01.04.2010
I just met Elianny on skype!! she's so cute! and her voice matches her.....so sweet!!
We went to the rainforest today on our tour day! I WENT ZIPLINING!!!! oh my goodness was it AMAZING!!! There were four of us who went....myself, Kristen, Anna, and Jama! I wasn't going to, i was suppose to go on a tram ride with jeremy and cabot, but i knew if i didn't i would probably regret it. They had an additional line that just opened last month that is 2000ft long....IT WAS EXHILARATING!!!!
Others went on the tram ride through the rainforest and some others just relaxed...it was definitely a great day to just have some fun! Eliezel was able to go with us also, so we were super happy to spend some time with him....
Afterwards, we went downtown San Jose to the square (super busy) and to the Mercado Centra. It was a great fun trip!
Tomorrow we are heading to Moravia for some more shopping and then relaxing before we head back on Thursday!
Please continue to pray for us, especially Jeremy who is still in some pain....we looked up the medication that he was prescribed in Changuinola and it said that its usually prescribed to women who have just had a baby to help with the stomach spasms....ha!! we'll see what happens to him after he takes it! heeheehee.....
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
definitely the favorites....
01.03.2011
We are definitely Eliezel's favorite!!!! the bracelet on my arm proves it....
So it's been a busy few days and the internet hasn't been the greatest....so let me get you up to speed....
After La Gloria, Yanis made us dinner and this time they invited us to their home! It was so great to see where they lived and spend time there with them. Yanis asked us what our favorite foods were a couple of days before and Kerri and i gave a long list of favorites....she ended up making EVERY dish we love! fish, lentils, garlic potatoes, plantains, veggies....A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!!!!
Many family members were there including Pastor Nieves' mother, his brother and wife, and Yanis' niece. We had some great laughs, including the fact that Yanis introduced her niece as Sobrina. So while talking with them i called her Sobrina many times thinking that was her name. I didn't realize (since i don't know Spanish) that Sobrina is "niece" in spanish! Her actual name is Tamara.....hilarious! Definitely had everyone laughing!!
yesterday we had a great service with our church family. what a blessing to spend more time with our friends. We had a great lunch at the pizzeria again with Pastor Nieves and his family, Silvia, and Dario.
Last evening we had our farewell service....many from the past years were there: alonzo, katie, luis, edson, cielio, and many others. It was such a great time with a service and communion. After the service, Cabot invited his Panama buddies (Pastor's boys) to spend the night with him in the hotel. Oh my! to see their faces as they walked into the room...they were so amazed! :o) They also wanted to make sure they could shower! (they don't have running water much of the time...) So after watching Cars (thanks Karen R.!) they went to bed....and woke up ready for their shower...what a great blessing Abdias, Arodis, and Abner are!!!!! :o)
Unfortunately, right after the service, Jeremy's side began to hurt and within a few minutes he knew it was kidney stones. So getting some pain meds from fellow trip members he went to bed. Around 2am he banged on our door (in which Kerri and i thought we were dreaming...) needing Kerri's Spanish dictionary, he was heading to the hospital. I found him around 6am in the lobby asleep...drugged.... so needless to say he made it to the hospital, they gave him an IV (with clean needles, he said). Afterwards, the doctor was kind enough to drive him back to the hotel. They gave him a prescription (.41 a pill)! We asked him how he paid for the hospital bill, he said that they just took his passport number down!?!?!?!? who knows!!
So he's been in a lot of pain today. We had our long bus ride today and he has slept the whole way and all the while we have been at the seminary. He doesn't even remember getting out to go the the bathroom! or....me getting him up from the lobby couch and taking him back to the room. he's a mess....
On our way back to San Jose, we stopped at the Sloth Sanctuary!!! We have been wanting to do this for a long time and this was the year we insisted. We didn't do the tour, but they did have a gift shop. We were excited to buy shirts (for Kerri, myself, and Eliezel...photos to come...) and also one of the ladies came in with a 1 day old sloth!!! it was so tiny with long nails....her name was Violet (twin of her brother, Sebastian). It was a great surprise!!!
