Tico Tuesday, December 17th

Happy Tuesday to you, dear ones!

The sun is quickly setting on this year at Roblealto. Friday evening was graduation. Sunday afternoon was the closing service and visit with the children's parents. Tonight is the last night of fellowship and fireworks, and tomorrow the kids go home. Some to stay for good. Others just for a few weeks. In some ways, the year has flown by, but in other ways, I definitely feel like it's been a while since last Christmas break. It's beautiful to see how some families have progressed: one boy that arrived in May is leaving to live with his parents again. He has had a dramatic change in his life. The children certainly aren't angels by the time they leave the HB, but they have learned to be more respectful, patient, obedient, and a host of other virtues. And they have heard the good news of Jesus, the only One who can bring lasting changes to their lives. This year, there are a couple kids leaving who have been with us for quite some time. Their mother has gotten her act together, and we are so happy for them! Sadly, another family that has been with us for two years already seems to be regressing. The children will not be able to spend Christmas with their mother. The poor decisions she has been making has been having powerful negative effects on her children and we are very concerned. Please join me in praying for this family in particular, and for the things we are most concerned about to be resolved as soon as possible.
Please also pray for the new personnel we need. We have a number of people "getting off the train," and therefore need new ones to come aboard. Each person plays a crucial role in helping keep the Bible Home functioning well!
Thank you for partnering with me and walking alongside me as I serve God and those who are dear to him here.
I'm not sure if a Christmas Eve edition of Tico Tuesday will make it out, due to the holiday, and the 31st I'll be traveling. But, you will surely get a December Chronicle before the year's end!
In the meantime, May God fill us all with his joy, peace, and love. That same God who took on flesh, Emmanuel--God with us--is still Emmanuel today.
Merry Christmas!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, December 10th

Happy 2nd Tuesday in Advent Greetings to you!
So much is going on, and I wish I had time to tell you so many things. But, I didn't have supper until 8:30 tonight since it took me so long to get around to making bread (a New Year's resolution was not not buy bread anymore and I've kept it!) and I didn't feel like cooking anything else. The last of my leftover turkey with gravy on a thick warm slice was worth the wait! But anyway, my room again looks like a light tornado came through, and dishes are piled up on my sink and stove (those will be taken care of in the morning though).
In more interesting news, yesterday was the Annual Christmas and Thanksgiving Service at the Bible Home. It was wonderful! The school chorus sang, we all sang, and then we told the story of why Jesus came to earth. Each house put on a different scene. In between scenes, a small group of personnel sang a related song, and I lit an Advent candle and explained what it represented. Doña Magali, the director of the HB, narrated the rest. We concluded by having cake and fruit nectar (not juice) boxes. Overall, it went really well, and everyone did a great job. A couple people and I sang the first part of "Mary did you know?" after the announcement to Mary and it sounded really nice. The kids all did a great job and the costumes were adorable but:

-I didn't know I had to say anything while lighting the advent candles until doña Magali (who got there late from her morning appts outside the HB, so we started late because we couldn't start without her!) arrived. I had to go and make photocopies of her script as we were starting. And of course I forgot the last page, so I had to quickly copy what I said for the Christ candle by hand.
-I didn't tell our asst director, who was our M.C., to not introduce the school chorus since da Magali's daughter who had been out with her, hadn't arrived yet. Oops. Magaly the daughter is the soloist in the school chorus, so they couldn't perform without her.
-Da Magali had me ask the kitchen staff to help get the stuff together to cut and serve the huge cakes. They weren't prepared for that. The 180 nectar boxes that da Magali supposedly ordered had not been purchased, so our driver had to dash out and hurry back... he made it in time though!!
-Da Magali made the program in a hurry and accidentally paired the shepherds with the announcement to Mary instead of with Jesus' birth. That made for a bit of confusion. But, oh well. We can't turn back time, and we know Luke got it right!
Even in spite of the wild stuff, I still loved it. And I loved how  12+ people came together in the cake serving process: as soon as we brought the cakes back to cut them, many helpful hands appeared and worked together well and efficiently. And, I felt really good that da Magali had taken me into consideration and given me so many responsibilities, even though I blew a couple of them.
And yikes, I just wrote you over twice what I normally do on a Tuesday. Sorry!! I hope it's been entertaining and a blessing. Oh, and THANK YOU so much for your prayers for my studies. Saturday I read about 500 pages and wrote 3. That was only possible through God's grace! I averaged over 10 pages/hour faster than my normal "fastest" reading pace! Now all I have left is to finish one more big assignment due Saturday! Please keep praying!
Muchas gracias y buenas noches!!!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, December 3rd

Happy post Thanksgiving and Happy Advent to you all! May this be a wondrous season in which we slow down and focus on the Reason for our celebration. Before I get going: 2 things. 1) The November Chronicle is coming, but I'm not sure when. December 15th by the latest. It's major crunch time with my studies right now. Please keep praying for me! 2) This blog post on the cool missionary blog I follow totally validates what I'm about to say. Here we go:

Today was the annual retreat for children who will be leaving Roblealto's Bible Home and child care centers. We take them to a fun place with a pool, play games, do activities, and have a time of teaching and explain to them about the followup program we have for adolescents. We want to continue supporting these children and their families as best as we can for as long as we can. Last year, one of our girls had a health concern arise, so I got to take a ride in the ambulance...and miss most of the day's activities. Thankfully, there were no major health issues this year and we all had a really nice time. But by the end, I'll confess I was frustrated and angry.
I was raised in the States and taught not to litter. You just don't do that. It looks awful, on highways you can get fined for it, and it's bad for the environment. I'm no eco-nerd, but I do believe in caring for God's green (and blue) earth, and, well, trash cans exist for a reason! Besides, having litter everywhere looks, well, trashy. And it's embarrassing. But, in this little country whose culture cares so much about formalities, good manners, good looks, making a good impression, and having a clean house, litter is a nationwide problem. The irony just blows me away.
Seriously. It's awful. And it drives me nuts. I was getting really upset with all the littering today. It started in the morning with the straw wrappers from the juice boxes. Then in the afternoon it was the wrappers on the mini plastic shovels used to eat little cups of ice cream. Then, we had piñatas for the kids, and I almost went beserk. There were candy wrappers everywhere! And there continued to be a trail of them wherever the kids went. I had to remind myself not to become weary of doing good so I wouldn't explode. People just don't get it here. And I don't get why they don't get it. They say things in other cultures aren't bad, they're just different. This is one thing I think is safe to just call bad. You just don't litter, whoever you are and wherever you are on this planet. Ok. Rant over.
Anyway... about 30 of our (80) kids are gearing up to go back and live with their families once more. Please pray for them, and for many of them to get involved in our followup program! (And for them to learn to stop littering! ;-) )
Thanks!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, November 26th

You know how people often go on and on about how wonderful someone was when that person is in a casket in front of them and unable to hear the life-giving words being spoken of him or her? Or how people regret not being able to tell that person how much he or she meant to them? Or ask their forgiveness for an offense long ago that damaged their relationship? Why is it so hard to tell people how we really feel about them? How much they mean to us? How grateful we are that God has allowed our lives to become intertwined in theirs? A few kind words can make somebody's day, and deepen—or sometimes even renew—a relationship.

