He was a successful electrical engineer and 
a good Christian man, just on another mission trip to Costa Rica. He had gotten stuck in the airport at San Jose and struck up a conversation with a few guys flying to the coast for a fishing trip. The men had chartered a flight, and they invited him to fly along with them. As they flew over the jungles of Costa Rica, he noticed that every once-in-a-while, there would appear little houses. His first thought at seeing those huts in the middle of nowhere was, “How do they get to the grocery store?”
“If you think it is hard for them to get to the store, how do you think they will hear My Word,” he heard the Lord ask.
And that was the moment John Whited knew that he was supposed to spend the rest of his life ministering to the jungle tribes of Costa Rica.
Since then, he has developed Agua Viva Ministries, to reach out to the Bribri tribe, as well as the local city of Bribri where he lives. This ministry is involved in taking week-long medical teams out to the tribes in the jungle. The medical work opens the door for them to share the love and saving grace of Jesus. In addition, he also looks for opportunities to build bridges across rivers in the jungle so that there is a safe crossing for the people.
Last year, he acquired 3 small helicopters and a plane via donations (see part 2), and they are waiting in North Carolina for the time when he is able to bring them to Costa Rica. He is building a hangar to house them. Once they arrive, he will be able to fly in less than an hour to villages that would take a 7-8 day hike to reach.
What stood out to me most in talking with John was his passion to bring the Gospel to the Bribri people, his humility, and his excitement in experiencing the provision and faithfulness of the Lord.
If you interested in supporting or learning more about Agua Viva Ministries, Click Here.
