Cornelio & Cailene Vargas

Let's Build a School

Back in 2009 Cornelio and Cailene Vargas started the Selah School of Language & Arts in Costa Rica. Their mission is to leave a legacy of hope, promote education and encourage a personal relationship with Jesus. Besides teaching English to a growing number of students in the rural Costa Rican region where Cornelio was raised; Cailene leads a small group study with young women; and Cornelio teaches English at a nearby university one night a week.  They are very active in their church, and the community. 





Last year Cornelio and Cailene had their first child, a son named Mekahi. A couple months ago Cailene's mom, Bonnie Rogers (a former elementary school teacher) moved to Costa Rica to help with Selah, particularly with the younger students. Following is a recent blog about the their ministry that you might find interesting:

Cailene's girls group has been meeting for about a year. They are eager to talk about the things in their life that matter and to have others they can trust to ask some of the hard questions they are dealing  with. Costa Rica tends to be male dominate and many women do not have a voice or feel they can do anything but stay at home and take care of the family. Few women pursue and education beyond high school.  In the girls group they were saying how unfair things are at their houses. From two different homes two of girls have to get up at 6:00am on Saturday to help their mom with chores while their brothers can sleep until noon.  Cailene said they need to respect their  moms but find a time when they are not rushed, when  they can talk alone and express how they don't mind  helping and it is part of being a family but that the unfairness of brothers not helping at all is hard for them.

This time of being a teen and needing a voice and learning how to approach things and how to keep peace is very important. Both moms received the words and each one is trying to come to a happy balance. The girls said they have lots they want to talk about and said they would take turns helping lead the group. So next week starts the rotation of leadership. Cailene will be the lead and they will co lead the group and discussions. The trust level is high and the subjects are relevant to where they are and how they can deal with school and family life.

In Costa Rica they do not have writing classes so the kids hold their pencils in many unusual ways. here is a picture of how one person was holding his pencil. Bonnie is showing him how to hold h is pencil correctly. To not make them feel bad they call this the English pencil  grip and in this class try to hold the pencil like this.

Ed is an architect from the United States who came down to help us with permit process get soil samples, and meet with the Costa Rican architect. We are reviewing building        plans and deciding where the best location for septic system will be. 

We met with the contractor and his son to review school drawings and set up a building plan. 

We are looking forward to keeping you updated with what we are doing in Costa Rica.