Update on Matt's Surgery

Dear Friends and Family,

Thanks so much for your concern for Matt and our family. Matt went into surgery around 7:00 last night, and they finished up at 11:30. The main tumor was quite a bit larger than what had shown up on the original ultrasound. The surgeon described the tumor as “hugging” one of the nerves that control the vocal chords, and spent an hour and a half dissecting that part of the tumor to spare the nerve. The four parathyroids appear to have been left intact and functioning normally. Matt was back in his room by 12:30, and settled in by 1:00 a.m. He walked a little bit at 3:00 a.m., and has shown a lot of improvement since then.

The anesthesiologist took pictures on our camera during surgery, for anyone who is interested. We promise not to include them in a general email.

Again, we are grateful for all of the concern and prayers extended on our behalf. We are thankful that it appears things have gone so well. We should have biopsy results by next Monday. Although we’d hoped to go home this evening, the surgeon just stopped by to say that Matt needs to stay another night to have potential bleeding monitored. We’d appreciate your continued prayers for Matt’s full recovery.

Blessings,

Lisa and Matt

Plane left Atlanta without us

Well we were delayed leaving San Jose,CR by over 1 hour, then in Atlanta they didn't have a gate for us right away. By the time we got through customs the plane left.
Spent the night and most of us were on the 12:15pm flight. Three had the 11am flight.
A lot of work was accomplished at LPDV school. Time of devotions in the morning and evening is always a plus on this trip. If there was no worshiping with singing songs, reading and studying God's word and having fellowship with Christian believers I probably would not go on this trip. So I thank God for putting this Team together and for all of able to serve in Costa Rica to further the gospel of Christ in this part of the World.
School starts on February the 8th and I prayer for the teacher to be a Christ like example to the students and that these students can become the future leaders in Costa Rica and the World to spread the gospel.
Lisa will probably send out an email about how Matt is doing and the results of he operation that was to take place at 6pm today. I will update the Blog when I find out.
Wally

Mommy is Back Home

Lisa, Josh and the 13 students arrived safely late Saturday night. The girls and Matt were excited to have Lisa back home.
The team will be leaving LPDV around 11:30 for our 2pm flight. If all goes well we should land at O'Hare around 11:45.
Praying for a safe and uneventful flight home.
Wally

Last working day

Working Day Friday

Everyday we do morning and evening devotions. It is a great time getting into God's Word. The ladies do their own evening devotions.
We did a lot of concrete work as you can see for the steps, we filled in the playground equipment and pot hole in the driveway. More wood working was done and painting of the cubbies and cabinets. Books for the library are all getting covered with see through plastic. So each book has a bar code number, a library book card when taken out of the library and covered. Thousands of books.
Many other things where accomplished that I might even know while making a lot of concrete.
Tomorrow will be our last work day and we will be returning late Sunday night at 10pm. Matt is scheduled for his thyroid operation on Monday at 6pm. He will need to be at the hospital at 11am. Lisa,Josh and the 13 students will be back in Costa Rica on Saturday. So keep all these prayer request in mind.
The weather has been very warm. When the wind stops you really feel the heat. The group before us had all the wind.
I will send out one more blog tomorrow.
At College Church MIM is scheduled to speak about this mission trip at the Wednesday prayer meeting March 3rd at 7pm in the Fireside room. I will put together a PowerPoint presentation and some team members will talk about the trip.
Wally

More Pictures

Day 4 Tuesday the 19th

Today was another beautiful day in Costa Rica. It appears that everyone has their health? Steps and a ramp were carved out that will leed down to the new building. More wood working and painting were accomplished. The new computer room is coming along. Cabling to a patch panel and bring in all the PC's will still need to be done. Not sure when that will take place. The IT person in charge put a screwdriver through the palm of his hand (nasty). He did that at home and not on the school property. Holes in the driveway were filled with cement. The school logo was changed and the picture of Evan is what he is doing. So as you come into the school the repainted logo should look great.
From the school logo changed Instituto (Institute)to Colegio ( High School)
Covers were put over the Ethernet cable enclosures.
Tomorrow we will have a day off. We have plans to go to the ocean.
Thanks again for your prayers.
Wally<><

