Meet the staff in Costa Rica at Faithful Servant Missions
Education staff
JENNY MENDEZ
Jenny is an Associate Campus Director for Education and Accounting. In addition to supervising our education staff, she serves as the head teacher of secondary education at the mission and works primarily with students in colegio, which is 7th thru 11th grade. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics for Secondary Education. Jenny consistently works with the high school students to study for exams and work on homework assignments in math and science. Our students who continue their education beyond high school and enroll in university classes all say that they wouldn’t have made it to university without the countless hours Jenny put in to help them pass exams in high school. In addition to her education duties, Jenny also does the bookkeeping for the mission and pays all the bills. She has worked at the mission since August of 2009. She knows the families of the community very well after working so closely with them for many years.
Yordano cordero
Yordano is our math teacher. He works with both our elementary school and high school students. Yordano began working with FSM in March 2021. He originally began as a fill-in math tutor while one of our teachers was on maternity leave, and he did such a great job we added him to our full-time team. Students say he has a gift for making math concepts “click”. He likes to ride his bike, travel with his family, and play video games.
JOHAN SIRIAS
Johan joined our staff in January, 2022 as Director of our newly created English Institute. He has a Bachelor’s degree in teaching English to native Spanish speakers and came to us with considerable teaching experience with both youth and adults. He teaches several English classes of different levels each week, each one based on where the students are in their proficiency in speaking English. We created our English Institute to meet the ever-growing need for Costa Ricans to be able to communicate in English in order to secure good employment. In addition, high demand from our community has resulted in waiting lists to enroll in Johan’s classes. Johan is also leading a computing skills class for the mission.
Jafeth Nunez Blanco
Jafeth is our Pre-School teacher and an Administrative Assistant. He began working at the mission in March of 2013 as Recreation Director In his first year, his sole function was maintaining the safety of the children and teenagers while outside on the playground. In 2014, Jafeth also took over the preschool program and now splits his time between the preschool program, supervising both the security team and our maintenance employee, and working in an administrative capacity making arrangements for visiting short-term mission teams. He is particularly good at working with small children and they all love him.
CARLOS BARRERA
Carlos is a part-time employee responsible for our recreation areas. Carlos and his siblings grew up at the mission and were deeply involved in all aspects of the education program and ministries. Carlos joined our staff in early 2023 and took over the recreation program from Jafeth when he was given additional responsibilities. Carlos, like Jafeth, is great with both the children and youth who come to the mission and they all look up to him.
Ministry staff
Alfonso “poncho” sandoval - pastor
Poncho joined FSM and La Viña San Ramón as our full-time pastor, along with his wife, Giselle, and their three boys, Axel, Kendall and Dylan in 2019. He previously worked in a textile factory for 15 years and the Sandoval family had been members serving with La Viña Palmares for 16 years. After much prayer and discipleship with his pastors at La Viña Palmares, Poncho left his job and became the lead pastor of La Viña San Ramon. We are encouraged by his hard work, dedication, and love for the community. The entire Sandoval family is involved in leadership of La Viña San Ramón.
KATHLEEN COUGHLIn - missionary
Kathleen first came to the mission in April 2014 as a missionary intern and she has been hooked ever since! She is currently serving as a part-time missionary with FSM in Costa Rica. If you’ve been to the mission, you have seen her at work coordinating the mission teams and interpreting. She also works extensively with the ministries, with a love for working with the community of Bajo Tejares. While at the mission, she started a volleyball team for young girls, has worked to help re-vamp and participate in the music ministry, and has devoted much of her time to building relationships and counseling teen girls. She earned a degree in Spanish from the University of North Florida and since she has served with FSM has earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of South Florida.
She also serves as the mission staff liaison on the FSM Board of Directors.
Kathleen is not a paid staff person, but instead raises her own support through a network of donors in the United States. To make a donation in support of Kathleen’s mission by check, please send it to FSM – P.O. Box 50316, Jacksonville Beach FL 32240. To make an online donation (one-time or recurring) please click HERE.
OUTREACH Staff
Nichole Byker-Mora - social worker
Nichole is an Associate Campus Director for Administration and Community Outreach. She joined the mission in 2019 first as a volunteer and then taking on the role of Social Worker in June. She has a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Social Work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She also obtained a Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Master’s Diploma in Biblical Counseling for Couples and Families. She is originally from the state of Michigan but has been a missionary in Costa Rica for nearly 20 years and now considers Costa Rica her home. In 2010 she married a Costa Rican and they now have two precious little girls; they live in Naranjo, a town near San Ramón. Nichole works primarily with the women in the community and her passion is to empower them in their roles as wives and mothers to strengthen the families of Bajo Tejares. She began a Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) program at the mission, the first MOPS program in Costa Rica.
Nichole splits her time between counseling individuals and families, the MOPS program, and coordinating our trade classes in sewing, baking, and computer skills. In addition, she is our point person for communication between the staff and the FSM Board of Directors, supervises Jafeth’s administrative duties, and handles human resources tasks for our staff. One aspect of that is coordinating monthly personal growth workshops for the staff.
SUPPORT STAFF
PABEL ROJAS ROJAS - groundskeeper
Pabel is our facilities and maintenance manager. He began working at the mission in November of 2007 when it was merely a construction site well before the doors ever opened. This makes Pabel our most tenured employee! There is nothing that Pabel can’t fix around the mission and beyond. If short-term mission teams desire to work on a construction project at the mission, Pabel directs the team and the project. Pabel has taken it upon himself to get additional training through the national training institute (INA) and has earned certification as a master welder.
Security Guards
We have four full-time security guards that help keep the mission safe and secure 24 hours a day. In many ways, our guards are the face of the mission as they are the first staff members encountered whenever anyone comes onto the property. Their smiling faces and cheerful attitudes are very welcoming. During the weekdays, they are responsible for checking children into and out of the mission. They do the same for ministry groups that meet in the evenings.
RONALD
Ronald is our longest serving guard and was promoted in 2020 to Security Coordinator. He is responsible for many tasks including scheduling of guards, securing temporary guards for filling in for vacation days or sick leave and maintaining the inventory of supplies used by the guards. Ronald is extremely conscientious and is always looking for ways to improve our operation. In addition to coordinating the security team, he also serves as one of the guards.
DARIO
Dario started working at the mission in January of 2020. He has two children. His son is a regular here at the mission (and the youngest will be too when she's old enough!). Prior to working in the mission, Dario worked security at a local orchid greenhouse.
STEVEN
Steven started working at the mission in July of 2013. He is very quiet, but very friendly when you take the chance to stop and talk to him. Steven also has family involved at the mission and is the proud father of a sweet little girl.
DIRIMO
Dirimo started at the mission in 2018. He is a very committed person that is always willing to go the extra mile. Prior to becoming a guard, Dirimo utilized his construction expertise to help with many projects here at the mission over the years.