Local church helps youth in Costa Rica

Sharon Carlson appreciates the faith-based exchange between Salem Lutheran Church in Fremont and a congregation in Costa Rica.

Since that exchange began 10 years ago, members from Salem have visited Costa Rica.

And people from the Central American church have visited Fremont.

The result has been a faith-growing experience for Salem members and their sister congregation at Sola Fe Lutheran Church.

Now, members of Salem are planning another trip in 2015 with hopes of bringing students from Costa Rica to Nebraska in 2016.

The goal is to help Sola Fe in its mission to reach out to young people with the life-changing Gospel and help give them tools to carve out a better future for themselves.

Sola Fe Lutheran is in a barrio in San Sebastian. Most residents of this barrio are Nicaraguans who left their country to escape the Sandinista government and poverty.

Theyve come to Costa Rica in hopes of a better life.

Salem has sought to help in various ways.

Our purpose is to help spread the word of God among persons in the barrio and to provide mentorship to them in leadership for worship, the finances of a church and the conducting of Sunday schools and youth groups, Carlson said. Salems goal is to help them develop a church that can become a greater influence in this area due to the availability of drugs and other negative influences on the children and youth of Sola Fe.

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Local church helps youth in Costa Rica