FOCUS Youth Conference, Panama City, July 2012

Hello,

David getting ready to translate for workshops.

I just wanted to share a few photos and some basic info about what David and Joshua have been doing for the last week.  They left last Tuesday for Panama City.  David translated for workshops for the FOCUS event and Joshua helped with the Central Church team from Lenexa, KS. 

The FOCUS conference is the first of its kind since it is first youth conference held for the new Mesoamerica Region.  There are 30 countries on the Region now, and the majority were in attendance (which is an amazing feat when you consider all the visa regulations, border crossings, expenses and long travel days required to arrive.)  More than 600 people attended the conference which lasted for 5 days. Translation was necessary with English, Spanish and even some French speakers on site.

There were many highlights, but one special moment was when the 5 youth from Cuba finally arrived in time for the end of the Thursday night service.  It is a total miracle that at the last moment they were given visas to leave Cuba for this event.  When it was announced that they had arrived, they stood, and the cheering lasted for quite some time!  An amazing moment to be a part of - even if by streaming!

David in one of the many workshops.

Joshua (in blue Tshirt) at La Pesa construction site.

The Central Team, among others, with Joshua in the background, probably helping the team to order from the menu.

Shelley and Kayley stayed at home, but were able to watch much of the event through live streaming.  It was fun to see Joshua and David there in Panama. 

Joshua is working with Stephen Sickel, the W&W Coordinator, to assist in leading the Central Team.  They are working in La Pesa, a community where there is a Church of the Nazarene, a preschool and a Child Development Center.  Shelley has been there since she worked with this Child Development Center in her previous work for Compassionate Ministries.  On the service day for FOCUS, a group from the event went to La Pesa and helped for the day.  Great experiences for all!

The Webb boys will return to Costa Rica on Saturday, after they finish up their work with the Central team at La Pesa.  Stephen Sickel will return home soon to be here in time for the birth of their baby boy!  YEAH!

Joshua leaves on August 3rd for the USA, first for the MK Retreat in Oklahoma City, then a couple of weeks touring on deputation and then to Ohio and MVNU for this move in day on the 31st of August.  What a whirlwind!  
 

Also, a quick update on the Las Marias church construction.  Here is the most recent photo I have from the site, but I know that two local churches are planning a trip in the next week or two to try to complete the work.  The team from Kansas City did a great job and completed the vast majority of the new parsonage for a well-deserving Pastor Franklin and his family.  Thanks!!!

Thanks for keeping up with the blog and for all your prayers and support.  We hope to see you soon!
The Webb Family

Summer Update from Costa Rica

Hello Dear Family and Friends,

What a great summer we have had so far (even though it is winter here!).  We have enjoyed a second W&W team, this one working at SENDAS as well as keeping up with the PLNU (Point Loma Nazarene University) students as they completed their second Spanish course on campus.

Let's start with the W&W team from the CORE Church of the Nazarene in Virginia.  The team had 7 members from Virgina and 3 from Ohio.  They worked all week long on various projects at SENDAS including paining the inside of an entire house, digging trenches and beginning the work on a new restroom and putting up a wall to divide the computer room into two smaller classrooms.  WOW!  What a great help to the Seminary.  Thanks, guys!

I want to make special mention of the two people in this photo (above). They are Ted and Lori Bruce, and they volunteered their time (and funds) to lead this group.  With Shelley's other responsibilities, it would have been impossible to lead the team by herself.  Thanks to the Bruce family, the VA team had a great experience.  

The team also spent one day in Sarapique area, where the Church has a number of new missions.  It is an area filled with pineapple and banana farms and most people work in those two industries.  It is a humble place with many needs, but the people are so kind and warm. (I mean they are nice, but it is really HOT there!)

Since the PLNU students went on the work day too, we had about 30 people all together.  So we split into two groups and one group led children's activities while the rest worked on the new pastoral home behind the Las Marias church.  Lots got done in one day!

This is the current pasonage at Las Marias. 

This is the new home under construction!  A good start!

That is one DIRTY, STINKY team!  Way to go!

The Point Loma students enjoyed their final week in Costa Rica by visiting Volcan Irazu, studying for the final exam and enjoying a final fiesta with their language partners and home stay families.  CALL (the Language program) combined forces with a local church to provide weekend home stays and 4 hours of conversational practice per week.  It was a huge success with the students loving their families and the Ticos loving their students.  What a blessing!

 

The final night for Point Loma was a big celebration with the local families from the Los Angeles Church.  It was a special night to say goodbye to new friends.  Thank God for facebook!

Now, a well-deserved vacation is in order for the Webb family.  We have been going non-stop for a number of months and it is time for a short rest.  To Arenal Volcano we go for a couple night stay and a day of white water rafting! Look out, La Fortuna...here we come.

After the short vacation, the boys have a busy time ahead of them as they prepare to leave for the FOCUS youth event in Panama.  They will be gone for 2 weeks, then Joshua will be home for 4 days and then he is off to the USA to prepare for college.  Wow!  The time is flying by.

