Take a moment to think about the excitement that ran through your body as it got closer to that final ring of the school bell telling you that you were finally free to enjoy summer time.

When children in Costa Rica think of July they think of one thing, vacaciones de 15 días (15 days of vacation).

The school system in Costa Rica looks a little different than it does in the United States. The Costa Rican school year starts in February and ends in December. July marks the mid-way point, so the schools have a two-week, mid-year vacation.

Due to Covid, the past few years have not allowed us to do special vacation activities at our ministry sites, However, this year, we are excited to dive into vacaciones de 15 días.

Many people with whom we work with are in the midst of challenging circumstances and situations that feel impossible. By giving them the opportunity to do something out of the ordinary, it gives them a breath of fresh air. Some of the activities planned for this year include visiting a museum, picnicking in a park, exploring the mountains and national parks, roller skating, launching water rockets, soccer games, and much more. The change of schedule allows us to provide new experiences and expand horizons of many of the people who regularly attend the programs in the ministry sites.

The exciting thing is that getting out of the normal routine also provides opportunities to build deeper relationships and share Jesus in new ways.

Would you join us in praying for safety in all these activities and that Jesus would use them to transform lives.