Tamales y tortillas...costa Rican style

Perfect bfast with coffee. Gretel had asked a coworker to make them for us.

Saturday service: Erik worked with a brother named Eric, everyone seemed entertained by this. I worked with a sister, Susana y su Hijo Josue (Joshua), originally from Nicaragua.

She seemed a bit shy at first... Or dare I say terrified to b put with me as it seems everyone has been. But eventually she opened up and told me about where she is from and learning the truth. When her family came in the truth they had to walk 2.5 hours each way to get to a meeting...for years. Mostly it was her family and an uncle preaching as they were the only ones in the truth and a brother would come once a month to collect their fs reports. Her dad's health has deteriorated to the point that he is wheel chair bound which makes the ministry more challenging-no paved roads or sidewalks and very hilly but they r still faithfully serving Jehovah and the congregation has grown. She has been in CR 12 yrs. she has a daughter in Nicaragua with her parents.  A very humble, hard-working family that could easily b overlooked but definitely part of our great cloud of witnesses who r examples of faith.

We went with Doris' younger sister, Yara, to make a few rv's and got back around 1pm.

Just in time to eat, coffee and rest before 4pm meeting. The temp has been pleasingly mild. The friends here keep saying cold but by no means is it cold, just not as hot as we thought it would b.

After meeting we did Gretel's study with a woman named Linda (just became unbap pub) and her 15 yr old daughter Maria Fernanda.  After, we went to the Moras (Doris's family) for homemade (thick) tortillas with refried black beans and cream smeared on top...and coffee. Yes, Erik loves this country and no, we r not losing weight yet:)

Unfortunately, we r getting used to eating late but Rico would b proud.

Erik's first buzz

(Sorry we have been without Internet. I will try to catch u up)

So we overslept for service-it's not our fault really bc the room is "antitrabajo" as they say here, which means not conducive to work bc it is so dark and quiet.
...or it could have been carrying the washer and dryer, bed frame (in tact), dressers, boxes, etc. out of the apt and up the steps.
Anyway, Neuria was leaving today so it was nice to spend some time with her...and she agreed to cut Erik's hair even though she really didn't have any of her equipment.
Erik kept saying shorter til she had no choice but to buzz it all off.

I know what u were all thinking (buzz)

In the afternoon I went on a really nice study names Yahaira, with Hermano maritza.

She is in the chapter on prayer in the teach book and expressed nice appreciation for what she is learning. Her house is simple but she had a million dollar view out her back patio.

Doris took us to the grocery store to buy everything to make spaghetti and meatballs with real sauce. That might not sound too exciting to y'all but Gretel and Doris' family loved it. I was super excited to find fresh "albaca" (basil) they don't really seem to use it here but it was a pretty big grocery store. It was the first time we spent 38,000 on groceries, colones that is:) Not sure if I'll ever figure out the exchange (approx. 530 to 1)

...And then there was none

....hot water that is. It seems we may not have known how to use the contraption and while Erik was "preheating" it it turned bright red inside and shorted out. Seriously. Lol. But fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, a cold shower is just like riding a bike, well maybe not just like it. More like a riding on a cold, rainy day.

Despite the fiasco we did manage to make the 8:15 group for preaching. It's similar to Ecuador in that the get their 2.5 hours in by 11, u go back home for "almuerzo" (lunch). Wednesday  Neuria, the sister that lives in the apt behind us made us lunch. I met her at 7am when she knocked on the door with yogurt and bread and wanted to make us bfast. Super sweet! She goes to a sign language cong but is moving to serve where the need is greater in Guanacaste (a different province in Costa  Rica ). 
We went back out at 2 with Doris to do some rv's. We went up the mountain a bit which is really pretty bc u can see San Jose in the distance.

She wanted to take Erik on a guy that always says he doesn't speak Spanish but he wasn't home:( she also took Erik on a visit with a small store owner who has some family in the truth and seems disposed to talk. We went back sat with the teach bk to continue the conversation about the kingdom. We met his wife and he asked for r email so he could stay in touch- he emailed a few hours later so we will see.

Thursday service again. The territory here is a bit tough bc the work it so frequently that many don't answer and then u see them when u r on the other side of the street. And u have to yell "Buenos Dias" bc everything is gated and u can't get close to the door let alone knock. No doorbells hardly...definitely no house numbers ...nor street names. It's amazing how they are able to keep track of territories and not-at-homes here. I can only imagine how many nh slips they go thru bc u can only fit about 4 on each page by the time u describe the house color, color of the metal gates and any other pertinent details for the poor publisher that will have to try to work the nh's. And there is always at least 2 pairs working house over  house, if not 4 or 5 or 6. The streets r like a maze that slowly wind up the mountain-no nice neat little blocks.

In the afternoon I went with Neuria on a study with the mom of one of her students who is hearing and Erik did a study for the coordinator who was in pioneer school. As soon as we got home we changed and started helping Neuria pack up and move. Just to heighten ur stress, besides not having dollies or u-hauls, imagine the the sister from around the corner who  was gonna move in standing there with arms full of stuff while we r moving things out. Then she "hijacks" the brother who came to help and next thing I know he's back and his truck is full of her stuff. To ad insult to injury no one in the neighborhood had a ratchet to take the bed frame apart. In case ur wondering, there's no where to call for pizza when ur done so we made dinner and ate at 10:45pm...u do the math:)

Hot water, toilet seats, coffee, oh my!

