Semana Santa?

Living in San Jose, Costa Rica these last 3.5 months, I have gotten used to pretty much always hearing all types of loud noises. Almost constantly, I hear car alarms, birds chirping, air brakes on trucks, fireworks, dogs barking, or all kinds of other random noises. I have actually gotten used to it so much that I don't really hear much of it anymore. Ashley will say something about a car alarm that has been going off for 10 minutes and then I will notice it. Well, this week things have been different.

It is Holy Week (Semana Santa in Spanish). Holy week starts on Palm Sunday, includes Good Friday and culminates Easter morning when Christians all over the world celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Well, in Latin American countries like Costa Rica, Semana Santa is a HUGE deal. This partly has to do with the Roman Catholic influence in these areas that has been here for a decades, even centuries. However, Semana Santa has become one of the only times of the year where the people get multiple days of work and are able to travel. 

Here in Costa Rica, the government, including all schools, is closed down all week. Thursday (today) and Friday of Semana Santa are obligatory holidays for private companies as well. This causes everything to slow down and come to pretty much a halt by today. Unfortunately, this has caused this week to become the easiest time of the year for everyone to leave their homes, go to the beach, and party for a few days (or a whole week for those who are 'blessed' to have off from work).

Here in San Jose, the feeling is something like a ghost town. It is eerily quiet. We don't hear the car alarms and the trucks. For us, it is peaceful. Since we don't have school (we finished our first trimester on Tues!), Ashley and I have a chance to relax and spend time together without all of the hustle and bustle of 'regular life' around us. We will probably only leave the house to take a walk. Pretty much everything is closed and everyone is either at home with family or at the beach. 

This sounds great, and for us it is, but in reality is it sad. It is sad that these special days have been turned into days to get drunk and party for so many people. Please pray for the people of Costa Rica (and many other countries, including Honduras) that they would understand in their hearts the meaning of Good Friday and the meaning of Easter. Praise God, that Jesus came to this world, humbled Himself beyond belief just to become a man, and went so far as to die for me and for you. And Praise God that Jesus' death was not the end of the story, but that He beat death and evil and rose again and lives now and that we now have a way to come into His presence. 

Juan Santamaria

This past Monday, April 11, was a national holiday here in Costa Rica. Juan Santamaria Day is a day to honor a hero of Costa Rica.

It was a great day for us (we didn't have school) because we were able to learn a little more about this country we are living in and we had a chance to go into downtown San Jose during the day.

On Tuesday, between classes, we had a little "assembly" where we learned a little bit about who Juan Santamaria was and what he did to become a national hero. In addition, Ashley was part of a group of women who did some traditional Costa Rican dancing as part of the celebration. The group has been learning the dance moves and learning the meaning behind them for a few weeks and did a great job in their show!

Here are a few pictures of the ladies in their traditional dancing outfits:

Honduras update

Our team in Honduras is going through a lot of changes.

Last week our team said goodbye to the McCanns (Sean, Lindsey, and 3 little girls). The McCanns had been in Honduras for over 2.5 years. Sean has taken a job with their home church in the states as they begin a new stage of their lives. We thank the Lord for using the McCanns mightily over the last years in La Ceiba.

Also, the Pettengills (Mike, Erin, and Madison) have been in the US for the last 6 months at home on Home Missionary Assignment. They have raised some more support and shared with lots of people the great things the Lord is doing in Honduras. They are currently about halfway through their drive from Phoenix, AZ, USA to La Ceiba, Honduras (Yes, they are driving. They are those kind of people...) Please pray they finish their trip safely and are able to readjust again to life in La Ceiba.

In addition, we will say goodbye to Shannon and she will move to La Ceiba. She is currently in Costa Rica in language school with us, but is just a few weeks from finishing her schooling and moving in order to begin her ministry with young girls/mothers in Honduras. Please pray she continues to learn Spanish even as she arrives in Honduras and that she will be able to say goodbye to her friends here in San Jose and quickly get settled into her house (She is moving into the house the McCanns lived in. Isn't God great in His timing?)

As for us, we will finish our first trimester of Spanish here in San Jose, Costa Rica. We have learned SO much, but we still have a lot of Spanish still to learn. Thank you all for your prayers and encouraging words over the last 3 months. Please pray that we will continue to learn Spanish well and that the Lord will begin to open our eyes to the specific work He would have us to do once we arrive in Honduras.