Developing Costa Rican Squatter's Settlements

This January of 2022, we were so happy to return to the communities we work in and visit the families of the children and youth in our programs. We decided for the first walkthrough of the year to visit our friend Josué because he had a leg injury, and when we were on the way to his home it was an adventure! The community is divided into two zones, one at the top and the second where you have to go down several stairways to reach. As we walked, we met some children who used to go to tutoring in El Triangulo de Solidaridad, where we worked from 2006-2019, and some who attend currently here in Los Cuadros. Two children helped us find families where there were more children or youth in the community who may be interested to join us. We visited some more friends who are important to us and invited them to resume the activities once again this year. We were talking with all the families and how they have felt during this time, taking the opportunity to pray for each one of them and when arriving to our original destination, we prayed for Josué's little sister and mom, giving thanks because she is the first girl in the family adn they wanted a daughter. Then we went futher down to look for another young woman's mother and visit her, but she no longer lived there. While in that area, we continued to walk anyway and found some open doors and Don Josué introduced himself. At one home, when he mentioned the name of the foundation, the woman who answered jumped and said: I've been looking for you all for several weeks! We started talking to her and she told us that her son has to repeat the year and that he has been coming to our home for weeks to see if we were there (we were on vacation), so we offered him help in the tutoring program and we prayed together for the children and young people of that house, that we may be a blessing to their family and giving thanks to God that we visited them and God connected us to help them. During community walkthroughs, we are never sure who or how we will be used or connected, but we always go in with an open heart, willing to serve and love our city. 

One member of the Foundation is 18 year old Tatiana, a long time friend and now member of the university scholarship group. Tatiana was just 9 years old when El Niño y La Bola began work in her community, El Triangulo Solidario, and through the years she has been a part of tutoring, girls group and many community activities. Here is what Tatiana had to say. "For me, the foundation is a group of people who help those with limited resources, they bring joy and happiness to children living in conflicted zones, and are a support for many young people in the area of academics. For me, the work is great, significantly helping children and youth who do not have the money to support their studies. My biggest dream is to study, to get a college degree and through that get a job that brings good economic benefits to help my family . I would like to someday be an accomplished a person and to help other young people who have difficulties to study and succeed."