Happy New Year 2017

It is a little late for Happy New Year, but even so we wish you a very Happy New Year 2017.

We enjoyed Christmas with Kayley being with us for about two weeks.  She arrived to Costa Rica four days late with all the weather issues in the USA, but she arrived just in time to go to the beach with us.  She enjoyed the time with friends and the break from studying.  She has now returned to classes at MVNU and is enjoying her second semester.

We were sad to not have Joshua with us this year for Christmas, but we are pleased that he is doing well in Columbus, OH with his work at Park National Bank.  He is learning lots each day and seems to enjoy this new adult life.

We enjoyed the beach for two days during Christmas break.  As always, Costa Rica impresses us with its natural beauty.  

We enjoyed so much having AJ and Chelsea Fry with us for the fall.  They studied Spanish and learned so much in their short time with CALL.  They are now in the USA awaiting their visa to serve in the Dominican Republic.  We cannot wait to see how God uses them.

Since December 28^th, we have been working with Work and Witness teams in Costa Rica.  The first team arrived from Tennessee and California with 8 people who worked so hard to put up the drywall on the Orchid Building.  They did so much work that I worried we would not have enough work for the next team!  

Day 1

The project continues to take form

W&W Team from TN and CA

The team worked at a children's center and Kayley ministered with us.

The second team arrived from the Missouri District, and many of the folks on the team had never experienced Work and Witness before. They worked on the stucco for the walls of the building, painted fences and hauled bamboo before the week was over.  

The MO District Team

 

The Orchid Building: Almost ready.

 More than anything, we give thanks for our friends Ted and Lori Bruce who have served as the team leaders for these two groups.  Work and Witness is a wonderful ministry, but it is not our specialty, so to have such great help with the teams allowed us to continue doing other ministry that must be done as well.

The third team arrived yesterday, a team from Jackson, Michigan to work at the Los Angeles Church.  It is the first of four teams for that project, and we hope to see the first phase of the project completed this year. There is lots of hard work ahead for this team, and with the help of the local church workers, it will get done!

A packed house at Los Angeles Church this morning.  This new building is a very needed.

CALL continues teaching Spanish with Alan and Glenda Miner studying on campus and a number of other students taking online classes. The Miners are also teaching ESL to missionaries. 

The Miners with the Garitas.

Soon four students from MNVU and MNU will arrive to study as they student teach at a local school.

SENDAS continues to serve nearly 1,000 students per year and the retreat center continues to develop new projects to generate income to support theological education.  We hope to have news soon about a new project on our campus, but for now, we will just ask for your prayers for God’s guidance in it all.

Looking ahead, we ask for prayers as we go on a W&W Trip to Chiapas, Mexico in February with a team comprised of folks from Chicago Central district and from the Costa Rica North district.  We are excited to be a part of this first ever event in the Church of the Nazarene. 

Also, we are speaking with a special family who have interest in serving in missions, possibly in Costa Rica.  Please keep this couple in your prayers as they determine God’s will for their future.

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers.  We will be in the USA in September visiting Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio and Illinois.  We hope to see you somewhere along the road.

The Webb family

Merry Christmas - 2016

As we near Christmas, we have much to be thankful for, including the first Thanksgiving in 11 years celebrated in the USA.  It was wonderful to be with family in November, even if we did not get to see our kids.  Joshua was in Ohio and Kayley in West Virginia, while we spent time in Iowa. There were many highlights, but family and Iowa State University football top the list.

David with his brother Charlie at the ISU football game.

First time at the stadium for 11 years!

Shelley's family

 

 

Shelley's brothers

David's family

While we were away, the CALL students held a huge Thanksgiving party.  Nearly 30 people were there to enjoy a new tradition - turkey and all the fixins.  

We returned to Costa Rica just in time for the Dedication weekend at La Finca.  We enjoyed seeing so many people who have had a great impact on the Poas Church.  

A huge crowd for the Sunday morning service.

The official building dedication.

David with key leaders: Dr. Larry McKain, Jorge Garcia, Allen Wilson and Bruce Wilson.

 

 

Yes, that is a cake in the shape of the building.

 

The Sickel family with Profesora Gaby

On Thanksgiving Day, Costa Rica experienced the effects of a hurricane that seriously damaged the area of Upala.  Some homes had as much as 2 meters (6 feet) of water in their homes.  The local Church of the Nazarene in Upala had 10 inches of mud covering the floor.  People have lost all their possessions.  But the church has sent supplies and workers, including David and AJ.  We are thankful for a church that responds sacrificially and quickly.  The work continues.  It will be a long time before life is back to normal in Upala.

The pickup loaded with supplies for Upala.

CALL continues teaching Spanish and just today we finished the term.  AJ and Chelsea Fry have completed the CALL curriculum and are returning for a short time to the USA to arrange for their visa for the Dominican Republic.  They will serve there for 2.5 years with Genesis Work and Witness.

AJ and Chelsea Fry

The Miners are teaching ESL to missionaries while they study and will return to classes in January.  All their students love them and are learning so much English.

Alan and Glenda Miner

The students with their professors.

Now it is nearly Christmas and we are awaiting Kayley to return to Costa Rica. Unfortunately, she is delayed a few days because of flight cancellations, but she is on her way and we hope to pick her up tonight at the airport.  

She has finished her first semester of college at MVNU and although it was quite a transition for her, she adjusted and ended up with all As and Bs.  That is saying a lot considering her difficult course load.  She loved her Nursing class, and fought through Chemistry. 

Kayley and friends at MVNU.

Joshua will be working through Christmas this year, but we are so proud of his work at Park National Bank.  He had a great 90-day review and is learning lots.  We are also glad to have him nearby his sister in Ohio.  Maybe we will all be together next year?

