Tico Tuesday, March 18th

CAMP IS COMING!!
This past weekend we had the encerrona, the training retreat for camp leaders. We'll be having a world cup theme this year, to go along with the actual World Cup that will be taking place later this year. (Random fact: did you know that the Women's U17 World Cup is taking place here in Costa Rica right now? I didn't even know there was one!) What happens at the encerrona? We learn the theme song(s) for camp, we preview some of the games and activities and give feedback on how to improve them, we go over the virtues and Bible lessons we'll be focusing on during camp, we have fun and continue to bond as leaders (many of us have been leaders for AWANA and camp for a while now), and we receive training and motivation on how to be a good camp leader. I picked up some new soccer skills and learned how to relate soccer to the virtue of self-control!

(the slabs of wood we're holding have virtues on them)

The Copa Campa HB will be April 11-15. That's less than a month away! I'm so excited! Please join me in praying for the preparations, the staff and counselors, and the children. Camp is primarily about sharing the gospel with the children and giving them an opportunity to start a relationship with Jesus. Please pray for God to use us and to open the children's hearts to Christ! Later this week I should find out who my co-leader(s) and campers will be. I can't wait to plan the activities for cabin time and decide what goodies to put together for our girls!
In other news, tomorrow is my 5 YEAR Anniversary of missionary service here in Costa Rica!!! Glory and praise to God! In the near future I'll share some of my reflections with you.
Also, thanks so much to all of you who replied to last week's Tico Tuesday. I hope to reply to you individually as soon as I can. I've been continuing to process all these things and have a renewed sense of purpose for being here. God is so good!
Thank you as always for your prayers, support, and encouragement!
My current theme phrase is: The Lord is good, and his love endures forever!
May your heart and lips say the same!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, March 11th

You'll Never Be One of Them
It's the scary, most tense scene in the Sound of Music. The von Trapps are hiding on the roof of the abbey, and Rolfe has discovered them. Captain von Trapp comes out of hiding and tries to convince Rolfe not to give them away. But, a biting line escapes his lips, and snaps Rolfe back to reality, "You'll never be one of them."

I found Chowdah heeyah!

I've come to a conclusion: I will never be fully tica (Costa Rican). I will never have Spanish as my first language, I will always look like a gringa, and I will never blend in perfectly with tico culture. You might find this rather obvious, but it has been somewhat of a revelation for me, primarily the last point. If other missionaries who have been here for decades have not been able to adapt perfectly to this culture, why should I expect that I'd be able to? Just because my Spanish accent might be better than theirs and because I have always strived to surround myself with ticos/latinos instead of other gringos? Nice try, prideful machita (blondie)!
Over the past week, I came to realize that I had been expecting myself to eventually fit in perfectly with tico culture. I have learned an awful lot about it over the last several years. There are things I still don't get though, and some things I do get drive me CRAZY and help remind everyone around me, including myself, that I am a broken sinner in desperate need of grace.
And so, once more, I'm reminded of the high quality cross-cultural training I received through InterVarsity, which I didn't realize was high quality at the time because I thought I knew it all. At MAC (Ministering Across Cultures), we talked about different ways we could approach cross-cultural ministry. The two I recall the best are "Going Native," which I realize I've been trying to do, and "Incarnational," following Jesus and Paul's examples of meeting people where they are at and minimizing all possible barriers to the Gospel. I will never be a tica, and that's ok. That is not who God made me to be. He wants me to demonstrate his love as clearly as possible to my coworkers, the children and families we serve, the Arbolitos group from church, and everyone else I know and interact with here. I will never be "one of them," but that is ok. What matters is that we all be followers of Christ.
Thanks for walking alongside me and praying for me!
Love,
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, March 4th

Happy Tuesday! Yes! It's Tuesday! Hooray!

It's been a good day, and this past weekend was a great weekend. This picture shows that I am part of a new and now doubled missionary family. I realize I haven't talked much about the LAM's merge with United World Mission (UWM). But really, that's a good thing. My everyday life has not changed as a result of the merger, and I'm glad. I am excited what the future as a UWMer will look like though. UWM is definitely on top of its game: well-organized, people respond to e-mails very quickly, my health insurance went down, it is in tune with the world and aware of what is going on in the realm of missions, and it really does share many common values and practices with the LAM. On Thursday morning, I got a bit choked up again about this transition. It is sad to have something I've been a part of for almost 5 years not be an independent organization anymore. I knew that reality would hit this weekend at the LAM/UWM retreat. But, I now freely declare that I am proud to be part of UWM.
It was a bit of a wild weekend since I wasn't able to get all my schoolwork done before the retreat started. But, it was the best "LAM" retreat I've been to. The teachings and workshops were excellent. Everything was just really well done. And we had enough people to use the whole field for the annual soccer game! John Bernard, the president of UWM (and LAM since LAM is now part of UWM), is another one of those really wonderful men of God with whom I have been able to connect. What a blessing to know him and have him as president! He is an amazing expositor of God's Word, as well as an excellent leader. And...he's a New Englander and a Red Sox fan!!! Huzzah! I am so grateful for him! Now if only I could meet a single guy like that who is close to my age... ;-) jajaja!
Please be praying for this transition and the fusion of LAM with UWM. It is a big challenge. We have a task force working on it, but it is still a very important, delicate, enormous matter.
More to come in a Chronicle soon!
May God pleasantly  surprise you this week and fill you with his joy!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, February 26th

It's Tico Wednesday again because the internet was down in my apartment last night and still is down today! :-( So, without further ado: Tico Tuesday/Wednesday live from the Bible Home!

