Church planting in Nicaragua

Just another day in Nicaragua:)...a view of beautiful Apoyo Lagoon in Catarina

Hi Everybody!

Evangelism Workshop in Nicaragua in February

Sorry to get behind on our updates.  We thank you all so much for your prayers and encouragement.  March brought many blessings including David's 47th birthday (where does the time go?).   There are many demonstrations of God's faithfulness in Shelley's work here at the seminary and David's travels.  We just finished working with a great team from West Virginia that just returned home this past Friday.  We will share more on their adventures in our next blog. 

Preparing for the outside service in the central park of Tonala

We decided to update you a little on David's work in this blog.  In January, February and March, David has traveled inside Costa Rica as well as to the countries of Panama and Nicaragua to do trainings in evangelism as well as meetings with missional zone church planters in these three countries.  David is working with 9 missional zone projects currently with the hopes of seeing 4 new projects in Nicaragua soon. 

Missional Zone Planter Arlen with Pastor Paulino and Church planter Luis

A missional zone is a project where a district has very few churches and we are trying to encourage a new commitment to church planting and intentional discipleship in these areas.  God is touching and moving in communities through this vision.  One of these new missional zone areas is in Northwest Nicaragua in the departments (or what we would call states in the US) of León and Chinandega.  We have seen God move in a mighty way in this vision.  In July 2010, this zone had 7 churches but since this time, 8 new cell groups or missions have been planted.  Three of these new missions have between 40 and 50 people in attendance.  The missional zone planter is a dynamic young lady by the name of Arlen.  

The arrival of children from the mother church

David worked with the 3 missional zone planters in Nicaragua the end of February and was able to visit this missional zone of León-Chinandega the same week.  One of the highlights was visiting a new mission in Tonala Chinandega.  The leader, Brother Luis, travels 1 hour each way four times a week to meet with people in this community. 

The Children's event

David attended an outside evangelistic service in Tonala.  It was a great blessing to see the support of the mother church as they brought 3 trucks full of members to help support the event this evening.  There was also an event for the children which the district superintendent Hna Antonia directed.  We praise God as 11 decisions for Jesus Christ were made this evening.  Please pray for new works like this one in Tonala.  The church planters are working hard with limited resources.  Many times brother Luis stays with families in the community until he can find someone he can ride with to return home.  However, his love for the Lord and for this community shines through in all that he does. 

Transportation Options in Nicaragua

Hello All,

This week we want to share with you some of the many modes of transportation in Nicaragua.  Being a poorer country (many say the 2nd poorest in the western hemisphere), not many folks have cars, especially out in rural areas.  On our last trip to Nicaragua in December/January, Kayley and I decided to try to get as many photos of different types of transportation available and here are a few of our favorites.

This is a mototaxi (we called it a tuk-tuk in Guate).  Kayley loved riding these.

Here is your non-motorized tuk-tuk.  A little more work involved in this one.

Old buses are seen in all parts of Nicaragua.  They are the main mode of longer ride transportation.

Just had to include our van with 17 people inside.  Not sure if this was legal or not, especially since we never could shut the side door!

This is our concrete mix arriving at the work site on horse and buggy.

Another horse and buggy making its way down the road.

Pray for David as he leaves for Nicaragua tomorrow.  Short trip this time; he will return on Thursday.  The kids are keeping busy with regular school work and with basketball. Kayley has decided to give BB a try this year.  She has been practicing shooting hoops here on campus.  Here she is taking a break from the court. 

 

Lastly, here is an updated photo of our family.  We need to get new prayer cards made, so we took a bunch of shots a couple of weeks ago.  The kids keep growing that parents keep getting older.  (Happy Birthday David!).  

Thanks so much for your prayers and love.  Hope to run into you this summer when we travel in the USA for home assignment.  

God bless you all!

The Webb family

KC Central Team to Nicaragua - Integrated Ministries

This at the end of a long, hard day of ministry.  See below to see what happened. Yes, they are really sleeping!

Hello to Everyone!

Sorry for the delay in posting this blog.  Shelley is taking courses at MidAmerica in ESL and that has taken all the free time for blogging.  Finally, here is the info about more ministry opportunities we had with the Central Church team from Lenexa, KS.  We worked in a number of different communities around Leon, Nicaragua, which is located northwest of Managua, doing many different ministries with children, women, compassion, micro-enterprise, Jesus film and more...

See for yourself in the photos!

This table was a special compassion project for this family since the Father (in the photo) repairs electrical appliances in his home, but he has no table and is always working on the floor in the dirt.  So now he has a nice table to keep his electronics clean as he works.  They all attend the cell group and sometimes the group meets at their home.

The family was very appreciative of the new table for their home (in the background).

The kids loved their salvation bracelets.

Kayley enjoyed spending the week with the other girls on the team, Faith and Katie.

The team also worked with the children in various communities.  We held VBS activities, sang songs, did puppet shows and enjoyed crafts.

 

The team painted in a local school in La Paz.

The finished wall project at the school.

GOL Soccer Tournament with 8 teams competing.  Eight people decided to follow Jesus at half-time, including the Referee!

And delivered food baskets to needy families.

Sometimes the most important job was holding a baby so Mom could participate.

Women's ministry craft in Ladrilleria. 

Angel and Joe saw a need a responded. Someone needed those shoes more than they did!

