Looks Like Fun!

So you may be thinking the Cains are having tons of fun from all the great pictures we post.  Well, we are BUT we are also working our tooshies off to learn a new language.  Not a ton of pictures being taken in class as we fumble through sorting out "ser" and "estar" or are chanting vowels like monks of old.  I was delighted to see a friend capture a picture of what we have been doing in Fonetica (Phonetics) this week and I thought I would share it with you.

photo credit to Angie Crawford

This is what we like to call "la union de los sonidos."  Yup, you got it, the linking of the sounds.  ". . .it was explained that Spanish rhythm may be characterized as syllabic.  In English the pronunciation of words is emphasized while in Spanish the pronunciation of syllables is emphasized."  Hence your red slashes between syllables.  And those rainbow looking markings?  That's where you mash words together so you sound like  a Spanish speaker and not a five year old reading word-word-word-word.  So there is the technical side of what we do for 5 hours every morning!  I will say, at least they are using great texts to dissect! :)

The Same in Every Language

Today marks a month of residing in Costa Rica.  We started our fourth week of class yesterday. We have been very busy learning Spanish little by little (or “poco a poco” as they say here).  In my grammar class this week, we’ve been working on our understanding of the verbs “ser,” “estar,” and “tener”­ (three of the five “to be” verbs).  In order to gain a better grasp on their usage, we’ve been describing people.  We started with our families and moved onto famous persons: Hitler, Miss Piggy, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bert and Ernie and the like.  When we neared the end of our class today, our teacher said, “Now describe Jesus.”

Él es bueno. 
Él es amable.                                                                                                                                                                              
Él es simpático.                                                                                                                                                                                        
Él es agradable.                                                                                                                                                                                               
Él es generoso.                                                                                                                                                                                             
Él es sincero.                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Él es amoroso.                                                                                                                                                                                       
Él está furioso en el temple.                                                                                                                                                         
Él está hambriento y sediento en el desierto.                                                                                                                       
Él tiene paciencia.                                                                                                                                                                            
Él tiene dolor por todos en la cruz.

I felt overwhelmed.  I felt like I was falling in love all over again.  My heart softened.  Tears started streaming down my face.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Jesus has the same attributes in any language. His love is the same and applies to every culture, people, and nation.  I am grateful to serve such an amazing God.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.     –Ephesians 3:14-19

Differences in Daily Living

Costa Rica is different.  No surprise – we knew it would be.  We have been in the country for a week now and have noticed plenty of differences.  Here is an incomplete list of things that are different in our home and daily life.

• We have no clothes dryer in the home so everything is hung on a line in our empty carport.  However, we are told we should be careful about leaving things on the line because there is the possibility of thieves using poles to snatch things through the gate.
• We do not have air-conditioning so windows and doors are constantly open.  Temperatures generally range from 85-65 so it is usually quite comfortable.
•  Many people have asked about the water.  It is potable and safe for us here in Costa Rica.  In Honduras this will not be the case.  We will have to drink bottled water there.

 

• There is no dishwasher in our home so all dishes are washed by hand.  Michelle loves the dish soap here (really)!  In Honduras, we will have to add a bleach solution rinse at the end of our dish washing because of the water.
• There is no water heater in our home.  The only hot water in the house is from the “widow maker” in the shower.
• Power isn’t as reliable.  We have had 2 power outages already.
• Sugar ants.  They sit and wait.  If you leave ANY food item on the counter for longer than 15 seconds, they attack in the hundreds.
• Holidays.  Costa Rican Labor Day was May 1^st of this year.  The US’s is today.  We missed both.  But Costa Rica celebrates their Independence Day on September 15^th while the US’s is July 4^th.  We’ll catch both this year! 

• There is a large gate across the front of our home.  As one staff woman at our school explained it, “We (Costa Ricans) don’t have large salaries for property insurance.  We simply try to make our homes appear more secure than the one next door.  The fences and bars are to dissuade potential thieves.” 
•  We do not own a car.  We walk just under a mile each way to school.  And yes, it IS uphill both ways!  But so far there is no snow.  The grocery store is also just under a mile away.  For longer distances we use the bus and taxis. 
•  They speak Spanish here.  This is an obvious but significant difference.  It is amazing how much time and effort it takes for us to do simple things around town because of our limited language.  People have been very gracious and patient with us as we murder their language. 
•  Costs: some things are cheaper here; restaurants=$3-4 per person, public transportation – bus=50cents, cab=$3+, movies theater=$4 per person.  Some are more expensive and difficult to find (groceries, clothing, household items, toys, electronics). 
•  Culture:  This deserves a dozen blog posts all by itself.  Just know that every time we are offended by something different or we offend the locals with our American ways, we learn more about this beautiful culture.

