Once again the holiday season is upon us and I marvel at how fast the years move along. We are back in the States now enjoying the opportunity to visit with many of our friends and supporters. Serving the Lord is a joy. It is also an adventure in learning about God. In Costa Rica, we live in a culture very different from the one in which I was raised. We seek to have a spiritual impact on two people groups who’s cultures are very different from the one in which we live. Nothing is easily accomplished and it is in that setting that God finds us more open to His direction. When we think we have all the answers, when we’re sure we have sufficient resources, when we believe we’ve greatly diminished all possibility of failure, how does God find His way into the equation. We must be willing to be uncomfortable, ill-equipped and dependent in order to see God at work. The Scripture is clear that God not only shuns, but hates the proud and self-sufficient. The old saying “God helps those who help themselves” is simply that, an old saying. Scripture is abundantly clear that as Christians, we must rely on the Holy Spirit.

Thanksgiving is only a few days away. Remembering the origin of this holiday, how the Pilgrims gave thanks to God for the abundance they received in preparation for another winter, I am prompted to likewise give thanks. I want to thank the Almighty for His goodness, which He has demonstrated toward us through you. The fact that we as a nation are in a time of economic uncertainty has not escaped my notice. It is a time when the temptation to circle the wagons and take a defensive posture is very strong. How easy it is to say, “ I’m not sure what’s going to happen, so I had better hold on to things right now. Maybe we should be a little cautious because things are so uncertain.” But even in the face of that, several truths remain. First of all, even in times of a robust economy, when everything is looking rosy and we are contemplating building bigger barns because we have not enough room to store all that is coming in; we don’t really know for sure what is going to happen. Secondly and most importantly, there is no such thing as a down-turn in God’s economy. Sometimes we have the benefit of the abundance of a king, such as in Nehemiah’s case as he built the walls around Jerusalem or the children of Israel as they escaped the famine by the hand of their brother Joseph in Egypt. And sometimes, like the Prophet, the abundance we experience is limited to what a raven can carry to simply feed us. The bottom line is that at all times, in all circumstances and in every place, God’s provision for those He leads is certain, sufficient and unfailing.

Thank you for your continued support. Your support is important to us not because a drop in funding means that our standard of living will be diminished, that matters not, but rather it is important because Indians who live in Talamanca are dying and going to hell and few are trying to reach them. Your support allows us to continue our effort to demonstrate the love of Christ to them. That is what matters, because it matters to God.
My desire is that those who support this ministry do so because of their love for the lost in Talamanca. The generosity I have witnessed has been humbling to me. So many of you have been faithful in your support and yet you will never meet a Bribri or Cabecar Indian this side of heaven.

We continue the construction on the hangar in Bribri. The hangar floor has been completely poured and 85% of the landing pad has been poured. Likewise, we continue to work on protecting the river bank in front of the hangar from future floods. The last thing we were able to do before leaving Costa Rica was to make an inspection of and measure another bridge site. This site is on the Coen River. And of course, at every opportunity we continue to share both the love of Christ and His Gospel message.

Once again, I want to say a few words about the need for a helicopter. In the entire country of Costa Rica, there is no mission aviation. That includes both fixed and rotory wing aircraft. As far as I can discover, in all of Central America there is not a single helicopter dedicated to mission work. Even though there are large areas of jungle, populated by numerous Indian tribes and inaccessible by any other means. The area of Talamanca where we are working has had a missionary presence for the past 60 years almost and yet, there are very few real Christians. The reason is not because the missionaries who are there are not dedicated. The Jones family, who for a very long time were the only real presence in Talamanca were and remain very committed to seeing this jungle area evangelized. If it is not the dedication of the missionaries and it is not the validity of the message, what is impeding the spreading of the Gospel. Quite simply, it is the terrain. Much like if you wanted to produce 1000 copies of the Bible, which would be better, to buy some 25 cent pencils and write out the copies by hand, or buy a computer and printer. No doubt, the pencils would be cheaper. But no matter how dedicated you were, the question would remain if you would live long enough to complete the task. The terrain has been the main obstacle standing in the way of effectively spreading the Gospel in Talamanca. The simple answer, a helicopter. Not a cheap answer, but a simple and effective answer. Really, the only answer.

I believe that the money to purchase and operate the helicopter is even now in the hands of someone. I believe that God has blessed someone or some group with the ability to provide this tool for the saving of souls in Talamanca. I don’t know if they will be able to do it without great personal sacrifice or not, but that is in God’s hands. God has instructed us though, to make good investments, storing up treasure in heaven where the rate of return is high, where there are no foreclosures and no dwindling assets. For someone this will be a storing up of treasure. We need your help in sharing this need with everyone you know. Eventually, the person or persons who desire to be blessed by making this investment in Talamanca will emerge. Maybe someone you know has an aircraft they would like to donate. I don’t know how God is going to work things out, but I am sure He is at work.

I know that this idea of a helicopter for Talamanca seems to be my singular drum beat. But, that is not really the case. Simply put, God has placed in my heart a desire to see the Indians of Talamanca evangelized. He has placed in my heart a desire to do all I can to facilitate the process. The past 18 years should be sufficient evidence that the saving of Indian souls is where my real concern lies. I just know the stark difference an aircraft can make in the spreading of the Gospel in a place like Talamanca.

Please keep my family and the families of the other missionaries in Talamanca in your prayers.
Most of all, please pray that a true understanding and acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus might enter into the hearts of the inhabitants of Talamanca.