HOW TIME FLIES!!!

Wow !!

Well we can't believe how time flies!

We have been here in Costa Rica for fourteen months!!

We are enjoying our work here, and the lifestyle that comes with it. Below are some photos taken over the last year. We have enjoyed so many people and expieriences over the last year, it is hard to share even a fraction of them in this letter. Below are a few photos, with some notes about each of them, enjoy!!

Allie sits under a tree and grabs a few zzzz's before heading back out to play with the others!

When I grow up I want to be a wild bucking bronco!!

Burning the old sugar cane and dry grass in the fields so we can get ready to put in a new crop.

I lost my mommy, so Uncle Doug is giving me breakfast, not quite the same, but it's better than nothing!!

It's "Hair Cut and Bath day" at the Ranch. Gayla is putting the final touches on Princess before moving on to Zachster.

Sisters are the best!! This is Joey and Blackie, just hanging out in the back yard waiting for the camp fire to begin.

Today everybody has to have their vaccinations!
This is the new corral that we built over on our little farm.

Hi my name is Danny II, I didn't realize I could see you out there, come on down and visit with us!

This is Bob, he is a Congo, he lives here on the Ranch with all of his friends. Many times in the morning you can hear him howling and making a terrible ruckas as he passes by.

What's that you ask? That is a Kinkajou!

They are a nocturnal animal that live mostly in the trees, their diet consists mainly of fruit. It was a rare occasion to get a photo of one in the day time! Gayla and I were out walking in the back field and this little guy took off accross the field and went up the tree ahead of us. They can run like a cat, climb, go through the trees like a monkey using their tail, and they have the face of a small bear. They have the nick name "Honey Bear"

This is Pinto!! He's kind of an up close and personal type!

We have had many people come down in the last year and visit the Ranch. Many come with groups that are here to help and work in the community, in the local churches, here on the Ranch, and even over on the islands in Lake Nicaragua, which are only about four hours away!! We greatly enjoy our visitors! When they leave to go back home we are always left with a sad feeling, but look forward to the next time when they will come back to stay with us again.


Lunch time at the Corral!! Hanging out and enjoying the afternoon!

Many local groups come to use the Ranch for the day, others stay for the weekend. This group was from the University in Liberia, a city about an hour or so away from the Ranch. There was a total of thirty eight young people with this group, they came for the long weekend and camped out!

It seems like we are always eating!! It's great!!!!

This group from Florida is taking a hike around the property here at the Ranch. As you can see this was at the end of the dry season, the fields were scorched and brown.

A local church youth group from Guayabo held a weekend retreat at the Corral. Instructions are being given for a game they are about to play.

Hanging out, talking, and making friendships is a large part of life here. These ladies are in the kitchen at the Corral.

We recently hosted a team of doctors and nurses from Florida, they came down to minister and work with the people in areas along the northern border of Costa Rica, close to Nicaragua. This area is more impoverished than many of the areas that you may find in Costa Rica. The team worked very hard treating more than three hundred and fifty people over a five day period. They then took a much deserved day off, before heading back home to resume with their work and lives there. They were here for a total of eight days; two days of travelling, five of work, and one day off at the beach. What a difference they made in the lives of so many people in this short period of time!!

Medical team from Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Florida.

In the front row second from the right, is a local doctor, Pamela Soto, she traveled with the team and was our Costa Rican representative .

This is the waiting room we set up in Las Pavas, a community close to the border of Nicaragua.

The doctors and nurses set up at one of the local churches in the community. A temporary pharmacy was set up as well as treatment rooms and waiting areas.

Doctor Jared doing his thing!! Many children and families were given a few months supply of vitamins and parisite treatment medicines.

These people from a nearby island in Lake Nicaragua were transported by boat accross the lake which takes just over an hour, then another hour up river, and then transported to the clinic in Las Pavas in this truck, about a thirty minute ride on gravel roads. There were over fifty people in the back of the truck, no one was heard complaining!! What a great group of people!!

Here we are at Las Pavas setting up the clinic, and getting ready for the people who would soon be there.

On Saturday August 2nd we have another group of people coming from the USA! They will be working here on the Ranch, as well as enjoying some of the sights and adventures here in the local area.

If you are thinking of putting together a mission trip of any kind, adventure trip, or just need to get away for a while, don't hesitate to contact us. We will help to facilitate your trip. and work with you to put it all together.

Take care for now, be sure to drop us a line, don't put it off, because you know "How Time Flies!!"

Doug n Gayla