Thursday, December 29, 2011

Nicaragua vs. Costa Rica

The Goveas spent Christmas 2011 in Nicaragua renewing our tourist visas.

I have lived in Costa Rica for four months and was only in Nicaragua for six days so the following comparison is not a completely fair analysis, but one that I did want to make.

Nicaragua
  • Food is cheaper and tastes better.
  • It is a more agricultural country.
  • Many people use bicycles and motorcycles as their main source of transportation and will carry whatever they need to on them such as:  three other people (including babies and children), propane tanks, groceries, cakes, etc.
  • There are less ants.
  • Gasoline is cheaper.  
  • The roads are better.
  • Overall, the people seem to be gentler, more accommodating.
  • Lake Nicaragua is very impressive. ("Despite being a freshwater lake, it has sawfish, tarpon, and sharks!")  Here is one of the many videos that I shot on our trip.


Costa Rica
  • There is a wider variety and abundance of restaurants.
  • The literacy rate is higher (96% vs. 87% in Nicaragua).
  • The people are fairer-skinned (which means that I don’t stand out quite so much).
  • The streets are cleaner; people throw trash in the garbage can instead of on the curb.    
  • The wealth of flora and fauna (such as iguanas, parrots, monkeys, palm trees, and fish) is beautiful.



Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Christmas in Costa Rica

What’s Christmas like in Costa Rica?  Do they celebrate Christmas?  Are there Christmas trees?  Do they have Santa?  These are the questions that family and friends back home have asked me.

Yes, Costa Rica celebrates Christmas a lo grande (bigtime) from Christmas trees to lights to Santa to music to nativity scenes.  Since this culture doesn’t have to compete with Thanksgiving, people start decorating at the beginning of November!  Although the only thing that we did this year in terms of decorating was to string up some lights in the window, our neighbors have wreaths, reindeer, Santas, Christmas trees, and lights up. 

There is no other way to celebrate this season here than to call it Christmas so there is no debate with holiday trees or Happy Holidays (although there is the Felices Fiestas [Happy Parties] to encompass New Year’s as well).  Even government offices have huge nativity scenes on display which I love.


Fireworks are for sale everywhere and I hear that many will go off on Christmas Eve, but we won’t be here (more on that in a moment).  The major difference here is that the big celebration when families get together, have dinner, and open presents is on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day.  That and the fact that mailing Christmas cards to each other is nonexistent.

We won’t be here because we’ll be driving to the neighboring country of Nicaragua to renew our tourist visas.  A kind family has graciously offered us their vacation home in León so we´ll most likely stay through Christmas.  We’re leaving tomorrow so I better pack! 

Monday, December 5, 2011

Be Rich

For the past few years, our church – North Point Community Church (NPCC) – has done a Christmas campaign called “Be Rich”.  An emphasis is placed on realizing how rich we are and how much we have to give in terms of time and money.  Individuals, families, and small groups are encouraged to help others through a variety of service projects, donate shoe boxes filled with goodies for Operation Christmas Child, and give offerings to support local charities.

This year, our pastor set a crazy goal of raising $500,000 for the Christmas season starting in November.  Would you believe that $1.7 million was raised in just one week?  That’s awesome!  I’m so proud of my church’s members and attendees who went above and beyond to help people they don’t even know! 
Here, in Costa Rica, we are also doing a type of “Be Rich” campaign entitled ¿Cómo ser ricos? (How to be rich).  It’s a three-part series that began in a surprising way.  Before I tell you how we kicked it off, I must give you some background information.

When Openhouse (that’s our church) started, the pastor said that an offering plate would never be passed around.  Julio said that, because people here are leery of evangelicals (that’s us) when they “ask for money”.  The concept of tithing and offerings is misunderstood and not well received here.  The culture, as a whole, may be used to giving some money to the Catholic church during mass, but generally what’s left over or change found in your pocket – not giving the “firstfruits” or a set percentage.

The first Sunday of this series, Julio said that he was going to do something that he had never done before.  He was going to pass around the offering plate.  A lady in our small group later said that she knew that this would one day happen.  But not how she thought.

Offering plates were passed around, but not to collect money.  To give money! That Sunday that Andy set the goal of $500,000, our church’s stewardship team was visiting NPCC in Alpharetta and was moved by the sermon.  Upon their return to Costa Rica, they decided to give their own money to start a movement of generosity at our church.  They provided enough money to fill envelopes to pass out to a little over 200 people with either $10, $20, or $30 in each envelope.

Julio told the congregation that they were being given God’s money which is a great responsibility.  They could do whatever they wanted with the money except for spending it on themselves and giving it back to the church.  We have heard wonderful stories about how people were so surprised to receive this gift and how they chose to duplicate the amount that they received in order to help others more abundantly.

In conjunction with “Be Rich”, our church adopted an area of town called La Carpio.  We are partnering with Hope Partners International and Seth and Andrea Sears by hosting a food drive and a toy drive to help about 120 people of the poor families there in one of the poorest slums in Central America.


