This email was sent in early December, I apologize for only posting it now. If you want to get more timely updates send me an email at angelagracehobby@gmail.com and I will add you to my email list.

Don't worry. I'm fine! My new house does not have internet and we are not within walking distance of an internet café, so updates will be very few this month. I really like this new family. They are very funny and fun to be with, but it's difficult to find alone time as I am now rooming with a 15 year old. Our room is pretty small, barely enough room to pull out my trundle bed. Gretel and Freddy are the parents. They are very sweet people. They have an 18 year old son, Steven, a 15 year old daughter, Stefany, and a 12 year old son Freddy. Both Freddys are very entertaining and keep the family laughing constantly.

I am afraid that the first part of this email is not happy. If you are not in the mood for sad news I suggest you skip down a few paragraphs until you see the words "I am very excited..." After that it's happy news.

After a few days of living with Gretel, Freddy, and family I had met several other family members-- including grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. Last Saturday we were planning on visiting a place called Cartago. As we drove along laughing and joking Steven's phone began to ring, not out of the ordinary. However, he did not talk long and quickly passed the phone along to his Dad. I didn't understand much (only "Ay, Dios, No" -- "Oh, God, no") but I could tell by the tone of his voice and the change in car atmosphere that something terrible was happening. The mood in the car quickly changed from lighthearted and full of laughter to somber and silent.

We pulled off the highway and began traveling in the direction we had just come from. All Stefany was able to tell me in her limited English vocabulary was "Cousin with accident." I immediately started praying, for the family but also for our safety as the normally dangerous streets turned even more dangerous in Freddy's agitated state.

A few minutes later we arrived, not at a clinic like I thought it would be, but to a small, extremely congested street, full of cars and full of people. Gretel jumped out before the car even stopped, Steven, Freddy, and Fredito (little Freddy) quickly followed. Stefany and I stayed with the truck but were soon joined by a woman and her child. The child only a year and the mother weeping uncontrollably. Stefany was handed the baby, but I could tell she wanted to console the woman so I took the baby and held her.

A couple minutes later the woman and the baby left. And we learned that the cousin had died. Gretel grabbed my hand and we started walking in the direction of her mother's house. Freddy picked us up in the truck on the way and we drove quickly to a house. We walked up a flight of stairs to a room. The same woman and child were there. I then realized that this was the wife and child of Gretel's now deceased cousin and his mother was there as well. We were there to deliver the horrible news.

I held the baby again. As I held her I realized that I had held her as her father died. At that point I couldn't hold back my tears. It was really difficult to be apart of these moments as an outsider, so life changing for the family-- for this little girl I was holding-- and here I am in the middle of it. I learned that he was 32 with 3 children. He was electrocuted while fixing a microwave oven.

Everything eventually calmed down and we returned "home." The funeral was the next day. It was hard to be at the graveside for two reasons. 1. His mom came up and held my arm as she watched people say their last goodbyes to her son. 2. We all watched as the tomb was slowly sealed brick by brick. An end to a long two days.

Okay, enough sadness now. The family is doing much better and has returned to it's happy self, with moments of grief, but laughter again.

I am very excited about both my trip to Nicaragua in January (a few days with a North American family, yay!!!) and working at Roblealto. This is a foundation that works with the poor in San José. It is a free day care on the outside, but so much more then that. They work with the families to get them the help they need to be able to sustain themselves. They work with Christian therapists, financial advisers, and social workers.

They also have a shelter for children who should not be living with their parents (due to extreme poverty, drugs, alcoholism, or prostitution). They remove the children from the homes and work with the family to create stability before the state takes the child away for good. 95% of the time the family is redeemed and are able to stand on their own. It's a very well known foundation here and they are doing awesome things in a very Christ centered way. I cannot wait to start working with them, but I must since they are closed during the holiday season.

It's quite amazing what they do there. I will start in January after my trip. Until then I will continue to teach and build relationships with the people I am with. I am glad that God is working here, and I am glad that he has everything under his amazing control.

Blessings to you this advent season!