Those of you in Iowa and Ohio, we look forward to seeing you in August as we travel for deputation.

God bless you all!  Until next time,
The Webb family

Update from June 2012

Hello!

It has been a few weeks since our last post so we need to catch you up on what's been happening this month in Costa Rica.  First of all, we had wonderful special church service for all the Churches of the Nazarene in Costa Rica at the end of May, and it was very well attended with approximately 650 people in attendance.  It was standing room only! 

 Kayley practiced with her dance team for the entire month prior to the big day.  The dance team even got new outfits.  The girls looked beautiful and did a great job with the actions to the songs. 

The Point Loma study abroad group is continuing their studies in Spanish until July 7th.  They are learning lots, but it is a very intensive course with 8 credit hours earned in 9 weeks. Six new students joined the group on early June for the second session.

The six new chicas (along with Andra from PLNU) enjoying downtown San Jose.

The students have a field trip every week, home stays with local church families and language partner conversational times where the students practice all they have learned.  During week 5, the students travelled to Volcan Arenal for a 3 night mid-term visit.  They enjoyed their time there including activities such as river rafting, zipline, horseback riding and waterfalls.

The teens from Pierpont, along with Josh and Kayley.  

 

On June 7th a W&W team from Pierpont Church in Morgantown, WV arrived to Costa Rica.  They worked in evangelism and construction projects in the area of San Pedro de Poas.  They mainly worked at local schools doing VBSs for kids, painting roofs and fences and doing repair work.  Also, one team member, a electrician (Chuck) worked hard on completing the wiring for a new kitchen facility at the San Pedro Church.  They did workshops for Pastors and showed the Jesus film as well.


It was a full week for all!  Joshua and Kayley helped to lead the team, with both of them helping with translation throughout the week.

David translated the sermon for Pastor Casey Shorr. 

The adults from Pierpont along with David and Shelley

Beautiful view from Vista del Valle hotel where the team spent their last night in Costa Rica.

Just today (Saturday), Joshua graduated from high school at ICS in Heredia, Costa Rica.  It was a nice ceremony this morning with the class of 2012.   Joshua received the award for Basketball MVP, shared with his best buddy, Kevin.

Josh with is BB MVP trophy

 As a graduation gift from his parents, Joshua received a hammock.  You can see he is already enjoying it and he has big plans for its use at Mount Vernon Nazarene University this fall (inside the dorm room and out!).  He enjoyed relaxing and reading his book in his new hammock and likes to get creative about hanging out locations. 

As you can see, it has been a busy June.  We are blessed in so many ways and we say THANKS for keeping up with the blog and our ministry here in Costa Rica.  We are looking forward to a 3 week deputation tour in Iowa and Ohio in August.  Maybe we will see you along the way!

God bless,
The Webb Family

May Madness in Panama and Costa Rica

Hello to Everyone!

We know the the phrase is usually "March Madness" but for the Webbs, May has been a better month for that slogan.  With the combination of school activities, CALL Spanish students from universities coming and going, and our normally busy work schedule, it has been a month of busyness.  We are so thankful for the strength to continue working each day and for good health that allows us to continue serving in the ministry of Costa Rica and the Seminary.

Some of the MKs enjoying their last few moments together.

The first of the month brought a special opportunity that comes only once every 4 years:  a missionary retreat, this time in Panama.  The whole campus full of missionaries made the way by plane and car to a hotel near the Panama Canal.  It was great to meet new missionaries that work in other countries like Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as see missionaries we have known for years from other countries of the Mesoamerica Region.

The kids especially had a great time visiting with each other.  The hotel had a nice pool, so there were many games of volleyball played there.  And Kayley celebrated her 14th birthday there, so she now holds the family record for having her birthday in 4 countries:  USA, Guatemala, El Salvador (last retreat) and now Panama!

Kayley also had a pool party here in Costa Rica to celebrate with local friends.  A good time was had by all!

During the trip to Panama, the MidAmerica Nazarene University students (3 - see last blog), made their way home to the USA.  And just a couple days after we arrived home from Panama, the next group of university students arrived to study Spanish at SENDAS.  This group is from Point Loma Nazarene University and they will study for a total of 9 weeks taking a full year's worth of Spanish in that time - now that's INTENSE!

The PLNU students in downtown San Jose.

The PLNU students in their Spanish classroom.

Language Partners is a success!

Resting at a mountain lake after a morning of hiking.

There are 7 students for the first session and 12 that will arrive in early June for the second session.  The Spanish courses are taught by a visiting professor from PLNU, along with some assistance from our CALL professors.  This is a very complete program with 3 hours of class M-F, field trips each week, a weekend home stay with a local family, as well as 4 hours per week of conversation with a Costa Rican language partner.  This weekend the students have a free travel weekend and they all headed to the beach.  (That's why I have time to write this blog!!!).

