Home Assignment, Part II

The Webb family home assignment continues with a stop in Tennessee, then NYC in Louisville,  a stop in Chicago and then Iowa, it has been a whirlwind.  In the meantime, life continues in Costa Rica with CALL students and other projects. 

It was wonderful to visit our home church in Tennessee, seeing old friends and meeting new ones.  A visit to Trevecca Nazarene University was our first stop, before Woodlawn and then Erin, TN.  

Kayley at Trevecca Nazarene University

For the 4^th of July weekend, Joshua and Lilly came to visit us in Woodlawn, TN.  It was a Webb family reunion with us all together once again.  Lilly (Josh’s girlfriend), put up with us all and we think even had a good time.  It was a hard parting, as always, but we have hopes of seeing Joshua again at Christmas.

Spending time with Joshua at the Clarksville Water walk

Kayley and Lilly

Josh and Kayley watched fireworks on Fort Campbell post with many friends

Nazarene Youth Conference was held In Louisville with 6500 teens in attendance.  It was an awesome event with great speakers, worship and concerts.  Shelley went along as a MK (Missionary Kid) District sponsor and that was a wonderful privilege.  What an incredible group of young people.  As a friend of mine said, “My hope for the future is restored being with this group of exceptional young people!” and I wholeheartedly agree.

The awesome MKs from around the world

6500+ people makes for a great worship experience

These young people will change the world!

We visited the Chicago area for just two days to see some family and visit Olivet Nazarene University.  David spoke at the Denville, IL Church before picking up the girls at the airport. 

Iowa is our home state, so we try to enjoy as much time there as possible.  This trip we visited Shelley’s Mom first, and then David’s Mom.  We spoke at Cedar Falls, Ames, Des Moines First Church, Knoxville and Des Moines Eastside Hispanic.  God is on the move in Iowa! 

In rural Iowa, you see more pickups than anything else!

David preaching at the Hispanic First Church of the Nazarene in East Des Moines, Iowa

Proud Cyclone fans

In Costa Rica, the CALL program continues to flourish with the help of Kay Lynn, our volunteer for the year.  She has been excellent to take care of the students this summer.  Carol and Paula arrive this month and have advanced quickly in their Spanish learning.  Kathy and Caitlyn finished strong their one-month intensive Spanish classes. 

The Jetters and their profs as they complete their CALL classes

Happy birthday to Profesora Gaby

Paula and Profesora Zeidy enjoying coffee at the Kaffa Coffee House

On July 28^th, David and Shelley enjoyed their 25^th wedding anniversary.  A movie and Mexican dinner were the highlights of the day.  It is hard to believe it has been 25 years.  Here’s to at least 25 more! 

The Knoxville Church surprised us with a anniversary celebration.

Celebrating by going to the movies (Mr. Holmes) and a Mexican dinner.

We have one more week before returning to Costa Rica.  In that time, we will travel to Kansas City to speak in churches, have meetings and a tour at Midamerica Nazarene University, and travel back north to the Cedar Rapids area.  From there, David speak in Pekin, IL, and then again in Iowa before heading back to Costa Rica.  

It has been a good summer, but we are ready to get back to our home and regular ministry duties.  Thanks for your prayers for us as we complete this home assignment and readjust to life in Central America once again.  Pray for Kayley as she begins her senior year of high school and Joshua as he is already beginning his semester of classes for his final year at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.  

Many blessings to all,

The Webbs

Home Assignment 1

Well, this post is late in coming.  Life has been quite busy since mid-May when we last updated the blog, but we are thankful that everything is going well.

Currently, we are driving from Jacksonville, FL to Atlanta, GA as we make our way north for the last 5 weeks of our home assignment.  But I get ahead of myself.  First, we should share what is happening with CALL in Costa Rica.

PLNU (Point Loma Nazarene University) arrived in May and have 8 students and 2 profs with the program this summer.  It is a 9 week program lasting until July 11^th.  The students have enjoyed their field trips and travels as they study with the intense Spanish program.  Gaby, our CALL professor, provides assistance both in the classroom and in additional tutoring hours. 

PLNU/CALL class at SENDAS

The group from PLNU at Cafe Britt

PLNU students at Poas Volcano

Two other students arrived in June:  Kathy and Caitlyn Jetter.  They have been enjoying their classes, field trips with their CALL professors Zeidy and Nuria, as well as their weekend excursions.

