Our Trip to Costa Rica

Many individuals say to us that the people we help are blessed to have us come to them…

If you were to ask any one of the volunteers at our Costa Rica mission earlier this month, they would tell you it is is the EXACT OPPOSITE. We are blessed to be able to serve and to help those who have no other means of hearing well again.  The appreciation returned to us from each patient is a feeling that can never be duplicated.

Our amazing partners for this project included the Rotary Club of Boardman, Ohio USA and Club Rotario de Cartago of Costa Rica and other Audiology Practices from around the United States for a humanitarian project in the cities of San Jose and Cartago, Costa Rica.

Our 8 volunteers (pictured below) worked with Rotarians in Costa Rica and healthcare employees from the Costa Rican Ministry of Health to provide hearing services, hearing aids, and supplies to the country’s poorest population.

These volunteers traveled from the United States at their own expense to make this project possible. They also donated hearing aids, numerous supplies, contributed their professional services and took time away from their families to help make this mission a success.  What a joy to work with each and every one of them!

What exactly did our days consist of?

Day 1 – San Jose, Costa Rica

We were so excited to get started on our first day, we were able to help 27 individuals, mostly deaf children with a profound hearing loss, hear the world around them.  There were plenty of smiles to go around on this day and the parents were there to support their children.  This just proved that it doesn’t matter where you are in the world – we all have the same basic needs for our families and for our health.

Day 2 – Cartago, Costa Rica

On the second day, we helped 17 individuals who were not just children, but of all ages.  The highlight of the day for us all was when a young boy who received help to hear better also received a new wheelchair from the Rotary Club of Cartago as well. It was absolutely priceless! Unforgettable!!

Each recipient was given a 1-year supply of hearing aid batteries, a bag of rice to serve as a desiccant (hearing aid dryer), hearing aid cleaning tools as well as an instruction pamphlet in Spanish. Every recipient was screened for clear ears and many received ear cleanings before being fit with amplification.

Our Hearing Missions Foundation team will be working with the Rotarians in Costa Rica to reach out to each recipient, following up with them to see how they are adjusting to their new devices.  If we identify any issues, we will come up with a plan together to get these resolved.  Two local technicians have been identified who will help with after-care services as needed.

We will be planning future projects in Costa Rica as well as our upcoming “Christmas in July” mission right here in Youngstown Ohio. If you know or anyone who is need of help, call us at 330-779-8090. If you would like to donate monetarily, you can do so HERE. Don’t forget we accept any and all broken and old hearing aid donations!