Written by Melissa Heiland - Executive Director
A Legacy of Life and Hope: Updates from Costa Rica and Beyond
This week, we had the privilege of meeting with our Costa Rica directors—a nation close to our hearts as the birthplace of Beautiful Feet International’s ministry. What began in 2012 with a single pregnancy center has now blossomed into 20 centers across the country, with four new centers launched just last month. God’s faithfulness continues to amaze us!
The meeting was a time of fellowship, encouragement, and shared vision. Roxanna, our country director in Costa Rica, shared from Isaiah 61, a passage that encapsulates our mission: to proclaim good news, bind up the brokenhearted, and lead people to the only One who can truly heal—Jesus Christ. It was a timely reminder of the love and purpose driving this ministry.
We also introduced Jen Taylor, our new Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, to the Costa Rican team. It was a joy for the directors to finally meet her face-to-face via Zoom and hear about her heart for the region.
A Special Mission to Tárcoles
Looking ahead, we are excited about a trip to Costa Rica in January. This trip will include a team led by my son, Josh, who has a special connection to the ministry in Costa Rica. Years ago, when our missionaries returned to the United States, Josh and his wife, Chris, stepped in to oversee the ministry until God called Roxanna, a national, to take on leadership.
This team will focus on restoring the pregnancy center in Tárcoles, the very first center we opened. The building—a house gifted to us by God—has been a cornerstone of the ministry but is now in need of repairs. The team will replace the roof, repaint the walls, update the landscaping, and install a new fence.
It’s been a long-standing prayer to restore this center, and God has brought the right people together for this mission. My husband will also be joining the team, which makes this project even more special for our family.
A Time of Encouragement and Celebration
After the team’s work in Tárcoles, Jen and I will travel to Costa Rica to join them. While there, we will visit other pregnancy ministries, meet with directors and volunteers, and host a conference. These gatherings are always a highlight of our work—a time when directors share stories of God’s work in their communities, encourage one another, and receive inspiration from His Word.
One story shared during our recent meeting was especially touching. A director recalled walking down the street and hearing a child calling, “Abuelita, Abuelita!” Curious, she turned to see one of the children whose life had been saved through the ministry. Many of the women served by these pregnancy centers come to see the volunteers and staff as mother figures. In turn, these women and children become part of an extended family, a community united by God’s love.
Another director shared how the pain of losing her own child has been eased by the joy of nurturing these women and children. The relationships formed through this ministry often feel like motherhood and even grand-motherhood, as volunteers witness children growing up in the safety and care of loving families.
A Global Impact
This beautiful dynamic is not unique to Costa Rica. Similar stories of transformation and redemption are unfolding in every country where Beautiful Feet International serves. I’ll never forget standing in a village in Togo when a local pregnancy ministry director pointed to a crowd of children and said, “Do you see all your grandchildren, Mama Melissa? All of these children were saved because of you.”
Of course, we know it’s not because of us—it’s because of the Lord. He is the one who saves, redeems, and restores. Yet, it’s a profound privilege to be part of His work, to witness women choosing life, children being born, and entire families being introduced to Jesus.
A Call to Gratitude
This work is a testament to God’s faithfulness and the power of His love. We are reminded daily that every mother and child is precious to Him. These women not only experience the joy of raising their children but also the privilege of raising them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
There is nothing more beautiful than lives transformed by the gospel. We are deeply grateful to God for allowing us to serve Him in this way and for the countless supporters who pray, give, and encourage us along the journey.
Thank you for being part of this story of hope and redemption. To God be the glory for every life saved and every heart healed through His grace.
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