November 2012 Newsletter

¡Buenas a toda nuestra familia en Cristo!  Greetings to all our family in Christ!  In honor of Thanksgiving we would like to thank you all for your prayers and support that allow us to be here in Costa Rica, learning the language and following the will of God wherever it may lead us.  It’s a blessing to be able to serve our Lord on the international mission field and we are very grateful for the privilege.

We are all doing great here, daily learning to communicate in Spanish in a variety of contexts… in the store, at school, with taxi drivers, in church, etc.  Barriers are being torn down little by little that we may share our lives and the gospel with the Latin-American people.  I, Justin, am still being refreshed by Rosetta Stone and the conversations of every day life; Bobbi Ann and Steve have been passing all their tests in the Spanish Language Institute; Kevin is continuing right along, finishing his end of the year exams; and Anni is a handful, in both languages!

We are still seeking opportunity to minister in context of where God has us, and there are a few in mind already.  I have already begun to become more involved in one of those opportunities.  I will be assisting a local seminary here in San Jose to disciple and train pastors in very impoverished areas who cannot afford in depth biblical teachings.  This ministry consists of building relationships, encouraging the brethren and providing technology (free of charge) with complete seminary classes over a variety of biblical themes.  This will greatly improve the confidence of these men of God and the stability of their teachings, giving them the tools they need to minister to the people around them.  My job in this ministry will be to keep up with the technology; setting up the programs, troubleshooting the problems, and helping to navigate the ins and outs of the software in general.  Apart from that ministry, my wife and I are still planning a trip to one of the Christian camps in the area called “La Montaña”.  I am very excited for that possibility to minister to the youth of Costa Rica as well.

As we approach the end of another year of ministry on the mission field, we want to remind you all that your contributions and your prayers are vital to our being able to fulfill the calling of God for our lives.  Be praying about continuing your financial support for this ministry and about spreading the word of it to all your friends, relatives, and coworkers.  Get the word out so that we can get His word out!  Check out and share this fundraising video on youtube: http://youtu.be/Z4-UjN6tgAw ... as well as keep up with Steve and I’s devotionals and skits that we put on the SON Ministries webpage: http://www.sonministries.webs.com … As always, thanks again and God bless you all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

-Justin, Bobbi, Kevin & Annika White

SON Ministries

October 2012 Newsletter

Saludos a todos nuestros hermanos y hermanas en Cristo de la casa de los White aquí en San José, Costa Rica!  Greetings to all our brothers and sisters in Christ from the White house here in San Jose, Costa Rica!  Once again, another month come and gone… this one less exciting than the last.  But I, Justin, will give you what updates there may be J

Remember  those “new beginnings” when, on August 25^th we welcomed the anticipated arrival of my parents; Steve and Angel Hoover, well here they are about 2 months in and they are definitely adjusting well.  As Steve has been learning about the Costa Rican or “tican” culture here, he has discovered that this country was made especially for him.  Being a people that favors friendships, food and festivities over schedules and appointments, the “Hoover personality” is flourishing!  Likewise Angel is loving all the time she is getting with her grandchildren and being able to bake and clean and do laundry every day… and we are not complaining either… other than the rapid disposal of flour every month.  My wife and I have definitely appreciated the time that we have had together alone as they care for the kids every now and again.

As for ministry, we are still seeking those open doors through local organizations to get involved in.  I have had a couple of meetings with a few of the directors from a local seminary here in San Jose about possibly getting involved in the work that they are doing.  It is not a paying gig, only volunteer work, but my aim is to glorify the name of the Lord and to get His gospel to the world by whatever means He allows.  Also, there is a camp a little ways out of the city that we may be able to become involved in called “La Montaña” which is open all year around and offers great opportunities of counseling and discipling youth, as well as opening doors for short term mission teams to come down and participate.  There is already a small video that Steve had taken when he and my mother visited a few weeks ago… that video is available on our ministries website http://www.sonministries.webs.com Bobbi Ann and I will be heading out soon to spend the weekend at the camp to see it for ourselves and also to learn about possible long term ministry right there on campus for us.  This is very exciting to me, so be in prayer about that.  With some of my time during the day I have also been given the privilege to help a fellow student and missionary by translating a bible study from English to Spanish.  This not only helps me to keep Spanish fresh, but also allows me to learn more vocabulary.  It is then being revised by a teacher from the institute and then returned to me so that I may see the corrections and learn from them.  Such a blessing to be able to minister and support the family in Christ along the way.

