Merry Christmas - 2016

As we near Christmas, we have much to be thankful for, including the first Thanksgiving in 11 years celebrated in the USA.  It was wonderful to be with family in November, even if we did not get to see our kids.  Joshua was in Ohio and Kayley in West Virginia, while we spent time in Iowa. There were many highlights, but family and Iowa State University football top the list.

David with his brother Charlie at the ISU football game.

First time at the stadium for 11 years!

Shelley's family

 

 

Shelley's brothers

David's family

While we were away, the CALL students held a huge Thanksgiving party.  Nearly 30 people were there to enjoy a new tradition - turkey and all the fixins.  

We returned to Costa Rica just in time for the Dedication weekend at La Finca.  We enjoyed seeing so many people who have had a great impact on the Poas Church.  

A huge crowd for the Sunday morning service.

The official building dedication.

David with key leaders: Dr. Larry McKain, Jorge Garcia, Allen Wilson and Bruce Wilson.

 

 

Yes, that is a cake in the shape of the building.

 

The Sickel family with Profesora Gaby

On Thanksgiving Day, Costa Rica experienced the effects of a hurricane that seriously damaged the area of Upala.  Some homes had as much as 2 meters (6 feet) of water in their homes.  The local Church of the Nazarene in Upala had 10 inches of mud covering the floor.  People have lost all their possessions.  But the church has sent supplies and workers, including David and AJ.  We are thankful for a church that responds sacrificially and quickly.  The work continues.  It will be a long time before life is back to normal in Upala.

The pickup loaded with supplies for Upala.

CALL continues teaching Spanish and just today we finished the term.  AJ and Chelsea Fry have completed the CALL curriculum and are returning for a short time to the USA to arrange for their visa for the Dominican Republic.  They will serve there for 2.5 years with Genesis Work and Witness.

AJ and Chelsea Fry

The Miners are teaching ESL to missionaries while they study and will return to classes in January.  All their students love them and are learning so much English.

Alan and Glenda Miner

The students with their professors.

Now it is nearly Christmas and we are awaiting Kayley to return to Costa Rica. Unfortunately, she is delayed a few days because of flight cancellations, but she is on her way and we hope to pick her up tonight at the airport.  

She has finished her first semester of college at MVNU and although it was quite a transition for her, she adjusted and ended up with all As and Bs.  That is saying a lot considering her difficult course load.  She loved her Nursing class, and fought through Chemistry. 

Kayley and friends at MVNU.

Joshua will be working through Christmas this year, but we are so proud of his work at Park National Bank.  He had a great 90-day review and is learning lots.  We are also glad to have him nearby his sister in Ohio.  Maybe we will all be together next year?

We are already looking ahead to after Christmas when we will be hosting 3 W&W teams in January.  We are so thankful for our friends and volunteer missionaries, Ted and Lori Bruce, who will be working day to day with the groups here on campus at SENDAS and at the Los Angeles Church.  Great days are ahead!

The Orchid building will be the focus of the first two teams.

For now, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  We have so much to be thankful for including good health, great ministry and wonderful friends and family.  Our cup overflows! Blessings to you all as you celebrate Jesus and his sacrifice to leave heaven and enter the world as a baby. Emmanuel – God with us.

The Webb Family

Finally, a November Post

Ok, so it has been two months since we have found time to update the blog.  SORRY!  We returned to Costa Rica in October and we hit the ground running. 

Shelley has been busy with SENDAS and CALL.  Six new CALL students arrived to take Spanish classes.  We have enjoyed time with the Frys, the Miners and the Slaters.  They are all wonderful people with plans to serve in various assignments and world areas.  It is always a blessing to help people develop skills for ministry.

The Miners in class with Profesora Zeidy.

The Frys with Profesora Gaby

The whole group, incuding the Slaters on the right.

David led a W&W team from Tennessee to Limon, Costa Rica.  It was a wonderful week of working on the new parsonage apartment for the Pastor and his family.  God is doing great things in the area of Limon.  

SENDAS celebrated the yearly Assembly and Graduation.  Every year we look forward to these special days.  The Seminary teaches nearly 1000 students each year, so there is much work to be done.  

We also assisted a W&W team who traveled to Panama to work in Changuinola.  But since they entered through Costa Rica, we helped them as they made their way there and back.  We had a fun tour day and the CALL students came along as well.  The beauty of Costa Rica never disappoints.

David traveled to the Dominican Republic for evangelism meetings.  He enjoyed the fellowship and learning with the other leaders from the Mesoamerica Region.

Today we find ourselves in the Iowa, USA.  We are with family for Christmas for the first time in eleven years.  We will not get to see our kiddos, but we will visit with our family in Iowa. Joshua and Kayley are in Ohio and will enjoy Thanksgiving with friends this year.  

Iowa skyline

We will return to Costa Rica soon, and we look forward to three Work and Witness teams between the end of December and the end of January.  Two will work at SENDAS and one at the Los Angeles Church.  Can't wait!

Kayley will return home mid December after her first semester of college.  It has been quite an adjustment for her, so we appreciate your continued prayers.  Joshua will not make it home for Christmas this year with his work schedule. We are sad about that, but know that God will take care of him.

It will not be long and Christmas will be upon us.  There is much to be thankful for this year. The list is long, but we are thankful especially for those who pray for us as we serve in Costa Rica.  THANK YOU!

Changes, Transitions and Adjustments

Nobody likes change, even when the changes are good.  This month has been one adjustment after another, but we are thankful for a good time of transition for our family.

