General Information and History

Years of working in the Dominican Republic taught us many things, but perhaps one of the most important lessons learned was the necessity of having native missionaries who minister to their own people. The Dominican Republic has now started a shift to a more native focus among our missionaries and staff, so when we decided to launch a new site in Costa Rica, we knew that was exactly where we wanted to start. 

Manna Costa Rica launched in 2019 with an intentional effort to have native Costa Ricans lead the ministry. While so much of the ministry in the Dominican Republic is focused around programs, the work in Costa Rica looks much different. Due to cultural differences and the desire to meet people where they are at, the Costa Rica site focuses primarily on creating and building community through small church gatherings that meet in people’s homes. This looks different from day to day, but one thing is for certain - it requires great amounts of time, intentionality, and relationship building. 

Ronald and Rosi Mena are our two Costa Rican missionaries. They initially worked with us at our Dominican Republic site in 2010. There they were able to connect with several of the parents of children involved with our Christian Center in Río San Juan, and they eventually started a small church gathering for adults to attend each week. Their ability to connect with and love people while also proclaiming Christ’s Kingdom is a true gift, and they are an incredible asset to our team. They are leading the charge to make disciples of Christ in their home country of Costa Rica by spending hours each week in people’s homes, gathered around their tables, and sharing Christ and His love with them.