-Adam

2 weeks and counting! (August Newsletter)

Praise & Prayer 1.) Praise that we are adequately funded to begin language school in just a few days! 2.) Please pray that we would say goodbye well - that we would process the full range of emotions that we are feeling. 3.) Please pray for our transition to the Latin culture - that we would humbly approach a new country and new people with teachable minds and hearts - that we would quickly and easily feel at home.   Monthly Support Level 77% Schedule 8/25 Flight to San Jose, Costa Rica 8/28-9/3 Orientation for Language School 9/4 1st Day of Class 10/1-10/5 Team Honduras Women's Retreat How to Give Online: Click Here By Check: Please be sure to put#11369 in the memo line Mission to the World P.O. Box 116284 Atlanta, GA 30368-6284 The Good News During our training in New York City, our 8 member team of missionaries put on a week-long English as a Second Language course.  As part of each day's class, we shared a Bible story to assist with listening comprehension.  The first day, Michelle introduced our Bible story, "we're going to listen to a story about Jesus.  Do you know who Jesus is?" "Jesus?"  Guo asked looking puzzled. She had never heard of Him. The next day, Adam read the parable of The Lost Son.  Guo listened intently trying to understand as many words as possible.  She understood enough.  At the moment when the father joyously welcomes home his rebellious son, Guo gasped, and put her hands over her heart as her eyes filled with tears. The story of God's restoration of sinful man is powerful - espeically when heard for the first time.  It was a joy and blessing for us to share it with Guo.  We pray that Guo will continue to hear this message and learn that through Jesus, she can have this same restoration with her Heavenly Father. In later discussions, Guo was very interested in visiting a church.  We helped to identify a couple in her area.  We also want to supply her with a Bible in Korean (the language in which she is most comfortable). ESL teachers and students (Guo is in front, wearing white). Step of Faith Flights to Costa Rica have been purchased!  We are not yet fully funded but are going to start language school with hopes of finishing our support raising efforts over the next few months.  As long as we reach 100% before finishing school, we can go straight to Honduras.  Otherwise we will have to return to the U.S. until we are fully funded. Language School School starts September 4!  We will attend classes at theSpanish Language Institutein San Jose, Costa Rica.  This is a school designed for missionaries so we will not only receive an education but a spiritual community as well.  Jacob will attend the pre-school, Rayitos de Sol on the same campus.  His first school experience will be in uniform and full-emersion Spanish!

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Hurricanes and Hurried Cains

Tropical storm Ernesto is predicted to hit Central America as a hurricane on Wednesday.  Please pray for our team in La Ceiba, on the northern coast of Honduras.

The Cains are predicted to hit Costa Rica in just 18 days to begin language school!  Please pray for our family as we make our final preparations and say goodbye.

A Day in The Life

So I am sure every one is wondering what a day in the life of the Cains looks like.  Well, I will enlighten you:

6-7AM: Boys wake up, get dressed, devotional
7:15 AM: Breakfast (COFFFFEEEE) and assemble diaper bag/backpacks for the day
8:00 AM: Leave the house, walk 15 minutes to the Subway station
8:15-9:15AM: Subway ride with one transfer about 1/4 of the way in
9:15-9:25AM: Walk to church offices to work on group assignment
12:30 PM: Lunch
1:30-1:45PM Walk to training center (another church/school)
2:00-5:30PM: Training; kids in nursery/kids program
5:30-5:45PM Walk to Subway station
5:45-6:45PM Subway ride with one transfer about 3/4 of the way home
6:45-7:00PM Walk "home"
7:00PM: Make and eat dinner
8:00-8:15PM: Baths, bedtime routine, boy in bed
8:15 til who knows when: Adam and Michelle do homework, readings, writing assignments, etc.
11:00PM: Go to bed

Wash, rinse, repeat

Do You Know The Way To San Jose?

It is our great joy to share with you that we will begin language school this fall!  On August 25^th the Cain Family will board a flight for San Jose, Costa Rica where we will attend the Spanish Language Institute.

This step of starting language school is somewhat premature since we are not yet fully funded (we’re at about 75% of our monthly need).  However, the financial support has come in quite quickly thus far.  The Lord has led many individuals to commit to sending us and providing a ministry to the people of Honduras.  For this provision we are extremely blessed and thankful.  We are confident that He will provide for the remainder of our need over the course of the next few months.  This will allow us to go straight to language school rather than return home to raise the remaining support.

Will you please pray for the emotional health of our family as we prepare to leave?

Will you please pray that we would be diligent in our language learning and in our support raising efforts?

-Adam