Okay, so sometimes I go too fast and hard! Shellie hit the wall yesterday and so I made the decision to have her stay here at Mike’s and enjoy the cool, the quiet, and the beauty. I have to admit that I am pretty tired too; tired of all the travel in traffic, tired of the heat, and tired of going from one meaningful conversation to another and not being able to “fix” everything right away. But He knows much better than I do what I can and cannot handle. And I apologize that I have no pictures for today! I guess I'm hitting the wall too...
Of all the days for Shellie to stay home, I write this a bit disappointed that she couldn’t be with me. Steve Mean came and got me and then dropped me off at the AMCA house at about 8:00. I spent some time on the computer and calling the states, awaiting the arrival of Craig and Shelley Rice, who have been here with LAM for almost 25 years! Craig is a quiet but lovable guy who works with IINDEF, our Evangelism in Depth ministry here in Costa Rica (If you want to know more about Evangelism in Depth, google it). we walked to the IINDEF office and he showed me a database that he is building that will hopefully one day have every Christian organization and missions agency listed in it - a huge project!
After some brief conversation, Shelly came by and picked me to go to the RAHAB foundation, a ministry dedicated to helping prostitutes find Christ, get off the streets for good, and work for better lives. I have to admit I was not looking too forward to the visit and “sitting in on a small group meeting.” Shelley talks faster than a Venezuelan, looks and even has gestures like my sister Cindy, and yet has learned all the different “tico” gestures and tones in her voice. I was quite impressed. We travelled a short distance to downtown San José to what is considered one of the main “red light” districts. We stopped in front of a gate that looked like it opened into a junk yard. To my surprise, as the gate rolled back, I was looking at a beautiful 3-story building in the final phases of construction. I am sorry that I didn’t take any pictures. I just totally spaced on pictures all day! The building is the new center for the foundation. It houses classrooms, a fully commercial kitchen, a sewing center, a computer center, meeting rooms and offices. It perhaps is the most american-like building I’ve seen. Shelley took me on a tour of the entire property and showed me everything; and I mean everything! I saw closets, I heard the stories of individual doors and ovens. I was beginning to feel that I might be held captive all day and night until I knew every nook and cranny and every piece of equipment they had! Fortunately, the director of the center showed up with some coffee and we talked for a while about the ministry of the foundation. I couldn’t help but think of the days when Cara was working with gals at risk and a couple of afternoon drives to the secured shelters to help her find protection for a couple of young moms. I am going to try and put them in contact, because I think Cara has a lot to offer them. They are a relatively young ministry and have the vision to not only help prostitutes, but all victims of sexual commerce, including the very large population of transvestite men here in San José.
At about 10:30, the director received a call and she ushered me up to the second floor where we walked into a small group in progress. You can probably well imagine how I should have felt - a pastor walking into a room filled with prostitutes. But the Lord had somehow prepared me to “let go” of preconceptions and discomfort, so I actually felt quite relaxed. The director introduced me and had each gal introduce herself, how many kids she had and a little about her life. There were, I think, twelve women from 22 to 40 something. Most had at least two, if not three kids. Their stories were enough to fill several “60 Minutes” programs. They were a bit tense and quiet when the director asked if they had questions for me. After some awkward silence, one of the gals asked what she should do about her relationship with her mom who stood by and watched as she was abused by her father and uncles and others. She left home, hit the streets and is now trying to straighten up her life. With tears in her eyes she desperately wanted some hope for restoration with her mother. I shared with her that often we have to make the decision to follow Christ, even in the face of rejection, but that God would most likely give her the opportunity in time to reconcile with her mom. Somehow that broke the ice and one-by-one, all the gals opened their hearts and shared some of their stories. As I write these next few lines I am tearing up when I think of the desperation mixed with faith. One of the gals looked me in the eye and said that the night before (Wednesday), she was standing in front of “Rey” (the Hotel Rey in downtown) ready to slip back because she didn’t have any money with which to feed her three kids breakfast this morning. A man offered her 1,000 Colones - about $1.80…yes, that’s one dollar and eighty cents, for her services. She said that at that instant she recognized what the staff at Rahab had been telling her for weeks; “You are extremely valuable to God!” She turned, walked away and found herself going home and loving her kids. I was left wondering if God had not only spoken to her, but if He had also provided breakfast for her.
I spent about an hour with the gals and we finished the time standing in a circle, holding hands and praying. I can’t help but think that, as a result of my time this morning, I won;t be able to look at these women with disdain or judgement, but as younger sisters who are desperately in need of the unconditional love of Christ and His followers. I take a risk in saying this, but this associate ministry of ours may be on of the most strategic we have!
The director and Shelley thanked me and by that time, Craig had driven to meet us at the center. We walked a couple of blocks to a health food restaurant and enjoyed fresh fruit drinks, healthy chalupas and some great conversation. After lunch I said goodbye to Shelley and Craig drove me a few blocks to the stained glass studio of Jaime Cabezas, the second generation son of missionaries. Jaime speaks perfect english but really is “tico.” He is a member of the LAM board and knows just about every influential person in San José. He is most proud of his business, which helps people learn how to do stained glass, mosaics and glass fusion. He has just received word that the University of Costa Rica (the largest) is finishing up the details on an agreement that will give students university credit for studying at Jaime’s shop! His mother walked in on our conversation and I got yet another perspective of the high times of the LAM in Costa Rica. I am so impressed with this generation of missionaries.
Jaime took me by car to the Roblealto headquarters, where I met up with Steve Mean and we travelled to the Lincoln School, an international American school that Steve and Gay’s son attends. It was beyond belief! Millions been spent on this school which is state of the art in every way. Getting into the parking lot is as difficult as entering an embassy I would think and, as a matter of fact, I was told that the Department of Homeland Security had just installed high voltage wiring above the beautiful stone walls and dozens of security cameras all over campus. It was not too far from Mike’s house and the trip with Steve saved me money and gave me some wonderful “filter” time with Steve. We called a taxi from the school soccer field where Steve’s boy was playing and fifteen minutes later I arrived at Mike’s to find a completely refreshed and relaxed Shellie!
