Katrina Boguski
Freelance
For Sue Coulas, the dream of heading out on a mission has been a long time in the making. Coulas told The Valley Gazette, “I have always wanted to go on a mission’s trip (since) I first became a Christ follower over 12 years ago but no doors really opened up until now.”
Coulas got the inspiration to go on this trip when plans for a different trip to Guatemala fell through. She said, “I was meant to go to Costa Rica and what inspired me was when Pastor Joe from Quadeville Pentecostal Church mentioned that very day that the Guatemala trip was stopped, that he had met a couple of missionaries in Quadeville from Costa Rica just a few days prior!”
Upon hearing about the type of work this couple does, Coulas knew immediately this trip was the one for her.
“My heart has always been to minister and love others who are broken hearted, walking in emotional pain and who are living in the darkness of the past and this broken world. I understand because I have been there and still am walking out my own healing journey. I have an overwhelming love for others that has come from my own pain and I have seen firsthand what kind and compassion does to a life.”
The group behind the mission is called The Nest. According to Coulas, the organization was “founded by Karina and James Beach over seven years ago, their mission is to provide a safe loving, Christ-centered place where children and young women of the Bribri community are nurtured, taught about Jesus and protected from sexual abuse.”
When people think of Costa Rica, images of resorts and beach vacations often come to mind. A popular holiday destination, Costa Rica normally is seen as a beautiful place to visit where creature comforts can be accessed quite readily. A mission is a lot different from a holiday trip and Coulas will not be vacationing in a posh resort. She will be seeing a very different side of Costa Rica than those shown on the travel blogs. “It is right in the jungle in the region of Talamanca in San Jose. Very remote and very down to earth living.”
If you are already an online subscriber, CLICK HERE to access your subscription and read the full story.
If you wish to subscribe online, CLICK HERE, or you can pick up a copy of the September 11, 2024 Valley Gazette for the complete story.
About the Author
