The question on why we ended up here in Costa Rica gets asked all the time. Often we are told that Costa Rica has been reached for Christ since according to studies, about 65 percent of Costa Ricans consider themselves Christian; Catholics make up the majority of the Christian population at 47 percent with evangelicals become a larger percentage every year making up 18 percent of Costa Ricans now. Some even tell us that if we are not serving in the 10-40 window we are really more like vacationissionaries. However, we are here because God is working here and he called us here.
For years, Costa Rica has been a receiving nation. They have received missionaries and support from the United States to establish the church and once a certain threshold of "christian" population has been reached, missions agencies and denominations pull out. They often miss the most exciting part of missions work, the transition from receiving to sending. The church here is in the middle of a change. They are now participating in missions: sending missionaries, supporting missionaries, praying for countries including the United States, even sending out short term missions teams all over the globe.
We have an opportunity to help support them in this change. Following the example of Christ, we are here to make disciples that make disciples. We are not here to send reports back on how many people raised their hands at a church service, but rather to walk along these followers, as Christ did. Christ did not leave after a few had excepted Him. He stayed, invested, guided, and left behind a group of believers capable of continuing the ministry not only in their small corner of the globe, but worldwide.