Jorgito (kneeling) sharing with Tía (in the green)

I remember when the grandma of the family I lived with my first three years here passed away. One of her daughters had come down from the States to take care of her for a year. While she was here, she bonded with me and many of the other young adult friends of the family. Before she left to go back to the States, we threw her a party. I don't know how it started, but every person ended up taking the opportunity to tell Tía (Auntie) how much she meant to us. She made sure to return the favor too, and speak words of love, challenge, and encouragement right back to us. It was one of the most beautiful, sacred-in-a-way moments I've ever experienced. Many tears were shed, and I'm pretty sure heaven was rejoicing in what we were doing.

There's a video floating around facebook that talks about the benefits of thanking people for impacting our lives. I dare you—us—to be bold this Thanksgiving and Christmas season and tell people how much they mean to us, how much we love them, how grateful we are for them. What have we got to lose? Maybe some heartfelt words of love and gratitude are the perfect gift to give this year (without going to Hallmark). Maybe they are just what those around us need to hear. And I mean hear. I think it's easier to write stuff like that than say it. But it is so much more powerful to hear than read. Well, maybe writing and then reading it aloud is the best way to go, so the words will be recorded and can be reread. Go. See somebody face to face, Skype, or at least call, and tell someone—or many someones—how much they mean to you and that you love them. It is pleasing to God and will be a great blessing to you, the person you're speaking to, and whoever else might be within hearing distance. Besides, you never know when you might be saying your last goodbye.

~Carrie

Reflecting on Abusive Relationships and The Phantom of the Opera

I'm thinking about the “Phantom of the Opera.” I have loved it's music since my mom got an Andrew Lloyd Webber book and I sang along as she played on the piano. My family took me to see it on Broadway when I was in high school (or maybe only junior high?). It was impressive, but I confess, I was unable to follow the storyline very well.

The movie came out in 2004, and I really wanted to see it. I finally was able to do so this past Saturday night. I don't know why it took me 9 years to get around to it, but I'm very glad I did, and the timing was great. It was wonderful to watch it with my cousin as we snuggled in bed after my marathon that morning and her Bible quizzing meet that day.

My aunt popped in a couple times, and as we commented about the movie, I started thinking about the Phantom. My aunt sees him as a bad guy. He is a cold-blooded murderer, true. But, he also boils with passion for Christine.

(I write this as a young woman who is trying to come more to terms with and continue heal from a verbally abusive relationship.)

Yes, the Phantom is a terrible murderer, but in the movie, we learn that he has been completely scorned, ridiculed, and rejected by society. I work with kids who have suffered these things, and I have an idea of just how deeply scarring they are. My heart broke for the Phantom and I felt great pity and compassion for him. That doesn't justify his murdering, but it helps me see that he truly was a person and not a heartless beast, or ghost, as the rest of the cast considered him. Christine's best friend's mother helps the Phantom escape from a dark circus/traveling show and he ends up living below the theater in Paris (the same one the National Theater here in Costa Rica is modeled after, I might add).

Christine, who was brought to live at the theater by her best friend's mother after her father died, is convinced that the Phantom is the “Angel of Music” her father promised her on his deathbed. The Phantom, who is a musical genius, trains her to have a beautiful voice and falls in love with her. Things get complicated when Raoul, Christine's childhood love comes back on the scene. Raoul immediately falls for Christine. She is excited, but torn, especially as the Phantom begins to express more openly that he loves her. In the song, “Angel of Music,” (which is more like a theme throughout the show), the Phantom gets angry at Christine for having feelings for Raoul. It is here where I say it is clear that the Phantom is abusing Christine.

Let's see the lyrics:

(Voice of Phantom)

Insolent boy, this slave of fashion,
Basking in your glory!
Ignorant fool, this brave young suitor,
Sharing in my triumph!

(Christine)

Angel, I hear you.
Speak, I listen.
Stay by my side,
Guide me.

Angel, my soul was weak,
Forgive me.
Enter at last, Master.

Ok, anytime anybody calls someone “Master” like that, I'd suspect they are not in a healthy relationship. The Phantom is totally exercising power over Christine and manipulating her. She goes from being innocent and happy to scared and ashamed. Is the Phantom acting and speaking out of pure jealousy? I don't know. But the his words sure have a powerful effect on Christine. This may also be due to the fact that she thinks the Phantom, this “Angel of Music,” is the spirit of her father. This leads me to believe Christine's love for the Phantom is (should be?) more like love for a father than a potential husband. But, the movie makes it out to be a love triangle, so what do I know? I just know Christine and the Phantom were never meant to be.

Does the Phantom truly love Christine? I think that's a good question. I believe he genuinely, deeply cares for her and has done some wonderful things for her (yet another scary thing about abusive men!). I think also he tries to live vicariously through her. But, his care and concern for the other loner of the opera house grow into an unhealthy obsession. He does not know how to truly love, and reacts dreadfully when he feels threatened.

I don't think Christine realizes at all that she is in an abusive relationship with the Phantom, and I think that is often what happens to women who are in abusive relationships. In the past, I heard so many stories of women that found it difficult to impossible to leave their abusers. Why would anyone in their right mind stay with someone who is treating them as less than a precious treasure created in God's own image? Well, the easiest, but mean-sounding, way to put it is to say that some of these women may indeed not be in their right minds. But that's the thing about abusive relationships. I think many women don't even realize they are in an abusive relationship. There is serious manipulation going on. Someone is exercising power over them. It took me months to be able to look back on the relationship I was in and call the spade a spade.

And that's the other thing. It has to be a clean break, a real escape. It is all too easy to track people down these days. And when the abuser is upset, ugly things happen. How many people did the Phantom kill throughout the movie? If someone is going to try to get out of an abuser's way, they have to go far, far, away and make sure they will always be safe, walking around with their hand at eye level at all times. (That's another movie reference. If you haven't seen it, please do now!) Ok, situations aren't always that extreme, but I sure suffered months of extra abuse, (which I believe was more damaging than the abuse I suffered when dating this guy), because I was unable to break cleanly enough away from him such that he wasn't a part of my life anymore. So, now I understand a lot better why it is so hard for women to leave their abusers. (And I won't even go in to all the spiritual-religious factors that complicate matters further.)

