Volcano Arenal

Here I am again . . . suffering for Jesus in Costa Rica . . . .

I promise that we do not spend all our time playing. . . .

This past weekend we had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Volcano Arenal. It was a wonderful time where we were able to enjoy the beauty of God's creation, catch some cute little critters in their natural habitat, have time with friends, and relax before another grueling week of school.

Thank you so much to all of you and your prayers and encouraging calls and emails. We love hearing from all of you and some days when times are tough it makes the world of difference to hear from someone from home! Thanks and we love you all!

Here are some pictures of our wonderful trip!

Please pray . . . .

Last Wednesday night, I was extremely discouraged. My accountability partner (Rebekah) and I had gone that day to speak to a woman about beginning a Bible Study with her and it hadn't worked out. I felt somewhat useless and as if God had sent us down to Costa Rica to be litle more than children as we struggled to speak a language foreign to our English ears. Rebekah and I had both been praying for ways to serve and we thought that the lady we had gone to speak with was how God was going to use us. Wednesday night, I cried out to the Father in a rather pitied tone and Thursday morning received a very unexpected reply.

To make a very long story short, Rebekah, her husband, and her son were playing in the park on Wednesday afternoon when a lady, named Ruth, walked up to them and began talking with Rebecca voicing some concerns she had about American missionaries she had seen. Rebekah was able to share some of her Biblical beliefs with Ruth and Ruth shared with Rebekah that she comes from a Catholic/Hindi background and doesn't really know what she believes about the Bible. However, she was very interested in hearing more about what Rebekah had to say.

Rebekah asked Thurdsday morning if I would go with her to speak to Ruth. Tomorrow, we are going to meet with her and her friend in hopes of sharing the gospel with them. Our plan is to each share our testimonies in Spanish and if the opportunity arises - the Roman Road.

Please pray for us tomorrow at 2:00.
Pray that the Spanish Rebekah and I will speak will be clear.
Pray that God would give us the exact words to say and that these ladies hearts and ears will be open to listen.

I will give you an update!

Dios lo Bendiga!

Daniela

. . . OPGO . . .

It is so hard to believe that in a few short months we will be headed to Mexico City to begin our formal job with the IMB.

Our job title: Operation Gospel Saturation Leaders

Our mission: to see every home in Mexico City with a copy of the gospel

Our job description: We will be bringing in groups from the states to assist us in prayer walking, handing out gospels, backyard Bible clubs, etc.

Stats: 28 million people live in Mexico City - it is estimated that around 98% of those people do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. There are around 3500 barrios (districts or neighborhoods) in the area of the city we will be working in alone that DO NOT have a single evangelical church.

How can you help: First and foremost: Pray. We need your prayers. Ask that God would open doors wide in these districts where there is no evangelical presence. Ask that He would give us opportunities to plant Bible Studies in these districts and also that God would send short term mission groups to Mexico City to help us in our mission. With the economic times being the way they are, it is often difficult to find teams able to give of their time and money to come. Second: Go. God can use you in Mexico City. This task is so large we cannot possibly do it on our own. We need the help of Christians willing to take a week to come and serve alongside us. Please consider being part of a team to come serve in Mexico City. God is doing a work in the city and using mission teams from churches all across the States to do so. See how God is using ordinary people to change lives by visiting the OP GO website at: http://macopgo.blogspot.com.

If your church, Sunday school group, group of friends, youth group, etc. is interested in coming and working with us for a week in Mexico City and would like more information, please email us at travisanddaniellemexico@gmail.com.


Dios los Bendiga! Travis y Daniela

. . . Church Day . . .

Today as on any normal Sunday, we walked to a church that is becoming close to our hearts. We come to worship with the nationals in their heart language. We enjoy the services as we sing, pray, and hear sermons all in Spanish! We wanted to show you some pictures of where we worship here in Costa Rica! The name of our church is the Primera Iglesia Bautista de Desemperados.

The church has an awesome praise band and a screen where the announcements and the words to the praise songs we sing are shown. The church also has a children's area and Sunday school space.

We praise the Lord for providing us with a church where we feel welcome and can truly worship! Travis and I definitely see how this church has a heart for the community it is in. We are also very excited because each week we understand a little more and more of the sermon and can talk a little more and more with the people. We truly feel like we have met with the Lord after we leave this place each week.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers as we strive to learn Spanish and build relationships here in Costa Rica....

. . . fun times in the city . . .

The past two weeks have been EXHAUSTING! We have been learning a great deal at school and it is wearing our brains out! But it is wonderful - we are enjoying all we are learning!

Last week was Spiritual Emphasis Week at school. Normally, there is a chapel time during the middle of the school day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Last week, there was a special speaker and special services every day twice a day. It was a great time of fellowship with other believers and praising the Lord.
Tonight, we had the opportunity to go to a restaurant named "Ram Luna." It is located on the side of a mountain overlooking the city. ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING! It was such a neat experience with good food, beautiful views, and exciting entertainment. Wish you were here!