Work day 3 Monday the 18th

Day 3 of work went well again. We have had 3 of the Team member get sick, Pete, Roy and Wesley S.. Pete and Roy seem to be better and Wesley will probably feel better sometime tomorrow. It's a one day thing. Others may have sinus issues and some aches and pains from working, but generally doing fine.
The fence was welded back together where the new sidewalk will be going. The retention wall is going up. More painting around the insides of the building where needed. Ethernet cables from the old computer lab where run to the new lab loction. Everyday work is being accomplished in the library by Dawn. Temperature in the library is kind of cold to keep the moisture down so the books do not get ruined by the humidity and termites. Bar codes are going on all book to keep track of them when they get loaned out by the students. Dawn has to take warm up breaks and go outside on and off duing the day. Temp.is in the 80's and breezy. The really isn't a wind chill.
Howard's brother-in-law Curtis died today (Lisa's brother). He is going to check on a flight home for the wake on Friday. Please keep their family in your prayers.
There will be somemore projects for tomorrow so I will update again on Tuesday.
Wally<><

Saturday Day 2

Today I feel was a productive day. There was more painting and scraping, Ethernet cable making, cubby's for the new building, the rention wall trench was filled with concrete for the footing. Not sure when we start with the cement blocks. The picture of Howard the oil drum mainly was to wash the concrete off his clothes.
Sunday will be a day off and we have plans to see the local valcano and coffee plant to see how they make coffee ready for the stores to sell. We will all go to the English speaking church that Matt and Lisa go to with their family.
Monday will be the start of another working day. Our morning and evening daily devotions and worship song singing are going well and you always learn more about God's Word.
We again thank you for your prayers and all is well with our health and safety.
We all are having to much food to eat on the school property.
Wally<><

MIM Team CR2010

Thursdays flight and arrival to LPDV was uneventful. Everything went very well and we thank you for your prayers.
Today we started with a great Costa Rican breakest of rice and bean, eggs,fruit and some wonderful Costa Ricain coffee.
Some of the project were cabinet making for the Preschool and Kindergarten building,painting, digging a trench for a retaining wall, new computer room electrical and Ethernet cabling.
Before we knew it was lunch time. More great food from the schools expert cooks.
More work during the afternoon and dinner at the local chicken restaurant with the Colorado group.
Tonight we had a nice time singing, hearing from a parent and board member of the school about what it means to see familiar faces of the Wheaton and Colorado team. Her daughter Paula translated for her mother. Paula graduated last year and is helping us with transalating for Omar and Julio. Paula came to know Christ at the school while she was a student.
Harry presented Matt with a plaque with Ron's name and favorite Bible verse. Ephisians 2:10. The plaque will be on display on the new kindergarten building.
The Colorado team will be catching a 7:30 flight back to Colorado. We thank them for all the hard work that was completed during their stay.
Wally<><

Colorado Team Escapes Loveland Airport

Daily Status of the Colorado Team at LPDV.

Saturday
Hello all,
If you have not heard from your Costa Rica team member recently, don't worry. We are all in fine health!
That is more than can be said for the campus network. It decided to fail last night and has not been responding to the normal treatments. Since all communications (email, Facebook, and even phone calls) are carried over the campus network, our communications opportunities are limited. Urgent communications can be managed - email Matt Befus - mlbefus@gmail.com and he will pass it on. But only urgent communications, please.
We should be able to get the network fixed on Monday.
The work continues to progress. By the end of today, all of the interior painting will be completed, the fence will be ready to move, and the electrical supplies will be slated to arrive Monday morning. Monday, a backhoe will arrive to dig out stumps and transport some of the playground equipment. It has been rather windy lately, so we will be careful not to paint while the backhoe is digging nearby.
Sunday is, of course, a day of rest - we won't be working on the projects (or the network), but we will be touring the local area and eating.
Speaking of eating... The food has, as always, been outstanding, in great variety, and huge quantity. Tonight we will experience one of the local specialties at a local restaurant - hamburgers! (Maybe they aren't really a local specialty - but reports are that they are quite good.
For the past two mornings, we compared and contrasted David and Jonathan - two candidates to succeed Saul as King of Israel, and noted that God's methods of choosing leaders do not necessarily match our ways.
Yesterday evening, the men discussed our 4F status. For those of us old enough to remember, that does not mean we are ineligible to serve - instead it means that we need to value our Family, Friends, Fellowship, and Faith. One team member suggested that a fifth "F" would be Food - whenever Christians gather, the food is plentiful and wonderful. (See above.)
I don't know what the women discussed - they didn't tell me!
Pray: effective rest tomorrow, enthusiasm on Monday, and efficient delivery of the electrical supplies!
Regards,
Ray (for the Costa Rica team)

