Mission Statement and Calling

My Calling

When I first started thinking about what I would do after high school, Costa Rica wasn’t the plan. I was considering several different directions for my future. I had been offered a generous scholarship to St. John Fisher University, and I was also considering doing a World Race gap year. Both were great opportunities, but as I prayed and thought through them, I never really felt the peace or confidence that either one was where God was leading me.

Then, in late August, my youth pastor reached out to me. He had moved to Costa Rica about a year earlier and had already become one of the biggest mentors in my life, especially in helping me grow in my faith. He asked if I would consider coming to Costa Rica for an internship year, where I could serve in different ministries and experience what missionary life was like.

At first, I thought it sounded interesting, but I wasn’t convinced. I was stubborn and still had my own plans.

Then, about a month later, he followed up and told me there was a need in Costa Rica for a lifeguard.

That caught my attention.

I had been working as a lifeguard in New York, so I remember wondering, “How does he even know that I do that?” It seemed like a strange coincidence. Then, a few weeks later, he reached out again and asked if I had any interest in helping with swim instruction.

That was when I really started paying attention.

Swimming had already been a major part of my life. I had experience with competitive swimming, lifeguarding, and teaching swimming, and teaching was something I genuinely enjoyed. I loved working with someone one-on-one, helping them overcome something they were struggling with, and watching them make progress.

Now I was being told there was a need for those exact skills in Costa Rica.

The more I learned, the harder it became for me to see these opportunities as random coincidences. I began to see how God had been preparing me through experiences I had already had and passions I already carried, even before I knew where they would lead.

I believe my calling is to take what God has already given me—my skills, experiences, passions, and relationships—and use them to serve Him and serve people.

For me, that means more than simply teaching swimming. It means investing in people, especially kids, building genuine relationships, being a positive and godly male role model, and pointing people toward Christ through the way I live and serve.

I don’t know exactly where this calling will take me long-term. I don’t know everything God will ask me to do or every opportunity that will come from this season. But I do know that I want to be faithful with what He has already put in front of me.

Costa Rica is not something I planned out perfectly. It is something I believe God opened the door for me to step into.

And now I’m choosing to walk through it.

My Mission

My mission in Costa Rica is to serve the local community through relationships, discipleship, children’s ministry, and practical skills that can meet real needs.

One of the biggest parts of my ministry will be swim instruction and water safety. The community I will be serving in is located in an environment where flooding and dangerous water can be a serious concern. In 2022, a major flood sent more than four feet of fast-moving water through parts of the neighborhood. For children growing up in this environment, understanding how to respond around water can be much more than a recreational skill.

I will be able to use my background in competitive swimming, lifeguarding, swim instruction, and specialized training in water instruction and water-travel safety to help teach kids skills that could one day protect them or someone else.

But the goal isn’t simply to teach kids how to swim.

The real goal is to build relationships.

I want to know these kids, learn their stories, encourage them, and be someone they can trust. I want to celebrate their progress, challenge them when they need it, and create an environment where they know they are valued.

I will also be serving alongside NOWCostaRica, which has been involved in the community for more than seven years, and Horizon International Church, where I will help with children’s programs and serve as a male leader for kids ranging from approximately 4–17 years old.

Through these ministries, I will have opportunities to serve in many different ways. Some days may involve swimming. Other days may involve children’s programs, church activities, discipleship, helping with community projects, or simply spending time with people.

I don’t want to limit my mission to a specific list of tasks. I want to remain available to serve wherever I am needed.

Ultimately, my mission is about people.

I want to use swimming to meet a practical need, use teaching to help kids grow, use relationships to show them that they are valued, and use every opportunity I have to demonstrate the love of Christ.

I don’t measure success by how many swim lessons I teach or how many programs I participate in. I want to measure it by the relationships I build, the people I encourage, and the ways God allows me to make a difference in the lives of the people I encounter.

This is more than a trip to another country. It is an opportunity to serve, to learn, to grow, and to use what God has given me for something bigger than myself.

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