I had about an hour of down time before having to get ready for dinner with the grandson of the founders of LAM, Harry Strachan and his wife Sandy. We called a cab and rode to the extreme opposite side of San José to Escazú, which is in essence little America. The streets are lined with every chain restaurant you could name, including the high end ones. After getting a bit lost, the taxista dropped us off in front of a five-story building up on the hill overlooking the entire valley. We were warmly greeted by Harry and Sandy in their fifth-story penthouse that had almost an entire glass front with a view beyond description. We sat for a half of an hour and learned each other’s stories. Harry did begin to follow the family call to missions. After being raised here in San José, he attended Wheaton College and then began to question the faith of his parents and the call in his life. He ended up at Harvard and ultimately graduated with an M.B.A.
He quickly rose up in the investment world and began teaching at Harvard, while serving as one of the founders of the Baine Capital group out of Boston. Needless to say, he has found great wealth. Sandy is his second wife of almost 15 years and they appear to be quite content with their lives here in San José and on the road (they travel several months a year). They have formed several foundations that keep them busy doing compassion kind of work. While they have had some involvement with Camp Robelalto, they have had essentially no relationship with the LAM for many years.
Harry drove us to a beautiful upper end hotel in San José called the Grano de Oro, where the four of us enjoyed a dinner that would rival the best of restaurants in every way. I asked Harry to share his journey and he spent the majority of our dinner time confirming what many had already told me. His journey has led him away from the Lord into an agnostic life, looking for the divine in every potential religion or philosophy. My heart sank as I heard him describe how he had become so successful in business, yet so confused spiritually (my words). We did share some moments discussing LAM, it’s history and vision and there is no question it has been a big part of his life - just not now.
After a couple of hours, we said our goodbyes and Shellie and I took a taxi back to Mike’s grateful for a wonderful dinner with new friends, but sad with the realization that all three of Kenneth Strachan’s children (The founder’s son) are not walking with the Lord. There’s a word from the Lord in all this for those of us who consciously or unconsciously put ministry before our relationships with our families!
A bit awed, sad and disturbed by the days events, I prayed and then “escaped” to “the Greatest Game Ever Played,” one of my favorite feel-good movies.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Day 6 in Costa Rica
We awoke to a beautiful, clear day after the rain of yesterday. It is hard to believe that we are still in the city here at Mike’s house, because when you are on the grounds, all you hear are roosters in the distance and chirping birds. It truly is ‘park like”. While Steve was getting ready for the day, I sat outside and took it all in. To quietly think and pray in this environment is so refreshing. It is the rare moment of the day when I don’t feel that I must be “on”.
Steve Mean picked us up and drove us to the AMCA house where we were to participate in the ESL classes that they teach everyday, as well as a graduation, as this is the end of a trimester. The upstairs of the AMCA house is where we stayed the first couple of days, so we went there after our greetings to re-connect with family. (No internet connection at Mike’s house!) Today I “hit the wall” as it were, and just felt like I had very little to offer anyone. I stayed upstairs talking with our kids by phone while Steve handled the visit downstairs. I even had a few minutes to rest…
We took a taxi over to meet with Carrie Smith, a brand new LAM missionary. She is 22 years old and has committed 3 years to Centro Cristiano International and Pastor Rolando Soto to assist this organization in expanding their global missions. She is serving as the assistant to the director of the global missions arm of CCI. CCI started 12 years ago when a couple of pastors got together in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and asked God to help them form a church that would truly be missionary. They first met as a church in an international school in Tegucipgalpa and hence the name – Centro Cristiano International.
We took Carrie to lunch and learned from her how the last 3 weeks of being in the country have been. This is really a return for her since she did some of her college studies here. She seems to be adjusting well. We walked back to the church, and Pastor Rolando invited us into his office to talk about his ministry. Interestingly enough, he is a product of LAM ministry! He attended the Henry Strachan School at Camp Roblealto as a boy, graduated from the Seminario Biblico and pastored one of the churches of the denomination that LAM started here in Costa Rica (AIBC)! The CCI church here in San Joaquín de Flores (a suburb of San José) and the CCI movement, while only 12 years old, has over 100 churches in Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa. He showed us around his church, which is very much under construction in parts, but the auditorium reminded both Steve and me of Mosaic when it was meeting in the upstairs of the building at 8010 McDowell. There was an immediate heart connection with Rolando and I know that we have made a friend for life. He invited Steve to come and preach Sunday but Steve will be preaching morning and evening at different churches this week. He then asked if Steve would come next April and lead the Missions Conference for the CCI movement. Steve agreed so it looks like we will be back here a year from now.
We then grabbed a taxi and met Steve Mean at a McDonald’s to get into his 20 year-old Land Rover, with me in the back, to go to a lovely hotel that he had been telling us about that has a beautiful garden area. It is called the Bougainvillea, and when we actually got there and began to see and explore the gardens, I was in total awe. It has acres of gorgeous plants and well-manicured lawns. We walked for probably an hour, taking pictures and just taking it all in. If you recall from an earlier blog, Steve Mean is a master gardener and this is one of his retreat places. I sent my brother Gordon some of the pictures knowing that this is a place he needs to come when he visits Costa Rica.
