Dear friends,
I shared with so many of you my dreams of what I hope to accomplish at the Latin American Biblical University. Let me tell you about the first steps.
One
of the professors, Guido Mahecho, invited me to his class to teach his masters
level Bible students some basic principles of how to teach adults, since many
of them will return to their countries as seminary professors. For this first teaching opportunity, I
prepared very carefully, and made sure that I modeled in the class the
principles that I was teaching. It was a wonderful experience, and they all
felt that they had learned useful skills. Guido was so impressed that he
started talking with the other professors. At the next faculty meeting, the
professors proposed that the masters level seminars all include, as one of the
major themes, teaching skills (taught by yours truly)! I’m amazed! I had told you that I
hoped, maybe in a year, to propose increased emphasis on Christian Education.
But I haven’t even been here 3 months yet!
Then, I talked with Nidia Fonseca, the person in charge of the recintos or extension centers around Latin America. The professors from those centers are coming for a conference in October. Nidia asked me to take charge of one whole day of the 5-day Conference (Oct.20), to teach them basic teaching principles and skills (at the request of the leaders!) I am feeling so honored and valued, and grateful that your support and prayers are opening doors for me much earlier than I had expected.
They
say that every crisis can be turned into an opportunity. Before I arrived,
Mireya Baltadano, the Academic Dean, informed me that the Christian Education
Module that I had worked on for over a year before going to the States, had
been lost. Everyone was upset and embarrassed. But God works in strange ways.
It turns out that it was a wonderful blessing. When I reviewed the work I had
done, I realized it had serious deficiencies, and had not taken into account
some of the new work in Christian Education. So I decided to do a radical
revision. I just finished that this week, and it is MUCH better, something that
will actually be useful to me and to the recintos. In addition, I will be able to use it for my
course, beginning Oct. 26.
I feel overwhelmed with blessings and opportunities. When I think that less than six months ago, my possibilities of returning at all to Costa Rica looked very unlikely, I can only praise God and thank you again for your outpouring of generosity and your long-term commitment that makes this ministry possible.
I am so grateful that you support me in preparing pastors and leaders for the churches of Latin America. But we know that there are so many needs in the world. Many of you feel a deep concern to offer a helping hand on other continents, and to desperate people whose food supply is being destroyed by drought, whose homes were swept away by a tsunami, who are living as sex slaves. The World Mission Offering is your opportunity to give to the whole mission program, supporting every missionary on every continent in evangelism, leadership development, and relief from suffering. The World Mission Offering provides the largest single source of funds to support IM’s mission around the world. Please prayerfully consider giving generously to this fund.
Together, serving the world,
Ruth Mooney