By God’s grace Lutheran Church–Canada’s mission in Costa Rica is expanding into the large city of Cartago and into the capital, San Jose.Several mission and social ministry services have started in Cartago such as Bible study for women, outreach to teenagers in challenging life situations, sewing, Bible study groups, international mission teams’ work and other activities.A new outreach has now started in the capital San Jose with the vision of making it a Lutheran national/international connection since the capital is the north-south road in Central America. The church is not able to afford property in Costa Rica so rental facilities are needed in both cities.

I want to help support outreach in Cartago and San Jose.

(Project 1406) Goal: $11,380

In the community of Alajuelita, near San Jose, several children participate regularly in the church programs. Deaconess Betty Solorzano together with Pastor Edmundo supervise this program.

The project funds will provide a small monthly stipend for the instructor as well as for Christian education and mission resources.

I want to help support children’s Christian education.

(Project 1407) Goal: $2400

Pastor Edmundo Retana and his wife, Deaconess Betty, welcome and work alongside visiting teams from Canada and the United States. The Lutheran outreach in Costa Rica is grateful to all who visit to help expand the mission work and Christian education program. Unlike some other Central American mission fields, Costa Rica enjoys a relatively high standard of living, which means it is more expensive to work and live there. This project will assist the pastor and his wife with housing, utilities, transportation, office supplies and a stipend. (This is carried forward from project #1310)

I want to help support the work of Pastor Edmundo and Deaconess Betty

(Project 1408) Goal: $6000

Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) fully supports the mission and educational work in Honduras, more specifically in the northern city of Olanchito. Missionary Douglas Aguilar has established a community of believers with a scattered church in the city. This project will assist LCC’s mission work in the city.

I want to help support Pastor Douglas’ proclamation of the Gospel in word and deed.

(Project 1409) Goal: $4500

A great missionary method and strategy in Central America is outreach through activities with children. The population is large and the children bring the deaconesses and missionaries into their families and their relatives’ homes. Vacation Bible schools take place mostly during January through March each year. This project provides teaching resources, books, crafts, crayons, Bibles, Bible story books, pencils, pens, paper, transportation, food, snacks, water, refreshment, stipends for volunteers, medical emergency kits for the VBS programs.

I want to help support outreach to children through vacation Bible schools.

(Project 1410) Goal: $6000

The work of the deaconesses of Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua (ILSN) has blessed the church’s mission and education in Central America. Their major focus is assisting the pastors to provide Christian education or catechesis for children. They are key to the success of the Children’s education program.Most deaconesses receive a small stipend via the Children`s Christian Education Program (CLMS project #1412). This project provides extra support of around $25–$30/month for each of the 15 deaconesses.

I want to help provide additional support to the deaconesses.

(Project 1411) Goal: $4500

Each year more than 700 children attend the Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua’s (ILSN) children’s education program. Children enrol in the program and deaconesses teach groups of at least 25 children in their community either daily or two or three times a week. Each of the 23 communities in which the ILSN serves has a children’s outreach program. This project supports Christian Education Program for 60 children a year ($125 per child) in the following areas: school uniforms, shoes, school supplies, snacks/lunch, teaching resources, deaconess stipends.

I want to help support this ongoing program that reaches more than 700 children with the Gospel.

(Project 1412) Goal: $7500

Through this clinic Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) has assisted low-income families in Chinandega and vicinity with medical and dental consultation, medication and referrals. A qualified medical doctor and a team of nurses provide this weekly service at LCC’s mission centre in Chinandega. This is a shared project between Lutheran Church–Canada, Canadian Lutheran World Relief and Concordia Lutheran Mission Society. Together we provide the stipends for the medical and nursing staff and cover the costs for all medication required for their work.

I want to support the medical and dental clinic for low-income families.

(Project 1413) Goal: $3200

A number of pastors in Nicaragua currently rely on public transportation as they minister to people in remote congregations and mission outreach programs. This takes a great amount of time. Also, there are communities, such as Cristo Rey, which are unreachable by public transportation during the rainy season. This project will provide a motorcycle rugged enough to handle the region’s unique terrain.

I want to help support the transportation needs of pastors serving Cristo Rey.

(Project 1414) Goal: $2500

Two students from the Seminario Reforma Luterana, the theological education program of Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua, are assigned for their vicarage in Rivas, Jinotepe and La Pita in 2014. This grant will help pay the rent for the worship place in Rivas.

I want to help support renting a space for Gospel proclamation and outreach.

(Project 1415) Goal: $5750