Costa Rica

I arrived here in Costa Rica Monday evening.
Unfortunately Kristin and Joshua were unable to come. We had been planning on them coming, but the doctor highly recommended against it as Joshua is still so young. So we took his advice and Kristin and Joshua are holding down the fort.

Yesterday I went with the Casa Viva team to follow along with them as they shot some video interviews with prominent people they work with in country. The point of the video was to interview families, pastors, and government workers who work directly with the Casa Viva program in order to create a video that can be used to recruit more families and churches to participate in the program.

One of the most unique interviews was with the national director of PANI (the child advocacy part of the government and a big political position). He spoke over and over again about the need for children to be cared for. He also reiterated what Casa Viva has been saying:

“Children should first be with their families and extended families, when that is not possible the second option should be placing them in a loving family, and then the third option should be a group home.”

I know this is true... You know this is true and yet we North Americans tend to want to come to places of need and build orphanages and children’s homes. Why not just harness the power of the family and place children into families?

Enter: Casa Viva.

Matt Schulte
Casa Viva USA

Transition to Casa Viva

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Transition to Casa Viva

First I'd like to say "Thank You" for your continued support as I serve here at LeaderTreks.

This Friday I will be moving into a new position here at LeaderTreks. I will no longer oversee the Youth Pastor Resources part of LeaderTreks, but will instead work full time with a program called Casa Viva. Casa Viva is a program funded through LT, and based in Costa Rica.

Casa Viva has taken a whole new look at international child care. They have asked several questions:
1. How can get children into Christian homes instead of institutionalizing them?
2. How can international child care not be dependent on American dollars?
3. How can we better care for the children intrusted to us?

While these answers have become more and more clear, they have more and more people interested in applying the Casa Viva program in other countries. That's where I come in: to help mobilize, fund, and equip other Casa Viva sites to open up! What an exciting opportunity.

Hear it Straight from Me

Watch the 2 minute YouTube Video for More information >

Matt, Kristin, and Joshua Schulte

Becoming a Leader Series

The "Becoming a Leader Series" is a small group study for youth to learn about leadership in the church. Check out more information here>

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Joshua is 8 months old already!

Can you believe it?

He is sporting his new swimsuit for a family vacation we are taking next week.

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Leadership Network.

I am here in Dallas with a couple of guys from Wheaton Bible Church… Hannibal and Chris. We are here with the Leadership Network as a part of one of the externally focused communities. Our church is really beginning to launch an external focus. We have done SO much for international missions (we give something like 24% of our budget to what God is doing internationally), but only recently realized we do less than 1% of our budget to local ministries!

 

What a terrible disparity.

 

The county we live in has huge opportunities to serve the world literally on our door step. By the year 2010 33% of our county will be non-white/ethnic groups. Primarily Hispanic. What an exciting thing to be a part of the front end of this opportunity. We will be returning here every 6 months as a team… hopefully with more church staff in the future.

 

One ministry Not for Sale is a ministry I want to check out.

Joshua Sitting

Thanks to Grampa's Training this past weekend, Joshua likes to sit up.
And he is doing a great job.
He also enjoys making funny noises with his mouth.

Jet Engine Heater

This weekend Paul, Phil, Kristin and I helped Fran move out of her home of many years into a new townhome.
We are SO excited for her.
The new place is beautiful, in a great location by a walking path, and will work wonderful to host Christmas and THanksgiving in for years to come.
However, this weekend was COLD.
And my primary job was cleaning out the garage.

Luckily Fran had, what I like to call, a Jet Engine Heater.

When I get a house someday and have a little more room in my garage, I am going to get one.
IT is AMAZING how warm you can be and be standing out side in 20 degree weather.