I write all this to say, I'm processing this “abusive relationship” stuff, wanting to heal more, and thanking God what I went through wasn't any worse. And now I love Christine more and feel like I can identify better with her. The Phantom really is a bad guy, but my heart goes out to him for all he suffered. He just needed to come to the Bible Home and learn how to deal with his problems instead of killing a whole bunch of people and making other peoples' lives miserable. Thanks be to God, He offers love and grace to everyone.

So... where's Raoul? ;-) jajaja

Tico Tuesday, November 19

I am home from the States safe and sound. I thought it was going to be an exhausting trip, but it turned out the only real exhaustion was from the marathon I ran on Saturday. I finished in 3:59:52--almost 10 minutes faster than the one I ran in September thanks to cooler temps, pace runners, and lots of enthusiastic spectators. (That should really be a blog post in and of itself, but I doubt I'll have time for that before Christmas. Maybe I can get some pics on facebook one of these days?)
Other than that, the trip turned out to be quite refreshing. Along with a wonderful time at seminary the first week, I was able to see some friends I've known for a few years, make some really cool new ones, share at a supporting church, and see a number of other supporters and family members (and meet the adorable son of one of my cousins!). I put 769 miles on my rental car in one week.

One of my pretty cousins, her nephew, and me

I guess maybe I did need a little "break" from life here. I'd been burning the candle at both ends and eating a lot of oatmeal (the easiest, fastest hot meal to prepare). It was nice to not feel guilty for not cooking for a couple weeks! And it was really nice to get spoiled a little in other ways too: getting to take a bath for the first time since I can't remember, sharing wonderful conversation with my aunt as we kayaked on the lake, drinking super-yummy apple cider, going shopping and not having to pay an arm and a leg for quality things, sleeping in big fluffy beds, getting to sing show tunes and hymns around a real piano, etc. Have I mentioned yet how much I enjoyed getting to see beautiful fall colors?
Please keep praying for me as I make this final push to finish the semester well. Pray for the kids at the Bible Home too. This is an anxious time of year for pretty much all of them. The kids that know they are going home to stay at the end of the year stress and get all anxious, but so do the ones who will come back in January. House parents and the rest of the staff is often tired and yearning for vacation to come in December. Pray for all of us to finish the year well.  And in all we do, may we all do it as unto the Lord, for his glory, and not for ourselves or anyone else.
Sending you warm greetings and love from Costa Rica,
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, November 12th

Happy Tuesday!

I have said to myself many times I would like to come back to the States for fall because fall is the season I miss the most when I'm in Costa Rica. This was my 5th year of not seeing fall. But as my plane descended into Atlanta, I saw that some trees were different colors! I was in awe. It was as if I was seeing fall for the first time. It was so amazing and beautiful! And the colors were even prettier in Charlotte when I landed there! I went on the most beautiful run of the year the next morning and enjoyed truly crisp fall air. I was very tempted to frolic in the leaves in some stranger's yard. It has been so wonderful to experience fall again! I don't think I ever spent much, if any time in the southeast during fall, so I never realized that the leaves actually do still change colors this far south. I just drool thinking of fall in lovely places I've lived farther north. :-)
It has also been nice to be here in the States and buy some things. I'd heard the cost of living in Costa Rica is quite high, but I didn't realize just how high until I went to Walmart and saw that everything was a half to two thirds of normal prices in Costa Rica! (I don't usually have time on these trips to do much of any kind of shopping). The difference is truly significant though.
So, I am grateful for this time here and for all the blessings and opportunities God has been giving me. I do miss my kids and was very sad to miss Missions Day in AWANA this weekend at the Bible Home. But....I'll have to tell you more about this weekend--and my time at seminary-- later. (Too bad I've been doing such a terrible job documenting this trip photographically!)
May God continue to open our eyes and make us more aware of his gifts and presence with us each day,
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, November 6th

Pretty view on my morning run (at home in CR)!

Annual Night of Prayer in the freshly remodeled Jessie House

The amazing and wonderful Kiki!

Greetings from Charlotte, NC! I have class in a couple hours, travelled all day yesterday and have been going on all cylinders for the last several days. I really appreciate your prayers for focus and productivity in all I have to do and for my times of rest to be really refreshing! I'll be here in the States for just under 2 weeks for class and visiting supporters (and sneaking in another marathon). Please keep me in your prayers. I don't want to feel like a crazy lady; I want to make the most of each day and love and glorify Jesus more and more. I'll just leave you a few pictures and comment briefly on the last one. Kiki just came to Costa Rica with the LAM about a month ago. She is single, fresh out of college, very artistic, and very cool. She came to the prayer night at the Bible Home with me then kept me company as I finished my paper on singleness. Having her there really helped me focus. And my friend Jessica's brilliant idea of putting off our long run until Sunday REALLY helped too. I thought I was going to be up till midnight finishing it, but it was done at 1pm!! I'm so much more productive in the mornings! I learned a lot about singleness and would love to dialogue with any of you on it. I'm attaching it in the e-mail and strongly encourage you to look it over and think about it.
I thank and praise God for his faithfulness, goodness and presence. AND THAT I CAN SEE THE BEAUTIFUL COLORS OF THE LEAVES!!
Thanks for your prayers, encouragement and support!
Love,
Carrie

 

Tico Tuesday, October 29th

A couple boys at the Bible Home have been weighing on my heart big time. The more you get to know people, the more you love them, and the more you love them, the more they have the potential to hurt you, right? Well, not only have I been feeling closer to these boys, but I've learned about some things they've done and found myself on the verge of tears because of them. I know I'm no mom, but I know I'm getting a taste of parenting. How difficult it is not only to hear disappointing news, but to be lied to, taken advantage of, and even manipulated! Ugh, it's awful. But I know it is a good reminder of how my sin makes God feel... We talk about things breaking our heart in English, but in Spanish, things part one's very soul. I like that expression.

