Costa Rica- Ruthie Garrett- Casa VidaNet – COS001

I have been serving in a short term mission capacity since the age of 11 always wanting and wondering if there was something more I could do. As I got older, it became more evident that I was being called to missions.  In 2023 I was a student in a discipleship training school. The program helped me see even more how I am not just being called but have been asked, and even commanded, to go out and share the gospel with others. This past summer (2024) I was offered a staff position at VidaNet. I have accepted the challenge and will be starting my role as a community outreach coordinator on September 15th. I have committed for the next ten months with the opportunity to commit for longer. My position like every other position at VidaNet is unpaid, needing me to fund raise for any personal costs. My goal for the next ten months is to raise  $6,000 to help cover any travel and personal costs.

What will I be doing?

As I mentioned I will be serving as a Community Outreach Coordinator in Costa Rica.

What does that mean?

I will be working in the community organizing and leading activities such as: kids club, youth nights, small groups or bible studies, soccer ministries, English classes, serving at churches soup kitchens, and other activities. My job, simply put, will be building relationships with people in the community. I will also be working alongside the Vida220 Coordinator to plan a day of community outreach for the Vida220 students each week. The community outreach day I lead for the Vida220 students will most likely include Kids Club and Evangelism.  I will also be helping plan, organize, and execute unconventional Vida Missions teams that come off season and any work project team we have. Lastly I will also be in charge of leading work projects once a week for the Vida220 students.

VidaNet is a Ministry that serves in many countries in many different capacities. They have locations in both Costa Rica and Honduras. VidaNet is actually several ministries in one. They have a ministry called Vida220, which is a discipleship training school; El Nido, a ministry that serves pregnant women and their families; Da Vida, the ministry that I will most closely be partnering with  works in communities, mostly churches, building relationships and pouring into the communities; Vida Missions,  a ministry that works with youth groups from the states giving them three days of training, five days of outreach or short term missions working with a local church in Costa Rica allowing them to experience a shortened version of Vida220;  lastly, Vida Global this branch of VidaNet works at sending workers locally, regionally, and internationally. I am extremely excited about my opportunity to work and serve in each of these branches of the VidaNet ministry.