Concordia Lutheran Mission Society
Partners in Mission
Missionary Edmundo Retana reaches out to 20-25 children/youth in two communities in Cartago, Costa Rica, gathering together for Christian instruction and worship. Several youth retreats are held each year; these have become great opportunities for nurturing the youth of Cartago in God’s Word.
I want to support the youth education in Costa Rica.
Since 2015 youth from Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica have met annually at the Mission Centre in Chinandega for a National Youth Gathering. More recently there have also been spin-off regional youth gatherings held in Matagalpa, Jinotega, and Costa Rica. If you are compelled to help the youth continue to meet, and grow in their faith, please support this worthy project.
I want to support youth ministry.
There are between 20- 25 children attending each of the programs in the two Cartago communities. They have also extended the outreach to include the youth of Cartago. There are monthly worship services led by Missionary Edmundo Retana and his Deaconess wife Betty.
I want to support the children in Costa Rica.
1815 – – $6,500
Due to the high cost of properties there is no venue for worship in Costa Rica. Pastor Edmundo and Deaconess Betty have built an addition on the house to hold services with youth and children. The family has a bookstore in their home, run by their son Diego who also supports services and meetings with his musical ability.
I want to support mission and ministry in Costa Rica.
Youth retreat
Pastor Edmundo Retana in Cartago reaches out to more than 30 young people with the Gospel. These youth meet weekly to learn about God’s Word and for fellowship. Finances are needed for transportation, rental of a meeting place, meals, and other resources including youth retreats.
I want to support youth outreach in Costa Rica.
Deaconess Betty (centre, green dress) with her Bible study group during a visit from Lutheran Church–Canada mission executive Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel.
Missionary Edmundo Retana and his wife, Deaconess Betty, are doing a wonderful job reaching out to more than 50 children and youth in two communities in Cartago, Costa Rica. They teach Bible Stories and Luther’s Small Catechism regularly and have developed a once a month worship service focused on outreach to the youth. Monies raised in this project will pay for teaching resources.
I want to support Deaconess Betty and her outreach to women and children.
To help keep this outreach active in Cartago, Costa Rica, funds are needed for stipends, rental of a worship facility, transportation and resources.
I want to support the missionary work in Costa Rica.
Pastor Retana leads Bible study.
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 on the north-south road in Central America.
The church cannot afford to buy property in Costa Rica so rental facilities are needed in both cities.
I want to help support outreach in Cartago and San Jose.
Children learn the basics of the Lutheran Christian faith.
Deaconess Betty Retana, together with her husband, Pastor Edmundo, lead this program which gathers children weekly for special Bible story time, catechesis, fellowship, snacks and refreshment. This project funds basic needs such as a stipend for the deaconess, educational resources, Bibles, Catechisms, teaching resources and tools as well as helps with the cost of food and transportation for the children. Your gift of $500 per month can help fund the program.
I want to help support the outreach to children in Costa Rica.
Children gather to learn about Jesus from Deaconess Betty Retana in Costa Rica.
A children’s program in Costa Rica had to adapt quickly to an unexpected change. The landlord of the house the mission rents in Alajuelita, a San Jose suburb, gave notice to Lutheran pastor, Rev. Edmundo Retana and his wife Betty, a deaconess, that he no longer wanted to rent the property. Fortunately, the pastor made arrangements to continue the children’s program at a local community centre.
They are currently looking for a more permanent location in which to continue the outreach. Wherever the program eventually finds a home, it will need support from Concordia Lutheran Mission Society to help pay rent and buy supplies. You can help here.
