DTS is Over, Vacation has Begun!
DTS is officially over! We graduated last Saturday, the 30th. The last week of DTS really flew by and it was over before we knew it. I still have many photos to go through that I won´t be able to start editing until I get back home.
So after DTS, we left for Tamarindo. We spent 2 days there and checked out Playa Conchal and Playa Avellanas. We offroaded it down to Mal Pais, spend 2 days there and hung out with the surfers, great little place. Yesterday we spent 9 hours going from Mal Pais to Santa Elena, Monteverde. It´s really nice here though. Nice little town with not too expensive really great places to eat. Today we did suspension bridges and a butterfly garden, going into the Monteverde Reserve tomorrow. Heading back to San Jose and Heredia Monday. On Tuesday I´ll be flying into Miami to spend 2 weeks there with two friends, then I´ll be heading home.
Like I said, photos will be coming soon.
We’re in Guatemala City.
Well, we left Huehuetenango yesterday and are now in Guatemala City. This our last week in Guatemala and we'll be staying at the YWAM base here in the city. The last few weeks have been spent doing several things. We spent time visiting different families of the church we were attending. We also made several trips to the hospital to visit with patients. Myself and another person on our team also did get pickpocketed the 31st of December. Thankfully we didn't have very much money and our cards have gotten cancelled and replaced.
This coming week we'll be working with a homeless street ministry in the center of the city, helping run a few different kids bible study programs and I'm sure several other things.
Once we return to Costa Rica we'll be wrapping up our school with a couple days of debriefing and our graduation on January 30th.
Again I want to thank everyone for their support, financially and spiritually. I'll be returning home February 23rd, and look forward to catching up and spending time with everyone. In the three photos I've included, the first is from the Zacaleu Mayan Ruins that we visited. The second is 7 month old Maricielo who was abandoned at the Huehuetenango Hospital, and has now been adopted by a family in the US. The third photo is overlooking Huehuetenango on New Years Eve, they really like fireworks.
Way way out there in Huehuetenango
Well, week 1 of outreach is over. The first half of the week was spent simply getting to our destination. Huehuetenango is only about 2 hours south of the border of Chiapas, Mexico. There are many indigenous groups here and there is definitely a visible influence from Mexico. Our homebase until January 13th is a Pentecostal Church Office. The people are real nice and we're basically working with this church to go out and help out in different projects. Last weekend our team helped out with a youth retreat in the mountains about 45 minutes south of the city. We spent that time joining in the games the youth played, also camping there. We also had the opportunity to present several dramas, testimonies and sermons. Along the way we got to see some of the beautiful scenery of Guatemala. On Saturday afternoon we drove to the town of Chiantla, to help out with a special youth service there. It's been a long weekend, but it's been fun. I added 3 photos again. The first is of a woman who was walking her cow down the street. The second is a shot of some of the mountains on the way to where we camped, and the third picture is all the kids from the retreat doing a relay. Thanks to everyone for your support and prayers. This coming week we'll be working with another church and in a brothel. I'll have a new update soon!
I’m Leaving for Guatemala on Monday!
Welp, the time is fast approaching. We finished up our lectures last week, this week we are working on dramas we will be presenting. We've got our class shirts printed and our plane tickets bought. Here's a rundown of our scheduled travel plans.
On Monday December 7th, at 5:30pm we leave the San Jose Airport for Panama City, Panama. We will have a layover til Tuesday at 10am. At this point we'll be heading for Guatemala City, Guatemala. Once we arrive there we will be heading to the Guatemala City YWAM base for the evening. Early morning December 9th, we will take a 5 hour bus ride up to Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Huehuetenango is in Northern Guatemala, near Chiapas, Mexico. In Huehuetenango, the plan is to work with local churches and a family living in Guatemala, evangelizing and distributing food and bibles to families in the area.
We will stay in Huehuetenango until approximately January 13th, at which time we'll be heading back to the Guatemala City YWAM base. On January 27th, we will leave Guatemala to return to Costa Rica. Our class graduation will be on the 29th of January.
