Knit 2gether

It has been awhile since we have updated our blog, but we have been a little busy.  A few weeks ago we went to Puerto Viejo, on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. We arrived with the welcoming down pour of rain. But the welcome never went away.  No one told us that the Caribbean side had its own seasons; we arrived in the middle of the wet season.  There might have been 2 hours without rain in the 2 nights and 3 days we were there.  To our advantage however a sloth had become sick of the rain as well and decided to come under a tin roofed shop we were in.  I had to gasp for air when I looked up and saw the creature crawling upside down as slow as a snail along the beams.  Everyone in the little shack was taking pictures and just staring at it open-mouthed. That was worth the trip for us, but we decided that it would be a waste to stay any longer.   We hopped on the next bus out of there only to find the roads flooded.  Everyone in the bus was soaked, and it seemed like everyone that had come to Puerto Viejo had decided to leave that same afternoon.  The bus did not smell very pleasant in the least.  Although it had taken 5 hours to get there, it took us 7 ½ wet and smelly hours to get back to San Jose.  Not the most pleasant bus ride we’ve experienced.  We have taken 6 long bus rides in Costa Rica, all of them over 4 hours long. One in which I, Brittany, started to get sick and had to fill up the rest of our nalgene bottle with some extra liquid.  What a memory!

We were so disappointed to come back from the beach, without going to the beach at all, so we decided to head over to the west coast to Playa Nosara where we would visit with a friend of Michael’s.  They invited us to stay with them for a few days in the most amazing apartment we have been in during our stay in Costa Rica. It had AC, a beautiful pool, a great kitchen, a modern washer and dryer and was just a few minutes walk to the beach. To top it all off they rented quads to ride around on.  We loved Nosara so much that we stayed in a hotel for 3 more nights. Our last night there we went body surfing together. The waves were at least 10 feet tall and because the shore went up on an incline you landed right on the sand. You had to get up quickly because waves were crashing left and right. I was reminded of this when a wave came in and knocked my legs right out from under me. I wish I had a video of that!!!!!  We played in the ocean until just after the sun set.  It was the best Valentine’s Day we’ve ever had.

We are now back in San Jose planning our next adventure.  Our own plans have changed as God has been changing our hearts. Tuesday morning we were talking and knew that we needed to know what God wanted us to do for the next month.  We went outside and burned the plans for this trip that we had created almost exactly a year ago knowing God had other plans for us.  A few hours later we went to the internet café.  I was waiting to find some answers, I was waiting for…something. What were we going to do for the next few weeks?  How in the world was our money going to last that long?  God was silent.  While walking back to our apartment Michael suggested to me that he was offered to start work earlier than planed and that we should go have the fun experiences we so wanted and then go home.  I thought for a second and then it all came together.  I had some answers and peace.  It has been so stressful to worry about money and I hate it dangling over my head. “OOOhh ohh be careful Brittany that is $5.00 you need to go cheaper! CHEAP!!! CHEAP!!! CHEAP!!!!” I was always thinking about this. So stupid, but as much as I fought it, it was still there.  Budget traveling is sooooo much fun!!!! Who’s with me? 

My mind was at peace finally.  To do this we are going to go home earlier. We changed our flights already and have had to make some tough calls. I will be staying back to do an International AIDS training program with OM for a week. Then I will fly to Atlanta to be with my sister as she plans to be married April 17^th. Michael will be working in Canada and I will see him when he comes down for the wedding. This means we will not see each other for about a month. Those of you who know us, know this is kind of going backwards for us. We thought the separation time for us would be over, but we know this will be very short compared to what it has been before. 

I am excited to be with my mom and sister as we get ready for a celebration of marriage.  Those of you who pray for us, please remember us in your prayers during this time. Thank you!

We were able to stay with a Tico (Costa Rican) family for a weekend.  We met some new friends and were able to discus language, culture and religion.  We found out Michael has a stomach infection (no worries we went to the doctor and got some drugs. Legal ones! ) We found out Michael was accepted into Moody Bible Institute in Chicago!

I thought I would clue you in on what we have both been learning…..

