About us

Fortunately, their teenage daughter Isabella had been homeschooled (her choice) a couple years prior to the call, which made the move easier for their family. When they knew for sure (after several months of prayer, fasting, and other confirmations), they sold everything they had [(house, cars, and their collection of unnecessary junk (bye-bye kitchen junk drawer)] to follow God’s calling for their lives in 2024. The hardest part of the move was not leaving their stuff; instead, it was leaving their young adult son Samuel behind. But they understood that God is the great Abba Father, and He could watch over their son better than they could as earthly parents.

David and Shaavon have a loving church family at Calvery Chapel of Henderson in Nevada, but they also found that they have a church family in several areas of Costa Rica. A family they could reach out to for help and encouragement. Interestingly, the Calvary Chapel churches in Costa Rica had been praying for a church to be built on the southern side of Limon province, somewhere between Cahuita and Puerto Viejo for a year, prior to the churches even knowing anything about the Lee family or their calling. Unknowingly, the “vacation home” that God had given the Lee family in Costa Rica was built precisely where the churches were praying for God to send someone. (Actually, this was one of the confirmations that they received which aided in their decision to leave the US).

From the Lee Family:

Costa Rica has a popular saying “Pura Vida” which means Pure Life. While in Costa Rica, the locals make this statement regularly in greetings, closures, and responses in general. We know that no one can receive “Pure Life” apart from Christ so when someone says “Pura Vida” we try to always respond with “en Cristo” meaning “in Christ.”

• Galatians 2:20:
  "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Striving to obtain Pura Vida, apart from Christ, in Costa Rica has become a feeling of hopelessness for some of the locals. Relying on culture, nationalism, and sometimes religion is just not enough to feel complete. It only comes in Christ.

For these reasons (sharing the culture of Christ above all, sharing the importance of growing in Christ (verse-by-verse), and sharing the truth of the gospel to gain hope) we thank God for the calling He has given us in Limon Costa Rica.

Besides the Lee family’s respect for verse-by-verse study of scripture, they also understood that their cultural backgrounds could be a major part of the reason why they ended up on Central America’s mission field. David comes from a Roma “Gypsy” culture (literally). His family's background is in witchcraft prior to being saved. Within his culture, Gypsies are very much separatist (regardless of their internal differences in skin tone) looking at all others as outsiders.

As for Shaavon, she is of African descent; her parents and several of her family members are from Costa Rica, considering themselves Caribbean Latinos. She grew up visiting Costa Rica often (this detail is why they originally thought they had built a vacation home in Limon). Shaavon was born in the United States as a first generation American from her family line.

Since David and Shaavon’s arrival in Costa Rica, they have been meeting more brothers and sisters in Christ, some from different religious backgrounds with a heart for Christ. Mingling with the people has given them a better understanding of why God has called them to the mission field.

David and Shaavon understand their true culture is the Christian culture. Nothing else (race, ethnicity, nationality...) should supersede their identity in Christ. They also realized how important it is for others to understand this concept as God’s word says, Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

David Lee, “Lord, give us what we need to serve your people”

If you are reading this quote, we ask that you pray for our mission and we thank you in advance for the time you spent talking to God on our behalf. We believe whole heartly in prayer and the relationship God desires to have with his creation. God tells us in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

David Lee was ordained at Calvary Chapel of Henderson, Nevada in 2017 becoming the assistant Pastor for 7 years before he was called to be a Missions Pastor with his wife Shaavon (since 2007).