Walking…

Hopefully the next time that you see me, I will have shed some pounds and dropped my fine shade of pale. If this is indeed the case, the main cause of this transformation will be all the walking that I (we) am (are)doing here in Costa Rica. I have been walking everywhere, and I am absolutely loving it. It gives me plenty of time to think, I am slowly getting into shape, and I am able to take in more of my surroundings. Because of all of these reasons, I decided to take an epic journey around San Jose – you know, become acquainted with the city, take in the sights, smell the smells.

This epic journey turned into a 3-hour walk, in which I think that I walked about 9 miles. I walked through several neighborhoods, to the University of Costa Rica, and then to downtown. Needless to say, I was pooped. Throughout the trek, I was reminded of the many differences, as well as the many similarities, between my culture and theirs. Some restuarants are similar, but their traditional food is different. The language is different, but relationships are similar. Cultural values are different, but the basic human desires are similar. Please pray for the team as well adjust to our new life and culture. Thank you for reading, as well as for your comments. God bless you!

Firsts

There have been many firsts here in San José over the past several days, and there are many more on the way. Today I rode my first bus, went downtown for the first time, looked around my first mall, and bought my first book (surprise, surprise – my dorkiness continues…). Last night, we had our first failed attempt at ordering pizza, our first birthday celebration down south, and I had my first stroll after dark. Tomorrow, we are going to our first market, and Sunday will be our first church service down here. But believe you me, there has been way more than one mix-up with my Spanish

Poco A Poco

Well, everyone is here safely – praise the Lord! Now, we begin the slow process of cultural adjustment and language acquisition. In addition, we are slowly getting to know the city. To begin this process, the team met up today at the SLI – the only central location that we knew of. Just so you know, we came to San José without having any clue where the others would live or what their numbers would be. So, we had to meet together in order to exchange numbers and get our bearings. After some great food and a small birthday celebration (Parker Marie Davidson turned one today!!!), the families headed home for naptime. At this point, I headed back to my house, where Flora had prepared lunch for me (in case you were wondering, she is a great cook – but not as good as my mom, por supuesto . We ended up talking for one hour and forty minutes! And by talking, I mean that she did most of the talking while I understood about 60% of what she was saying. Praise the Lord for hand gestures and slow-talking Spanish-speakers. Two days down, eight months to go.

Estoy Aqui

I am officially in Costa Rica, and I really hope that my teammates are too! You see, I was supposed to fly with the Davidsons and Yoakums, but due to several mishaps (see the Thompson´s website), I headed down to Costa Rica alone. Needless to say, I was terrified when I stepped off of the plane into a country where I don´t speak the language and I don´t know one single, solitary soul. Praise the Lord because I quickly found my host family and was whisked away to my new home. Flora, Orlando, Orlando, y Yosue have turned out to be some amazingly kind people. They have hosted students from the Spanish Language Institute (SLI) for 22 years, so they definitely know the routine – speak slow with lots of hand gestures. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Flora is a great cook and that Costa Rican coffee is fantastico. Now, I begin the process of slowly adjusting to another language and culture, both of which should be adventures. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, and please keep them coming.

Workshop & Send-off

This past weekend, our team took part in a large gathering at the A&M Church of Christ in College Station. The gathering included the team, our parents, some siblings, our missions mentors, and some people from our supporting churches. The intent of the gathering was to get everyone “on the same page” in regards to our schedule, plans, and goals. In addition, our mentors, from the Halbert Institute for Missions, gave our families and supporters important insights to the changes that we are about to go through. Everything was very beneficial. Then, on Sunday morning, the church had a special service for our team, during which they officially sent us off. The entire weekend was great for me because it provided a sense of finality to our time of training/preparation. It allowed me to reflect on the past few years while looking forward to the next 5-10 years. Maybe a shorter way to say all of this is: I’m ready to go.

Soon

7 days and 15 hours – muy pronto. I can’t wait.

Seth & Amanda Whitton

So, if you ever have the opportunity to officiate a wedding, I would highly recommend it. Last night, on 8-8-08, Seth Whitton and Amanda Holmes were united in marriage. And, since they had asked me to officiate the wedding, I was able to have a front-row position from which to see the wide array of emotions that were displayed: nervousness, excitement, deep love, and commitment (not an emotion, I know). As I spoke of their love story and exhorted them to Christ-like living in their new marriage, I was able to see the look of pure joy on their faces; that is, of course, when they were not looking lovingly into one another’s eyes. Then, when the ceremony was over, everyone headed to the reception, where there was great food, great music, and lots of dancing. The entire event could not have been more fun. Their wedding reminded me once again of the love, joy, and excitement that should be a part of every wedding. I pray that the Lord continues to bless Seth and Amanda, both now and for many, many years to come!

Doce días…

Twelve days. Pure craziness.

Jenni “Worley” Rebolledo

It is official – Jenni Worley is no longer Jenni Worley. She tied the knot with Rodrigo Rebolledo, an amazing man of God from Santiago, Chile, on Saturday, August 2nd. When Jenni headed out several summer ago on an Aggies for Christ trip that would take her throughout South America, little did she know that this trip would set into motion a series of events that would lead to this wonderful event.

If you know Jenni and Rod, then there is no doubt that you love them. Jenni and I have been friends since our freshman year at A&M, and she has been an incredibly faithful friend. She has seen me at my best moments, as well as my worst; surprisingly, she is still my friend. She is funny, a great listener, and a devoted follower of Jesus. Rodrigo has been an integral part of the Providencia Iglesia de Cristo in Santiago for several years, inviting friends to church, teaching classes, and encouraging other believers. From the moment that I met him, he has been kind and gracious to me. His love for others and his dedication to God are clearly displayed through his actions and words.

I am thankful for Jenni’s friendship throughout the years, and I look forward to many more years of the “double friendship” with los Rebolledo. These two will make a dynamic pair of servants for the kingdom. Jenni and Rod, I pray that God blesses you in every aspect of your lives as you seek to serve Him together. I am incredibly happy for the two of you. Have a great time in Disney World!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 (above) The Jovenes group in Santiago, Chile. Rod is  standing to the right of Jenni. (right) Jenni and me in front of the Chili’s in Lima, Perú.

Packing in A-town

After a fantastic time in the DFW area last week, I drove to Abilene for some always-exciting packing and moving. All the male members of our team converged upon Abilene, loaded down with boxes, furniture, and “soon-to-be-strained” backs. On Monday and Tuesday, we took everything that we are going to ship to Perú to Global Samaritan Resources, where we put them on pallets and shrunk-wrapped them (a huge thanks to GSR, which has been so good to our team; check out their webpage to find out more about their great ministries). That way, it will be easier to load our stuff into the 40′x20′ crate that will eventually make its way to a port in Perú. But don’t worry – our trip to Abilene was definitely not all work. The guys (and Fletcher crew) found some time to squeeze in some great meals, swimming, friendly competition, and a movie. The more time that I spend with our team, the more excited that I become about continuing with them on this journey. God has blessed me with some amazing teammates, friends, and “framily”!

With the packing done, I was able to see some other friends in Abilene. After many good-byes, I have officially decided that I don’t like them. Surprising, huh? Now, it is time for Jenni Worley’s wedding in Euless, followed by a trip back to Houston to see my parents, my cousin, and her daughter. Nineteen days until we leave the country. I am officially starting to get sad, but my sadness is completely counterbalanced by my growing excitement. Stinkin’ emotions – I can never control them.