I have recently arrived in Costa Rica and was meeting with Ruth Vindas, president of the Baptist Seminary. The program has been going through a major overhaul, mostly because churches were not finding that the training responded to the needs in their congregations. As we spoke about the hoped-for launch of a Christian Education certificate program in which I would be teaching, the president shared about her call to ministry.
“Ruth Mooney (IM missionary in Costa Rica) was instrumental in my call to ministry,” Ruth Vindas stated. She had been an active member of a new church start and then heard Ruth Mooney share about the Bible study materials that a writers group was preparing for the churches. Ruth V. spoke to Ruth M. about participating in this group, even though she had no writing experience; Ruth Mooney encouraged her to join so she did!
“Those were eight years of enrichment and learning in my life as we studied the Bible together and then wrote materials for different age groups. I wrote for the children´s level,” Ruth V. added. It was during this time that Ruth Mooney challenged Ruth V. about God´s call on her life, sharing that she (Ruth M) saw her (Ruth V) as a person with pastoral gifts.
Now, some years later, Ruth Vindas has graduated from the Baptist Seminary, pastored a church and then gone on to get her bachelor´s degree from the Latinamerican Biblical University (UBL). Ruth Mooney currently teaches at the UBL and serves as Ruth V´s faculty adviser as she writes her thesis, the final step to earning her licentiate degree.
About a year ago, Ruth Vindas was named the new president of the Baptist Seminary and has completely revamped the curriculum, based on needs the churches have expressed. It was exciting to see how practical all the courses are. Ruth V told me that she planned the courses based on two viewpoints: “As a leader taking the courses, what kind of training would I like to have; as a pastor, what skills would I like to see in a graduate so they could be part of a church ministry team.” I am thrilled to join in this ministry, of helping those who hear God´s call on their lives prepare themselves for service.
I was so encouraged to see how God´s call on Ruth Mooney´s life translated into God´s call on Ruth Vindas´ life. Both of these women heard God´s call and have impacted others´ lives, especially in the area of spiritual growth. But neither of these women´s ministries would have been possible without your support of missions, including the World Mission Offering.
American Baptists give to the World Mission Offering, the bulk of which goes toward missionary support, including myself (Sue Hegarty) and Ruth Mooney. Another part of this offering goes to assist our partner groups in different countries, one of which is the Costa Rican Baptist Federation, with whom Ruth Vindas serves. Your gifts translate into real transformation in people´s lives as they respond faithfully to God.
How about you? Do you “hear the call” to serve God in a special way? Do you “hear the call” to give to the World Mission Offering so that others may hear God´s call on their lives? Now is a great opportunity for us all to hear God´s call on our lives.
Please pray:
That the Costa Rican Baptist Federation will be able to kick off the Christian Education classes in October
That I will be ready for the classes which will train church teams for ministry
That the World Mission Offering will bring in the support necessary to maintain and expand ministry around the world in Christ´s name
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