FOCUS Youth Conference, Panama City, July 2012

Hello,

David getting ready to translate for workshops.

I just wanted to share a few photos and some basic info about what David and Joshua have been doing for the last week.  They left last Tuesday for Panama City.  David translated for workshops for the FOCUS event and Joshua helped with the Central Church team from Lenexa, KS. 

The FOCUS conference is the first of its kind since it is first youth conference held for the new Mesoamerica Region.  There are 30 countries on the Region now, and the majority were in attendance (which is an amazing feat when you consider all the visa regulations, border crossings, expenses and long travel days required to arrive.)  More than 600 people attended the conference which lasted for 5 days. Translation was necessary with English, Spanish and even some French speakers on site.

There were many highlights, but one special moment was when the 5 youth from Cuba finally arrived in time for the end of the Thursday night service.  It is a total miracle that at the last moment they were given visas to leave Cuba for this event.  When it was announced that they had arrived, they stood, and the cheering lasted for quite some time!  An amazing moment to be a part of - even if by streaming!

David in one of the many workshops.

Joshua (in blue Tshirt) at La Pesa construction site.

The Central Team, among others, with Joshua in the background, probably helping the team to order from the menu.

Shelley and Kayley stayed at home, but were able to watch much of the event through live streaming.  It was fun to see Joshua and David there in Panama. 

Joshua is working with Stephen Sickel, the W&W Coordinator, to assist in leading the Central Team.  They are working in La Pesa, a community where there is a Church of the Nazarene, a preschool and a Child Development Center.  Shelley has been there since she worked with this Child Development Center in her previous work for Compassionate Ministries.  On the service day for FOCUS, a group from the event went to La Pesa and helped for the day.  Great experiences for all!

The Webb boys will return to Costa Rica on Saturday, after they finish up their work with the Central team at La Pesa.  Stephen Sickel will return home soon to be here in time for the birth of their baby boy!  YEAH!

Joshua leaves on August 3rd for the USA, first for the MK Retreat in Oklahoma City, then a couple of weeks touring on deputation and then to Ohio and MVNU for this move in day on the 31st of August.  What a whirlwind!  
 

Also, a quick update on the Las Marias church construction.  Here is the most recent photo I have from the site, but I know that two local churches are planning a trip in the next week or two to try to complete the work.  The team from Kansas City did a great job and completed the vast majority of the new parsonage for a well-deserving Pastor Franklin and his family.  Thanks!!!

Thanks for keeping up with the blog and for all your prayers and support.  We hope to see you soon!
The Webb Family

Summer Update from Costa Rica

Hello Dear Family and Friends,

What a great summer we have had so far (even though it is winter here!).  We have enjoyed a second W&W team, this one working at SENDAS as well as keeping up with the PLNU (Point Loma Nazarene University) students as they completed their second Spanish course on campus.

Let's start with the W&W team from the CORE Church of the Nazarene in Virginia.  The team had 7 members from Virgina and 3 from Ohio.  They worked all week long on various projects at SENDAS including paining the inside of an entire house, digging trenches and beginning the work on a new restroom and putting up a wall to divide the computer room into two smaller classrooms.  WOW!  What a great help to the Seminary.  Thanks, guys!

I want to make special mention of the two people in this photo (above). They are Ted and Lori Bruce, and they volunteered their time (and funds) to lead this group.  With Shelley's other responsibilities, it would have been impossible to lead the team by herself.  Thanks to the Bruce family, the VA team had a great experience.  

The team also spent one day in Sarapique area, where the Church has a number of new missions.  It is an area filled with pineapple and banana farms and most people work in those two industries.  It is a humble place with many needs, but the people are so kind and warm. (I mean they are nice, but it is really HOT there!)

Since the PLNU students went on the work day too, we had about 30 people all together.  So we split into two groups and one group led children's activities while the rest worked on the new pastoral home behind the Las Marias church.  Lots got done in one day!

This is the current pasonage at Las Marias. 

This is the new home under construction!  A good start!

That is one DIRTY, STINKY team!  Way to go!

The Point Loma students enjoyed their final week in Costa Rica by visiting Volcan Irazu, studying for the final exam and enjoying a final fiesta with their language partners and home stay families.  CALL (the Language program) combined forces with a local church to provide weekend home stays and 4 hours of conversational practice per week.  It was a huge success with the students loving their families and the Ticos loving their students.  What a blessing!

 

The final night for Point Loma was a big celebration with the local families from the Los Angeles Church.  It was a special night to say goodbye to new friends.  Thank God for facebook!

Now, a well-deserved vacation is in order for the Webb family.  We have been going non-stop for a number of months and it is time for a short rest.  To Arenal Volcano we go for a couple night stay and a day of white water rafting! Look out, La Fortuna...here we come.

After the short vacation, the boys have a busy time ahead of them as they prepare to leave for the FOCUS youth event in Panama.  They will be gone for 2 weeks, then Joshua will be home for 4 days and then he is off to the USA to prepare for college.  Wow!  The time is flying by.

Those of you in Iowa and Ohio, we look forward to seeing you in August as we travel for deputation.

God bless you all!  Until next time,
The Webb family