This weekend was amazing. I don't like sleeping poorly (especially on hard ground in a tent with rain and strong winds throughout the night) and I despise all biting/stinging/blood-sucking insects, but the camping trip with some of the core members of the young adult group from church (known as Arbolitos) this weekend was a blast. I was really looking forward to this opportunity to get to know some of them better and just bond with each other, and I believe that definitely happened! We went to Rincon de la Vieja (a volcano and National Park I'd been wanting to go to ever since I studied abroad here in 2007!) and Playa del Coco (a beautiful beach). I had some difficult moments leading up to the trip since I am a type A planner and ticos generally AREN'T. But, I just had to let go and remember I was not in control and that I would have fun and enjoy being with everyone wherever we went. I think it all worked out for the best anyway.

Highlights: snuggling with Jess and Naty as we tried to sleep in the van, A GORGEOUS WATERFALL, having Jessica along, a great talk with a girl named Sussy who is one of the group's main leaders, the hilarious dance/karaoke party we had, seeing tons of stars at night, playing in the ocean, napping on the beach, and sleeping in my warm, soft, bug-free bed with 4 solid walls around me when I got home!

I am really grateful to God for the group of Arbolitos, and I look forward to getting to know them even more and deepening our relationships with one another and with God! Please continue to pray for better, deeper community for me here, since that has been something very hard for me to find!

May God bless you with good sleep and great community tonight, throughout this week and beyond!

Love,

Carrie

Tico Tuesday, February 18th

Happy Tuesday! (Or at least what's left of it)
I've mentioned before that personnel meetings at Roblealto are fun, but here is proof.

We played with a parachute and did all sorts of different stuff, including a hilarious game of cat and mouse pictured here. But, playing with a parachute really is a great team building exercise too. We did a couple different things that required leaning outward and trusting everyone else to be pulling too so we wouldn't fall. It was really neat. I just wished that I had brought a hair elastic...the wind has been blowing very powerfully lately!
Anyway, I'm excited for this year at the Bible Home. I'm looking forward to seeing everything God will do in the children and their families, and in the personnel as well. Please pray for God to continue to provide us with the personnel we need. Thanks be to God we are opening another house this week, and some of the new children arrived today! Please pray for the personnel to be stable: we had a number of changes last year that were very difficult for the children. While praying for personnel, you can also pray for health, unity, good communication, and great sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Without God's strength, grace, guidance, and love, we can do nothing.
Thank you so much!
May God send you some unexpected fun this week and meet all your needs!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, February 12th

Hi Everyone!
So, I'm really trying to not let this become a habit, but yesterday was just too full to squeeze a Tico Tuesday in. I ended up working again, so that caused a change in a few other plans. But, the workshop we had on our model of discipline was a very good investment of time, so I have no regrets.

This past Friday we combined a pizza party with our first group of volunteers of the year with our annual welcome bonfire. So, it was a very full, fun night. During the pizza party part, a group of girls did an interpretive dance to "Follow You" by Leeland. The volunteers were very touched to have the girls perform to a song in English. They did a great job! Then, in the bonfire, each house did a special presentation. Some sang, some did interpretive movement, one house had the mom dress up like an old granny and tell a story, etc. It was a lot of fun. I interpreted for the volunteers as necessary like I usually do at pizza parties. Opportunities to interpret are always a highlight!
2 other quick notes (life has been so full I could write a Chronicle every week!). 1) This weekend, I had to say a sudden good bye to my Filipino friends here. Due to circumstances outside their control, they are leaving the country this week instead of in May. I am sad to see them go. Please pray for them in their current transition and further transitions that will come in a few months as they return to the Philippines and determine their new assignment. 2) The Pioneer Girls ministry at my church in Maine invited me to be their special speaker via Skype for their Father/Daughter Cake Decorating Contest on Monday.  That was a really neat, fun opportunity. Let me know if you ever want me to speak or tune in to something via Skype! Also, the contest inspired me: yesterday I mentioned the idea of decorating cakes for a Bible Club to my director and she thought it was a great idea! I'll let you know how that comes together!
May God fill you with his peace and surround you with his love this week!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, February 5th

Hey Everyone,
Happy day-after-Tuesday to you! I ended up in San José for a couple meetings yesterday and had to take care of several other important errands and some homework last night. As you can see, life is flying full speed ahead once more. My semester has started, we just had our first meeting for camp, I made a quick trip to Isla Venado since I hadn't been in 7 months, I've started meeting with my mentor for Mentored Ministry (part of my seminary requirements), and that was all just in the past week! Today I had to go in to work for a workshop all day, so thankfully I am off the rest of the week to catch up on my studies and maybe put away the laundry I washed on Friday...

Delicious Rice and Shrimp dish at Isla Venado!

I'm taking a class this semester called Spiritual Formation. I'm really excited about it. I know I have a hard time saying "no" to people, and I love to be busy and social. But all too often, I let time at the HB, time to study, time to run, time to have a social life, time to grocery shop and cook and clean all invade my time with God, instead of having my time with God permeate everything else I do. I am excited to develop a more intentional, focused life and deepen my relationship with God. Not that I need a class to do so, but I'm sure it will be extremely beneficial to me. It never hurts to have some extra motivation. So, I appreciate your prayers for me over the course of this semester.
May God draw each of up into a deeper relationship with him this week!
Carrie