Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
It is with joy that I write to introduce myself and share with you what I know of the two years of mission service that lie ahead for me. While I have yet to become familiar enough with the country of Costa Rica and the work of the Lutheran Church there to be able to tell of my own experiences, I would like to explain a bit of why I am excited about my service work there.
Costa Rica is a beautiful tropical country located in southern Central America. Nestled between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, Costa Rica is slightly smaller than the state of West Virginia and is home to approximately 4 million people who refer to themselves as "Ticos." Famous for its long-standing commitment to democracy and peaceful history, Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948 and is said to be the home of the first democratic elections of Central America. Pineapples, exotic flowers, bananas, coffee and sugarcane are among the country�s main sources of income, as is tourism. Eco-tourism in particular is an important and growing industry, as Costa Rica continues to work on preserving the natural beauty and incredibly diverse plant and animal life of its country. Currently, Costa Rica has already dedicated approximately 25% of its land as parks and ecological and biological reserves. All of this is what comes to mind for many people when they think of Costa Rica, yet another side of Costa Rica exists.
Despite all of the social development that has happened in Costa Rica over the past sixty years, 990,000 of its 4,167,000 inhabitants live below the poverty line. Thirty-six percent of the population does not have its basic needs met, while the richest 10% of the country controls 30% of the income and the poorest 40% has only 15% of the income. This gap is growing larger every day. Violence, especially domestic violence, is increasing. In addition, Costa Rica suffers from extreme discrimination towards the many Nicaraguan refugees that have come and continue to come to Costa Rica. The indigenous population of Costa Rica, some 75,000 people, continues to fight for adequate roads, sufficient access to education and healthcare, and ownership of their own land. It is in this setting that we find the Iglesia Luterana Costarricense (ILCO), the Lutheran Church of Costa Rica.
Founded in 1988 by Lutherans and people of other denominations who desired "to start a popular church that would promote a holistic ministry of Word, sacrament and service," the ILCO currently has seven organized congregations, four missions and four preaching points. It is a church that has made an intentional decision to seek out and stand with population groups of the marginalized and poor. In particular, the ILCO works with undocumented Nicaraguan immigrants, various indigenous groups, peasant farm communities, and the urban poor. The ILCO�s commitment to service and diaconal ministry has allowed them to show the love of Christ with many diverse populations as they strive to "offer an alternative model of what it means to be church and to �live the faith.�
In Costa Rica, I will be serving as the "Communications, International Relationships and Visits Enabler." This will allow me to become well acquainted with all of the amazing things that the ILCO is doing and have the opportunity to share them with visiting delegations from the United States and all else who are interested. I look forward to further exploring the various ways in which the ILCO fulfills its mission, which is rooted in a common faith in Christ and also in the realities of the people of the economically vulnerable sectors of Costa Rican society.
As the Iglesia Luterana Costarricense continues its work to ensure all people lives filled with dignity and hope, I thank you for walking with us. I am grateful for every individual, family and congregation that supports my ministry here and the work of the ELCA Division for Global Mission through prayers, monetary contributions, and open hearts and minds to see the work God is doing around the world. I pray that all ELCA Division for Global Mission work may be an opportunity for us all to learn and grow from one another in true relationship, that we may form a world of harmony, peace, love and justice.
In God�s peace,
Erica Spilde