About Us

Meet the Founder

I’m Brian Keene, founder of Cross to the Mountain Ministries. In 1999 I married my wife Trina, together we raised 8 children together in the Chicago area. We have been blessed with 15 beautiful grandchildren. I have 30 years of recovery and my wife has 28 years of recovery. I was saved by the grace of God in 1994 from a very self destructive lifestyle.

My journey into ministry began in an unexpected way. While living through 2 devastating category 5 hurricanes on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, I witnessed both the power of nature and the faithfulness of God in the midst of chaos. We stayed for a year after the storms with no power for months. We worked with mission teams that came to help and assisted with the recovery and rebuilding. That experience stirred something deep within me — a desire to serve others and to live with a clearer sense of purpose.

When my wife, Trina, and I returned to Chicago, I began reading the Bible with a new hunger. I asked God to use me — to show me where and how He wanted me to serve. I finished the Bible and read it again, and again. Each time I opened His Word, the calling grew stronger. I could feel Him preparing my heart for something beyond the familiar, something that would require complete trust.

In December, we visited Costa Rica, and during that trip, both Trina and I knew in our hearts — this was the place. The peace we felt was unmistakable. When we returned to Chicago, we prayed, sought God’s confirmation, and then took a leap of faith. We sold nearly everything we owned and moved to Costa Rica to begin what would become Cross to the Mountain Ministries.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”
— Isaiah 6:8

Our Calling and Mission

Cross to the Mountain Ministries was founded out of obedience to that call — to serve God by helping others find hope and transformation through Jesus Christ.

We believe God has positioned us in Costa Rica to come alongside those most in need — men seeking recovery and children living in poverty — and to support the local ministries already doing incredible work.

Our mission is simple yet profound:
• To be the hands and feet of Jesus by meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
• To strengthen existing faith-based programs through funding, renovation, and discipleship.
• To bring lasting transformation to individuals, families, and communities through God’s Word and love.

What We Do

Cross to the Mountain partners with trusted local ministries such as:
• Casa de Amor, a men’s recovery home that provides counseling, structure, and a Christ-centered path to freedom.
• The Children of Cocal, a ministry that feeds and mentors children in one of the poorest communities of Quepos.

We offer financial support, hands-on renovation work, and skill training to help build sustainability — both physically and spiritually — for the people and programs we serve.

Why “Cross to the Mountain”?

The Cross represents suffering and sacrifice — a place where pain meets redemption.
The Mountain symbolizes revelation, transformation, and the glory of God.

Our name reflects the journey every believer takes: through hardship and surrender at the cross, to renewal and spiritual victory on the mountain.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17

Join Us

We invite you to be part of what God is doing in Costa Rica.
Through your prayers, encouragement, and support, you help bring hope to those who need it most.

Maho beach, St. John USVI

Before hurricane Irma 2017

Maho beach, St John USVI

After hurricane Irma 2017

Buddy official dog of

Cross to the Mountain

From St John USVI

To Costa Rica