About Costa Rica

Lifeline has had an adoption program in Costa Rica since 2011. We are currently the only licensed U.S. adoption agency working in Costa Rica. We have a positive relationship with the central adoption authority (PANI), which is in favor of international adoption. Costa Rica is an excellent program for families open to children 7+ years old, sibling groups, or children of all ages with more significant medical needs. Children in Costa Rica are typically of Latino, Indigenous, or Afro-Costa Rican descent.

The Need

In Costa Rica, there are approximately over 4,000,000 people, with 30% of the population being children under 18 years old. (UN; INEC Costa Rica) It is estimated that 1 in 4 children live in poverty and approximately 8% may die before the age of 5. There is a great need for families willing to adopt older children (7-16 years old) and sibling groups of 2+ children. Many children are eligible for international adoption and are waiting for forever families.

How You Can Help

Lifeline advocates and recruits families open to older children, sibling groups, and medical needs. We have seen more than 85 children come home since our program began in 2011, ranging in ages and needs. We work hard to prepare families adopting to ensure families are equipped to meet the needs of the children and to assist in a successful transition into a family. Costa Rica is unique in the sense that its foster care system is managed by a Christian organization, providing ta wonderful opportunity for (un)adopted to walk alongside them. We aim to assist their preexisting efforts by exhorting and equipping the local churches to make disciples of amongst these vulnerable children while also providing them a stable, loving home.

(un)adopted partners with a children’s home in Costa Rica where staff offer Caregiver Education trainings to the home’s staff. (un)adopted is prayerful that the recently formed partnership will grow into more connections with the local church and communities through Costa Rica so that more children can be impacted by the gospel and the hope found within it.

With more than 5,000 children under government protection, we started exploring how (un)adopted could begin ministering in Costa Rica. So far, we have done a couple things as such as: Caregiver Education Training. However, there are more opportunities to serve both the children and their caregivers, so we are continuing to explore the avenues the Lord is calling us to within this country.

Hogar Methodist Church is a church in Costa Rica that has faithfully surrendered to the call to care for orphaned and vulnerable children. (un)adopted partners with them by providing them the necessary materials to conduct Caregiver Education training so that they can administer the curriculum to the people in their communities. (un)adopted also sends teams to this church to help with construction around the property and provides childcare for the children while caregivers receive training.