Pura Vida: Life in Costa Rica

Our honeymoon was a road trip around Costa Rica staying in little AirBnbs exploring all that the country has to offer. We had no idea then that shortly after our 5th wedding anniversary we would be moving our family there, but we would have been thrilled. If you were to search Costa Rica you would get a description of something like a rugged, rainforested Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. While that accurately describes the distinct geography of the country, it leaves so much more to be understood. Costa Rica is rich in beauty both naturally and its people. Over 5 million call Costa Rica home and the proper term for a Costa Rican is Tico.

Ticos are incredibly kind and generous people, with a calm relaxed demeanor. The common greeting is “Pura Vida,” which means “Pure Life.” It is also a normal response when you ask someone how they are doing. Pura Vida captures the tranquil lifestyles of the Ticos and their warmheartedness. This is seen in the afternoon coffee break, Cafecito, or the fact that they have no standing military.

The national dish is “Gallo Pinto,” which means painted chicken, but is a rice and beans dish. Its main exports are bananas, sugar, and, of course, coffee. If you know us, you know that we love our coffee and we are excited to enjoy the bounty of Costa Rica’s amazing coffee. Because of the tropical climate, the country is full of fresh fruit and vegetables, and we are particularly excited about fresh avocados and pineapple all year round.

We love the national parks of the U.S. and are looking forward to exploring the 30 national parks in Costa Rica. Louis is particularly looking forward to seeing the sea turtles protected in the coastal park of Tortuguero National Park. God’s creation is at the forefront of Costa Rica. It’s a country the same size as the U.S. state of West Virginia but has mountains, rainforests, two coastlines, and biodiversity scarcely seen elsewhere. Also, there are several active volcanos! Take a look here at the Costa Rica Volcano Cam.

The church in Costa Rica is growing and becoming a strong leader in the spread of the Gospel. While over 70% of the country is Roman Catholic, there is still a great sense of spiritual longing. As believers in Jesus there share the good news of the Gospel the Church is continuing to grow. Costa Rica’s strategic location and geopolitical position in Latin America gives them incredible opportunities to lead in missions.

There are many reasons we are excited to live in Costa Rica from the natural beauty to the food and coffee, but above all is the people. We can’t wait to partner with Tico believers to see more people come to know Jesus. Our prayer is that together we plant more churches and see the Costa Rican Church lead in mobilizing Latinos into global missions.