I (Shelley) am so thankful that the program is a big success so far.  All the work to plan such a program is finally paying off after 2.5 years of dreaming and planning.  Pray with us that everyone stays healthy and safe while traveling in Costa Rica.  If you would like to see more photos and information about the CALL program, you can check us out on Facebook under Christian Academy of Language and Learning.

Joshua has big news this month!  He has made a final decision about college and has chosen... (drumroll please!)  MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE UNIVERSITY in Ohio!  This was Joshua's first choice, but we were not sure it would be possible for financial reasons, but God has opened the doors and provided just what Joshua needs to make his first choice a reality!  Once again, we are thankful.

Joshua is in the throws of Senior activities with graduation and a senior banquet coming up soon.  Graduation is June 16th, just one day after our next Work and Witness team leaves.  Also, Joshua had his final basketball game this weekend in Liberia and the trip included a visit to the beach.  The highlight for Joshua?  Getting to ride a jet ski in the bay and give rides to all the other kids.  I think they only fell of one time and had to swim to the jet ski aways to get it back.  Great fun for a 17 year old boy!

Joshua with his best friend Kevin in front.  Last game at home!

Saying goodbye to friends is something you get used to here in Costa Rica, but it is never easy.  This month we said "see you later" to our friends the Honeas.  They have studied Spanish with CALL, worked with Work and Witness and are now off to Guatemala to help with ministry there.  See down the road, Bub and Rickie!

Bub and Rickie are in front of the photo of the gang at a local Mexican restaurant.

David has also been busy with many activities throughout Costa Rica, but there is not time to tell it all now.  Maybe I can get him to write about his last few weeks in the next blog!

We will be in the USA in August for a few weeks of speaking in churches before we drop of Joshua in Ohio at college.  We will be in Iowa for the 3 weeks, so if you would like us to speak at your church, just let us know.  I believe our Sunday mornings are already taken, but might be able to visit you during the week.

God bless you greatly during your busy month of May!  Thanks for keeping up with us by way of the blog.  We appreciate your prayers and support.

THE WEBBS

April Update from the Webbs

Hello Friends and Family,

It has been a full week of activities here in San Jose.  David hosted the 6 church planters who were able to come to the city for a 2 day training session.  All the participants enjoyed the time together, learning from each other, sharing resources and being encouraged to continue the work.  There were two church planters from Taij Cabecar, the indigenous area of Costa Rica, one from the Sarapaqui area, one from here in the city, another that lives here but works in Ciudad Quesada and one from the western part of Panama.

David is now in the north Costa Rican district doing workshops and leading meetings.  We hope he will get home late tonight, but if depend on the rain and the roads.

We enjoyed our Easter Sunday with two church services in the morning and a delicious breakfast of gallo pinto.  The kids loved their Easter baskets with candy and a gift for each of them.

Easter church service at Mozotal/Los Angeles church on their new property.

I (Shelley) have kept busy with CALL.  The Language school is growing leaps and bounds this year with the addition of partnerships with two Nazarene Universities.  The MidAmerica students (from Olathe, KS) are here now doing student teaching and studying Spanish.  The three seniors are excited to graduate in May with their education degrees, all hoping to get teaching jobs soon.  With this additional international experience, that should not be a problem.

The MNU students will be leaving the first week of May and then on May 7th, a group of 7 students from Point Loma Nazarene University will be here for the first session of Spanish classes.  We are looking forward to meeting the students, helping them to learn Spanish and show them a bit of beautiful Costa Rica.  But more on that later....

For now, how about some photos of the MNU students and their experience in Costa Rica.  They have visited downtown San Jose, all the local areas, the Poas Vocano and the San Pedro de Poas finca where they joined a Work and Witness team from Michigan in working on the new multipurpose building there.

If you want to see more photos from CALL or learn more about the program, find us on Facebook at Christian Academy of Language and Learning.

First day of school at ICS for Jake, Alyssa and Ashford.

The beautiful coffee fields on the way to Poas Volcano.

Joshua working at the finca on the foundation.

MNU student, Kucey family and Kayley in downtown San Jose.

The CALL classroom!

Enjoying an evening of fellowship and tacos.

Before the next CALL student group arrives in May, we will take a few days to visit Panama for the first Mesoamerica Region Missionary Retreat.  We will get to meet many missionaries from the old Caribbean Region that we have heard about or worked with in one form or fashion.  It will be good really get to know our counterparts from other countries.  

An update on the kids:  Joshua is in the process of choosing a university for the fall.  We have two that have offered scholarships that will make it possible for Joshua to attend, but he still waiting for the final word from one more before making his final decision.  Pray with us that God will make it clear which direction to go.

Kayley is studying hard as she finishes up her 8th grade year.  The Science Fair will be in May, so that process is in full swing once again.  The kids finish their classes the last week of May and have final exams the first week of June.  

We are planning a short visit to the USA in August to do a few deputation services in Iowa and to get Joshua settled in at college.  It will be good to see family once again.

God bless you all!  

Shelley, David, Joshua and Kayley