Missionary Couple Embraces Culture, Extends Love During Frontline Service

For Frank Artavia and his wife, Dayana Acosta, mission isn’t limited by geography, language, or culture—it’s a way of life. After years of service in Asia and a recent return to Costa Rica, the couple reunited with friends and fellow missionaries during the sixty-second General Conference (GC) Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The experience served as a powerful reminder of their calling to share Christ across borders.

Reconnecting Experience at GC Session

“Coming to a GC Session feels like imagining the first day in heaven,” said Frank, who has participated in multiple sessions as a singer. “It’s about reconnecting and sharing again—especially when people thought you’d disappeared after being away for so long.”

For Dayana, it was her first GC Session. “Yesterday I said, ‘So many old young friends!’ They’re still young, just from years ago,” she laughed. “It reminds me that we’re united by the same mission—to share the love of Christ.”

She added, “It’s amazing to reconnect—even after years the affection is the same. I’ve loved visiting the exhibit hall and learning about so many ministries I never knew existed. Each has its own challenges and blessings, but we’re all focused on the same goal: to spread Jesus’ love.”

From Costa Rica to Bangladesh

The Artavias’ mission experience in Bangladesh was life-changing. Married just three days before moving abroad to be frontline missionaries in 2017, they began their journey working at the Adventist dental clinic in Dhaka.

Reflecting on their time in Asia, Dayana recalled the challenges of cultural adjustment. “From the food to the way people dressed—even the language—it was all new to me. I moved there not knowing any English.”

The cultural shift was immediate—and at times overwhelming, added Dayana. “It was frustrating not being able to speak any English when I got there,” she said. “The classes were taught in English and Bangla, so I prayed hard for the gift of tongues,” she added. “Within a year I was fluent in English, without ever taking a class.”

Dayana had previously served as a youth leader and Bible instructor in Costa Rica, but in Bangladesh she was given new responsibilities that stretched her in unexpected ways. “I didn’t understand how church administration worked until I was asked to coordinate multiple projects,” she said. “I cried every day for six months because I couldn’t communicate—but it was worth it. God truly equips the called.”

Dayana had wanted to be a missionary since she was 5 years old—even growing up in the Catholic Church. “I was involved in volunteer efforts, including environmental work. When I joined the Adventist Church and realized how big God’s mission is, I fell in love with it, and God fulfilled the desire of my heart.”

That lifelong passion for service became a shared mission when she and Frank moved to Dhaka, Bangladesh, as international service employees, where their ministry soon took on new dimensions.

Ministry Through Health, Music, and Friendship

As director and chief dentist of the Adventist dental clinic in Dhaka, Frank worked to make the facility financially sustainable after relying on outside support for more than 20 years, and Dayana helped as office manager. Yet their mission extended far beyond the clinical care.

“We wanted to offer more than quality dentistry—we wanted to offer friendship,” said Frank. Many of their patients were local leaders, Bollywood actors, and diplomats. “One patient asked me about a song I was singing while I worked,” Frank recalled. “That opened the door to a conversation about faith and helped us share the message in a way that made sense in their cultural context.”

Evangelism is not colonization, Frank emphasized. “Their churches feature many drums and local expressions of worship. We had to respect and adapt to that.” They both ended up being small group leaders and made many friends in the community.

Looking back, Frank and Dayana are convinced that love must be at the heart of all mission work.

“If you’re not a missionary, then you’re part of the mission field,” said Frank. “Some want to serve overseas, but won’t say hello to their neighbor. It’s not about prophecy charts—it’s about living love every day.

Dayana agreed. “Jesus said people will know we’re His disciples by our love—not by our diet or dress. That’s what we need: people who show love with their lives. Be sermons with shoes.”

Now back in Costa Rica, the Artavias continue to serve through health outreach, music ministry, and education. Though they are home for now, their hearts remain open to God’s leading, ready to go wherever the mission calls.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.