A few of my loves with the nurse at the Bible Bee

But anyway, I am very happy to report to you that there is respite from the soul-splitting words and heart-wrenching behaviors, and even the most difficult children can fill my heart with love and glue my cracked soul back together. Case in point: last night I babysat in the Bethesda house again. The last couple times I'd been there, the kids were pretty wild and it was hard to get them to settle down. But last night, I was in a house with 13 angels (10 from the HB and 3 from the substitute family-- though one is 15 and a great help). I walked in the house and to my surprise, D, one of the most challenging boys, was the first to run up to me and hug me. Most of the rest followed suit, with kisses and all. I'll take that kind of greeting anytime I enter a house! It was so sweet! They had wonderful behavior the whole time. D swept the dining room by himself and did an excellent job, one girl volunteered to help another with the dishes, the kids were able to remember what they'd been learning in devotions and they paid great attention while we read and and talked about the parable of the Good Samaritan. My favorite part? Tucking them all in and praying for them. I let each one briefly mention a prayer request and then prayed and kissed each one good night and told them I loved them as I shut the door. Coming out to the living room and finding that the Red Sox were winning couldn't even compare to the joy, love and warmth I was feeling. God is at work in these children, and he is doing such marvelous things! Thank you for praying for me, for the children, for the house parents, and for the rest of the staff. Please keep it up...we need it! (I especially request your prayers as I have a number of assignments due in the next week and not much time in which to do them!)
With a heart and soul full of gratitude and love,
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, October 22nd

It's Just a Spirit Thing
Having a broken dehumidifier was really driving me nuts. Mold was growing on my walls. YUCK! So, I cleaned it off. With what I thought was a strong bleach water solution. That took 2 hours... and about 3 days later it was growing back. AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!! And then the other night I felt like it was starting to smell yucky in my room. I noticed mold on my feather-down pillow. Stress. Angst. Desperation. It was bad. A friend had offered to help me look in to getting my dehumidifier fixed and he finally came to pick it up the other day so he could take it to the guy to have him look at it, but I was sick of waiting. I went to the biggest local hardware store and asked what they had for dehumidifiers. My little one that sucked around a half gallon of water out of the air in 3 days cost me around $95 last year. It was an expensive bugger, but I'm glad I bought it or else I would probably be living in a different apt by now. The local hardware place only had one. It was big (more normal dehumidifier size), and cost a whopping $340. I was feeling anxious about the mold in my room, but that was way out of my range. The disappointment continued. Until yesterday morning. I felt a little urge inside of me telling me to look for used dehumidifiers online. I'd never seen one on there before (and in various seasons I've checked these websites with some frequency for appliances), but I listened to the Holy Spirit's nudge and went onto craigslist (yes, we have it here!). It took me straight to the appliance page and WOW!

There at the top of the list was a dehumidifier! I couldn't believe it! So, I wrote to inquire more about it, and the lady told me somebody else was interested in it. I stressed briefly, but I knew God had set it apart for me. The other guy just had to decide he didn't want it. I prayed. (Part of me really knew it was mine, but another part of me wondered if it really was. How do you find that line between faith and arrogance?) God was, and is, faithful! I got an e-mail last night saying the guy had refused. Praise the Lord! Oh and the price? $80. It was not the most pleasant 75 minute ride through the mountains in heavy rains to pick it up today, but I knew I was not alone. God is good, and he cares about the horrible mold in my room (which I cleaned off this morning with a really strong bleach solution. You can still see some stains on the walls though).
As my former supervisor told me the other day, we have to give praise and glory to God and recount his great deeds to others! He is continuing to provide funds for the Los Guido Child Care Center in amazing ways. And he sent me a blessed, good brand, energy star dehumidifier that can do what my old one used to do in 2 hours.
What is something great God has done in or around you lately? Tell others and write to me so we can glorify God together! (Psalm 34:3)
Giving thanks to God,
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, October 15th

A Taste of Fall
Fall is one of the things I miss most about the States, especially since, unlike Shredded Wheat, you can't just beg someone to send you some in a package. But, it can sort of come with someone on a plane. Allow me to explain...
This weekend I had the opportunity to house sit for some fellow missionaries here because the wife's mom came to visit and they all went to the beach. This family is from the north as well, so they miss fall too. But, the dear visiting mother brought some beautiful REAL leaves and pretty fall placemats. I can't go to the foliage, but indirectly, it came to me!
Yes, I got excited about 7 leaves taped to a window. They were a real blessing to me. And the juxtaposition with the banana plants and other tropical vegetation in the background was just too wild. God shows up in the most amazing ways sometimes... Hopefully someday, somehow, I'll get to soak in some foliage and go apple picking again and all those wonderful autumny things.
In the meantime, I appreciate your prayers. I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed by all my schoolwork, working out plans for my trip to the Carolinas for seminary next month, keeping the mold off my walls since my dehumidifier broke, and several other things. In the meantime, God is pulling at me over and over again, reminding me to seek Him, to put Him first, to take time for Him. And it's true. It's so easy to squeeze Him out and give him the leftovers (which is never much). Just an honest missionary girl confession. But when I do take the time to be with Him... it's so beautiful and satisfying! Please pray for proper use of time and for great productivity so I can do everything I need to! Thank you so much!
Love, 
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, October 8th

Didn't I just write about a Bible Bee last week? Well, yes, but the one we had this past Friday was just for the kids at the Bible Home and the Enrique Strachan School (that we have on site) and it was very different this year! Instead of just having teams with color names, this year we had a food theme. We used 6 foods mentioned in the Bible: milk, eggs, figs, honey, bread, and figs.

Each group had breakfast with the typical gallo pinto, eggs, and bread, plus the food that corresponded to their group. Some people got really creative. The milk group had arroz con leche (like rice pudding), the fig group had fig ice cream on top of graham-like crackers and a couple mini-marshmallows on top. During that breakfast/snack time, the leader of each group gave a short Bible lesson about the food that corresponded to their group. (The picture is about the one on milk. As you can see, the leader went all out!) Then, the children went from station to station: bowling, "fishing," playing Jenga, memory, and more in order to review everything they've learned over the course of the year in their devotions. It was a lot hard work, but there were many hands to make it light, and everything turned out splendidly (even in spite of a couple snafus). I hope to get some pictures on facebook in the next few days here. Some kids have already given me some great feedback about the activity. I am blessed to have such amazing coworkers and so many people that were willing to help and make the day special for the kids. I'm continuing to learn a lot about putting this activity together and am already looking forward to planning and coordinating it next year!
Thanks for your prayers and support. God is doing wonderful things in the lives of our children here!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, October 1st

Fun in the Word!
Friday was the Roblealto-wide Bible Bee. 20 children were selected to represent each program and came together to participate in a special fun-filled activity. We started off with a little ceremony to receive the Costa Rican flag, the Christian flag, and the Bible, and then had each group perform its presentation. Like last year, I was bursting with pride for my kids from the Bible Home. They all looked so sharp in their shirts from camp, and the presentation they did was impressive! 2 house moms made gorgeous posters and other visuals for the kids to use during the song. I ended up holding a banner so I couldn't take pictures of it, but I'm sure it looked great! The presentations of the child care centers were really good too, but the HB outdid itself!
After the presentations we mixed all the kids up and split them into 4 teams.

