Día de la Cultura!

Last Friday our school had another cultural day and the highlight for all present were the "mascaras."  Along with a band (of course there has to be dancing!) This is a very common activity that you will find among Tico's.  A friend of ours even hired a group of payasos for her daughters baby shower! 
This is a tradition that dates back to the Spanish conquest.  The Costa Rican's who were now ordered to convert to the Spanish Catholicism and abandon their many gods. As a form of rebelling against the Spaniards the Costa Ricans begun this tradition of fiesta with these payasos (clowns) which symbolized their different gods and some made to resemble the Spaniard's.  The figures dance around and chase the people and in return the people hit them with sticks and mock them.  Now hold your stomach for this one!! The clowns even have bull intestines some with urine and they hit the people with them.  Interesting :)  I guess this is a small introduction to the many customs and cultural activities that we will very shortly be introduced to in Mexico.

24 days and counting !!!

please pray that we would be ready for this new transition.

love Sandra

Refreshing

Can you believe that most of San Jose has been without water since thursday until 4:30 today (Sunday)?  OK think about all the implications to that...no shower, no toilet!!  Most of the stores were out of water.  Apparently there was a main water line in the City that was damaged.   We were fortunate enough to escape for a few days and were only affected by the water Thursday and today when we arrived back home.  But it sure makes us think of Canada in a lot different light.  Last weekend we did not have water both Saturday and Sunday! Did I mention it was while we had a birthday party for a dear Tica friend Ligia!!!  Which reminds me of how refreshing it is, to feel your encouragment to us.  Tonight I had two refreshing "cups of water" one from Marjorie in Alberta, and Pam in Abbotsford.  Thank you ladies,  its beautiful when we can refresh one another with living water!!!  Here is a picture of my tutor/ MY DEAR FRIEND Ligia....I just love her I think our relationship will be one of the hardest parts in leaving Costa Rica.