We then went to Steve’s home where I was able to meet Gay, his wife and eventually in the evening, their 17 year-old son Samuel. With internet connection there, we did some work, then had a wonderful meal around their kitchen table. The meat brochettes somehow were overcooked, so our meal became a meatless one, but was tasty and filling none the less. Originally we were going to stay there for two days, but with my “hitting the wall”, and needing privacy and rest, we returned to Mike’s house and I made the decision to stay there Thursday, letting Steve go and meet with everyone without me. I need a day to recuperate and I am hoping that people will understand. We ended the evening with some of the fresh fruit that is so wonderful here in Costa Rica and watched a movie on the computer as we laid in bed. Another great day in Costa Rica.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Day 5 Addendum
After reading the post for Day 5, it was clear that we forgot to mention that on our way down from Stevens' to the restaurant, we stopped by El Día Glorioso, a home for boys who have "graduated" from the Hogar Bíblico or are placed there by other institutions. Most of these guys (12-17 years old) have come from abusive or troubled homes. David Longworth is on the Board of the home, which has about 9 boys in residence right now. The ministry is led by a visionary and loving couple, Stanford and Ana, who live with the young men. We got to the home, not too far from Roblealto, just in time to celebrate David's 16th birthday. We stayed and talked for about a half hour, ding which Steve shared his testimony with the guys. It was quick but impactful!
Day 5 in Costa Rica
The day began very early. Steve Mean picked us up at Mike Yoon’s about 6:45 and took us to a lovely hotel that was tucked away behind a gate and tall walls inside the city. You would never know it was there were you not ushered in behind the gate that closed tightly behind you. Another unsafe part of town we are told. Steve met with the president of the Board of the Roblealto Foundation, Mike Garrett (an associate ministry of LAM), while Steve Mean showed me around the hotel. I learned that Steve is a master gardener among his many other gifts. He and his wife Gay, lived (and still do have a home) in Washington State where he was a businessman. They have been here 3 years and he is passionate about the Camp and the sister ministries of Roblealto. They live not far from Mike, and since Mike is going to the States for 3 days, and we do not have Internet connection here, upon Steve’s invitation, we are moving to the Mean home. I don’t believe that is a literal translation! Steve is a charismatic, sensitive, intelligent person who has wonderful people skills. I am looking forward to getting to know Gay since I have spent no time with her while being in Costa Rica.
The LAM Roblealto team met around the pool for a buffet breakfast, and Steve and I were able to hear (in Spanish) how each person was ministering. Margarita Weir appears to be an elderly, frail woman. She has been in C.R. with Roblealto for almost 40 years. She is a great prayer warrior and has the energy of a young woman. I am learning that many of the “older” LAM missionaries are still going strong. More about that later! Margarita runs up and down the hills of the camp like she most likely did 40 years ago. Vera Brenneman, who MC’d our time with the missionaries last Saturday, is another older lady. But once again, the passion for the ministry and the Lord Himself, have kept these two going strong. Also at the table were Susana, a single, Southern woman about 40, who is the medical supervisor over all the nurses, etc. for the Foundation. She has been there 20 years! She adopted 2 “Tico” (Costa Rican’s) boys who are now 7 and 9. Also at the table was Senia, the Director of Programming at the Roblealto Camp. So with Steve and myself that made 8 of us at the table. After a short, but sweet time in prayer, we said goodbye and Vera took us by car to see several of the Roblealto ministries.
To help you understand better, Roblealto is really a conglomerate of ministries that stretches back 77 years – a series of daycare centers that minister to at risk kids around downtown San José; el Hogar Bíblico Roblealto (the Roblealto Bible Home) that is a resident program (on the property of Camp Roblealto) that ministers to about 150 children with all sorts of serious home and psychological challenges (60% that come to the Hogar are medicated); Camp Roblealto a 200-acre, fully functioning campground able to serve several hundred; and a farm that focuses primarily on raising and selling chickens. The incubators that we will see on Friday alone are under a roof that is almost the size of a football field!!!
One of the Daycare centers, a preschool that we only drove by, is located in a poor part of the city, underneath the headquarters of the foundation that runs all of the Roblealto ministries. Interestingly enough, the property was donated by the Costa Rican government and is sandwiched between the main police academy of San José and the offices of the CR Ministry of Defense. Like the other centers, it is a ministry to parents and single parents that need to work but can not afford childcare. Vera then took us past the largest center, serving 250 kids preschool-5th grade, and then actually gave us a tour of the third for ages toddler through third grade. We walked through this center, meeting children and workers, even sitting in on a class where the children “performed” for us by singing several songs. Pictures to come! Once again, it is located in a poor part of town where there is much drug trafficking and prostitution. Vera pointed out a white cross on top of a hill overlooking the city. She told us that many bad things happen beneath that cross, things that she would not even speak with words. But she said that cross is symbolic for her. Few people notice it unless pointed out, but it is always there. Like Christ, always there, watching over the city, mostly ignored while defiant and ugly sin is practiced all around, His presence unnoticed but always there. My stomach turned as I thought of what must go on just feet from that cross, but really how different is that than when any of us defiantly act out our sin . . . . even those of us that know Christ and His very Presence is within us! A sobering visual.
I was humbled as everywhere we have gone we are treated like “traveling dignitaries”, always introduced with respect as “ El presidente del LAM y su esposa”, a title that still feels uncomfortable. But as you can imagine, Steve takes every opportunity to make people feel comfortable and relates to them on a peer level; in action saying “ I don’t take myself too seriously, so please, you do not need to either.”
Vera then took us the 45-minute drive to the Roblealto camp. This camp is 77 years old, birthed by the Strachans themselves (founders of LAM). There are 200 acres and it consists of old and new buildings, as well as a “hatchery”, where thousands of eggs are hatched and then sold for profit in the city. There are several homes on the property that house 7 – 10 children each, with house parents. These children have at best difficult home lives and live during the week at the camp. 60 – 70 % of the children that enter the program are on one or more psychiatric drugs. By the time they leave the program many of them are off ALL drugs! Love, consistent boundaries, good nutrition, not to forget the Good News of Jesus Christ given, have helped to bring immeasurable healing to these children. There is a school on campus where they are taught and they share lunch in the great cafeteria while having breakfast and dinner with their “family” every day. There are thousands of children that have passed through over the decades and it is impossible to humanly factor how many lives of children and even families that have been positively affected by this ministry.