 

A trip highlight.  17 people in a small van!  Good times.

Roger handing out the one and only Rooster!

Showing the Jesus Film in the evening in Leon.

 It was a wonderful 12 days of work and ministry!  Thanks Central for you all did to make it happen!

KC Central Team to Nicaragua - Construction

Hello!  We hope the New Year has started off well for you all.

We returned from a trip on January 7th and have been busy making plans for 2011 ever since.  It looks like the Seminary will finally be able to start the ESL classes soon in partnership with the Costa Rican government.  We have a final meeting at the end of the month and classes will start in February or early March.  This has been a long time in the making, but it looks like we are making progress.  YEAH!

David is keeping busy taking trips to the districts and training in many different areas in evangelism and discipleship.  He loves it!  He is in North Costa Rica today, will be in Panama next week and Nicaragua the week following. 

This blog is all about the Central Team from Lenexa, KS.  That was our home church just before leaving the USA for Guatemala, so we have many friends there.  It was wonderful to see them and to make some new friends too. 

We did so much in 10 days that I cannot tell it all on one blog.  This blog will focus on the construction of the new church building.  There is a new chapel factory in the Nicaragua South district and this was the 3rd building to be built using that facility. (The idea is that the materials are prepared beforehand in the chapel factory and then transported to the site to the local people can more easily put up the structure). 

The construction site when we arrived.

This is how things looked when we arrived.  The ground had been prepared and the columns put in.

Josh (in green), and many from the team with their shovels.

David and David, seeing the lay of the land.

Our good friends David and Jodi Cooper were the team leaders.  It was awesome to work with them...two of the nicest and patient people we know!  Here are David and David talking about the project on day 1. 

Each day the work continued, bit by bit.  Everyone on the construction team worked very hard to break up the ground, haul materials, shovel the dirt, etc...

Kevin and Angel, showing off their muscles.

Here is the project after a couple of days.  The roof is almost complete!






It was an exciting moment when the cement mixer arrived!  That was an unexpected help, but the work would never have gotten done the old-fashioned way.  Too much floor and not enough time.  (Of course it took 2 days to get the motor started, but finally Jerry got it figured out.  Thanks, Jerry!)

Faith, Kayley and Katie with Sarah in the background.

Of course, it wasn't all work.  There were plenty of times for fun too. 

The work was completed in time for the final service with the team.  It was great to be able to worship together on the new floor with a completed roof overhead. We know the church in La Paz Centro will grow even more having this new building.  We hope to hear soon that the walls have been put up so the building can be completed.

Beautiful views of volcanos in Lake Managua.

KC Central Team

Thanks to the KC Central team for working so hard!  You all did a wonderful job!

And next week, we'll tell you more about the other mission projects that the team was involved in (Children's events, Women's workshops, Jesus Film showings, compassionate ministries projects, etc...)

One more thing...the kids went back to school today.  It was hard to get up and get going so early after having a month off, but I am hoping for good reports when they arrive later this afternoon.  Thanks for all your prayers.  We appreciate you!

The Webb Family
David, Shelley, Joshua and Kayley

Jesus Film Showings in Costa Rica

Bible School in San Jeronimo

Hi Everyone,

A toucan in one of the communities where we were working

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and great start to 2011.  What a great hope we have as Christians as we know Immanuel, God with us, and have the peace of His presence.  It is not just a promise, it is a reality!   December actually began and ended with 2 different teams from the US, one team in Costa Rica and one in Nicaragua.  We are going to share about the Costa Rica team first and then the next post will share more on Central Church of the Nazarene team from Lenexa, KS that arrived on December 28.

On Dec. 1, we were blessed to receive a team from near Houston, TX.  They came to participate in evangelism and Jesus Film projects on the Pacific side of Costa Rica where we are working to plant new missions.  In our planning with Costa Rican leaders here in San Jose, we were able to see God open amazing doors.

Bible School in one of the local schools

Decisions to receive Christ after a Jesus Film showing

We worked on painting and repairs in a public school in a very small community called San Jeronimo.  The director is a wonderful lady who was very appreciative in receiving this help and gave the team permission to show the Jesus film to the 42 students who attend there.  God receives all the glory as over 30 of these students made decisions to receive Christ after this presentation.

Jesus Film Showing in Quebrada Ganado

We worked in two other schools in two other smaller communities in this same general area.  In the community of Quebrada Ganado, we received permission to show the Jesus film in the school in the evening after doing painting, Bible schools and a soccer clinic with the kids during the day.  It was a special evening as 108 people came to see the Jesus Film and over 40 people made decisions to accept Christ.

Sharing the Gospel through the Evangecube

Although there is much to share, we give thanks to God as He allowed us to be a part of 189 decisions for Christ over a three day period including our bus driver Luis Carlos.  Another special memory for David was after a Bible school where some children saw an evangecube and wanted to know what the pictures stood for.  David was able to share the story of salvation with them at this time.  When he asked if any of the children would like to receive Christ as their personal Savior, six children prayed to receive Christ at this time.

Thanks so much for your prayers.  God is more faithful than we can share in words!  We are excited to see the doors to ministry that He will continue to open here. 

Much love in Christ our King,
David, Shelley, Joshua and Kayley

Team members with Pastor Leyla, volunteer Cami, David and their bus driver and new believer Luis Carlos