Don't Rob her.....

Well I have a little story to share with you.....
I have definately and tangibly seen the power of your prayers for us today. It all started last night as we just couldn't get to sleep. Then around 2:00 am I felt the words NO TIENE MIEDO three times, which in Spanish means do not be afraid. I didn't really think a whole lot about it but found comfort in those words and managed to get a little bit of sleep. This afternoon on our way home from school, Nathan and I decided that we were not going to eat beans and rice again! So we stopped at a Tienda on the way home from school, which in North America would be similar to a corner store but cut into 8ths...I am serious. There is hardly room to walk. Nathan rummaged through the fruit and veggies and I stood at the counter because there wasn't any room for both of us to look at the produce. As Nathan was looking at the fruit, two men came in, one younger and the other older. They were sure that I could not understand Spanish as they were talking about how much money we had and then the younger one told the owner that he was going to rob us. I, to my amazment (not sure if it was disbelief), remained completely calm and not fearful. I was reminded of the words that were spoken to me in the middle of the night three times saying, "Do not be afraid, do not be afriad, do not be afraid." Then the owner of the store calmly told him "No se robar," which means do not rob them. So Nathan pays for the groceries and we walk across the street and I begin to tell Nathan what just happened. We know without a shadow of a doubt that the Lord is our protection, we believe that he has angels walking with us and surrounding us. Please never think that your prayers are not heard! We are a testimony to your prayers and God's faithfulness.

love Sandra

I felt like a sheep being led to the slaughter.....

That is how I felt today as Nathan, Lorena (our empleada & wonderful friend) and I walked to the dentist.
Earlier today, I was just feeling so discouraged. Have you ever had one of those days where you think what am I doing? I don't have the energy for any of this. Clearly I was having a bad morning. Isabella and Julia have been sick for the last two days and I have missed school. That of course did not change the fact that I have three exams on friday. Because Jules has been up at night and I have not slept much and we all know how well we function without sleep! Of course I have still been dealing with this infected tooth for the past month and have been on antibitics and penecilin now for 4 weeks and yet to find a dentist willing to pull the tooth out. I chated with Someone from our head office last night who told our National Ministry office in Toronto about my infected tooth and they all together prayed for me today. But I find this only after the days events have concluded. To make a longer story short I was told just today about a dentist who actually pulls teeth, imagine that! So we call and make sure before heading there that she will infact extract the tooth. After my 2nd root canal on this tooth and an infection that will not go away I have been advised by 2 dentists in Canada to get rid of it. My last root canal here in Costa Rica was fun ??????? It was 2.5 hours long and the later half the freezing wore off and the Specialist refused to give me more freezing, she just asked me to stop crying because I was making her feel bad!!! Well as we walked down the streets of San Jose many different things ran through my head...what am I walking into?....how do I know this will be any different than the last time?..maybe I should just fly home? As the stray dogs barked and I breathed in the exhaust of the cars that you can literaly taste and I stepped over the garbage in the streets I was reminded once again that God holds me in the palm of his hand. I met the dentista who seemed very nice and she succesfully removed my tooth after 10 doses of anistetic until it finally worked. I am so thankful that this is behind me now I just have to finish my medications and make sure that the infection will clear up and I can soon forget all about this.

Adjustments

You are probably thinking this picture is hard to see, its too dark! Your right! There are many little things that we are getting accustomed to here in Costa Rica. Some are little some are bigger. This is a picture of an almost daily activity in our house. Our power goes out very frequently, sometimes for only 20 minutes and sometimes for hours. This is a picture of Isabella and myself doing our homework by candle light. We are told that in the summer the power will be shut off almost on a daily schedule. When the water levels go down due to the lack of rain, the "powers that be" who control the electricity will shut down our power for hours on end...nutso I know! Now another adjustment I never thought much about before was how being so close to the equator would effect us. In Calgary we enjoyed our sunlight some nights until past 10:00 p.m.. Here we have exactly 12 hours of sunlight, starting at 5:30 am-5:30 p.m. every night. This is not a huge deal during the week as we are so mentally exhausted from learning spanish that we are ready for bed by 5:30pm! I know it sounds crazy but its true!!!!

Some highlights from our week:
We had a relaxing Thanksgiving (chicken dinner) with new friends, even though they are American!
Julia has decided she is ready for potty training-!! Yippeee
We are going away this weekend for a retreat with other CMA missionaries and are so excited about the mental break and time outside of San Jose. It will be the first time we have left the City since we arrived on August 22.
We have been encouraged by correspondence from our church families-!! We love you Barbara! And Sylvan Lake Alliance.