Hogar de Vida...

2 weeks ago, we gently nudged our children so that they could begin to dress for our long drive north. The clock said 4:00am...although this seemed early to us, the sun here doesn't seem to agree and it was already beginning to outline the moutains.  We loaded up with cups of cereal in hand and took off.  

We honestly had no idea what to expect.

Our purpose was simply to learn.  

I had spoken with the director of Hogar de Vida on the phone and through email the weeks leading up to our in person visit and I knew that he would be patient with us as we learn and, in his own words, "disciple" us as we become a part of the system in place here in Costa Rica to care and provide for their children.  But I also wanted to represent ROOM well, be a service to Hogar de Vida, and have my children behave perfectly all the while.  

We were late.

Of course.

Thus began our visit.  

Although we left our house in plenty of time to make it by 8:30, once we made it to the city we could not find the building...which is amazing in hindsight because Hogar de Vida is a large span of land, stretching 30,000 sqm, in the relatively (relative to what we are used to in the US) small city.  We asked several people and the directions we were given sent us up, down, and around...but never to Hogar de Vida.  I am not even sure how we finally did find it...I think a man told us "arriba! arriba! arriba!" and we couldn't miss it... We finally arrived a little after 9:00 in the morning.  

In spite of our tardiness, Tim and Hoover greeted us with such kindness and grace.  They quickly welcomed us and invited us to come and sit with them in the rancho.

I immediately began to survey our surroundings and I was truly in awe of what I saw.  Hogar de Vida is like an oasis...it is fitting that we had such a difficult time finding it for that reason!  

Tim shared his heart with us and his passion for serving The Lord.  Over and over he reinterated that all of this work is for the kingdom of God.  Hogar de Vida belongs to The Lord and that truth is evident in the love that is so clearly visible throughout the campus.  

I watched as tias gently guided children from place to place.  

I watched as a little boy fell and immediately turned and ran into the arms of a tia and she lowered herself to soothe him with a hug.

I watched as two young tias sat on a blanket out under the trees and played and cradled two sweet infants.  

The love pouring out is obvious.  And although Hogar de Vida is home to 35 children, it is a place of peace...it lacks the chaos and volume that I am accustomed to in my own home with only 4 children! 

The younger two wanted to play with the kids on the trampoline and they quickly enlisted the help of Harper to ask for them if they could play.  The tia assured them all that they were more than welcome to play and soon all the kids were playing and bouncing on the trampoline.  

During that time, Tim shared even more of his story and the vision for Hogar de Vida.  He desires transperancy, excellence, and a commitment to service...He desires these qualities in himself as well as everyone that comes to work alongside him at Hogar de Vida.  

Hogar de Vida represents all of these qualities.  

Tim's heart for service allows for hosting mission teams where groups can come in and work with the children and in the facility.  He knows that the time where teams can commit to service opens doors to understand the importance of living life as God has called us to live: laying down our lives, loving our neighbors, and loving God.   

In the time that we were there, Tim and Hoover taught us quite a bit about how PANI works and about how his organization works.  

Essentially, the goal of Hogar de Vida is to provide a safe place for children to learn about the love of God.  

On the grounds, there are several individual homes that create a home environment for the children.  The tias are passionate about what they do; it is not simply a paycheck for them.  In fact, the day that we were there we were told a story about a tia that just tearfully told the story of how she resigned from Hogar de Vida as a tia to become the caretaker of a little girl that came in as an infant with special needs.  Her love for the children led her to become a tia and that same love for these children led her to leave and become a foster mother.  It's beautiful, really.

Our hope now is that ROOM can help nurture the love that is already thriving there. Although we know that Hogar de Vida is not likely to be consistent for what we will find here in Costa Rica, we are so thankful that this is our first program because it will serve as a wonderful model for the other programs struggling to find a way to create a family atmosphere for these children. 

We would love to connect churches with this reputable program that is doing so much to impact the kingdom of God through their ministry to the orphans of Costa Rica.  

More information about Hogar de Vida can be found on their website http://www.homesoflife.org/our-program.htm .  

Please contact me if you are interested in connecting with Hogar de Vida for a mission trip, sponsorship of a child, or to sponsor their program.  

Thank you to Hoover for the pictures~

I love this picture above of the kids from one of the houses having dinner.  It speaks volumes to the safe environments that truly inspire to create for these children.  Such precious kids...

Devotion time for kids, tias, staff, and volunteers together...

We are looking forward to building a wonderful relationship with this home!