Steve and I ate lunch in the camp mess hall with several of the missionaries then took about 45 minutes to rest our weary bodies on couches in a ‘departamento”. The storm clouds moved in and by the time that Dave and Marilyn Longworth (a second generation LAM missionary couple) came to escort us to our afternoon events, it was torrential rain. The Longworths took us to see David’s parents who are retired LAM missionaries that began in the 40’s . . . they are now 90 years old! We heard the story of how Dave’s mom died of encephalitis when he was just 8 years old and how difficult that was for them. 3 years later Donald married his present wife, and they have been married almost 60 years. It was such a privilege to visit with them and hear some of the stories and also for Steve, on behalf of the LAM family, to express to them how grateful we are for their many years of service and sacrifice. We gathered in a circle and prayed together before leaving. I couldn’t help but tear up as I thought of this amazing couple and how they represent what has been termed as “the greatest generation”, and for good reason!
We ran to the car, balancing umbrellas, but still getting significantly wet. Our next trip was to Doris and Steve Stevens’ lovely home in the hills overlooking Camp Roblealto. Like almost everyone else we’ve met of the former generation, they both graduated from Wheaton College when Billy Graham was there. Ruth is John (Juan) Stam’s sister and has every bit as much fire and intelligence as her brother. They served the LAM for fifty years in many different ways. She was a teacher and supervisor at the school at Roblealto, he started the farm and hatchery. We drank tea and ate goodies for a while, once again hearing the almost miraculous stories of God’s provision for the mission and it’s family in years past.
Darkness was setting in and we had a long drive back to Mike’s, so we prayed holding hands and then once again darted out through the torrential rain into our limousine – a 1972 Nissan Pulsar with 220,000 miles. As we headed down the mountain into San José, I began to really fell the cold and wet of the rain – the rear window seal was gone and water was dripping down the back of my shirt. That gave a good excuse to move over and cuddle Shellie for the rest of the 45-minute drive into town.
We were supposed to meet Mike on the outskirts and have dinner, but he couldn’t get his electric gate opened because of the rain, so he sent Steve Mean who met the Longworths and us at Doña Loleta’s, a Costa Rican knock-off of Rain Forest Café. We sat, ate and talked for about an hour drying off and allowing the rain to finally subside. The food was, well, let’s just say we’ve eaten better. After a twenty-minute drive back to Mike’s, who had finally been able to open the gate, and fifteen minutes of great conversation with Mike, Shellie and I fell into bed and quickly asleep. We really don’t know how much we can keep up with the itinerary. Shellie is wearing out physically. And yet, every stop and every conversation has been both a great blessing and a great help to Steve in understanding the inner workings of LAM. One more thing…we miss our kids and grandkids!!!
The LAM Roblealto team met around the pool for a buffet breakfast, and Steve and I were able to hear (in Spanish) how each person was ministering. Margarita Weir appears to be an elderly, frail woman. She has been in C.R. with Roblealto for almost 40 years. She is a great prayer warrior and has the energy of a young woman. I am learning that many of the “older” LAM missionaries are still going strong. More about that later! Margarita runs up and down the hills of the camp like she most likely did 40 years ago. Vera Brenneman, who MC’d our time with the missionaries last Saturday, is another older lady. But once again, the passion for the ministry and the Lord Himself, have kept these two going strong. Also at the table were Susana, a single, Southern woman about 40, who is the medical supervisor over all the nurses, etc. for the Foundation. She has been there 20 years! She adopted 2 “Tico” (Costa Rican’s) boys who are now 7 and 9. Also at the table was Senia, the Director of Programming at the Roblealto Camp. So with Steve and myself that made 8 of us at the table. After a short, but sweet time in prayer, we said goodbye and Vera took us by car to see several of the Roblealto ministries.
To help you understand better, Roblealto is really a conglomerate of ministries that stretches back 77 years – a series of daycare centers that minister to at risk kids around downtown San José; el Hogar Bíblico Roblealto (the Roblealto Bible Home) that is a resident program (on the property of Camp Roblealto) that ministers to about 150 children with all sorts of serious home and psychological challenges (60% that come to the Hogar are medicated); Camp Roblealto a 200-acre, fully functioning campground able to serve several hundred; and a farm that focuses primarily on raising and selling chickens. The incubators that we will see on Friday alone are under a roof that is almost the size of a football field!!!
One of the Daycare centers, a preschool that we only drove by, is located in a poor part of the city, underneath the headquarters of the foundation that runs all of the Roblealto ministries. Interestingly enough, the property was donated by the Costa Rican government and is sandwiched between the main police academy of San José and the offices of the CR Ministry of Defense. Like the other centers, it is a ministry to parents and single parents that need to work but can not afford childcare. Vera then took us past the largest center, serving 250 kids preschool-5th grade, and then actually gave us a tour of the third for ages toddler through third grade. We walked through this center, meeting children and workers, even sitting in on a class where the children “performed” for us by singing several songs. Pictures to come! Once again, it is located in a poor part of town where there is much drug trafficking and prostitution. Vera pointed out a white cross on top of a hill overlooking the city. She told us that many bad things happen beneath that cross, things that she would not even speak with words. But she said that cross is symbolic for her. Few people notice it unless pointed out, but it is always there. Like Christ, always there, watching over the city, mostly ignored while defiant and ugly sin is practiced all around, His presence unnoticed but always there. My stomach turned as I thought of what must go on just feet from that cross, but really how different is that than when any of us defiantly act out our sin . . . . even those of us that know Christ and His very Presence is within us! A sobering visual.
