced as a worldwide association of loving brothers and sisters.  Sometimes I feel like I can't show enough appreciation....all I can do is give Jehovah my best!

After a great day in service, we had a wonderful luch...Pork and Yucca.  It was sooo good.  He smoked the pork and served it with limon and hot sauce...

Good food, association and an ice cold soda after a great day in service.  We couldn't ask for more.... except after getting home and making dinner we enjoyed the company of the Barros again.. Little Benji helped me make chocolate pudding for after dinner and he really enjoyed it.  He is sooo cute!   I want to put him in my carry on...I don't think they will let me!

After a great dinner of Chicken, spanish rice, salad and vanilla icecream with choc pudding we went over our watchtowers again and off to bed we went.

WOW!!! At 2:30am I heard a rummble.  I actually thought this was it.  "The end of this system"  and prayed.  When I got up and looked outside...it was the most incredible thunder storm Iv'e ever seen or heard.  The thunder and lightning was coming at the same time and the sky was beautiful.  It was sooo loud, I guess thats because vwe have a metal roof.  Here are a few pictures but I wish that you could have seen it for yourselves...

It looked like the sky was on fire.....

and the water was pouring off our roof and you couldn't even see the street!!!

Back to bed for me and up at 7am for the Sunday watchtower study and public talk.  What a great meeting today!  I really appreciated the reminder of how we can distinguish God people by their fruits...like their actions and the love they show.  What a great reminder for me of the sacrifice that we are doing her in Costa Rica  for complete strangers.  I really love the opportunity that we have and it has brought our family closer together as one...We look forward to our next!  Here is a couple of great pictures from our congregation here...

Andra and Josh...our neighbors below us

Lance and Chassity...a great couple

We can't forget our wonder visitors from  home....The Howden's.  How nice to see them today!

Our Little ones...Logan, Jonathon, Benji, Christina, Elesia and Jennifer.

They all had a great commit at todays watchtower study! 

Here is the original congregation that is always here and working sooo hard

and all of us need greaters with them...How important it is that we join in and say to Jehovah..."Send me, Send me"

They really appreciate all the help that we do and we appreciate the encouragement that they give us....

Sending our LOVE from Quepos....

The Olvera's