the LCD watch: September 2007

Last few days In Costa Rica

Aug 1/07
Here is a bag and box (of course minus the computer) that are staying with Jose and Faby and awaiting my return with the Northside team in January. YEAH...Can't hardly wait!
Cuz wow, is it ever hard to say goodbye. I kept hearing, "well then just don't leave". I will always have a huge place in my heart for all the special people that I now call family.

I will write more of a summary of my trip but here are a few pictures of my last few days in Cartago & Jicotea.

Cynthia & Joel

Noe

Steven

Rolias

Ana Maia

Steven & Joel

Faby, Jose & I

(Cartago-out for dinner on my last night with)

Jose's mom & dad (Manuel & Miriam)

My little buddy Joel- don't get to big while I'm gone

SURPRISE Party #2

JULY 25/07-posted in Sept.

Well, once again I was duped. I came home from a Mission's Meeting in Cartago to find Mauricio's car in the driveway. This was strange as he had been at the Meeting as well which is 2 hours from our place and over an hour in the other direction from his house. Didn't click...

Philip was there waiting for Jose and Fabi to arrive as they were driving me home and then heading out to Philip's; so that wasn't to strange BUT still didn't click...

when I opened the door, SURPRISE!!! DOPE, caught again

I found all of the people that had become family to me...Josiah, Cynthia, Joel; Jose & Faby; Pastor Mauricio & Marjorie Lopez, Andres; Philip & Saukeen Jones, Emily, Christy, Jakey, Anna; Timothy & Keiry Jones, Rebekah, (Hannah-not there), Marc,Ruthie, John, Abby; my neighbours Steven & Randall; My kids Noe, Ana Maria & Rolias (who all had special permission to skip school that night)....VERY SNEAKY (by the way, there is no word in Spanish for sneaky)
We had a special dinner, very Costa Rican...PIZZA? okay, maybe not too Costa Rican

Jakey

Keiry & me

Ana MariaMarjorieAndres

Rolias & StevenTimothy, Jakey, Philip & Annie Cynthia & Rebekah Marc, Noe, Joel, Anna,Philip, Ruthie, Josiah
Faby
Rolias
Saukeen Jones & baby Anna Christy, Emily, Abby & John
Pastor Mauricio & Jose

Good-bye Party #1

SURPRISE......I apparently am very gullible as two suprise parties were planned and executed with me completey unaware until the word Surprise was yelled. The first party was in the church in Turrialba after I had preached on Sunday Morning July 22nd; it was my first time and I even attempted a little in Spanish but thankfully Cynthia translated the rest for me. After church it seemed like the church was planning an afternoon meeting as they were changing over the usual chairs into long tables. Josiah kept saying we were going to go have this great lunch after. Anyway as the food starting to be brought in and they asked me to sit and then SURPRISE.....

Pastor Marjorie & I

Some of the members of the church

Mauricio, Josiah, Cynthia, Cecilia

Andres, Saray, Marjorie, Mauricio, Priscilla Lopez

Handsome Joel

Cynthia & Cecelia

Abby's Bday Party

July '07-Abby turned 4!!

Abby is Timothy & Katie Jones's youngest child of their 6 kids. It was a a great party just a couple of weeks before I left. Timothy & Katie live in Grano d' Oro which is about 1 hour further in than Jicotea. Timothy and his brother Philip are translating the Bible into Dit'sei. They have many Cabecars living on their land with them so Abby's b-day was a very cool multi-cultural fiesta including Costa Ricans, Cabacares, Americans and a sole Canadian. And of course included a fun-filled Pinata.
Happy Birthday Abby!

Jicotea Scholarship Program

July 2007-as I wrapped out down in Costa Rica, here are some of the photos of my last few weeks.

Here are the students in the Jicotea Scholarship Program for 2007. This program sponsors high-school students with school supplies, uniforms and assistance with bus fare to and from school as well as lunches while at school. The nearest daytime high-school is in La Suizza which is about 45 minutes by bus from Jicotea. Most of these kids would not be able to go to high-school if we didn't assist them with the money needed. Quite often these students would have dropped out after grade 6 (end of elementary school) and begin working cutting sugarcane or picking coffee. The Indigenous teens in this program attend night school in Plantanillo (about 20-25 minute walk from our house). They would not be able to attend high-school if they didn't live with us as there are no high-school inside the Reserve. Their homes are about 4 hours from our house. Josiah and Cynthia would love to see a dormitory style program with over 20 teens living on the property in Jicotea. We also would love to see these teens continue on to University to receive even more education and opportunities that they would never have had without this program. Please pray for continued support as they work hard to see lives change.

Noe Madriz Salazar