Hope For Families

WE EXIST TO SHARE THE HOPE OF JESUS CHRIST WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN POVERTY THROUGH FREE CAMP AND MENTORSHIP.

CAMP HOPE COSTA RICA IS A ONE-WEEK, OVERNIGHT CAMP PROGRAM FOR UNDERSERVED CHILDREN FROM SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA. 80 CAMPERS, AGES 8-14, PRIMARILY COME FROM THE SLUM COMMUNITIES AROUND THE CAPITAL AND MANY ARE IMMIGRANTS FROM NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. EVERY CAMPER IS HAND- PICKED TO ATTEND CAMP BY ONE OF THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WE WORK WITH. ALL OF THEM NEEDED TO HEAR THERE IS HOPE BEYOND THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT THEY ARE LOVED AND THAT THEY ARE VALUABLE. CAMP WAS HELD AT CAMP ROBLEALTO, ABOUT AN HOUR FROM SAN JOSE. CAMPERS EXPERIENCED AN AMAZING FACILITY, ACTIVITIES THAT THEY HAD ONLY DREAMED OF, ATE HEALTHY FOOD (AND LOTS OF IT) AND HAD A BLAST. IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL, IN THIS SAFE PLACE, THEY WERE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR TROUBLES, TO BE ENCOURAGED BY OTHERS WHO HAD WALKED THROUGH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES, AND TO HEAL. OUR LOCAL COSTA RICAN PARTNERS CONTINUE THE WORK OF LOVING AND HELPING TO SUPPORT THESE PRECIOUS KIDS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

CAMP HOPE RICHMOND TOOK ON A VASTLY DIFFERENT LOOK IN 2020. FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS, WE OPERATED AN OVERNIGHT SUMMER CAMP, BUT THE PANDEMIC MADE THAT IMPOSSIBLE. AS SPRING ROLLED INTO SUMMER, AND MORE COVID RESTRICTIONS WERE ADDED, WE SADLY ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT CAMP HOPE RICHMOND WOULD NOT TAKE PLACE IN PERSON. SINCE CAMPERS COULD NOT COME TO CAMP, WE WENT TO THEM. WE MET THEM ON FRONT DOORSTEPS, SIDEWALKS, AND BASKETBALL COURTS. COVID HIT THE WORLD HARD AND OUR CAMPER FAMILIES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED. WE FELT STRONGLY THAT WE NEEDED TO CONTINUE TO POUR INTO THOSE RELATIONSHIPS IMMEDIATELY. WE DELIVERED BOXES OF SUPPLIES THAT WE CALLED "CAMP IN-A-BOX." WE REPEATEDLY TOOK FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES (TP, PAPER TOWELS, MASKS, DETERGENTS, CLEANING SUPPLIES, FEMININE PRODUCTS) AS WELL AS FUN CAMP CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES TO CHEER UP LITTLE HEARTS. IN RICHMOND WE GATHERED A LITTLE ARMY OF OUR 2019 CAMP HOPE RICHMOND CABIN LEADERS AND LOADED OUR CARS TO THE BRIM WITH CAMP BOXES FOR THE CAMPERS CONTAINING NON-PERISHABLE AND PERISHABLE FOOD, THE BASIC NECESSITIES FOR THEIR FAMILIES. EACH GROUP OF CABIN LEADERS WENT TO SEE EACH CAMPER FROM THEIR CABIN. WE WERE GREETED WITH THE BIGGEST SMILES, SOMETIMES TACKLED WITH HUGS, AND SO MANY THANK YOUS. WE INTENTIONALLY PLANNED AN ENTIRE DAY FOR EACH CABIN SO NOT TO FEEL RUSHED AND TO HAVE QUALITY TIME WITH EACH ONE. IT WAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE THAT GAVE US A FAR BIGGER PERSPECTIVE, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLLOW-UP, AND A LIST OF THINGS TO PRAY THROUGH. AS SUMMER ROLLED INTO FALL, WE OUTFITTED CAMPERS (IN SMALL GROUPS) WITH WINTER COATS, HATS, AND GLOVES FROM BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY, AND A MEAL OUT (5 GUYS & CHICK-FIL-A WERE THE FAVORITES). IT WAS A PRECIOUS TIME TO SIT OUTSIDE OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO TALK ABOUT ALL THAT WAS GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES.

HOPE FOR FAMILIES LATVIA IS A NON-PROFIT MINISTRY IN LATVIA, WHO WORKS WITH IMPOVERISHED CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. HOPE FOR FAMILIES CURRENTY SERVES 300 OF THE POOREST IN LATVIA. THIS IS YEAR ROUND WORK, AND HELPS TAKE CARE OF CRITICAL NEEDS OF FAMILIES. HOPE FOR FAMILIES HELPS WITH JOBS, PARENTING, COUNSELING, AND SUPPORTING STRUGGLING FAMILIES, TRANSPORTATION WHEN NECESSARY, EDUCATION, MEDICATION, AND WHEN NECESSARY, HOUSING, FOOD, AND HEAT.