"What's the best part of your work as a missionary?"

Sometimes missionaries get asked questions something like these:

“What’s the best part of your work?  What do you do that you most enjoy?

I enjoy all the different aspects of my work including translating documents, administrating a Spanish language school, writing publications for SENDAS, and updating webpages and Facebook pages, but here is the best, most lasting part of my work as a missionary…

I get to be part of helping people discover God’s call on their lives.  I say “part of” since this is completely God’s thing, but I’ve got to say, I love watching God lead and guide people in their calling whether it be to serve as a missionary, a pastor, a teacher or a  ____________ (fill in the blank). 

My work with the CALL language school is key in this.  Volunteer missionaries, newly contracted missionaries, and other professionals come to CALL to learn the Spanish language, but it’s really a lot more than that.  Students learn to live in a new culture (How do I get to…? What is that?  Why do they do that?  What does it mean when…?), they discover their strengths and weaknesses, and through a time consuming process (sometimes up to year or more) they begin to see how God would have them serve, whether on the mission field or elsewhere.  Witnessing this process is super fulfilling, sometimes exasperating and always wonderful.

Recently, our Regional Director, Dr. Carlos Saenz, asked me a question I could not answer.  “How many people have studied with CALL?”   I could only answer, “Muchas.”  I really didn’t have any idea, so the next week I began to research by viewing all the monthly reports since CALL started in fall of 2009.  I was amazed to learn that 70 students have studied with CALL during that time.  Wow.

Here is the part that really gets me excited.  Some of these folks have felt a call to continue serving as missionaries.  Here are few of them that are serving as missionaries today:

Lora Wooster, serving with Partnerships for the Mesoamerica Region

Stephen and Anne Sickel, Work and Witness, Costa Rica and Panama

Bub and Rickie Honea, Work and Witness, CA4 Area

Dan and Janet Reinhart, serving with the Eurasia Region

Darin and Tonya Kucey, serving in Haiti

Others are in the process now, taking classes and serving as they study.

Patrick and Kim LeGrand, serving with Work and Witness, Costa Rica and Panama

Luke and Liz Gentry, serving with SENDAS

Gary and Naomi Faucett, currently taking online courses and will arrive in January to continue studying with CALL.

Of course that's not all of the CALL students with a call to missionary service, and there are many others who serve in other ways:  pastoring, teaching, serving children, administrating, etc.  Each of these people used their CALL and Costa Rica experience to build language skills to serve others.  One of our former CALL students now teaches Spanish in an elementary school in Washington D.C. and she does not have a Spanish major, but improved her skills through CALL. Now that’s an awesome ministry!

One last thing…I’ve learned I cannot predict who God will choose for missionary work or how He will have them serve.  Sometimes I think it’s obvious how someone should (or should not) serve.  These four years of CALL experience have shown me that God’s will in a person’s life does not always make human sense.  Actually, it usually doesn’t make sense.  Watching God mold and shape us (that includes me!) into who He wants us to be is an amazing process. 

I ask you, “What could be better than that?”

Two Special Mission Areas

 Hello to all our friends and family,

That's David in the Red 4-Runner, making his way through the jungle.

We would like to highlight two special areas of Costa Rica this time around:  The Valle de Estrella (Star Valley) and Las Marias in Sarapiqui. 

Patrick, David, Stephen and O.E. having an afternoon meeting (Looks like the white sock convention to me!).

This month, David went with a group of five others to the Indigenous Area of Valle de Estrella.  This is in the southeast part of Costa Rica, just southwest of Limon and a Caribbean port city.  David has been there many times, but this trip was for a new purpose of investigating the possibility of a bridge project.  In the area of Cuchey, the people are isolated by the river.  To reach medical attention, or to buy food or supplies, one must cross the river.  Thankfully, when the team went, the river was low and it was not difficult to pass.  But many times during rainy season, the river swells to a level where it is dangerous to cross, but many times the people try.  Every year more people die trying to cross the river. 

The terrain in the Indigenous Area.

