Costa Rica Partnership

There are several exciting things happening in the Pavas Partnership!  Recently we sent Kailee Brickner-McDonald to Pavas to teach English.  She has returned, and has these thoughts:

• The hospitality was overwhelming.  Everything that could be done to make her feel welcome and safe was done - many times over.
• The church in Pavas is strong, and is truly offers the only spot of hope to many people.
• The people there are hungry to learn English! 
• The servants in Pavas work hard to meet the spiritual needs, as well as the practical needs of the community, under very difficult circumstances.  Our partnership is vital in the ongoing ministries there.
• One thing she said that explained a lot is, "Everything that is wrong in Pavas is out of their control, and everything that is right is because they are being the light of Christ in the community."

We have a few projects at various stages of development.  One is a child sponsorship program to help the kids their get school uniforms (required in Costa Rica) and supplies so that they can attend school.  Another is a project where the people of Pavas will make high quality Christmas cards that can be sold in the USA to help support their many ministries. 

On this trip we plan to have a Bible school for the children. We will help the leaders there lead the kids in games, crafts, and songs as they learn about how much Jesus loves them!

We also will take the elderly on a retreat. This is a very meaningful time where some of the older folks get an opportunity to escape the difficulties of daily life in Pavas.

There are three classrooms in the church, and none of them have furniture. We hope to help them build some furniture so the kids have a comfortable place to learn about Christ, rather than sitting on the concrete floor.

The core ministry of the church in Pavas is its lunch program supporting children who otherwise may not get a good meal each day. Each trip we work with the servants there in this vital program. You will help them prepare the meals, serve the kids, and clean up afterwards. During this time there are many opportunities to get to know the children and spend some quality time with them. Many of the kids have no father, and their mothers are either working or on drugs or just absent. They are desperate and hungry for the positive attention of an adult. Your ability to impact these kids in this brief time cannot be overstated.

On these trips we are always provided with unexpected ways to serve. We make our plans, but ultimately we are led by God to serve as He desires.

Great friendships await in Pavas! Our fellow servants there are great spirits and as you work alongside them, you will truly be blessed!

If you are interested see call Jayson Johnson at 804-397-9261 or email wgbccap@yahoo.com .

Pavas Revisited . . .

It was my distinct privilege, on behalf of Walnut Grove Baptist Church, to have attended the dedication of the new church facility of the Church of the Manger in Pavas, Costa Rica on May 20, 2007. My week and a half in the San Jose area will live in my mind – and in my heart – for as long as I live.

I no sooner had arrived at the home of the pastor and his wife, Roderigo and Virginia Cascante, than Roderigo took me to Pavas. I was put to work immediately! I painted parts of the new church building, moved furniture, cleaned up the front year, and stained wood as well as numerous other projects. To see the facility on that first Friday, and then to see it a week later on the day of dedication, my belief in the power of prayer – and a lot of hard work! – was renewed. The pictures that I took do not do it justice. And to think that we at WGBC had a major role in the reconstruction and finishing work.

My thanks to all who have contributed to the vital ministry of the Church of the Manger and to those who will be going to work in the community served by the church. May you be as richly rewarded as I was when you experience the people of Pavas.
– Dan McFaden

2007 Mission Trip

Mission Blog: http://pavasmissions.blogspot.com/

Departed August 11, 2007
Many thanks go out to the congregation for donating supplies for the Pavas Mission trip in August. The Tupperware items and dish cloths were appreciated and very much needed. Doña Virginia (the pastor’s wife) smiled widely as she dressed the dining tables with the beautifully colored tablecloths that were sent. It brightened the dining hall and the children seemed to love them. On Mother’s Day, when the “older” mothers of the church came for a special lunch, Doña Virginia rearranged the tablecloths ensuring that the women dined on the most beautiful ones.

