The House in Potrero

 

Well, we finally are here in Potrero at the house we are looking after for the next few weeks. It is a little smaller than we all imagined –but very, very nice as one would expect. The views out the back porch though set it apart –wow! It is very easy to just sit and stare for hours at a time.  Below I have included a link to just some of the stunning views. I have come down with a bit of the “Gripa” I guess –so I have been sitting out and letting the sun burn the “Gripa” out – and letting the whole scenery just wash over and relax me. Nothing manmade can ever compare with the Great Artist Jehovah God! This evening at dusk we were treated to masses of birds who earlier in the day I had seen from a distance and thought were Love Birds. At dusk however, they all start darting and flying by the masses to the treetops. One treetop just beside the pool came a whole flock –they were not Love Birds –they are Amazon Parrots! Green fronted and yellow banded I believe. To watch them fly together in pairs and chatter to each other in their freedom makes one really reflect on how they must be affected when they are relegated by themselves in a cage. For us –it would be difficult to ever have a caged bird again after seeing them in their native and wild domain! Truly breathtaking!

We do have Internet access here at the house for the next few weeks – so we should be in pretty good contact with everyone that wants it. Email is good, Skype is good, Skype is: kevin.haanpaa, chatting is good, so stay in touch all!

http://picasaweb.google.com/khaanpaa/TamarindoYPotrero#

Kevin

Some pictures you may like

Here is the link to some pictures of our trip over to Limon to check things out and some from our first few days in Tamarindo.

http://picasaweb.google.com/khaanpaa/TamarindoAndLimon#

I am sure there will much more to come!

TAMARINDO

I AM TRYING TO BACK TRACK IN MY MIND FROM THE LAST FEW DAYS.  Opps sorry the cap lock was on.  The bus ride was good, and we got here fine, the one bus driver did look exactly like Dustin Hoffman when he played in Rain Man.  Kept us laughing when he purposely ignored the waiting passengers and roared by with a smile.  Tamarindo is beautiful…like picture perfect.  Just like photos of Fiji or Island paradise.  We will put some pics on the web for you all, (we as in Kevin).  It is clean and well kept and like old money feel.  Not allot of bars and obvious bad stuff like we saw in Jaco.  Where you would recommend your friends to come and have a proper vacation.

The Dawes’ invited us to crash in their pad for the next 3 days till the house we are caring for opens up. They are finishing their last few days here in Costa Rica with a bit of a vacation,and their brother is with them. We were quite taken aback at the accommodations.  4 story mission style condominium, with waterfall pool and patio and huge living room with modern gorgeous furniture, all channel t.v. for addicts like me, huge kitchen bigger than Diane's, and 3 bedroom 2 bath with washer dryer.  Washer and dryers are like Mercedes or Jaguars here, just not many people have them, and they provided the soap and thick towels and excellent sheets.   There is a brother in charge of this complex and he can use his discression to give discounts and privileges.  Since Brother Dawes and his family have been here before and have such a fine reputation, they got a deal, and he gave the Sunday talk for the group of 17 in this English congregation.  There was actually 35 in attendance.

Cassie and Tifka Surfed today!  They had their own personal instructors from Australia  our 3 brothers!  They did good, Cassie advanced a little faster than Tifka cause she had more time on the board.  You will have to ask them about it in their blog.  They really looked adorable like hippy surfer girls.

we are planning to go in service tomorrow, Monday at the table here at the BEACH! 

We visited with the Susa's at the Kingdom Hall and our dear brother Castro from the Silver Hills Congregation in Carson City, Nevada!  talk about a strange feeling when you shake hands with a brother and you ask where are you from?  Carson city Nevada!  So it is a small world.  The Susa's are expecting friends from Nevada so Karen if you want to send another care package they said they would take it and care for it, and only take 1/2 the package!(smile).

so time for sandwiches in this awesome condominium that should be for millionaires. I love you all and wish you could see the happy things I do, the sea shells abundant on the floor of the beach for any to pick up , the sunsets that change every second, and draw you closer to Jehovah, and the individual humans that serve him that look so beautiful in their service to him. 

Thank you for not getting upset at anything I write remember I am a random thinker and writer.  I have no intent to hurt or upset anyone.

Personal note to Bob and Sherry Christianson..

We gave your love personally to the Teaos (spellling) husband and wife they were still a bit shaken from the tragic loss of our dear brother.  But still greeted us with a smile.  For those who didn't know, Brother Rodriguez who worked as the presiding overseer of the Spanish congregation here in Tamarindo had pulled over off the side of the road and was behind the car opening up the trunk when an Pirate Taxi ran into the back of him.  He was crushed between the two cars, the driver ran from the car and the accident with out helping, the wife of this brother jumped out saw her husband trapped and ran to the drivers seat and moved her car to un pin him.  He lived a few hours but doctors were not able to save him.  There was quite a uproar in the community as this brother is well known and well loved.  The Taxi driver was found, and the brothers had the funeral service yesterday.  The had a lovely prayer after the meeting for his wife and family.  Please keep this lovely family in your prayers as well.