Then they passed from station to station, getting to participate in each game. The station I helped lead was great. It was like a giant board game. So, after throwing the enormous die and advancing the piece, they had to answer a question. If they got it right, they got to do a challenge. This might have been rolling a ball down two pieces of string and then making it drop into the bucket below, bouncing ping pong palls into water, flipping a shoe off one's foot onto a table, or as you see pictured, bobbing for candy in a bowl of water and then having to do the same in a bowl of flour. What a mess! (And that poor girl with glasses took forever! I don't know why she didn't take them off...) It was so much fun though. The kids had a blast and everything went really well. (The other stations were neat too. One was based on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, one was Blongoball, and the other required lip reading in a mirror). Thanks so much for your prayers! Please keep praying for this Friday's Bible Bee at the Bible Home to go well!
Love,
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, September 24th

This weekend I ran my first marathon ever. It was without a doubt the hardest thing I've ever done before in my life, physically speaking. I've read and heard people talk about hitting a wall at about mile 20 of the 26.2 mile race because the body runs out of glycogen. Well, that happened to me. The last several kilometers all I wanted was to just stop and be horizontal. I didn't dare walk though, because I knew once I started walking, I wouldn't run again. It was incredibly hot and the sun was powerful. I'd prayed for clouds, and God answered that prayer a good bit of the way, but there were some sections of blazing hot sun and I felt like I was just burning. Even when the going was excruciatingly tough, I had to keep going. But I made it! I finished in 4:09:53. 5th in my age category and the 12th woman to cross the finish line!
Even with the toughness of the race, it was a really neat experience. It was at the nicest beach I've been to in Guanacaste, Tamarindo Beach (my race route was basically from Playa Tamarindo to just before Playa Flamingo, and then back to Tamarindo). So, that's why it was so hot. The race left at 5am, so it was still dark. How did they send us off? With fireworks!! If anyone wasn't in town for the race, I'm sure it would have been most obnoxious, but it was a great way to start a very loooooooooong race! I only wished there had been more people along the way to cheer me on. That would have helped a lot.
My friend Jessica accompanied me on this weekend adventure. She did the half marathon and then waited around for me for a couple hours at the finish line. What a good friend! I thank God for the opportunity I had to run the race and for all the reminders of his goodness and love. Above all, the lesson I'm carrying away is that I really can't do anything in my own strength! I need God's strength every step along the way, every moment of every day.
Thank you for your prayers for my safety. Now to rest for a couple weeks and then start working on shaving down the time to see if I can qualify for Boston in the next couple years!
Prayer request: The Roblealto-wide and local Bible Bees are coming up in the next couple weeks. Please pray for everything to come together and for both activities to go well and for God to be glorified in them! Thanks!
Love,
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, September 17th

This past weekend was Costa Rica's celebration of 192 years of independence! Independence Day is officially celebrated on September 15 with parades and traditional foods, clothes, and games. The 14th is a special day too though, because that is the day the news of independence travelled through Central America. So, now to celebrate, a flame of independence (the antorcha) travels Olympic style from the Costa Rican border with Nicaragua, all the way to Cartago, which used to be the country's capital. As the flame travels, elementary and high school students come to meet the flame in the center of each town. Some carry it further towards Cartago, others carry the flame on to their own towns. When the torch arrives at 6pm, everyone sings the national anthem and then parades around with homemade lanterns.
The children from the Bible Home go down to Barva to get the flame and run it the 5km (a little over 3 mi) with some 500 meters (1600ft) of elevation gain up to the Bible Home. I'd been wanting to join them for a couple years now, and this year I got my chance! I was just going to watch them since I had a terrible cold most of last week, but Saturday I was feeling much better (and stir crazy since I hadn't run for days), and it wasn't raining when antorcha time came around. So, I put on my sneakers and joined the kids and Leslie, who had been training the kids and doing tests to figure out who would be able to run up the mountain. A little boy who is 9 or 10, R, somehow passed the test, but he sure huffed and puffed as he made his way up the mountain. Some of the kids had been making mean comments about him, but he was a shining example of determination, and only got into the van for the last really hard part. In spite of the teasing though, R's fellow runners chose him to have the honor of lighting the torch at the Bible Home in front of everyone. He lagged behind most of the way, and I stuck with him, encouraging him, trying to give him a couple tips to improve his form and not expend as much energy with every step, and getting the bystanders to cheer for him. When they did he shot forward like a rocket. It was adorable and hilarious at the same time, but as a runner, I know the blessed effects of cheering bystanders! (I'll just imagine you all cheering for me as I run my first marathon this coming Saturday!) Another boy stuck with him too, helping him along and encouraging him every step of the way. Sometimes he and another boy practically carried R. It was really sweet to watch. Even sweeter than the kids chanting my name to have me carry the torch for a little while. How many gringas get to carry the antorcha in Costa Rica? Really. Everybody had a turn to carry it though, and they didn't make me an exception. And it's a good thing we all took turns... that thing gets heavy! But though I was touched by that, it was even more heart warming to watch the older boy help R, especially since I overheard a conversation earlier last week about the older boy going through a really difficult situation and dealing with a lot of anger.
Have I ever told you what an honor and privilege it is to be a part of what God does here and witness him working in children's lives? May the Lord open all our eyes to see the work He is doing in, around, and through us, and may we be ready instruments in his hands who are willing to go the extra mile!
Carrie

BIG NEWS! and Tico Tuesday, September 10th

Hey Everybody!
Some of you probably got an e-mail earlier today with a big announcement and I'm here to tell you that it is true! The Latin America Mission (my missions organization) is becoming one with the United World Mission (UWM). This decision has been made with the future of both organizations in mind, and while a very small part of me kind of wishes the Latin America Mission could remain an independent organization, this is much like a marriage. Instead of losing a daughter, we're gaining a son. And this son will bring many benefits (like lower cost for health insurance and a lot of streamlined processes). One thing I really appreciate about the UWM is that it recognizes the amazing strategy the LAM has employed to partner with and work under national leaders and ministries. UWM believes in these partnerships and realizes it would be a huge step backwards missiologically to have LAM missionaries leave their current ministries and force us to do other stuff. So, to put it straightforwardly, the LAM's union with UWM will NOT directly affect my ministry: I will continue to serve happily at the Roblealto Bible Home in Christian Education for as long as God has me here. Future information about this union and how to change the financial giving process is forthcoming. The official merge date is December 31, 2013 (and that way, everybody's taxes will be easier!). Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.
And now... to your regularly scheduled Tico Tuesday.

