Thursday, February 8, 2018

Wild Foods! – Banana Flowers

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written July 4th, 2016




















Living here in Costa Rica, we have seen, experienced, and learned a lot of things
that never would have happened elsewhere. Not only that, but the amazing blessing
it has been to be around all the sights, sounds, and the beautiful colors of His Creation,
everything so amazing just as YHWH made it.

But while living on the mountains of Costa Rica has been an amazing blessing,
it also presents some challenges. Whether it is the many problems with the road,
the car breaking down, or when it rains for days on end, there are times when it
has been difficult if not impossible to go down to the closest store over an hour away.
There have been times where we have not been able to go out for weeks, and while
the staple foods like rice, beans, eggs, milk, and bananas almost never run out,
there are times when anything else becomes scarce.

But during our years here, we have learned that there are things around the farm
that we never considered that could actually be used to eat! From sweet potato and
yuca leaves, to hibiscus flowers, and now the newest item on our plates, Banana Flowers!




















“Common in South-East Asian cuisine, banana blossoms (aka banana flower or banana heart) are tear-shaped maroon or purplish flowers hanging at the end of banana clusters.
They can be eaten raw or cooked and are used primarily in salads, curries or soups…
Banana flowers are commonly used as vegetables for cooking in countries such as
Laos, India, Thailand, China, Burma, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam… Eaten straight
off the cutting board, they are starchy and bitter. But once soaked in a lemon juice/water
mixture for half hour then rinsed, they are leek-like, both in substance (thin with a
slight crunch) and taste (delicate).”

And as with most of these new items on our menu, there are some great health benefits
that we didn’t know about! Banana flowers are high in vitamins A and C and have
modest amounts of calcium and iron, and are also used in parts of Asia as a
remedy to alleviate the pain from menstrual cramps.

















The tough reddish leaves on the exterior are known as bracts. They are normally
thrown out, but there are places where people use them as serving plates.
Beneath these ‘bracts’ leaves a row of delicate yellow-tipped florets that can be removed
and immediately soaked in acidic water to avoid discoloration and bitterness.
The intermediary leaves, that will be pale pinkish in color, are edible and tender.
While we did not use them in what we made, they can be eaten as well.

The colorful florets are eventually ‘soon to be bananas’ and are part of a tedious
cleaning process: pluck the matchstick-shaped pistil (tough and not pleasant to consume)
and the scale-like outermost petal (aka calyx). You have to do this for every floret.
The cleaned florets need to be put in acidic water immediately for several hours
or overnight to prevent browning to remove the bitterness.




















It is best to put some cooking oil on your hands when cleaning them, that way the
sticky black sap from the flower and the florets does not get overly stuck on
your hands, as it shows in Tammy’s fingernails.

Regarding the taste, these florets (if not soaked in acidic or salted water) will leave a bitterness on your tongue if eaten raw (or if you are just curious). Once they are soaked & rinsed
for awhile and cooked, they won’t be as quite bitter, yet tender. They are commonly used in Southern Indian cuisine such as fritters, stir-fries, or fried dishes.














As you peel away the dark bracts you will reach a white or pale-colored heart
once the leaves become too small to peel. Once that is reached, you cut the end off.


Now, there are several ways to use Banana Flowers, but the main way is by stir-frying
it with other vegetables. So to use the flower for the stir-fry, it needs to be thinly sliced,
and then immediately immersed in acidic water(we used lemon and water). We then
let it set for about half an hour to get rid of most of the sap and bitterness, as well
as to prevent it from turning brown quite as quickly, although it can be set for
anywhere from 2 hours to overnight.


For our stir-fry we added onions, garlic, sweet peppers and green beans with the
sliced banana flowers, added soy sauce, salt, and seasonings, and cooked it until it was soft. Then we served it with Plantain Fries and fried eggs, and “voila”, a very yummy meal!


