Costa Rica Mission Work

        Costa Rica has been a special mission interest for several years.  Richard has made several mission trips to the country and preached in various evangelistic campaigns in San Jose, Heredia, Montecillos, Barva, Rincon de Salas in Alajuela and Los Jardines. 

        The Los Jardines congregation has been a very special point of contact and interest.  Richard has been a part of the Los Jardines work from the very beginning.  With the encouragement of Joyce Harris, a former missionary to the country, he became involved with Alvaro and Noveli Chavez, the local preacher and his wife.  Through the years, Richard's interest in and love for this family and the church there has grown. 

        Alvaro Chavez is a very fine preacher and personal worker.  He has also been very fortunate to have the support and encourage of his family.  Alvaro was formerly the preacher for the church in Golfito, Costa Rica, but at the insistence and with the encouragement of Roberto Sarmiento, preacher for the Rincon de Salas congregation, moved to Alajuela and started the mission work which was to become Los Jardines Church of Christ. 

        The Los Jardines Church of Christ began in the Montecillos community in a small rented building.  As the congregation grew and support increased, the congregation was able to move from one rented location to another while saving enough money to purchase a parcel of land on which to build their own building.  This dream was realized in 2004.  Beginning in January, 2004, the building was constructed slowly, mostly with the labor of brother Chavez himself and a few other members of the congregation.  Now they have a nice new building located at a prominent intersection and they have the opportunity to be a very significant influence in the community. 

        The congregations currently supporting this work include Center Ridge, AR and Fairmont, WV.  Interested individuals also contribute to this work.