I almost forgot- this may not look like much to u, but these wires going into this shower head ensure that this Costa Rican adventure will not be starting with screams like Guayaquil ...sorry to disappoint u all. Normally, electricity and water don't mix but when in Rome. (Close ur eyes joe)

Sad to say, r complete exhaustion did not allow us to wake up in time for the 8:15 service group, yes u read correctly, 8:15 AM! But we did make it for 10:00 " desalmuerzo" (brunch) at Doris's moms house. "Gallo pinto" comida tipica de Costa Rica. Deliciosa!

Seeing that we already played hooky, Doris thought it a good day to show us downtown San Jose. We r staying in alejuelita, a suburb about 15 min away. We went to the national museum of C.R. And the first room u pass thru is a butterfly atrium. I think I took 100 pics trying to catch the beautiful blue ones with their wings open...arghhhh!

Stopped to grab delicious takeout of more comida tipica: chorreadas(corn pancakes) with crema y queso, arroz con leche, enyucados (something like a potato croquet but made with yuca), and "tortillas" different than mexican but super yummy.

P.S. The coffee is as delicious as Erik had hoped:)

We are enjoying the "modern comforts" this week bc we prob won't have them in sepecue, talamanca ( the last cong we r gonna visit)

....The next chapter has begun

...Costa Rica....5weeks...3  congregations the branch recommended. Overall a good but tiring 1st day of travel.  Started much like the last blog entry 3 years ago: weight problems...no not us, well, yeah us but also the luggage. Up at 4am, at 5:15 was told by delta checkin lady that we would need to take a pound from our 51 pound bag and put it in r 49 pound bag. I'm no mathematical genius but isn't that the same exact cumulative weight for the 2 bags.

We obviously don't know where the camera is:)

Landed in San Jose to a balmy but breezy 82 degrees. We were picked up by una hermanita Doris, 27 años, quick 25 minutes to the house of Gretel y su Hijo Santiago (5 años) where we will b staying the next week and where she had lunch all ready for us....there is nothing like Jehovah's organization!

Gretel

School and service mtg at 7pm (9pm  New York time). Must say it was a little rough ending mtg at what felt like 11pm and then waiting for Erik to talk to the coordinator and other anciano til midnight:) incidentally, the coordinator and his wife( special pioneers), the only other elder and his wife and the only other 3 pioneers are all in pioneer school this week but the congregation of 107 publicadores  seems very loving and we made plans to go on some studies. We stopped to meet Doris's parents on the way home, her dad started studying 6 months ago. Her mom and 3 sisters r very happy. By the time we got home at 11:30(remember  the 2 hour time difference) we had been up 21 hours with 4 hours sleep the night before=a good nights sleep:)

Day 110 – Journey’s End

We were up at 5:30; we didn’t sleep so well…must be nerves. Miguel, Dolores and Lluvia were kind enough to drive us to the airport in Morelia. There was only one plane in sight in the very small airport. We weighed in at 25.9 kilos, which is .9 over the limit and they actually made us take out the .9 and transfer to our carry-ons. So, the same total weight in the plane. Help me out with this one.

Houston airport had a Starbucks and there was money left on the gold card…shaping up to be a great day. We headed for Chicago O’Hare and realized that there was a flight leaving for Rochester in 20 minutes. We changed our tickets and caught the early flight. Lynnie picked us up and we went Magnolias. Pizza and Scotch Ale for me and Ceasar salad for Leah.

We got home and Edie and Jim were there. Dad came over and Jose, Ann Marie and Indiana stopped in. Derrick Lucas came a little later. We settled into our big, comfy bed. We must admit…it was really awesome. But don’t worry…we’re focused.

Thanks to all of our friends and family for following our life and commenting on our writing. We hope it was interesting and encouraging. Please stay in touch until the next chapter. Our email addresses are below.

sillenerik@gmail.com

sillenleah@gmail.com

Day 109- The Penultimate

Yes, I burned my left leg

Well, we’ve reached the end of our brief voyage.  We had posole for breakfast (left over from the day before). Then, we went up to the roof to do family worship and catch some rays. It was a hot one…again. After an hour we had to head for the shade. Fortunately, Miguel sent Miguelito down to the fridge for some cold Corona’s with lime. After we were nicely burned we got ready to go to the centro again.

Miguelito, Erik & Jasiel waiting to leave

We wandered around taking pictures and doing some shopping, then some eating. More pictures, ice cream and then back to the house. It really is a nice, old city with lots of beautiful buildings and architecture. There are aqueducts that run through the center, fountains and statues.

Hope you don't want ketchup - this is the only condiment
available in Mexico-hot sauce

It's a little unnerving when these guys drive by while you're
eating - never saw that in Europe

Aquaducts that Morelia is famous for

Some of the friends from their hall stopped over to say goodbye and then went to bed around 11-we had to be up by 5:30 to fly out.