A small clinic was held for the children and important information, such as height and blood pressure, was recorded on index cards. The kids got a kick out of this and swarmed Debbie Bradley, Debra Bosserman, and Nancy Williams for their turn. On Mother’s Day, the older women had the opportunity to get their blood pressure and blood sugar checked. They were extremely grateful. A couple of them had a regular doctor and the rest had no transportation to get to one. These women emphatically stated that Señor (God) was their physician. The medical supplies you donated that were made into individual medical packets were given to these ladies and will possibly be the only relief they will get for minor discomforts. The remaining medical packets will be distributed by the ladies of the church as they go into the community to reach out to the needy.

With the craft supplies you generously donated, we also gave every child an opportunity to make a craft/gift for their mother for Mother’s Day, led by Donna Mathias. Jennifer McClenney and Mandy Mathias took Polaroid pictures of the children and quickly learned how important it was to know the Spanish words for ‘in line’ as the children crowded around them. The craft was very chaotic as there was no interpreter around, but the children loved being able to create something for their mothers. Just as we had run out of craft supplies, a boy named Carlos walked in. He is 12 years old and has cancer. He lives in a small cubicle of a house with dirt floors, or mud as this was the rainy season. All he wanted to do was to make his mom a gift. We scrambled around, and out of nowhere, a pack of film and foam stickers appeared. He was so happy. God is good.

Megan Young and Shane Standlick led the children in praise songs in the midst of the hectic craft and clinic. They did a wonderful job leading them in Spanish and the children soon caught on to the songs.

While some of the team was working with the children, the other half - Katie Defibaugh, Alan Fearnow, Larry Rose, Chris Rourke, and Jayson Johnson - were building a roof for a kind family who lives at the bottom of the hill in Pavas. Mildred, the mother, helps cook in the kitchen everyday to feed the hungry children. Their modest home doesn’t dampen their beautiful spirits as they are faithful servants of Christ.

Again, the Pavas Mission Team and the Servants working in Pavas everyday thank you for your continued prayers and support.

--Donna Mathias on behalf of the Pavas Mission Team

• Pictures from December 2007
• Pictures from December 2006

How did we get from Mechanicsville to Pavas? It all started last summer (2006) when Drexel (our pastor) and Jayson traveled to Central America in search of partnership mission opportunities. Over the course of several days, they visited with many ministries in El Salvador and Costa Rica. Once they visited Pavas, our mission became clear.

Pavas is a very poor community on the outskirts of San Jose. The community has concerns with crime and many children in the community are orphans. The ministry at the Iglesia de Pesebre (Church of the Manger) focused on feeding the children in the community. For many of these sweet little ones, the only meal they received daily was lunch at church. It was a heartbreaking situation. The children of Walnut Grove adopted the children of Pavas as their mission focus for Summer Spectacular 2006 (vacation bible school) and raised enough funding to support and expand the children's feeding program.

In December 2006, a team of 7 traveled from Walnut Grove to Pavas to spend more time in hands on ministry and to develop the partnership with the church leadership in Pavas. The team worshipped at Pavas, helped with the children's lunch program, and brought Christmas gift bags for the children. We also met with the church leadership to establish a partnership moving forward. The primary focus after this trip was to work with the church leadership in Pavas to provide resources to secure the building so that their ministry could continue to grow and expand. Shortly before we arrived in December, the toilets from their new restroom facilities had been stolen. Toilets! They couldn't even leave the cooking utensils or serving pieces for the lunch program at church for fear that they'd be stolen again as they were so many times before. First order of business became securing the facility....more to come soon!!

Mission Trip Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I don’t know Spanish. Will I be okay?

A: Some Spanish is helpful, but there will be plenty of English speakers there and we will never be without a translator.

Q: Do I need special shots?

A: No shots are required. Having a current tetanus vaccination is highly recommended. Your doctor may recommend others.

Q: Central America in August? Won’t it be hot?

A: We will be in San Jose, at approximately 4,000 feet above sea level. Average temperatures will be between 61f and 78f.

Q: Will I need a passport?

A: Yes. If you do not have one you should complete your application as soon as possible.