I was humbled as everywhere we have gone we are treated like “traveling dignitaries”, always introduced with respect as “ El presidente del LAM y su esposa”, a title that still feels uncomfortable. But as you can imagine, Steve takes every opportunity to make people feel comfortable and relates to them on a peer level; in action saying “ I don’t take myself too seriously, so please, you do not need to either.”
Vera then took us the 45-minute drive to the Roblealto camp. This camp is 77 years old, birthed by the Strachans themselves (founders of LAM). There are 200 acres and it consists of old and new buildings, as well as a “hatchery”, where thousands of eggs are hatched and then sold for profit in the city. There are several homes on the property that house 7 – 10 children each, with house parents. These children have at best difficult home lives and live during the week at the camp. 60 – 70 % of the children that enter the program are on one or more psychiatric drugs. By the time they leave the program many of them are off ALL drugs! Love, consistent boundaries, good nutrition, not to forget the Good News of Jesus Christ given, have helped to bring immeasurable healing to these children. There is a school on campus where they are taught and they share lunch in the great cafeteria while having breakfast and dinner with their “family” every day. There are thousands of children that have passed through over the decades and it is impossible to humanly factor how many lives of children and even families that have been positively affected by this ministry.
Steve and I ate lunch in the camp mess hall with several of the missionaries then took about 45 minutes to rest our weary bodies on couches in a ‘departamento”. The storm clouds moved in and by the time that Dave and Marilyn Longworth (a second generation LAM missionary couple) came to escort us to our afternoon events, it was torrential rain. The Longworths took us to see David’s parents who are retired LAM missionaries that began in the 40’s . . . they are now 90 years old! We heard the story of how Dave’s mom died of encephalitis when he was just 8 years old and how difficult that was for them. 3 years later Donald married his present wife, and they have been married almost 60 years. It was such a privilege to visit with them and hear some of the stories and also for Steve, on behalf of the LAM family, to express to them how grateful we are for their many years of service and sacrifice. We gathered in a circle and prayed together before leaving. I couldn’t help but tear up as I thought of this amazing couple and how they represent what has been termed as “the greatest generation”, and for good reason!
We ran to the car, balancing umbrellas, but still getting significantly wet. Our next trip was to Doris and Steve Stevens’ lovely home in the hills overlooking Camp Roblealto. Like almost everyone else we’ve met of the former generation, they both graduated from Wheaton College when Billy Graham was there. Ruth is John (Juan) Stam’s sister and has every bit as much fire and intelligence as her brother. They served the LAM for fifty years in many different ways. She was a teacher and supervisor at the school at Roblealto, he started the farm and hatchery. We drank tea and ate goodies for a while, once again hearing the almost miraculous stories of God’s provision for the mission and it’s family in years past.
Darkness was setting in and we had a long drive back to Mike’s, so we prayed holding hands and then once again darted out through the torrential rain into our limousine – a 1972 Nissan Pulsar with 220,000 miles. As we headed down the mountain into San José, I began to really fell the cold and wet of the rain – the rear window seal was gone and water was dripping down the back of my shirt. That gave a good excuse to move over and cuddle Shellie for the rest of the 45-minute drive into town.
We were supposed to meet Mike on the outskirts and have dinner, but he couldn’t get his electric gate opened because of the rain, so he sent Steve Mean who met the Longworths and us at Doña Loleta’s, a Costa Rican knock-off of Rain Forest Café. We sat, ate and talked for about an hour drying off and allowing the rain to finally subside. The food was, well, let’s just say we’ve eaten better. After a twenty-minute drive back to Mike’s, who had finally been able to open the gate, and fifteen minutes of great conversation with Mike, Shellie and I fell into bed and quickly asleep. We really don’t know how much we can keep up with the itinerary. Shellie is wearing out physically. And yet, every stop and every conversation has been both a great blessing and a great help to Steve in understanding the inner workings of LAM. One more thing…we miss our kids and grandkids!!!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Day 4 in Costa Rica
Today was a killer!
We woke up this morning greeted by clear skies and a view out the french door to the mountains north of the city of San José. Birds were chirping, our two german shepherd guard dogs, Buddy and Beyoncé (yes, after the singer) were standing over the wrought iron patio fence looking for some much needed people attention, and a cool breeze made the heat of yesterday seem a million miles away.
We left Mike Yoon’s, the place that others in the mission affectionately call the “Mini-Marriott”, at about 7:30 a.m. for the one hour trip into the city (which should only take 20 minutes at a normal speed - this is worse than L.A. at rush hour!) The time was well spent as we got to know Rodrigo Chavarría, a Costa Rican who studied with Juancito Terranova, the son of my co-pastor in Argentina, at Columbia Bible College and then at Wheaton. He is incredeibly articulate and we could sense right away that he was as much affected by his time in the U.S. as I was in Argentina. There was that sense of having almost a dual heart. He has been with the mission for a long time and has had a tough journey, but is excited about the future.
We arrived at the headquarters of PROMETA, a Latin online seminary offering accredited M.A.’s in Christian Leadership and Biblical Studies. There are more Ph.D’s and D.Min’s in that converted house than in most seminaries. Along with Rodrigo, who is handling the admin for PROMETA right now, we were able to sit for a couple of hours with Jeff David, another long time LAMer who writes curriculum and oversees students and their projects. While the time was supposed to be centered on the ministry of PROMETA, we quickly passed to discussing LAM and MSO issues. Shellie and I were amazed at their transparency and their honesty. I am humbled by their trust placed in us through the conversation. They care about their ministries, but they care as much for the sense of family in LAM, and are anxious to see what God will do in the days ahead with the mission. PROMETA is now in the process of being designated as the school of theology for the National University of Guatemala, to which over 50,000 students attend. This is a huge opportunity and honor. One other quick note: In 1990, I traveled from Buenos Aires to Guatemala City for a few days to spend with a family that was to soon join the OC team in Argentina. While there, we were guided around the city, to church and even to Antigua by a young pastor named Enrique Fernandez. To my surprise, I encountered him again today, Ph.D. and all, as one of the leaders of PROMETA. What a small world and isn’t it interesting how He brings people back around into our lives?!
