Today marks two weeks for our family in Costa Rica. It has been some of the most interesting days in our family's life to this point, and we are so thankful to finally be here! The girls are both doing great - Ava hasn't skipped a beat - and Olivia is enjoying getting to live close by to friends old and new!
God has truly taken care of us each step of the way. When we got through the security screening in Orlando, an older couple approached us and asked if they could help us get to our gate. That was a huge help, since we had a baby, a 2 1/2 year old in a stroller, 2 diaper bags, 2 backpacks, and four rolling carry-on bags. They were so kind, and even ended up giving us some money before we parted ways. What a way to start the trip - thank you Lord!
When we arrived in CR, several of our friends were there to pick us up. It had taken them over an hour to get to the airport because of the traffic. Normally it does not take near that long. We were blessed to be able to rent a house that had some "loaner" furnishings, so we were able to get settled in very quickly. CR Craigslist has become our favorite website as we look for used furniture, etc. Jeremy has done a ton of running around with our friends here, trying to chase down the best bargain.
Olivia has slowly started settling in to our new home - after moving around for the past year, it's good for her to have her own room again, and once some of her toys were unpacked, she jumped right back into her usual routine. Play, play, play... and sleep occasionally. :) Mimi (Heather's Mom) was able to come help us for a few days, and that was a HUGE blessing. We were able to get a lot of the rubbermaid bins unpacked, and some of them sorted to use as storage or furniture. (They make great end tables, entertainment center, nightstands, etc.)
Our first Wednesday night we were all able to go to the English-speaking service, which is comprised of 6:8 Staff Families, some other Americans, and some English-speaking Ticos. It is good to have some time to worship and be fed. We had food too, which was wonderful. The kids all go into a room for the service time, and they were able to hear a Bible story, play games, crafts, etc.
Last Friday we took Mimi back to the airport. After we got back to our house, Olivia and Heather were able to go to the Women's Center. It was a wonderful opportunity to see how these women are being rehabilitated from drugs, abuse, prostitution... and the women were so sweet to Olivia. We actually enjoyed talking with them (with Becca & Keisa's help) and even played a game of Uno before we left! We are looking forward to building a lasting relationship with the ladies who run the center, as well as the women who are living there. I (Heather) am so thankful to be able to be involved in the ministries that are going on here!!
Jeremy has also been able to go to Tiribi, a barrio by the river, to look at a couple of construction projects. One of the houses they are looking at re-building is for a single Mom, who has an older son (maybe 8 years old) and a baby that's not much older than Ava. She lives in a tiny little tin-scrap metal shack, and most of her belongings are hanging in plastic bags all over her home. She and the baby sleep on a mattress, and her son sleeps on a couch, which they have to stand on end during the day so they can open their front door. It puts my "troubles" in perspective, and I am reminded to be thankful for a dry home and plenty of food for our children. Here are a couple of pictures of this sweet family. Please keep them in your prayers - I will have Jeremy update this with her name - but for now, our Heavenly Father knows her name and every need she has. Would you please pray that we will be able to be His hands and feet to this family?
Thank you for your support - you are such a blessing to our family, and we thank God for you!! We will try to send out another update very soon.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love,
Jeremy, Heather, Olivia & Ava Hicks
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