Coastal, Gospel Riches: Costa Rica
By Miguel Diaz
It may be that Costa Rica has before been desired for its “rich coast,” but its potential connections and overall position for the sake of the Gospel are unquestionably infinitely more valuable. Originally an Associate Discipleship School directly linked to headquarters in Madison, their status now as an official Discipleship Training Branch and further relationship with additional countries is both encouraging and exhilarating. We rejoiced to formally introduce SLM Costa Rica and raise their flag at headquarters in 2022. Read on for more from National Director Miguel Diaz:
“We have led the Fuente de Luz (Source of Light) ministry in Costa Rica since July 2014. I am an electronics engineer and my wife is a journalist. We felt the call of God, and we were obedient. We resigned from our secular jobs by faith to dedicate ourselves completely to the ministry. We are also graduates of the Baptist Biblical Seminary in Costa Rica and currently pursuing a master’s degree in theology.
Our full-time calling with Source of Light Ministries has been a great blessing to our lives. Here we find a very fertile ground where children, young people, and adults study and memorize the Bible in a disciplined and orderly manner, growing and thus fulfilling the Great Commission from the Lord Jesus Christ. God has blessed us and has opened the doors for us to spread the seed of His Word, which has allowed us to develop the ministry in more than 50 congregations in the country from border to border. In the different churches, we have more than 100 collaborators, and currently we have expanded into other countries such as Nicaragua, Panama, and Cuba, including regions of small towns of indigenous people where the Fuente de Luz ministry is currently active. Soon Belize will also be part of this group.
My wife and I train leaders so that they can develop the ministry of Source of Light, true disciples who weekby-week are accompanying people in their spiritual growth, enrolling students, checking assignments and verses, graduating students, and guiding them to the next course. It is wonderful to witness the decisions made by many children, youth, and adults, not only for salvation, which is already a great blessing, but also sanctification for their lives through what they have learned in the light of His Word, the holy Word of God.
Every week for eight years we have visited each of the places where God has allowed us to establish the Fuente de Luz ministry, encouraging collaborators and carrying out the graduations, establishing new places where the Word of God is scarce. It has been quite an adventure, and it certainly has not been easy. Satan is not happy and has sometimes created difficulties so that the work of the Lord does not advance, but we are still standing.
We are convinced that Jesus is the true and only solution for this fallen world, and it is for that we are prepared to wear out ourselves for His work. God has been good, and we ask God to be able to be part of the machinery of the Great Commission every day a little more, until He comes back.
Our ministry includes:
- Training for leaders of the Fuente de Luz ministry
- Evangelism and discipleship
- Facilitation of courses for children, youth, and adults (taught in person or online)
- Ministry in schools and colleges
- Small group studies and Bible clubs
- Training for children’s teachers
- On-site or online discipleship of the Fuente de Luz courses
- Graduations of the students of the Fuente de Luz courses
- Student registration, exams, and decisions made
“Your prayers for us are our greatest gift.”
Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me (Romans 15:30 NKJV).
