Autumn is such a beautiful reminder of renewal as leaves change colors, let go, and fall to the ground in order to prepare for new growth. What a great example of the new creation God promises us in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Perhaps, we can learn from the trees each Fall season. To let go - in order to be renewed in Christ.

Don't miss out on our new mission trip opportunities for summer of 2022. Ecuador filled up so quickly, we decided to offer 2 weeks in Costa Rica for youth, families, and adults - all are welcome!

Personally, serving with Faithful Servant Mission was hugely transformative for our family. For a period of 5 years, someone from the Fowler household traveled every summer to reconnect with people we met our first year. Our kids, who are now adults, still keep in contact with friends there. I'm so excited that our daughter, Chloe, will join Cody Puck in leading the first week, July 16-23. Check out her story in the Mission Spotlight!

Travel with BSUMC Missions and Outreach and B-Street Youth to San Ramon, Costa Rica to work with Faithful Servant Mission in the Bajo Tejares. We are offering two trips, so if you can't make the first week, sign up for the next! Registration opens October 24 and is open to youth, families or any church members. Click the image above for more information.

For the second year, BSUMC will focus on being ThankFull on November 6th by spending a day helping others in our community. Please click below for details and registration.

Starting this month, every fifth Sunday, Missions & Outreach will highlight a missions partner. To kick us off, Circle's will be featured on October 31 at 10AM in the Chapel. Leaders, Allies and volunteers will speak about their experiences with this life changing journey. All are invited!

Mark your Calendars & Grab your Tickets to support individuals working to successfully reenter society after incarceration! It will start OCT 26 with a virtual silent auction and will end during a Live Event OCT 28 (that you can also attend virtually).

Tickets & Details: https://event.gives/soteriacdc

Between now and December 31 of this year, World Relief Upstate SC is welcoming and resettling nearly 70 refugees from over six countries, including up to 30 Afghans (4 to 5 families). Due to the current situation and rapid evacuation, Afghans are especially in need of support from the community. World Relief anticipates their arrival over the next month or two as they finish the application, background checks, and health screenings on U.S. military bases. You can read more about Afghans coming to SC in this article that includes an interview with World Office Director Brandon Baughn.

When you hear about Costa Rica, you probably picture white sandy beaches with clear water as far as the eye can see. Or you may imagine ziplining through a vast rainforest enjoying wildlife uncommon in the states. For me, I don't picture any of this. When I think about Costa Rica, I think of home.

My relationship with Costa Rica began in 2013 when my family signed up for an international mission trip. I had just turned 14 and had never been on a mission trip, much less internationally. I had no idea what to expect. What I found at Faithful Servant Missions was a passionate and God-loving family who embraced me as one of their own, not caring that I wasn't from their country.

As a teenager, traveling with my family, I believed this would simply be a one-time trip, but my relationship with Faithful Servant Missions continued for years. After that first trip, I found myself going back every summer of high school and then in 2018, I had the chance to volunteer as a Summer Intern my freshman year of college. Now, working full-time and going to grad school, God has opened a new door for me to help connect FSM and BSUMC.

Faithful Servant Missions, FSM, is located right on the outskirts of San Ramon, Costa Rica, in a town we call "Bajo Tejares." The majority of the community were originally Nicaraguan refugees who fled political persecution and economic instability in hopes of a better life. Sadly, they were not accepted by the locals and the Bajo became a very tough place to live. With this knowledge, I initially expected a community that was timid, sad, and closed off. I could not have been more wrong.

The people. Have you ever met someone who exudes so much joy you find yourself questioning what they have that you are missing? Maybe you've met someone who, by society's standards, is viewed as "less than" yet somehow they seem to lead a more fulfilled life? That's exactly how I would describe the people of Bajo Tejares. The minute you step off the shuttle bus, you are greeted with children's smiles and people's embraces. The Costa Ricans, aka Ticos, welcome you with open arms, excited to get the chance to get to know you. There is no fear about the language barrier because they simply want to share their love with you. The relationships you form at Faithful Servant Missions last a lifetime and are the reason I went back five years in a row.

The mission. The term "mission trip" implies that you are going to another place with the only goal of giving something to those in need. While there is always a piece of that in missions, FSM focuses on collaborative opportunities. The compound is a 365 day operation with its staff, classrooms, church, and community. When a short-term mission team comes, they are not creating their idea of what the community needs and taking charge of their one week. A mission team assimilates into the Bajo community, taking the opportunity to learn their needs and assisting in filling those gaps. The people on the teams and the people in the local community form a relationship and learn a lot from one another.

The why. For some, the idea of going to a pre-established mission causes them to ask, "Why? What's the point?". If you are one of those people, I'll respond with "Why not?". If you haven't been somewhere, met the people, and lived alongside another culture, how do you know there is no point in going? Relationships are what change individuals. Our relationship with God has eternally changed us and He is changing the lives and relationships of people worldwide. Costa Rica is an amazing place to get outside of your everyday life and experience this.

When I was asked about the possibility of BSUMC creating a mission trip to Costa Rica, pure excitement overcame me. FSM is not only the perfect place for all ages - youth, parents, and young adults, but it is the perfect first step into the life of a missional heart. You will never know what relationships and experiences God has in store for you unless you take that step and go. I am overjoyed and honored to be a part of taking BSUMC to Costa Rica next summer. I can't wait to see how God works through BSUMC and starts planting the seed for an annual trip to deepen the relationship between Greenville and Bajo Tejares.

Please consider joining us on our first trip to Faithful Servant Mission in San Ramon Costa Rica in July of 2022! More info here.