To read more about the surprising health benefits that
Banana Flowers have, please go to these links below:
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-health-benefits-of-banana-flowers
https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/health-benefits-of-banana-flower/

Here is the video that we learned from that shows how to cut and clean the Banana Flower:

 


To read more about cooking with this very interesting exotic food, go to these links below:
http://heavytable.com/cooking-with-banana-flower/
http://veganmiam.com/how-to/how-to-prepare-banana-blossom

Shalom!
The Montañez Family
L’Chaim Pura Vida!

Give Thanks to YHWH!

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written July 28th, 2016

Psalms 107:31, 37-38
Let them give thanks to YHWH for His kindness, And His wonders to the children of men!
37 And they sow fields and plant vineyards, And they make fruits of increase.
38 And He blesses them, And they increase greatly; And He lets not their cattle diminish.

It really is amazing to see everything that is able to grow in a place like this. With there not really being a winter in Costa Rica you can grow things here almost all year around (except for the driest part of the dry season). A lot of what we eat comes from the farm, and it without question helps us save money as well as keep our bodies healthier since we aren’t eating nearly as much processed and chemically-sprayed fruits and vegetables.













Our Papaya tree. Did you know that not only does ripe Papaya taste good and look beautiful, but it is also high in vitamins, antioxidants, and nutrients as well? Not only that, but did you also know that the leaves can be blended and made into a drinkable paste that can be used to heal dengue? (A mosquito-based virus that is very prevalent in Central America)

Look at all the Basil Plants!




















Our Green Bean plant.




















Not only have we seen the “fruit of the ground” here, but the “fruit of the livestock” as well! More chickens than we can count, over 25 sheep, cows, ducks, fish, etc. It’s truly amazing to see the beauty that has shown forth in this place.












This is a funny story. We were given some birds called Guinea Hens, a smaller-sized fowl
that is really good for meat. One day, we were looking outside, and we realized that
the Guineas were following the male Turkey! It’s really rather funny to see,
especially when they’re all bunched together next to the Turkey.













Yum, Green Peppers! It took us a while to get these plants to grow,
but they are now beautifully giving fruit!

Our newest cute little calf named Sparky.













Deuteronomy 28:1-4
1 “And it shall be, if you diligently obey the voice of YHWH your Elohim, to guard to
do all His commands which I command you today, that YHWH your Elohim shall
set you high above all nations of the earth.
2 “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you,
if you obey the voice of YHWH your Elohim:
3 “Blessed are you in the city, and blessed are you in the field.
4 “Blessed is the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground and the fruit
of your livestock – the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

Our Cucumber plant.
































Sister Tammy and One of Our Cute Lambs Named Luci. It’s mother unfortunately does not take very good care of her, so we are giving her warm milk and lots of loving to help give her the best chance at making it. She is a beautiful little lamb(even if she does baaaaaa just like her mother… TOO MUCH!)

Our Beautiful View!













May YHWH be Praised and Glorified for all that He has done, is doing,
and will continue to do. He is our Provider, our Healer, our Giver of Life,
everything that we have is thanks to Him. HalleluYAH!

Please continue to pray for our servant Family. It is not always easy to live out
this walk, especially living in what could be considered a rather isolated place.
But on the other hand, we have seen such amazing blessings that we would
not have seen almost anywhere’s else. May YHWH be Praised!

Shalom!
The Montañez Family
L’Chaim Pura Vida!

Living A Life of Faith: L’Chaim Pura Vida Part 2

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written June 16th, 2016
 


Part 2 of the blog our brethren from 119 Ministries wrote after their visit to the farm to meet us in person. We would like that all that we share is about others and Scriptures. Everything we do is to show the character of YHWH in righteousness and justice. It is about His will and not ours, about being doers of the Torah and not hearers only. We can not do it without prayers and support. We have seen healings, and living here is a miracle. The journey continues…

Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor does not lack, But he who hides his eyes does have many curses.