As church staff, our desire is that our congregation will realize how rich they are when Jesus is a part of their lives and that we have so much to give.  We hope that people will recognize that God wants us to give every part of ourselves to Him including what we hold so dear – our purse strings.  Of course God doesn't need any money – he wants for us to understand that we are just stewards of His blessings.

Friday, December 2, 2011

We now have an address!

I am happy to report that the Goveas have an official address where you can send us cards and letters.  Please write to us at:

Enrique Govea, SJO 20066
APDO 424-1260
Plaza Colonial, Escazú, Costa Rica

If you want to send us any kind of package, please e-mail me and I'll give you that address.

We look forward to hearing from you!

*The address on the previous "FAQ: What's our address?" has been revised to this one.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

"We've got so much, so much, so much....so much - clap - to be thankful for."

When you move to a new place, it takes a while to make friends, however in three and a half months, we have been blessed by some amazing people who have been very generous with us.  
When we moved here in August, we brought whatever fit into six 32-gallon plastic bins and three suitcases.  We weren’t able to bring everything that we wanted to, but God has provided.
We really appreciate how God has used new friends to give us everything that we need.  Whether loaned to us or donated, we are grateful that He has supplied us these items in addition to the furnished home that we rent:
  • Dish rack            
  • Coat hangers
  • Mirror for the bathroom
  • Fan
  • Twin bed for David
  • Sheets and a comforter set for our bed
  • Bathroom towels
  • Two desks and chairs for our home office
  •  Set of dishes, glasses, and other kitchen items (in addition to what came with the house)
  • Casserole dish
  • Toaster
  • Food
  • Clothing and accessories for me
  • Clothing for David
  • Toys and books for David
  • Car seat/booster seat
  • Step stool for David
  • Bedrails for David
  • One-year membership to PriceSmart (a store like Sam's and Costco)
  • Car

Monday, November 21, 2011

How the Other Half Lives

One day, Enrique, David, and I were playing in the park by our house when a woman approached us asking if we knew of anyone who needed a maid.  We quickly responded, “Us!” and she came over a few days later to begin.

I wanted to pay her fairly, but had no idea what that meant so I asked a friend.  She said that ₡1,500 (roughly $3.00) an hour would be good.  I couldn’t believe that such a low amount would be acceptable, but then my friend told me that if I consider the fact that ₡1,500 is double minimum wage here, then it’s a very fair amount.

Simona is 50 years old and has eight children.  She is from the neighboring country of Nicaragua and has lived in Costa Rica for 10 years.  She (and many, many other people) immigrated here to work towards a better life.

I haven’t been inside of her home, but I have learned a little bit about it and her lifestyle in general.  She doesn't have hot water.  She either takes a cold shower or boils water on the stove and then pours it in a bucket and dips some out to bathe.  I don’t remember how many relatives live with her, but she and her son sleep in a room the size of my laundry room.  Her granddaughter, who is a few months younger than David, doesn't even have those hard, durable plastic plates with cute characters on them.  She uses boring, disposable plates.  Simona's youngest son is 12 years old and he still lives in Nicaragua; his grandmother takes care of him.  Simona was hoping to go home for Christmas to see her son, but she’s going to have to wait until Easter.

Simona mentioned that her oldest son, 27 years old, was mugged about six years ago.  He took two suitcases to the bus station in San Jose and was going to travel to Nicaragua.  He wasn't hurt, but was robbed at gunpoint and everything was taken from him except for the clothes on his back.  He was wearing several gold chains and rings that were taken as well as his suitcases.  Besides being full of clothes, his luggage also contained gifts for his family back home.  Once he arrived in Nicaragua, his grandfather, Simona’s dad, had to sell one of their cows in order to buy his grandson some clothes.

This sad story puts things in perspective for me.  Yesterday, the sermon at our church was about how to be rich.  Not about how to become rich or earn more money, but how to be rich in spirit, to be giving.  The pastor gave a good definition of being rich.  It wasn’t defined by getting the latest gadget, going to Europe on vacation, or owning a second home.  It was defined as having more than you need.  Do you have more than one pair of shoes?  You’re rich!  There are thousands of people in the world who don’t even own a pair of shoes.  Do you have food left over after dinner?  You’re rich!  

You have so much that you have plenty to give away.  To bless others.  What do you have – clothing, food, toys, time, God’s love - that you can give to others?

Thursday, November 17, 2011

What can separate us from God's love?

When your baby is born, you have a deep love for him.  He did not do anything to deserve that love, but you love him because he is yours; he is a part of you.  He came from you. 

As a baby, he does not do anything to make you love him.  He does not pick up after himself.  He does not buy you flowers.  He does not take you out to eat.  He just lays there, eats, sleeps, and cries.  Cries and cries and cries.  But you love him anyway.  Especially when he is sleeping. 

