She’s here! After 38 weeks of waiting, God has placed the Precious Blessing in our arms. Thank you all for your prayers. It was a long labor. We checked into the hospital on Friday the 16th and she was born Saturday the 17th. It was a total of 26 hours of labor.  We thank the Lord that we were able to have a natural birth and that Eliana was born healthy.

Birth Facts:

 July 17th, 2010

At 6:36 pm

6lbs 3oz

19 inches

Just seven days after she was born, we took her to have blood work done (it’s a requirement here in Costa Rica) and they stuck her in the bottom of her foot! Both Eliana and Mommy cried!  She is eating very well and at her two-week checkup she had  gained several ounces and grown an inch!

Click here for the Newsletter with Pictures

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS!

Eliana is helping us to build these relationships that we mentioned! She opens doors for us into the lives of our neighbors. We were able to have Walter and his wife Carla along with their 5 month old baby over to our house for cafecito. The conversation was mostly about babies, but we did have several opportunities to share about the gospel and Daniel opened God’s Word and shared some passages with them. Please continue to pray for this couple. Walter did not seem very interested, but he wasn’t “closed” either. Carla was very “open” and receptive.

Also please continue to pray for Don Guillermo. Our relationship with this family has deepened greatly. For some reason, they really seem to love us and want to help us in any way they can. They have given gifts to Eliana, had us over for cafecito, and sent a meal over after she was born. In this situation also, please pray that they will be open and receptive as we share the gospel with them.

OUR CURRENT MINISTRY…

Daniel and I continue to work in the youth ministry at our church. The pastor has asked Daniel and I to be youth leaders. It is a great privilege and blessing to be learning so much about ministry. Daniel prepares at least one sermon or message each week.

As for our studies, we have finished the textbook and the trimester ends on August 13th. Next trimester we will both take advanced courses. We will have two weeks of break in between trimesters in which my parents are coming to visit and see Eliana!

LEARNING CULTURE!

As of right now, our Precious Baby Girl is only Costa Rican! We have begun the very long and detailed process to get her American passport. Our neighbor Guillermo offered to go with us to show us where the building was downtown. We are so thankful for his help, because we might still be waiting in some strange line if it hadn’t been for him! I can hardly begin to explain it all, but first we would have had to wait in a very long line just to get in the building. Guillermo took us to the security guard and showed him that we had Eliana with us and the guard told us to go to the head of the line. We ended up waiting in two wrong lines and asking four official-looking people before we finally figured out where to go and what to do. We had to submit a letter explaining why we need to get her Costa Rican birth certificate and why it needs to be “rushed.” We then had to go stand in a line and wait to buy little stamps for each original copy that we need and little stamps to get it authenticated. I still don’t understand the logical reason for the little stamps. I guess it’s just a cultural thing. If they accept the application to “rush” the process, we will go back in 10 days to continue the process to get her Costa Rican birth certificate. Then we will have to take it to the American Embassy to apply for her passport.  We are enjoying learning about this unique aspect of life here.

How You Can Pray For Us:

ü Eliana’s passport process (we can’t leave the country without it!!!)

ü Needing more sleep!!!

ü my emotions after birth

ü neighbor Guillermo & family

ü Walter & Carla

                 Praises:

ü Eliana’s birth & health

ü language studies going very well

ü the Lord’s constant provision for us