Tomorrow we are headed to Rainforest Atlantic to zip line, air tram, and lunch. We are excited to spend some time with our great missionary, Eliezel tomorrow! Its been great to spend a few hours with him and realize that he did truly miss coming with us! :o) :o) We have a lot of surprises for him and also a top 30 list to sum up our trip in Panama this year...i will share it will you all also...
Hope you all have a great week! Its time for us to relax and enjoy now in beautiful San Jose, Costa Rica!! See you soon....
We are definitely Eliezel's favorite!!!! the bracelet on my arm proves it....
So it's been a busy few days and the internet hasn't been the greatest....so let me get you up to speed....
After La Gloria, Yanis made us dinner and this time they invited us to their home! It was so great to see where they lived and spend time there with them. Yanis asked us what our favorite foods were a couple of days before and Kerri and i gave a long list of favorites....she ended up making EVERY dish we love! fish, lentils, garlic potatoes, plantains, veggies....A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!!!!
Many family members were there including Pastor Nieves' mother, his brother and wife, and Yanis' niece. We had some great laughs, including the fact that Yanis introduced her niece as Sobrina. So while talking with them i called her Sobrina many times thinking that was her name. I didn't realize (since i don't know Spanish) that Sobrina is "niece" in spanish! Her actual name is Tamara.....hilarious! Definitely had everyone laughing!!
yesterday we had a great service with our church family. what a blessing to spend more time with our friends. We had a great lunch at the pizzeria again with Pastor Nieves and his family, Silvia, and Dario.
Last evening we had our farewell service....many from the past years were there: alonzo, katie, luis, edson, cielio, and many others. It was such a great time with a service and communion. After the service, Cabot invited his Panama buddies (Pastor's boys) to spend the night with him in the hotel. Oh my! to see their faces as they walked into the room...they were so amazed! :o) They also wanted to make sure they could shower! (they don't have running water much of the time...) So after watching Cars (thanks Karen R.!) they went to bed....and woke up ready for their shower...what a great blessing Abdias, Arodis, and Abner are!!!!! :o)
Unfortunately, right after the service, Jeremy's side began to hurt and within a few minutes he knew it was kidney stones. So getting some pain meds from fellow trip members he went to bed. Around 2am he banged on our door (in which Kerri and i thought we were dreaming...) needing Kerri's Spanish dictionary, he was heading to the hospital. I found him around 6am in the lobby asleep...drugged.... so needless to say he made it to the hospital, they gave him an IV (with clean needles, he said). Afterwards, the doctor was kind enough to drive him back to the hotel. They gave him a prescription (.41 a pill)! We asked him how he paid for the hospital bill, he said that they just took his passport number down!?!?!?!? who knows!!
So he's been in a lot of pain today. We had our long bus ride today and he has slept the whole way and all the while we have been at the seminary. He doesn't even remember getting out to go the the bathroom! or....me getting him up from the lobby couch and taking him back to the room. he's a mess....
On our way back to San Jose, we stopped at the Sloth Sanctuary!!! We have been wanting to do this for a long time and this was the year we insisted. We didn't do the tour, but they did have a gift shop. We were excited to buy shirts (for Kerri, myself, and Eliezel...photos to come...) and also one of the ladies came in with a 1 day old sloth!!! it was so tiny with long nails....her name was Violet (twin of her brother, Sebastian). It was a great surprise!!!
Tomorrow we are headed to Rainforest Atlantic to zip line, air tram, and lunch. We are excited to spend some time with our great missionary, Eliezel tomorrow! Its been great to spend a few hours with him and realize that he did truly miss coming with us! :o) :o) We have a lot of surprises for him and also a top 30 list to sum up our trip in Panama this year...i will share it will you all also...
Hope you all have a great week! Its time for us to relax and enjoy now in beautiful San Jose, Costa Rica!! See you soon....
Saturday, January 1, 2011
we are making a list....
01.01.11
So this will be a pretty quick post as we head to have dinner in a bit.
