We moved into our apartment about 2 weeks ago. It has been great to have some of our own space and to have more freedom to do what we want, when we want. We are very thankful that we have this opportunity to live in an apartment for our last trimester of language school.
Friday night, we had a Costa Rican couple over for dinner. We enjoyed eating together, getting to know each other, and some Phase 10. All in Spanish, of course! It was very encouraging to be able to spend an entire evening with guests and be able to communicate in Spanish with them.
Also, in just 2 short weeks, I have realized that I like to cook. It's not my favorite thing in the world to do, but I do enjoy it. So far it has been pretty basic stuff, but as I get more chances to cook I think I will try new things and experiment with some different combinations. Costa Rica is home to lots of different fruits and vegetables, and I look forward to using some of them over the next few months here.
Mike and Ashley Troxell are missionaries to La Ceiba, Honduras with Mission to the World.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
2 down, 1 to go.
We are 2/3 of the way done our language study here in Costa Rica. Last week we finished our 2nd trimester. It is amazing to think of how different our lives are now as compared to when we got here about 8 months ago. We have learned so much Spanish and also a lot about this culture. We have also been able to build relationships with many other missionaries and Costa Ricans as well.
Unfortunately, many of the people we were really getting to know well finished their time here and are now back home or in new homes in one of the many Spanish speaking countries. This, I think, is one of the hardest parts of our lives at this point. We are here temporarily with others who are also here temporarily. That makes building strong, deep relationships hard because you know those people won't be close by for very long.
We said goodbye to some really good friends, and we also said goodbye to our Costa Rican family. We will see them, but we have moved into an apartment in order to have some more space and privacy and also to get the opportunity to experience this culture in a new way. In addition to both of those, our language school had to let go of a third of its teachers because there aren't enough students. It was definitely a bummer to hear that one of my favorite teachers will not be back next trimester. I pray that the Lord would comfort these teachers and help them to find new jobs.
Since we are in the middle of trimesters, we also have new students coming in! Tonight, Ashley will go to the airport to pick up a family and about an hour later, I will do the same. We are 'big brothers' to two different families (we help them find a place to leave and show them around a little when they get here). We are excited to meet and get to know some more people who will be serving the Lord using Spanish!
Unfortunately, many of the people we were really getting to know well finished their time here and are now back home or in new homes in one of the many Spanish speaking countries. This, I think, is one of the hardest parts of our lives at this point. We are here temporarily with others who are also here temporarily. That makes building strong, deep relationships hard because you know those people won't be close by for very long.
We said goodbye to some really good friends, and we also said goodbye to our Costa Rican family. We will see them, but we have moved into an apartment in order to have some more space and privacy and also to get the opportunity to experience this culture in a new way. In addition to both of those, our language school had to let go of a third of its teachers because there aren't enough students. It was definitely a bummer to hear that one of my favorite teachers will not be back next trimester. I pray that the Lord would comfort these teachers and help them to find new jobs.
Since we are in the middle of trimesters, we also have new students coming in! Tonight, Ashley will go to the airport to pick up a family and about an hour later, I will do the same. We are 'big brothers' to two different families (we help them find a place to leave and show them around a little when they get here). We are excited to meet and get to know some more people who will be serving the Lord using Spanish!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
For His Glory
July was not an easy month for our team in Honduras. They have gone through a lot - burglarized house, broken down cars, camera stolen, sickness, hours of time and energy after these events, stress, firing 12 Honduran workers due to lack of funds....
This sounds like it has been an awful month, and in some ways it has been. However, this team is not working for this world. In fact, it is the God of the universe that is working in, on, and through this team. They are tired, yet God is giving them love for each other. I don't want to make the people, our teammates, look great, (I like them all and look forward to working alongside them all!) because they are just people. It is God who is GREAT! It is Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can even imagine! It is the Lord who is working mightily in La Ceiba, Honduras!
In Philippians, Paul writes that it has been granted to us to not only believe in Christ, but also to suffer for him. It also says that the reason for this is for His sake. So, I am thankful that our team in Honduras is going through tough times because it is all for the glory of our Savior! I know it is not fun, and I pray that the Lord will continue to pour out His love and His peace to all of them through this time. I also pray that the Lord would give me His love, His peace, and His joy in every situation in my life.
This sounds like it has been an awful month, and in some ways it has been. However, this team is not working for this world. In fact, it is the God of the universe that is working in, on, and through this team. They are tired, yet God is giving them love for each other. I don't want to make the people, our teammates, look great, (I like them all and look forward to working alongside them all!) because they are just people. It is God who is GREAT! It is Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can even imagine! It is the Lord who is working mightily in La Ceiba, Honduras!
In Philippians, Paul writes that it has been granted to us to not only believe in Christ, but also to suffer for him. It also says that the reason for this is for His sake. So, I am thankful that our team in Honduras is going through tough times because it is all for the glory of our Savior! I know it is not fun, and I pray that the Lord will continue to pour out His love and His peace to all of them through this time. I also pray that the Lord would give me His love, His peace, and His joy in every situation in my life.
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