In faith, Arturo has stepped out to pastor a pioneering youth church in Alajualita, the least developed city in Costa Rica.

Many children living there have six or more siblings, and spend much of their time in often-dangerous work. Arturo soon realised that education was the only way to break the cycle of abuse and neglect facing these children, and to change the direction of their future.

God had clearly imprinted this vision on his heart, but Arturo wasn’t equipped with the technical knowledge needed. In stepped the Red Viva Costa Rica network and, with their support, Arturo has opened a school, which has quadrupled in size, offering programmes from day care to senior year classes.

He says, “I want to invest my life in this programme as long as I breathe… I feel honoured to wake up every morning and to have purpose. I was blessed to have heard what God wanted me to do, and to be able to do it; there’s nothing special about it, just obedience.”