~Featured Missionary and Country of the Week - Costa Rica/David and Yonda Schwarz

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David and Yonda Schwarz

Region(s): Central America/Caribbean 

Field(s): Costa Rica 
Website: click here to visit 
Bio: David Schwarz was pastoring the United Pentecostal Church of Kermit, Texas, and serving as the Texico District’s Pentecostal Conquerors secretary when he and his wife, Yonda, received their appointment as UPCI missionaries to Costa Rica in October 1988. Following deputation and language school in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Schwarzes arrived in Costa Rica in October 1991, accompanied by their two daughters. He is the president of the United Pentecostal Church of Costa Rica and oversees the total work of this rapidly growing church. In addition, he has started a new church in the valley and is the president of the Bible school.

Costa Rica

Republic of Costa Rica/República de Costa Rica
Area Coordinator: David H. Schwarz
Superintendent/President: 
Population: 4300000
Area: 19,730 sq. mi.
Capital: San Jose
Languages: Spanish
Religions: Roman Catholic, 76%; Evangelical, 14%
 

Lying between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, the Republic of Costa Rica has been described as Central America’s most stable nation. In contrast to its neighbors, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development since the late nineteenth century. Oscar Arias Sánchez, the current Costa Rican president, won the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize for fostering peace talks that eventually ended the civil wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua. Costa Rica has a literacy rate of 96% and an average gross national product per capita of $10,100. The United Pentecostal Church of Costa Rica was founded in 1975 by the Ralph Hollands. In 2007, David Schwarz reported that the Costa Rican church now has 4,800 constituents, 75 churches and preaching points, and 34 licensed ministers.

Official Name: 
República de Costa Rica
short form: Costa Rica
int'l long form: Republic of Costa Rica
int'l short form: Costa Rica 

ISO Country Code: cr 

Time:
Local Time = UTC -6h 
Actual Time: Wed-Nov-9  14:34 

Country Calling Code: +506

Capital City: San José (pop. 354 600, greater metropolitan area 2.1 million)

Other Cities: 
Puntarenas (pop. 103 000), Limon (pop. 90 000) 

Government:
Type: Democratic Republic
Independence: 15 September (1821 from Spain)
Constitution: 7 November 1949 

Geography:
Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea in the north-east and the North Pacific Ocean in the south-west, between Nicaragua and Panama
Terrain: Coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes. 

Climate: Tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands. 

People:
Nationality: Costa Rican(s).
Population: 4.25 million.
Ethnic Groups: European and some mestizo 94%, African origin 3%, Chinese 1%, indigenous 1%, other 1%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 69%, Protestant approx. 18%, none 12%, others 1%.
Languages: Spanish, with a southwestern Caribbean Creole dialect of English spoken around the Limon area.
Literacy: 96% 

Natural resources: Hydroelectric power, forest products, fisheries products. 
Agriculture products: Coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber.
Industries: Microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products. 

Exports partners: USA 14.2%, Guatemala 3%,Nicaragua 2.7% (2003) 
Imports partners: USA 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%,Venezuela 3.2% (2003) 

Currency: Costa Rican Colon (CRC)