It is with great joy that SENDAS announces the complete payment of the debt for the 3.7 acres of land that runs alongside the main entrance. This land was acquired in the year 2005. Global Mission and the Regional Office gave two-thirds of the original amount as a donation. The other one-third was being paid by SENDAS month by month, without interest, for a total of $87,000. However, on August 22, thanks to the contribution from Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) in Kankakee, Illinois, it was possible to pay the remaining $13,000. In addition, ONU donated $7,000 for future projects for the Seminary.

Dr. Ruben Fernandez, President of SENDAS shares:

Today we celebrate a new milestone in the life of the Nazarene Seminary of the Americas. The Church of the Nazarene is the owner of a marvelous property on a national highway only 5 miles from the center of San Jose, Costa Rica, which is an important education and cultural center and the Latin American capital of democracy and human rights.

When the owners of the neighboring property came to us ten years ago to sell us the land, we did not have any money for the purchase, and so we knew it would be only by a miracle that it would be possible. Well, the Lord did more than just one miracle. The first miracle, in 2005, was the drastic reduction in the cost of the land, and the final miracle was the visit to Costa Rica this year by Dr. John Bowling, the President of Olivet, who arrived at the time when SENDAS was making budget adjustments. He spontaneously and unselfishly offered to help upon hearing about the ministry of SENDAS and seeing the property.

I do not want to forget to thank Dr. Louis Bustle and Dr. Christian Sarmiento, who ten years ago were serving as the World Mission Director and the Regional Director, respectively, for believing in this project and decisively supporting it. A very conservative estimate is that the value of the land has increased seven times since the purchase, but I would say it is even worth ten times more.

We know that the Lord has great plans for this property. We wait on Him to know His plans and to venture in faith in a way that will permit us to continue offering excellence in theological education to each country on our continent.