We are already looking ahead to after Christmas when we will be hosting 3 W&W teams in January.  We are so thankful for our friends and volunteer missionaries, Ted and Lori Bruce, who will be working day to day with the groups here on campus at SENDAS and at the Los Angeles Church.  Great days are ahead!

The Orchid building will be the focus of the first two teams.

For now, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  We have so much to be thankful for including good health, great ministry and wonderful friends and family.  Our cup overflows! Blessings to you all as you celebrate Jesus and his sacrifice to leave heaven and enter the world as a baby. Emmanuel – God with us.

The Webb Family

Finally, a November Post

Ok, so it has been two months since we have found time to update the blog.  SORRY!  We returned to Costa Rica in October and we hit the ground running. 

Shelley has been busy with SENDAS and CALL.  Six new CALL students arrived to take Spanish classes.  We have enjoyed time with the Frys, the Miners and the Slaters.  They are all wonderful people with plans to serve in various assignments and world areas.  It is always a blessing to help people develop skills for ministry.

The Miners in class with Profesora Zeidy.

The Frys with Profesora Gaby

The whole group, incuding the Slaters on the right.

David led a W&W team from Tennessee to Limon, Costa Rica.  It was a wonderful week of working on the new parsonage apartment for the Pastor and his family.  God is doing great things in the area of Limon.  

SENDAS celebrated the yearly Assembly and Graduation.  Every year we look forward to these special days.  The Seminary teaches nearly 1000 students each year, so there is much work to be done.  

We also assisted a W&W team who traveled to Panama to work in Changuinola.  But since they entered through Costa Rica, we helped them as they made their way there and back.  We had a fun tour day and the CALL students came along as well.  The beauty of Costa Rica never disappoints.

David traveled to the Dominican Republic for evangelism meetings.  He enjoyed the fellowship and learning with the other leaders from the Mesoamerica Region.

Today we find ourselves in the Iowa, USA.  We are with family for Christmas for the first time in eleven years.  We will not get to see our kiddos, but we will visit with our family in Iowa. Joshua and Kayley are in Ohio and will enjoy Thanksgiving with friends this year.  

Iowa skyline

We will return to Costa Rica soon, and we look forward to three Work and Witness teams between the end of December and the end of January.  Two will work at SENDAS and one at the Los Angeles Church.  Can't wait!

Kayley will return home mid December after her first semester of college.  It has been quite an adjustment for her, so we appreciate your continued prayers.  Joshua will not make it home for Christmas this year with his work schedule. We are sad about that, but know that God will take care of him.

It will not be long and Christmas will be upon us.  There is much to be thankful for this year. The list is long, but we are thankful especially for those who pray for us as we serve in Costa Rica.  THANK YOU!

Changes, Transitions and Adjustments

Nobody likes change, even when the changes are good.  This month has been one adjustment after another, but we are thankful for a good time of transition for our family.

We left Costa Rica on August 22^nd and have been traveling ever since.  Here are a few of the accomplishments and highlights along the way…

•          Kayley received her Iowa Driver’s License – Yeah!
•      We spoke at a Bible Study in Leon, IA and then at the Morris, IL Church of the Nazarene (a church in the old movie theatre!).
•     We travelled to Columbus, Ohio and spent a day with BOTH our kids together.  Joshua continued the job search.
•      Move in day at MVNU for Kayley.  Great time of organizing, running to WalMart and seeing our missionary friends the Slingerlands (Kayley and Abby are roommates).
•     Spoke at Lakeholm Church and with a group from New Life Church, both in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
•      Gave our last hugs to Kayley and left her to begin her studies at MVNU.
•      Spoke at Danville Church of the Nazarene on Labor Day Weekend.
•      Enjoyed Labor Day with family in Chicago and enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal together (yes, turkey and all the fixins included).
•     Joshua got the call he had been waiting for while we were all in Chicago together. He was offered and accepted a job at Park National Bank! God is good to provide all we need.

New Life Church bonfire. 

Joshua with us in front of his new home in Columbus, OH.

Move in day - hammock included.

Kayley and Abby on day 1 at MVNU.

David speaking in Illinois.

That was the first part of our journey.  The next part began on Sept 8^th when we flew from Chicago to Portland to begin 3 weeks of deputation and travel on three districts: Oregon Pacific, Northwest and the Washington Pacific district.  

We have loved seeing a new part of the country.  It is truly beautiful here. Photos don’t do it justice, but take a look to get the idea.

Adonai Hispanic Church in Portland, OR

A cookout in Southwest Portland with a great group from SW Community Church.

Along highway 101 - Oregon coast.

The same lighthouse, but up close.

Florence, OR

Beautiful views all along the coast.

Moscow, ID - our first view of fall.

We have visited many churches and had a great time at each one.  From Portland to Florence to Myrtle Creek, we have enjoyed it all (including two Hispanic Churches in there).

The Work and Witness conference was a highlight as well.  We met many new friends, but also got to see missionary friends from many different countries.  It was a time of celebration, reunions and encouragement.

Our booth at the Portland W&W Conference.

Then we traveled to Washington and enjoyed Goldendale, Grandview, Prosser and finally, Moscow, Idaho. 

Today we are traveling to the Seattle area.  We have one more week of services here and then back to Chicago for a few more days.

Prayer requests:

•   For Joshua and Kayley to continue to adjust well to the many new things in their lives.
•      For safe travel as David and Shelley traverse the Northwest.
•      For health and healing from colds, etc during these transitions.
•      For a good final two weeks of deputation services.
•      For a peaceful transition to life on the mission field in October in the midst of many responsibilities.                 

Thanks so much for your prayers and support.