This past Thursday was a very special day: we had the annual retreat for house helpers, cooks, and cleaning ladies. Lily (my fellow Christian Ed worker), Gladys (the family psychologist) and I planned and led the retreat. Everybody had a wonderful time! We started with me leading an ice breaker. Everybody had to write 3 things about themselves, and then I read them out loud and we had to guess who had written them. That created a lot of laughter! After a Biblical reflection on serving with love by Lily and Gladys, we had coffee break, and then handed out the letters the children had made for each woman present at the retreat. It had been one boy's idea, and all the ladies were so touched by the cards, letters, and little goodies they got! Then we had a time of sharing, and the women really opened up their hearts. Many tears were shed, and it was a beautiful, special time. I learned things I never would have suspected about these women. I admire them so much, and am so grateful to God for meeting with us and blessing our time together so richly! We ran out of time to do the craft we had prepared, but that was ok. God took control of the time and it was greatly edifying for all of us! I praise, thank, and bless him for giving us such a special retreat and bonding us together! (Sorry I don't have any better pictures, but my battery died and I haven't been able to get pictures from anyone else yet).
May God use you to bless and encourage others this week. You never know what people have gone or might be going through!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, September 3rd

Sunday afternoon I witnessed one of the most incredible storms I think I've ever seen. The skies opened just as I got home from AWANA, and soon the downpour was accompanied by heavy winds, lightning, thunder, and even hail! The hail was just under the size of a marble. At first, I was really enjoying watching the impressive display of God's power. The rain and hail were so loud on the roof, how could I think of anything else? And to have frozen white stuff on the ground...here in Costa Rica?? I could hardly believe it.
 Soon, the carport was full of water, there were waterfalls across the street, the yard was a swamp, there were piles of hail where the ground was higher, and floating islands of hail swirling around in the massive puddles. And then, I realized that something I dread was happening: the water wasn't staying outside the way it was supposed to! It was seeping in the floor, dripping in by the door, and I had a miniature waterfall flowing off the window sill. And of course, I was expecting company. Pardon the pun, but that really put a damper on things! I was not happy to be cleaning up after a small flood on my day of rest, but the bright side of the story is that the floor in the front room and window sill are now very clean.
So, needless to say, it was an adventure. But, God is good. I had just finished hanging up all my wet rags when my company arrived and I had a wonderful time sharing with a family who has been very kind to me and known me ever since I was a student here in 2007. And in spite of the flooding in my apartment, I was literally able to praise God in the middle of the storm! He is awesome, powerful, and worthy of praise, no matter what kind of storms may come our way.
May we always remember to praise him, regardless of our circumstances!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, August 27th

The last two Sundays I have been blessed with the opportunity to deepen my relationship with two different ticas. Last Sunday, it was my friend Ivannia that was a house mom in the Jardín house, and this past Sunday, it was a girl I met at church named Jessie.

Jessie & I sang in the church choir last year

Jessie and I have been saying for months that someday we need to get together and hang out. Usually, when ticos say that they are just saying it would be nice, but they actually have no intentions of ever making it happen. But, Jessie and I really did get together: we went out for lunch and talked until 4:30 and then went and got ice cream before parting ways. I had a wonderful time. And since it was just us, we felt comfortable sharing with each other. (Deeper conversations tend to not happen in group settings in this culture, especially among young people.) So, I'm feeling really grateful and blessed. I yearned for single female friends for so long here, and now I'm FINALLY getting some! Jessica is still my closest friend here right now, but I'm enjoying getting to know her roommate Tammy too, who often joins us when we run together. Now that Ivannia isn't in charge of a house full of kids, she's more available to hang out, and though Jessie is wicked busy, she really needs to get out sometimes. And Iva and Jessie are ticas! I'd wondered if I'd ever make friends with any ticas who are actually closer to my age than my mom's. I don't know how close I'll get with either of these ladies, but I thank God for what He has given me with all my heart. Thank you so much for praying for this to happen! Please continue to pray for God to provide me with good friendships, for me to be a good friend, for people to always be able to see Jesus in me --and for me to remember that it's about Him and not me!
As you can see, I'm staying plenty busy as always. I especially appreciate your prayers as I try to get my Church History II paper written and submitted by September 7th.
Thank you for all your prayers, love and support!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, August 20th

Happy Tuesday to you, once more! This is another one of those weeks in which I could easily write you a whole chronicle. To followup on last week's picture: My dear sad-faced boy in the chef hat told me yesterday he's going to start behaving better again and is very excited about helping me with some upcoming activities. He has some fantastic ideas! Praise the Lord! Please keep praying for him, the other boys in the Arco Iris house, and Leslie their house dad. They are still working to adjust to their new situation. 

I know I wrote about AWANA two weeks ago, but this past Sunday was the most special lesson time we've had in AWANA the whole time I've been there. We watched a movie clip of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and Judas betraying him. Then, we talked about how we can follow Jesus' example of praying when he was going through a really difficult time. We wrapped up the lesson forming a circle and having everyone give thanks for something and then share a request. The kids responded really well to the activity and were very respectful as everyone else shared. Some of the leaders opened up quite a bit and a couple of the kids followed suit. It was really beautiful and special. One boy shared, "I want my dad to leave his vices so we can all be together and share as a family again." Talk about ripping your heart out. At the end, we let the 2 boys who'd been wanting to pray ever since they heard the lesson was about prayer pray for us. One (the taller tan one in the picture) had paid incredibly close attention and mentioned almost ALL the requests we'd made. It was so amazing and beautiful, truly a special moment. I thank and praise God for all the things he is doing and will do in the lives of the children at the Bible Home and their families, and more than ever, I consider it an honor and privilege to be a part of what God is doing here!
Thank you for journeying with me and helping make it possible for me to be here!
With joy and gratitude, 
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, August 13th

An incredibly sweet family came to meet and hang out with me on Saturday. I'd gotten an e-mail from some fellow LAM missionaries with an open offer by this family to bring any LAM missionary in Costa Rica stuff from the US! I seized the opportunity to have them bring me my books for the fall semester. What a blessing! But they didn't just bring me books! They found my blog and brought me a number of things on the "if you so happened to want to send me a package" list! Raspberry zinger tea, organic maple syrup from Canada, a box of shredded wheat, and a bag of Dove Promises. Yum, Yum, Yum, and Yum! What an incredible blessing! And I was really touched that this family took a full day out of their vacation to hang out with missionaries (they were with another missionary family before they came over to me). Talk about generosity! It was such a gift to get to know this family a little bit and just be a tourist in my own town. God gave us such a great sunset we had to stop multiple times for them to snap more pictures! (I went unarmed...they promised to send me pictures though.)