When he grows older and does things that you do not like or says things that hurt you, you still love him.  Even though he does not understand the sacrifices that you have made for him and he takes you for granted, you love him so much.

Did you know that God loves you much more?  Even if you do not love Him back, He still loves you.  Even if you have chosen not to obey Him, He loves you.  If you have no desire to read the Bible and do not go to church, He still loves you.  Even if you do not believe in Hi, God loves you.  What you do or do not do does not quantify His love for you.  God loved us before we even heard of or knew His name.  Before we were born!

There are many verses in the Bible that show us how much God loves us, cares for us, watches over us, and longs for us to know Him, but I will mention just one – Romans 8:39.


"nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us."



Saturday, October 29, 2011

Videos of David from 10/28-29/11

The following random videos were taken yesterday and today.

This first one was recorded last night at the mall where there were lots of motorcycles and four wheelers on display.

Next, we're at the music store where you can play any of the instruments that you want.
The third one has a little commentary about Monkey Lu, a children's store at Multiplaza (the mall).

This video was recorded this morning at the park by our house.
And lastly, an example of the ants that are everywhere.


Thursday, October 27, 2011

Things that I didn’t expect.

  • I didn’t expect to have a small lizard in my house that I just cannot seem to trap.
  • I didn’t expect to have a small garden atrium in the middle of our home.  That’s where the lizard came from.
  • I didn’t expect to go to a spinning class on someone’s back porch/patio without any air conditioning or fans in 70 degree weather.  My first class was free so I gave it a try.
  • I didn’t expect for so many people (at our church) to speak English so well.
  • I didn’t expect to see a monkey and two parrots in the wild.  “The wild” is an hour from here.
  • I didn’t expect to have to cohabitate with ants in the house.  They drive me crazy!  Little itty bitty ones and big red ones will eat/drink anything left on any surface for over 10 minutes –including a glass of water!

  • I didn’t expect to experience the worst hailstorm in more than 58 years. 
  • I didn’t expect to enjoy my first Día del Niño (Children’s Day).*
  • I didn’t expect for people walking down the street not to give eye contact nor greet each other.**
  • I didn’t expect for Wendy’s to have the biggest children’s play area out of all of the fast food restaurants.  They even have a party room!
  • I didn’t expect for Wendy’s to serve chicken legs and nachos in addition to what we’re accustomed.
  • I didn’t expect for there to be so much recycling – yea!
  • I didn’t expect to have to sweep so much.  Everything is tile and we keep the front door open practically all day so dust and such comes in (don’t worry, we’re at home).
  • I didn’t expect for my high school Spanish teacher’s family to live less than two miles from our house!
  • I didn’t expect for it to be a requirement for everyone entering the pool to have to wear swim caps.
  • I didn’t expect to have my water turned off from 8a-5p without any prior notice so that men down the street could work on the pipes.

*I always thought that it was an unnecessary holiday (also celebrated in Mexico, but in April) since kids get whatever they want every day, but after seeing David have so much fun at school and getting a gift from his teachers, his happiness made me appreciate the day.  On the way home from school he innocently asked me if it was his birthday.
**This was the case in Mexico City too, but I forgot since I haven’t lived there in twelve years.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Rain, Rain Go Away

Costa Rica has two seasons – rainy (invierno) and dry (verano).  When we moved here two months ago, I noticed the weather pattern of upper 70s/lower 80s with a light rain in the afternoon and found it charming.

While we are almost at the end of the rainy season that runs from May through November, we have entered an unusually rainy period.  What was initially charming has become mildly annoying.  It started raining last Monday, 10/10 and hasn’t stopped!  It probably rains from light to heavy about 80% of the day.  The news states that it should continue to rain until Wednesday and this has been one of the longest stretches of rain in recent history.

All of this humidity has caused the following:
  • The front door has swelled and has to be leaned/pushed against in order to open and close.  Other doors in our house will not even close.
  • The metal salt shaker rusted so I put some salt in a ceramic shaker.  The holes kept getting clogged so a friend gave me a plastic salt shaker with bigger holes.  It has to be tapped against the table frequently for the salt to come out.
  • I cannot take David out to play or for a walk.
  • Even though there is lots of water outside, the water on our street was out for four hours yesterday morning.


While these minor inconveniences are temporary, I cannot dismiss the gravity of the rain that has devastated neighboring countries. 

I have been told that the dry season is just that – not a drop of rain for months.  In a few months, I am sure that I will be missing some of this humidity.  The grass is always greener on the other side.  J

Thursday, October 13, 2011

FAQ: What is our address?

Several of our family and friends have asked for our address in order to mail us letters and care packages. Please know that it is not my intention to avoid this inquiry because we love to receive mail. It’s just that we don’t have a traditional mailing address; we don’t even have a mailbox! How can that be, you ask? Mailing bills, letters, cards, and such is not done the way we do it in the United States. While it may seem frustrating not to have an address, the good thing is that we don’t get any junk mail!