After what was a great conversation, we prayed together and walked out of the conference room to find Mike Day, another LAMer waiting for us. We stepped into his Hyundai Van (I think every LAM mssionary has a Hyundai), and set off on another one hour trip, this time towards Irazú Volcano and the little town of Pacayas, where Mike and his Costa Rican wife, Noribette, have just purchased two acres of land that look over a beautiful valley filled with farmlands from a retiring LAM couple. The sun had given way to clouds and a significant breeze at 5,000 feet. Mike and Noribette are the Costa Rican Directors for AWANA. Having pastored two churches in the last fifteen years where AWANA was huge, it didn’t take a lot to get up to speed on ministry. That allowed us much more time to talk about the Days. Mike graduated from high school ion Wheaton, Il. and came straight down to San José to work, with the intention of going to language school at ILE (you’ll hear about that next). For a year or so, he would try to work and sutdy, then go back to the states to earn real money to come back down and study at ILE. After studying at ILE, he entered our LAM seminary, ESEPA, and there found Noribette in the library. Yes, she was the librarian. They got married young and are celebrating 19 years of marriage in 2009. Mike is one of those “can fix anything” kind of guys. They have four wonderful kids who love the Lord and their parents and even participate with their parents in the AWANA training that they do all over the country. They raise four bulls, two dogs, and a lone hen who has yet to lay an egg…I wish I could say that! We were a bit pressed for time, so we sat down right away to a typical arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) dish with chips and fresh pineapple jiuce. Dessert brought us “tres leches”, a cake that is made and saturated with three differenet kinds of milk. It was all awesomely good! Around the tabel we talked mostly about kids, history, AWANA, etc. After a quick picture, a time of prayer and saying good-bye to the family, Shellie, Mike, Josh (their youngest) and I headed back through Cartago a reasonably large town with a beautiful and old basilica. On the road back to San José, Mike shared some of his experiences and suggestions for LAM in general. Again, I was amazed at the candor. These people down here really love LAM and have a desire to see it become even greater than it has been.
We were soon out of the clouds and back into the heat and traffic. We made our way to the Insituto de Lengua Española (ILE), the premier Spanish language institute for missionaries in all of Central and South America. We were met at the gate by Barbi David (Jeff from PROMETA’s wife), who is a teacher in the Sojourn Academy, the elementary school on the campus of ILE. A quick tour of the elementary campus was followed by an introduction to Julie Chamberlain, the Director of the ILE and an almost twenty year LAM missionary. We had never really heard of her and were pleasantly surprised b y her warmth and candor. We sat outside on a patio overlooking the school campus with a view to the mountains south of San José and heard her story. She is one focused lady! When I asked her how she was doing, she launched us into a conversation regarding a leadership issue facing her that is almost exactly what Shellie and I faced in San Gabriel 13 years ago. I was taken back by the similarities and felt that God had ordained the theme so we could be of some very practical help. I wont bore you with the details, but I do feel she is encouraged to “take the bull by the horns” and act in a way that will provide the best leadership for the ILE and the Sojourn Academy, while allowing her to retain overall direction for the ministry. I am excited to hear how it all turns out.
Our one hour conversation lasted almost two, and we were late for dinner at Dick and Sheila Dudney’s, 22-year LAM veterans who are working as the Student Life Directors at ILE with Julie and Barbi. We stopped by and got a quick tour of Julie’s home and then arrived at Dudney’s to find dinner on the table and Dick and Sheila as hungry as Shellie and me. The actual dinner conversation was surprisingly diverse - our kids, Dudney’s kids, Julie’s journey, LAM retirees, and policies and procedures that we thought could use some review and/or revision. Julie blessed us with a couple of “pieces” - old time elocutionary vignettes shared at early 20th century dinner tables. They were the kind of thing you’d hear in Lake Wobegon.
I could see that by this time, Shellie was worn out from the heat, from the travel, from the emotional expenditure of the day, and so we called a taxi for our 25 minute ride back to our place of lodging. Notice I said twenty-five minutes? The same trip took us an hour this morning. We arrived exhausted, worn out, wanting to talk to our kids, and just generally not excited about being ready to go at 6:50 tomorrow a.m.
We made a quick call to Cara and found out the awesome news that she is coming to Miami the end of April for a conference and can spend a couple of days with us! The news only got better when Shellie opened the refrigerator to find it stocked with freshly sliced watermelon, cantelope and the sweetest mango I’ve ever tasted. There was also coke to feed my bad habit! As I sat down to write thie entry, our host Mike came to the door quite surprisingly. He missed his plane to Philadelphia this am and had arranged all the goodies for us. He’s also arranged for our laundry to be taken care of…what can I say, they don’t come more disposed to serve than Mike. We talked for a few minutes about life, love and his son and then decided to hit the sack. So here it is, 11:00 p.m straight up, 17 packed, precious, and purposeful hours after waking up - I’m toast!
May God multiply the sleep in fewer hours…Amen! And amen!
We woke up this morning greeted by clear skies and a view out the french door to the mountains north of the city of San José. Birds were chirping, our two german shepherd guard dogs, Buddy and Beyoncé (yes, after the singer) were standing over the wrought iron patio fence looking for some much needed people attention, and a cool breeze made the heat of yesterday seem a million miles away.