Well I will sign off for now, if you have any suggestions for topics or questions… leave them on the blog and I will try to answer them.

Hasta la Pasta

Katalena

Gentle encouragement…

For comments and email!  Sorry but Kevin is making me be nice about it.  Tina, we saw your twin yesterday Kevin and I had to do a double take would have taken her picture if we had a camera.  Same smile and everything.  Love all the updates every day life seems so endearing.

Kevin and I are sitting at a cement park table across from the Dawes house picking up a signal, and watching two little toddlers play in the park one has those onesey jamies on…so tempting to grab him and give him a squeeze.  Tifka is lazy and wont get out of bed…she was so dead this am that she didn't notice me taking a picture of her sleeping even with the Flash!  maybe next blog I will put it on…(just kidding).

we are off to Tamarind in the morning…at 6 am wow!  we are leaving allot of our stuff here with a sister and just taking one suitcase for the 4 of us.  It is worth it not to have too much clothing so you don't have to pack it or carry it.

For all my girlfriends…guess what…I am wearing Cassies skinny jeans!  so what if there is a muffin top above it…I got into them!  Now she cant get them back.  I hope in a years time to be a size 10!  Is not that ironic to get skinny a few years before 50?  Oh well it will be good for my health.  Kevin is loosing gradually like me.  Boy did we blimp up before we got here, so it is taking allot longer than we hoped.  More walking ahead will help.

Well this purpose of writing was to solicit more emails and blog comments, anything about your lives would be great …the progress in the congregations, etc.  we love you a little bit

Katalena

Update…

 

This entry will be purposely brief. More details will follow as we progress and I have better access to the Internet.

We are currently staying at the Dawes house in Belen close to the Branch office. We just returned from a wonderful and fruitful trip to Limon again – and it would seem that a lot of factors are pointing to us serving there next. So, we will be going to Tamarindo to housesit –and we will certainly have an open mind to other possibilities of serving there. However, we seemed to have lined up a brand new apartment in Limon that will be completed just about the same time as we will have to leave the housesitting house. So – We think Jehovah is giving us a bit of a respite and allowing us to go to Guanacaste area to have a bit of fun and preaching – and then head to our new assignment serving in Limon and opening up the fields in Cahuita and points south from there in the English speaking and other foreign languages.

We will likely be going to Tamarindo sometime in the next few days and then be in Limon by around the 23rd or so of December.

Jehovah’s hand is never short in regards to his servants and that is certainly true of us! We cannot express enough our appreciation and thankfulness to all those that have helped us in so many ways so far!

We will try to keep everyone up to date of our situation – at the moment we only really have email and this blog to communicate until I get more reliable Internet to use Skype again.

Until next chapter…

Kevn and the whole family

Friday the 14th

Well guys this is my last entry here at the kitchen table desk of our little office.  And boy am I glad.  Seems like the day is dragging on though.  All of our tempers are a little raw, or maybe just mine.  The ding dong events planners who steal from the boss scheduled one group of 19, another of 90 and another of 30 with out telling the chef or us!  so all was in a panic this am trying to get food prepared and all organized for them.  The chef burnt his inner forearm pretty bad, and our waiter came in with a severe case of gripe (flu).  The girls and I raced a cute couple from Arkansas to the Cafe Britt tour by 11:00 as our hired guide forgot them.  But now at almost 2 pm we have made it!  Kevin finally hog tied the boss and sat him down and told him we wanted our last pay and we might consider caring for his email and marketing from Tamarindo.  Well it all went well.  He is such a mediocre bla person.  Didn't tell us thank you or didn't like our way of management.  Just hope all goes well for you and give me back my cell phone!

So how does Jehovah care for his crazy family Haanpaa?

One:  Brother Lindsay Dawes (and yes I use his full name) and his wife and son, Clara and Max from Australia have been an instrument of Jehovah's love.  They have invited us to stay at their home close to the Bethel here, and as they are soon to leave for Australia they will not be in their apartment much for the next couple of weeks, so we can “caretaker” their apartment, just a kind way of them giving us charity.  She also is an gourmet cook and looks like Sheila Falkowski and hugs and loves everyone just like her.

Two:  There has been an offer out of the blue for us to use a car left here by a former missionary couple.

Three:  A brother who works as a realtor and more, offered us a mansion to stay in for 5 weeks as we get our heads together.  In compensation we will care and clean and repair and uhem use the beach to make sure all is well .

Four:  The P>O> offered to house us if we need a place to stay.

Five;  Cassandra the baby who hates change has been awesome and learning lessons every day.  She has been nothing but supportive and trusting in Jehovah even when she is scared about the uncertain future.

Six:  Tifka Rachel Haanpaa is the voice of wisdom.  She has had to coral me several times and keep a bridal on my tongue.  She keeps telling us that less is more and get rid of your Crap!

Now they all are off to pick up the couple from Arkansas and I am on my own doing the last little clean up of this room.  Unfortunately there was a few left over's in the frig that needed to be used or tossed…including a little left over wine.  So if this blog is a little tipsy my apologies. 

