Costa Rica...the history...

This week Brian Wilson fills us in on a little of the history and geography of Costa Rica along with Ed Plus and their wonderful team....

THE HISTORY:

After reading the history, and facts of Costa Rica before I went, helped me understand a little what to expect.

Costa Rica is situated in Central America, between Nicaragua and Panama. On the west coast is the North Pacific Ocean and the east coast is the Caribbean Sea. The capital is San Jose and the country has a total population of 4.5 million. It has a tropical climate of two seasons, May to November, wet and December to April, dry. The main industries are coffee, bananas and tourism.

Costa Rica gained independence from Spain in1821, so Spanish is the spoken language, followed by English. In 1948 there was a civil war, lasting only five weeks with 2000 civilian deaths. A dictatorship took over; with a promise that within 18 months it would revert back to a democratic country, with a candidate elected by the people This happened, and has been a democracy ever since. It has no army, navy, or air force, thus giving the impression of a peaceful nation.

EDUCACION PLUS:

The Educacion Plus project has been working in Costa Rica since 1994, working in the shanty towns in and around the San Jose area. The main vision is to encourage young children to complete their education. Educacion Plus helps with the cost of school uniforms and equipment that can prove impossible for families who don’t even have enough to eat.

Educacion Plus run weekly Bible Clubs, Youth Groups, Christian camps, football championships, Christmas parties, regular outings and many other activities. Educacion Plus also recognises that there are special spiritual, emotional and practical needs for people who live in shanty town conditions and they seek to serve the children and their families in all these areas.

THE FULL TIME TEAM WORKING FOR EDUCACTION PLUS IN COSTA RICA

Educacion Plus has a full time team working in the shanty town areas in Costa Rica. It consists of Keith Holder, who heads the team, with three Costa Rican nationals, Fanklin, Jose and Juan Carlos, all working closely together to achieve their vision and continuing the Christian outlook.

KEITH HOLDER, before going to Costa Rica, he worked as a Pastor for many years attached and leading churches in the outer London areas. He then had a short spell in Peru before going on to Costa Rica, with his wife and three daughters as full time missionary, forming and setting up Eduaction Plus in 1993,working in the shanty towns developing relationships with the children and their families.

FRANKLIN and JOSE have lived and worked in the San Jose area all their life’s and have experienced the poverty and hardships that comes with being bought up in the shanty towns. They are both married with children and are totally supported by their families in the work they do with Educacion Plus.

JUAN CARLOS, was born and raised in San Jose, attended junior school as well as working in his fathers clothing factory .He then studied at The Costa Rica University, earning a degree in General Physiology, but choose to join Educaction Plus full time in 1999, Married with children and is supported by his family in the work he is involved in the shanty towns.

TO BE CONTINUED ...