Hello to everyone from Costa Rica. We have been back in Bribri for a little over a month now. It is supposedly the dry season but we have been met by torrential rains. In fact, for over a week, we were stranded in San Jose. The inconveniences the excessive rain brings us, lost power, lost water supply and washed out bridges are just that, inconveniences. Especially, when we consider the hardships of everyday existence in Haiti and Chile due to the recent earthquakes they’ve experienced.  We pray for those whose lives have been turned upside-down and forever changed. Hopefully, it will be an occasion for them to turn to the Lord of heaven and earth.

We are happy to be back in Bribri and look forward to getting into the jungle. We are hopeful of being able to work on two bridges over the Coen River this year. Spending time in the villages while working on the bridges allows us lots of opportunities to demonstrate our relationship with Christ. In fact, that is what discipleship really is about, allowing others to see and participate in our own interaction with and obedience to our God and Father.

I’d like to share with you several opportunities we had at the end of last year to praise God for His goodness toward us. Of course, we have cause to praise God everyday for the salvation He has purchased for us. We often are guilty of failing to offer up that praise. Then, from time to time, circumstances of life require us to look into the face of God and accept that He is sovereign. His sovereign love is more often than not confounding to us.

Daisy had surgery in August on her female parts and then in December had a growth removed in her stomach. Subsequent test showed the growth to be benign. James had surgery in December to correct a hernia. Also in December, I went to my doctor to have checked what I thought was a strained muscle from swinging a sledgehammer. He wanted me to have a stress test. To my great surprise, the cardiologist found a 95% blockage in the main left artery, the kind of blockage from which one just drops dead. So, seven days before James’ surgery, I had a stent placed in the artery to restore a normal blood flow. As I thought about the hours of hiking in remote jungle areas, the days of mixing cement in 100% temperatures, I could only marvel at God’s hand of protection. Our time, our strength and our intellect are all in the palm of God’s hand and He determines the course that we must run. At any moment, God can decide to alter our course or change the resources we have to run it. At any moment, He can multiply or take away what we believe we have control over. I am reminded of King Nebuchadnezzar.  Praise be to God for His sovereignty.

As always, I want to express my gratitude for your support of this ministry. It is an encouragement and a sign that God has more for us to accomplish in this place. I have always believed and said, “When God quits sending support and resources, it will be time for me to return home, to the place he called me from.” Please join with me in prayer that God will increase our support. To merely maintain our current level of support, we will be unable to purchase and operate a helicopter. And without a doubt, it is a helicopter that will swing open the doors of opportunity in delivering the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ to Talamanca. I also want to thank St. Luke’s UMC in Burlington, NC for sending a team down in February to help us put in a well at the hangar. Blessings to you all.

John, Daisy, John Paul & James Whited