Sarapiqui

No, that is not some derrivative of my name in Spanish. Sarapiqui is a river next to which Gera's dad, my father in-law, grew up. Traditional Costa Rican Christmases in the country include buying a pig, killing it, cutting it apart and feasting on every part of it.

So, yesterday we went to visit Gera's grandma. Here Gera and Katy are enjoying breakfast with Carlos, Gera's friend.

Here is a picture of the pig after it was skinned.

To give you an even more realistic experience, Gera recorded a little video with his uncles and Grandma cutting the pig and preparing parts of it to eat. They make "chicharrones" by frying the fat, boil and fry the feet as a delicacy and of course using the actual meet to make "tamales" (some of you tried them at our wedding).On the fire is the "chicarones" being boiled first so that they can be stored and eaten throughout the next few days, weeks or maybe even months.

While the family continued to break down the pig, Gera, Katy, Carlos and I went to the Sarapiqui River to go swimming.

Once we got use to the water, it was very nice. Gera made a little "pool" for Katy. She really enjoyed trying to pick up the sand and throw it.

We also had the priveledge of swimming beneath some Congo monkeys. There were three of them also enjoying the sun and watching us. When the river boats would go by with their loud engines, boy those monkeys would get loud and angry. After a while they had enough sun and headed back into the forrested area. Here you can see two of them as they move through the trees.

Watching these animals, swimming in the river and the whole pig experience took me back a few years; not so much as a few years in my life, but a few years in history. First of all it made me realize how blessed and easy our life is. Second of all, it became even more clear how much the world and the people who live in it have changed.

It also made me wonder if the people that I love are ready for the end of it. Jesus is coming soon to take us to be with him. If you have not believed in Him (that he died on the cross and rose from the grave) and decided to turn your life away from sin (not live a perfect life - that is impossible - , but ask for forgiveness for those sins that you've already commited and try to live a life that Jesus would like), then please think about it. It will be a life changing decision for eternity; I promise.