Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Gracias Costa Rica, Hello Curacao



After serving nearly 11 years as missionaries in Costa Rica, God has asked us to take on a new missionary assignment.  It is with sadness in leaving our many friends in the land of Pura Vida, and with anticipation of what the future holds, that we officially announce that we have accepted God’s call to move to the island of Curacao to help develop the Church of the Nazarene on the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao), focusing on the languages of English and Spanish.  We plan on moving to Curacao in January of 2018.

Después de server casi 11 años como misioneros en Costa Rica, Dios nos ha pedido tomar una nueva asignación como misioneros.  Es con tristeza por salir de nuestros muchos amigos en la tierra de Pura Vida, y con anticipación de lo que tiene el futuro que anunciamos que hemos aceptado el llamado de Dios para mudarnos a la isla de Curazao para desarrollar la Iglesia del Nazareno en las islas ABC (Aruba, Bonaire, y Curazao), enfocándonos en los idiomas de inglés y español.  Tenemos planes de mudarnos a Curazao en enero de 2018.

This is not a decision that has come quickly or easily.  We have been praying about a possible change for more than a year. It would certainly be easier and more comfortable to continue to serve in Costa Rica where we have raised our kids, where our house feels like a home, where we know our way around (even in a country with no street addreses) and where ministry is a joy.  But God has not called any of us to comfort, but instead to obedience. 

Esta decisión no es algo que hemos decidido rápidamente o fácilmente.  Hemos estado orando sobre un cambio por más de un año.  Sería más fácil y más confortable continuar sirviendo en Costa Rica dónde hemos criado nuestros niños, dónde la casa se siente como un hogar, dónde conocemos las rutas de las calles y dónde el ministerio es un gozo.  Pero Dios no nos ha llamado al confort, sino a la obediencia.

 

We will travel to Curacao in mid-November to begin the moving process.  We will be getting to know our new friends the Petrus family, learning about the multiple cultures of Curacao, investigating immigration requirements and finding a new home. Read this article in Engage Magazine about the work of the Petrus family and others in Curacao.

http://www.engagemagazine.com/content/nazarene-presence-officially-recognized-cura%C3%A7ao

Al mediados de noviembre, vamos a viajar a Curazao para comenzar el proceso de la mudanza.  Vamos a conocer nuestros nuevos amigos, la familia Petrus, aprender sobre las culturas de Curazao, investigar los requisitos de la inmigración y buscar una nueva casa. 

A big THANKS to all the leaders of the Costa Rican churches who have put up with us, trained us, taught us, and listened to our bad Spanish for eleven years. We owe you a debt of gratitude that is impossible to repay. Because of all you have done to invest in us, we are ready to follow God wherever He leads us on the mission field. 

Mil gracias a todos los líderes de las Iglesias en Costa Rica quienes nos han aportado, entrenado, enseñado y oído a nuestro mal español por once años.  Debemos a ustedes una deuda que es imposible repagar.  Por la inversión de ustedes en nuestras vidas, estamos listos para seguir a Dios dondequiera él nos guíe en el campo misionera. 

We have many questions and few answers at this point concerning this new role and the life we will live on the ABC islands. What we do know is that God is calling and that He is with us. We ask for your prayers for this time of transition.

Tenemos muchas preguntas y pocas respuestas sobre este nuevo rol y la vida en las islas ABC.  Lo que sí sabemos es que Dios está llamando y él está con nosotros. Pedimos sus oraciones durante este tiempo de transición. 

Our most recent family photo in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
If you would like to contact us, feel free to comment on Facebook, send us a message through whatsapp or messenger or the old way - email. swebb@mesoamericaregion.org or dwebb@mesoamericaregion.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

Si quiere contactarnos, puede enviar un mensage en Face, whatsapp, o messenger o por correo electronico. swebb@mesoamericaregion.org or dwebb@mesoamericaregion.org.  Esperamos oir de ustedes.  

David y Shelley Webb

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Home Assignment 2017

We are enjoying our time in the USA, but it is winding down and we will be back in Costa Rica in 10 days.  In the last post you can see a few of our stops along the way in Iowa, KS and MO, and here are a few more.

Pierpont Church in Morgantown, WV.  It was wonderful to reconnect with friends from year's past and meet some new ones too.  An added blessing was having our kids with us that day. 


Then onto Valparaiso, IN to see our friend Pastor Shawn.  He is a great guy, even if he likes Oklahoma (see the background poster).


Next, a big adventure in the Northern California district. We had never been to this area of California, so it was all new to us.  We learned our way around visiting all these churches:  Napa, Santa Rosa, Palo Alto, Pittsburg, Santa Cruz, Livermore Discovery, Fortuna, Willow Creek and Arcata.  We enjoyed each congregation and every area.  This trip was special too because of the partnership between the NorCal district and the Seminary (SENDAS) where we live and work.  This district has brought a number of teams and are supporting the Seminary in many ways. THANK YOU, NorCal.

Seeing the ocean views from Arcata and Santa Cruz, the grapes in Napa, and witnessing the tallest trees in the world were scenic highlights.

 


 Closer to San Francisco, a highlight was the Golden Gate bridge.  Beautiful and awesome!

 And Google, a product we use as much as you do, was a quick stop along the way.

 
If you have followed the news, you know about the wildfires in Northern California.  We visited these areas before the fires started, but we needed to pass through Santa Rosa to return to San Francisco before we flew to Chicago. The fires started the night before. It was heartbreaking to smell the smoke and see the orange color on the hill tops.  So sad that so many have lost their homes, their crops and some their lives.  Pray with us that the winds would die down so the fires could be contained. We hear the churches are serving as shelters for those who have lost their homes.

Fire on the ridge. This is where the highway closed.

Near the coast, with lots of smoke. The sun is trying to peek through the orange haze.

We have now returned to the midwest, visiting many churches in our LINKS district, Chicago Central. We still have a few churches to visit, but this is where we will be this week and next:
Eastridge, Bradley and College Church (all near Kankakee and Olivet).  Then Chicago Calvary, Living Water (Morris), Joliet Crystal Lawns, Sheldon, Kankakee (retired missionaries group), Westbrook and Gilman. 

It is fun to visit so many churches who have sent teams to Costa Rica. The Chicago Central district has been a HUGE help in the Costa Rica North district. Just last night we were at the Joliet Crystal Lawns Church.  Such a blessing to see these friends who have done so much to help the ministry in Costa Rica.


In 10 days, we will pack it up and travel home to Costa Rica. We are excited for upcoming events at SENDAS: the yearly Assembly, a theological conference (Llamados) and graduation are all within 4 days of our return. There will be lots to do, but we are glad to be a part of something so important as the preparing of pastors and leaders. 

Thanks to each of the more than 25 churches we have had the privilege to visit in the USA.  It is a blessing to partner with you!

David, Shelley, Joshua and Kayley Webb

Time has flown by since our last post more than two years ago.  Here is an update of some of what has happened in that time. 1.       Minist...