Here is a picture of us standing on top of the overlook at the restaurant - We are snuggling because it is COLD (well and because we love each other)! - Yes, I realize we live in a tropical climate but it is cold to us!

The restaurant offered very lively entertainment in a mariachi band that played lively music and dancers who danced beautiful and traditional Costa Rican dances!

I ordered the Ram Luna "special" for dessert. It was called "The Flower Pot" dessert and this is how it came - in a cute little flower pot with a fake flower sticking out of it! How fun!

This is the view from our table! Absolutely lovely!

Fiesta Time

Wow! We can't believe we have been living in Costa Rica for a month and a half! This time has definitely flown by! We are learning so much and so excited to be here!

We have had so many amazing experiences and continue to learn more and more Spanish. God is allowing us to begin the foundations of relationships with others in the community and we have found a church where we feel welcome and like we can truly worship!


Tonight, we attended our first Latin fiesta called "Rosario del Nino". We didn't know at the time but from what we have been told - in the Catholic religion (in Latin America) there is a often a tradition of having a party to take down the nativy scene in the home. Friends and family gather and recite prayers to Mary and Jesus. At the fiesta we attended, there was live music, fellowship and lots of wonderful food including the tamales in the picture below! It was a wonderful experience for us to be a part of because it allowed us to learn more about the Catholic religion and to fellowship with locals in an informal setting.

Please pray for us this week as we continue to study the language and attempt to build relationships with nationals. Please pray that God would direct our paths.

. . . Livin' life on the edge . . .

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom." Isaiah 40:28

We are here in beautiful Costa Rica "Livin' life on the edge!" - or at least that is how it feels most days. Just to illustrate how literally I mean, this is a picture we took on a bus Sunday. We were taking the bus home from a town called Manuel Antonio. The picture is taken from the bus window looking down at the bridge we are crossing. Yes, we are crossing a bridge and yes, the bus is about 6 inches from the edge. Let me just tell you - riding a public bus in Costa Rica is definitely not for the faint of heart!

Yes, this is me - Suffering for Jesus in Costa Rica!

This weekend, we had to opportunity to take a road trip to beautiful Manuel Antonio. We spent two fun filled days relaxing on the beach, playing in the water, and spotting monkey's in the trees. It was an awesome time of fellowship with friends and a time to enjoy God's beautiful creation.

Our time spent enjoying God's creation was wonderful. We praise God for allowing us to enjoy his creation! Since we have been here we have definitely had some hard times but there is a perk to being a missionary - We LIVE in a paradise that most people only come to for vacation. Granted, this is not our typical life. We do not live near the beach and see monkeys on a daily basis - our claim to fame is the gum factory down the street as part of our address! Yet, we had the opportunity to drive just a few hours away to enjoy the beauty of God's creation including rain forests, beaches, birds, and monkeys.

Did someone say "Monkeys"? Yes, those are our little friends, running around in the trees across the street from our hotel. It was a highlight for me to see some of these little ones in real life - and out in the wide open! I asked Travis if I could have one as a pet and he said "No" - Maybe some of you could plead on my behalf? I love the monkeys in Costa Rica!

Another thing I absolutely love about Costa Rica - the FOOD! Wandering up and down the beach were ladies with coolers on their heads selling fresh cut watermelon, pineapple, and mango. On the side of the beach, ladies were making homemade tortillas and grilled chicken skewers served with a homemade sauce that was simply DIVINE. Panaderia's practically line every corner of every city selling fresh bread, pastries, and empanadas. However, one of the most interesting food items I have come across so far in Costa Rica, was introduced to us after dinner tonight.

I know it looks like I have a dead rat in my hand, but trust me - I do not. Our Tica mom came to us with a rather interesting looking bowl of what we though were leaves this evening. She opened up the leaves to reveal some different looking seeds and then proceeded to tell us to put them in our mouths. Well, after one taste - we were hooked. These little seeds, called "Tamarindos" taste very similar to one of my favorite candies, "Sour Patch Kids". I don't

know if we are just deprived or if they actually taste like the candy but we have renamed these little fellows. We would like to call them: "Costa Rican Sour Patch Kids."

An update on the little lady we pass as we cross to school each day - Thursday, we passed her walking down the street instead of at the bridge where we usually meet. We were walking on the same side she was and she crossed across the street to avoid us and my "Buenos Dias!" However, Friday was different. We "cornered" her ( I use the term loosely - we just happened to be walking across the bridge but it is so narrow we had to wait for her to pass) on the bridge and I think I actually saw the corner's of her mouth turn up in a teeny tiny smile as we passed. God works miracles . . .

Please pray for us this week - that we would continue to build relationships and have spiritual encounters with nationals. Pray that we would continue to learn the language and that God would use us to further His kingdom.

Thank you Lord for your beautiful creation . . . .