Santa Barbara, CA

Dear Missions Board or Missions Pastor,

Vida Raiz Farmworks will be starting a new phase of their agricultural project, working with at risk young adults in Costa Rica.  Costa Rica is an exotic tropical destination for many tourists, but poverty is a daily reality among the majority of its residents.  The high school graduation rate is only 40%, and only 5% of residents earn a college degree.  Many young adults lack the opportunity to earn a trade or skill, and turn to drugs and alcohol to deal with their poverty.  We want to help these young adults have a more successful future.  

Vida Raiz {Life Root} Farmworks is a faith-based holistic community development project that works with young adults in the development of work skills, in a farm-like setting to teach sustainable agriculture, and promote character and leadership development through community outreach.  Young adults in Third World Countries can feel purposeless and even lost with no future if poverty is a part of their lives.  Our goal is to help them regain focus for their lives by providing a place to learn a trade and to gain spiritual purpose.  

Over the past four years, our family has developed projects in California, Costa Rica and Ecuador, working side by side with less fortunate communities growing and giving away organic fruits and vegetables.  This tool acts as a bridge to create relationships which then allows us to encourage the development of life skills.  In the Summer of 2018, our family plans to move back to the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica.  This will be a permanent move that will allow long-term benefits.  

Our sending agency, Communitas International (formerly known as Christian Associates International), is a non-profit organization that will help provide oversight and accountability.  The attached pamphlet will give you more information on our sustainable farming project in Costa Rica, and provide options on how you can get involved. Visit our website to view videos and photos from our various projects atwww.VidaRaiz.com.  We cannot make this vision a reality without you’re the body of Christ and its financial partnership!  If you are interested in meeting with us, We would love to hear from you.  Please contact us via our email: vidaraiz@icloud.com  or  give us a call at (805)448-2722.  We look forward to sharing our vision with you.

Shalom,

Marco & Talitha Ulloa

John 3:5-8