Celebration of life on my 24th Birthday

Over the past twenty four years I have had many hard experiences. More than most people will ever know. But it is these experiences that make me who I am today.

                Coming to Puerto Limon has been an adventure to say the least. After everything that has happened in the past five months it was very nice and reassuring to see so many people come out and support me on my birthday. God really showed his face at my surprise birthday party.

                At 12:00am on Sunday Morgan gave me a decoy birthday card, with saying “I wish I could have gotten you something” the whole time planning this surprise for me. I woke up Sunday morning to Sam and Leo singing me happy birthday for which I repaid them with making bacon and eggs that were very tasty. I then went to church at Buenos Aires, where I sat in for Mrs. Vivian at the piano, who has been ill for the past two months. Upon first arriving the congregation sang me happy birthday and presented me with a gift.

                The sermon was the story of the Eager Heart which I will tell for you here:

                                In a small kingdom of about 10, 000 people or so, a 15 year old girl Arial who had recently became an orphan at the beginning of December. She was not sure how she was going to survive after what her parents had left her was gone. But while still living in the house of her parents she heard that the king was going to ask to lodge in someone’s home for Christmas Eve. To whom ever let him enter would be bestowed a gift of great value. Arial saw this as an opportunity to secure her future so she immediately started cleaning up and setting the house for the king. On Christmas Eve Areal was ready to prepare a feast if the King was to come to her door. All of the sudden there was a knock at the door and Arial’s heart leapt for joy. When she opened the door she was disappointed to find a beggar and his daughter. But after noticing the little girl was very cold and the beggar’s cloak had many holes she decided that these two strangers were in a greater need than the king. So she set her own dreams and aspirations aside to care for the ones who had only each other. She led them in and wrapped them in blankets and set them by the fire. After making sure that they were warm, Arial started to prepare a feast fit for a king. She held nothing back. Arial wanted to make sure that these strangers felt at home, at least for one night. So the three lowly and humble people shared a great meal and many stories before dozing off by the fire. The next day she heard a knock on the door. When she opened the door she was not disappointed, but confused. There were hundreds of people packing the little street in front of the one bedroom home. They said “The King is here!.” Arial fervently started to look into the crowd searching for the king, when she noticed all the people staring at her. She said “here?” and looked inside at the beggar who had taken his cloak off to reveal that he was the king. Areal wept as the king thanked her for her hospitality and helped her into the carriage that would take them to the castle.

 

After this story I was glad to be celebrating a 24^th year, and hope that along my journey I can share with friends and family these kinds of experiences for many more years to come.

After church Ninfa and Fernando fixed me lunch and then Fernando and I shared a taxi to my house. We then had a great guitar lesson using a classical guitar book I brought back from the states. It turned out very well. Then Sam and I came to MaribueCaribe to use the internet. After leaving from here was when the real fun began.

                At 7:00pm we were ready to go get Morgan from work and go out to dinner for my birthday. Upon arriving to get Morgan, Sam told me that he dropped Morgan off about twenty minutes late so she might have to work twenty minutes over. After Morgan finally came to the car we talked about the choice of the restaurant we left to go to El Fagoun which was in Moin (a fifteen minute drive from our house.) After getting there Sam realized that he maybe did not remember where it was. So he realized that he did not have his wallet with him so he would have to go back to the house and get a credit card. So upon our return he said that I needed to come see what the cat had gotten into. So I ran upstairs and “SURPRISE!!!!”

                There were about twenty people altogether at the party and we shared in great food, great fellowship and great music. You should check out Morgan’s blog….she has got some pictures posted from the party. http://antiochprojectcostarica.blogspot.com/ also some pictures of our house in the season.

                I really Thank God for the opportunity to come and make new friends here in Limon. It just so happens I get to teach music too. Praise God from whom all Blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly host. PRAISE Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, AMEN.