No Experience Needed! We welcome everyone, from experienced professionals to those who have never held a paintbrush! Most of our projects involve general construction work, but there will always be knowledgeable people on the work sites to help anyone with less experience. Every project has different tasks, and some are easier than others. We believe everyone will find a way to contribute to the team’s work. While building structures is an important part of what we do, we also care about building strong relationships between our teams and the local churches. You’re not just coming to work; you’re joining the church in being one Body of Christ!

Costa Rica Mission Projects take care of all those arrangements for you. Most meals are prepared on-site by members of the local church where the team is working. We also work with a dependable transportation company that gets the teams from the airport to the site and back, as well as the transportation for the day off.

• Cost Per Person: Total cost per team member is $1,827. Salem supports $827 per person, so your missionary portion is $1,000.
• What’s Included: This covers transportation, medical insurance, building materials, local labor, food, housing, baggage, literacy materials for children, and other essentials. You’ll only need money for personal items.
• Book Your Spot: A $100 refundable deposit secures your spot, refundable until November 15, 2024.
• Donate: Donations are appreciated to support missionaries or Salem’s financial commitment.

Costa Rica is a very stable country, both politically and economically. The result is that it is not as dangerous as some of the hot spots in Central and South America. That being said, discretion should be used whenever traveling in a foreign country, regardless of the political/economic situation. (The same could be said for traveling in the U.S.). I have been working in Costa Rica for the past 18 years without incident, and while Costa Rica Mission Projects obviously cannot make guarantees, we will do everything in our power to make sure that your team has a safe, comfortable, and pleasurable experience.

Costa Rica is a beautiful country that offers many exciting activities. San Isidro, the home base for Costa Rica Mission Projects, is only about 35 kilometers from Dominical, a popular beach for surfing. The coastline is literally dotted with pleasant beaches to the north and south of Dominical. There are also numerous rivers with hiking trails and waterfalls within driving distance from the work sites. The Manuel Antonio National Park is the most visited national park in Costa Rica and is 2 hours north of Dominical. Some of the areas pineapple and coffee plantations offer tours as well. Most of these excursions involve leaving very early in the morning and returning late at night. We are happy to help groups plan their day off.

It is best to check with your personal physician. They can provide the most up-to-date travel health information. Health care in Costa Rica is very good. Conveniently, the largest hospital in the Southern Zone is in San Isidro, so if need be, we can transport a patient to that hospital for care. UMVIM offers very good insurance that we recommend teams consider getting before they come. (Will be included in our trip)

While you may very well meet some Costa Ricans who speak English, the official language is Spanish. Spanish-speaking team members are very helpful but not essential to the effectiveness of a team. Someone who can communicate with the host community will be available to translate when necessary. We encourage team members who do not speak Spanish to embrace the opportunity to learn to communicate through gestures and “sign language” (you’ll be surprised at how well you do!). Costa Ricans are extremely patient people, and you are probably not the first “gringo” who has tried to talk to them.

Since 2014, the Costa Rica Mission Projects’ center in San Isidro del General has served as a home base for our volunteer teams and various local ministries. Volunteers stay in comfortable cabins, share meals in our open-air dining hall, and enjoy devotional time at our fire pit area. Our on-site facilities provide everything needed for construction projects, so volunteers don’t have to bring their own tools.

We also run several impactful programs, including a Child Care Center for children referred by Costa Rica’s Social Services, student housing for young women pursuing higher education, and the “Listen with Love” counseling program, which provides free support to those in need.

Learn more about the Missions and Ministry Center at costaricamissionprojects.com. We look forward to welcoming you!