Matthew 25:34-36
“Then the Sovereign shall say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the reign prepared for you from the foundation of the world – for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’

Matthew 25:45-46
“Then He shall answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, in so far as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life.”

“In addition to the poor, fatherless and the widows, we would like to be able to bring even more blessings to those that know and respect us. Those people who know and respect us are those who we would like to bless more. Those who have defended us against the attacks from the church; they shared with us when we had only bananas to eat while we found the finances to meet the requirements to be able to apply for our visa. These people such as Eulogio and Benilda; hardworking people desiring to be a blessing to others even when they have been taken advantage of.”

To Read More, go to:
http://www.119ministries.com/119-blog/living-a-life-of-faith-lchaim-pura-vida-part-2/

Shalom Ubrachot!
The Montañez Family
L’Chaim Pura Vida!

Pura Cocoa Vida!

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written June 21st, 2016


We have had a very good Cocoa bean harvest this year, and we needed to do something
with the cocoa (cacao in Spanish) that we harvested. One of the ways we are able to
use it is by roasting the cocoa beans and then grinding them into powder. The idea
is to be able to include it more often in our diet, especially with the need for
nutrients like magnesium to help with calcium absorption, and with cocoa
making the top ten in magnesium content in foods, it is a very good source.














We have learned that like many other tropical fruits, the flesh around
the cacao seeds can be pressed through a strainer and made into a delicious drink.
Also, when we had visited Mexico years ago we ate something called “Mole”(Moh-leh).
It is a sauce made mainly with hot peppers and cacao that they
put on almost every dish. Feeling Mexican? Try some Mole!

Leviticus 26:3-4
“If you walk in My laws and guard My commands(Torah), and shall do them,
4 Then I shall give you rain in its season, and the land shall yield its crops,
and the trees of the field yield their fruit.”
















And not only does cocoa help with calcium absorption,
it can also help in these ways as well:

1. Cocoa and chocolate can cut your rate of heart disease,
and cut the death rate of heart-attack survivors.
2. Cocoa can help decrease the risk of stroke.
3. Cocoa can decrease blood pressure, including in pregnant women.
4. Cocoa has the potential to improve kidney function.
5. The caffeine in cocoa can protect your skin against sun damage and skin cancer.
6. Older folks who eat chocolate (and wine or tea) have
higher cognitive abilities than those who don’t.
7. Consuming cocoa powder can increase cognitive function
and may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
8. Chocolate can relieve stress.
9. Eating cocoa or chocolate can increase feelings of satiety,
which can help with weight loss.
10. If you’re sick, cocoa can relieve coughs almost as well as codeine.

For more benefits from this amazing bean click below.
http://dailysuperfoodlove.com/2852/21-fantastic-benefits-of-cacao/ 

Shalom!
The Montañez Family
L’Chaim Pura Vida!

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

“Visiting the Montañez Family”- By 119 Ministries

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written June 7th, 2016













When our family moved to Costa Rica in faith alone, we never thought that people would notice us and these humble servants of YAH were going to write about us. It has never been about us but His Kingdom and His righteousness and justice. It hasn’t been easy but we have persevered and pressed on despite the challenges. It comes with lots of hard work and responsibilities to be able to continue living this life. We appreciate your prayers and support. We just raised our hands and let Him deal with the details. Here am I send me! 

An Except from the 119 Blog:
“One of the families at 119 Ministries took some time to go and visit them recently. This week we wanted to let you know what it was like spending time with them through the eyes of one of the 119 wives.

We recently went to visit Jesus and Tammy Montañez at their home. Tammy did her best to prepare me for the road, the cold shower and the fact that they live in the middle of nowhere but until you experience it, you really have no idea.

