If you're the type who enjoys hard work and receiving abundant blessings in return, then come alongside us and consider investing some sweat equity in our ministry by volunteering your time, talents and energy.

• We host a limited number of volunteer groups.  Please contact us via email to reserve your group.
• We really need grant writers to generate funding for necessary maintenance and expansion of our physical plant, transportation and other infrastructure needs. 
• One of the most meaningful gifts you or your organization can give is to sponsor a child.
• Sharing the message of our Ministry with your network of friends creates more prayers and opportunities for God to touch our ministry.

Here are some of the essentials for all missionaries serving at Hogar de Vida (Home of Life):

Call of God:
God has called each of us to be involved in His Great Kingdom, and some He has called to be a part of the blessing of Hogar de Vida.  A personal call of God to and for the ministry of Hogar de Vida is essential.  You need to know that you know God has called you - be it for one week, one month, one year or one lifetime.  Being obedient to God's call has its overwhelming blessing, but also its costs and struggles.  Satan hates obedient children of God and does whatever he can to steal, kill and destroy.  God's call is your guarantee that you are in the right place, at the right time, for the right purpose, regardless of your situation or surrounding circumstances.

Servant's Heart:
Serving is the reason Jesus came to earth, even to the point of death on the cross.  We honor God when we follow Jesus' example and serve those around us.  A servant's heart operates when it is inconvenient, and when everything we had planned is interrupted.  A servant's heart doesn't mean doing everything always for everyone, but it does mean being available to be used by God when He reveals the need.

Flexible Attitude:
Being flexible will take on a whole new definition.  The missionary's beatitude is, "Blessed are the flexible for they shall not break."  The culture in Costa Rica is different than the culture of your home country.  The differences include language, social system and lifestyle.  Because of this, many things may not make sense to you or happen as you expected.  However, there are many positive aspects of the Costa Rican culture, which is true of every culture.  Looking at the differences as right or wrong will only increase your frustration.  Embracing the culture's differences will enhance your enjoyment of its many positive aspects.

Open Mind:
An open mind enables you to give and receive all that God has planned for you.  Possibly more important than what you give is what God desires to pour into you.  God never misses an opportunity to allow His children to work out their salvation and become more like Him.  The Lord delights in filling a yielded vessel with such opportunities.

Teachable Spirit:
If the culture, the humidity/heat, the bugs, the children, the dust, the language, or being the "foreigner" doesn't cause you to exercise some amount of self-control or a deeper dependence on the Lord, pinch yourself to make sure you're still alive.  God promises us that iron sharpens iron and this is most likely to happen in a setting outside your homeland "comfort zone."  The Lord uses "iron sharpening iron" experiences to mold a teachable spirit and produce Christ-like character qualities in you.

Work Ethic:
Most of the day is spent in strenuous manual labor both in the homes and on the property.  Cooking is mostly from scratch and takes the better part of the morning to prepare the main noon meal.  Laundry is washed daily, hung to dry and folded or impeccably ironed.  In a household of 12 to 15, laundry piles up quickly.  Laundry duty is even more demanding when there are babies.  Cloth diapers are often used and need to be scrubbed by hand before washing them in the machine.  If you don't know what a cloth diaper is, ask your mom or grandmother.  Cleaning of the homes is a daily routine that involves disinfecting the bathrooms, washing and drying dishes, and cleaning the ceramic floors.  The outside work involves mowing the grass with walk-behind lawn mowers, helping with the cows, painting, repairing and building - all done without the convenience of a Home Depot or other hardware warehouse down the street.

Conversational Spanish:
Because the national language of Costa Rica is Spanish, it is the primary language spoken at Hogar de Vida by the staff and children.  Not only is it helpful to speak and understand the Spanish language, it is essential.  All of life happens in Spanish.  The more effectively you communicate in Spanish, the less frustrated you and others will be.

Love for Children:
Our kids live with us because their biological parents were unable to provide a healthy, safe and nurturing home environment.  Their previous life experiences, coupled with their age and unique personalities, add a dimension to child rearing that necessitates a God-given love for children.  Working in a children's home 24/7 requires the compassionate demonstration of that love. 

Availability to be Blessed:
At times you may be tired, sore, frustrated, stretched or pushed beyond your preconceived limits.  But those who make themselves available to be blessed will be blessed, indeed -- to the fullest and overflowing, a hundredfold.

Position

Mid-Term Missionary Volunteer / Live-in "Tia"

Time duration

One month to twelve months

Qualifications 

A Mid-Term Missionary Tia (MTMT) is a Christian woman (18 years old and over) who embraces the Bible-based, Christian truths and principles on which Homes of Life Children's Home was founded, and seeks to put these principles into practice in daily life and in dealing with the children God has entrusted to the Home.

A MTMT senses God's call to serve the ministry of Hogar de Vida, which call has been confirmed and affirmed by both the leadership of her state-side church and the leadership of Hogar de Vida.

A MTMT possesses the ability to speak and understand Spanish at a level of proficiency needed to work under and alongside Spanish-speaking nationals.

A MTMT is a caring individual who possesses the ability to express love and affection in a nurturing and consistent manner.  

A MTMT is a self-starter individual, who shows initiative and the ability to work under direct supervision of national staff or with little or no supervision.

A MTMT can evaluate needs and purpose to find appropriate solutions within the framework, ideals and philosophy of Homes of Life.

A MTMT is a submissive team player whose main goal and concern is the successful fulfillment of Homes of Life ministry objectives.

A MTMT has a flexible attitude, a teachable spirit and an open heart.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of a MTMT may vary according to the job assignment for a given day.  They are divided into three general areas: 

Child Care: bathing babies and young children; supervising baths of older children; dressing babies and young children; changing and cleaning cloth diapers; feeding and giving bottles to babies; changing crib sheets; cutting finger/toe nails; cleaning ears; cleaning bathrooms; supervising safe and creative playtime for babies and children; supervising chores and job assignments for children.  

Cooking: preparing/cooking breakfast, lunch and supper; preparing morning and afternoon snack; washing, drying and storing dishes; making juices and drinks; cleaning refrigerator and stove/oven; organizing the pantry, kitchen cupboards and drawers; washing windows; sweeping cobwebs; watering the plants.

Cleaning/Laundry: sweeping/mopping the ceramic floors; cleaning the tables and chairs; dusting the furniture; washing and hanging the laundry; putting away the laundry; ironing and/or folding the laundry; cleaning the bedrooms; changing the bed sheets; polishing shoes.

The MTMT works the same hours as the Costa Rican live-in staff, approximately 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM or when the children are in bed and the house work completed.  The children and staff have a rest/down time each day from 12:00 noon until 2:00 PM.  The MTM Volunteer works five days per week with two days off.

Living Arrangements

A MTMT lives on campus in one of the children's homes.  A MTMT generally shares a bedroom with another Costa Rican staff member and uses the communal bathroom in the home. 

Cost

The cost for each MTMT is $350.00 per month for room and board.  Any additional personal expenses are the responsibility of the MTMT.  The MTMT pays an exit tax of $26.00 at the Costa Rican airport the day of departure.

Cost Includes:

·         Transportation to and from the international airport nearest the Homes of Life location (Costa Rica only);

·         Housing in one of the Homes of Life Children's Homes;

·         Meals and snacks (eaten with or after the children);

·         Use of laundry facilities;

·         Limited use of email and telephone as determined by on-site supervisor  (long distance calls are the responsibility of the MTM Volunteer)