Seth Lockwood is serving in Jaco, Costa Rica, alongside NOWCostaRica, Horizon International Church, La Finca de Esperanza (the Farm of Hope), and other local ministries. Seth is an 18-year-old follower of Jesus who is stepping into a season of faith, service, and leadership as he helps bring the love of Christ into the community through practical ministry and relationships.
A major part of Seth’s mission will be starting, organizing, and leading a new swim and water-safety ministry through NOWCostaRica. This ministry will be established in a local squatter community where NOWCostaRica has been faithfully present and serving for more than seven years. Because of the trust and relationships that NOWCostaRica has built within this community, Seth will have the opportunity to come alongside an established ministry and help create a program that meets a critical need for children and families.
The need for this ministry comes from the dangerous water conditions that many children in this community face. The neighborhood is located in valleys and ravines surrounded by hills, making it extremely vulnerable to flash flooding. During heavy rainfall, water rushes down the surrounding hills and through the community with powerful currents, creating dangerous and destructive conditions for the families who live there.
In 2022, this community experienced a devastating flood where water rose to more than 4.5 feet deep in some areas. The water was not simply standing still—it was flowing rapidly through the neighborhood with strong currents, causing destruction and creating life-threatening situations for those living there.
Because of this environment, teaching children to swim is about much more than teaching a sport. This ministry is about teaching potentially life-saving skills. Through swim lessons and water-safety training, Seth will be leading efforts to help children become comfortable in the water, learn how to swim, understand how to respond in dangerous situations, and develop survival skills that could one day protect themselves or others during an emergency.
Many of the children in this community have limited opportunities and access to resources that others may take for granted. This ministry is an opportunity to invest in their lives by providing practical skills, confidence, mentorship, and a safe environment where they can learn and grow.
However, the mission goes beyond swimming. Seth’s heart is to use this ministry as a bridge to build lasting relationships with children and families while showing them the love of Jesus. The goal is not only to prepare children for dangerous situations but also to remind them that they are valued, known, and deeply loved by God.
Alongside leading the swim ministry through NOWCostaRica, Seth will serve with Horizon International Church by helping with their children’s and youth programs for ages 4–17 and participating in other ministries and outreach opportunities throughout the community. He will also serve alongside La Finca de Esperanza, helping with the Farm and the ministry taking place there.
Through NOWCostaRica, the church, the Farm, and other local ministries, Seth hopes to serve wherever God opens the door—whether that means teaching a child to swim, helping at the Farm, investing in youth, supporting community outreach, or simply building meaningful relationships with the people of Jaco.
Seth’s desire is not simply to spend a short season in Costa Rica, but to faithfully invest in people and help build something that can continue making an impact. He has committed to serving for a minimum of nine months in Costa Rica while remaining open to whatever God may call him to do beyond that time. Whether God leads him to continue serving in Costa Rica longer or to follow a different path, Seth’s desire is to remain faithful and obedient to where he is being led.
By leading and organizing the swim ministry through NOWCostaRica, serving alongside local leaders, and building relationships within the community, Seth hopes to create a ministry that provides both practical help and lasting spiritual impact.
Ultimately, this mission is about Jesus. The goal is to meet real physical needs while pointing people toward the One who offers eternal hope. Through swimming, service, relationships, and discipleship, Seth is praying that God will use this season to bring hope to children and families in Jaco and create an impact that extends far beyond his time there.