Oh, and on the way down to Barva for a fantastic supper, we were able to see random fireworks going off over part of San Jose. It was so cool! I am so blessed and grateful! There's nothing like a mini-escape and some fun for a missionary that's been feeling a little worn lately! If we all like it so much when people invest in us, why don't we invest more in other people so they can experience the joy and love too? Who will you invest in today? Tomorrow? The next day? Go for it! God loves us not so we can keep it to ourselves, but for us to pour out and share his love with others.
Ok, so what's the connection between this and the picture? One of my Dove Promise wrappers says, "Make a list of your dreams." Thursday evening, the youth group we have at the Bible Home had a hat parade and a special activity about dreaming about the future. So, everyone who went had to make a hat about their dreams. I was checking in on the Arco Iris house before the activity and got to see the hats the boys in the house made. B did a fantastic job with his (his face is sad because he misses his former house mom a lot)! I look forward to spending some time in the kitchen with him!
May God fill all of us with his love and show us who to invest in and how!
Thank you to those of you who write to and invest in me!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, August 6th

It's Tuesday again!
First off, let me say THANK YOU for praying for everything I mentioned last week! The 11 boys of the Arco Iris house now have someone to be with them the rest of the year! God called up Leslie, a fellow AWANA leader, to be a tutor/uncle/father to these boys. Today was his first day officially working. We've had single house moms at the Bible Home before, but never a single house dad. We're giving this a shot though, and we believe God is going to do amazing things through Leslie! Please keep him and the Arco Iris boys in your prayers!

A couple boys from the Arco Iris House participated in this presentation on Sunday

Speaking of AWANA... we declared this Sunday Friendship Day in AWANA, so we had a few special presentations, along with a number of other activities to develop friendship among the children. In Sparks, we made a banner with the slogan "mi amigo para Cristo" (My friend for Christ) and had all the kids decorate it. Then we had everyone draw the name of another person in the group and give them candy and tell them something nice. All the kids participated with great attitudes and didn't have to spend much time thinking of what to say. The boy who gave to me just said, "te quiero." It was so adorable! I praise God for all that he is accomplishing in the lives of these children and everything they are learning.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. May God continue to do his amazing work in your lives too!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, July 30th

Tuesday greetings from Costa Rica!
Last night was definitely not a quiet night at the Bible Home. There was a meeting for house parents, and I got to babysit in the Bethesda house for the first time. Since my friend who was the mom in the Jardín house left, 2 of the girls are now in the Bethesda, along with a couple other kids I've cared for from other houses on different occasions plus 6 others (10 total). When I got there, they were wild.

It was a Monday after the kids had been at home with their families for the weekend, and they usually come back behaving not as well as they did when they left. Over the course of the evening they calmed down though, especially once I prayed and we opened our time of devotions. One boy, the newest in the house, and actually the newest in the Bible Home (I think he arrived in April-I know it was after camp), started asking me all sorts of questions about Jesus coming again and what that means, what heaven is like, about asking forgiveness, etc. What a joy it was to see him so curious and interested in these things--and to have the opportunity to explain as much of the gospel to him as I could. It was a very special moment for me. I don't think he has a relationship with Jesus yet, but I look forward to following up with him and making sure he has the opportunity to start one. Please pray for this kiddo, R, and for him to receive Jesus as his Savior and Lord.
Thanks so much!
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, July 23rd

Hello, and happy Tuesday to you! Ok, it's not Tuesday anymore for many of you, but it is still here!

You may be wondering why I haven't written anything about the kids at the Bible Home for a while. Well, there's a reason for that. They were at their homes on break the first 2 weeks of July, so things at the Bible Home were very quiet! Yesterday things were pretty quiet much of the day too, since all the kids who play the recorder and are in the school chorus were at a district competition all day. The kids came back full of enthusiasm and the minibus drivers were honking their horns like people honk when their team scores or wins a soccer game: the chorus came in first place! Most of these kids have grown up being the losers and having people telling them--and believing--that they are no good at or for anything. Well, winning a competition sure makes them think twice about these wretched lies and shows them that they really are talented and capable of making great achievements.
And the picture is of one of the 2 boys that came running at me to hug me as I passed their house on my way home from work yesterday. Have I ever told you how much I love these kids? The two week break is an important time for them and their families, and for the personnel at the Bible Home to recharge too. But, I missed them and I'm so glad to have them back!
May God surround you with his goodness and truth this week!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, July 16th

Tuesday greetings from one of the most tired girls around. My brief trip to the US was delightful but exhausting, so I'll try to keep it short tonight. I was going to show you a picture of my happy brother and his happy bride, but I can't figure out how to copy/download pictures from flickr. (Is that actually possible? Anybody wanna give me a hand with that?) So, you're stuck with this cutie!!

The purpose for my trip was indeed my brother's wedding, but it included many bonus features, like a number of extended relatives I hadn't seen in WAY too long, my awesome parents, my oldest brother and his family, including this youngest nephew I hadn't met yet! It was worth the plane delays, the nights of lousy sleep and every detestful mosquito and deerfly bite to play with my niece and nephews, catch up with other family members, and sniffle my way through my brother's wicked short but super sweet wedding ceremony.
It's nice to be home though and to have the kids back at the Bible Home after they were gone for 2 weeks for their mid-year break from school. My bed is calling me, so I'm off!
May God bless all our rest and continue to teach us to rest in Him!
Love,
Carrie

PS. 3 very brief things. 1-I got my driver's license renewed today! 2- The food at Zach's wedding was fantastic. 3- I hope to blog more about his wedding soon but right now have a lot of other things to do! Please pray for me! Thanks!

