La Despedida ("The Farewell Party")

Here are some photos from the farewell party that the team gave John Robert and me. The Jaguares are a great group of men. It has been an honor to be their coach for the year. I believe God has great plans for all of them.

Changes Ahead

We are in the process of packing, saying goodbye to people here, and preparing to move to Panama City, Panama in just 9 days. It's been a good year but also a hard one at times. We are well on our way to learning Spanish, and can definitely accomplish a lot more with the language than when we arrived.

Today Charlotte led her last Women's Bible Study with her group here in Costa Rica, and tonight I will have my last practice with my football team. I pray that we have impacted their lives for Christ during our short time here. They are definitely special to us since they were the first people we were able to minister to on the mission field.

We will graduate from language school on April 23rd in the morning, and will fly to Panama City, Panama in the afternoon! Whew! I'm tired just thinking about that day!

Please keep us in your prayers with the transition, but most of all pray that God is already preparing hearts in Panama to be receptive to His message. We are excited about our team which consists of two other families - Tim and Tina Louderback and their 4 children, and Derek and Audrey Tucker. Pray that God will use all of us in our own unique ways as we work together to make a difference for Him!

Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Costa Rica

This week is Semana Santa "Holy Week". We are enjoying a few days off from our language studies as the school is closed all week. This is an important week for us to remember, as Christians, the price that Jesus paid for us on the cross. Sadly, many people get caught up in this week's ceremonies and processions, but don't focus on the true meaning. That's true here in Costa Rica, but it's also true in the states - even with Christians.

As we have shared with some people here: "!El es resucitado! !El es resucitado en verdad!" or in English "He is risen! He is risen indeed!" Let that be your focus!

News from Costa Rica

We've gotten a little behind in writing on the blog. We've become very busy with life here in Costa Rica!

I do have some exciting news to share.... Praise the Lord, one of my players on the football team that I coach accepted Christ last week! I'm so excited about his decision. I see the Lord working in quite a few of the players lives, and am very excited to be a part of this. Please pray that this work will continue after I leave for Panama.

Speaking of Panama, we now have our airline tickets. We will be leaving Costa Rica on April 23rd. This is actually the same day that we graduate from language school. We will graduate that morning and fly out that afternoon. Pray for us as we make yet another transition.

Pray that God is already preparing hearts to be receptive to the Truth, and that lives will be changed for eternity!

Prayer Requests for Fellow Missionaries

We are sad to see several missionary families going through tough times, and would like to ask all of you to pray for them. First of all, please pray for the Louderback family who are here in Costa Rica with us now, and will be on our team in Panama. Anyway, Tina has been suffering from nerve damage in her leg due to some damage done during a biopsy 2 months ago. After 2 months of physical therapy, there has been no improvement. Also, their son Noah who is in the 6th grade has just been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. Tina and Noah left Costa Rica on Friday and have appointments in Houston this week. Please remember them in your prayers. If you are interested, their blog is lyricsofamom.blogspot.com.

Also another missionary friend of ours - Amanda Hodge - has had problems with her pancreas throughout most of the time they have been in language school here in Costa Rica. We met them during our Missionary Candidate Conference in July 2008, went through orientation with them in Virginia and arrived here with their family last April. Amanda has had three surgeries during her short time here, and is actually in the hospital here in Costa Rica right now. Their family will be leaving for South Carolina later this week and will be having surgery in Charleston later this month. Please remember Michael and Amanda Hodge and their family. They are called to Argentina and have plans to arrive there when Amanda is able. To read more about their story, their blog is thehodgefamily.wordpress.com

Another request is for Audrey Tucker. She presently is in the states as well due to the loss of her grandmother. Audrey and her husband Derek will also be serving with us in Panama. Please remember their family in your prayers.

As far as our family is concerned, we are all well and trying to learn as much Spanish as we can before leaving for Panama at the end of April. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We would not be here without the prayer support of so many people.

My Niece Jessi Ann

El Dia de Amor y Amistad (AKA Valentine's Day)

Today is El Dia de Amor y Amistad ("The Day of Love and Friendship") here in Costa Rica. We have seen a lot of pink and red, flowers, balloons, chocolate candy, etc. much like what is going on in the United States today!

We are well into our third - and last - trimester of language school. We have been thinking more about the ministry we will have in Panama, but are also sad to leave the people we have ministered to and with here in Costa Rica. We will graduate from language school April 23rd and will leave most likely on April 24th for Panama.

Once again we will be going through changes and more transitions as we have quite a few times already during our journey. Many people say the life of a missionary is a life of "hellos" and "goodbyes". We are always meeting new people, getting to spend time with them, and then often it seems we have to say goodbye and move on. The kids have already started mentioning that they are dreading moving and leaving friends behind. Please pray for them as they transition to a new place, new school, new friends, etc.