Home Assignment - First Few Weeks

Kayley at the display table at the Osawatamie Church.

Hello Everyone!

We have really enjoyed our first month of home assignment in the United States.  We arrive to Chicago on May 29^th and began the adventure in Chicago.  David’s brother, Steve, lives there, so we had great accommodations and way too much great food for the first few days.   Our first deputation service was at the Lombard Church, and we really enjoyed meeting new friends there.

The Farm in Iowa

After a few days in Chicago, we headed to Iowa where we stayed with Shelley’s Mom in Manchester.  While in the area, we visited the Cedar Rapids Oakland Church of the Nazarene, then the Iowa City Hispanic Church and later in the week we had a blast with the Grinnell youth group and the Ottumwa Hispanic congregation. 

We also enjoyed seeing Shelley’s two brothers and their families, as well as her stepmom, Donna, whom they had not seen for a number of years.  It was a little sad to say goodbye to the farm where Shelley spent much time in year’s past, but she is glad it is being sold to a farm family who love the land and the house. 

Virginia Webb (David's Mom) playing the organ at church.

Then we headed to Leon, Iowa, where David’s Mom lives in Southern Iowa.  She turned 80 this year and stays very active with her 25 piano students, two Bible studies and organ playing at church.  We spoke in the Des Moines Eastside Nazarene church and the Leon Bible Church before heading to the Kansas City district.

David and Kayley at the Des Moines Eastside church service.

Visiting Kansas City is a little like going home for us since we lived there and attended the Lenexa Central Church for two years.  We enjoyed seeing our friends from Central (some of them were in Nicaragua with us for New Years Day) and Shelley loved hanging out with the children’s group.  Then we visited Tongonaxie, Osawatamie, College Church Sunday School Classes (3 of those!), Olathe Christ Community and Olathe Westside Nazarene Church.  What a joy to see so many of our LINKS churches! 

David speaking to the Sojourners Sunday School Class.

One thing you remember when visiting churches is that people really do pray for missionaries.   That is such a blessing to know, and we realize that it has kept us safe on the field many times when dangers were lurking and we didn’t even know it.  One couple, whom we don’t really know all that well, but who pray faithfully for us, are Larry and Dorothy from College Church.   We first met them in 2005 when we visited their Sunday School class before leaving for Guatemala.  They announced in class that they have faithfully prayed for us, by name, everyday since our meeting in 2005.  What a great blessing for us!  Thank you, prayer warriors!

Larry and Dorothy, our prayer warriors.

While in KC, we spent on evening out at Theatre in the Park.  Kayley has been asking for awhile now to go to a theatre (play), but we hadn’t found anything in San Jose that we thought she would enjoy.  We were thrilled that the community theatre (the largest theatre in the park in the nation!) was performing The Sound of Music.  Kayley adored every minute of the performance and we sat right up front on our blanket to not miss a thing. 

Kayley had a bird's eye view of Maria in the play.

I am writing this blog while on the plane to Denver, en route to San Diego.  We are delighted to spend some time with our friends at Las Flores Church in Carlsbad, California.  They have brought teams to Costa Rica in the past and we are excited to see them all once again – including the new babies born in the last two years! 

We are looking forward to a family wedding in Ames, Iowa on July 2^nd and a visit to the Ames Church in July 3^rd, and shortly after a awesome week at NYC (National Youth Congress) which is a once every four year event that Joshua and Shelley will attend this year.  Pray that Shelley will have the energy to keep up with the group of 30 mission kids (Let’s not even think about the 7000 total youth in attendance!). 

We hope to see you this summer!  God bless you!

The Webb Family