On Sunday afternoon we...

Second Trimester - Here we go!

Becky:
I had to have hernia surgery done January 9 the day after we returned from the States. It went well, the Doctors here are wonderful. I had heard that the nurses speak English, but this is not true. It really helped me get back into Spanish quickly. Steve had the boys for three days by himself while I was in the hospital. I had to stay an extra night there to recover a little more before going home. We have been blessed by our friends at the language school helping out with a couple of meals, and running to the store for us. Our friends Steve and Diane watched the boys while Steve stayed at the hospital during my surgery and to be able to visit me.
I stayed home to rest the first two days of school, but could not stay in the house any longer. I started my classes Wednesday. I am looking forward to the assignments that our language teacher has given us to interview Ticos. This week our topic in language is The Church. I will be giving a 15 minute devotional in Spanish this Thursday. How exciting to be teaching Gods word in Spanish.
Continue to pray for my recovery. I desire to be doing more then I should. Steve has been wonderful, he is doing everything for me. Through sickness and health. I am so thankful for him. Pray that God would give him the strength he needs for the next couple of weeks before things are back to normal.

The Boys:
School started Monday. Josiah was excited to go back, and Elliott is just a love. He is generally the only one not crying when we drop him off, he brings great joy to his teachers and anyone he is around.

Steve:
I started a class this trimester called FARO. It is an alliteration, translated it means: Facilitator, Helper, Route, and Listening. I meet with my teacher once a week one on one to discuss progress, the route and questions I want to ask. The helper is a bi-lingual Costa Rican who checks over my questions and helps me express my thoughts in Spanish. My route consists of 7-10 people that I meet with 2x's a week to discuss the questions I came up with. And the "Listening" is really what it is all about - being able to listen and use the grammar I'm learning in class. I still have 2 hours of grammar each day and then spend the rest of the time I would be in school doing my FARO route. It has been fun creating my own topics and activities to better understand Latin Culture and the Spanish language. It is not really an option for Becky, I'm not entirely comfortable with her out in the city alone.
My friend Brian, who went through the course the last two trimesters (now in Guatemala) reminding me that this course is more than learning the culture and language but provides some incredible opportunities to minister. Pray to that end!


To see Becky's stitches: click here

Do you really think we would post pictures of that? Thank you for participating in our sociological experiment...

A Closer Look at Life and Language School in Costa Rica

This is a video that we showed at our home church for the missions conference in November. We hope that it helps explain a little bit of what our daily life looks like in Costa Rica learning the language. Steve and I were talking today about how when we are around the Latin American culture we truly feel a sense that this is where we need to be. The joy that God has given us, and the love for the people and the language just brings us conformation that this is where God has placed our family. Argentina is going to come sooner than we think as we have put into the works the beginning stages of getting our residential visas! May God bless you all this new year! Becky, for the Diems