Tico Tuesday, July 9th

• 19.5 months
• 14 trips to Migration
• over $460 in fees, parking and transportation
• countless hours waiting in line or for my name to be called or some assigned number to flash for me (I think today's 5 hours was a personal record)

  

  
  

It was a long and dreadful wait. One year ago today I went to Migration thinking this complicated process was almost done, and instead was handed a letter threatening to cancel my residency renewal if I didn't explain myself pronto. It was hard to figure out how God was exercising control over the horrendous bureaucracy  (burro-cracia as we sometimes call it here), but I know he is sovereign, even over institutions I find frustrating and wish I could despise, were they not so necessary and important. (Seriously, now I understand more why people just marry nationals to avoid migratory woes!) But today, thanks be to God, a miracle occurred and I was FINALLY given a new valid residency card!!! I was a little emotional when I realized they were actually going to give me my new card today, and surely would have been more so if I hadn't have had to wait so long between all the little bureaucratic steps. At least I finished reading my Church history textbook!
Thank you SO MUCH for praying with and for me all throughout this difficult journey. Though I haven't enjoyed it, I rejoice that it is over and remember that even when I don't understand God, I still can and need to trust him, his ways, and his timing.
Now I can fly to and from the States this weekend without any migratory hassle!
With deep joy and gratitude, to God and to you!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, July 2nd

The weirdest thing happened on Friday at the Bible study I help lead for parents and guardians. I was teaching the parents how to have a time of daily devotions with their kids and giving them some concrete ideas and object lessons they could easily pass along to their children. One of the object lessons included a toothbrush. If I haven't told you before, Costa Ricans have amazing toothbrushing habits. So as I started the object lesson, I said, "Toothbrushing is a great habit we ticos have." I stopped as soon as it came out. (Tico is the word Costa Ricans use to describe themselves.) I was shocked at myself for saying "we ticos" but I tried not to dwell on it and immediately rephrased my sentence to leave ticos impersonal, neither including nor excluding myself. Though I was trying to carry on as if nothing had happened, one dad stopped me and said, "Well, for me you're a tica. There's nothing wrong with you identifying yourself as one." The few other ticos I've shared this anecdote with have had similar responses. I think that just overwhelms me even more. Yes, people have been calling me la gringa más latina (most Latin white girl) they know for years now, but to have members of my host culture accept and see me as one of them? Wow... Pretty amazing, but I know there are still a lot of things about ticos I don't know or get. I do identify with them a lot though, and have decided I will be simultaneously happy and disappointed no matter what the outcome of the USA vs CR World Cup qualifying match here Sept. 6th, because I don't have to choose between the two. As I've been learning, there is beauty in the uncertainty.
Is it a good thing that people see me as a fellow tica? I believe so. The apostle Paul talked about becoming all things to all men, that some might be saved through his words and actions (1 Corinthians 9:22). My goal isn't for people to see me as a tica, but for them to see Jesus in me. May it be so, for me and for all of us who call Jesus Lord!
~Carrie

PS. Migration update: God continues to answer prayer! Tomorrow morning I am going to Migration for my resolution and to request an appointment for them to take my picture. I'd love to have that happen and have my new card in hand before I leave for a brief trip to the States next Weds the 10th! Please pray with me for it to happen! The disappointing news: with my new official status as a volunteer I'm no longer eligible for permanent residency. Oh well...

Tico Tuesday, June 25th

Happy happy happy Tuesday to you!
A brief bit of good news before I get to the real topic: My contact at Migration came through for me! I finally have a resolution! Now it just needs to be signed, I need to pay $200, and get an appointment for them to take my picture. If this all happens a week from tomorrow, there is a chance I just might have some valid documentation again by the time I leave July 10th for my brother's wedding. It is my hope and prayer for this to be so. Thank you for praying with me so far, and please keep it up until everything is all worked out! Talk about a lesson in perseverance! God is so good!

In other areas of God's goodness... I ran my first half marathon on Sunday! It was such a great experience! They didn't have any mile or kilometer markers along the way, just the starting line, a 10k marker, and the finish line. I couldn't believe it when the first 10k were over. They went by so fast! (In 52 minutes to be exact.) I conversed with a few friendly runners along the way and really enjoyed the beautiful mountains that surround the Central Valley. I went into this race with a totally different attitude than in the 10k races I've done, and I think it really helped. I tend to be a very competitive person, but I didn't stress at all about people passing me and when they did it. (In a 10k, I try not to let any women pass me after about 6k). One 60ish year old man passed me at one point, after talking with me briefly and telling me to save energy for the hills at the end. But, it turns out living at 5000ft and training on this mountainside has done me a lot of good. I passed a number of people going up the hills at the end, including that man! Back to the different attitude though. I wanted to dedicate the race to God and be focused on him, so I spent a lot of time praying and singing worship music in my head. It was a really wonderful time and I hadn't felt so full of joy in a long time! God is so good and he gave me strength every step along the way (and 21k --13 miles-- is a lot of steps)! I ended up finishing in 1:50:21-within perfect range of my 1:45:00 - 2:00:00 expectation (and 36th out of the 177 women that ran the race)!
More stories below!
May we all see God's goodness, faithfulness and love around us this week!
Carrie

God's goodness was evident throughout this whole race weekend. I was able to sleep well the night before and not get any pre-race jitters. I often get jitters before a race, not from nervousness, but from excitement! I spent the night with a friend of mine who lives close to the starting line and she got me there with plenty of time to warm up and get a good spot near the starting line. The start was great. We were on a highway, so it was plenty wide, and it was uphill, so people weren't exactly shooting out like bandits. Most of the races I've done start on narrow streets and are often flat or downhill and it takes a while for the crowd to thin out so I can run normally and not be running on top of other people's feet.
I ran the first several kilometers with a friendly man named Alex who knew several other runners and told me all about the course of the race. After a while I could tell his breath was telling him he needed to slow down, so I left him behind. I saw him at the end though and it was nice to know he made it.
I spent other bits and pieces conversing with other runners, most all of them talking about how hard the hills at the end were. Most of the course was actually downhill though, and I'm sure that helped my time some. I felt great for most of the race, it wasn't until the last couple kilometers when my feet started to hurt and my leg muscles reported in that they were starting to get tired. There were only 4 water stations the whole way, and I didn't carry any food or gatorade. I think I would for next time though, or make someone meet me and give me something along the way.
I announced on facebook I would be running and tagged everyone I could think of that lives close to the race route. Nobody I know showed up, but thankfully, there were a lot of other people along the way, and that helped so much! One group of people noticed my big smile and commented how that just said it all. That was close to the end, but I was feeling good and just having a wonderful time and loving the experience.

Then there was one angel-lady that stationed herself at the foot of one of the last hills and was cheering us on. That meant so much to me and helped me get up that hill! And then, when the finish line came into sight, I couldn't believe it, and the weirdest thing happened: I got all choked up! I hadn't expected that AT ALL! But seriously, I fought so hard to not cry and just keep running. It was totally bizarre, but really, the whole race was such an amazing, wonderful experience. The weather was great, all the people were wonderful, the traffic was well controlled (except for the one part when I got stuck running single file behind a man and between a parked bus and a moving bus in downtown San José-don't tell Mommy that part), I felt great, I was running for God's glory, I didn't have to wait in a ridiculous line for hydration and fruit at the end, my time was great (11th in my category, not counting the first 5 female finishers), and I got a massage at the end. I thank God for this delightful experience and I just say...Watch out Boston Marathon and Heartbreak Hill --I'll see you in 2015 or 2016!!