A two-person recording team from Orlando, Florida, USA, arrived in Bribri, Costa Rica, to begin recording the JESUS film in Cabecar, the language spoken by a tribe of nearly 17,000 indigenous people. Of the US$38,000 needed for the multi-voice recording, the JESUS Film Project contributed $19,000 and the remaining $19,000 was raised through donations to JESUS Film Harvest Partners.

The Church of the Nazarene's Costa Rica Central District has one organized church and one mission church in Tayni, where more than 3,000 Cabecar people live.

Nazarene missionaries David and Shelley Webb enlisted the help of fellow missionaries from River of God, Inc., David and Lucy Jones, who hosted the team in Bribri, Costa Rica. David Jones grew up as a missionary kid among the indigenous people and speaks the language fluently. He arranged to host the approximately 30 Cabecar readers and made a sound studio in his home for the recording.

Some of the Cabecar people walked six hours to the Jones' home for the recording. Others walked two to three hours and then took a bus. Since the Cabecar people are spread out, many of them had not met before.

"It was wonderful to see the fellowship and hear testimonies of God’s faithfulness among the Cabecar from 11 different communities," the Webbs said. "These are dedicated Christians who want to see the JESUS film in their heart language so they can share it with others."

The recording took nine days to complete, working morning until evening. Israel, the Cabecar man who is reading the part of Jesus, shared during the evening fellowship that he met David Jones’ brother, Timothy, as a young adult. Isreal was interested in what Timothy said, but Israel's parents told him it was dangerous information and that he should not have anything to do with Timothy, who continued to preach and teach. Israel listened intently from afar, and received Christ as his Savior. Since then, Israel has dreamed of having the JESUS film in Cabecar because not everyone can understand the Spanish version. 

The JESUS film in Cabecar could be ready by April.  An Old Testament in Cabecar is also currently being translated. The two new resources will join the second version of the Cabecar New Testament, which was completed in 2013 as an update to the version written by the Jones brother's parents, Aziel and Marion Jones.

--Church of the Nazarene Mesoamerica Region