March-April, I98I

Dear Christian Friends,

Here we are once again in Costa Rica...Our trip was good and we were met at the bus station
here in Liberia, at midni^t, by about I5 members of the Church in San Roq.ue....We had a
happy reunion and while Bob and the Pastor located a truck to haul our baggage, the rest of
us walked the 7 blocks to our house, talking and laughing and catching up on all the news....
It is hot and dirty and noisy here and we found o\xr house full of dirt, but despite it all,
it is good to be back and once again sleeping in our own beds.,,.Now after just three weeks,
we feel as if we've never been gone. We have hsid a steady stream of visitors and well wishers,
and it makes us feel good to know we were missed,......
Bob has already put a roof on a brother's house, cut posts for a small shaded area, which will
serve as another meeting place for a while, planned a revival for Easter Week..plus he has
worked on the car, the motor bike and helped clean things up around here I've been
visiting, had womens meetings, cut seven heads of hair and even given a perm, plus all the
cleaning, repairing, etc, that goes along with being gone 3 months,...Sally started to school
on March 11th and is well into her studies. She was really a big help to me in cleaning and
getting settled again. Our car still doesn't run, so this included a lot'o walking and bike
riding to get groceries and the necessary things
Then on Friday, M^ch 2pth, Bob and I were a part of a very tragic accident. We had gone to
San Jose on the bus. (four hours away) and were returning that night when we had a wreck,,,
the_^ bus ran head-on into a^imi truck. There were 3 dead and 36 badly injured, but Praise
the Lord, we were only badly banged and bruised. We were able to help the injured for about
an hour and a half before we couldn't walk anymore. It was a horrible ordeal and we Praise
God for His faithful care and protection,,,We were slowed down for about a week, not being
able to walk the first 2 or 3 days, but we are almost as good as new now,,.,PrLii Sally was
really scared and in tears when we finally arrived home. She has been our nurse and our maid
all week long.,,,
We see so much evidence of growth among the people and all goes well in the Lord's work here.
We feel an urgency in getting God's word out to as many as we can, because the economical and
political situation here is not too good and we are not sure of what mi^t happen in the near
future. We praise God that He is ruler of all things and we want to fit into His plan for us.
Pray much for us and His work here in Costa Rica,,Our plans are to begin in April,
building on the class rooms that are so badly needed, plus we are going to begin Sundayschool
classes in the new area that the Lord has given us. Also we pray that the week of revival will
bring many more to the Lord
One thing that happened while we were gone that we are especially thrilled with, is that the
Pastors and the Sundayschool Teachers had a week of DVBS with I50 children attending each
day The people that the Lord chose to be in charge of the Church while we were gone
really did am excellent job in every situation THANK YOU LORDl', lit
We want to close by saying "THANK YOU" to the Lord and to all of you there at home, for making
our visit a really good one. We enjoyed sharing with you all that the Lord is doing here in
His Church and we were really blessed by all that He is doing in the Churches there at home.,,
PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of
praise to GOD continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name,"
Hebrews 13:15
In His precious love,
he Sheltons in Costa'Rica
P.S, Please write soo^ and often and pray without ceasing,.,,.Thank you
P.S.S. Since this letter was written aether tragedy has come to us in our lives
As many of you know, our son Sam was involved in a farm accident where a small child
lost her life We believe Romans 3:28'^"A11 things work for the good for those who love
the Lord and are called according to His purpose." And we ask that you continue to pray
for Sam and also for Tom and Paula Boots and family. There's such power in God's
family united in prayerlll ,We want to thank you, each Church family and each
friend, so much, for all your love support and prayers and financial helpduring this
time of trouble. We know that God will bless you,,,,,,,,,,,,.
May, June, July, August I98I
SEP 2 31981
Greetings from Costa Rica to our Deax Christian Friends,
Time once again to write of what God has been doing here these past few months. It seems
that time flies by and before we know it, the months have gonePlease excuse us for not
writing more often,,,and please don't forget to pray for us everyday,,.,,,,.,,.
