THE STORY BEHIND FSM

Faithful Servant Missions is a Christ-centered 501c3 nonprofit organization that seeks to serve those whom society has forgotten in both Costa Rica and Panama. It all began in 2006 following a one-week mission trip to San Ramon, Costa Rica. We deeply felt God’s call to make a difference in the lives of the people of Bajo Tejares which is a community that is primarily Nicaraguan immigrants who fled political persecution and economic instability, seeking a better life for themselves and their children.

Initially, the Costa Rican government provided for them; then they became “outsiders” and a burden for the people of Costa Rica. Abandoned and poor, these people lived in wooden shacks and slept on dirt floors. With an unemployment rate hovering around 80%, most were surviving on day labor when available, prostitution or drug trafficking.

FSM identified three major areas of intervention to break the cycle of poverty: physical, educational and spiritual. The Board of Directors purchased land and completed construction of Centro Comunidad Cristiana in August of 2008. A multipurpose church building, parsonage, recreational facilities, and an education building were initially built.

The physical needs of the community began to be met on a case-by-case basis, ranging from hosting medical clinics to repairing homes for residents of Bajo Tejares. We began to meet educational needs through one on one academic support programs for over 150 children. The University of Costa Rica began to sponsor night classes for adults where we saw parents learning to read and graduating from elementary school and high school. Centro Comunidad Cristiana started to minister to the spiritual needs of the community through weekly ministry groups for women, men, pre-teens, teens, as well as church services on Sundays for children and adults alike.

In 2007, after board members developed a longstanding relationship with the church there, the mission in Caisan, Panama was started. Land was purchased with the purpose of building an orphanage. Over time, the plans have evolved and been redefined by God. In early 2017, the Board of Directors of Faithful Servant Missions made the decision to launch Manos de Fe, a separate 501c3 organization that now runs the mission site in Panama.

FSM continues our daily presence and work in Costa Rica where we aim to improve the physical, educational and spiritual health of those we serve. Our overall vision is to help people develop a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.