If you would like to send us a letter or card, please write to:


Enrique Govea, SJO 20066
APDO 424-1260
Plaza Colonial, Escazú, Costa Rica


If you would like to send any kind of package to us, please e-mail me and I’ll give you the address.

We would love to hear from you!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

FAQ: How's David?

David with his good friend, Matía,
on Independence Day.

My friend, Kristen, reminded me recently that any big change takes about six months to get adjusted to which I have to continually remind myself of so that I can better understand David.

David gets sick with a fever pretty regularly, enough so that my friend, Joanie, said that every time we talk on the phone, it seems like David's sick.  My friend, Ashley, who has been here four months longer than us, said that her two little boys were sick like that the first two months too.  We all think that David's just getting used to a different environment and may pick up things from kids at school too.
David had a week off from school so on the first Monday back, his teacher painted the kids' faces.  David is a tiger.
Speaking of school, he goes everyday from 8 to noon.  Most days have been very hard dropping him off because he screams, cries, or takes off in the other direction.  I know that he's fine after about five minutes or so, but it's hard to leave him in that condition.  I don't know if he genuinely doesn't like something about school or just that he'd rather be at home with us.  For the past seven school days, however, he has walked to school merrily by my side and kissed me goodbye at the school gate which is a relief!

On Children's Day, David didn't have to wear a uniform and was allowed to wear regular clothes to school.  He's either eating cheese puffs or candy from the school party.

David has swimming lessons at school on Mondays, but he doesn't like them because the instructor holds him.  Of course he needs to be held in the water, but David doesn't like to be held by anyone but Mommy and Daddy.  When we walk to school in the morning, he asks me to tell the teachers not to hold him.  I tell him that they only try to hold him when he's upset so he should try not to cry.  Sometimes when I pick him up at noon, he tells me that for whatever reason he "cried like a baby" (his words, not mine).

For Independence Day, all the children dressed as farmers and carried  little lights inside their oxcarts (it's a tradition).

Also, if anyone besides Enrique and me tells him to share or not to do something, he cries and runs to me.  He cannot seem to take any type of correcting from anyone else.
Other new characteristics about David since we've moved here:

  • He doesn't want his picture taken (or mine or Enrique's).
  • He doesn't like attention.
  • He's afraid of more than four people gathered together.
  • He's scared to walk by houses with dogs (they're inside the gates, but sometimes they bark loudly).
  • He doesn't want to say hello or goodbye to friends or acquaintances which includes not wanting to talk to family and friends on the phone or via Skype.
  • He doesn't like the slide at the playground.
  • It's very difficult for him to share.  He thinks that his friends who are visiting are going to take David's things home with them.
Of course, we can't chalk all of this up to change.  It could be his age (he'll be three in November) combined with the continual formation of his personality.

But it's not all bad news.  Some fun, new things about David are:
  • He likes to jump off of everything - the couch, stairs, and curbs, for example.
  • He can speak equally as well in Spanish and English.
  • He talks all day long (but only with Mommy and Daddy).
  • He loves to play on the swing.
  • He can sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and the ABCs all by himself.
  • He likes to wear a cape and run around (like his cartoon counterpart, Caillou).
  • He's made new friends and likes to play with Luciano, Matía, Lucas, Zaareth, Nicolás, and baby Daniela.




Monday, October 3, 2011

Volunteer Appreciation Day

Yesterday, we had a great time at Openhouse's first ever Volunteer Appreciation Day.  It took place at a staff member's family ranch about 45 minutes away.  We had a cowboy theme so we played country music, dressed in jeans, plaid shirts, boots, and cowboy hats, and line danced.  We ate hamburgers and hotdogs and played fun games.  There were about 30 people there with their families and we took pictures of each family as a souvenir to remember the special day.
Adrián is one of the production volunteers and
his wife, Viviana, is one of my new friends.
It was nice to have everyone together to show them how much we appreciate them working so hard on Sundays.  Some volunteers are in the background (like the sound and lights guys) while others are greeters, parking lot attendants, and nursery and children's workers.  As a result of their behind the scenes dedication, people who attend the service can "be still and know that [He] is God" (Psalm 46:10).

Waumba Land (nursery) volunteers
Production volunteers



Julio (the pastor), Adrián (production volunteer
and small group leader), and Enrique (small groups director)

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Update on New Small Group

Thank you for praying for the list of people that I posted last Tuesday.  I am excited to tell you that the first meeting went very well.  Edgar and Milena expected five people to show up, but there were actually 10 people! As we went around the room introducing ourselves and then talking throughout the night, it was great to be surrounded by people at different spiritual levels.
There was a woman from another religion who is amazed at her Christian friend's peace (during times of unemployment) and wants that tranquility for herself.  That providential relationship baffled the lawyer seated next to Enrique who couldn't believe that someone can have peace at such a time.  She is a control freak and would love to know how to have that peace as well.
 Someone else shared that six years ago, her baby niece drowned in a pool.  Once they got her to a hospital, she was revived after not having taken a breath for 35 minutes.  What a miracle!  That moment was a pivotal circumstance that really grew her faith.
Since last Tuesday was a night of introductions, tomorrow night will be the first night of the study, "Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith".  We appreciate your continued prayers for the people in this small group as they learn how to grow closer to God in different ways.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Our church is having problems.

