I finally received my Costa Rican ID today. It was quite an ordeal since I am 36 years old and most people get theirs when they turn 18. I had to prove that I was not stealing a dead persons identity. It is done now. The police here are still not allowing me in to my father´s house. Apparently the attention from my dad´s death is causing them to be extra careful in investigating cause of death. They are really suspicious of his estranged wife and suspect murder. They want to be sure there was no foul play. In the mean time they do not want me going in and contaminating any possible evidence. Everyone is saying it is nonsense, because any evidence should have been done at time of death, not a week later. And cause of death is as easy as a phone call to the coroner. But the DA wants everything in writing. The German Embassy has put alot of pressure on the OIJ (Costa Rica´s FBI) to make sure everything is done properly and thoroughly. In the mean time, I have to wait. The neighbors are trying, once again to use there connections to speed up the process. The Fiscal has asked if I can extend my stay by another week to see things through. It would be a big sacrifice for me to miss another weeks work and be away from Caleb. Poor Caleb. I have never been away SO long before. I pray he is doing well.
On another note. There was a big earthquake here today 6.2 scale. Right where I am staying. The epicenter was located where I was suppose to go today. The plan was for me to go to the volcano, since I have not seen one before. The plan was delayed because of a meeting with my lawyer and DA´s office at 2pm. Instead I went to see the Central Theater and took a ton of pictures. If my lawyer did not call to set the meeting, then I would have been in the epicenter. Even from here (about 20 minutes away), the quake was big and now the small tremors are occuring regularly. The experience makes you grateful to be in the Hands of Jesus. I feel safe, but alot of people were hurt and many homes were hit hard by the quake. All I know is the first thing I thought was, ¨"Lord, what are you saying?" I remembered during my dad´s funeral mass in the Catholic Church, I had the opportunity to speak. One thing I said was that God will move mountains for the ones He loves. The combination of feeling the mountains move and recalling the words, made me smile and made me FEEL His love. There has not been a quake here like this in 30 years. It´s really odd the way love and tragedy can intersect.
Another thing I have to consider is the fact that I have been invited to come back here to live. One of the neighbors is opening a coffee -wifi- shop and has invited me to join her in the business venture. (Can you imagine starting a coffee shop-IHOP here?) Also, I received an invite from the Research Biologist to join him with some interning in the mountains. It is really a beautiful country here and the cost of living is SO MINIMAL. $100 a month maximum to cover all my utilities including cell phone, while I am here. And my grocery bill is even less. Honestly, I really think I want to do it. Own a coffee shop, a bar (which was owner financed and I only need to collect a payment once a month), research in the rainforest. A cute little house totally paid for, that is only 20 minutes from the San Jose capitol. The house is located on the same street as the Costa Rican president´s family.
One thing I noticed more than anything, is that Costa Rican´s understand covenant relationships. It is something I have been longing for, for a long time. My dad´s neighbors are going way above and beyond anything I have ever seen to make sure my dad´s final wishes are carried out. The love and care they have for one another is so remarkable to me. They are intertwined in one another´s lives. They have coffee together every night. They laugh and joke and I have such a HUGE comfort in knowing that my dad was not alone, but surrounded by loving people that cared for him deeply. They have transfered that love to me. It´s been like fresh water on a dry land.
I do regret not getting a chance to drive to Nosara to see my mother´s family. If I get permission from work to stay another week. I will make up for it and go there and visit with them. I miss them and love them very much. The thought of flying all this way and NOT being able to see any of them is sad. I hope my job will let me stay another week. We´ll see. My ability to post pictures is limited. I will try to get them up soon.
In the mean time, Pura Vida..
On another note. There was a big earthquake here today 6.2 scale. Right where I am staying. The epicenter was located where I was suppose to go today. The plan was for me to go to the volcano, since I have not seen one before. The plan was delayed because of a meeting with my lawyer and DA´s office at 2pm. Instead I went to see the Central Theater and took a ton of pictures. If my lawyer did not call to set the meeting, then I would have been in the epicenter. Even from here (about 20 minutes away), the quake was big and now the small tremors are occuring regularly. The experience makes you grateful to be in the Hands of Jesus. I feel safe, but alot of people were hurt and many homes were hit hard by the quake. All I know is the first thing I thought was, ¨"Lord, what are you saying?" I remembered during my dad´s funeral mass in the Catholic Church, I had the opportunity to speak. One thing I said was that God will move mountains for the ones He loves. The combination of feeling the mountains move and recalling the words, made me smile and made me FEEL His love. There has not been a quake here like this in 30 years. It´s really odd the way love and tragedy can intersect.
Another thing I have to consider is the fact that I have been invited to come back here to live. One of the neighbors is opening a coffee -wifi- shop and has invited me to join her in the business venture. (Can you imagine starting a coffee shop-IHOP here?) Also, I received an invite from the Research Biologist to join him with some interning in the mountains. It is really a beautiful country here and the cost of living is SO MINIMAL. $100 a month maximum to cover all my utilities including cell phone, while I am here. And my grocery bill is even less. Honestly, I really think I want to do it. Own a coffee shop, a bar (which was owner financed and I only need to collect a payment once a month), research in the rainforest. A cute little house totally paid for, that is only 20 minutes from the San Jose capitol. The house is located on the same street as the Costa Rican president´s family.
One thing I noticed more than anything, is that Costa Rican´s understand covenant relationships. It is something I have been longing for, for a long time. My dad´s neighbors are going way above and beyond anything I have ever seen to make sure my dad´s final wishes are carried out. The love and care they have for one another is so remarkable to me. They are intertwined in one another´s lives. They have coffee together every night. They laugh and joke and I have such a HUGE comfort in knowing that my dad was not alone, but surrounded by loving people that cared for him deeply. They have transfered that love to me. It´s been like fresh water on a dry land.
I do regret not getting a chance to drive to Nosara to see my mother´s family. If I get permission from work to stay another week. I will make up for it and go there and visit with them. I miss them and love them very much. The thought of flying all this way and NOT being able to see any of them is sad. I hope my job will let me stay another week. We´ll see. My ability to post pictures is limited. I will try to get them up soon.
In the mean time, Pura Vida..
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