Ministry: Las Gradas

Hello Everyone:)

Thank you so much for your prayers. It is always so encouraging to know that there are people who are praying for me and the ministries here in Costa Rica.

This week I will be sharing about one ministry in particular. As I said in the last post, I'm blessed to be able to serve in several ministries, one of them is called Las Gradas. The word Gradas means steps in Spanish. This is because the whole area is filled with steps so, in order to get from one place to the other, you have to climb these steps.

In the picture below you can see the map of La Carpio. It's the biggest slum in Costa Rica and it is located between 2 polluted rivers.
The line in the middle is the main street where the buses stop. La Carpio is divided into 9 sectors and Las Gradas is located in the Sector Roble Norte. From the main street, you have to go down the steps in order to get to Las Gradas. The building where the ministries are held is located by the river where people throw their trash and where the kids play, bathe as well. Many people have to cross this river in order to get to the Coffee Plantation where they collect coffee beans to sell.

The Map of La Carpio

People who live close to the main street are the people who have a better financial status than the others. As you get farther from the main street, the worse is the condition of living. Many houses in Las Gradas are cramped and small, close to one another. It is said that there are about 5-10 people living under one roof. There's a high percentage of kids who don't go to school and/or experience some sort of neglect due to their parents not being present most of the times. One of the missionaries who has worked in La Carpio for almost 20 years has said that most, if not all of the kids, have been abused in some way before they even hit the age of 12.

So thankful that God has a greater vision for the people of Las Gradas. The ministry has been flourishing, by God's grace and provision.

This ministry is held four times a week and each day is designated for a different age group. I join them 2-3 times a week depending on my schedule but every time I go I'm so encouraged by how the missionaries and volunteers have a heart the people of La Carpio. This is the list of some of the kids that are part of this ministry. More than 100 kids and youths in total!



One of the common problem in La Carpio is education. Due to the school system here, the students go to school for about 3 hours and that includes breaks and lunch break so in reality, they have about 2 hours or less of actual class time.  This leaves many students in disadvantage. Many of them don't know how to write or read even though they're attending school.

One of the focus of this ministry is the reinforcement class for these kids. We are also so blessed to have a special ed teacher that can help those kids who need extra care. The classes in the school have about 30 students each and many of them don't get the attention and care they need. So having a Special Ed teacher is really a blessing for these kids who end up falling behind in class.
There's a bible story and/or bible study that follows after the reinforcement class. This helps them grow in Christ and remain strong in Him no matter the circumstances they face. After all the activities, food is served to help them stay nourished and healthy.


For further reading:
https://cfci.org/donate/detail/?search=lasgradasproject

PRAYER REQUESTS-

Pray for the kids who are part of this ministry. Some of the kids have told me their current situation and it not easy...so many hardships at such an early age can really affect them. Pray that they will grow stronger in Christ, knowing that there's hope in Him.
I just love being around these kids but sometimes it's so hard to hear their situation and not being able to do anything about it, pray that the Lord will give me and the other leaders, the right word to speak, and comfort them, and lead them to Christ.


 
This week is a holiday here since it's the holy week. So thankful to have this time to focus on God and rest a little bit too!