The Montañezes live 5 hours southeast of us in an area called Valle de Estrellas (Valley of the Stars). As we got closer to where they lived, we got further away from city life. Living there means no quick runs to the store for a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk. In those parts, people grow their food, raise chickens, trade for other items and occasionally make the 45-minute trip to a small grocery store for staples such as flour, beans and rice. For anything more than the basics, it’s an hour and a half drive or bus ride (very few have their own vehicles) to the nearest city.

After our visits, we continued up through the worst part of the road to where Jesus and Tammy live. The place is beautiful, and at first glance it makes you want to pack up everything you own and move. Everywhere you look is full of wonder, cute little houses, the chickens, ducks and turkeys running around the yard, sheep and cows in the pasture, bananas hanging on the porch and a garden blooming. It’s like stepping back in time to a more simple life. Of course what you don’t see is all the hard work this family has done to achieve this. They went from having nothing to having all of this; once again I can see Yahweh. He has provided everything.

To Read More, go to: http://www.119ministries.com/119-blog/visiting-the-montanez-family/

Shalom!
The Montañez Family
L’Chaim Pura Vida!

Ishto Ba Shkina

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written June 8th, 2016

















Ishto Ba Shkina means “Welcome and How are you?” in the dialect of the
Cabecar language, one of the native tribes in the province of Talamanca
and one of the 8 native tribes in Costa Rica. A family we have been praying
for in our nearby town, not affiliated with the church and pretty much
agnostic in their belief, asked us to give them a ride to the land of their relatives.

The trip was long and we took clothes to give to some of their relatives as well
as some of our homemade soaps and fresh milk. To them it is a 3+ hour walk
through the mountains to get there. The road was not in condition to be driven
so we had to go the long way around in our car. The purpose for why this family
invited us was to harvest avocados from their relatives land, because usually they
just fall from the trees and rot if no one goes and picks them. Avocados do not grow
well in the mountains but they do well in the valley areas. We picked the family up
close by their home. They were Marta, Armando her son, and the two daughters
Lisbet and Floribet. We talked through the trip about their family and customs,
and we sang a song to YHWH so that they could hear His Name.
















Psalms 104:1,14,24,33
Bless YHWH, O my being! O YHWH my Elohim, You have been very great: You have put
on excellency and splendor, Causing the grass to grow for the cattle, And plants
for the service of mankind, To bring forth food from the earth, O YHWH, how many
have been Your works! You have made all of them in wisdom. The earth is filled with
Your possessions. I sing to YHWH as long as I live, I sing praise to my Elohim while I exist.
 
We began traveling through a well known area called Bribri, but as we continued
driving the pavement ended. Everything we saw was new to us as thatch roofs
and planted land was seen most of the way. You could see the usual dog, chicken,
or pig crossing the street, and feel the vibration of the rocks on the road.
It was like a drive through the jungle.

We came to a place called China Kicha that means “Orange tree” in the Cabecar dialect.
What is interesting about that name is that it brings to mind something familiar with our
birth place of Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, we call an orange a “china”, and commonly the
color orange is called “chinita” instead of the more commonly used Spanish name of 
“naranja o color anaranjado” in other countries. Many of the words in our Puerto Rican
 Spanish comes from the Taino Indians, who were the natives in the Island of
Borinquen(Bor-ik-en) as was known to these inhabitants before Christopher Columbus
(whose real name is Cristobal Colon) visited the island to claim it for the Spanish Crown in 1492.

Psalms 96:12-13
Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Let all the trees of the forest then shout for joy,
At the presence of YHWH. For He shall come, For He shall come to judge the earth.
He judges the world in righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.














The family there, like many other natives that we have met, are very shy to strangers.
We said hello and shook their hands. Then we gave them the milk and clothes we
took and Marta took them some ayote(squash). The Parents spoke Cabecar to her
and we could not understand them. They wanted her to come and stay but she said
that we must go back before it rained. The sad look on her parents said much more
than what we could understand. We drove again to another property they own. We
drove across two rivers and many tiny streams. At the last stream, we had to walk
across it. We had no idea we were going to get the bottom of our clothes wet to get there.
