The Jetters (Kathy and Caitlyn) at the Coronado Cathedral

Kathy Jetter in CALL class with Professora Nuria

We are thankful for Kay Lynn, the CALL volunteer assistant.  She has been and continues to be such a blessing to us this year.  She is living in our home, caring for our little dog, and running the program in Shelley’s absence.  We are so grateful and thankful for her.  She is planning on returning to Costa Rica after a quick break to raise more funds in early September.  If you want to help a great volunteer to stay on the field, see her webpage at http://web.nazarene.org/goto/kaylynnrobson

Kay Lynn (left) giving her first official presentation in Spanish about her trip to Nicaragua.

Kayley had a good end to the school year at ICS. She is glad to be out of classes for the summer, although it will be a short one with just 7 weeks of break before heading back for her senior year. 

David started our home assignment one week ahead of the girls, speaking in three churches in Iowa and Missouri.  We give thanks to the Cedar Rapids First Church of the Nazarene, Leon Bible Church, and the Kirksville, MO Church of the Nazarene.  Soon after, David met up with Kayley and Shelley in Tulsa, OK where we spoke in Tulsa Regency Park and Claremore churches.  Then we were off to Memphis where we did our first bilingual service of three for the summer.  We had a wonderful time visiting family near Athens, GA before heading off to the great state of Florida.

Shelley, David, Larry and Cathy Webb

One goal for the summer is to visit a number of Nazarene Universities as we travel.  The first was Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, OK.  It was a great visit and Kayley really enjoyed the school.  The next visit is Trevecca later this week.  Future visits will be made to Olivet (near Chicago) and MidAmerica in Olathe, KS. 

Kayley and Meleah at SNU

We just completed a fun and busy week on the Florida district.  We spoke ten times in eight days.  We enjoyed each and every church congregation.  We started in Tampa, then Lakeland then Orlando and ended the time in Jacksonville.  Thanks to our LINKS district for all the support, prayers and love.  You are the best!

Our friend, Pastor Harv from Cross Pointe Church of the Nazarene in Lutz, FL. 

David preaching at the Cross Pointe church near Tampa.

Our many friends from the Cross Pointe Work and Witness team.

Kayley with Allison Tooley at New Smyrna Beach

The Gober and Webb girls

Our friends the Gober family in Orlando, FL

Addison, Geneva and Kayley in Lutz, FL

Kayley and Shelley speaking at Tavares 

We are looking forward to being with our great friends in Tennessee, then NYC (youth event) in Louisville, KY and then on to Chicago, Iowa and Kansas before heading back to Costa Rica on August 10^th. 

As we are here in the USA, our minds are still in Costa Rica with the CALL students, the local churches, the W&W team currently at SENDAS, the leaders who will support the census in Tayni in July, and the other activities happening there.  

For now, we will enjoy good friends and food as we travel the country.  Pray for safe travel and great services where we can be a blessing to all we meet.

The Webbs

Celebrations, Trips and Goodbyes

A great group of friends to celebrate Kayley's birthday.

Happy 17^th Birthday to Kayley!  She had a wonderful party with her closest 17 friends.  Roller skating, cake and ice cream were all part of the fun.  Already Kayley is talking about how difficult it will be to leave Costa Rica to go to college in 2016.  Pray for her as she makes future plans.  We will visit four colleges this summer.

Some of her friends at the skating rink.

In April we attended a community service at the Finca (Poas Church of the Nazarene) where more than approximately 1000 people attended. It was the first time in many years that the community of San Pedro de Poas had a combined church service of all the churches in the area.  It was a time of great celebration and we are so pleased that our Nazarene church hosted this huge event.

Shelley is busy preparing for the Point Loma Nazarene University group who arrives on Monday.  But this year it is a bit easier since Kay Lynn is here to help with the planning.  She has been such a blessing to the CALL program.  She is also teaching ESL to some of the staff and missionaries, and everyone is enjoying the class.  Thanks, Kay Lynn!

David spent 5 days in Cuba for Regional Evangelism Meetings this month. This is David’s second trip to Cuba and it is obvious that things are changing there daily. 

The team of Evangelism leaders from Haiti, Panama, Mexico, Guatemala and the USA trained Cuban leaders in evangelism and had their own meetings to update each other on the work in their own countries.  As always, David enjoyed the time with these great leaders, some of whom are working with as many as 50 church planters in their home country.

Amid all the celebration of this month, we said goodbye to the Sickel family who are moving to South Mexico as Work and Witness Coordinators.  We enjoyed five years of ministry with them, and we know they will do a great job in Mexico.  Saying constant goodbyes to good friends is not easy, but we know God’s plan is best.  Hasta luego, amigos.

David, Shelley, Elizabeth, Anne, Micah, Stephen, Levi and Kayley

Shelley held the twins and hung out with Micah as much as her schedule would allow.