We left Mike Yoon’s, the place that others in the mission affectionately call the “Mini-Marriott”, at about 7:30 a.m. for the one hour trip into the city (which should only take 20 minutes at a normal speed - this is worse than L.A. at rush hour!) The time was well spent as we got to know Rodrigo Chavarría, a Costa Rican who studied with Juancito Terranova, the son of my co-pastor in Argentina, at Columbia Bible College and then at Wheaton. He is incredeibly articulate and we could sense right away that he was as much affected by his time in the U.S. as I was in Argentina. There was that sense of having almost a dual heart. He has been with the mission for a long time and has had a tough journey, but is excited about the future.
We arrived at the headquarters of PROMETA, a Latin online seminary offering accredited M.A.’s in Christian Leadership and Biblical Studies. There are more Ph.D’s and D.Min’s in that converted house than in most seminaries. Along with Rodrigo, who is handling the admin for PROMETA right now, we were able to sit for a couple of hours with Jeff David, another long time LAMer who writes curriculum and oversees students and their projects. While the time was supposed to be centered on the ministry of PROMETA, we quickly passed to discussing LAM and MSO issues. Shellie and I were amazed at their transparency and their honesty. I am humbled by their trust placed in us through the conversation. They care about their ministries, but they care as much for the sense of family in LAM, and are anxious to see what God will do in the days ahead with the mission. PROMETA is now in the process of being designated as the school of theology for the National University of Guatemala, to which over 50,000 students attend. This is a huge opportunity and honor. One other quick note: In 1990, I traveled from Buenos Aires to Guatemala City for a few days to spend with a family that was to soon join the OC team in Argentina. While there, we were guided around the city, to church and even to Antigua by a young pastor named Enrique Fernandez. To my surprise, I encountered him again today, Ph.D. and all, as one of the leaders of PROMETA. What a small world and isn’t it interesting how He brings people back around into our lives?!
After what was a great conversation, we prayed together and walked out of the conference room to find Mike Day, another LAMer waiting for us. We stepped into his Hyundai Van (I think every LAM mssionary has a Hyundai), and set off on another one hour trip, this time towards Irazú Volcano and the little town of Pacayas, where Mike and his Costa Rican wife, Noribette, have just purchased two acres of land that look over a beautiful valley filled with farmlands from a retiring LAM couple. The sun had given way to clouds and a significant breeze at 5,000 feet. Mike and Noribette are the Costa Rican Directors for AWANA. Having pastored two churches in the last fifteen years where AWANA was huge, it didn’t take a lot to get up to speed on ministry. That allowed us much more time to talk about the Days. Mike graduated from high school ion Wheaton, Il. and came straight down to San José to work, with the intention of going to language school at ILE (you’ll hear about that next). For a year or so, he would try to work and sutdy, then go back to the states to earn real money to come back down and study at ILE. After studying at ILE, he entered our LAM seminary, ESEPA, and there found Noribette in the library. Yes, she was the librarian. They got married young and are celebrating 19 years of marriage in 2009. Mike is one of those “can fix anything” kind of guys. They have four wonderful kids who love the Lord and their parents and even participate with their parents in the AWANA training that they do all over the country. They raise four bulls, two dogs, and a lone hen who has yet to lay an egg…I wish I could say that! We were a bit pressed for time, so we sat down right away to a typical arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) dish with chips and fresh pineapple jiuce. Dessert brought us “tres leches”, a cake that is made and saturated with three differenet kinds of milk. It was all awesomely good! Around the tabel we talked mostly about kids, history, AWANA, etc. After a quick picture, a time of prayer and saying good-bye to the family, Shellie, Mike, Josh (their youngest) and I headed back through Cartago a reasonably large town with a beautiful and old basilica. On the road back to San José, Mike shared some of his experiences and suggestions for LAM in general. Again, I was amazed at the candor. These people down here really love LAM and have a desire to see it become even greater than it has been.
We were soon out of the clouds and back into the heat and traffic. We made our way to the Insituto de Lengua Española (ILE), the premier Spanish language institute for missionaries in all of Central and South America. We were met at the gate by Barbi David (Jeff from PROMETA’s wife), who is a teacher in the Sojourn Academy, the elementary school on the campus of ILE. A quick tour of the elementary campus was followed by an introduction to Julie Chamberlain, the Director of the ILE and an almost twenty year LAM missionary. We had never really heard of her and were pleasantly surprised b y her warmth and candor. We sat outside on a patio overlooking the school campus with a view to the mountains south of San José and heard her story. She is one focused lady! When I asked her how she was doing, she launched us into a conversation regarding a leadership issue facing her that is almost exactly what Shellie and I faced in San Gabriel 13 years ago. I was taken back by the similarities and felt that God had ordained the theme so we could be of some very practical help. I wont bore you with the details, but I do feel she is encouraged to “take the bull by the horns” and act in a way that will provide the best leadership for the ILE and the Sojourn Academy, while allowing her to retain overall direction for the ministry. I am excited to hear how it all turns out.
Our one hour conversation lasted almost two, and we were late for dinner at Dick and Sheila Dudney’s, 22-year LAM veterans who are working as the Student Life Directors at ILE with Julie and Barbi. We stopped by and got a quick tour of Julie’s home and then arrived at Dudney’s to find dinner on the table and Dick and Sheila as hungry as Shellie and me. The actual dinner conversation was surprisingly diverse - our kids, Dudney’s kids, Julie’s journey, LAM retirees, and policies and procedures that we thought could use some review and/or revision. Julie blessed us with a couple of “pieces” - old time elocutionary vignettes shared at early 20th century dinner tables. They were the kind of thing you’d hear in Lake Wobegon.
I could see that by this time, Shellie was worn out from the heat, from the travel, from the emotional expenditure of the day, and so we called a taxi for our 25 minute ride back to our place of lodging. Notice I said twenty-five minutes? The same trip took us an hour this morning. We arrived exhausted, worn out, wanting to talk to our kids, and just generally not excited about being ready to go at 6:50 tomorrow a.m.