Steve and Bobbi Ann are moving along steadily in the Institute, both bringing home great grades and experiences that shows that they are learning and growing in the Spanish language and culture.  Angel has been walking Kevin to and from school every day and has found herself being able to try and converse with many people along the way.  She is still using http://www.spanishdict.com daily to learn, whereas I am continuing on Rosetta Stone each day to continue my education.  Kevin and Annika both are being blessed with the opportunity to be bilingual from childhood… in just another year I am sure Kevin will have surpassed his mother and I and Annika will just be naturally bilingual, which in itself is awesome!  Keep us all in your prayers that we can become fluid in our communications so that we may accurately communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ and be ready to give a defense for the hope that we have in Him!

Thank you all once again for your continued support and prayers, keep them coming and help us to continue to strive ahead, as trying to receive the prize and to press on towards the upward call in Christ Jesus!  Be in prayer for the recipients of the blessing bags… there are 2 men that have been blessed from our front gate, Oscar and Francis, as well as 12 young ladies from a local orphanage that a friend of ours ministers in.   God bless you all and thank you once again for everything!  Until next month, que Dios los bendiga!

 

-Justin, Bobbi, Kevin & Annika White

SON Ministries

September 2012 Newsletter

Buenos Días de Costa Rica a su hogar. Greetings from Costa Rica to your home.  This last month has been filled with new beginnings, big opportunities, and the same old rut of learning another language.  The most obvious change to you all, is that I, Justin, will be writing these newsletters.  With Bobbi Ann in the Spanish Language Institute she has been quite busy with her studies, so I am trying to take some of the load from her shoulders.  That being said, let me give you a run down on the busy month of September!

Let’s start with those “new beginnings”.  On August 25^th we welcomed the anticipated arrival of my parents; Steve and Angel Hoover.  They have been blessed with the opportunity to come down and live with us for a year while Steve attends the language institute along with Bobbi Ann.  As you may already know, we have moved into a house that has a built in apartment upstairs, which is now the humble home of my parents.  It is a blessing to us to have them so near for many reasons; for encouragement, for accountability, for companionship, and (the greatest of all) for babysitting!  Shortly after their arrival, Steve and Bobbi were thrust right in to the world of Spanish acquisition, officially starting their classes on the 4^th of September.  Since that time they have been studying, speaking, stressing and sweating over the many Spanish rules and exams that they have already “encountered”. I can’t say that I do not enjoy watching my family going through the same experiences that I know about all too well J

As for the big opportunities, while Bobbi Ann is in school and my mom (Angel) is watching Annika, I have the freedom during the week to actually do some ministry work.  That being said, I believe it to be important that I not run about town creating a “new work” where there are ministries already in place, so I have been, instead, searching for opportunities within the established works.  I have been given some great opportunities already, one being working (voluntarily) at the institute with the academic director on an up and coming Skype Lab project.  Another being a possibility to minister long term here in Costa Rica by assisting in the training and discipleship of pastors in impoverished areas all around the country.  These pastors will receive free seminary training via tablets with micro sd cards that hold all the information needed.  This training includes everything from “Old Testament Survey” to “Systematic Theology”.  Whereas this is a HUGE opportunity, it would mean that we would have to be financially stable, be able to purchase and maintain a vehicle, and have a strong and lasting support base.  Be in prayer with me about that opportunity and the provision to fulfill it if it be God’s will and way for us here in Costa Rica.  On a personal level, I am seeking information on any and all homeless shelters and/or support groups and other ministries in the area so that I may be able to provide that information to all the students at ILE (the institute).  As gringos we receive a lot of beggars, and the common rule of thumb is to not contribute to them.  Why?  Because these can be addicts or “career homeless” persons, and whereas giving a little may seem like helping, in the long run it is hurting them because it supports that lifestyle.  If I could get the information of places that could actually help those who are truly in need, we could give that information out rather than money, material, or even food.  Those who are truly in need can seek that help from those resources, and the others will simply quit coming to the “gringos” of the area.

