March 2010 Mission Trip to Costa Rica
Visiting Orphans is leading a mission trip to work with two orphanages in Limon, Costa Rica from March 3rd to March 10th, 2010.
Visiting Orphans, is working in partnership with PANI, the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia. PANI is an organization in Costa Rica which protects the rights of children and adolescents. This includes the rights to health care, education, justice, work, culture and recreation, and the right to a safe and healthy family life. We will visit two orphanages each day in the port town of Limon on the Caribbean Coast. Port towns have many issues and one of the greatest problems in Limon is family life due to the instability of the area.
Costa Rica is one of the most bio-diverse countries on the planet. Its natural beauty is stunning and its beaches breathtaking. However, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica in the port town of Limon there is something that is breathtaking in a different way. There are kids sleeping in the streets, there are problems with drugs and prostitution, the Afro-Caribbean population there that originally came from the Caribbean islands has been forgotten by the central Costa Rican government. Social programs are seldom seen and the ones that do exist have a difficult time getting resources.
Fortunately, there are two orphanages in the port town of Limon that fight hard to take care of the town’s youth. Run by an energetic woman by the name of Gabriella, these two orphanages offer hope to children from broken families. Not only hope but education, justice, recreation, access to health care, culture and recreation. Limon is one of the locations in Costa Rica with the most needs. This town is still very much 3rd world and these orphanages rarely receive mission teams, if ever.
Your support and action are necessary to the advancement of these young children and teens. At the moment there are 48 orphans in two orphanages in Limon that will be readily anticipating the arrival of Visiting Orphans in March.
We will be staying in a town called Cahuita. It is a coastal town on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica that borders a National Park. It has a laid back atmosphere and it utterly stunning in its coastal beauty. Turquoise tropical waters caress white and black sand beaches right outside the hotel that will soothe your heart allowing time for reflection every morning and afternoon.
Most of our time will be spent in the port city of Limon where we will participate in activities with the local Orphanages. This is a time to put the love of Christ into action by ministering to orphans. We will be doing all kinds of projects that may include anything from painting murals to gardening to playing sports with the kids, arts & crafts, holding them, playing games, teaching them about Jesus, and music.
The orphanages need school supplies off all kinds, from pen and pencils to books. They also need diapers and towels, educational toys and infant, kids and teen clothing. This team will work to collect and deliver these needs to the orphanages. The ages of the children range from infants to 16 years of age.
This team will also connect and work with a ministry to the local indigenous Bri-Bri people of Costa Rica and a ministry to local surfers in the area.
There will also be some time for some sightseeing activities as well – including a guided tour of the National Park in Cahuita one morning and on our final day in Costa Rica – we will go white water rafting on one of the top 5 rivers on the planet for rafting. This river cuts through virgin rainforest so the scenery is stunning. For those of you who choose not to raft, you can choose to visit a museum or a local pineapple plantation.
The cost is only $1800 per person.
We would love for you to join us on this life changing mission trip. To learn more or apply for this trip please click here.