For some, turning 18 means entering a harsh, new reality. On the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, vulnerable kids and young adults are often targeted to become involved in drugs and other negative influences.

The Seventh-day Adventist church here is connected with the needs of its community and strives to offer solutions. Each week, volunteers visit a local orphanage to hold programs for the kids. More than 100 children live here.

“Today there are babies one year old, two years old, and up to 18 years old.”

“Here we visit house to house, study, pray and work with the children. There is a team from the Central Church of Limón that we are the ones that work with the children.”

Dozens of children and caregivers attend the programs and worship services. Marjolet is one of the caregivers. She is assigned to care for a house of girls and prepare them for the future when they are on their own.

“In this house everyone does their jobs, such as maintaining their rooms, their closets. And they know how to clean. hey cook. Whatever they don't know, I teach it.”

Marjolet knows that life after the orphanage can be even more difficult. She’s grateful for the Adventists who visit regularly. Many children have accepted Jesus through these programs. Even Marjolet became a Seventh-day Adventist because of these visits!

“I like it because they are understanding a lot about God. And because there are some, they don't know anything about God. When they came here, they didn't go to church. Now that the church comes here, they go and they like it. Now they study the Bible, pray before they eat, and all that. They didn't before.”

But once they turn 18, the kids have to leave the orphanage and enter a new world.

“So, these kids, many have been there for 10, 11, 12, and more years, and they don't know their parents. They don't know their relatives. And when they have to leave the village at 18, they have nowhere to go.”

“What I want is that when they leave here, they leave with their heads held high, ready to fight outside.”

This quarter, a portion of your 13th Sabbath Offering will help build a center where these young adults can go when they turn 18. This center will provide a safe place for them to stay while they learn skills to find jobs. This will encourage them to become contributing members of society rather than turn to drugs and other alternatives.

“We can take them to a place that we [00:13:21.420] as Seventh-day Adventists can have and attend to their needs. And that these children and young people do not [00:13:31.950] have to wander the streets, because currently in Limón there is a lot of drug [00:13:43.080] situation, a lot of crime and we don't want to lose all the effort [00:13:53.600] and the sacrifice we have made over the years working with these children and young people so that when they reach [00:14:04.390] they have to return to the street.”

Please pray for the children and young people in Limón, Costa Rica. Thank you for contributing to this offering that will make a difference in so many lives.