Merry Christmas y Feliz Navidad

Merry Christmas to all, I do not have a picture for this blog, but I wanted to write and wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I hope and pray that this Christmas season is a great one for each and every one of you. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. 

We are all doing well. We are celebrating Christmas today with almost all of our family. It is fun and loud, but hey, it is family. The kids are running around having fun, and the adults are trying to think and doing stuff on computers. I think there will be a lot of playing games here in a little bit. I know there will be turkey, ham, and all the fixin's. 

Don't forget to celebrate Jesus today. He is the reason for today. One good way is to sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. We like to read the Christmas story, speaking of which, I need to go. We haven't read it, yet. I need to make sure that it happens.

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año a todo de nuestro amigos que hablan español. Uds. son muy importantes a nuestra vida. Quisieramos que este Navidad es muy feliz y uds. podrían tener mucho tiempo con su familia. Nosotros estamos aquí en los estados unidos con la familia de Charley. Es muy importante estar con su familia durante la Navidad. Gracias a todos por su amistad y su ayuda en nuestra vida.

Feliz Navid y Merry Christmas,

Charley

Graduation

Well, we finally made it. We have graduated from language which basically means we have learned all we are going to learn here in Costa Rica. Now, we go to Paraguay to continue learning Spanish as we try to adjust to a new life in a new country. Please pray for us as we learn how to live in Paraguay.

Please pray for the kids as, once again, they have to adjust to a new school, new church, new friends, new house, new country, new city, new culture, new food, and new life. As parents, Sherry and I always want to protect our children, but there are some things we cannot keep them from. One of those is growing up. Chariti is now 14. She is an awesome young lady. Please pray that she continues to allow God to work through her. Kaylee is almost 13, and she is amazingly talented. Please pray that God helps us mold her talents to be used for him. Chaz is now 10. He is amazingly gifted in "communication" and love for people. Please pray that God helps us shape this "gift of communication" into something that God uses for His glory.

Graduation came and went so fast. We had an exam the day before graduation. So, there wasn't really time to sit back and reflect. Today, we are in the process of packing and cleaning our apartment. I am taking a break while Sherry is still working. Shh! Don't tell her! Anyway, it is a sad and happy process. We are sad to be leaving great friends and teachers here at Cincel. (I would like to give a shout out to the Ghetto Crew here, you know who you are!) Also, we are excited and happy to be heading out on a new adventure with God.

Why would I say adventure? For me, every day is an adventure with God. Some people have more extreme adventures than others. For example, Sherry is crazy. We went to a National Park here in Costa Rica. There were many trails to choose from, but Sherry chose one that was rough! Again, she tried to kill me! It was muddy, slippery, wet, and we had to climb up and down rocks, logs, and through more mud. Several times, I fell or slipped and caught myself on a branch. But you know what, if we wouldn't have gone on that trail, we would not have see the beautiful view of the ocean that we saw.

An adventure with God might not take you to the jungle or language school in Costa Rica, but I guarantee it will take you places you never thought you would go. Maybe God is challenging you to step out of your comfort zone and take on the nursery at your church, children's church, lead a Sunday school class, start a Bible study group, talk to your co-workers about Jesus, or simply make a meal for a hurting family. All of these adventures will change you life. So, if you want to remain the same, don't do them! But if you want a real adventure, step out in faith and start working for God. I promise you one thing, your life will NEVER be boring.

Blessings,

Charley

Living Word Assembly of God Church in Ontario, New York

I can't believe I forgot to post this blog. I wrote it almost a month ago, but I never posted it. So, I added a little more to it, and I am posting it today.

We had this amazing group of people come to Costa Rica for a week or so. They were on a short-term mission's trip. Some of them went to help build a church that needed a building, badly. Several of them stayed here at the school to work on our apartment.

Before they arrived, our apartments was basically all white. It was nice, clean, and comfortable. However, when they left, the apartment completely changes. It is colorful, bright, and warm. It is more like a home that you feel good about inviting people over to see.

This team is an amazing group of people from Ontario, New York. They are from a church that I would love to visit because of the heart, passion, and love the team members showed to our family. This church, Living Word Assembly of God, must be an amazing place to go to church. If they have people like this team in their church, then they have the type of church that I would love to attend. If you are ever in Ontario, New York for vacation or if you live near there, you need to go and check out this amazing group of people.

