Gracia Missions

Programs: The hope project three to four day christian camps with high-risk communities, with local partner organizations in costa rica, central america. The hope project is a social and christian initiative, dedicated to providing hope to kids and teenagers living in extreme poverty and high-risk social conditions in costa rica. The camps are carried out as a joint initiative between gracia missions and camp roblealto, costa rica, a local christian camp. Each year, through grants and donation, we provide camp to between 200 - 300 at-risk children, teenagers and single mothers. Many hope project camp sponsors are from north america, and will partner with and sponsor a single camp, then bring a service/mission team to assist in the execution of the program.

international missions teams as our purpose states, gracia missions seeks to promote the growth of christian camping in latin america, partly through facilitating christian camping partnerships in north and latin america. We facilitate strategic partnerships between ministries in north and latina america, which involves sending mission teams and service groups from north america, to camps and camping ministries in latin america. On average, we send and facilitate 3 - 5 north america groups of this type to latin america per year. On average, these groups include 80 - 100 young people and ministry leaders per year. As part of this program service, gracia mission's director is required to travel in both latin and north america 3 - 5 times per year, to facilitate contacts and ministry partnerships. Expenses include travel expenses for gracia mission's employees and expenses related to mission teams and ministry group trips to latin america.

international exchange programs as part of the mission to train and form leadership in christian camping, gracia missions facilitates two specific international exchange and training programs. This program has run since 2010 and has had the participation of more than 25 christian camping leaders from latin and north america. The first program involves identifying leadership in latin american countries, from a variety of areas: camp program leaders, administrative leaders, camp directors and camp facilities leaders. Once identified, these leaders are sent as part of the u. S. Governments j1 visa program to work and receive training for 2 - 4 months in the united states at one of our partner camps/ministries. We have also coordinated international exchange and training with a partner in canada. The second part of the program involves coordinating international exchange/training for north american camp workers, to train latin leaders and experience camp in a latin country.