Early Stimulation program

August marked the beginning of the new “Estimulacion Temprana” or Early Stimulation program. So far this has been very successful. The program runs for 2 hours a day and consists of math, recognizing letters, English, and motor skills. WIth 21 kids a day, lots of love and lots of God’s grace, we are equipping these children with the necessities to be successful in school and life.

Baptisms Night at CCC

Here at CCC we not only strive to meet the education and physical needs of the people of Bajo Tejares, but more importantly we strive to meet their spiritual needs. This week, Pastor Allan, baptized 20 people that have given their lives to christ, one of which is one of our staff; Henry. We are so excited to see how God has moved in these people’s lives and are so proud that they ready to take the next step in following Christ as their Savior.

The staff heads to Panama

On July 9th the FSM Costa Rica staff made there way down to the FSM Panama site for a mission trip of their own. The week was full of fun, work, love and bonding. They were able to deliver food and share Christ’s love to over 30 families that we support through our feeding program. They also worked on painting, construction and working with students from the local school. It was an unforgettable week for all involved.

FSM Costa Rica staff in Panama

Stopping for lunch on the way.

Our talented staff painting a lovely mural.

Lynn and Luz dresses in traditional Ngobe dresses.

Another new face

It seems as though 2011 is bringing lots of new faces to FSM Costa Rica. Jared McDaniel joined us June 3 as our full time missionary. Jared first visited us with BUMC in February 2009 and quickly realized that he was being called to serve full time here. Jared will be assisting in many areas but primarily sharing the love of Christ with those around him. We are excited to have him here and are looking forward to the way Chirst will use him here.

Jared and Valeria

Theater Night in Bajo

For those of you who haven’t been to one of the quarterly performances of our youth groups at CCC, you’re really missing out. Once every three months our pre-teen groups, youth groups, and the kids from children’s church get together and put on a show at the Sunday night family service. Last month, we had a dance team, a drama about peer pressure, and a reenactment of Jesus calming the storm. Over 250 people attended the show, and everybody had a wonderful time. Check out the pics!

The pre-teen girls do their dance routine. . .

The disciples get to rowing, but the waves begin to rise. . .

But Jesus saves the day!

Time for the high school skit

The high school cast out to take a bow. . .

You didn't think we'd forget about our favorite children's church dance troupe, did you?

Haircuts and Hanging Out

The spring months in Costa Rica mean lots and lots of sun. Lots of sun in the tropics mean lots of heat. So it’s always nice when you can cut the mop of hair on your head, get a new style, and cool off with a haircut. A few weeks ago some friends from a salon training school came down to Bajo to provide our kids with some free haircuts. . .They got some practice, we got some style. Check it out!

Spring also means the reopening of the store! And of course when the store is open, there are new dolls to play with- here are a few of our girls in action~

Some of my favorite doll babies. . .

Not everyone wants dolls!

Game Time!

Recreation has always been one of Centro Comunidad Cristiana’s strong points. Kids love coming to here to play all sorts of games: soccer, basketball, cards, Wii, tag, ping pong. . .you name it, we play it! However, our recreation has always been strictly informal. . .until now! Recently CCC has formed two soccer teams, for young (third through fifth grade) and intermediate (sixth through eighth grade) boys! We’re so proud of our teams and their coaches (Pastor Allan and Henry).

Here are a few pictures of Bajo Tejares’s superstars. . .

Thank You BUMC Teams!

February is always an exciting time in Bajo Tejares for several reasons. One, it means school is about to start again. Children are trying out new uniforms, our babies go to Kindergarten and our pre-teens head off to high school for the first time. Two, it means coffee picking season is coming to a close, so our youth can come back and hang out at CCC again. Last, but certainly not least, it means we get a visit from our dear friends at Beach United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Florida!

This year we were blessed by two teams of Beachers who came down to help us out on the mission campus with a few building projects, as well as helping out a few families in Bajo whose homes desperately needed attention. The teams did a tremendous amount of work in the new education building (where we’ll have a computer lab/high school room and a pre-school room), both on the interior and exterior, so much so that we can begin program in earnest in our new digs. The teams also did several home repair jobs in Bajo, helping families who take part in our programs, both educational and spiritual. Our friends were very excited and thankful for the improvements on their homes, and as a mission we couldn’t be more pleased to see their lives materially improved through the love of the Beach teams.

Thanks guys for all your hard work, and for coming down and blessing our mission and our community!

The education building at the beginning of week one. . .

Now at the end of week one!

Guiselle is the mother of four of our students, and their home recieved a lot of love from the BUMC team

Working on the termite problem in Guiselle's home. . .

Reading the Bible in Bajo

There are many times in life when we get Christmas presents that we didn’t ask for and will never use. And while we smile and say thanks these objects tend to collect dust until they are passed down or thrown out. This year we were blessed (thanks Ashley!) with around 100 brand new Spanish bibles for teenagers to give out at Christmas. Now, although many of us have good intentions, bibles have been known to collect dust from time to time. But Pastor Allan and the CCC staff wanted to make sure that these Christmas presents would be the kind that get used and that all our kids would experience the grace and blessing that reading and knowing scripture brings. So it was decided that in order to prevent these beautiful bibles from becoming nice home decor it was time for a bible party!

All our pre-teens and youth got together for a few Friday nights to play bible games, learn some of the books, take part in bible competitions, and basically have a good time with their friends while learning about what scripture means to a Christian. It’s exciting to see our students learning that they have the opportunity and responsibility to grow and to learn God’s word, and even more exciting to think about how it can bring grace and transformation into their lives. Check it out. . .

Adult Education comes to Bajo

Now some of you faithful readers may have been thinking, “Yeah, they have some new staff at CCC, but things are pretty much the same. . .” Not so fast! First off, life at Centro Comunidad Cristiana is never a stagnant or “normal” thing, and two days are never the same. And every year means new programs and new fun!

One of the programs we are most excited about in 2011 is Adult Education. The University of Costa Rica has agreed to offer classes several days a week to adults in Bajo Tejares so that they can earn their sixth grade degree, and then next year we will begin with the high school education. This is a huge step for CCC as now we are expanding beyond our focus on children’s education and dreaming about how adult education could change the face of Bajo Tejares. Our educational goals have always centered around literacy, and now we can not only help kids find a better future but hopefully help parents find a better present. Our dream is for all our parents to be able to support their kids as they progress in school and for them to have many more job opportunities and greater understanding of the world around them and begin to overcome the obstacles that hold them in poverty. Here are pictures of the literacy class sign up session. . .

Kicking off the adult literacy class!

The class awaits in eager anticipation. . .