Brittany writes:

I have been battling with myself and barely know where to begin with how I feel.  Within our marriage we want more. We see that God can use us and we desire to be used by Him. I felt strongly about getting involved with the local church and saw it as an answer to prayer to get hooked up with OM Costa Rica.  But is that really what God wants for us right now? Why do I feel like I must always serve in that manner? I love to serve God with my life. I love people. I love being used by Him to help people, but right now I feel like I’ve got it all wrong.  I’m missing the point.  I have noticed over the past few days that I need to just, be.  I’m not even sure if that makes sense, but I will try to explain.

Back last March Michael and I had BIG plans for this trip. We were going to travel to many places and do all the things we never thought we would be able to do.  Due to a lack of finances, this plan dwindled quite a bit. I must admit I was very disappointed.  It was to be a romantic adventure as newly weds with not a worry in the world… but worry has snuck in there and I’m fighting it keep it out.  I feel like I am fighting a lot right now.

Now we are in Costa Rica, and I’m struggling with being in another country as a tourist. I have always been in another country as a missionary. I was there to serve the people; it was always about the people.  Now it is about me and my husband and our marriage.  This is an opportunity to be grown and knit together, to know each other as God works in our lives.  I don’t think I know how to think for myself. I am so use to thinking of others.  I mean that is the Christian thing to do right? But I got it wrong this time.  I have so much to learn during this trip.  This was to be a romantic adventure from  the Lord for Michael and I, so I need to learn to let go and stop trying to do, DO, DO, for God. Maybe God wants me to learn how to enjoy Him; by enjoying my husband.  It is so hard for me to think about my life and not think of others. But there has to be a balance. I believe God is showing me that.

Michael and I will be taking off next week for the beach. We want to try surfing again and we want to have fun. We don’t want to let the stress of money destroy the precious gift of time the Lord has given us right now.

Michael writes:

What am I learning?

How to relax, how important “time together” is to my wife and to me, how healthy it is to take time to talk, how the Lord reveals to me what He wants me to know, when He wants me to know it, how unsuitable to healthy relationships the North American society has become, how important it is to follow God, break the mould, and become a fool in societies eye’s, how we as Christians owe the world an apology not an explanation, how it is good to live in moderation, how there is a cliff on either side of the “extreme left” and “extreme right,” how time is more valuable than money, how joy and sorrow mix so often in the Christian walk.

I am so excited to go to school.  I have a burning desire in my heart for it that was never there 4 years ago.  I know it’s there because I now have the right reasons to study.  God has a plan for me, and knowing that is pure fuel for the journey.

Pura Vida,

Love michael & britt

Thanks to all who have taken time to read our blog, and to those of you who have specially encouraged us with prayer.  Though only three weeks has passed since we arrived, so much has happened that we will need to blog more often to keep up!

As you may have heard Central Costa Rica was hit with a 6.2 magnitude earthquake on January  8^th and the death toll continued to rise for a week afterward.  Centered in the mountain region the quake isolated small towns and destroyed roads making relief efforts difficult.  We were able to help by buying some necessities for a group of women and a pregnant mother we met in the city one afternoon.  They had been displaced by the quake and came into the city to seek help.  Please pray for those affected and if you would like, donate to the Red Cross in Costa Rica as they are leading the relief effort.

 In our last post we mentioned being invited to stay with the Mission Director of a Christian University.  We ended up staying a whole week with them!  They welcomed us so warmly and helped us onto our feet with contacts in the Christian community and their church.

It was nice to be in a home once again; especially one so filled with all the spices Brittany likes to cook with.  In fact cooking was a central theme to our time with Ray & Bridget as we all cooked meals together swapping stories and enjoying good Christian fellowship. 

Their home had a small back garden, to which Bridget beckoned humming birds to share the day with her.  Setting out sugar water attracted them and we marveled at their design.  But when evening came the sweet nectar brought out another flapping of wings which was not so welcome to the garden; bats.  As Brittany played dodge the bats to bring the sugar-water back inside for the night, we remembered how we had almost stayed in a bat filled house in Mal Pais for the sake of a good deal.  After our day of reflection we were walking through town when we were randomly approached by a college age girl who was seeking people to help share the rent of a house they had in town.  At $20 per night the price was perfect and we were at first quite sure that the Lord’s leading was in this offer (despite the multiples of bats that were freeloading in the bath and living rooms).  It was taking time to pray that diverted us from this opportunity and set us out resolutely towards San Jose.