When we got there, there was no ladder and no long sticks to get them from the
10 trees in that lot of land(which was also a plantain field), before the younger men
had to climb the trees with ants all over them. The rest of us just waited for all the
avocados to fall from them shaking the branches up there. I found a stick,
but the one boy told me that it was no good and too heavy, however we still
managed to get half a sack from the bottom branches. The rest of them collected
three sacks with about 100 avocados each. One of the ladies then brought
another type of avocado in a smaller sack for themselves.

Psalms 148:1,9,13-14
Praise Yah! Praise YHWH from the heavens, Praise Him in the heights!
The mountains and all hills, Fruit tree and all cedars, Let them praise the Name of YHWH,
For His Name alone is exalted, His splendor is above the earth and heavens.
He also lifts up the horn of His people, The praise of all His kind ones;
Of the children of Yisra’el, A people near to Him. Praise Yah!
















When we were done, Jesus got a sack on his shoulders and walked back to the car.
On the way back his boot slipped on a rock crossing the river, and down they were
“immersed” in the Telire river waters. The wallet was soaked, and the jeans got heavier.
We then joked about being “immersed” in the waters from 4 of major rivers from
north to south in Costa Rica. At the end of the day, we all had a fun and productive time.
We have become closer to the members of this family and we pray that they
come to Abba YHWH one day. We planted seeds as we went along, and despite
their rejection of religion we spoke a little here and there.

On the way back I saw a large fruit on a tree that looked like a Castaña. I asked
what the name was and found out that it was called “soncoya”. Immediately, I remembered
a post I had shared online about this fruit called a “jackfruit”. I had commented to a
sister that I needed someone to send us seeds. Well, Praise Abba we now know where
to find seeds, and a local name to go with it. Please pray for the Castro family and
that their hearts are tender to YHWH and that they can follow Yahshua with us.

Revelation 7:9-10
After this I looked and saw a great crowd which no one was able to count,
out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne
and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and palm branches in their hands,
and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Deliverance belongs to our Elohim
who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”




















Tammy feels very comfortable speaking to Marta and they embraced one
another all day. Abba YHWH is good! While our avocado tree has only given
one avocado so far, a brother gave us two on Friday and YHWH through this
family gave us 1 ½ sacks of a harvest from trees we did not plant. These are
His promises to those who love Him and keep His commandments. HalleluYAH!















Shalom!
The Montañez Family
L’Chaim Pura Vida!

Blessing Others… Tia Carmen

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written June 3rd, 2016

Shalom! We were recently blessed by the company of a true elderly widow
named “Tia” Carmen. She came all the way from Nicaragua and has always
felt that being with us was like a spiritual retreat. She is always ready to talk Scripture.
We met her on one of our trips to Nicaragua where we stayed for a few days.
She is a true widow with no children and her late husband was a pastor that
lived by faith alone. Her witness is uplifting to us as she has never lacked a roof
or daily bread. She says about Torah; “If it is in my Bible, how can it be done away?
That Word stands even if I was not taught it but you have taught it to me”.




















James 1:26-27
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is worthless. Clean and undefiled
religion before the Elohim and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows
in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

For the past 3 years we have supported her when we can. We love her humble
heart to call people to repentance. Please pray for her needs as a true widow.
She feels alone in her home and wants to build a room at her nieces home so
she can move to Costa Rica. We pray that we can continue to be a blessing to her.
Here is a video of our trip in 2012 to her home and community in Nicaragua.



While Tia Carmen was staying with us, she told us that when she was home in Nicaragua
she had been sick and that no one comes to see if she is ok. She has no children
and due to her strong faith many have turned from her. Having no husband or
children at the age of 73 makes her fearful to die alone. At one point, our sons gave
her hugs and she said, “Thank you, none of my nieces give me hugs.” Unlike in
Nicaragua, Costa Rica gives a small pension to their elderly. Life is hard for her at this age.
Please pray for Carmen, a true widow, and always remember to count your blessings.

