The Fruit of Your Labor

So this picture is the result of what we do every Saturday morning. We go to something called the Feria, which means fair but is actually a fruit and veggie market--wierd but whatever. It is a lot of fun to talk with all the Tico's in Spanish, well at least try to talk with them, and it's great practice. Take a guess at how much (CAN) all of that fruit cost. Well you wouldn't believe it but for 3 pounds of oranges, 4-5 pounds of bananas, one pineapple, one LARGE papaya, one pound of carrots, 2 big yucas, 2 pounds of cucumbers, 2.5 pounds of star fruit, 1.5 pounds of cheese and 4 pounds of plantain cost just under 8 dollars!!! Incredible---and to think that that lasts us a week. Yah our diet has changed a bit you could say. Oh but it is good.

So I (Nathan) thought the title to this write up is kind of fitting for what has transpired this week in my life. Many of you have been praying that God would give us the gift of learning Spanish. Well as time has gone on I was thinking to myself that I could be challenged a little bit more in my classes than what I was and yet I didn't want to say anything. I asked God that if I should be in some different classes that would challenge me more and go a little quicker then they, the teachers, would need to come to me. Well, this week my grammar teacher pulled me asided and said, "You need to be in a more advanced class, would you like to be?" I said, "Well, I guess I wouldn't mind go a little quicker." I then received a phone call last night from the Director of the Institute and she said that I was moved into 3 more advanced classes. She said that they want to maximize my Spanish learning experience and think that this is the best way to do that. They have been watching me for a couple of weeks now to see how I did and they seem to think that I could be moved. So they have bumped me up in my grammar, phonetics class and language class.

I share this with you for three reasons: The first is so that all of us (you and us) can praise God and give Him all the glory for opening my mind and mouth to learning Spanish. The second is for your benefit--- Be encouraged that God is listening to your earnest prayers for us to learn this language. You are all witnesses to how God works through YOUR prayers. Finally, please continue to pray for me (and Sandra) to acquire this language. I am freakin out now that I have been moved up! The director said not to worry about being behind, we will catch you up and you will be fine. Nice, but in my weakness I am wondering what on earth I have gotten into here. Pray that God would open my mind in ways that I don't even have the capacity to understand.

God is good! He is trustworthy! He is reliable! Be encouraged my dear friends, be encouraged!!!