Thursday:
Hi all,
Thank you for praying. The rest of the team has arrived - only slightly delayed by the storm in Colorado. They promptly pitched in to dig trenches, paint classrooms, and test mattresses. From all reports, the mattresses were comfortable - especially after the flight!
This morning we examined the way in which Abraham's servant committed to a plan for meeting Abraham's (and ultimately God's) request, how he followed through with the plan, and how he did not allow himself to be distracted from the plan. Read Genesis 24.
This evening, we reviewed the positive aspects of the word "gusto", which is also used in the typical Costa Rican equivalent of "You're welcome" (i.e. after being thanked for a service). The phrase, in Spanish, is "Con mucho gusto", which is literally translated to "with much pleasure", and idiomatically is equivalent to "it was my pleasure". We, as Christians, are reminded to do anything we do "con mucho gusto", with a focus on the pleasure of being able to serve others, and not on the burden.
Please pray: there remains a daunting amount of work and a short time to do it. We need gusto and efficiency to get this set of jobs done.
Regards,
Ray (for the Costa Rica team)
Wednesday:
Hi all,
Thank you for your prayers! The team has made some progress - the playground equipment has been freed from the ground, the new computer lab is taking shape, and the library processes are being refined and implemented.
As I write this, the last contingent of our team is on their way to Denver to await their flight. Since the weather in Denver is somewhat questionable at the moment (those of us who got to Costa Rica early are SO glad to be here!!!), please pray for a reasonably on-time flight operation.
This morning, the team discussed the lesson from Haggai 1, where God's people had set their own timetable for doing God's work. God intends us to do what He calls us to do - not too early, and not too late, but when He intends. We are challenged to consider what areas in our lives are not conforming to God's timing.
This evening, the team considered love as expressed in I Corinthians 12 and 13, especially as it applies to us as a work team.
Continue to pray for travel and for strong backs!
Ray (for the Costa Rica team)
Tuesday:
Hello all,
Thank you for your prayers! This is a very short note just to let you know that the Costa Rica trip is under way.
The first wave of team members has arrived in Costa Rica, and progress is under way. Clark is building a wall in the new computer lab, Valerie and Elizabeth are digging up some playground equipment, and several other folks are getting started on the daunting library cataloguing task.
PRAY: Two more team members are departing Loveland for the airport as I write this. The rest of the team will be about 24 hours behind them. Grant them smooth travels in the packed skies.
Regards,
Ray (for the Costa Rica team)

Befus Family update

Dear Friends and Family,
May God richly bless you in this new year, 2010!
We want to share with you how God blessed our family in 2009, and ways you can pray for our work with the La Palabra de Vida Ministry in 2010.
Thank you to all who have supported us in person, prayer, and finances!!
-Matt & Lisa Befus
If you want to see more about the school, visit http://www.lpdv.org/noticiassec.html

Blessings:
~A successful conclusion to another Costa Rican school year.
~Josh Meyer relieving Matt of three levels of high school science, and his return for all of 2010. (Stability--hurray!)
~God-honoring guidance for the LPDV school by its national board.
~Near completion of new facilities for LPDV's preschool and kindergarten. (Thanks to Omar and Julio, plus teams, plus generous donations.)
~Lisa's transition from English coordinator to consultant/librarian/teacher recruiter.
~Matt's first full-year of teaching senior Bible.
~Lindsey's excellent academic performance in home school-LPDV student combination.
~Lynnea and Katrina's excellent teachers at Lighthouse International School .
~Natalia's happy disposition and imaginative play.
~Recent visits from Lisa's parents from the Philippines and Miguel and Laura Lopez (Lisa's sister) and family before they return to Indonesia.

Please Pray For:

~Lisa as she accompanies 13 LPDV juniors and seniors to Wheaton, IL for three weeks starting this Sunday.
~Matt and the girls as they live without wife and mom for those three weeks.
~Work teams from Loveland CO and Wheaton,IL which start arriving Monday.
~A new school year with staff orientation starting the day after teams leave and Lisa returns.
~Financial provision to permit Lindsey to attend a US-curriculum high school ($12,000/year).
~Wisdom in decision making as the LPDV school ministry seeks to form true disciples of Jesus Christ in staff and students.

Matt & Lisa Befus
APDO. 13-4005
San Antonio de Belen, Costa Rica
Telephone (from USA ): (011) (506) 2293-9437

Email address: mlbefus@gmail.com

Latin America Mission
P.O. Box 52-7900
Miami, FL 33152-7900

For online donations, click on our picture after selecting “become a donor”: at: www.lam.org