Deuteronomy 10:17-18
“For YHWH your Elohim is Elohim of mighty ones and Master of masters, the great El,
mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He executes right-ruling
for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and a garment.”














We love when we’re trying to bless someone and we end up being blessed ourselves.
Tia Carmen was able to help Tammy with the wonderovens. She was able to work
faster than what Tammy can give her, and was always willing to do more.
(Side Note: Wow, the new material we got is beautiful. We will need new foam
to make more wonderovens. When Tammy gets inspired to help others, watch out!
May Abba YHWH bless her hands. They got two bags done and one more in the
process with the help of Tia Carmen. These are offered for sale in Costa Rica
Only for $50. The proceeds will help allow us to donate one to families that need them plus any additional offering will go towards buying the cooking pots with lids.)
 
Psalms 68:4-5
Sing to Elohim, sing praises to His Name. Raise up a highway for Him Who
rides through the deserts, By His Name Yah, And exult before Him.
Father of the fatherless, And Right-ruler of widows, Is Elohim in His set-apart dwelling.

While Tia Carmen was staying with us, she said, “I have never cut or sewn
material in my life. In my old age I have learned something in your home
that I can become useful at.” Tammy cried and hugged her. Sharing love and
knowledge of Truth is part of what L’chaim Pura Vida is about.















Tammy and Tia Carmen made this Chicken Pot Holder. What do you think
about this craft from the creative side of L’chaim Pura Vida?














Another of the big things that we learned while she was here is that Tia Carmen
could not not read her Bible anymore. She could read Tammy’s Kindle on large print.
Her glasses are not good for her weak eyesight. She either needed a Giant Letter
Bible in Spanish or new prescription glasses. We prayed for a miracle. As a
widow of a pastor with no children life has shown her Abba’s mercy and compassion
as He has provided for her needs all these years. When we heard this, we hoped that
we could help, and we informed our Brothers and Sisters in Messiah about this need…

Isaiah 1:17
“Learn to do good! Seek right-ruling, reprove the oppressor,
defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.














And HalleluYAH did YHWH work wonders! After her time here had ended and we
had driven Tia Carmen back to her niece’s home, we went and picked up the Scriptures
our Mispacha got for her and had shipped to us. It was awesome to see her reading
her beloved Scriptures again, and even without her glasses on! She broke down
in tears after reading a Psalm. Praise Abba YHWH for this widow’s heart for His Word.




















Scripture tells us that our tithes and offerings should go to the poor,
widows, and fatherless(the True religion). We have a chance and a choice to
bless the one true widow that we know. Please, consider and pray about
helping us bless Carmen as she must travel back to Nicaragua in a few days.
She has very little financially, and many needs to take care of. If you want to
help us bless her more while she is here in Costa Rica either click on the
donate button on the sidebar or go to the Home page and click on the donate
button there. May YHWH bless you and keep you… Any amount is greatly appreciated.

Shalom Ubrachot!
The Montañez Family
L’Chaim Pura Vida!

Living A Life of Faith: L’chaim Pura Vida

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written May 26th, 2016

Who would imagine that having Mispacha visiting us would expand our territory
like the prayer of Yabetz we prayed for a long time(1 Cro 4:10). We are humbled by our brethren’s heart to reach out to us desiring to be a blessing. Our only desire is for Abba YHWH to be praised… Not our will but His. HalleluYAH!

Matthew 5:16
“Let your light so shine before men, so that they see your good works and praise your Father who is in the heavens.

Todah rabah Abba YHWH – and 119 Ministries for allowing us to serve.













“We wanted to take some time to introduce to you a missionary family here in Costa Rica
that is also instrumental in our ministry to those who speak Spanish. The Montañez family
have dedicated their lives to the service of our Creator. We have asked them to tell a
little bit of their story, who they are, what they have done, and what they are doing
or plan on doing in the future. Their ministry is called Family Gospel World Missions,
their website and blog is L’chaim Pura Vida. 
 
