San José, Costa Rica.
- Kory & Rebecca Crawford
- Oct 7
- 4 min read
Kory and Rebecca Crawford are missionaries in San José, Costa Rica, focusing on gospel work in communities where there are no local assemblies. They have been serving in Costa Rica since September 2017.
When we look back over the last eight-plus years since we first arrived in Costa Rica, there have been ups and downs, encouragements and discouragements, tears and laughs. However, one thing has always remained constant: the Lord has been Faithful.
When we first arrived in Costa Rica, our primary focus was on gospel outreach in new areas of the capital city of San Jose. Gymnasiums, community centers, houses, and rented storefronts comprised the majority of locations for gospel preaching, children’s work, and literature distribution.
We are thankful that the Lord was faithful to His promise that, “My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa 55:11). While humanly speaking, we always would desire more fruit and obvious salvation in these efforts, we are thankful that the Lord again has been faithful.
However, over the years, the Lord has continued to work in us and reveal the spiritual gifts He has entrusted to us, which has resulted in a more focused approach to the work we have engaged in. That work has been building up the current assemblies in the country that have been willing and looking for help. I confess that it often felt like “planting” is what one becomes a missionary for, and for the first few years, we were determined to focus only on that. Most of the missionary stories you read from the past and the reports heard over the years usually dealt with “planting”. Going to a new area where there is no local church testimony and labouring until the Lord in His goodness establishes a testimony for His name and the name of Jesus Christ. It is more tangible and measurable in human terms. Often, “watering”-building up, encouraging, and helping to meet the needs of believers — is much more challenging to measure tangibly. Thankfully, we received the peace from the Lord when reminded of the mentality of the Apostle Paul when he wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” (1 Cor 3:6-7). The “wa tering” that the Lord had given us to do, and the resulting fruit, was all that much more a reminder that it is neither the planter nor the waterer that really sees the results of their own strength, but it is always God who gives the increase. He measures, he takes note, and he rewards in the coming day.
As a result, we have been focusing on building up and working in the assembly at San Juan de Dios, located in the center of San Jose, for the last three years or more. The sudden passing of an elder in this assembly opened a wide door to an obvious need, as we have tried to help in many spheres over the last few years. Bible teaching, gospel work, children’s work, discipleship, pastoring, and simply “watering” have been the real focus of our work. The assembly in San Juan is comprised of many young married couples, so two years ago we initiated an annual marriage retreat for these couples, with experienced workers and spouses coming in to assist with the studies.
We are thankful for Kevin and Patty Flett from El Salvador and Mark and Brenda Bachert from Nicaragua, who have come down different years to lead these very beneficial marriage retreat weekends, as these young couples represent the future of the assembly. The Lord has been good and blessed the assembly by saving both internal and external contacts, and also restoring some prodigal children. As a result, the assembly has grown to a point where the current hall building needs to be expanded. Thankfully, this project has progressed quickly, and it is currently approximately 50% complete. The 3-stage renovation / expansion project involves the expansion of the dining area, the construction of a separate 4-classroom building for Sunday school, and the removal of walls in the main meeting room, where the current Sunday school classes are held, resulting in a much more spacious main meeting room.
We are thankful for the Lord’s hand in raising two competent local elders in the last few years, and as a result, we see more of the Lord making it clear that we need to leave the assembly in His hands and continue watering further afield. There are two or three local brothers with the Spiritual gift of teaching, which sets the assembly up well for the truth of the Word of God to continue being taught to the small assembly of about 45. While it is a difficult decision to step away from the believers who have become such a blessing in our own lives, we look to the Lord to continue guiding and directing us in His calling and purposes for our lives. To God be the glory, great things He hath done.
Written by Kory and Rebecca Crawford