Thank you, Living Word, for your dedication to the work God has called missionaries to do. Thank you for making our lives a little more comfortable. Most of all, thank you for being so encouraging and kind to the Mattix family. We pray that God continues to bless you all as you continue to serve Him.

Blessings,

Charley

Zanahoria Grande or Big Carrot

The other day, I went to the feria or market here in San Jose. I should have taken my camera. There was this huge table stacked about two feet high with a bunch of these huge carrots. I bought one just to see if it tasted any good. It was just like a regular carrot, but it was huge.

Chaz thought it was awesome. So, I had him pretend to put it into his mouth while I snapped a picture of it. He couldn't stop laughing.

It's amazing what you can find at the feria. There is this fruit that looks really disgusting, but it tastes really good. When you open it, the fruit (that you eat) inside looks like snot. I'm not kidding! If this type of stuff came out of my son's nose, I would put him on an antibiotic. For me, it is hard to get past what it looks like to eat it. Sherry and Chaz love them. I finally gave in to the peer pressure of Sherry, and I tried it. It really tasted good, but I think I will stick to the pineapples and bananas.

Sometimes, there are things that don't appear to appetizing. In other words, we don't really want to do it just because it seems too difficult, or maybe, it doesn't look inviting. There are things in my life that I thought I could never do. I remember thinking about 12 months ago that there is no way I would every be able to speak Spanish. Well, a little over two weeks ago, I preached my first sermon in Spanish. Was it perfect? No, but God helped me do it, and I actually preached in Spanish. It didn't seem possible. It seemed too difficult, and I knew it was going to take a lot of motivation and hard work. With God's help and a whole lot of patience from my teachers, I can honestly say that I can communicate (a little) in Spanish.

So, if there is something difficult, and let's just say it, ugly that you are facing today, have a little chat with God. Ask for his help and jump right in. Who knows? Maybe you will find it is much better than it first appears.

Blessings to all,


Charley

Trust or Stupidity

We took our last little trip with our Costa Rican friends to Arenal. On the way home, we saw this big, bungee-jumping tower. We pulled over on the side of the road, and I snapped a picture of this guy jumping with a bungee cord wrapped around his ankles. At the bottom, there was a pool of water. He went about waist deep into the water and up and down. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't think I could do this. I don't know if this man had placed his trust (not to mention his life) in the hands of the owners of the bungee cord, or if he was acting with stupidity.

Now, I am not using that word to be mean, and I am not trying to put him down at all. To me, I do not know if I could place my life or the lives of my family in the hands of someone else. I am not afraid of heights, but I am terrified of the landing:)

It made me think of our life here on earth. We can act with stupidity and place our lives and souls in the hands of the owner of the bungee cord of lies, deceit, wickedness, worldliness, false idols, discontent, and disunity. You know the enemy I am talking about. He seeks to destroy our lives through many deceitful ways. Sometimes, he comes at us full force, and we know he is seeking to harm us. Other times, he sneaks up on us by using people to speak into our lives things that can harm our spirit. It's kind of like the bungee cords. You never know for sure if they are going to keep you from hitting the ground. Why place your trust in something that ends uncertainly?

Or, we can place our trust in Jesus Christ. We can place our lives and souls in the hands of the owner and creator of the universe. The creator of unity, truth, love, honor, justice, peace, Godliness, and contentment has made it simple for us to make sure we are safe. You don't need to climb the tower, strap on some unsafe bungee cords, and jump off the tower to find excitement in your life. The only true, pure, and everlasting excitement is a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you are not sure, just keep reading our blogs and see what God is doing in our lives. Why not place your trust in Jesus Christ today? Step out in faith and see what He can do in your life and through your life.

Maybe God has asked you to step out in faith and do something you don't think you can do. You cannot do it at all, WITHOUT GOD. Seek God's heart, seek God's face, and let Him work through your life today. Who knows? Maybe you won't need a pool to keep you from hitting the ground because you won't have to jump from a tower to feel excitement.

Blessings to all and Happy Thanksgiving,

Charley

Crazy Faces

Some of you have been wondering what happens to missionaries after almost a year at language school. Well, here is proof that it is not pretty. I think we all feel like this every now and then. If you cannot tell who in the world this is, don't worry, neither can we.