So, since the COTN has churches and contacts in the area, the idea of building a walking bridge has been brought up.  Still we are not sure if this will be possible since the cost would be high and governmental support needs to be obtained, but this is project that could be a huge help to the people in the area of Valle de Estrella, which has a population of just under 7000 inhabitants.  We have one church and preaching points in nine other nearby communities all under the direction of Pastor Arcelio.  Pastor Arcelio’s son-in-law Elber is starting Nazarene works in another indigenous area in Costa Rica as well. 

Hiking from one village to another.  David, Leyla and O.E.

This was a tough hiking trip.  The team parked on the east side of the river and walked into the villages from there.  They slept in hammocks and tried their best to keep the mosquitos away.  It was hot and humid during the day, but cooled off at night.   The second day they hiked a total of 6 hours to visit 2 villages.  They showed the Jesus Film one evening and had a worship service in the community of Cuchey the following evening.  Spanish is actually the second language as the inhabitants of this part of Costa Rica speak Cabecar.  We ask you to pray that God will continue to raise up indigenous leaders as this is vitally important for the growth of the work there.  

Jesus Film showing

Typical structure in the indigenous area.

Another trip is planned for the near future to make plans to set up an educational extension center there for the pastors from all denominations who are wanting Biblical training from SENDAS.  Educational opportunities are very limited there, and we thank God for the door He is opening to make disciples.

Another area where David travels to often is called Sarapiqui.  This area is filled with banana plantations, and Las Marias is one of many villages there, in northern Costa Rica, not far from the Nicaraguan border.  Pastor Franklin is doing a wonderful job as the Pastor of two churches there:  Las Marias and Jerusalem.  

Pastor Franklin with the biggest yuca I've ever seen.

Pastor Franklin and Pastor Mayorga in Las Marias.

David has kept busy with preaching opportunities.  He preached at San Pedro de Poas, Pavas and at Barrio Mexico Church of the Nazarene.

David preaching at San Pedro de Poas.

David at the Pavas Church of the Nazarene

Shelley is busy making future plans for CALL as there are many students beginning in January.  Also, she is preparing for the arrival of new volunteers to the field, the Gentrys. It will be great to get them settled in on September 19^th.  ESL classes will start in two weeks, another W&W team will arrive at the end of the month, and the translation projects just never end. 

Kayley and Joshua are both doing well.  Kayley has been in school now for a few weeks and is settling into a routine.  Joshua has begun his RA position at MVNU and starts classes next week. 

Yesterday we said goodbye to Juarez family.  Helmer and Susy have been our neighbors for four years, and although we all travel lots and don’t see each other as much as we would like, we will miss having them nearby.  They are moving to Guatemala to continue working with Compassionate Ministries there.

Prayer Requests:

1. Pray with us for a new Spanish professor for CALL.  The program is growing, and we need another quality professor.

2.  Pray for David as he travels.  He has upcoming trips to Sarapiqui, to many local churches in the city and to Liberia in the near future.  

3. Pray for the new SENDAS educational center in the Cuchey, the Indigenous Area.

4.  Pray for our kids as they adjust to their sophomore years (Kayley in HS and Joshua at MVNU).

5.  Pray for the Juarez family and other missionaries families in transition.

Thanks for your prayers and support.   Many blessings to you all,
David and Shelley Webb

Home Again

Hello to All,

Once again we are home in Costa Rica after being in the States for Home Assignment.  We enjoyed seeing all our friends and family across eight states and look forward to seeing you all again in two years (summer of 2015).   It is not as far away as it sounds.

Life has been hectic as we jump back in to a daily routine in San Jose.  Kayley is back to school in 10^th grade and Joshua will be starting his sophomore year of college at MVNU in a couple of weeks. 

We reconnected immediately upon our return to CR with our missionary friends and some other guests at Micah Sickel’s 1^st Birthday party.  Micah is a growing fast and walking is just a few days away.  He’s almost got it!

We really wanted to visit the Alajuela Church since they have had three Work and Witness teams to help them put a second story on their building in downtown Alajuela.  It is prime property, but small, so a second story was the only way to create more space.  Thanks to the Chicago Central District teams who helped to make this project a reality! 

