Through collaboration, ministries to children at risk have a greater impact

The Evangelical Seminary for Pastoral Education (ESEPA) in Costa Rica

OC encourages building God’s Kingdom through collaborative efforts that train practitioners and organizational leaders in compassionate care ministries. A ministry partnership between an OC partner seminary and a Latin American network of ministries to children at risk presents a compelling example: the Evangelical Seminary for Pastoral Education (ESEPA), Costa Rica, and Viva (formerly The Viva Network), respectively. Before leaving ESEPA to become OC’s President and CEO, David Baer served as Rector there and had been working on a project between the two groups. The idea was to establish a joint training program and provide state-of-the-art training in ministry to children at risk at both degree and non-degree levels.

Recently, David spent time with the Viva team, a group he describes as “young, visionary and capable,” including Executive Director Alfredo Mora and Alexander Cabezas, Regional Network Facilitator. Two-thirds of the 20 team members are graduates of ESEPA or have other ESEPA ties. Another member is a North American missionary who is finishing his PhD in ministry to children at risk at Fuller Theological Seminary and recently relocated with his family to Costa Rica for the purpose of serving as the ESEPA-Viva liaison. Under Alfredo and the missionary’s collaborative leadership, a formal training project is already underway at ESEPA. Viva has a continuing interest in finding ways to train workers and leaders in ministry to children at risk at appropriate levels, both formal and non-formal.

“Sectors of the Latin American evangelical church are taking bold steps in confronting deeply rooted social ills by the power of the Gospel,” David says. “OC will continue to remain alert to emerging opportunities to form and shape the leaders of such movements…[through] innovative niche training programs.”

David also referred the Roblealto Child Care Association, a ministry to children at risk and their families in Costa Rica, to Viva. “I love [the] idea of putting our strengths and vision together to multiply efforts and take advantage of different peoples’ experiences and knowledge to bless God’s children in a way that glorifies and honors Him,” says Suzanne Emery of the association. “I believe God’s will is always unity as we work together.” The association already works closely with ESEPA, so the three entities may coordinate their ministry efforts soon. Compassion International has also been active in establishing a Master’s degree in this field at OC partner seminary South American Ministerial Seminary (SEMISUD) in Ecuador.