On our first ministry day in Costa Rica, we had an incredible opportunity to take us way from our comfort zones and into a world that we have never lived. On that Monday afternoon, rain was pouring day and beginning to thicken the mud on the ground. As it poured, we went to a store to buy groceries for several families that were going hungry. Once the grocery bags were filled with the necessity items, we loaded our vehicle and headed to the poorest community in Costa Rica. The neighborhood rests on a hill where landslides and mudslides are not uncommon. Those homes were far from being real houses. They were small and simply wood [or dirt] floors, with poorly boarded walls and a tin roof. As we walked to houses, we had to go up a steep hill first, that was thick with mud and rushing water, yet this was all they knew. Our shoes were muddy within seconds of being off the bus and we were soaked in an instant. But we moved forward with purpose. House after house we went in, invited by the woman of the house, to bring groceries and a prayer. The families consisted of the woman of the house- the men simply do not exist because they abandon their families for drugs, gangs, or jail. The woman care for their kids, numbering up to 7, along with any grandchildren. They refuse to abandon them. As we stood in each home, water leaked through. Tears ran from our eyes, because we saw a hope restored in each family. They received food, allowing them to eat that week. A true blessing. Beyond a blessing, for me, it was a humbling and truly moving few hours. I entered their world. I saw only a glimpse of their everyday struggles. And yet so many of them are faithful to God because he is their rock and their only hope. Without groceries they would starve, but without God, they would go hungry…

Below are pictures from this food distribution.