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.

Costa Rica North Update

 

Dear Friends and Family,

Last time, we gave an update on what is happening in the Indigenous area of Costa Rica (in the Central District).  And before moving on to talk about the North District of Costa Rica, we are excited that SENDAS will host a work and witness team from Minnesota next week, working on the water project.  This is not a glamorous job, and we are thankful for this team’s help in putting the new water pipes in the ground to help SENDAS. Here is a photo of the start to the work before the team even arrives.  

But this week, let’s focus on the North District.  This is the area north and west of San Jose.

The San Pedro de Poas Church worshipped under just a roof for many years, with big plans to one day build a multipurpose building on their beautiful property.  This is the largest church in the country (COTN) with 300 in attendance on Sunday mornings.  They are growing a lot these days as more and more people hear about their wonderful ministries of compassion and evangelism in support of the community.  Finally, this structure has become a reality.  It has been a slow process and what you see here is only one half of the building.  Now the floor is slowly being poured as they have the funds to complete it. 

Also, this same church received a donation for a pastoral house.  This house is going up fast and everyone is hoping to complete it this year.  

Another location in the same district is called Tres y Tres.  It is located further north and is a small, rural community.  Another church in Alajuela planted this church after some relatives of the congregation moved there.  Now they are also in the process of building a church building on some prime property of the community.  Work and witness teams have helped them, but the church in Alajuela and the local congregation have put forth lots of funds and effort too.  

Another great advancement is in Muelle, not too far from Tres y Tres.  This is a central location for the entire district and every church can drive to this location in about 2.5 hours.  It is here that the district has plans to purchase land for a District Center for meetings, trainings, camps, etc.  With the help of Alabaster funds, district funds and the partnership with the Chicago District in the USA, it looks like this will actually happen.  What a blessing for the Central District to have this location.  We’ll let you know more as plans move forward. 

In other news, Shelley has been busy with CALL and the students how arrived in May from Point Loma Nazarene University.  The group of nine is on a tour near Arenal Volcano this week, but return on Saturday to prepare for the second half of their Spanish studies.  

Professor Scott Bennett, the Spanish 101 class and Rebecca, the Program Assistant (on the right).

Another milestone has been reached with CALL as the new website is finally live.  Check it out at www.callcostarica.com.

Around here, it seems we train missionaries and then send them out.  Well, it has happened once again as the Kucey family have left for Canada (their home country) with plans to arrive in Haiti in August.  We are excited for all God will do through them in the months and years to come. 

As we said goodbye to the Kuceys, the LeGrands headed to Costa Rica from Chicago.  They started language classes today and will be serving in the Work and Witness ministry as they tackle Spanish this first year.  Patrick and Kim have three great boys who are adjusting to life in Costa Rica without a hitch.  So excited to have them as neighbors, coworkers and friends. (See them all below).

Professor Gaby with Patrick and Kim, Day 1 with CALL.

Professor Zeidy with James, Aidan and Liam.

David is already in the USA speaking in churches to begin our deputation time.  He spent last weekend in Iowa City at the First church speaking to their four congregations (Hispanic, Anglo, African Congo and African American).  They are doing great work there!  Then he visited the Hispanic congregation in Ottumwa, Iowa.  Pastor Shane is doing a great job there and I hope to meet him at the General Assembly in Indianapolis this month.  Now David is off to Jefferson City, MO and then St. Louis where Kayley and I will meet up with him next week. 

The rest of the summer looks packed with travels to Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, Iowa and Kansas before heading back to Costa Rica in early August. 

 

We are super proud of Kayley who finished the school year exempting all her final exams except  Math (she had a 90!).  She turned 15 in May and here in Costa Rica (all throughout Latin America really) the 15^th birthday is HUGE.  Kayley enjoyed two parties with friends to celebrate, but she really wanted to have some photos taken, as most of her friends had already done. 

Thankfully, Professor Scott from PLNU is here on campus teaching Spanish.  And we have learned how great photographer he is from viewing his photos on FB.  He agreed to take some shots of Kayley and they turned out beautifully.  We are blessed to have friends like Scott who are willing to help us when they can.  

We will miss this view from SENDAS as we travel the USA.  But we are always amazed by God's creation wherever we go.

Lastly, we are excited to see Joshua in a couple of weeks when he joins us at the General Assembly.  It will be great to be Webbfamily4 once again.  After his time with us, Joshua will return to MVNU where is working in the IT department this summer.  He is excited to serve as an RA in the fall.  He has a great sophomore year ahead of him!

We hope to see you this summer, but if not, we want to thank you for your prayers and support.  You mean the world to us!

Shelley