Last evening we had New Year's Eve with our church family here....what a great celebration of singing and praying! We prayed the walls down i think!!! :o)
At midnight we headed downstairs for a meal of turkey, ham, salads, rice and beans, and fruitcake (kind of like our Thanksgiving!) So instead of kissing on midnight, they eat! (which was good for us!, but Kerri and i found some little boys to kiss!! )
Today after sleeping in, we woke up to a deserted town....most things are closed down.....we headed to La Gloria today and had a WONDERFUL time!! so maybe the bus ride was a bit scary, but the trip there was well worth it! we had close to 150 kids there! we passed out food, bags of gifts, and salvation bracelets. it was such a great time and for me the best time we have had as a group this year! we all played a huge part in today's success!!!
Tomorrow will be our last day in Changuinola as we head out to San Jose on Monday. We are so very excited for what has taken place on this trip and on excited also for our days in San Jose relaxing and touring....
Happy New Year to you all....
So this will be a pretty quick post as we head to have dinner in a bit.
Last evening we had New Year's Eve with our church family here....what a great celebration of singing and praying! We prayed the walls down i think!!! :o)
At midnight we headed downstairs for a meal of turkey, ham, salads, rice and beans, and fruitcake (kind of like our Thanksgiving!) So instead of kissing on midnight, they eat! (which was good for us!, but Kerri and i found some little boys to kiss!! )
Today after sleeping in, we woke up to a deserted town....most things are closed down.....we headed to La Gloria today and had a WONDERFUL time!! so maybe the bus ride was a bit scary, but the trip there was well worth it! we had close to 150 kids there! we passed out food, bags of gifts, and salvation bracelets. it was such a great time and for me the best time we have had as a group this year! we all played a huge part in today's success!!!
Tomorrow will be our last day in Changuinola as we head out to San Jose on Monday. We are so very excited for what has taken place on this trip and on excited also for our days in San Jose relaxing and touring....
Happy New Year to you all....
Thursday, December 30, 2010
taxi for two...
12.30.2010
What a great day its been! Again i say, whoever says that this isn´t the rainy season is out of their mind....i think every season in Panama should be called the rainy season!
We spent our morning working on VBS and things for LaGloria before we made our way to Chiquita. What anticipation!!!! Kerri and i were praying that it wouldn´t be a downer after being so excited to visit....and we weren´t!!! As Joel as the tour guide, we saw how they brought the bananas in from the plantation and cut them off, send them into the water, sticker them, weigh them, and box them for shipment. amazing....
We also found out there are 21 ¨plants¨ in Changuinola and almost 1000 boxes of bananas go out a day at each plant....over 21000 bananas!! and the biggest bananas come from Changuinola...Joel wanted to make sure we knew that!! What a great trip to see where a few of our dear Panamanian friends work...and where some of our bananas come from! very cool!!!
(okay...so kerri is waiting for me to finish and so she is drawing pictures for this little girl. she drew a cow and the little girl in spanish pointed out that she forgot the utters....duh kerri!) :o) funny!!!
anyways...kerri and i are working very hard as the team leaders, making sure everything is perfect for everybody....well we forgot somebody today....oh my! we had to take two trips to the plantation in Mendosa´s suv. so the first group had 6 people and when it was our turn we had 5 people and weren´t really thinking about missing anyone....jeremy had even said that we had a lot of room in the car....
so as we were waiting for everyone, karen renner drives up in a taxi right next to the other load of people...it still didn´t occur to us that she had been left, we just thought they didn´t have enough room. anyways, while touring the plant she proceeds to let us know that she was upstairs in the church taking photos and came down to see we had already left...and left her! oh my!! what terrible leaders we are....(kristen gives us a D- today!)...if only we had our trusty missionary, Eliezel....we will somehow blame him!! :o)
we worked a bit more on the church until it began to rain! everyone is so excited at the relationships we are forming here with some new people. we were able to see some familiar faces today also. we are headed for dinner and then church (church here is tuesday and thursday instead of wednesday).
please be in prayer (and fasting, if you will) with us for our dear friend, Silvia. She has been extremely stressed and had very high blood pressure and chest pains today. She went to the hospital, accompanied by Marianne, and they have sent her home to rest. She was suppose to preach tonight and was very disappointed that she will not be able to. Jeremy will be preaching in her behalf....
also kerri and i received a message from our dear friend Juan Manuel, Manny as some of you know him as....he had something very disturbing and scary happen to him and his family. They are all fine, but please continue to pray for them also....
love to you all....
