Charlie Strong
Founder and Director/Strong Missions
Charlie is from Victoria, TX, earning a BSW from SWTSU (now Texas State) and a MDiv from Perkins School of Theology at SMU. He served United Methodist Churches and campus ministries in Central and North Texas and moved to Costa Rica to begin the mission in 2003. He resides in Costa Rica year round with his wife Angela. They have two daughters, Anna and Maddy.
OUR APPROACH TO MISSIONS
As an organization, we are committed to helping those in need and empowering local communities to create sustainable change. Our approach to mission centers around alleviating immediate needs while also working to enable individuals and families to live more healthy and productive lives. We believe that by collaborating with local leadership, we can better understand the unique challenges faced by the community and develop effective solutions that meet their needs.
During work trips, we focus on providing opportunities for teams to grow together and build relationships with the local community. We work on projects that provide crucial infrastructure, such as vegetable gardens, schools, churches, children's and older adult homes and in-home food deliveries to families who are struggling.
We understand that supporting young minds and bodies is essential to creating lasting change. That's why we offer ongoing children's arts and sports programs that provide training and emotional and spiritual support. By encouraging children to finish their education and take control of their future, we can help build a stronger, more resilient community.
At the heart of our mission is a deep sense of connection to the community we serve. We see these individuals as our people and strive to assist them in meaningful ways while maintaining their dignity intact. We are committed to making a positive impact and working towards a brighter future for all. Contact us to know more.
OUR VISION
A world in which a dignified life is within reach for every family.
OUR MISSION
Develop communities in Latin America through sustainable strategies of local investment that break the cycle of poverty, reduce delinquency, minimize social risk, and change global perspectives.
OUR CHRISTIAN MISSIONS
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God is the God of peace, love, and grace, and is ever-working, through us, to make such things a reality for all of Creation.
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God inspires and empowers those open to the revelation and presence of God in the world to make a difference in the lives of others.
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10% of the world’s population holds 85% of the wealth. We, the world’s wealthy, have a responsibility to God, the world, and to ourselves to pass God’s blessings on to those who have less. Christ tells us that doing for the ¨least¨ in our society is the same as doing for Christ himself.
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Embracing the good news of Jesus the Christ brings about the “peace that surpasses all understanding”. This peace does not allow us to rest upon it but rather convicts us to work for all forms of justice, including economic justice, which should be a basic right of all of God's children. Christ tells us to not pass the buck but rather to "give them (the hungry) something to eat."