This is part 2 of our series and we’re throwing back to Costa Rica!
Pura Vida, friends
(This picture was taken after teaching surf lessons and a Bible study to some local kids.)
Ministry: Ocean’s Edge
Location: Jaco, Costa Rica
Currency: Colones (615 colones= $1)
Language: Spanish
Overview:
Even though Costa Rica is a Spanish speaking country, Jaco is a tourist town, so 99% of people spoke English. We lived on Ocean’s Edge base this month and each team had their own room since this month was an all squad month. We lived about a half mile from town and 3/4 of a mile from the beach. We had a black lab puppy named Sam this month who lived on base. He was one year old.
Here is a video of where we lived in Costa Rica:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1pVChQjFKyk
What types of ministry did you do in Costa Rica?
Much like Panama, ministry in Costa was widely varied. Here we did things such as community tree planting, babysitting for local missionaries, building a park for a nearby underprivileged town, working at a pregnancy clinic, editing college papers for a missionary, cleaning and upkeep of the base and ministering to the working girls, among other things. Another big project I was a part of was called #WeAre611. Essentially, I offered free marketing to businesses by taking photos for them and adding them to this website –> http://jacobeachinfo.com
Ocean’s Edge partnered with the government on a couple projects while we were here and tree planting was one of those.
How did you get to ministry?
We mostly walked to ministry during this month. Everything was within a mile and a half, including church. If something wasn’t within walking distance, which was only to build the new park, we’d be driven in a large bus.
What did a typical day look like?
8am: Breakfast
9am: Group Devo and Mini Workout Session
10am-1pm: Visit businesses/Take photos/Update Website for #WeAre611
1pm: Lunch
2pm-5pm: Rest
5pm: Dinner
6pm-9pm: Minister to working girls at nearby brothel
10pm: Bed
This is one of the working girls we got to meet this month. She ended up having breakfast with us the next morning as well.
11 Lessons from Costa Rica:
1. Jaco is known as the Vegas of Costa Rica.
2. The population drastically changes throughout the year based on times of tourism.
3. Marijuana, gambling and prostitution are all legal here.
4. Many working girls come from hours away to work on the weekends. All the girls we talked with showed us pictures of their families that they were supporting.
5. Ocean’s Edge is working within every sphere to recreate Jaco- businesses, brothels, surfing/beach ministry, government, smaller local ministries that are making a difference and the like.
6. This month we conducted a business meeting with local owners about how they could work together to reframe Jaco. It’s so inspiring to see a community that desires and seeks change.
7. The weather while we were here was in the 90s with 90% humidity every day.
8. This month I learned it’s just as important, if not more so, to serve and support the local missionaries as it is to serve the community. Those missionaries continue the work when we leave.
9. Jaco has almost as many business as it does people in the off season (3 to 1 ratio).
10. Costa Rica’s Independence Day is in September. We got to see their annual parade while we were here.
11. Mating season for humpback whales spans through September, so you could see a whale every now and then from the shore.
Current Fundraising Update:
I have exactly $3,475 left to raise. In order to stay on track with the deadlines I’ve been given, I need to raise at least $2,375 of that this month! I know we can bring it in! Please consider donating here or through Cashapp ($ButtercupMarie) or Venmo (@TaylorStamp). I need to be fully funded by the end of February in order to go to Asia!
Thanks for your continued support and prayers!
Keep an eye out for the next part in our series: Nicaragua!
