October 2008 Ministry Update

Fall has come to Costa Rica, which basically means more rain! Temps are between 62 and 75 degrees, and it rains almost every day in the afternoon - - sometimes into the night as well. Getting used to being closer to the equator is tough on us: the closer you get, the more days and nights approximate 12 hours each. What that means for us is that we have sun up around 5:15am and nightfall about 5:30pm. By 6:30pm, it is pitch dark! That does change your schedule, since we do not usually go out after dark to walk anymore!

What's up with Floyd these day?

1. Cuba Connection. I made a trip to Cuba from July 23 to August 2. All went well. I travelled with a work team from the Church of the Chimes from San Jose, California. The team was a hoot to be around--lot's of fun people and really dedicated to blessing the church in Cuba. Besides the work, like painting, drawing up wiring charts for the new library, and repairing buildings, we made visits to two different provinces to make contact with the Church's Cuban missionary couple and so I could meet with Los Pinos Nuevos Seminary leadership. The women from Church of the Chimes also presented a "Uniquely You" Bible study/workshop for Cuban women.

The contact with Los Pinos Nuevos Seminary should prove beneficial going forward. Omar Bada (pictured with me), the Rector (President) of Los Pinos Nuevos Seminary in Santa Clara, and I also discussed how ESEPA Seminary might be able to assist them in reaching their educational goals by offering M.A. classes soon. Added to this, I have now had initial meetings with Las Palmas Seminary leadership. We have planned a teaching module from November 23 to 29. The Las Palmas Seminary needs one last course for the present cohort of students to be able to graduate. I will travel with an ESEPA Seminary prof who will teach "Revelation and Inspiration." At this same time, I will offer workshops in Greek and Hebrew for a different group of students who have already graduated with the B.A. and are seeking to meet their Biblical language requirements to start M.A. studies. We will toss in some practice in "Reading Theological English" for them to be super-ready for M.A. classes to begin in 2009.

URGENT PRAYER: Pray that the visas for the ESEPA prof and for me will be approved in a timely fashion for this November trip! Also pray for the additional financial need of about $1500 required to pull off this workshop. We have sent in $1000 already to get things set up. But the remaining needs to be met are airfare for the prof and me, student scholarships (since our Cuban brothers cannot afford the price of their education), and salary to pay for the prof. Thanks to your generous support, I do not need to receive salary for offering these workshops.

2. ESEPA Seminary news. Thanks for your prayers in behalf of ESEPA. You may remember the financial crisis we went through last May. Be God's grace, we survived! Many of you gave extra, and every dollar got to ESEPA without deductions for "administrative costs." Like most developing nation seminaries, ESEPA lives on a shoestring budget, from month to month. Some large promised gifts finally got to us, and we are still afloat! But barely! Administration is attempting to raise the consistent donor base, starting with the Costa Rican churches. Pray for them. The notion of supporting "your seminary" regularly seems to be thought of as strange. But God can raise up His "Gideon's band" to help us meet our needs monthly.

This semester I am teaching Apologetics on the B.A. level and Introduction to Biblical Theology on the M.A. level. These two courses push me to learn more technical Spanish vocabulary, and I believe I have improved immensely in my ability to communicate in my new "adopted" language. Add to this mix Hebrew Grammar II, and you may get a sense of the teaching load I am carrying this term. I seem to be the "utility batter" to pick up courses that others do not want or cannot teach. Keep praying for my poor old brain to learn new Spanish tricks!

3. Additional Costa Rican ministries. We started a Bible study in our home last July for missionaries who were still struggling with Spanish grammar. (How can you minister the Word in Spanish if you cannot understand the Bible correctly in Spanish?) We have averaged about 12 each Thursday evening, with a high attendance of 17. Those who come vary from third term Spanish Language Institute students who need more explanations and practice, to veteran missionaries who never really got the grammar down well to start with. We are reading the Book of Acts, chapter by chapter, in Spanish, and teaching grammar inductively from what we read. Along the way, I teach the Biblical content as well. (I just can't help myself!) We seem to be having fun, and I have received many encouraging comments from those who have attended regularly. What a blessing to know that our ministry here is reaching out all over Latin America as missionaries study with us and then move on to their chosen fields. Pray that God would make them fruitful in their ministries as they handle more accurately His word in Spanish.

What's up with Pam these days?