What a great day its been! Again i say, whoever says that this isn´t the rainy season is out of their mind....i think every season in Panama should be called the rainy season!
We spent our morning working on VBS and things for LaGloria before we made our way to Chiquita. What anticipation!!!! Kerri and i were praying that it wouldn´t be a downer after being so excited to visit....and we weren´t!!! As Joel as the tour guide, we saw how they brought the bananas in from the plantation and cut them off, send them into the water, sticker them, weigh them, and box them for shipment. amazing....
We also found out there are 21 ¨plants¨ in Changuinola and almost 1000 boxes of bananas go out a day at each plant....over 21000 bananas!! and the biggest bananas come from Changuinola...Joel wanted to make sure we knew that!! What a great trip to see where a few of our dear Panamanian friends work...and where some of our bananas come from! very cool!!!
(okay...so kerri is waiting for me to finish and so she is drawing pictures for this little girl. she drew a cow and the little girl in spanish pointed out that she forgot the utters....duh kerri!) :o) funny!!!
anyways...kerri and i are working very hard as the team leaders, making sure everything is perfect for everybody....well we forgot somebody today....oh my! we had to take two trips to the plantation in Mendosa´s suv. so the first group had 6 people and when it was our turn we had 5 people and weren´t really thinking about missing anyone....jeremy had even said that we had a lot of room in the car....
so as we were waiting for everyone, karen renner drives up in a taxi right next to the other load of people...it still didn´t occur to us that she had been left, we just thought they didn´t have enough room. anyways, while touring the plant she proceeds to let us know that she was upstairs in the church taking photos and came down to see we had already left...and left her! oh my!! what terrible leaders we are....(kristen gives us a D- today!)...if only we had our trusty missionary, Eliezel....we will somehow blame him!! :o)
we worked a bit more on the church until it began to rain! everyone is so excited at the relationships we are forming here with some new people. we were able to see some familiar faces today also. we are headed for dinner and then church (church here is tuesday and thursday instead of wednesday).
please be in prayer (and fasting, if you will) with us for our dear friend, Silvia. She has been extremely stressed and had very high blood pressure and chest pains today. She went to the hospital, accompanied by Marianne, and they have sent her home to rest. She was suppose to preach tonight and was very disappointed that she will not be able to. Jeremy will be preaching in her behalf....
also kerri and i received a message from our dear friend Juan Manuel, Manny as some of you know him as....he had something very disturbing and scary happen to him and his family. They are all fine, but please continue to pray for them also....
love to you all....
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Kerri would not make a good fruit...
12.29.2010
Greetings!
Is it just me or does it not seem possible that Christmas was 4 days ago? I can´t believe it...but Changuinola is still decorated with trees, window paintings and greenery...just like in the States. Its kind of funny....
anyways....today was our first work day on the church. of course we woke up to rain. We were told it wouldn´t be the rainy season, but then discovered that just because they tore out the rain forest to create Changuinola doesn´t mean its not the rain forest, so....its rainy!
Today´s work consisted on sanding and priming the railing...it doesn´t seem like a whole lot, but we finished the job along with some odd and ends...
Joel came to visit us at the worksite and confirmed our trip to Chiquita. we are super excited to be able to go there tomorrow. kerri and i are secretly hoping for a gift shop...we´ll see....
The weather is sticky, but not as hot, so we aren´t complaining by any means! we´ll take it! We went to visit the Kuna Indians today, unfortunately Fresca and Elvis were not there and will not be back until after we leave...but we were able to see LaPidia and Fresca´s daughter. and of course get sized for our bracelets...that is MOST important!
Cabot greatest excitement for today (along with Jeremy, myself, Kerri, and Marianne) were the purchase of the shoeshine boxes....yes, as a souvenir, we bought the shoeshine boys´ boxes!!!
We are anticipating the great New Year´s service with our Panama church family...what a party it will be...they warned us of how loud it could get....Our dear friend Silvia has also invited us over her house for an after party...we are so very excited!
We are praying that all is well with you in the States and please continue to pray for us here doing God´s work in Panama....God bless you all....
Greetings!