We left Costa Rica on August 22^nd and have been traveling ever since.  Here are a few of the accomplishments and highlights along the way…

•          Kayley received her Iowa Driver’s License – Yeah!
•      We spoke at a Bible Study in Leon, IA and then at the Morris, IL Church of the Nazarene (a church in the old movie theatre!).
•     We travelled to Columbus, Ohio and spent a day with BOTH our kids together.  Joshua continued the job search.
•      Move in day at MVNU for Kayley.  Great time of organizing, running to WalMart and seeing our missionary friends the Slingerlands (Kayley and Abby are roommates).
•     Spoke at Lakeholm Church and with a group from New Life Church, both in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
•      Gave our last hugs to Kayley and left her to begin her studies at MVNU.
•      Spoke at Danville Church of the Nazarene on Labor Day Weekend.
•      Enjoyed Labor Day with family in Chicago and enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal together (yes, turkey and all the fixins included).
•     Joshua got the call he had been waiting for while we were all in Chicago together. He was offered and accepted a job at Park National Bank! God is good to provide all we need.

New Life Church bonfire. 

Joshua with us in front of his new home in Columbus, OH.

Move in day - hammock included.

Kayley and Abby on day 1 at MVNU.

David speaking in Illinois.

That was the first part of our journey.  The next part began on Sept 8^th when we flew from Chicago to Portland to begin 3 weeks of deputation and travel on three districts: Oregon Pacific, Northwest and the Washington Pacific district.  

We have loved seeing a new part of the country.  It is truly beautiful here. Photos don’t do it justice, but take a look to get the idea.

Adonai Hispanic Church in Portland, OR

A cookout in Southwest Portland with a great group from SW Community Church.

Along highway 101 - Oregon coast.

The same lighthouse, but up close.

Florence, OR

Beautiful views all along the coast.

Moscow, ID - our first view of fall.

We have visited many churches and had a great time at each one.  From Portland to Florence to Myrtle Creek, we have enjoyed it all (including two Hispanic Churches in there).

The Work and Witness conference was a highlight as well.  We met many new friends, but also got to see missionary friends from many different countries.  It was a time of celebration, reunions and encouragement.

Our booth at the Portland W&W Conference.

Then we traveled to Washington and enjoyed Goldendale, Grandview, Prosser and finally, Moscow, Idaho. 

Today we are traveling to the Seattle area.  We have one more week of services here and then back to Chicago for a few more days.

Prayer requests:

•   For Joshua and Kayley to continue to adjust well to the many new things in their lives.
•      For safe travel as David and Shelley traverse the Northwest.
•      For health and healing from colds, etc during these transitions.
•      For a good final two weeks of deputation services.
•      For a peaceful transition to life on the mission field in October in the midst of many responsibilities.                 

Thanks so much for your prayers and support. 

Trips and Teams

In just a few short weeks, we have had some awesome experiences.  Here is a summary of the recent teams and trips.

San Jorge, Nicaragua

Some sights from Nicaragua.

Nicaragua – Indestructible

In July we went to the Indestructible Youth Congress in Nicaragua.  It was wonderful to be with the 700 youth and leaders as they received trainings and worked in two local communities.  The worship services were awesome and each speaker was excellent. 

David translating for Scott Armstrong.

David translated for two of the plenary services and both were a surprise, but he did an incredible job under pressure.

We got to see many of our Nicaraguan friends and we always feel a desire to stay when we visit. 

Tony, Ita and us at the hotel.

The Reyes' and us at their home in Rivas.

On the way home we took a day to visit the beach in Costa Rica as a last trip with Kayley before she heads off to college.

Tamarindo...beautiful.

NorCal Group

A group of 8 from the Northern California district visited SENDAS in August to talk about possible partnership opportunities.  Shelley worked closely with this group, arranging meetings at SENDAS and seeing projects in the district.  We will keep you updated as we progress.

Richfield, MI Team

A W&W team from Richfield arrived one day after NorCal.  It was a crazy week with two teams at once, but God was good in it all. The team of 14 represented four churches (TN, KS, MI) with the majority being from Richfield.  They worked at the Fatima God of Grace Church renovating the bathrooms and putting a new roof over an open area to be used for children’s ministry.  

They also worked in the local school sharing the love of Christ with 300 children.  On Sunday they welcomed many homeless people to the church for the morning service and then served lunch to the group of 40 men and women.  (See more photos on David's Facebook page.  He posted photos for each day).

At the school near the church.

It is a blessing to be a part of what God is doing through Pastor Javier and Pastora Heidy in Heredia.

The last team left just a couple days ago and we are still in recovery mode. We are so blessed to work with such great people, both those here in Costa Rica and those who visit from the USA. 

Kayley is doing her "farewell tour."  That is David's term for her many goodbye parties and events before she leaves for college.  This is not an easy move for her since she is Tica more than North American, but we know God will help her to make the adjustment. 

Now it is catch-up time.  We have one week before we leave for the USA for Kayley’s drop off at MVNU and a six week home assignment time.  

Here are some ways you can pray for us:

1.  Strength and health as we recover from a long stretch of teams and activities.

2.  Safe travels as we being our home assignment time.

3.  An easy transition for Kayley (and her parents) as we leave her at college.

4.  Just the right job opportunity for Joshua.  He graduated recently and is seeking work in the Columbus area.

Thanks and much love from our home to yours.