Ministry Backdrop
Costa Rica is one of the most stable countries in Central America, economically and politically. Its volcanoes and lush jungles draw tourists from around the world, and its easygoing beach towns are a popular destination for world-class surfing.
One of the only countries without an active military, Costa Rica lives by the motto, pura vida, which embodies an easy-going approach to life. Mixed in with days of service and ministry will be relaxing days on the beach and exploring the great waterfalls throughout the country!
If you feel that stirring inside your heart to step out and grow in your faith, you’re hungry to experience God moving all over the world, and you want to learn how to share the life-changing love of Jesus with people you meet, then you absolutely do not want to pass up this opportunity to join our Ambassador trip to Costa Rica!
You will be serving in Puerto Viejo. You and your team will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of ministry opportunities! From street evangelism and after-school programs for children to building homes for single mothers and serving food to those in need, you can share the love of Jesus to many different people. You’ll be able to help with other improvement projects which may include painting churches or helping with light construction work. You’ll be able to join locals by immersing in their culture, engaging in meaningful conversations as you build relationships with others every day!
During your time in Puerto Viejo, you will be staying at the ministry base in rooms with bunk beds. This city is a tourist area, so you can walk to a lot of things nearby and find wifi easily outside the base.
Our team here is actively living out the Great Commission on a day-to-day basis and has a heart to encourage and empower others in Costa Rica.
Ministry
You will serve with our ministry partners in Puerto Viejo. Here are some ministry activities you could be doing in Costa Rica:
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Children’s Ministry: Share God’s love with kids and local youth through games, songs, stories, and sports in some of the slums of the capital city and at-risk areas of San Jose.
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Work Projects: Build houses for single moms who need a safe place for their kids while they are at work or learning new skills.
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Evangelism: Meet people and listen as they share their stories. Plus you’ll have the incredible honor to share about Jesus’ love and the awesome gift of hope He offers with the people you’ll meet. This would take place in parks, communities around our base and prisons.
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Food Bank: We want you to get to know first hand how this organization impacts other ministries you will be involved with. Starting to help with the small things will allow you to get a bigger perspective on how you will be impacting lives at other ministries.
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Bible Distribution: You will also be able to engage with locals and help our partners distribute Bibles around the indigenous people groups!
Sample Ministry Schedule
Project Leader and Team
An adult Project Leader will be assigned to your team and will live with your team and engage daily with you throughout ministry and day-to-day life. This leader will have strong missions experience, leadership experience and a demonstrated competence in the area of discipleship of youth and young adults. Your Project Leader will be assigned to your trip and you’ll have several virtual conversations with them and your team during the weeks leading up to your trip.
Each trip will have 15-20 people (a mixture of male and female) and an adult Project Leader. You will also engage daily with your ministry partners, translators and get to know them well.
Training
You’ll have several virtual conversations with your Project Leader and your team during the weeks leading up to your trip. These conversations are meant to help get you prepared for your trip and get to know your teammates.
Additionally, the first couple of days in-country will act as a time for orientation and training in ministry, culture, team building and more.
Lodging
During your time serving in Costa Rica, you’ll stay at one of our partners’ bases, in Puerto Viejo. Each location is safe and secure. Bedding could be on the church floor or in bunk beds, depending on availability. Participants should bring their own sleeping bag or sheets as well as a camping pad/air mattress. Bathrooms and showers are available at each location.
Travel and Local Transportation
You will fly into San Jose, Costa Rica together with your team and your Project Leader. From the airport, you’ll be picked up by a trusted bus driver. We will arrange all of the ground transportation to and from the airport, as well as to and from the ministry sites during the day.
All air travel and ground transportation is included in the cost of the trip. You will just need to get to the departure city (usually Atlanta), where you’ll meet your team and Project Leader before the long flight to Africa! In some cases there may also be an overnight stay at or near the departure city before the long trip begins. These details will be given no later than two months before the departure date.
Food and Meals
The basic Costa Rican cuisine primarily features rice, beans, chicken, fresh fruits, and vegetables. The food you eat will vary, but this will be the base of your meals. You can bring some extra spending money for food in stores or restaurants.
Health & Safety
The safety of our participants is a top priority for us. We have both an internal Risk Management team and external Risk Management consultants. We use a multi-pronged approach to risk management – including monitoring information from reporting agencies and relying on the knowledge of our ministry partners. In addition to our own protocols (e.g., students must be with an adult at all times), our ministry hosts and partners will provide trip specific safety guidelines for the particular trip location. Our Project Leaders are trained in risk management and have access to both on-field and home-office support.
Registration and Financial Deadlines
All financial contributions toward your trip are considered donations and, as such, are non-refundable.
$500 Deposit: This deposit is required to reserve your trip. At this point, you will lock in your trip and we will keep in touch with you going forward about preparation. This deposit is applied to the total cost of your trip.
50% Deadline: Half of your total trip cost will need to be paid 3 months before your trip.
100% Deadline: The remaining balance is due 2 months before your trip.
