We've made it through our first month and are pleased to report that we are feeling well, settled here in our home and in a solid routine each day. We are all enjoying our classes, learning so much and meeting lots of new brothers & sisters in Christ!
Language learning is definately a challenge. Mary and I both had grammar exams this week...we're currently working on learning 170 verbs and their conjugations in the present tense. I really am amazed at how much we've learned in only 3 1/2 weeks of classes. The pace the school keeps us at is very steady. After my big grammar exam yesterday I was thinking, "I am so glad that is over and we can move on"... and then I remembered that you never get to move on in learning a language! We have to "keep using" what we just learned every day! By the time Friday nights come along we are very ready for a break from studying! This week I wondered if my brain could handle any more information without exploding!
Last weekend Mary, Debra, Jordan & Abbie went to a volcano on a school passeo (field trip) and a coffee plantation (Doka Cafe...they actually sell much of their coffee to Starbucks!) I stayed back with Brody and Aaron and spent the day with some friends. The kids were thrilled with the chance to walk up to the edge of the mouth of a volcano and also to learn so much about coffee... they had muchos cafe and were flitting around by the time they got home! Jordan had brought samples of coffee berries, unroasted beans and roasted beans and shared the entire process with me!
We are planning a trip to the rain forest for April. We have a break in between trimesters and Mary's Dad and his girlfriend are visiting for a week. A missionary family here has a beautiful vacation home on acres of rain forest that they allow other missionary families to use for jsut $10 per adult per night. It is a large home and is very close to waterfalls, a volcano, monkeys, hiking trails and many other neat places to visit. They just emailed us and let us know that it was available for us! It will be a wonderful break from school, spanish and our long weekdays!
Each Tuesday and Thursday we have chapel (Capillo) at school. All the students get together and we have a wonderful worship service. The students all participate with their musical talents and a sermon/message. Each week we get to hear from a different family. We have many pastors here, so there are great opportunities to learn from them and God's word and also to hear other's calling and challenges in ministry. Big bonus: It's in english! Thursday's message was from John 15 and our necessity to "remain" in Christ daily in order to bear fruit. We were also challenged to be sure that we are sowing and reaping fruit that remains! (being sure we don't harvest fruit and then walk away from it!) One of the most specail things about attending a school like this is the relationships we are building with other missionaries and learning from each other...what a blessing!
Mary and Debra took off early this morning to go to an "organic" Ferria... an open market for fruits and vegetables...she'll buy all our produce from the week their from local farmers. We get the best pineapples, magoes, lettuce, zanahorias (carrots), avocadoes, etc... We are then going to take a bus into San Jose to the central market (a long closed off street with vendors of all types and crafts). San Jose is a very large city with alot of culture, architecture and interesting things to see!
I also hate to report that we are on our 33rd day of exactly the same weather...sunny and high 70's and cool at night. I am beginning to think that weather prediction or meteorology is unecessary here!
Abbie, Jordan, Aaron and Brody are in the back yard right now after having constructed "zip-lines" from the trees with string and wires (found in our back shed). They are giving their spider man action figures and dolls rides down the zip lines and having a ball!
We miss you all and will continue to keep everyone posted! I'll post some pictures from the week below:
