"Behold, I stand at the door and knock." (Revelation 3:20)

Xinia is one of our favorite students at the Baptist Training center and one of our favorite pastors. She comes alive in a classroom setting and eagerly applies what she's learning to her ministry. Xinia and her congregation are finding that child prostitution, which is rampant in urban Costa Rica, is now affecting smaller communities like theirs. So when Mylinda mentioned the conference on prostitution at Green Lake, WI, Xinia decided it was worth knocking on the door. We put the word out via e-mail that Xinia needed a visa from the US embassy. Members of our Missionary Partnership Network activated a prayer chain. We had worked with the embassy before and had some doors closed, so Mylinda and Xinia went with some apprehension. Would this door open?

Meanwhile, Gary was hosting a work group from Illinois. They had spent the week building a church in Alajuelita and were at our home to share lunch with Costa Rican Baptist leaders. They shared about their worship service from the day before. Like other groups before them, they had gotten to know Martin, the foreman on the worksite. Having been burned by Christians before, Martin was wary of these northern visitors. But because of their servant hearts, Martin has gradually warmed up to the groups and to the church, even agreeing to attend services, "someday." The group from Elgin really reached out to Martin and near the end of the week he invited some group members to his home, where they met his family, prayed with him, and again invited him to the church. The next day he was there, with his family, praising God.

While the group shared about the opening of Martin's heart, Mylinda and Xinia returned from the embassy and opened the door; the visa had been granted!

Working in leadership development is not always easy, but it is a privilege to walk alongside out Costa Rican brothers and sisters and see God open doors. "I have set before you an open door." (Revelation 3:8)