We are almost done, and we will be stepping foot in Paraguay for the first time in less than two months. We are excited and nervous at the same time. We are looking forward to seeing what God is going to do in our lives.

This past year has been tough, and it has stretched us in ways we did not know we could stretch. Sherry and I have actually preached our first sermon in Spanish. It was hard, but it was an awesome experience. It was neat to see our teachers crying. They have done a lot of work in our lives, and they have ministered to us in more ways than just learning Spanish. I will try to get some pictures of all the teachers and post them to our blog.

Thank you to all of you who are praying for us and supporting our ministry. You have made this year a successful one. You are amazing, and we thank God for you every day.

Blessings,

Charley

50th Birthday Party

No, I am not 50 years old, and neither is Sherry. It was the 50th birthday party of our academic director here at CINCEL. His name is Luis Solano. Here in Costa Rica, 50th birthdays are HUGE. There was a big celebration. The teachers catered in food, had a big birthday cake, brought in a string band, and we all joined together to celebrate Luis' birth. It was really a nice time, and he was completely surprised.

There are a couple of traditions that took place. A couple of weeks before, Sherry asked one of our teachers what a traditional gift was for someone turning 50. Here is the tradition. Years ago, a 100 colones bill (the money in Costa Rica) was the color of a roof tile. You can see that color on the edge of the piece of tile painted with a picture of Don Quixote on it. Because of the color of the tile and the 100 colon bill, the bill became known as Teja, which is tile in Spanish. The tradition is that for a 100th birthday someone would paint a tile and give it to you. The gift is called a Teja. For the 50th birthday, it is a tradition to receive a Media Teja, or half tile, painted. So, Sherry had a teacher bring a tile to school, and she broke it in half, painted it, and gave it to Luis for his birthday. He really liked it, and he was pleased that Sherry thought to ask what the tradition was.

One other interesting tradition is the piñata. Now, the reason why I am sharing this is amazing. Many birthdays in Costa Rica include a time for breaking the piñata. Luis, who just turned 50, had never had a piñata for his birthday. So, what do the teachers do? Of course, they buy a piñata, blindfold Luis, and have him hit it until it breaks. It was a lot of fun to watch. He was having a lot of fun, and for the first time in his life, he had his very own piñata.


Remember to take some time, laugh, have fun, and make a memory with your family and friends,

Charley

The Kids Having Fun!

This past week was a fun one for the kids. On Wednesday, October 31, we had a party at the language school for all of the missionary kids. So, all the kids dressed up and had a good time. Kaylee dressed up as a La Liga player. La Liga is the name of a soccer team in Alajuela here in Costa Rica. Chariti dressed up as an Oklahoma Sooners fan (we used 2 rolls of toilet paper for her shoulder pads). Then, Chaz dressed up as an Hawaiian fire dancer.

At CINCEL, we set up a lot of games. Bob & Teresa McKay really worked hard for the kids to have a lot of fun. At each game, they 'won' candy. There was bobbing for apples, go fish, sugar cookie decorating, bite a donut off a string, and coin tossing. Then, all of the older kids had some contests. The final contest was digging for M&M's and Skittles in a plate full of flour. They could only use their mouths. Here are some pictures of what they looked like
after the contest.




I think it looks like they had more flour than they did candy, but they had fun.

Then, on Friday, it was "Crazy Day" at their school. Chaz wanted to have a Mohawk. I don't know what happened to Chariti and Kaylee's hair, but it sure was crazy. Then, they turned their clothes inside-out, miss-matched, and wore different shoes. It was hilarious! I will try to put some more pictures of the kids on our website this week.

Just remember to laugh every now and then,

Charley

Patience and Perseverance

There is a town here in Costa Rica called Sarchi. It pretty much sounds like it is spelled (Sar-chee). It is a neat little town. Here are three pictures of three pretty cool young people. These three missionary kids are depicting a big tradition here in Costa Rica. They are pretending to paint the wheels on a painted cart. Painted carts are a national symbol here in Costa Rica. It looks like it takes a long time to do. I was talking with a gentleman at this place the last time we were there. He is 77 years old, and he has been painting cart since he was 7. He introduced me to his son, grandson, and great-grandson. They were all there painting. He said from start to finish, it takes 7 days to paint one cart. So, you can imagine the work put into each cart. He also told me there is no pattern or stencil made to trace or paint with. It is all done by hand and imagination. What is really neat is that each side is an exact duplication of the other side. I don't know how they do it, but it is really impressive.