As we settled to sleep the first evening in Ray and Bridget’s home we were now more excited than ever to see what would come next.

While attending Ray & Bridget’s congregation the following Sunday we were introduced to Mrs. Jackie Smith, who is really superwoman.  It’s true, superwoman has been hiding out in Costa Rica these past two years masquerading as the finance director for OM Central America.  With a love for Canopy tours (a zip-line in a harness 80 feet up through the jungle which once cost her stitches and surgery) and extreme travel, you would never guess that Jackie has Grandchildren…the same age as Brittany and I.  Jackie brought us to meet the staff at the office of OM Costa Rica (Operation Mobilization is the same organization that Brittany and I served with on the Doulos). 

Meeting the OM staff whom we had never met before was like meeting old friends.  We most often feel a bond with those who are working towards the common goal of the gospel.  It was at the OM office that we met Jorge.  Formerly of Winnipeg, Canada Jorge has been with OM for the past few decades.  Jorge is known for his love of the Gospel message and for his difficulty hearing, as he is nearly deaf.  As we talked with the staff about our desire to serve in the area and to help with some of the OM initiatives, Jorge asked us where we were living.  It wasn’t long before he invited us to stay in an apartment he keeps for storage and for his own personal ministry as a place to stay for those passing through.  Although he offered it for free, we want to enable him to bless others as he has blessed us, so we will pay him $45 a week for the time we spend there.  Praise the Lord!  Even with our small budget, He continues to make a way for us as we live to serve Him.

Thanks for reading and remembering us,

Michael & Brittany

Three months ago everything was new. We had big plans for our first year of marriage.  We wanted more than what we could achieve on our own. We were waiting for what the Lord had for us and for where He wanted us to go. Our only plan was to discover the Lord’s plan for us day by day. We saw it as an adventure, but a difficult one for newly weds. We reached for great faith and sometimes missed, still the Lord was faithful.

The Lord has given both of us a love for travel and a desire to see the Lord at work in the world. We didn’t have much money, no matter how creative we got.  But the Lord always provided for us and still provides today. 

About a month ago we bought plan tickets to Costa Rica for four months. No idea what we were going to do or where we would stay. We just knew this was an opportunity for us to grow together, knit together as a couple.

March of 2008 we wrote out a list of places to go and things to do. We also wrote a mission statement for our trip….

“Christ centered, strengthen our marriage relationship,
 take ministry opportunities, put each other first,
go to churches and prayer meetings.
Open to the spirit lead opportunities.
Pack light-what we can carry
ALWAYS BE THANKFUL”

It has been one week and we have already seen God at work. Our first two nights we stayed in Alejuela, where we rested and tried to let everything sink in. The next day we traveled to Mal Pais. A place well known for surfing and being unique in the way of life. We were very shocked to get off the bus only to find tourist everywhere. We made our way to Mal Pais Surf Camp, where we camped at for four nights.  To our surprise we found the prices way to high for our budget. Meals being $10 a person steered us to sharing meals and we quickly realized this is not what we came for. We took some time of reflection and remembered our purpose and desire for the trip. We wanted to be with the people. Walking through the campsite we ended up talking to a man and his wife named Iven and Jaqueline. Iven spoke Spanish and  knew a good amount of English and French.  Jaqueline new Spanish and tried to speak English the best she could. We had coffee and chatted for awhile. By the end of the conversations they invited us to stay with them in thier house in San Jose. 

After meeting with them we were so happy we could not help but to praise God for the meeting of our new friends. In two days we traveled  by bus and ferry to San Jose. When we were showed our room we felt like crying. After a long day of traveling and the night before “sleeping” through a rain storm…we were ready for a good sleep.

We woke up and were ready to start looking for the local church. Giving it to the Lord in prayer we surrendered it all to Him. Where did He want us to be? How were we going to be here with such little money? We were walking around town and saw a Christian bookstore. We were able to find out where a Christian University was and made our way there. We came in contact with the missions directer and his wife. They are from England and have been here for four years. We had tea and told them of our desire of being used in Costa Rica. Our time was interrupted  by some poeple needing to meet with them. We knew we needed to go and just as we were getting up  they broke out into a “private” Spanish conversation then turned to us and asked if we wanted to stay with them until Sunday. We accepted with great excitment and as we left we glowed with knowing we were where we needed to be.