In the month of May, Bob began draw^, % the plans and working out the details of the new
Sunday school rooms to be built onto the back of the Church, Janet began a class for the Sun,
school teachers (8 of them) on the axts of teaching and also a class once a week with a
crippled boy in the church,,, ,she is trying, with the help of the Lord, to teach him how
to read (so he can read the Bible) and at least write his name,,,,,,,It is requiring a lot
of patience, so please keep this in your prayers Sally began organizing the Youth
Choir again,,,,She has from I5 to 20 young people who love to sing and are willing to
practice with her once or twice a week,,,,she is a big help as she is happy serving the Lordi
Roberta came home on the ^th of June and went ri^t to work helping start a new
Sunday School in a new neighborhood. She was a big help all summer as she not only helped
with the class, but she also painted, played carpenter and also helped her Mom with the
feeding and taking care of the summer workers who began to arrive on the 17th of June,,,,,
We had as many as ^ to 6 at a time, off and on for most of the summer, with the last one
leaving on Aug. 13....The work began in serious, as not only the kids from the States, but
the people from the Church began to put their best efforts into getting the project started,,,
PRAISE THE LORD for His faithfulness to provide what we need,,,,when we need itiii
July saw the roof put on the classrooms, much fellowship and a beautiful spiritual
growth in the people of San Roque Christian Church,,,,, .Roberta was able to go on a 5 day
retreat to the beach with the summer workers and ended up good and full of the Lord's word,
and good and sunburned too,,,, Sally made her long plajined trip to Puerto Rico to visit with
her very best friend in the Lord, Cristy Fowler, She had been two years in saving her money
so she could go,,.needless to say, she had a really good time,,,Bob is hoping to be done
with most of the building soon and move on to other things,,,Thei is still so much that can
be done and with the new Sunday School, he wants to and needs to be calling on the parents of
the children who are attending,,,We are having I3 children each Sunday, PRAISE THE LORD
Please pray for this new work
August is now half over and Roberta has gone back to Indiana to start classes at
Anderson College in September,,.Thanks Berta for coming and helping this summer,,,.Please
pray for her too,,,August 9th, we had our first year celebration in the new Church building,,,
time really does flyiiJ The people cleaned, ]paint6d and planned, the Choir sang and we had a
2?eally beautiful evening with refre^ments afterward,,, .The following day the two pastors
of the Church left for 2 months of intensified Bible study at a Bible Institute close by,,,,,
Please pray for them too, that they mi^t serve the Lord more each day and come back full
of wisdom to teach the Church,.,,,,,
We wish you all could come down and see for yourselves just
what the Lord has done here and continues to do every day,,,,,,
I Corinthians 3x6 is so true and that is just what we are
doing,,.Planting GOSPEL SEED and watering when needed,,,
and GOD is giving the increase,,,, PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME I
Pray for us and please write soon,,, ,We pray for
you and we love you in God's great love,,,,"May God
the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you
rich blessings and peace-filled hearts and
minds," II Thessalonians 1:2
The Sheltons in Costa Rica
"I have planted, Apollos watered; but
God gave the increase," I Cor, 3x6
MAR 15 m
SEP., OCT., NOV., DECEMBER 1981 <-
Greetings from the Shelton family in COSTA RICA,
"Behold what manner of love the Father hath "bestowed ijipon us, that we should be called the
sons of God " IJohn 3s 1
Praise His Holy nsimei How full of joy and happiness we should be knowing this, that we are
sons of God and how willing we should be to follow Him and do His will each day...Our lives
are full and overflowing with His love and watchful care...The following is a brief summary
of how He has allowed us to work for Him here in Costa Rica these past four months.
Septem"ber found us busy as usual with visitors from the States...Jim and Ann feel the Lord
is leading them to Central America and possible to Costa Rica to work for Him. They are from
a Christian Church in Flint, Michigan and will be coming to study the Spanish language. Lord
-willing in Feb. ^8^.-Praisethe-J<ord,^tbere ds much work to be done.... ...
Sept. and October found the Pastors of the San Roque Church studying in a two month Bible
Institute and found the people of the church busy filling in for them here., plus working out
plans for a Youth Retreat and a day long meeting for the Board of Directors and the Sunday
School teachers..Both were a real spiritual blessing..God is so good........................
