Buena Vista Territory

So there's this little part of our Spanish territory that's pretty remote even by Costa Rican standards. To get to it, the only option you have is to drive through the river or use the walking bridge. The walking bridge is anchored by two huge cement posts and then it's a rope bridge that swings back and forth while you walk across. Well this rainy season from what I hear, was the worst in years. The river got so high and so rough that it overtook the bridge and tore the cement posts right out of the ground.

One sister who lives by the river had 3 feet of water in her house and had to move all her furniture to the second story until the water subsided. Good thing all the houses in the area are made out of cement with cement or tile floors!  The next picture in another type of Tico house in our territory. I know it's hard to see through the trees but this is a wood shack with an outdoor kitchen and dirt floors. The inhabitants are still very happy though and will share with you all that they have. It makes you realize how very little we actually need.

To replace the walking bridge, the locals have created a temporary fix. It is seriously a few bamboo poles and a rope to hang on to to keep your balance. And yes, there are crocodiles in the river!

On Tuesday next week, I have plans to work with a Spanish sister all day going with her on her Bible studies. This doesn't seem like a big deal but it entails about 10 miles of walking through mud, rivers and of course down the beach. I'm really looking forward to it, what an adventure! I'll tell you all about it.

Finn Rides a Horse on the Beach!

So we promised Finn that this time around we would let him ride a horse. He's never been on one before and was very excited. He wanted to make sure that grammie and papa, grandma and grandpa and Lexi and Abby all saw the pictures.

We spent the day at the beach yesterday and it ended up being a really fun day. But now I have a terrible sunburn and service actually hurt today. Oh well, it was worth it! The last picture is Finn and his friend Javan out in service this morning. They are great friends and only a few weeks apart in age.

Our English Group

So things are quite different this year to say the least. Last year the brother sent to be in charge of the English group almost died from hemorrhagic dengue fever and had to go back to the states in July. Since then the English group has had no direction and faded away during the rest of the rainy season. So now it is January, the weather is getting better and more English speaking visitors are starting to come. But there still isn't anyone taking the lead at the moment. So....it's been a challenge for us. We had our first English Watchtower Study Saturday night, but no public talk. There were 6 adults and 4 children! I know this is  an awful picture but it's the only one I have. So the key is to study very well, we all have to answer about 10-20 times! Even Finn gave like 5 comments last night. We kinda knew what we were getting ourselves into this time so we prepared ourselves. If we go out in English service, we definitely have to make arrangements ahead of time and rent a car. Our closest English territory is about a half hour drive down a bumpy dirt road. But our car group had some nice calls Saturday morning. Everyone at least let us read a scripture and took the Truth Tract. Marty and I will rent a car on Wednesdays and Fridays and make plans with our small English group to work a specific English area. On Tuesdays and possibly Thursdays, I'll join the Spanish Congregation with their local territory. I wish, I wish I kept up with my Spanish lessons when I got home last year!! I can get by though, if I go on a study, I practice reading a few shorter paragraphs and I have a presentation prepared for the Truth Tract-my go to for everyone. Oh yah, we took this picture yesterday of the bee hive connected to the outside of our house! Someone is coming tomorrow to remove it.  It's pretty cool!

  

Return to our second home!

It's been 7 months and it seems like we never left. The dirt roads are worse for wear, I guess there was a lot of flooding this rainy season and Hurricane Herman left it's mark on all the beaches. The beaches aren't as pristine this time, there is a lot of debris that the ocean hasn't taken back out to sea yet. I hear the fishing isn't as good either because the water is still so murky.  A lot of our old friends are still and it's been so nice catching up. The Spanish congregation is all the same people and they shook their heads when they realized my Spanish has gotten worse instead of better! I told them in my Spanish/English Candace language that life got in the way and my Spanish lessons unfortunately were the first to go. Tonight is our first meeting so I hope some Spanish comes back to me because only the Congregation Bible Study is in English.

Thursday Marty and I attempted to go out in service. What a shock to our systems to go from 30 degree weather to 90! We lasted 2 hours and had to go back. We were tired, sweaty and hungry. Finn was listless on my back and asked to please go home. We bought him an ice cream at the little store and walked the 2 miles on the dusty road back home. Friday service was better, we had a car with air conditioning that day and we worked some Spanish and English territory in a little town called Estrada. Don't worry, we'll get back into the swing of things! It's nice to be back.