Northside Church’s mission in Costa Rica is to join along side of local Costa Rican Ministries, the Foursquare Missions International (FMI) Missionaries, and the Canadian Foursquare Missionaries thru Short-term Missions trips. We work along side of Costa Rica Foursquare President Mauricio Arguijo of San Jose and the Costa Rica Missions Council directed by Pastor Rafael Villaviciencio of Cartago. The Council includes all FMI & Canadian Missionaries serving in Costa Rica as well as locals Jose & Fabiana Masis of Cartago.
Northside visits Costa Rica on average, 3 times per year in January, March/April and October/November.
JANUARY: “Costa Rica KIDS”- School Sponsorship Program where we provide needy children with uniforms, backpacks, all of the school supplies, and shoes in order for them to be able to attend public school. In January 2007, we reached over 370 children in the Turrialba area in the central-east part of Costa Rica. We worked along side of the Turrialba Foursquare Church Pastors Mauricio and Marjorie Lopez and visited the homes of all the children to assess their need and to pray with the families.
If you are interested in more information about the CR KIDS Sponsorship Program, please call the Northside office for details. Cost per child for January 2008 = only $70 per child…20 cents a day!!
Also under the umbrella of the CR KIDS program is the “Jicotea Program” administered by Josiah and Cynthia Hubbard (FMI Missionaries living in Jicotea and serving the Dit’sai Indians in the Reservation). This program currently has 12 High school students. Which includes 3 Indians living on site with Josiah and Cynthia from Monday to Friday and then returning to their homes, nearly four hours hike away. There are no High schools in the Reservation so this is their only opportunity to go to High school. We give them the uniforms and supplies as listed above but also we pay the cost of their room & board. The other 9 students live in Jicotea or nearby locations and would simply be unable to attend High school due to financial reasons as we pay for transportation, lunches and textbooks as well as supplies listed above. There are nearly no high school graduates in these tiny towns as their families cannot provide them with the supplies needed. So most of them at about 13-14 years old, drop out of High school and begin a lifetime of cutting sugar cane. We see great potential in these kids and we want to give them a chance at a better future for them and their families. The “Jicotea Program” costs $450 per student…only $1.24 per day, less than a cup of coffee.
Josiah & Cynthia have a vision to see a Dit’sai (Cabecar in English) dormitory to house 20 or more Indians attending High school. Please join us in prayer for this awesome ministry.
SPRING: In March/April, Northside’s Youth head down to Costa Rica. Normally a team of 20 youth and Leaders, they travel to a needy area to work along side of a local church. This is a true service Ministry trip including all aspects of ministry: dramas, Children’s and Youth events, sharing the Gospel as well as ministry thru serving (painting, digging, cleaning and any other needed assistance) and finally sharing love with our Costa Rican brothers and sisters in Christ. Please contact Pastor Terry Janzen or the church office for more information.
FALL: In October/November, a construction team visits a local church to assist in building new Churches or renovating existing churches as the church grows and expands. These are very intense hard-working trips and any builders, trades workers or anyone with a desire to serve the Lord through physical labor is asked to contact Pastor Gord Demchuk or the church for more information.
Please pray for our Missionaries serving in Costa Rica as well as the local pastors and leadership in Costa Rica
Josiah & Cynthia Hubbard-
FMI Missionaries serving the Dit’sai/Cabecar Reservations
José Masis & Fabiana Zuñiga,
Costa Ricans from Cartago serving with the Missions Council
Pastors Mauricio & Marjorie Lopez of Turrialba, Costa Rica
John & Debbie Overholt (Canadian Foursquare Missionaries) ministering in the Nicoya area and north up into Nicaragua.
Nathan & Kathy Heatherly and their children Caleb, Alicia, Josiah & Kristor (FMI Missionaries) currently are serving the Limon Province as well as Children’s Pastors in Cartago. As well as:
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Bill & Debbie Bolling (FMI Missionaries) serving in Quepos
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Whyce Ghiacy (FMI Missions Press) in San José working on the printing of the Dit’sai Bible.
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Costa Rica Foursquare President Mauricio & Maritza Arguijo
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CR Missions Director Pastor Rafael & Teresita Villaviciencio
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