We have visited their modest home and experienced the love of YHWH firsthand
as well as met some of the people they help. They are a true blessing and living
example of a family living entirely in faith, a living testament to the provision
and work of YHWH today. Read their story and see how YHWH is faithful to those
who trust in Him, watching over His word to perform it.

This will be a two-part blog post; the first part will focus on who they are and
some of their experiences. The second part will be more about what they
are doing today as well as future projects.”


Shalom!
The Montañez Family

Feed My Sheep Part 3… Salted Sheep

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written May 23rd, 2016
 



















We have been learning about how caring and raising sheep relates to our spiritual walk.
Two other things that are essential to taking care of sheep are water and salt.
What does salt have to do with hunger and thirst?

In the Scriptures, every offering must be offered with salt. We are a living offering (Sacrifice). When we roast lamb we must season it before it is cooked, and sometimes marinate it for a while so that it becomes tasty. In our spiritual walk as a living sacrifice we must stay seasoned also. Few things are as bland as unseasoned meat or a worldly conversation.

Romans 12:1-2
I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.

Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless, how shall it be seasoned?
For it is no longer of any use but to be thrown out and to be trodden down by men.

Mark 9:49
“For everyone shall be seasoned with fire, and every offering shall be seasoned with salt.

Luke 14:34-35
“The salt is good, but if the salt becomes tasteless, with what shall it be seasoned? “It is
not fit for land, nor for manure, they throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”













“Salt is essential for many body functions. When sheep are deprived of salt, they
generally consume less feed and water, produce less milk, and grow slowly. Animals
that are deprived of adequate salt may try to satisfy their needs by chewing wood,
licking dirt, or eating toxic amounts of poisonous plants. Inadequate salt intake may
cause decreased feed consumption and decreased efficiency of nutrient use.
When adding salt to mixed feed, add 0.3 percent to the complete diet or 1 percent
to the concentrate portion. In general, supplemental salt should be provided to
range ewes at a level of 8 to 11 g of salt per head per day. Provide loose salt
rather than salt blocks. Sheep tend to bite instead of lick salt blocks; as a
consequence, their teeth may break or wear down prematurely.”
From: http://aces.nmsu.edu/sheep/sheep_nutrition/essential_nutrition.html
 
Saltiness is essential for the Body of Messiah to function. When His sheep are
deprived of salt they become weak and desire less of His Bread and the Living Water
that He gives us to “eat and drink” so that we are hungry and thirsty no more.

See that! Our desire to “eat and drink” comes from the saltiness in us.
However, some are tired of the routine and become tasteless preferring
the socializing, sports, bar, etc. more than His Bread and Water.













Are we salted? Is our conversation seasoned with salt? Are the bulls of our
lips offered with salt? Are we hungry and thirsty all the time for His Bread and Water?

Shalom!
The Montañez Family
L’Chaim Pura Vida!

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

What is L’Chaim Pura Vida?

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

Written May 27th, 2016
















Here in Costa Rica there is a popular saying called “Pura Vida”. For some it is a way to describe the informal lay-back way most things go here, but for us, it is the literal meaning of “Pure Life”, a journey to remain pure for our Bridegroom. A journey to cleanse our lives and to be without spot or blemish when He comes. To have clean hands and a pure heart, despising evil and sin as YHWH would.

Psalms 24:4
He that has clean hands, and a pure heart; who hs not lifted up his
soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.


Psalms 119:140
Your Word is very pure: therefore Your servant loves it.

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see Elohim.
















