Alturas Ministries Inc

ALTURAS IS A CHRISTIAN MISSION IN SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA AND IS HEAVILY SUPPORTED BY GERMANTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, ITS MEMBERS, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. IT WAS STARTED BY AMY SPEAKE, A MEMBER OF GUMC, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO ON A PART TIME BASIS. IN 2019,SHE MOVED TO FULL TIME WORK ON IT AND ALTURAS WAS SET UP AS A 501 C (3) TO ASSIST IN FUNDING AND SUPPORTING THE MINISTRY. IT HAS A BOARD CONSISTING PRIMARILY OF INDIVIDUAL CHURCH MEMBERS WHO SUPPORT IT NOT ONLY FINANCIALLY, BUT WITH PLANNING AND PUBLICIZING IT IN THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY. THE BIG THRUST IS THAT IT PROVIDES CLASSROOM LEARNING ONE DAY PER WEEK FOR 70 STUDENTS IN THE SLUMS OF SAN JOSE. PART OF THEM MEET ON SATURDAY, WEDNESDAY AND PART ON THURSDAY. THIS IS TO SUPPLEMENT THE CLASSROOM LEARNING THEY RECEIVE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 3 DAYS A WEEK. THEY ARE ALSO FED TWO MEALS WHEN IN THE PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY AMY SPENDS THE REST OF HER TIME MINISTERING TO OVER 400 WOMEN LIVING IN THE SLUMS WITH BIBLE STUDIES, COUNSELING, AND WORSHIP. IN DECEMBER 2023, TWO STUDENTS GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL BRINGING THE TOTAL TO SEVEN. THREE HAVE QUALIFIED TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY.IN 2020 AND 2021 THE PROGRAM ADDED A FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AND TEACHERS SERVED BY THE PROGRAM DUE TO EXTREME POVERTY IN THE SLUMS WHERE IT IS LOCATED. THIS WAS NECESSARY SO THAT THOSE SERVED COULD SURVIVE THE PANDEMIC AND ITS ISOLATION AND LACK OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. IT ALSO STARTED A TRAINING PROGRAM TO TEACH SEWING JOB SKILLS TO SOME OF THE MOTHERS OF THE CHILDREN. IN 2021 IT ALSO ADDED A DAY OF INSTRUCTION AND LEARNING BASIC COOKING SKILLS TO MORE MOTHERS WHICH WHEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED CAN RESULT IN A STATE CERTIFICATE TO WORK IN FOOD SERVICE BUSINESSES. IN 2023, APPROXIMATELY 40 WOMEN WERE ENROLLED IN THESE CLASSES AT NO COST TO THEM.