10th Anniversery coming to Costa Rica!

 Rebeca is a dedicated mother who wants to have her daughter take English class, but didn’t have the money. She was thrilled when we offered an exchange. She helps clean the school and her six year old daughter gets to come to class. All of us are happy for the trade! God continues to use the school to reach out.

Mom's brakes needed replacing so Cornelio was able to do that. We are really a good team helping each other where ever we can.

Ten years ago on March 25th Mom and I took our first missions trip to Costa Rica. We fell in love with the people, community and the culture. We praise God for the opportunity to live, serve, teach and encourage others in Costa Rica. 

Where is Mom? She is under the towels making a fort with the kids and eating  snacks out of the sun and pretending it is raining outside. A great way to learn Spanish is by just playing with the kids. 

Mekhi is 5 months old and weighs 20 pounds. He is such a delight. Many have come to visit him and we use that as a time to ask how they are doing and how we can pray for them. We try to use every day events to share God's  love and encourage others.

Happy EASTER!!!

We are alive in Him. Happy Easter!

     Every country celebrates in a different way. We live in a community that is mostly Catholic and they have so many traditions and rituals. Many of my friends are Catholic and we talk about growing a personal relationship with him. It is not the things we do or the rituals we perform that draw us close to Jesus. It is how we let him into hour heart to lead and guide us.

     When we are asked how Christians celebrate Easter it is a good opportunity to skip the what we like to eat and the way things might be in the states and focus on the Jesus and it is through his death and resurrection that we are forgiven and free today. He is alive and lives with in each person who excepts him as Lord and Savior. His love, mercy and grace is available to us daily. This is a great spring board for deep conversation as we let God open hearts to hear the good news.

Marvelous March!

Greetings from Costa Rica,

This month we are trying to choose carefully what we focus on and devote time to just those things. This intentional focus has streamlined our life and given us the ability to complete many tasks.

Our schools goal is to teach English and promote education so when  Kevin came to Cornelio and said he wanted to take English classes but could not pay for them Cornelio said he could do some work for him in trade for classes. Kevin is so grateful for the opportunity to be able to work in trade for English classes.  This teaches work ethic as well as being able to open doors of opportunity for the future.

                Over the past few years there have been several youth, who know some English, that mom has been keeping track of and encouraging through FB. When they have a test or concern they ask her to pray for them. One of these youth went away to college, made several poor choices and felt she would be harshly judged so she did not want to return to church. She felt she let her family, herself and God down. When mom returned from the states she invited this young girl to go on a walk. They talked about God’s love and the reason Jesus died for us and it was his sacrifice that make us able to enter the thrown of grace. We are all royalty. God desires to receive our hearts and praises to Him. No sin is too big for God to forgive. They talked, walked and prayed. This girl, repented of her sins, choose to not return to them and to ask God to forgive her. God’s peace filled her heart and she accepted God’s forgiveness and was able to forgive her self also. The true repentance and the decision to not return to the sinful choices gave such a wonderful peace and freedom.

Walking back home they made up a cheer with hand motions and joyful shouts.

“I am a daughter of the Most High King! Oh Ya…..  I am a daughter of the Most High King … Oh Ya! I am forgiven, I am redeemed and I am free. Oh Ya….” They kept this cheer up while walking and declaring this new freedom.

I have returned back to part time work teaching at the school. We are so overjoyed to be parents. Mekhi is now 4 months and 15 pounds. He just got his first hair cut to even out his bald patches and 

he has been drooling so teeth will be coming in soon. Everything is fun and new for us all!

Just being available God uses everyday situations to help and encourage the people in our life. We appreciate your continued prayer support and encouragement.

God Bless You,

Cornelio, Cailene, Mekhi and Bonnie

Samantha Came

Winter break (our summer brake) is over and school is back in session at the new location.  We have lots of eager students and we are all adjusting to the new routine of classes. Cornelio and I are each teaching one day a week at the university and taking turns watching baby Mekhi. Being a parent is a new level of love and joy. We praise God for each day we have with our baby boy!

Mom is back in Costa Rica helping with a few classes and reconnecting with the neighbor kids. She and  Meridith are making jello for an upcoming birthday party.

 This is Samantha Courtney. She is from Stehekin, WA and a friend since childhood.  I lived with her family my 8th grade year and we have been sisters ever since.  She is staying with Cornelio and I for the next 3 months volunteering at the school helping get all the administration information on the computer and helping us set up new technology for our school.  She is also a very talented masseuse and artist. She is a bubble of energy to be around and we are so please to have her with us for a few months!

Samantha is updating all our information and we have a new email address so we can stay connected with friends and family better.  Our e-mail is selahschool09@gmail.com and our Facebook page is Selah School.  

Happy Valentines!

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 This is the month of love and appreciation.

 Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Many people start New Year’s resolutions, but by the time February rolls around it is difficult to continue with them. The majority of people make resolutions regarding personal health which is fantastic, but I wanted to do something different this year. My goal is to use the simple word “because” more often. This will help my relationships with others grow. So instead of saying, for example, “I enjoy spending time with you,” I want to tell people why.  So it might sound more like, “I enjoy spending time with you because I learn from your good example how to be patient in stressful situations.” This practice of saying BECAUSE not only make one think more, but also it deepens one’s relationship with others. So this year it is a goal to say because on a much more regular basis!