My favorite part was when my beloved Ismael ran up to me to hug me. Then he told me, "I love you" in Spanish and English! Sometimes I really wish I could just take him home with me. I mean it! I was so happy to say, "I love you too" from the bottom of my heart! Another favorite part of the day was when a volunteer asked me how he could pray for me. What a beautiful expression of kindness and love from someone I'd just met! God's love is so amazing!The picture is of the super-fun birthday party I went to on Sunday night at Roblealto's new house for adolescents. More about that and a video of a dance they made up on the blog!
May your heart be filled with God's love!
Love,
Carrie
I felt really special and honored that I was even invited to this birthday party, especially since I'm not very close with the birthday girl. (Yorley is the older daughter of the house parents at Roblealto's new Adolescent House.) I'm looking forward to getting to know her more though. Anyway, Mami Yorleny sent me a text and told me not to miss it, so I didn't! We had a blast. I had a lot of fun talking with Mami Yorleny and hearing her share stories about her experiences at the Bible Home. It was also pretty hilarious to watch a whole bunch of hyperactive boys watch a classic Liga vs Saprissa game (Think Red Sox vs Yankees kind of rivalry but in soccer). It was so great to eat together and then have a spontaneous dance party. It was really funny, because the boys are in that stage where they're all embarrassed about everything. I got to help break the ice with them a little bit. It was so funny - once there were a couple people dancing in the middle of the circle, others weren't afraid to join. And oh man, some of these boys still don't know how/bother to dance in a less sensual way. Watching them was kind of funny, but it was pretty sad and eye-opening to see the influence the world has had on them. After that, all the boys were trying to do head stands. I'd show you a video of that, but I'll spare you from seeing a whole lot of boxers. Anyway, a couple of them actually succeeded, but Papi Nayland and I definitely showed them up. Oh, the birthday girl and the 8 boys at the house made a dance that they performed for us. I'll show you a clip of that. It was a great night!
They gave me a really adorable mug! Or do I tell you about the special family day at the Bible Home with its fun games, not so fun sunburn, yummy lunch and time for sharing with children and parents? Do I tell you about the fun translation night we had last night and how much I enjoyed not only interpreting for the volunteers, but getting to know the children of my dear Eden house better? Or what about getting to see my sweet Fanny and her siblings today? Or Anielka passing her social studies exam so she can officially start classes on track tomorrow? (The school year here is from Feb-Dec) Or one of our new arrivals coming up to greet me very cordially and respectfully- twice! What about all those wonderful volunteers that are painting almost the entire school inside and out in less than a week? And the rest of the volunteers that are siding the Arco Iris house and putting up wallboard? God has sent us some wonderful workers! Have I worn you out yet? Speaking of wearing out, I could also tell you about my 2.5 hour bicycling adventure that took me much higher and closer to the (dormant/inactive) Barva volcano than I expected. Well, I guess not too much is going on here. ;-)
Imagine a house with a view similar to what you see in the picture, but better, especially because it has the Bible Home in the foreground! Then inside, a few hundred years of missionary service in Costa Rica with willing hearts to sing rich praises to our King. Now that is a beautiful sight! A dear retired missionary who had a hip replacement last year still accompanies us and plays all the hymns from memory. He just wants a hymnal to sing along "all those second verses" and beyond. We all call out our favorite hymns, but make sure everyone has gotten to request at least one before we close down with voices tired but hearts still going strong. How could we not end with the Doxology and then in prayer, feeling a special closeness with one another and our Creator, Savior and Lord whose praises our souls compel us to sing? I wish we could do this more than once a year, but it's always hard to find a time when people are free. So many missionaries, so much going on. 
We had a lovely little ceremony and got to tour the very freshly decorated house. One of my favorite parts is the little ledge they have in the dining room with a whole bunch of framed pictures of the boys and the foster family that is taking care of them. My favorite part of the ceremony was when a couple of the guys talked about what it meant to them to live in the house and what some of their goals are. They were pretty overcome by typical adolescent embarrassment, but my buddy Alex was able to pull it out. "I know I have my problems, but I want to work through them, obey Dad, go to college and move on with life." THAT'S MY BOY!! I'm so proud of him! (he's one of my many favorites) The Bible Home staff have some wonderful, special stuff planned for all these boys so they can grow into great, exemplary men who reach their dreams and break out of their family's cycles of dysfunction and poverty. I'm so excited about it! Please pray for these 8 boys and the foster family that is working with them. Thanks!
going to a church that sings the same version of the Gloria as my home church in PA, playing Settlers of Catan and Uncle Wiggily, watching my niece and nephews tirelessly do somersaults and play outside in the SNOW, reading John Stott's "Radical Disciple," going for a run with my brother and another with my oldest nephew, eating my sister-in-law's amazing food, spending some time with my great aunt and her daughter, going on the carousel with my niece and nephews, celebrating my brother and sister-in-law's 7th anniversary and a whole lot more. It was a great week! I'm very happy to be home though. I have a lot to do before I go back to work on Monday!
