Blessings Beyond Blessings!

So as you are already aware... Every 90 days we have to leave Costa Rica.  The easiest place to go is Nicaragua. So we leave Costa Rica, cross into Nicaragua, stay a few days and come back.

As you've already read from one of our earlier post, we arrived in Costa Rica on Jan. 14th and went to Nicaragua on Jan. 15th because our dear friends, Leonard and Mitzi, had to do their 'visa run'.  So we decided to go with them.

Well... on the way back into Costa Rica we were hoping to receive our 90 day visa stamp.  Unfortunately that didn't happen.  We received a 70 day stamp... OR SO WE THOUGHT!  We asked why it was only 70 days and they politely explained why... (long story).  Anyways, about 65 days later, we were making our plans to run up to Nicaragua really quick so that we could have our 90 days.  I opened up the passports and what did I see stamped there?...  NOT 70 days but 30 Days!!!  Oh my goodness!!!  Panic mode has officially set in!  What's going to happen to us?!  Will we have to pay outrageous fines, like we've heard about?  Or worse... Will we be deported?  At this point we have no idea what to expect when we get to the Immigration office the next morning.  We have called my parents along with Leonard and Mitzi and they have informed our Coordinator of the problem.

We decided to try a new Immigration office at a different location in Costa Rica.  We were told it was a little smoother process there because it's not as busy.  We drove up to the border, where a local Spanish brother was waiting for us.  We explained the situation to him only to receive this look like "Oh No!".  He escorted us to the small Immigration office.  But before going in Leonard said a prayer for us.  Needless to say, up to this point we have ALL been praying repeatedly!!! The brother politely explained our dilemma.  The older gentleman behind the counter looked at our passports, looked at me (which I'm about to cry at this point), and says "No Problem".  He stamped our Exit stamp on our passports and away we went.
Well, it wasn't quite that simple...  I sat down on the bench and cried.  What a relief!!!  We all immediately thanked Jehovah.  The brother that was with us said that there are usually officers that stand outside the Immigration Office.  Had they been there that morning (which they always are), then we definitely would have had to pay big fines.  But for some reason they weren't there that morning.  Hmmm...  Holy Spirit?  I say "YES!"

So with the most unbelievable sense of relief, we sat down with our new favorite brother (LOL!) for some breakfast and waited for our ride to Nicaragua.

Here's a few pictures from our trip...

(The only picture I got of the Brother that helped us out...  One where he's acting silly...LOL!)

(The dock where our boat took off)

Arriving in Los Chiles, Nicaragua

It's so sad to see how some people have to live.

How we look forward to the time when the whole earth will be a paradise

and conditions like these will no longer exist. 

YAY!!!  We finally got to see some monkeys!!!

Just some random pics...

Ron and I are loving it here in Costa Rica!  

The congregation is great, field service is challenging but adventurous, and the weather is perfect.  

Here are just some random pictures that we've taken along the way...

Ron and I at one of our Sunday meetings.

Lauri Greene and I

(Her and her family will be moving back here permanently in June)

Natalia & I out in service.

Our 'Reader' for the Congregation Bible Study...

This GIANT insect was flying around our Kingdom Hall one evening during the meeting.

He finally landed on the microphone.  We decided that he must have had something important to say... 

Unfortunately it was in Spanish, and I don't know Spanish yet so I'm not sure exactly

what his announcement was all about.

Waiting patiently outside of our apartment building for a taxi to take us to Las Musas Waterfall...

which we found out, after paying $16 for a taxi ride, that it is closed on Mondays.

There are some empty lots about a 4 or 5 minute drive from our apartment that you can sit and watch the sunset from.  We took this couple (Brad and Monica from Michigan) up there one evening before they went back home.  We are really going to miss them.  They are a wonderful couple.

And just to entice you to come for a visit...

The sunsets here are absolutely beautiful!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Hola Everyone!
I apologize for not posting sooner.  It seems like life is just as busy here as it was in the States.  But it's a good busy.  Field Service, Get-togethers, Meetings, more Get-togethers... OH and did I mention 'Get-togethers'?  Yes, we have been to more gatherings in these last 2 months than we have been to in a year back in the States.  The friends here are so great about making time for each other.  As our Coordinator explained to me a couple of weeks ago... 'Costa Ricans make time to relax and enjoy life, including family and friends'.  Its been so wonderful getting to know some of the friends, even though some of them don't speak any English and we don't speak any Spanish.  Somehow we manage to have a wonderful time together.  I thought I'd share a few photos of some of our fun times together...

Meet the 'Bernabe' Family!

From Left to Right:

Cesar & his wife Eileen (she is the oldest daughter), Mirey & Francisco (the parents), Katya (the youngest daughter), Kevin (the youngest son), Lenair & his wife Wendy (she is the 2nd oldest daughter).

They have one other son who lives about 45 mins away.

Katya and Kevin both are a part of our English Cong. here in San Ramon.

Wendy & Lenair are in the Sign Language Cong. which meets in the same Kingdom Hall that we are in.

They are the most amazing family!!  I can't even begin to tell you how hospitable they are.

They have made us feel so welcome here in San Ramon.

Mirey & Francisco don't speak any English but they have went out of their way to make us 

feel loved and cared for.  We have seen first hand why the local friends view them as 'their Parents'.

As soon as we arrived, Francisco put both Rons to work.

(yes, the other brother in the photo is named Ron also. 

He and his wife came down to help out for about 3 months)

So our meal consisted of 'Carne' which is meat, and in this case it was 'Steak'.

As well as Guacamole, Salad, and Yuca (which is a root and is very good).

Had a great time with everyone!  And finished the evening off with singing Kingdom Songs.

A few days later we had another 'Fiesta'.  This time it was at the Sotomayor's home.  They hosted a 

going-away party for several brothers and sisters that had been helping out our congregation 

these past couple of months.  One of the families, the Greenes, lived below Ron and I in the the downstairs apartment in our building.  We ended up getting very close to them and absolutely hated to see them leave.  But the good thing is... they will be back in June!  They are moving here permanently!  They loved it so much, (and of course, loved Ron and I so much), that they decided to go back home and sell everything and move here.  We can't wait to have them back with us.

Here's a few pics of the party...

And of course... Every party in Costa Rica usually ends in dancing!

(this is our Coordinator, Luis, and his wife, Luisa)

They LOVE to dance and are VERY good at it!

And why not have another party!!!

At Lenair and Wendy's House.

Yes, they made us 'Gringos' make the pizza.  LOL!

An intense game of 'Jenga'.

Yep!... Jim lost!

Well, hopefully soon some of you will be able to visit us in Costa Rica and be a part of the 

wonderful hospitality and fun that our Costa Rican brothers and sisters provide us with.