WORK and WITNESS Times 2

In the month of February, we had the amazing opportunity to be part of an historic W&W trip to Chiapas, Mexico with a combined team of participants from Costa Rica North and the Chicago Central District.  Both districts raised funds for the project to lay the floor of a church in the mountains of Chiapas. 

The team just after completing the floor of the church.

It was the first time for some of the Costa Ricans to travel so far and to fly on an airplane, so excitement was high as we traveled together. We met up with the Chicago group in the Mexico City airport and the ONE TEAM began to form.  

We spent the first night with the host missionaries, Stephen and Anne Sickel and their family near Tuxtla Gutierrez.  We arrived to the work site the next day after a long drive of 5 hours. We stayed in homes and on the church floor.  For 3 days there was no electricity, but it did not matter too much since the people there do not use it too much. They cook using gas, and we had flashlights for evening times together.  The Mexicans there raise coffee and corn, so agriculture is the main source of income.  They were wonderful hosts showing us lots of love and working hard to prepare meals for us each day.  

Our work site - what a view of the mountains!

David makes new friends wherever he goes.

The floor got poured in a day and a half.  There was other work too: digging ditches for a new front gated entrance and a back-retaining wall.  A highlight was working with children and youth in the community and walking the streets sharing with people.  A Costa Rican nurse on the team was asked to see some patients and we did what we could to help.  

District Superintendent Johnny Calvo with DS Mariano Vazquez.

Returning to Tuxtla after 7 days was quite an adventure.  One of the two 15 passenger vans, loaded down with sleeping mats and people, stopped running about 25 minutes outside of the pueblo.  The transmission died.  It was a tense time, trying to decide what to do, but the leaders handled it well.  The ladies and kids went onto the next town in the working van and the men walked to a farmhouse to call the local mountain church.  They brought a big flatbed truck, perfect for hauling lots of things and people.  The ladies were excited to see this HUGE truck, filled with our guys, entering the town.  It was a bit cold for those who rode in the back of the big truck, but a few hours later, about midnight, we arrived to Tuxtla, safe and sound.  

The truck that many of the team rode in for hours.

Our hosts, Stephen and Anne Sickel and family.  Sorry, it is the only photo of have of them.

We enjoyed a one day visit to Mexico City on our way home to Costa Rica.  It is an amazing city with more than 22 million people.  City as far you could see in any direction.  We were impressed by the largeness and the kindness of the Mexican people. 

 

In between the two trips, we enjoyed a day with our good friends as they celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary with a renewal of vows ceremony.  David had the honor of directing the ceremony and it was beautiful.  

A few days after arriving home, the next adventure began.  A Jesus Film Harvest Partner team, representing 5 states, arrived on a Thursday.  We stayed at the Seminary for one night and left early on Friday for an amazing adventure to the Tayni Indigenous Area of Costa Rica.  The people there speak Cabecar and this was our first time to show the Jesus Film in their language.  

The JFHP team and the CR National Team at SENDAS.

At the school in Gavilan

At the school in Boca Cohen

David and Abelardo speaking to two Cabecar men after the showing of the film.

It was a hard drive over rocky roads, rivers and bumps to arrive each day to the communities, but well worth it.  We were allowed to show the Jesus Flim in Cabecar in two public schools, as well as do a craft and spend time with the kids.  For many, this was the first time to see a movie in their own language, so everyone’s attention was fully on the movie, even the smallest children!  

Finally, the basket was taken off so we could continue on our way.

We had a little problem entering this bridge: the basket on the van was just too tall!

One little girl, with a look of amazement on her face, asked the Superintendent of the CR Central District, Sirlene, if God speaks Cabecar.  It was a wonderful moment to share that yes, God speaks and understands Cabecar perfectly!

We also got meet with our friend David Jones and his wife Lucy, who are independent missionaries. He has translated the New Testament into the language of Cabecar, and administrated the recording of the Jesus Film into their language, at his home in Bribri.  It was awesome to hear his testimonies of how God is using the film as he enters the most difficult places to reach, hiking up to 8 hours per day.  He is our hero, and we are thankful for his work with the Cabecar people.

 

The majority of the JFHP team with a great view of the Poas Volcano.

Thanks for all your prayers as we work with a total of 14 W&W teams this year.  The next team arrives next week and then one more the following week.  We are so thankful for each group for the encouragement they bring to the churches here in Costa Rica.

Until next time...
David and Shelley Webb