Another exciting development is the continuation of the work at SENDAS.  There are two important projects going on now on campus.  One is for the water (sewer) system to be connected to the city water and the other is a new bathroom facility for the gymnasium/auditorium.  Thanks to the team from Pennsylvania who just finished up the water project (2^nd stage).  We really enjoyed having you on campus.

The new bathrooms for the auditorium.

The PA team digging and digging some more.

The PA Work and Witness team with representatives from SENDAS at the thanksgiving and prayer time.

At the Los Angeles church, preparing for the new driveway.

The PA team also spent one day helping at the Los Angeles church near SENDAS.  They have new property and needed some manpower to move dirt for a new driveway.  Looking good!

CALL Language School had students throughout the summer.  Two students recently completed their time with CALL:  Pastor Miles McPherson from San Diego and Ryan Krestel from Chicago. 

The LeGrands continue their studies with CALL but they have begun to lead Work and Witness teams as well.  Their three boys are also studying and all are advancing well with the language.

Patrick and Kim LeGrand, CALL students and Work and Witness volunteers.

This week, David, Shelley, Kim LeGrand and Dr. Helmer Juarez went to Los Chiles (a border crossing town into Nicaragua, about a 5 hour drive) to visit the church there.  It was great to see the new parsonage, completed a few months ago and to see how the church has plans to increase their ministry to children. They have had 20 children attending on Sundays and for special activities.  Pray with them for more workers for the harvest there in Los Chiles.  

Dr. Juarez, David and Pastor Henry.

Finally, we are so excited that the Gentrys will be arriving soon.  They are new volunteers who will serve with SENDAS in computer programming needs as well as the teaching of ESL for Nazarene Academy.   

The Webbs and Gentrys at the General Assembly in June.

They are a wonderful couple who are leaving their jobs in the USA behind to serve for the year.  They could use your financial support.  They need to raise nearly $20.000 for their year in Costa Rica (tickets, food, lodging, visas, etc…).  If you can help them, it would be a HUGE blessing to them and to SENDAS.  The link for more information is this:  www.lucasgentry.com

There you can read about their plans and help them financially to get to SENDAS to serve the Lord.  When you help them, you help us and SENDAS!  They hope to arrive in September. 

Here are a few prayer requests.  We sure appreciate your prayer support.

1.  Pray for David’s trip to the Indigenous area next week.  They are visiting a church and investigating the possibility of a bridge project so people can cross the river safely (without having to walk through the high waters).

2. Pray for Kayley as she gets adjusted to her classes in 10^th grade and Joshua as he begins his new RA position and classes for the fall very soon.

3.  Pray for CALL as Shelley searches for a new Spanish professor.  The program is growing and we need more teachers. 

4.  Pray for the Gentrys are they sort, pack, repack and raise funds for their year of missionary service in Costa Rica. 

Thanks again.  God's blessings to you all.

The Webb Family

On the Road Again...Again

Hello Everyone,

Our travels have taken us to 8 states putting 6500 miles on the car on this home assignment, and the last blog left us in West Virginia in late June.  From there we traveled back to Ohio to say a sad goodbye to Joshua who is spending the rest of his summer working in the IT department at MVNU. 

The Tennessee district was the next stop, with services in Waverly, Erin, Woodlawn (our home church) and then the TN District NMI Convention.  We really felt at home in TN and it made us lonesome for our years of life there from 1997-2003. 

These guys have all been to Costa Rica for W&W teams.  We had a fun reunion with them all.

David and Lee Allen, special friends who threw a great BBQ party at their home.

Each service was a blessing as we shared about mission work in the Mesoamerica Region, using the text of Luke 19:1-10, the story of Zacchaeus and Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost.

We enjoyed staying with our friends the Greens, who have always opened their home to us whenever we have needed it.  Shelley learned about beekeeping and Kayley and David enjoyed a 4 wheeler ride on the farm.

Mr. Green giving Kayley a ride.

The Iowa NMI Convention in Oskaloosa.

