We’re a small group with a big vision. All of us left our day jobs to go on a journey to find something more and what we found changed us forever. We experienced God in ways we didn’t know were possible and found our purpose for living: helping others to experience God in this same way. Through our journeys we were changed by God’s grace and impacted by His community. These truths are what made us leave our five year plans in good old ‘Merica and come to Costa Rica. And that’s where our big vision comes in- we want Costa Rica to experience the richness of God’s grace. To experience freedom because of what Jesus has done for us. To experience the church in its true form- a community of passionate people calling one another to greatness. 

And that is where the idea of a coffee house was born. A place that fosters community. A place where the church can act. A place to find freedom and restoration. A refuge for those seeking protection. We have big plans. To reach this college town for Christ, to minister to the missionaries and Christians already here in hopes that their energy will make their ministries more effective, to set up short term mission teams with amazing ministries while teaching them how to leave a positive eternal impact, to eventually pull prostitutes and drug addicts off the streets and provide them with jobs that give them dignity, and to buy local coffee to support free trade farmers in this area… just to name a few. We want to be a place that exudes grace. That’s why we chose the name Karis- it means grace and symbolizes what we want to bring to Heredia, Costa Rica. We aren’t perfect, we are small, and we don’t have sufficient funds yet. But what we do have is a big vision and an even bigger God that can fulfill it. We figure it was His idea- He’s going to bring it to fruition. We invite you to be a part of bringing God’s kingdom to earth- to bring Karis to Costa Rica.

We need $60,000.

That money will be used for our start up costs and first 6 months of ministry until the coffee shop can get running and hopefully self-sufficient.  Wondering what that money will specifically go to? Good thing Sarah is into details and made a specific budget for all things we will need from refrigerators to chairs, from rent to corporation costs. If you would like to see the detailed list, you can visit our website and see the list here.  If you would like to buy a specific appliance or if you’ve always dreamed of buying a cake plate for a ministry in Costa Rica- this is the list for you. 

What’s in it for you? Besides the personal satisfaction of doing something good and building the kingdom, we know deep down everyone loves getting something for their money. For this reason, we have created some perks that you’ll see in the list off to the right. We have t-shirts, Costa Rican coffee, hammocks, box drums, a paid trip down to Costa Rica, and even the privilege of naming JD and Jasmin’s firstborn (due in October!).  Come on, those rewards are awesome.

If we don’t make all of the funds, don’t worry, what we receive will still go towards the Karis Café. We trust in a God that loves answering “impossible” prayers so we’re excited to get our dance on when that money comes in.

We’ve already told you a bit about what impact each of you will have through your participation in this coffee shop, but let’s be honest, we have no idea how far our impact will reach. God has shown himself to be faithful and to be a God that loves blowing our expectations out of the water. To answer big when our thoughts are so small. Therefore, we are excited about the possibility that this is going to be so much bigger than any of us could even imagine. Each of us has different and creative passions for furthering God’s kingdom. Whether it be a desire to have healing ministries, discipleship programs, short term team training programs, teach English in the slums, community outreach, worship nights, etc.- we know it’s going to bring great glory to God and light to a dark place.

What are some other ways you can get involved? If you can’t give financially or want to get even more involved, here are some more options:

• Spread the word, tell your friends, help us conquer the social media world.
• Come. If you want to help us build this thing from the ground up, let us know!  Or, once the coffee shop is up and running, you can apply for an internship for 6 months to 2 years at a time.  Finally, a little bit further down the road, we’ll be opening up short term mission team opportunities for churches or youth groups interested in coming down and getting their hands dirty for Jesus.
• Most importantly, we need prayer. This is God’s work, so come alongside us and pray this big prayer with us. Prayer does powerful things.

If you have any other questions or comments, check out our website at www.kariscafecr.com, our facebook page, or email us at info@kariscafecr.com.

Thank you all for your support!

The Karis team- Sarah, Tricia, Nikki, JD, Jasmin, and Janee