What kinds of problems could a brand new church possibly be having?
  • The church bus is leaking oil?  Nope, no church bus here.
  • People are complaining about the youth ministry?  Actually, the real comment is that parents would love for there to BE a youth ministry.  We have a nursery (Waumba Land) and program for elementary school kids (UpStreet) on Sunday during the service, but nothing yet for middle and high schoolers.
  • Parents don't like the nursery?  Well, it's not that they don't like it.  It's just that in Catholic churches, the kids accompany their parents to the service.  In this culture, parents aren't used to dropping their kids off and then going somewhere else.  Oftentimes, a dad, mom, or nanny will stay with the child in the nursery for the first couple of Sundays until their child feels comfortable leaving mommy and daddy (or vice versa).
  • The choir needs new robes?  Not quite.  We don’t have a choir or anything remotely close to one. 
  • We don’t have enough hymnals?  Since the majority of the people that we aim to reach either come from a Catholic or non-church background, singing songs in a corporate setting is quite odd.  Even though the words to the songs are on a screen behind the worship band, most folks just sit in their seats and observe.

So, what kinds of problems am I talking about?  The good ones!  The ones that indicate growth and life change! 

  • The auditorium of the office building where we meet seats 220.  On September 11, we had about 240 attend which means that several people had to stand the whole time.  Should we start offering two services on the Sundays that we meet or look for a larger auditorium?
  • Lots of people have never been part of a small group and crave the type of community that it offers.  There are more people wanting small groups than there are available leaders!The small groups that are up and running want more and more material.  When Enrique meets with the leaders, they are always begging for more studies.  Enrique is wearing a lot of hats lately, but really wants to dedicate time to translating, and ultimately writing original, material for small groups.
  • In order to meet in a larger auditorium or rent the current one for more time on Sundays, provide crafts and Goldfish crackers for the preschoolers, T-shirts and snacks for the volunteers, and print bulletins and invitations, we need more percentage givers.  In addition to the founding members of our church, Openhouse Project, we need committed family and friends to give to this new mission.  If you are interested in learning more, please go to http://newcostaricachurch.org/give/vmember/.  
  • People are putting their faith in Jesus for the first time and they want to tell the world by being baptized!  Since we don't meet in a traditional church, we don't have a baptistry and must think about what to do.  We could go to a lake, meet in another Christian church one day and have baptisms there, or rent a baptistry for the day.

Yes, these are good problems to have!   


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

A new small group starts tomorrow!

At North Point, groups are either married or single, and closed once they form.  While our desire is for small groups here to emulate small groups at North Point, we’re not at that point yet.  These groups form by friends asking friends to get together.  A group could consist of two couples, a single man, and two single women, for example.  The group may have been meeting for two months and then someone else joins.
Edgar and Milena are a couple who are excited about starting a new group tomorrow.  They have invited several friends and acquaintances to form a group with them.  I am writing to you to ask you to pray that many people will go to the first meeting at their home tomorrow.  There may not be room for all of the following people in one group, but it’d be great to see so much interest and have to find more leaders to lead.   Please ask God to soften the hearts of the following people and to fill them with a desire to know Him more intimately and to be in community with other people regardless of where they are spiritually:
  •  Ana Lilia
  • Federico
  • Fiorella
  • Gerardo
  • Grace
  • Irene
  • Jaime
  • Lucia
  • Maritza
  • Nela
  • Norma
  • Veronica
  • Sergio
I'm glad that I can write to you to ask you to pray for people on their journey of growing closer to God.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

