LHI Newsletter: July-September 2019

Hello everyone!

We hope this letter finds you all well and enjoying the start of a new season. Here in Panama, rainy season is in full force which means slightly cooler temps but also less reliable electricity. We had a few weeks of issues with our electric but thankfully things have improved.


In July, we hosted a short-term team from my (Bethany) church in Atlanta. We had a wonderful time with the group, and they were able to help us extend the roof on our eating area of the dorm to stop flooding issues, screen in the eating area, install our backup generator and build houses for ducks to help fertilize pond demonstrations. The group of 6 adults did an excellent job on the projects and were a joy to host. Our kids absolutely loved them, and we appreciated the kindness extended to Annie and Ben through the group. When you host groups in your home with small children, you never know what to expect either from kids or the group. Thankfully it was a wonderful experience.

Over the last couple of months, we have continued to work on setting up demonstrations for the Auburn grant. We have had to deal with a number of issues in getting some of the simplest things found or installed, but we continue on and look forward to seeing the results of our hard work.

We will be hosting another group of Ngobe farmers next week on the farm.  They are coming to receive the additional training in the fish farming projects and Biblical training as well.  It is always exciting to see how God will work among these Ngobe men.   

Now for our most important update……As you have read in our past newsletters, Lasting Harvest has been dealing with a great deal of financial stress the past two years. Last year, funds came in at the end of the year because many of you responded to our newsletter expressing the need, which was a huge blessing.  However, this year the situation has grown even more problematic.  Funding has continued to be a major issue all year long to the point that the mission has had to incur a large debt to keep us here this year.  This has led our board and us to take a hard look at the facts. After much prayer and discussion, we (our family) has felt God leading us to return to the US, and our board is in agreement. As a mission you cannot continue to accumulate debt. That is not prudent and not being a good steward; therefore, we will be returning to the US at the end of October.  Our two fellow Ngobe workers, Fermin and Oracio, will continue to take care of the demonstration farm so that we can fulfill the commitments that we have already made here in Panama, and Corey will travel back to Panama as needed to fulfill those commitments.  Moving was never on our radar, but as we promised ourselves and others, we are in Panama until God leads elsewhere…and He now has. The finances have made that very clear. We don’t understand what is happening, but we are trying to follow God.  Our thinking is by us returning to the US, we can better deal with mission’s debt, keep the workers on the farm, and right our “financial ship.” Once we know more about the future of the farm and our own situation, we will be sure to update everyone; however, at this time we really need your prayers and your continued financial support. We need to be able to pay Fermin and Oracio, and we cannot pay them if funding stops. Also, as a mission we need to pay off the significant debt that we have built up trying to make it through this year.  We also need help moving back to the US, so please continue to send funds.  If or when this need changes we will let you all know.  For now, we do not know where we are moving to, as Corey does not have a job yet.  We just know that God is speaking, and we are trying to trust and obey even though at this point He seems to be asking us to take a big step into the unknown.   


We appreciate all of you and your continued support of Lasting Harvest. We do not know or understand everything the Lord is doing, but we know this, He is faithful and His plans are best. Please do keep us in your prayers. Moving Stateside is moving “cross-culturally” for us. We both have not lived in the US for more than just a few years since college, and needless to say things have changed a good bit since then. Pray also that Annie and Ben transition well. Annie is leaving the only home she has ever known and although she is happy about the news, she keeps asking about the places, people, and things she is leaving behind.


Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support of Lasting Harvest. If you would like to give to LHI, please make checks payable to Lasting Harvest International and send the check to 45 NE HWY E, Warrensburg, MO 64093. You can also give online at www.lastingharvestinternational.com. Again, your donations and prayers are greatly appreciated at this time. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to serve the Lord and follow His leading for the work here in Panama.

Your partners in reaching the world,
Corey, Bethany, Anne and Ben Courtwright

LHI Newsletter: February - March 2019

We hope this newsletter finds you all well and hopefully enjoying the beginnings of spring. Here in Panama we have had some days of 102F before noon. We are coming to the end of summer here in Panama, but the heat is not letting up any time soon. Since we spent most of January in Missouri, and then Georgia in February and part of March, we experienced a good bit of cold, so the heat and sun was a welcomed change.

First, we want to thank all of you who gave so generously to help us through the major budget short-fall at the end of 2018.  Not only did your donations keep us afloat, but it was a huge encouragement to us personally.  We are still operating with monthly pledges well below what is needed to keep the mission going; however, we are trusting God for His will about the monthly short-fall.

In February, we began the trek to Georgia and spent some time in Alabama. We were able to visit two supporting churches in Alabama and reconnect with supporters. It was so good to see many people we have not seen in a while and update people on the recent happenings in Panama. Later that month, we took part in my (Bethany) home church’s week-long missions festival. It was a wonderful time of catching up with other fellow missionaries and supporters at the church, and receiving some spiritual renewal. Sadly, I lost my voice for part of the week, but God restored it just in time for me to speak at the Women’s Missions Tea later that week.

