Joel and Rebekah, along with their sons Benaiah and Boaz, and their daughter Yuliana, live and work among the Cabécar people. They both speak the Cabécar language and Spanish, and are involved in the Infrastructure and Dental Clinic aspects of ICDI’s Community Development Projects. In this context, they are building relationships and sharing God’s Word with people in their own language.

Doors have opened to them because of relationships they have in Grano de Oro and in the communities in the reservation, their ability to speak Spanish and Cabécar, and their skills in carpentry and dentistry.  Joel has studied the Cabécar language in order to communicate with people and, even more importantly, to relate to them as a friend and mentor.  On trips into the reservation Joel visits people in their homes and reads the Bible to them in Cabécar. He also joins forces with the local people and works on health post buildings, fixes cable cart crossings, and builds suspension bridges. His intention is to see the residents meet the needs of their own communities. When they are in the reservation Rebekah uses the portable clinic to provide dental care and education. In Grano de Oro she sees patients at the dental clinic part time with two Cabécar women she has trained to assist her. She hopes to mentor other Cabécar women to be dental health promoters in the reservation. Even as they raise their children and work as a family, they want to be an example to those around them. They wish to strengthen individuals and influence the community in a wholesome manner so that the people can attain sustainability.