San José and Atlanta - a comparison

What's Different
  • The weather.  It's basically the same everyday - highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s with rain in the afternoon.
  • The language.  Even though Spanish is Enrique's first language and I am bilingual, Costa Rican Spanish is different than what we learned so sometimes we don't know what people are talking about.  For example, for croissant, we use the French word or crescent roll.  Mexican Spanish says "cuernitos" (little horns), but here they say "cangrejos" (lobsters). 
  • Security.  There are security guards everywhere - at the bank, in the KFC parking lot, at the entrance to our street.
  • Holidays.  August 15th was Mother's Day and Labor Day was on May 1st.  This Friday, September 9 is Día del Niño (Children's Day).  The schools have big parties and parents give their children presents.  September 15 is Independence Day so there'll be more partying then too.
  • Cost of living.  While many Americans choose to retire in Costa Rica, it is expensive to live here when compared to other Latin American countries.  Coffee, produce, and the water bill are cheap, for example, but most everything else is imported so packaged food, clothing, and furniture are expensive.
  • Religion.  The official religion of Costa Rica is Roman Catholicism.  "Every village, no matter how small it is,  has a church facing east, on the west side of the central plaza, and its own saint’s day, which is usually celebrated with secular fervor. Every home, taxi, office and bus has its token religious icons. The Catholic marriage ceremony is the only church marriage with state recognition, and so, Catholicism is the official state religion as mandated by the Constitution of 1949." (http://www.infocostarica.com/culture/religion.html)
What's Similar
  • The language.  Our "target audience" is highly educated and, therefore bilingual, since many of them graduated from colleges in the US or Europe.  When I can't remember how to say "yucky", "monkey wrench", or "entertainment center", I can say it in English.  Our church even shows one of Andy Stanley's sermons in English every Monday night at a theater.
  • The restaurants.  Costa Rica has lots of their own restaurants, but there are plenty of American restaurants that you can go to to get your fix.  Within a half mile of our home are Wendy's, Taco Bell, Quizno's, Applebee's, Pizza Hut, and McDonald's (We live off of a main avenue.).  There's also Tony Roma's, Outback Steakhouse (my favorite!), and others nearby.
  • Technology.  Many places have wi-fi and everyone has a cell phone.
  • Skin color.  My grandmother recently asked me what Costa Ricans looked like, if they all have dark skin.  There are people of all colors here and it's hard to know who is American and who is Costa Rican.  Not that there are that many Americans here, but many Costa Ricans could easily pass for Americans.  I am tempted to speak to them in English, and then I hear them speak and am surprised that they are Hispanic.  Costa Ricans can have blond hair and blue or hazel eyes, red hair, fair skin, be tall or short, thin, very athletic cycling or running down the street, wear shorts and T-shirts and tennis shoes, or be darker skinned and look African American.
  • The human condition.  "The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us.  And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him.  For there is no difference between us [Jews] and them [non-Jews] in this.  Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us.  Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself.  A pure gift.  He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be.  And he did it by means of Jesus Christ."  -Romans 3:21-24

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Monday, August 22, 2011

Our First Service

Yesterday was the church's second official service, but me and Enrique's first.  He went to the service and I volunteered in the nursery (Waumba Land).  The church and the children's area are actually in two separate buildings so the parents have to drop off their kids and then drive to the church.  When I told Enrique that that seemed odd, he reminded me that North Point is so big that it's practically the same distance between some of the environments and the sanctuaries!

The building that we meet in is a strip plaza in the shape of a train with stores for kids; it's great!  Inside, kids play and have fun until everyone arrives (To get an idea, please visit www.smilesandgames.com and click on "Entretenimiento Activo" on the right). We had 23 children ages newborn to 5 years old and eight volunteers (including me and Ashley and her mother and mother-in-law who are visiting).  The Bible story was about Jonah and the whale and that we need to obey God because He knows what is best for us.

Two of the volunteers are teenagers who speak English perfectly because they grew up going to English schools.  I asked one of them an innocent question, "When did you become a Christian?" and she said, "I'm not".  I was surprised and asked for more details.  She said that she's Catholic because she was baptized, had her first communion, and her confirmation.  A close friend of hers invited her to Openhouse (http://www.openhouse.cr/).  She loved it so much that she decided to volunteer with the kids.  She said that in her Catholic church, the Bible and God's truths are not explained in a way that is easy to understand; there are rules and rituals, but not a relationship.  Please pray for her as she continues to hear Biblical truths and apply them in her life.

When the parents came to pick up the children afterward, I was surprised at how many couples were either mixed like us - American and Latino - or bilingual for one reason or another.  I was overcome with joy to play a small part in the spiritual formation of these children and the volunteers because they represent families who, for the majority, are seekers who are going to a church for the first time where they "get it".

Friday, August 19, 2011

Prayer requests for this Sunday, the church's second service

Today marks a week that we have been in Costa Rica.  We have enjoyed it thoroughly and are grateful for the privilege of being down here.

Enrique and I attended our first staff meeting yesterday and were grateful to observe how each person has unique talents, interests, and abilities that are assets when used together as a team.  They were discussing issues that I had not even thought of which means that they are the right people for their particular positions.  Please allow me to introduce you to (some of) the team (that was present yesterday) and samples of some of their comments/concerns:


