Its high time to give you the scoop on our lives!
When we arrived in Costa Rica, San Jose we had to encounter some difficulties. Yes, we were in Honduras for 2 weeks but still we had to process moving from culture to culture.
We live in a small apartment with a lady from the Center we work for. It is very tiny but at least we have a roof above our heads.
The Center, “Fundacion Rahab” provides jobs for ex-prostitutes and ladies at risk. They have a big sewing room where the ladies can take a course to learn how to sew. We were at a graduation of a sewing course and the Swiss embassy donated 4 sewing machines so the ladies can start their own business.
Another way of providing jobs is with a catering business. This is where we help. Hj is giving a French cooking course for 1 month to raise funds for the Center. We just got done giving 2 courses for the youth. Now we are planning and figuring out the menu.
At the beginning there was a Costa Rican chef who helped the ladies to organize more in the kitchen. The plan is to uplift the catering business on a higher level so more company’s will come. At the sewing graduation we baked cookies and pastries to sell, also to raise funds. The Costa Rican chef was working as a volunteer as well and is 24 years old. We had great fun with him since he spoke very good english. The other day he told us that a hotel at the beach offered him a job and he took the offer. So now the people here would like us to stay longer so Hj can take over his job. We are still praying if this is the right thing or not.
The center is supported by the government and they have about 20 paid employees.
But the ladies who work in the kitchen mostly volunteer. On Thursdays and Fridays they have a company over for breakfast and lunch. Then the ladies get paid a little, but if the company doesn’t show up then they don’t get any money. They get a free meal at the Center and their bus tickets are compensated. We are praying for more work so we can expand the business. We are also praying for a van so they can go out and cater to others.
It is hard to explain what all they are doing, there is so much going on in just one day. Please join us as we pray.