Hi, it is my turn to talk! I am still studying Spanish like crazy; I continue with my tutor twice a week and we talk for one hour each session. This is so good for me. I also love reading my Spanish Bible outloud and I learn a lot this way, to say nothing of correcting my bad pronunciation. I have recently started teaching an English class for those Costa Rican adults who want to learn some English (intermediate level). This is a chance to talk in Spanish with them also, teach them some English, and also have an outreach ministry. I love the adults who come; they are so humble and really want to learn English.

The weather is nice here and I walk daily and have now started water aerobics class on Saturday mornings. This is NOT your mother's water aerobics class either! It is high level impact, it is in Spanish of course, and I really enjoy it. This is a stretch for me in more ways than one! There is a great pool within a few blocks of our home and two other hispanic friends go with me. I enjoy learning the different uses of Spanish in this water class. Sometimes I don't quite understand what the instructor is saying and I start heading in the wrong direction, and my two friends head me back in the right direction, laughing of course all the way. Learning Spanish is always humbling. This particular Saturday, I was invited by them to go shopping in downtown San Jose. This was my first invite by two Tica women (Costa Rican), and we had a ball. It was very encouraging to go with them, eat with them, converse with them and walk all over downtown. Did I say they wanted to eat at Taco Bell? I am thankful for my new found friends.

By the way, as most of you know, I am four years out from my cancer. I just wanted to let all know that we have found a very good oncologist recommened by our new family doctor. I have had a thorough check up and all looked very good. I will have my annual CAT scan in November. We are trusting God for all to be clear once again. Thanks for your prayers through the years.

We all remember the '60's camp song, "where have all the flowers gone?" Well, that has a new meaning for us now. We woke up last Saturday morning and while I was making some incredible Costa Rican coffee, Floyd went outside to unlock the gate. When he came back, he reported that we had been robbed again. When I went out to see, all I could think of was "where have all the flowers gone?" We had just fixed up a small flowerbed out front of our big gates and fences with pretty little rocks, some plants and many different pretty flowers. We never quite understand WHY robbers steal the things they do, but are getting more accustomed to these types of things every day. If you know Floyd at all, you know, that hurt him a lot since he has such a passion for flowers, trees and the like. But in perspective, they are JUST flowers. But FLOWERS???

We also continue meeting with our other Tico friends, Edgar and Nora. We go visit them and they visit us. We enjoy being in each other's home. Please pray for them and for their salvation.

We are always amazed by the cultural differences. Here is a photo of some feet at a storm drain. Alicia, Annalese, Ellie and my feet are on the curb, pointing at what Americans call a "Gringo Catcher." We have mentioned before how poor people here steal manhole covers, storm drain grates and other metal utility covers. They sell them for "scrap" to get a little money. Well, what a surprise to hear the news story from the States about how the same thing is happening in USA! Copper has become so valuable that one high school had to cancel their Friday night football game--because someone had stripped out the copper wiring from the stadium lights! Obviously, thefts of this variety do not contribute to a sense of "community"! Down here, you must watch your step as you walk, or you may be the next victim of a "Gringo catcher!

Prayer Request Summary

1. October 11, all-day conference hosted by ESEPA Seminary on "What the Bible says about Homosexuality." We do not know what to expect, so pray for wisdom to make presentations clearly, speak the truth in love, and show the redemptive grace of God in how we speak and act. I will present on "What the O.T. says about Homosexuality"--in Spanish, of course.

2. Visas to travel to Cuba on November 22. That the government will be understanding and open to our coming and teaching there. Also pray for the $2500 per teaching module we need to raise to offer classes in Cuba. Over the last four years, 17 to 25 Cuban pastoral students have attended each time a module has been offered. Pray for final prep to start the M.A. program in 2009.

3. ESEPA's financial needs. We consistently need to raise about $12,000 per month to meet budget. Student tuitions only cover about 40% of the costs of their education.

4. Pray for missionaries struggling to learn Spanish better to be able to minister God's Word clearly and accurately.

Correspondence:

Write us an email at felmore2@yahoo.com

or snail mail at:

Floyd and Pam Elmore

Apdo. 782-2350

San Francisco de Dos Rios

San Jose, Costa Rica 10106

Donations should be sent to:

Floyd and Pam Elmore

Messiah's Outreach

P.O. Box 230

Wheaton, IL 60189-0230

God bless you as we partner together in His work in Costa Rica and Cuba!