We just returned last night from Changuinola, Panama after four days of ministry there.  We are excited that two church planters are now working in the area of Bocas del Toro.  Pray with us for Juan and Lionides who are already working to plant new churches in the area.  There are just six churches in this part of the Panama West district, but with the support of these churches, we are hoping to see new cell groups and mission churches in the near future. 

Superintendent Rev. Espinoza, Church Planter Rev. Juan Flores and David in front of the El Silencio Church.

A good group for the workshop.

David showing how to use the Jesus Film equipment.

David, Rev. Lionides, and Rev. Espinoza.

It is hard to believe it is May already.  Be praying for Joshua as he takes final exams this week, and for Kayley as she prepares for exams in early June.  We are leaving for the USA in June for two months of home assignment.  Maybe we will see you as we visit churches in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida and Illinois.  Kayley and Shelley will attend the NYC youth event in Louisville, which surely will be a highlight of the summer.

Thanks for your prayers and support as we serve in Costa Rica and Panama.

Many blessings,

The Webb Family

April 2015

Hello All,

A beautiful day at Poas.

It is hard to believe it is April already.  We hope it is warming up wherever you are in the USA.  Our weather stays similar year round so the four seasons are something we miss, but after hearing about all the cold and snow, we are grateful to be where God has placed us for now with temps in the 70s and low 80s. 

Kay Lynn, Shelley’s assistant for CALL, arrived a couple weeks ago and has been a great help already with the program.  There is much to do to prepare for the Point Loma group who will arrive in mid-May, and add Spanish classes to her daily list of to dos and you have one busy new assistant.  The only negative so far is that Kay Lynn twisted her ankle while working with the Work and Witness team from Florida.  It is slowly healing, and we hope in another week she will be walking normally once again.

 

The Tavares/Florida team were here with us for one week from March 27-April 3.  It was a great week of ministry both in the Coronado community and at SENDAS.  Here are some photos that highlight a few of our moments with the team who were led by the Tooleys (Pam and Joel) who serve as pastors at the Tavares Church.

Painting the desks for the Cuchey theological educational center.

Thankful for the concrete mixer that allowed us to complete the new sidewalk in a short time.

Part of the 27 person team from Tavares and the Florida District.

These are the teens on the team.  A great group of young people.

Bayne worked so hard!

Allison Tooley painting the back of one of the SENDAS homes.

Are you serious?  Ethan, you are amazing! (taken at the volcanic lake above Poas Volcano).

Kayley was worn out after camp and tour day.

The work continues in the Indigenous area of Tayni.  David went with Patrick LeGrand (W&W Coordinator for CR) and John Whited (engineer) to survey the land now that more has been cleared.  The bridge project is a BIG one.  Pray for God’s leading as the leaders consider the possibilities.

The river where a bridge is needed.

John and Pastor Arcelio

The Work and Witness team left on Friday morning and a few hours later, the Webbs were on their way to Tayni for our first trip as a family.  Normally between Shelley’s work and Kayley’s classes, it is impossible to get away, but God provided the opportunity and we all enjoyed the short trip to Cuchey.  

We hiked from the center in Gavilan to the river (20 minutes), then crossed the river and hiked a bit more to the Cuchey Church (20 minutes more).  God gave us cloud cover for our hike.  Cuchey, like most indigenous communities, has no electricity unless a generator is used.  There is a latrine for the bathroom and the river for bathing.  The Pastor’s family accepted us to their home and served us coffee and crackers for breakfast. 

Ready to cross the river.

Kayla enjoyed all the children and wanted to stay a few more days.

Kenya and her baby.  She is 13 years old.  This is a common reality in the Indigenous area.

After our hike to Cuchey with sweat on our brows.

The home where Kayley and Shelley spent the night.

Heading home... 

We met up with Pastora Leyla and Pastor Felipe who had worked all week long with the governmental census group (vaccinations also) visiting some of the furthest villages. They showed the Jesus Film and 38 people accepted the Lord and 8 were baptized.  The local leaders will follow up with discipleship.  In other news, there are plans to begin translating the discipleship materials into Cabecar and for more Seminary classes to begin soon. 

The missionary group (LeGrands on left, Felipe and Leyla in center, Webbs on right.

Kayley enjoyed a 4 day camp with the Los Angeles Church during Holy Week.  She had a wonderful time, but we don’t think she slept much. 

The group from Los Angeles - Camp 2015

Kayla with all the other girls at camp.

Beautiful girls...

Easter Sunday service was a blessing at the Los Angeles Church, just down the road from campus.  Great worship, teaching, and food.  It was a good way to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection. 

We are looking forward to being with our friends in the USA in June, July and the beginning of August.  Our time will be short because of Kayley’s school schedule, but we hope to see you then.

Many blessings from our home to yours.

The Webbs