From Tennessee, we headed northwest to Iowa to arrive in time for the Iowa NMI Convention.  Since we were born and raised in Iowa, it was fun for us to get to know the Nazarene churches in our home state, including Ames, Des Moines Eastside, Leon Trinity (Christian church),  Shenandoah, Tabor, Keokuk, Moravia, Knoxville and Monticello.

Being at the Iowa NMI Convention was a real treat.  The new District Superintendent there came from Clarksville, TN, so it was great to reconnect with Kim Smith.  The Iowa district is bringing a W&W team to San Jose in February, so we look forward to reconnecting with our friends again soon.

Enjoying lunch with some folks from Ames, IA.  GO CYCLONES!

 In the middle of it all, we spent one weekend in the Olathe, KS area, speaking to three Sunday School classes at College Church and to the Westside Olathe congregation on Sunday night.  These two churches have been great supporters of our ministry for years, and we really appreciate them. 

Of course, we spent every free moment with family.  Kayley particularly enjoyed her time with her cousins, some her age and some younger. 

Brandon's ball game in Des Moines...Kayley's first baseball game ever!

David's brother Charles and two of his grandkids.

Kayley and Karly

Playing cards is a family time tradition.

Sweet Lydia and Kinsley with Kayley

This is our last day in the USA and it is bittersweet.  It is sad to say goodbye to family and friends, but we are ready to be home in Costa Rica.   Back to our own beds, the rainy season and SENDAS campus.  

Classes begin for Kayley at ICS next week and Joshua begins his new RA job later in the month.  Pray for them both as they transition into the new school year.

 

Blessings to you all.  We love you and look forward to seeing you next time!

The Webb Family

On the Road Again...

Hello Everyone,

On the road again in the USA

It is the 4^th of July and here we are in Tennessee, visiting churches on the district and meeting up with old and new friends.

David landed in the USA on May 30^th and held his first four deputation services at the Iowa City Church of the Nazarene, followed by an Hispanic service in Ottumwa, IA.  Then he traveled on to Missouri speaking in Jefferson City and St. Louis.  

That’s where Shelley and Kayley met up with David, in St. Louis.  After a day of rest (and shopping) we traveled to Richmond, Indiana to speak in two churches. 

Then onto the General Assembly in Indianapolis where Shelley worked at the Seminary’s booth in the exhibit hall.  

The Seminary was highlighted in Dr. Porter's preaching.  Awesome!

 

Meeting up with Luke and Liz Gentry who will begin serving at volunteer missionaries with SENDAS in the fall.

A family that was headed to Indy gave Joshua a ride from Ohio to Indiana and we were happy to have all four of us together again.  It was fun too to have Shelley’s Mom and stepdad in Indy, enjoying the evening services together.  

Kayley and Shelley enjoyed carrying the sign for San Jose, Costa Rica in one of the evening worship services.  It is one of the cities the church is targeting for evangelistic emphasis. 

From Indy, we traveled to Cochocton, Ohio and then to Mount Vernon, Ohio.  Joshua enjoyed one night at his apartment at MVNU before we left once again, this time for Morgantown, WV.  We enjoyed seeing our friends at the Pierpont and Mannington churches. 

Joshua and Lilly at the Pierpont Church

Life in Costa Rica continues on with CALL classes continuing throughout the summer.  We are thrilled to have the LeGrand family living on campus, taking Spanish classes this summer.  PLNU is finishing up their 9 weeks on Saturday and will be back on US soil soon.  It has been a great experience for them.  (Check out the facebook page for CALL Christian Academy of Language and Learning to see photos of their time in Costa Rica).  

We are looking forward to Sunday when we will speak at two of our many “home” churches.  Erin and Woodlawn Churches have been our ministry partners since day one and we are so thankful for our friends there.  The TN district missions convention is next week and David is speaking in three services. 

Then we travel to Iowa and Kansas before flying out of Cedar Rapids on August 2^nd.  We still have 20 services ahead of us in this deputation tour, with many miles to travel before flying home. 

Thanks to each church for your prayers and support.  If we haven’t seen you yet, we may still be coming your way. 

Blessings from the Webbs to your family.