| In 1993 I traveled to Costa Rica for the first time because of my love for the sport of surfing. Surfing was my life. I had a bumper sticker on my van that read, “Surfing is life: the rest are details.” I made surfboards and repaired surfboards for several surf shops in North East Florida. When I was fourteen I was mentioned in Surfing Magazine as one of the world’s top one hundred up and coming surfboard manufacturers. I thought I had arrived. I finished high school while traveling often to Costa Rica, and my life was consumed with surfing and partying. During this time I had traveled to Chile several times to visit Pamela who I met in Florida while she was a foreign exchange student. Pamela was born in the town of Talca, Chile where most of her family lives; however, she was raised in the city of Concepción. She graduated from high school in both the United States and Chile. Pamela played volleyball competitively for the city of Concepción, and studied Civil Engineering and Tourism until we married in 1997. Just a short time after we married we learned the party lifestyle and marriage could not survive together. We began to attend a Hispanic church in Jacksonville Florida to experience the Hispanic culture and language we both enjoyed. We had no idea what God had planned for our lives. The teaching from God’s word confronted our lifestyle and we decided not to return, but we loved the people at the church so much we returned often. Finally we surrender our lives to the Lord Jesus in desperate need of His forgiveness and restoration. For two years the Hispanic Church discipled us and nurtured us in the faith through that crucial time of our lives. In 2000 we were led to be a part of a church plant in the inner-city of Gainesville. Soon the Lord made it clear we should commit to minister there to the children and the youth. It was there where the Lord called us to prepare for full time ministry. God led us to attend Trinity Bible College of Florida in January of 2002, nine months later our son Josiah was born. During our studies God has allowed us to serve in many places including Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Panama and Nicaragua. We graduated in December, 2005 with Bachelor Degrees in Biblical Studies with majors in Missions and Leadership and Ministry We are grateful for God’s mercy in our lives and thankful for His ability to use all things to work together for His glory. God has made it very clear to us that He has called us back to Costa Rica, specifically to the Jacó area. We know how hopeless and lonely the youth of this area feel because in the past we were one of them. Now, we know the only One who offers what they so desperately need. And we are excited about the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ with them. |