 

Titus 1:15
To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving  nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before Elohim and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

1 John 3:3
And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

L’chaim is for the Life YHWH wanted for us. “L’Chaim” in Hebrew is a
toast meaning “to life”. In Israel we hear “to Life” when drinking the betrothal cup
with our Bridegroom. When a couple becomes engaged, they get together with friends
and family to celebrate. Since they drink L’chaim (“to life”), the celebration is also called
a “L’chaim.” In Torah we see the Blessings when His Instructions become our Chai/Life.
It is the same thing that YHWH gave to us so that we could have an eternal Chai/Life.











  


Deuteronomy 32:47
“For it is not a worthless Word for you, because it is your life, and by this Word you prolong your days on the soil which you pass over the Yardĕn to possess.”

Proverbs 22:4
The reward of humility is the fear of YHWH, Riches, esteem, and life.

Luke 12:23
“The life is more than the food, and the body is more than the clothing.”

1 John 1:1
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life:













1 John 5:11-13
And this is the witness: that Elohim has given us everlasting life, and this life is in His Son. He who possesses the Son possesses life, he who does not possess the Son of Elohim does not possess life. I have written this to you who believe in the Name of the Son of Elohim, so that you know that you possess everlasting life, and so that you believe in the Name of the Son of Elohim.

So in short, we say that L’chaim Pura Vida is a purpose of a journey of Pure Life and to be ready at all times for our Beloved Bridegroom. The Living Torah is Life, a Pure Life!

Psalms 119:50
This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your Word has given me life.

Psalms 54:4
See, Elohim is my helper; YHWH is with those who sustain my life.

Matthew 13:44
“Again, the reign of the heavens is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man having found it, hid, and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Shalom! Join us on our quest for L’chaim Pura Vida!














The Montañez Family
Servants of Messiah Yahshua

HalleluYAH… Faith like a Yuca!

(This is an old post from our current website lchaimpuravida.com/, we are placing it here as a backup just in case anything goes wrong with the site in the future. But if you seeing this for the first time here on this blogspot, read it as if it was written just a short time ago :)

May 26th, 2016













Deuteronomy 28:1-4
And it shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice
of YHWH your Elohim, to observe and to do all His commandments
which I command you this day, that YHWH your Elohim
will set you high above the all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come upon you, and overtake you,
if you will obey the voice of YHWH your Elohim.
3 You will be blessed in the city, and you will be blessed in the field.
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit
of your cattle, the increase of your herds, and the flocks of your sheep.

Shalom! Yuca is a versatile root vegetable that grows in
tropical climates. It is simple to propagate, and can be done by
cutting small sticks from the plant and inserting them in the soil like a tent peg.












It is most commonly either boiled, fried, mashed, or made into a type of
bread called Cassava Bread. It is very tasty and can be part of one’s
daily meals, just like potatoes. It is said that Yuca helps in reducing
one’s appetite as well as helping with weight loss. It’s nutrients
include zinc, magnesium, copper, and potassium. It is low in calories and high
in fiber, and can be used as a starch source to thicken foods much like arrowroot.














Just one stick produced around 30 Lbs./17.3 Kgs. of Yuca root!!
 
Deuteronomy 28:11-12
11 And YHWH will make you plenteous in goods, in the fruit of your womb,
and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground,
in the land which YHWH swore to your fathers to give you.
12 And YHWH will open to you His good treasure, the heaven to give the
rain to your land in it’s season, and to bless all the work of your hand.

 
 The leaves can also be used, and are commonly added
into soups or sautéed and mixed with scrambled eggs.

Our family enjoys what we plant and what YHWH brings fruit from. Let’s eat!

Shalom U’brachot!
The Montañez Family
L’chaim Pura Vida!

To know more about Yuca and what health benefits it brings,
you can watch this informative video below:

Health Benefits of Cassava (Yucca)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMfJ1bqU1b4

We know that there are people who have tried Yuca that have
trouble being able to peel it… But it doesn’t have to be that way!
Here are a video showing how to peal Yuca the easy way…

Como pelar una yuca facilmente(How to Easily Peel a Yuca)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxxJbSa4uLU