Our Ministry to the GuaymiThe Guaymi people have a long history of exclusion and unfulfilled promises. The land of their ancestors was taken away. They were forced onto reservations. They are foreigners in their own land.
The Lord has placed these beautiful people on our hearts and we believe that we have been sent to them to not only bring the Good News of Jesus Christ but also to help with the abundant physical needs that they have. They are some of the poorest people in Costa Rica. The education of the people is very basic at best. Finding quality drinking water is a daily chore for many families. On top of this, there is much discrimination from many who share their country. In Nehemiah 2:10, Nehemiah was referred to as the one who had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. He brought the resources and led the people in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, brought relief to the poor and helped make the worship of the Lord a priority for the people. The work was not without opposition, but Nehemiah followed the path the Lord had prepared for him. In all that we do, this verse remains in the back of our minds. The Lord has sent us to seek the welfare of the Guaymi people. Our ministry has a two pronged approach. We currently work with the Indigenous on their reservation, but also work with them in San Vito as well. |
Learn More About the Guaymi/Ngäbe
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Reservation Ministry
There are four Guaymi Reserves in Costa Rica. They include the Coto Brus, Guaymi de Osa, Abrojos Montezuna, and Conte Buruca Reserves.
We currently work on the Coto Brus Reserve. We have found that the majority of people on the reserve do not have ready access to safe drinking water. Another major issue is that around 40% of the villages do not have schools. From a religious perspective, some members of the reserve follow traditional animist religion, others Catholicism; the Jehovah's Witnesses and Baha'i have a strong influence, there is a small Evangelical presence, but most follow no religion at all.
So far we have had the great pleasure of installing pipelines to bring safe water to several villages. We also are in the process of constructng several schools. These projects not only improve the quality of life for the Guaymi people, but they also build trust and provide access to be able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the members of the village.
From a spiritual standpoint we have had the opportunity to share the Gospel with many people on the Reservation. This has been done both personally and through the groups that we have had the pleasure of working with. We also have partnered with several indigenous pastors and have been pouring into them in order to help encourage, reinforce, and educate them as they minister to their own people.
We currently work on the Coto Brus Reserve. We have found that the majority of people on the reserve do not have ready access to safe drinking water. Another major issue is that around 40% of the villages do not have schools. From a religious perspective, some members of the reserve follow traditional animist religion, others Catholicism; the Jehovah's Witnesses and Baha'i have a strong influence, there is a small Evangelical presence, but most follow no religion at all.
So far we have had the great pleasure of installing pipelines to bring safe water to several villages. We also are in the process of constructng several schools. These projects not only improve the quality of life for the Guaymi people, but they also build trust and provide access to be able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the members of the village.
From a spiritual standpoint we have had the opportunity to share the Gospel with many people on the Reservation. This has been done both personally and through the groups that we have had the pleasure of working with. We also have partnered with several indigenous pastors and have been pouring into them in order to help encourage, reinforce, and educate them as they minister to their own people.
Goals
Spiritual:
We pray that we will be able to share Jesus Christ in every village on the reservation. We hope to come alongside the existing churches and assist them in reaching their people and offer opportunities for the pastors to be trained. One day, we hope to be able to sponsor the pastors so that they can focus on their congregations. Today, the pastors are bi-vocational. They spend their weeks working off the reservation and return only to preach on Sunday. Outreach by these churches to other members of the reservation is largely non-existant. We pray that we will see the day that the Guaymi are going out and sharing with their friends and neighbors and one day taking the Gospel to other reservations and to non-Guaymi.
Physical:
Within 5 years our goal is to bring safe drinking water to each of the villages. We also pray that we will be able to help to ensure that each village has a primary school.
We pray that we will be able to share Jesus Christ in every village on the reservation. We hope to come alongside the existing churches and assist them in reaching their people and offer opportunities for the pastors to be trained. One day, we hope to be able to sponsor the pastors so that they can focus on their congregations. Today, the pastors are bi-vocational. They spend their weeks working off the reservation and return only to preach on Sunday. Outreach by these churches to other members of the reservation is largely non-existant. We pray that we will see the day that the Guaymi are going out and sharing with their friends and neighbors and one day taking the Gospel to other reservations and to non-Guaymi.
Physical:
Within 5 years our goal is to bring safe drinking water to each of the villages. We also pray that we will be able to help to ensure that each village has a primary school.
San Vito Ministry
San Vito is the closest large (approximately 10,000 people) city to the majority of the Guaymi people. It is a major hub for the bus lines, government offices are located there, and it is also has the closest hospital. It is not uncommon for Guaymi to have to visit San Vito to deal with various things. Due to transportation issues, many Guaymi find themselves needing to find a place to stay overnight. Most do not have the money to stay at a hotel and should they have the money, many hotels choose not to rent rooms to Guaymi. The result is that many Guaymi choose to sleep on park benches or on the side of the road if they have to stay in town overnight.
Our vision is to be able to develop a facility that will provide the Guaymi people a safe place to stay and get a good meal when in San Vito overnight. This facility would also include space to allow us to conduct camps for Guaymi children and youth. We see this as an opportunity not only to bless the Guaymi people, but also as a new opportunity for groups to serve. This in-town aspect of the ministry would allow people who are not capable of hiking to the villages to serve the Guaymi.
The Lord has presented a great opportunity to see this part of the ministry accomplished. He has blessed us with a wonderful local church called Iglesia Vida Abundante. This church is one of the few that we have found in Costa Rica that truly presents the Word of God from the pulpit. This church has a great vision for the people of San Vito and the entire Coto Brus area. Their desire is to be the evangelical center of the southern part of Costa Rica and see the vision that the Lord has given us for the Guaymi people as a part of the greater vision for the area. We hope to partner with each other to see this vision become a reality. This partnership will be an integral part of the long term ministry to the Guaymi.
Our vision is to be able to develop a facility that will provide the Guaymi people a safe place to stay and get a good meal when in San Vito overnight. This facility would also include space to allow us to conduct camps for Guaymi children and youth. We see this as an opportunity not only to bless the Guaymi people, but also as a new opportunity for groups to serve. This in-town aspect of the ministry would allow people who are not capable of hiking to the villages to serve the Guaymi.
The Lord has presented a great opportunity to see this part of the ministry accomplished. He has blessed us with a wonderful local church called Iglesia Vida Abundante. This church is one of the few that we have found in Costa Rica that truly presents the Word of God from the pulpit. This church has a great vision for the people of San Vito and the entire Coto Brus area. Their desire is to be the evangelical center of the southern part of Costa Rica and see the vision that the Lord has given us for the Guaymi people as a part of the greater vision for the area. We hope to partner with each other to see this vision become a reality. This partnership will be an integral part of the long term ministry to the Guaymi.
Guaymi Reservations of Costa Rica
The Coto Brus Reservation
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Religious Groups:
Mama Tata - Found throughout the reservation Catholicism - Mainly in La Casona, Villa Palacios and Coopey Abajo Jehovah's Witness - Coopey Abajo, Villa Palacios, La Casona Baha'i - Coopey Abajo, Villa Palacios, La Casona Evangelical - Coopey Arriba, La Casona, Betania Abajo, Altuna Less than 75 attendees |