During our time in the States, we were also working on collecting various items being stored for us in Missouri, Alabama, and Georgia to ship to Panama. We were given donations to help outfit our dorm in Panama, and through buying used items in the US and then shipping them to Panama, we were able to find good quality items for a fraction of the price it would cost to buy them locally. We also purchased a shipping container that would be filled and then driven to Florida to be shipped. We had so many people come together to help us fix, clean, store, and load items, and it truly was such an encouragement and blessing to us all. If you were a part of this adventure, we thank you again for all your help. We could not have done it without you.

After the container was finally filled in Atlanta, Corey and his parents began the long drive to Miami. During the first part of their trip, the container started to lose control due to its weight and almost flipped both the container and the truck towing it. Thankfully God protected everyone, and helped Corey get control of the vehicle which was able to come to a safe stop. They were able to fix some of the issues but had to then drive the whole rig at only 45mph; however, with this speed, they would not make Miami in time to put the container on a boat and Corey get back to Atlanta to fly out with the rest of the family. Amazingly, God worked out some last-minute details and got the container to a shipping location, and Corey back to Atlanta for his flight. We are now trying to get logistics figured out on this end to receive the container. Please pray for us as we deal with immigration, customs, and getting the container from one side of the country to us on the other side.

We returned to the Panama on March 12, and since then, we have been readjusting to being home after being away for a few months. As much as we loved seeing family and friends, and visiting churches, it is good to be home and back in our normal routine. One huge blessing for us personally happened since getting back home here in Panama.  We have hot water!  In the 15 or so years of ministering in Latin America we have never lived anywhere with hot water in the shower. We did have a few “widow makers,” one of which started an electrical fire in the shower with Corey and another gave him and electric shock while showering, but now we have an on-demand gas water heater and hot showers!!!  

We are now looking ahead to what this year holds for us in Panama: visitors, Auburn grant, short term teams, farm development, and training programs. Please continue to keep us in your prayers that we prioritize our time the way God directs and not just in what we hope to accomplish. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support and we look forward to keeping you posted on what God is doing through Lasting Harvest in Panama.

Your partners in reaching the world,
Corey, Bethany, Anne, and Benjamin

LHI Newsletter: January 2019

Happy New Year from all of us at Lasting Harvest!

We hope your new year is off to a wonderful start. 2018 ended for us quite differently than we expected. Our plan was to stay in Panama until February and then return to the US for our support raising trip; however, it was not to be. As we mentioned in our last email, Corey had hurt his shoulder and we were trying to assess the damage. After getting very different opinions from two doctors in Panama, we decided to return to the US right before Christmas for a third opinion. Even before landing in the US, we made an appointment for Corey’s shoulder and were told we would not be able to get one until the middle of January. We were frustrated, but were also thankful we could get an appointment and hopefully figure out the issue. After we met with the doctor on the 14^th, we were happy to find that Corey’s shoulder did not need surgery and that he would just need physical therapy to help heal his shoulder. After a few visits, Corey’s shoulder is greatly improved.

Along with dealing with Corey’s shoulder, we have been able to begin our support raising trip by reconnecting with supporting churches and individual supporters. With a support drop in 2018, and about to begin a new year, we have been worried about how we would be able to continue doing ministry with minimal funds. However, God is always good and His timing perfect, and we have received enough unexpected support to help us pay our bills at the end of 2018. It has been such a blessing to see how old friends and new have helped to bridge the gap and have allowed God to spur their generosity to help us finish 2018. 

Currently we continuing to reconnect with supporters and network to make the most of our time in Missouri. We were blessed to have a congregant at one church put together an informational video for Lasting Harvest, which you can access on our Facebook page. Just search for Lasting Harvest International, and scroll down our wall to find the video we posted in January. In February, we will be continuing our support raising trip through the Southeast. Below is a list of the dates and places we will be visiting:

- Sunday, February 3- Sedalia, MO at Parkview Christian Church at 9:40am (Corey speaking in Sunday school).

- Sunday, February 10- Demopolis, AL at First Christian Church at 9:45am (Corey speaking in Sunday school).

- Sunday, February 17- Lanett, AL at Spring Road Christian Church (Sunday morning services)

- Sunday, February 24- Atlanta, GA at Mount Paran Church (Sunday morning services)

- Wednesday, February 27- Atlanta, GA at Mount Paran Church (Wednesday evening)

- Saturday, March 2- Atlanta, GA at Mount Parach Church (Bethany speaking at Women’s Breakfast)

- Sunday, March 3- Atlanta, GA at Mount Paran Church (Sunday morning services)

For frequent updates and details/times of speaking engagements, you can visit our Facebook page. We appreciate all of your prayers and support more than we know how to express and how you have all partnered with us and God to help us through 2018, and we request your prayers and continued support for 2019.  If you would like to give to LHI, please make checks payable to Lasting Harvest International and send the check to 45 NE HWY E, Warrensburg, MO 64093. You can also give online at www.lastingharvestinternational.com. We look forward to reconnecting with many of you. Please feel free to email us if you would like to meet with us during our time in the US.

Your partners in reaching the world,

Corey, Bethany, Anne and Ben Courtwright