Now, about the same old rut of language learning, I am discovering each day that, though I have a diploma that tells me I am bilingual, I still have so much more to learn.  So I am continuing in my studies in my own time with the resources that I have been given.  Steve and Bobbi Ann are coming right along this last month.  They’ve struggled with it, some days more than others, but they are learning so much.  They are completely experiencing that “after language class slump” where you come home after struggling to think in 2 languages and you are just exhausted mentally and physically.  Mom (Angel) is studying on her own using resources like Spanishdict.com and others, Kevin can speak a tremendous amount (yet still not at home when he can default to English), and Annika is picking up words left and right.  What a blessing to watch as we all grow and learn and adapt for the glory of the Lord.  Keep us in your prayers, especially Steve and Bobbi Ann as they continue to struggle, to strive, and to store this new language.  God bless you all and thank you so much for your prayerful and financial support.  I pray that you will stay behind us for years to come.  Remember, tell your friends and family about the work we’re doing here, even pass this letter along, and help us get the word out about the ministry!  Adios hermanos!

-Justin, Bobbi, Kevin & Annika White

SON Ministries

August 2012 Newsletter

Why? Why us? Why here? Why now?

We know that some days people must wonder why we are spending time in language school when people are dying every day without Christ. You know why we know this, because the thought has come into our hearts as well on occasion. Our desire to see souls won to the kingdom and to reach the unreached people groups for Christ, puts a sort of child like rush into our souls making us want to leap forth with His glorious message! However, this is where God has us right now and if we leap forward before we are ready then ‘they’, those He has prepared ahead of time to hear…will not understand because we will not be prepared the way the Lord has asked us to be for teaching them. The great commandment is clear that we are to go, making disciples, baptizing and then TEACHING. Daily we pray that our lives are a written epistle for the Lord, but we also wish to raise up His saints in His word before moving on to a new area. Until that time in which He is finished with us here and sends us to raise up new disciples through teaching, we will continue to plant the gospel at each opportunity.

August was a fun month for our family! At the end of July we celebrated Kevin’s birthday, with decorations donated from the states. Then through some monetary gifts from family and an invitation from some good missionary friends, now serving in Peru, we were able to spend a few days at the beach (5 hours from here). That was the first time in a year that we have all been out of schooling and just got to enjoy some family time focused on one another! We all had a blast and found out both of our children are fearless of the ocean and it’s powerful waves and then we travelled back burnt to crisps (except Annika – she evidently tans the best). Upon returning, Justin finished his last two days of classes and officially graduated in the 2^nd to highest level of oral evaluation (“Advanced medium”) and with and 88% written evaluation. He is officially bilingual! Along with our graduate and our family mini vacation, the Piney Point Churches in NWA and Cassville, MO helped us to gather supplies that we will assemble into “blessing bags” and use as an opportunity to minister weekly (planting seeds). All of the Churches gathered the goals within a few weeks and we ask for prayers as Justin and probably his dad take these bags out and minister; we hope to continue to find ways to keep more of the Churches who support and pray for us back in the states involved in the future! Justin has already found ways to stay busy for the Lord while I am attending school, both to glorify God and keep learning Spanish more fluently. He will be communicating regularly with the school as he oversees a project to build a Skype lab, allowing the school more opportunities for online teaching, etc… Along with the blessing bags, he is also going to begin working with the pastor of the Church who allowed him to share his testimony a few months back at a secular concert – their church is very evangelical and Justin will be finding out more about their doctrine soon and if it is a sound Church he will be able to have opportunities with them almost daily.

