We're Back!!

Alli and I are finally back in Costa Rica! We actually got back in this past Sunday morning. Things have been pretty crazy here lately. When we returned on Sunday, we had grammar exams in language school on Monday that we needed to study for and then conversation exams on Tuesday that we'd missed from last Thursday! So, needless to say, we spent most of the day on Sunday and Monday studying! Now that the dust has settled a bit, we have a little time to write.

The time at home with family was very refreshing. We were able to spend time with everyone at the visitation and funeral and we had a chance to see family members that we had not seen in a while. Even in her death, Mawmaw had a way of bringing those she loved most together. It was awesome to laugh and smile and cry with everyone and it was just what we needed at the 1 month mark. We found ourselves renewed and oddly eager to return to Costa Rica. It was encouraging for us to find that we wanted to come back. We were worried that it would be very difficult to see loved ones, experience the comforts of home, and realize what we did not have in Costa Rica. However, it only confirmed in our minds and hearts that God has us here for a reason. The excitement in our hearts for returning was proof that we are certainly in God's will and plan for our lives right now!! We praise Him for these small moments, these tokens of comfort and reassurance.

On Monday, we called the shop that had our car over the weekend and found out that they had already made the repair and that we could come pick it up. So, to save a little money, we decided to take the bus into town to pick up the car. It cost us all of 350 colones (about 75 cents)! Our first inner-city bus experience was pretty interesting. We befriended a local woman who was nice enough to walk about 5 blocks down the street to show us where the bus to La Uruca was (our transfer)! It seems that people here are so nice! I think they might even have us southerners beat when it comes to hospitality! We arrived to the shop to find that the car was repaired and that they had tested the 4-wheel drive in a huge mud-pit (to be sure it was repaired correctly) and there was mud all over the side of the car! Talk about thorough! They even washed it for us, for free!! Since the government here mandates that any dealer that sells a car must gaurantee the car's engine and transmission for 30 days, our repairs to the transmission were free also!! We have certainly seen God's hand of blessing all over this car!

The exams went fairly well. We passed them all and did pretty well on most of them! It has definitely been a whirlwind over the last two weeks of class. They call is the "intensive" course for a reason! We are slowly meeting others students here at the school and we've had chances to hang out with them lately as well. The family we are living with is doing well. We only have one more month with them! It seems like just yesterday we were walking in with our luggage.

We filed our papers today for temporary residency with the agency. Once the papers have all been processed (a long drawn out process of over a month), we'll have rights to temporary residency for 2 years. At the end of those two years, we can file again for two more years (4 total). At the third year, we can also file for permanent residency. Obviously, having a child during that time will shorten the process and help our cause for permanent residency.

We began "the envelope system" for managing our budget yesterday! Today is July 1st, officially the first day of using the system. So far, we haven't bought anything. We'll keep you posted on how that goes!

We'll certainly be taking more pictures when we can and we'll post them with the next blog! In the meantime, we hope to hear from all of you!!! Stay connected!

PRAISES & PRAYER REQUESTS:

(1) Continue to pray for Josh's family: that God would comfort them and that He would continue to bring the family closer.
(2) Continue to pray that the language would come quickly and easily and that we would be able to use it and practice it as much as possible.
(3) God has recently blessed us with a few more ministry supporters! Please continue to pray that God would continue to meet the needs we have.
(4) Please pray for the people here in San Francisco de Dos Rios; that God would soften their hearts and that those we come into contact with would be blessed by God working through us.

Much love,

Josh & Alli