  • Michelle - Host Team Director (in charge of parking lot volunteers and greeters) - What is the minimum age for a volunteer to work in the parking lot?  (There was a teenager there and concern was raised over liability.) In the event of a tremor, how do we calmly and securely evacuate the building?  Is there money in the budget to purchase 10 umbrellas for the volunteers who are outside (since it rains everyday)?
  • Chris - Communications - How can we record Sunday's service so that the nursery volunteers can either watch or listen to it later so that they can be spiritually fed as well (since we only have one service/every two Sundays)?  Is it a possibility to have a screen outside so that the parking lot volunteers can watch/hear the sermon?
  • Tizi - UpStreet (elementary school-aged children) Director and everything else! - We need to provide snacks and bottled water for the volunteers.
  • Ashley - Waumba Land (nursery) Director - We need to have labels to put on the children's backs to identify them, but they need to be stickier.  The ones we used two weeks ago kept coming off.  We need music that coincides with the monthly truth that we are teaching the children.  I need more volunteers!
  • Julio - Pastor - He began teaching a Starting Point class (10-week Bible study for seekers, returners, and new believers) this week and has gained a new perspective on how seekers view God adn religion.  As a result, he reminded us that we must keep the focus on our visitors by creating a warm, attractive, relevant environment where people feel welcome and want to hear more about how to have a deeper relationship with God and start living the abundant life that He offers all of us.
  • Enrique - Small Groups (Bible study) Director and I.T. guy - We are going to start leading our first married small group next week.  Enrique has been busy helping out with the design of promotional materials and fielding any questions that the other small group leaders have.
  • Me - I do not have a defined role yet besides supporting Enrique in what he does and taking care of David.  I'm just learning the ropes so I'll help in any way I can.  This Sunday, I will be a nursery volunteer.


I asked these and other staff members for prayer requests and they listed the following two:

  • That God will guide us in every decision that we make concerning Openhouse (that's the name of the church).
  • May God use all of the children's volunteers to transform their little hearts.
Thank you for lifting up our staff and their concerns.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

First Service

We dropped David off at school today for the first time and hope that he does well.  It is about 250 meters away (that's how people measure distance here) and he'll go from 8a-noon.  He'll even be able to take weekly swimming lessons!

Now that David's in school, we can get started with some of the behind-the-scenes work which includes getting the bulletins and promotional pieces (including video) ready for September.  We'll be showing the "Destinations/Boulevard of Broken Dreams" series that North Point did a few years ago.

Since we were not here for the church's official launch on August 7, I'm going to share with you an update that our friends sent out on August 16:

Last week was the launch of our church, Openhouse Project, and it was a great success!  We are so humbled by and grateful for your friendship and support.  Here are some of the highlights:
  • 250 adults in attendance
  • 50 children attended our kids program
  • The service was executed very well.
  • Our volunteers served at the highest level of excellence.
  • Our guests had a great first impression.
  • Thanks to your help, we were able to cover all of our expenses related to the launch!
Most importantly, we are starting to see some stories of life-change that remind us of the bottom line and the "why" behind what we are doing:
  • A volunteer sent me an e-mail saying:  "Our family's story has a 'before and after' effect since we started coming to Openhouse.  We are serving and growing together as a family and we are so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this."
  • A young couple sent me a note saying:  "Thanks to our new church, we have for the first time understood that we don't have to carry guilt because we are loved, accepted and forgiven by our Heavenly Father."
  • A father of three met with me this week.  He came to the meeting with his children.  Each one of them had a envelope with a donation for our children's ministry.  He said to me:  "I am trying to teach my sons the biblical value of giving to God's work."
Real stories.  Real life-change.  God is bringing restoration to this community.  Our church is simply partnering with God to help as a bridge.  And YOU are a key element in that partnership.

Friday, August 12, 2011

We made it!

We woke up at 3am this morning to finish packing and weighed and reweighed our luggage in order to not go over the 50 pound limit for each piece.  Towards the end of packing, we realized that we couldn't take everything that we wanted so we had to make some hard decisions as to what to take and what to bring later.  At the airport, each suitcase weighed around 49 pounds or so. 
The flight was on time and went well.  We all slept a little on the plane and David also occupied himself with a care package full of activities that my sister-in-law, Kathleen, made.  As we were landing, we saw lots of beautiful, green mountains.
Our friends, Julio and Ashley, and one of their sons, Lucas, met us at the airport and took us home.  We don't know why, but the traffic was pretty bad.  The way people drive here is very aggressive and I don't see myself getting behind the wheel anytime soon! 
Julio and Ashley treated us to Wendy's which happens to be within walking distance from our home.  We unpacked our stuff from their car and a taxi van and had lunch at home.  I was simply amazed with our new home; it's the most beautiful home that we've ever had.  There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms; one even has a jacuzzi tub which is very rare in other countries.  The kitchen has a brand new refrigerator, electric stove, and pretty cabinets with contemporary handles.  We have a washer and dryer too.
The "wow factor" is when you walk in the front door into the living room and see an open area with greenery behind a sliding glass door.  It lets in a lot of natural light.  I'll send a picture later so that you can see what I mean.
The windows have curtains and there is plenty of closet space in each room.  We have a garage that has a tile floor, as does the rest of the house, so David can go out there and play by himself.  There is no air conditioning so we leave the windows and front door open to cool off.  Even though the front door is open, the garage door is closed and so is the gate door entrance so David cannot get into the street and no one can come inside without us letting them.
We are the first house in the neighborhood (Residencia Julieta) after the security guard so we feel very safe.  The neighborhood has a playground that we can see from the kitchen window; I know that we'll be going there often.  At the security guard's post is where you take your recyclables - yea!  I'm glad that Costa Rica is so "green" and I can walk a few yards to drop off glass, aluminum cans, cardboard, mixed paper, and plastic. 
Today, we took a small walk and discovered that there are many businesses closeby - a pharmacy, a locksmith, a pizzeria, a tire repair guy, a fruit stand, a convenience store, and a deli shop.  That was just when we turned left at the stop sign.  Later, we're going to turn right and see what there is.
The security guard's name is Eliazar and the deli shop owner's name is Elsa.  We hope to meet all of our neighbors, residential and business owners, in order to form relationships so that we may invite them to our church.  If you would start praying for God to open Eliazar's and Elsa's hearts, that would be great!
When we went to the deli shop, Elsa's daughter was watching "Martha Speaks"...in Spanish!  When we went home, I turned on the TV and found Discovery Kids with all of David's favorite shows in Spanish - "Super Why", "Curious George", "The Cat in the Hat Knows a lot About That", etc.  My eyes started to mist and David asked if I was sad.  I told him that I am very happy that he can watch his shows because it makes the adjustment for him a little easier.  He unpacked his toy box and is having fun playing with toys that he hasn't seen in over a month.
Our first day here has been very nice for which we are thankful.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Final Steps

