Abraham Project – July 29

Dave has a pastor-friend currently in CR (about 20 or so minutes from where we are) with 20 high school students serving at Abraham Project, a ministry/church dedicated to making a difference in their community. AP offers daycare (225 children, the second largest daycare in the country), children’s homes, English language and vocational training, a dental clinic, and a church, among other things (including a soccer club and a brand-new skate board outreach).

We joined them for the day to learn more about their ministry. While we didn’t meet Pastor Jorge, we did meet missionaries Stephen and Georgiana and their son, Stephen Jr – great folks! Their focus is particularly on the children’s homes; currently 14 children who have been removed from their families by the government are receiving love and care from two houseparent-couples. We heard heart-breaking stories of the tragic situations some of the children had faced, thankfully along with stories of redemption. About 50% of the kids who have lived in the children’s homes over the last 10 years have been able to return to their families; the rest are matched with loving adoptive families.

Abraham Project was the vision of Pastor Jorge who wanted to make a difference in this poor and broken community (largely inhabited by Nicaraguans, looked down upon by Costa Ricans, and riddled with drugs, gangs, and prostitution). Stephen and Georgiana moved to CR 16 years ago with their (now) four children, and partnered with Jorge to begin their ministry with children’s homes. We are particularly impressed with the church-ministry partnership and their joint commitment to change the face of their neighborhood. Dave’s friend’s group was sent by AP to do construction on another local church because that will help to build up the community: blessed to be a blessing!

friends find each other all over the world

 

a view from the construction “office” to behind the multi-purpose room and church office/clinic

a view towards the side of the stadium currently under construction – it will seat 1,000 for soccer or church or… They are close to their fundraising goal if you want to donate!

Outside the church office: “Because for God nothing is impossible”

the neighboring community

children in the daycare center. CR public schools are only 1/2 day, so the daycare provides a tremendous service to the community – safe kids for working parents

Our kids with one of the beautiful murals painted by a local artist