The Abraham Project - Costa Rica

The Abraham Project, spearheaded by a local church (Lighthouse Community Christian / Asociación Comunidad Cristiana el Faro, is an on-going project located in Villas de Ayarco, just outside the city limits of San José, the capital of Costa Rica. The project is strategically situated in close proximity to the marginal neighborhoods (Calle Mesén, San Diego, La Jenny, Calle Chocolate, Linda Vista, Sa

ntiago del Monte, and Tirases in which many children at risk can be found. The Abraham Project, once fully completed and operational, will consist of the following five main areas:

1) Multipurpose Building - It will be used as the church's main sanctuary and also as a gymnasium to reach out to the youth of surrounding communities. It will give us the opportunity to conduct evangelistic outreaches in conjunction with sport activities for the youth and provide a safe recreational area complete with sports equipment provided.

2) Daycare - Consists of a cafeteria and classrooms that are used throughout the week as a daycare from 6:15 am – 5:45 pm. After hours the facilities serve for extra-curricular activities and life-skills workshops. The priority of the daycare center is to offer parents a safe alternative for their children. The idea is to collaborate with parents, who for question of work or other urgent social situations need a place that can attend to their children. The children will participate in structured educational lessons (such as English, cultural themes, etc.), games, activities, and crafts. All daily activities will meet the high standards to maintain an exceptional educational program. The daycare center also supplies meals for the children who do not have food to eat in their homes and attends to the spiritual and psychological needs of each child.

3) Children’s Home - there will be a total of 3 children’s homes that will be used to permanently house “children at risk”. These are children who have been or are in the process of being declared abandoned by the government. Each home will have a set of house parents that will oversee the daily operations.

4) Consultation Offices - It is our desire to a have a series of offices where professionals (i.e. doctors, therapists, engineers, lawyers) can donate their services to people in the surrounding communities. Because many families in this area are considered below the poverty line, they would not be able to afford these services otherwise.

5) Life-skills Workshops - We provide training to help individuals in the community learn specific skills to find a job or start a small business. Some of the classes that are offered include: English, computer, artisan crafts, manicure/pedicure, driving, and sewing, among others.