We leave on August 12 and are continuing to prepare ourselves for the journey. Last week, we got some necessary paperwork processed in order to live in Costa Rica. We also continue to go through boxes and boxes of stuff because we are not taking much with us. Even though it is sometimes hard to let go of material wealth, it feels liberating to purge and remember that all of the things that we accumulate do not matter and we cannot take it with us anyway when we die. My father's pastor brought home that point in last week's sermon about the rich young ruler described in Luke 18:18-30. As we are about to leave our families, friends, and “stuff” behind, the last two verses of that passage are comforting to me, “'Truly I tell you,' Jesus said to them, 'no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.'”

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Going Away Party

We enjoyed fellowshipping with family and friends on July 23 at our Govea Sendoff at our church. There were about 65 people there from all over – Alpharetta, Cumming, Canton, Flowery Branch, Lawrenceville, Dahlonega, Douglasville, Lithia Springs, Villa Rica, Roswell, Norcross, even Tennessee! We enjoyed cake, danced merengüe, explained how to become a virtual member, and had several people pray over us as we embark on our journey. Julian, of GlobalX (our church's missions department), and his family have served as missionaries in Mexico and reiterated that we must be on guard because our marriage will be attacked by the enemy while we are serving the Lord. He also prayed for unity amongst our team in Costa Rica and for the people that we are going to reach.

At the party, two families committed to being virtual members which means that they pledge to donate $250/month for two years. The more people stateside who can make that sacrifice, the more attractive events our church can offer to the community. We know that it is a big commitment, especially in this economy, but God will honor these families' trust in and obedience to Him in amazing ways!  We have also been blessed by several friends kindly giving us one-time donations for which we are very grateful.  God takes these offerings and multiplies them in ways that only He can.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Welcome to our Blog

Thank you for reading our blog.  Most of us have Facebook, e-mail, and other ways to keep in touch so why do we need a blog?  Its purpose is to not necessarily to track the Goveas' everyday life, but what is happening with them as a missionary family.  We also want to use this blog as a place to post praises and prayer requests.  We appreciate you lifting us up to the Father in prayer while we work to make more people aware of God's saving grace and abundant life that He has for us. 

Enrique and I met when I was on the mission field in Mexico in 1999.  Being missions-minded is part of our DNA and for the past couple of years, we have had a desire to go on the mission field together.  That dream has now become a reality as we seize the opportunity to share Christ’s love in Central America.

We have responded to God’s call in…Costa Rica!  Enrique will supervise small groups (Bible studies in homes) by training and encouraging leaders and will also translate and develop original lesson plans for the children’s programming at a new church.  He has actually already gone to Costa Rica three times this year to meet and encourage the existing leaders.

We are excited to serve God in this capacity and look forward to our adventure in this beautiful paradise.  Enrique spends his days corresponding with church leaders and volunteers and translating while I play with David and try to donate, recycle, sell, and pack our stuff.  We are moving at the beginning of August and plan to spend our last days in Georgia visiting with family and friends that we don’t see as often as we like.

Preceding us on this journey are our friends, Julio and Ashley Gonzalez, who moved down there with their two little boys in April.  Julio serves as the church’s pastor.  Due to the fact that Costa Ricans are highly educated and many are bilingual, Bible studies are offered in both Spanish and English!

We are partnering with our church here, North Point Community Church, to start a church for people who don’t necessarily have a problem with God, but with religion.  We want to take people back to the root of why Jesus came and how much God wants to connect with us.