Jamie…my dear friend we have been expecting this change in Lionel's work,  no better excuse to visit than use the time from layoff to next job to visit us.  If you make the decision we will help with the plans.  Who knows if Jehovah needs you here too.  Brothers willing to work are a treasure anywhere.

Tracey…I love you.

Stefka…you constantly are my favorite of the day.

And Karen and Dad…well Thank you for knowing what we needed at just the right time.

Well of course Marlene and Jerry you have been a consistent shoulder to lean on during all our adventures here

I have to go quick Kevin and the girls just drove up and I know they will want to edit this so I will quickly end this before they can.

To those of you not motioned ….you are in my heart and mind forever…!

Love Katalena

¡Vamos pa’ Tamarindo!

 

Well…here we go again. The Haanpää’s are on the move!

Things here at the Hotel have spiraled down progressively to the point that we must leave –now! or jeopardize our spirituality. We have been seriously considering going to Limon and the Caribbean to serve there- but interestingly we have been meeting some resistance finding a place to live there. So yesterday we came to the decision that we were leaving the Hotel anyway and would trust in Jehovah that we would find something in time or possibly be ready to leave the country if not.

So, I made arrangements to work in the ministry with Lindsay Dawes, the awesome brother from Australia who sadly is leaving in a few short weeks. He met us up at the Hotel and we worked the territory up here in the mountains and had a wonderful time!  During the course of the day he tells me of a brother up in the English congregation in Tamarindo that he knows well that needs someone to housesit a place right on the beach. Rent free. For a month and a half. Wow. We now it is short term- but we will have time to check the area out for work and other rental possibilities and see if we can survive there.

Tamarindo is an area of great need in English. Up until very, very recently it has functioned as a congregation with only 2 Ministerial Servants. Just in the last month or so it has now 2 Elders I believe.

So, I called the brother up there and it looks like we will me moving to Tamarindo sometime next week –likely Tuesday or Wednesday. We were invited with the Dawes to go to Limon again with them as he is giving the talk there this week. The girls are going to stay in Belen and housesit the Dawes place while we are gone.

We will try and keep everyone in the loop – but I am not sure what my Internet access will be right away. We are leaving the Hotel on Friday.

Please keep us in your prayers so that we can do Jehovah’s will and serve here in Costa Rica as long as possible- of course it that be his will!

How’s everyone doing in the Special Tract work?

We are having a great time here – very pleased that with Jehovah’s help we have been able to really participate and be involved like we have wanted to do here since we came. It really is the only satisfying work to do.

Until next time…

Kevin

Katalena’s Brain Page

Hi guys… it feels like a long time since I wrote!  I don't have anything earth shattering to say just a conglomerate of stuff.  Tiff doesn't like my morning song routine “Time to get up Time to get up and make your bed and fold it away, and hurry up in the shower, and run down to the laundry for me….”  Just once I am going to surprise her and let her sleep in till…7 am.  (smile)  They pretty much camp out on the floor of the Little office and this is the first area all the workers go to no matter what hour, evening or morning, so they do get interrupted sleep for sure.  Then there is the friendly wrestle for the coffee in the morning, even Cassie is part of it now.  Usually Kevin wins with a huge sumo wrestler squishing of the children, and a dragon breath bellows, the girls usually surrender the first pot and make the second for themselves.

We have some Government officials coming to the Hotel today to dedicate the street they just paved (ours) and it is going to be named after our hotel, so allot of pomp and circumstance and champagne.  I guess they are the equivalent of the senate in usa.  I have the reception clean and bleached the front walk and Cassandra set up the bible display with the tract ready for any of them to access.  Lets hope we have a good story to tell after of these hard to reach people getting a chance at the good news.

Tiff and Cass have been roped into service as waitresses for the event the owner wants to show off the American workers to the officials.  Plus they are kind of cute and definitely competent.

Kevin has a 8 am meeting with a guy from New York who is interested in buying the Hotel.  He is the second one in 2 months.  I guess because we work behind the scenes we see all the errors of the place but on the outside looking in it really is a lovely Hotel.  I would love to see it sell.

We are investigating moving to Puerto Limon.  They have a  greater need than here.  For all of us.  So know we are asking for Jehovah's direction in housing, employment, and support of the congregation.  This is just the beginning part of the idea so we will see where it takes us…as you all know things move quickly in my life so I am sorting and organizing already.  I would love to leave this hotel in proper order before we make any changes, but our authority is limited as well as our resources.  That is quite frustrating at times.  We have holes in our towels and torn bedspreads that need replacing, but the owner prefers to sink his money into a continuous building project of a tree house.  Oh well, its his hotel.

We get to have a life tomorrow it is Saturday our day off and Service day…Yahoo!  it is easier for me to get in service here as it is the happy place I get to go to escape this silly Hotel. 

All of you please remember I love you.  And I quite often read your notes over and over again, like dear paper letters one holds on to for years and years.  Some of my responses are direct emails or on the comment area of this blog… Thank you very much..

Katalena