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