Through mission and friendship trips we extend our witness to the good news of Jesus beyond the Medina community and build relationships across cultures. Mission trips can often be times of personal growth and transformation as we work together to serve our sisters and brothers in need.
Adult/Family Trip to Costa Rica
The United Church of Christ, Congregational, in partnership with Ministerio Hogares Misericordia (Mercy Homes Ministry) and local Costa Rican churches, builds houses for those living in dirt floor shacks and who have no hope of better housing. Our congregation’s first trip was in 2009, and we have returned annually.
When our church goes to Costa Rica to build houses for the poorest of the poor, we build very simple houses. The two houses we built this year were the most basic model – about 20 feet by 20 feet, divided into two rooms with a small front porch. The floor is concrete, the interior walls show the studs, and the roof is corrugated metal. It is as simple as possible. Yet the mother in one of the houses we built said with tears in her eyes at the dedication of her house, “I never dreamed I would live in a house like this.” The house didn’t even have running water. The kitchen and bathroom were in a detached shed. Yet, this was her dream house. For most of us, our dream house would look far different. Our mission trips do much to change our understanding of wealth and necessities. They are bold reminders of the poverty in which much of the world lives. Thank you for your support of the trip. Our mission trips change lives not only in Costa Rica, but also here in Medina.
Youth Mission Trips
Each year, the congregation commissions our youth to carry the compassion of Jesus Christ into the world. Combining service, education, and friendship, our Middle School Youth embark on a weekend-long mission trip, while our High School Youth go and serve for a week each summer. Typically, the groups alternate between rural and urban settings.