I imagine it takes a lot of patience and perseverance. I have been thinking a lot about these two fruits of the Spirit lately. The Spanish language is beautiful, but man is it hard to learn. There are so many words that are close to English, but they are pronounced different. Sometimes, they mean something totally different. It takes a lot of patience (which I am learning) and perseverance. I just keep on keeping on, and eventually, I will be able to speak this language well. That is my goal.

Ministry is another difficult, yet beautiful thing in life. If we call ourselves Christians, then we are also ministers of the Gospel. We represent Jesus Christ wherever we are, at all times, and to a world that desperately needs Jesus Christ. What a responsibility! Sometimes, we get tired, frustrated, or we just don't feel like ministering to people. We don't feel good, and we don't want to show people the true love of Jesus. Well, ministry, just like learning a language, requires patience and perseverance. As we learn to trust in God and to be patient with others and with our self, then we can minister more effectively. Also, if we just keep on keeping on, we can win people to Jesus Christ.

I received an email, yesterday, from a very dear friend here in Costa Rica. His name is Jose Antonio Perez. I have written about him before, but this email really touched my hear and gave me a great deal of encouragement. In the email he writes, in Spanish of course, about our friendship and how much I mean to him. He encourages us by telling us that God is going to give us many blessing in the work we are about to begin in Paraguay. He also told me that I am the friend he never has had here in Costa Rica. Now, I don't know about you, but sometimes I don't feel like I really do that much to deserve such kind words. I do know that this man is like a brother to me. He has helped me, encouraged me, blessed me, taught me, and shown me many things. I would not have had this friend without patience and perseverance. Patience to learn and understand what I know of the Spanish language. Patience in trying to speak it and communicate with Jose Antonio. Perseverance to keep trying even after I fail or mess up with trying to speak. Perseverance in going to their house and visiting even though it takes a long time to get there. Patience and perseverance in developing a friendship that I believe will last a lifetime.

Did this friendship happen overnight? No, just like it takes a long time to paint carts here in Costa Rica, it takes a long time to develop true friendships, especially when you are trying to communicate in another language. With God's amazing grace and help and with a lot of patience and perseverance, I have a new friend. I am really going to miss seeing him every week. Con mucha paciencia y con la ayuda de Dios, yo tengo un amigo nuevo. Él es mi hermano en Dios y yo voy a extrañarlo mucho.

Blessings to all,

Charley

Friendships/Amistades

Friendships are important in life. When we first came to Costa Rica, we did not know anyone. Now, we have several friends from Costa Rica.
On the top left are sisters, Francini (right) and Natalia (left). This picture was taken on Chariti's birthday. Can you believe Chariti is 14 years old now? I know, I cannot believe it, either. The little baby is Fabiana. Isn't she adorable? I am her Gringo Uncle. She loves when I hold her and talke to her. She has me wrapped around her little finger. The picture in the middle is my friend, Randy. I call him "big" brother, and he calls me "little" brother. The picture on the top right is Fiarella. She is the oldest daughter of Francini. Fabiana is her baby sister.

The picture on the bottom left is my friend, Jose Antonio. He has helped me tremendously with my Spanish, and he has taught me a lot about Latin American culture. On the bottom right is one of our teachers and a good friend of ours, Roxanna. She is a riot! We have lots of fun with her and her husband, Jose Antonio. They live in Ciudad Colon, and we visit as often as we can. She can flat-out cook! Wow! We eat more than well when we visit there home. They have three children: Marianell, Jose Andres, and Gabriel. If you would, add their names to your prayer list. They have such big hearts, and they really want to minister to as many people as they can. Their immediate nees are health for their children, money for a micro-bus for taking people around Costa Rica and teaching them about their country, and another prayer request is for their business. There is a piece of land near their home that they would love to purchase. They want to use this land to build a cabin. They want to use this cabin to bless missionaries and students while they live here in Costa Rica.

Friendships are very important in life. Friends help us through tough times. In fact, a true friend loves us when we are ugly and when we are beautiful. A true friend will not kick us when we are down. A true friend will not put us down or build us up too high. These people are examples of true friends, and I am proud to call them my friends. They have blessed our family in more ways than I can count, and we are going to be sad to leave them in a couple of months.

Blessings,

Charley