October found Bob busy with the building project as usual...There is still much to be done,
but we are moved in and using the classrooms....Lumber was bou^t to make new benches for the
Church....after having wooden benches without backs for many years, it is a real pleasure to
go to Church now and sit on benches with backs.The second Sunday in October, classes were
stairted for adults at Sunday School, with an attendence of 15 adults each Sunday...The over-all
Sunday School attendence at San Roque is about 90 people...Praise the Lordii
In November we had 5 baptizims...Praise the Lord...The church is growing at a good steady
pace and the new Sunday School at Nazareth now has 45 children each Sunday... Lord willing, in
the Newyear 1982, we hope to be able to begin building some sort of a structure for them. We
now have only poles with a tin roof to meet under.". .Please pray for this new work toOtalong
with your prayers for San Roque...This year Janet will be busy planning not only one, but two
DVBS's for the two sepsirate Sunday Schools...with about 200 children total...WOWi God is
wonderful. I
December was a busy month with Sally's graduation,plus maiking plans for Christmas.. .We really
missed our family and friends, but the Lord was faithful to supply friends and Christian family
here, so we had a beautiful "Jesus's Birthday" after all...
The two Pastors and Bob began a small 7 week Bible Institute at the Church...They are giving
classes on the LIFE OF CHRIST, HCMALETICS, EVANGELIZEM, ETC. This involves 6 hours a week,
with 15 students...It seems that all goes well and everyone is learning a lot, including Bob
and the other teachers...There are still many things to leam for the believers in San Roque,,,
everyday we are learning and praying for more wisdom from the Lord.. It was a thrill when the
Church decided to use their offering the first Sunday of each month for Foreign Missions
Praise the Lord...they have sent money to Hondouras to help with the Lord's work there...What a
joy there is in giving and what blessings we receive....YOU CAN'T OUTGIVE THE LORDJIIIl
"Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down and sheiken toother, and:
running over, shall men give into your bosom For with the same
measure that ye mete withal it shall "be measured to you again".........Luke 6:38
It is time once again for us too, to give thanks to the Lord and to all of you there at
home for your prayers and faithful support of the Lord's work here in Costa Rica...Our
financial statement for the year is attached.. .God bless everyone of you for your love and
concern for us and for the Lord's work. ..We love you and pray for you always
In Jesus' love and service. Xil UC?OU.O ClXiU OC7X V I ^
The Shelxon Family in Costa Rica
SHELTON FAMILY MISSION INCOME AND EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR 1981
INCOME $21,2>i'.00 THANK YOU LORD FOR BEING FAITHFUL::
LIVING LINK
$2,400,00 THH (giving "back to the
Lord His ^are of ^at He
gives to us to use,
$ 800,00 LIVING PER MONTH This includes
X 12 groceries, school^medicines,
dentist, utilities, postage,
$9f600,00 some gas(personal) shoes,
clothing, etc,,,.
$2,000,00 TRAVEL & FURLOUGH IN U.S.
$14.000,00 GRAND TOTAL LIVING
SERVICE LINK
$2,000,00 CAR AND PLANE
Insurance, licenses,
car repair, gas
$1,734-,00 Bibles, printed
materiales, postage,
S.S. Materiales,
supplies, Christian
Helps, etc.
$3i500,00 BUILDING COSTS
Church & classrooms
$7.234,00 GRAND TOTAL^VICE
$14,000,00 LIVING LINK
7,234,00 SERVICE LINK
$21,234,00 OVERALL GRAND TOTAL... .INCOME AND EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR 1981
We try always to be good stewards of idiat the LORD so faithfully supplies,,, .PRAISE HIS HOLY
NAME for always knowing and providing our needs,,,We PRAISE HIH for choosing to use you there
at home to further HIS work here in COSTA RICA througjh us,, .THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING YOURSELVES
TO BE USED OF GOD IN THIS WAY
YOUNGS CHAPEL;.
CHURCH OF CHRIST
R.R. 6
CRAWFOSDSVI'.'.'.. I D. 47931
Bob, Janet and family
mi
NON-Pf^OFir 0R6.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 2U
CRAWFO.IDSVjl If IN