We made a quick call to Cara and found out the awesome news that she is coming to Miami the end of April for a conference and can spend a couple of days with us! The news only got better when Shellie opened the refrigerator to find it stocked with freshly sliced watermelon, cantelope and the sweetest mango I’ve ever tasted. There was also coke to feed my bad habit! As I sat down to write thie entry, our host Mike came to the door quite surprisingly. He missed his plane to Philadelphia this am and had arranged all the goodies for us. He’s also arranged for our laundry to be taken care of…what can I say, they don’t come more disposed to serve than Mike. We talked for a few minutes about life, love and his son and then decided to hit the sack. So here it is, 11:00 p.m straight up, 17 packed, precious, and purposeful hours after waking up - I’m toast!
May God multiply the sleep in fewer hours…Amen! And amen!
Day 3 in Costa Rica
I awoke at 6 am and unable to go back to sleep, I stole away to the living area of the AMCA house to to write the blog for yesterday and to have my ‘lectivo divina’. Time always goes so quickly when reading, writing and praying. I asked the Lord for a special word from Him today and by the end of the blog, you will see that he most likely answered. . . .
It is Sunday and Mike Yoon picked us up at 9:45 to take us to his church that he planted; the 3rd of 3. It meets at ESEPA, the Seminary that LAM started and then turned over to the nationals. LAM missionaries are assisting in teaching and administrating it now. The church meets in one of the classrooms and there were about 50 people in attendance. This morning John Stam taught and he spoke on Chapter 8 of Revelations, emphasizing how the prayers of the Saints went up as a fragrance to the Lord. He talked about how beautiful prayer is to the Lord and how it is one of, if not the most imortant thing we can do as christians.
We then went to John and Doris Stams home for lunch where we had one of the most memorable afternoons of our lives. John and Doris are in their 80’s and have been LAM missionaries for over 50 years. John’s uncle and aunt, John and Betty Stam, are the famous missionaries who were martered in China in the 1930‘s. They were drug through the street and then beheaded. You might want to Google them and read about it. Anyway, John is a Biblical scholar having received his doctorate in Theology at Basil University. Doris is a Greek scholar and taught at the university in Nicuragua for some years. Their home is at least 150 years old and very primitive and ruggedly beautiful. Everywhere you look in their home you will find a primitive antique or an amazing piece of sculpter or painting. They have 2 or 3 pre Columbian pieces of stonework just ‘laying around’! The floor in their dining and living room is all 150 year old hand painted tiles. I kept thinking through out our afternoon with them “Christa would be in heaven right now” ! We asked questions and gleaned as much as we could in the short time we had with them. John’s eyes are beginning to give out but he is determined to finish the 4th volume of his book on Revelations that he is in the midst of wrinting. At this moment Steve is beside me ready John’s book on Prophecy and Missions.
One of the memorable stories that John and Doris told us about was when he was in Cuba in 2002, one of the 20 or so times he has been there for ministry. He was with some other christian leaders meeting on Revelations and Biblical prophecy when they received word that Fidel Castro wanted to meet with them from 11 pm - 2 am. They were shocked but incredibly excited to go. For 3 hours these men interacted with and answered questions from the Cuban dictator. At the end of their time with them he asked the question “what does it mean to be an Evangelical, just in case I am one?”
One of the men there gave a very clear presentation of the Gospel. Who do you know has had the opportunity to be with Fidel Castro or any other leader of a country and give them the Good News of Jesus Christ? John and Doris have lived controversial lives at times, such as during the 80’s when they ministered to the Sandanista’s. He has debated with the best scholars of the day on Liberation Theology and written a number of published papers on the subject. It is such an honor to know and glean from a couple with such a deep and meaningful life experience. It begs the question though, are we raising up a new generation of missionaries with an equal committment to the Lord, the Word, and sacrifical giving to those around them? The Stam’s generation sent “the best of the best” to foreign fields . . . where are the best of the best of this generation?
That was only half of our incredible day. Mike Yoon, a missionary here in Costa Rica for 7 years, was formerly a pastor who ministered in a church of 40,000 in Korea. He was one of the 20,000 that stood up in an URBANA meeting in the 80’s and committed his life to missions. Just 1 1/2 years ago Mikes wife, Grace, suddenly and unexpectedly died of a brain anuism. They have 2 sons, both studying premed to be medical missionaries. One is in L.A. and the other at Berkley. Mike is at a crossroads in his life and ministry and Steve and I had the privilege tonight to interact with him about this over dinner. He is seriously considering leaving the mission for many good reasons, but decided to wait until the new LAM president came to see if there was direction from God to stay. The conversation that we had tonight inspired Steve with fresh vision for the Mission and he wants to pray and think about bringing Mike on to start a whole new arm of ministry bridging Korea with Latin America. The church in Korea has the vision and the resources to see the Gospel taken throughout the world, and unlike the American church, has not given up on Latin America. Mike’s church funded the building of the most beautiful home and retreat house on park like grounds, ( I will get pictures!) and anything that Mike needs to buy or do is completely funded. He doesn’t understand why so many North American missionaries are having such trouble staying funded! But most important is the vision . . . the Korean church is there. So friday, after Mike returns from a trip to visit his doctor in the U.S., Steve and Mike will sit down to talk about the possibilities.
Mike has hepatitis and diabetes, so he knows realistically that his days are numbered . . as are all of ours! But he is a visionary, an evangelist, and a dedicated, committed missionary. Pray with us about what God might do with this potential union.
Mike invited us to stay here at his home so we are in “the big house”, where there are 13 bedrooms! Our private bath has a jacuzzi and a balcony that opens up looking out over the palacial grounds. I have the windows open and it is all quiet except the singing of a bird outside our window.
What an amazing day!!
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