Children's Christmas Party

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Guatemala

We recently returned from two weeks in Guatemala. It was a packed, fun filled trip.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

New Feeding Center

Monday was the first feeding of the new feeding center sponsored by Mason Community Church. The feeding center targets the homeless community of Alajuelita. They live in the coffee plantation near central park and in the cemetery near Juan Pablo.

Waiting for the center to open.

Spreading the word.

Spiritual food.

George Bush Visits Costa Rica

George Bush Visits Costa Rica, originally uploaded by goodgollycr.

Couldn't believe it today when I saw this man sitting on the side of the road. Secret service was even kind enough to let me take his picture! ;o)

Spencer's Ramblings - Have You Heard...?

Have you heard the latest? Molly kicked Spencer out of the house because he was having an affair with Carolina. On top of that he got into a big fight with Victor and fired him from 6:8 Ministries!

These are the rumors that I returned home to a couple days ago. It's tragically sad, and at the same time ridiculously funny. Over the past three years there have been rumors of me being an adulterer, pedophile, and a drug dealer.

When I first moved to Costa Rica I was discouraged by the lies that were being spread about me. The same people I was trying to help were the ones spreading the hurtful lies. However, the most frustrating part was that most of the lies were rooted in my attempts to love like Christ. What I've learned is that the world can't understand true Christian love.

The voice of a lost and broken world says: "Nobody gives away a new house, he must be sleeping with her.", "Why would a middle-aged man spend time hanging out with teens? He must be some kind of sick pedophile!", "Spencer has money and spends time with the drug-addicts, he must be a drug dealer."

It would be easy to allow these lies to cause me to become cynical and jaded. Honestly, sometimes I just want to quit trying, or at a minimum give the same weak and conditional love in return. However, quitting would be tragic and would allow the enemy to win. Furthermore, a choice to love like the world is a choice to not to love at all.

In contrast, when my love is rooted in Christ it's powerful and life changing! Christ-like love is unconditional and always requires some level of sacrifice. I guess it comes down to a simple reality. Can I love those who hate and speak lies against me? Is my love for others contingent on being loved in return?

Truth is, I rarely get it right and I fail more times than I succeed. However, I'm learning. The more I experience Christ's love for me; the more natural it feels to try to love others the same way.

So I'm asking you to join me in learning to love better. Let's love sacrificially and unconditionally. Let's love with a crazy love the world won't understand; and in the process we can change the world!

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." - Jesus

Love and miss you all,
Spencer

Tepezquintle - It's What's for Dinner

Tepzsquintle, originally uploaded by goodgollycr.

Some dear friends brought us some Tepezquintle to try. Apparently the foot is left on because it is an expensive cut of meat and some markets may try to sell you some fake stuff. We did marinate it and grill it up. It was good. Just could have done without seeing the foot.

Happy Birthday, Alix

I can't believe that it has already been 17 years. I remember that she was born on a Sunday. It was the Life Chain Sunday, being held just down the street from the hospital. We are so thankful for this LIFE that God has blessed us with!

Update on Jose Antonio

You may remember how thrilled we were when Jose Antonio started walking at the age of 6. Spencer went to visit him last week and these are the sights that greeted him...

Happy 13th

13 just seems to be one of those milestone birthdays (actually as my kids are getting older they all seem to be milestones that are bittersweet).

Christopher ~ I am proud of the young man that you are becoming. We love you and are so glad that you are part of our lives.

Hoarding Tendencies

A couple weeks ago we had a mission team help a family clean house. This family really needed a lot of help. While I did not help with this particular house, I have helped in a similar circumstance and can relate to what it was like.

This house was packed to the gills. They had a back room with piles of junk, including a shopping cart and broken typewriter. The bathroom was disgusting. No soap in the shower and feces in the sink. In the bedrooms, piles and piles of moldy clothes under which they found a bag with some unopened bars of soap.

Pastor Jorge took the family aside and had a talk with all of them. He encouraged them to clean out the old in order to make room for new blessings that God will bring.

Hearing the team talk of their experiences in this home made me think of my home: my heart. All of the baggage that I have stored in my 'back room' for a rainy day. You never know when you are going to need a broken typewriter or shopping cart? I have 'pet' sins and insecurities that I hold onto, because you never know when you might need to bring them out and dust them off, right?

I need Jesus to come and clean my house. I need Him to shine light in my dark places and clean the crap out of my sink. He is ready to get his hands dirty and throw my junk away. Why? Because He loves me. He loves me more than I could ever comprehend. He wants me to quit hoarding all of this garbage in order to make room for Him.

Come As You Are

While we did not come down to plant a church, God has provided a church. After sending several short-term mission teams down, Celebration Church felt called to plant a church in Alajuelita. Or rather BE the church for the homeless, rejected, alcoholics, and brokenhearted.

Here is a glimpse of what a Sunday morning might look like:

Promising faces...

A broken face the needs minor medical attention...


Rejected men crying out to Jesus...

Praying for healing of a sick baby...


A man taking a moment to read his new Bible...

One of the most beautiful moments was when Jorge asked if anyone wanted to pray. Among others, a shirtless man made his way down to pray. The heartbeat of this church is to be a place where even he feels welcomed and loved. It is going to be messy. But I firmly believe that Jesus loves the messy.

The Civil War

We have been spending a few months reading about and studying the Civil War. We have enjoyed playing the Professor Noggin Civil War game. After playing it a few times we decided to branch out and instead of taking turns, the kids raced to answer first. One of our questions was:

What edict by Abraham Lincoln allowed freed slaves to join the union army?

In his hurry to get it answered first, *Bob shouted out, "CONSTIPATION EXPLANATION!"

You just can't make this stuff up!

*Names have been changed to protect family secrets. But it starts with a 'C' and ends in a 'hristopher'. :o)

Jose Antonio

Remember this update from Spencer? We finally captured it on video to share!



Almost every team that has come through over the last two and a half years has gone down to Jose Antonio's house to pray for him and his family. To finally see him walking has been such a miracle! His mother gives the glory to God and is so thankful for all of your prayers. Celebrate God's glory with us!

Missing Tooth

This is the last time I will have a child missing a front tooth. Feeling a little mommy sadness.

Minus One

So Christopher is spending some time with Duke and Candy at the farm. Reportedly he has been sleeping in the cabin by himself while they are in the main house, about 300 mtrs away. I wonder what this says about a budding teen who is one of 4 children, and shares a room with two younger brothers. Hopefully the adjustment home at the end of May will not be too painful.

He has been staying busy on the farm...learning to shoot his new bb gun, building a chicken coop and collecting eggs every morning. We miss him, but know he is having a wonderful time!