This month we are continuing to ask for prayers for the Lord’s provision and that you all would continue to pass the word of what the Lord is using our family for here in Costa Rica and the future of reaching unreached people groups. Please pray for the Lord to prepare the hearts of those we will reach with the blessing bags, in our daily lives and in the future communities. Lately we have only been receiving the prayer request list from our Church, which we are extremely grateful for, however we would love to hear from you all and would love to know how we can lift you up in our prayers! It is extremely humbling to have the love and support that we do from so many brothers and sisters in Christ around the world and we hope that you know the love we have for you all as well. In honesty, we often wish we were in your presence, but there is also the indescribable joy (as many of you know) of being right here where the Lord wants us.

God Bless

Justin, Bobbi Ann, Kevin and Annika

Almost moving on...

Hello once again from Costa Rica....

This week was filled with schooling and cleaning and all of the normal activities.  Along with those normal activities came the prospect of opportunity to become more involved.  We already know that the Lord has provided for me (Bobbi Ann) to at least get one semester of Spanish Language School in starting this September and now we will be joined by Justin's parents!  This is not only a wonderful thing because it allows us to have family near, Justin's mom also feels that her contribution while here will be to allow Justin to be out witnessing and ministering while his dad and I attend the langauge school.  While Kevin will still have school during the days, his schedule is always changing on pick up time and Annika is a full time job herself! We are thankful for all the blessings this brings and opportunities that will be available.  I am excited to be able to get good solid Spanish under my belt to be able to teach women/children wherever the Lord allows!

Until next week, please continue to pray for clarity from the Lord and opportunities to share the gospel and minister to believers needing guidence.

God Bless
Justin, Bobbi Ann, Kevin and Annika White

The Old and the New

Hello All :)

A week ago Justin preached his first all Spanish Sermon and it went wonderfully!  There is a video clip on our White Family Missions Facebook page - check it out :).  This week I was blessed to join the other missionary women that attend the local chuch here to provide snacks for the body!  Kevin's sunday school teacher also let us know that Kevin volunteered to pray in Spanish to end the class last week!!

We want to thank everyone for prayers as we continue to learn Spanish and are able to get more involved with the more we learn.  On that same note, I was able to send in the application today to be able to attend the language institute at the end of August.

Our most recent prayer request is for the Lord's provision to continue to learn the language and then stay witnessing overseas to unreached people!

God Bless,
Justin and Bobbi Ann White (Kevin and Annika send greetings as well).

We are Back

We continue to blog once again!  Hello to all of our friends!  A couple of months ago my (Bobbi) computer left me for good (hardware issues) and since I had saved our blog address and sign in on that computer it has taken me this long to get back to the sight and then my wonderful husband had to get me logged in and show me around the new layout for the blogspot sight.  I would like to apologize most sincerely for leaving such a big gap since our last post. 

Before we stopped posting my blog posts were pretty far and few between as well, this is because we often have the same routine each week and not much new to post.  Trust me, this routine can feel unproductive at times for us as well and can seem that we aren't out daily allowing God to use us to build his Church; however, it is a blessed reminder when we see His hand move in small ways that even small things are great when they are for His glory!!

In most recent activity:
*Our friends visited from the states and we were encouraged by their (and others) gifts, time together and words and actions of love and encouragement while they were with us!
*We started a no spend June fundraiser :)  ... we have for the last several months been trying to live on bare minimum and grocery shop very carefully just to save up what we can for the ministry work and decided to ask everyone to join us for a month :) i hope people are enjoying there time participating!!
*Kevin received his first A on a Spanish Exam this last week and was VERY excited!  We are excited for him, he has worked so hard and his teacher recently let us know that he speaks Spanish at school now and listens better (unless he has nothing to do, in which case he can't sit still well  :) - but none of knew a 9 year old boy that could!).
*Justin will be preaching at the local Church in Spanish this Sunday - Father's Day! (To God be ALL the glory!)

Aside from those 'headlines', we have been continuing in our normal studying routines and parenting routines.  We have continued to fellowship with the local body on Sundays as well.

Please email us; we would love to hear from everyone for prayer requests, questions and to know what is new with you all!

God Bless,
Justin, Bobbi Ann, Kevin and Annika