Is it just me or does it not seem possible that Christmas was 4 days ago? I can´t believe it...but Changuinola is still decorated with trees, window paintings and greenery...just like in the States. Its kind of funny....
anyways....today was our first work day on the church. of course we woke up to rain. We were told it wouldn´t be the rainy season, but then discovered that just because they tore out the rain forest to create Changuinola doesn´t mean its not the rain forest, so....its rainy!
Today´s work consisted on sanding and priming the railing...it doesn´t seem like a whole lot, but we finished the job along with some odd and ends...
Joel came to visit us at the worksite and confirmed our trip to Chiquita. we are super excited to be able to go there tomorrow. kerri and i are secretly hoping for a gift shop...we´ll see....
The weather is sticky, but not as hot, so we aren´t complaining by any means! we´ll take it! We went to visit the Kuna Indians today, unfortunately Fresca and Elvis were not there and will not be back until after we leave...but we were able to see LaPidia and Fresca´s daughter. and of course get sized for our bracelets...that is MOST important!
Cabot greatest excitement for today (along with Jeremy, myself, Kerri, and Marianne) were the purchase of the shoeshine boxes....yes, as a souvenir, we bought the shoeshine boys´ boxes!!!
We are anticipating the great New Year´s service with our Panama church family...what a party it will be...they warned us of how loud it could get....Our dear friend Silvia has also invited us over her house for an after party...we are so very excited!
We are praying that all is well with you in the States and please continue to pray for us here doing God´s work in Panama....God bless you all....
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
CHANGUINOLA!!!!!!!!
12.28.2010
Greetings from Changuinola, Panama!! We are so very excited to finally be at our "home" for the next week!
After breakfast at the seminary and a beautiful double rainbow we left for our excursion to Panama. Our bus ride to Changuinola was pretty much uneventful...Abel, our bus driver and his brother, Leo drove us through the rainforest to get here. The rainforest was....well.....rainly! :o)
Of course we had to walk across the "trusty" bridge by sharing it with 18 wheelers and others. Charlotte received a shoe shine by a boy named Wilbur, so we had Cabot Wilbur get his photo with him. He even had a Superman shirt on....
We arrived to Changuinola to find more rain and some new signs, businesses. Those who have been on the trip will be glad to know they have a new pizzeria in town!! Just down the road on the way to the church...needless to say, there will probably be a food review coming up! :o)
We had dinner and church service with the church people. There are many new faces in the church! Praise God!! Pastor Nieves and family were there along with Silvia, Lesbia, and several others.
We will begin work on the church tomorrow morning. Our work will consist of sanding and priming/painting the railing, painting some of the bottom floor (bathroom and office), and making a cement slab to the entrance of the bottom floor and then tiling it. They also will be getting windows for the upstairs.
We have many plans for this week, including a Chiquita tour!! Please continue to pray for our group and we will continue to pray for you as we ring in the New Year!!!
Adios!!
Greetings from Changuinola, Panama!! We are so very excited to finally be at our "home" for the next week!
After breakfast at the seminary and a beautiful double rainbow we left for our excursion to Panama. Our bus ride to Changuinola was pretty much uneventful...Abel, our bus driver and his brother, Leo drove us through the rainforest to get here. The rainforest was....well.....rainly! :o)
Of course we had to walk across the "trusty" bridge by sharing it with 18 wheelers and others. Charlotte received a shoe shine by a boy named Wilbur, so we had Cabot Wilbur get his photo with him. He even had a Superman shirt on....
We arrived to Changuinola to find more rain and some new signs, businesses. Those who have been on the trip will be glad to know they have a new pizzeria in town!! Just down the road on the way to the church...needless to say, there will probably be a food review coming up! :o)
We had dinner and church service with the church people. There are many new faces in the church! Praise God!! Pastor Nieves and family were there along with Silvia, Lesbia, and several others.
We will begin work on the church tomorrow morning. Our work will consist of sanding and priming/painting the railing, painting some of the bottom floor (bathroom and office), and making a cement slab to the entrance of the bottom floor and then tiling it. They also will be getting windows for the upstairs.
We have many plans for this week, including a Chiquita tour!! Please continue to pray for our group and we will continue to pray for you as we ring in the New Year!!!
Adios!!
Monday, December 27, 2010
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