I've learned that I'm still due roughly $400 for outreach phase. Overall I would consider this number not bad at all and very attainable, which of course I'm trusting in. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers, it really means a lot. I've included 3 photos. The first is our DTS team photo, second is a night time photo shot from our base and third is a toucan we saw on the way when we headed up North.
Take Care!
-David
Finally an update!
I've been meaning to get this update out for the last couple of weeks, but with unexpected changes in schedule and plans it's been difficult. We just wrapped up week 9 of lecture phase here in Costa Rica, only 3 weeks left. On December 7th we fly out to Guatemala for 7 weeks of outreach phase. We will be staying at the YWAM base there in Guatemala City. There's a chance we'll also be heading to Chiapas, Mexico during that time; but that plan is not final yet.
We are kept pretty busy here. Classes, chores, work duties, ministries, devotionals, meetings and other stuff. My in between times I'll usually use to read. I've taken a liking to John Grisham novels and am working on my first Tom Clancy book now. Most weekends are free aside from church on Sundays morning. I've made a few trips to San Jose and done a couple other trips to different towns. We have another YWAM team from Wyoming here for this last month before we leave for outreach. About 12 people total. It's been really nice to have them on the base, since they all speak English.
The weekend before last our DTS team went up to the Northwest area of Guanacaste. We were about 10 miles away from Nicoya, in the farmland. Dirt roads, no hot water and no internet, but it was a beautiful area. The three photos I've included were shot in that area. While we were out there for the week, we did a few things. 3 days were in a lecture about inductive bible studies. We also helped out with bible distribution in the area.
As usual, your support is greatly appreciated. I definitely miss everyone back home. Prayer is always needed, since we never know what situations are going to come up. Financial support is always a blessing aswell. Hope everyone is doing well and try too keep in touch.
Here I am in Costa Rica!
After flying throughout Wednesday night, I have arrived safely in Costa Rica. First day was a bit rough for me, realizing that I had just left such a comfortable spot. It is quite beautiful and green here. The locals and people on the base are very nice. I have already been talking to one guy here who said he will show me great places to take pictures in exchange for me teaching him some photography.
The food, as expected, is rice and beans. They cook the rice and the beans different ways and sometimes there's a little chicken, asada or chorizo thrown in there... OH BOY! Thank goodness I did bring a bottle of hot sauce with me. Internet is a bit of a pain here, as the main building and bedrooms don't get a wireless connection.
Mosquitos really aren't too bad here, which is a definite relief. The weather is very temperate. I slept in til about 1030am yesterday and the clouds had already rolled in covering up the sun. After about 4pm yesterday it poured rain for several hours. It also gets dark about 6, because of all the cloud cover.
Classes start on Monday, at which I should be plenty busy.
I’m Leaving!
My plane ticket is bought... I'm leaving!
Flying out of LAX on September 9th, I will be heading to Heredia, Costa Rica. I will return sometime next Spring.
In Heredia, I'll be attending a Disclipeship Training School (DTS), with Youth With A Mission (YWAM). For the first 3 months I will be in a lecture phase, attending classes, having work duties and engaging in a community outreach in Costa Rica. Afterward, there is a 2 month outreach phase. The location of this outreach is yet to be determined but i will keep you all updated.
Here is a video from the base director that explains things a little more.
At this point I am also about $1,000 under my budget for this trip. Any type of monetary support would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to send a check please contact me. You can also donate through this Paypal link.
Please keep me in your prayers, that God is leading me and guiding me. Thank You! -David Depin
Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser August 2nd!
Come enjoy some pasta, garlic bread and wine!
Proceeds from this dinner will go towards my upcoming missions trip to Costa Rica With YWAM (Youth With A Mission).
Tickets will be sold in advance for $12 each.
For purchasing tickets or any questions, please contact me.
Thank You!
-David
Postcards for sale!
As most of you know by now, this September I will be going to Costa Rica to work with YWAM Heredia.
To help raise some funding I'm selling 5x7 postcards of shots I've done.
They are only $1 each, so buy some! 
Hello everybody!
I've decided to start a blog, because twittering just isnt enough.
I figured this would be the easiest way to keep everyone informed on what's going on with my life, where I'm at and post up random images.
Stay tuned!