Our Costa Rican Connection... at UBL

The lush green campus of  UBL.  

Our "CURTAINS FOR CERTAIN" (covering windows in the dorm- atory) fundraising was so successful there was money left over to be used for "covering" other important and necessary needs at the Latin America Bible University.  (UBL) 

In a country where rain is often a daily occurance, this tool is an essential for the vegetation can get away from the gardeners. The cost of the "Grass Trimmer" was $105.     

Margie has a few new jobs this time back and one of those is teaching several classes of English.   She has quite a schedule in addition to helping individual students with proof-reading their papers before they turn them in for scoring.   By the way ... skye and Facetime allows her to do that with individuals all year long regardless where the student lives or the where the teacher is.   Thanks for keeping us connected.  

Here's a word (or two) from our Missionary in Costa Rica...

Because of your generosity, there was enough money given to not only purchase the fabric to finish the curtain project (which will happen when the volunteer Nancy arrives here again to do the sewing, thus matching the other curtains she made and are already hanging!) but also purchase this new lawn cutting machine for the UBL (the old one had broken and it would cost more to fix it than to buy a new one!).  Our administrator asked me for "consent" to use some of the $ for this purpose!! Also we have set aside $500.00 in a scholarship fund from our contribution to pay for the airfare for a student who will be returning from Peru to complete his thesis and degree in Bible.  So...you can all see that our FUMC gift is going a LLOOOOOONG way!  Hallelujah, and thanks so much from both ME and the UBL!  I continue to be so very grateful for BOTH of my families!!!

Would you please be so kind as to share this info with ALL the NIM team and any others who might like the news!  Much love to each and all.  God is good, all the time!!
Margie

Our Support for UBL...

THANKS!!! 

$1,500 has been sent to UBL

 

What a great gift our congregation has once again provided for UBL, you know the Bible University in Costa Rica where Margie Miller spends about 1/2 of her time these days.   Doesn't seem possible but she's been there since early September and will be "home" in early December.  

 

We have gathered $1270 from the Monthly Mission envelopes for the month of October.  The National/International Mission team has also taken $230 from the line item budget (money that comes in because you have made a pledge to the church) to make our gift $1,500.   The online curriculum is on schedule but prayers are needed as the "OK's" are sometimes slow from the Department of Education in Costa Rica.  

 

Margie says "thank you" for your generosity.  Once again when we feel connected to the ministry, we are generous with our resources.     

 

 

A quick report and update

Just a few photos of the computer lab at UBL.  Our focus for the Month of October is UBL and their computer/software needs as they move into yet another phase of meeting religious education needs of  Christian leaders throughout Central and South America.  

For about $900, we can provide a computer and the software necessary to set up computer station thus enabling the school to offer classes to students who are enrolled in an online curriculum.   They will still be required to come to Costa Rica for study but it will be for less time (1 semester).   Reducing the time on campus greatly reduces the cost for students, all of whom come at great sacrifice to their family.   

Margie will still be of assistance to the students with language usage but it will also be mostly via Skype.  She does this all the time she is in Valparaiso so that is not new to her or the students requesting assistance. 

 

UPDATE:   Kate tells me we have already gotten in enough for one computer and the software.   AWESOME.   Could we possibly go for 2?  

 

Thanks for your support.   What a difference it makes in our giving when we are connected with the recipient and the vision.  Thanks Margie for being our connector. 

Mission Focus for October

Our Mission Focus for October is for the Latin American Bible University (Universidad  Biblica  Latinoamericana or UBL) in Costa Rica.   We have supported UBL since 2012 when Margie Miller first came to this Costa Rican institution as an individual volunteer.   While UBL is not a school of the United Methodist Church, the school has long been valued for its contribution to the religious leadership of Latin America for generations beginning in the 1920's.   GBGM Missionaries have served in this place almost from the beginning.   UBL is an Advance Project, which simply means, they are vetted as one of the places for churches and individuals can give money at any time for their goals and vision are in line with our beliefs.  

Valparaiso 1st has given tuition support or scholarships in the past. Sometimes we have given funds for Margie to use in whatever ministry way she sees fit.  The best part of Margie's volunteer service is learning more about a place we visited in 2010 and has now become home for her when she's not in the USA. 

This time we want to be part of the development of a  new program which allows more students to get the education via internet.   Long distance classes will help the student who has struggled in the past to afford not only to come to Costa Rica but to find the funds for living expenses while studying in Costa Rica. They will still need to come to study for one semester but that is less of a hardship on personal or church expenses than the current program.   We are proud to be part of this transition into the future of educating religious leaders.  

Recently Margie met this group of university students from the USA who are studying for the semester in Costa Rica.   She was invited to sit down with them to talk about mission.  They loved the time on the campus and their time with Margie.  These students are not enrolled at  UBL however they were able to connect with one of the professors to lead them in a class or two to help them in their research.   Margie was at a loss for words when she was asked to speak about missions.  

July 8 - 16, 2017 a mission team will journey to Costa Rica.   We haven't been there since 2011 so it is time to go back.   We are planning on visiting UBL one day while we are there.   Stay tuned for more information about our 2017 Journey to Costa Rica.  

Thanks for remembering the computer and software project at UBL when giving your mission offering.  

WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY - UBL

UBL has existed in Costa Rica since 1923.   Their mission remains the

same but how they accomplish their mission reflects the times. Today they

are preparing curriculum and computer labs to educate students throughout

Latin and South America.  

It is so appropriate to post this one on World Communion Sunday.  In Friday's note from Margie... remember this is her first full week of volunteer time at UBL.    She writes;

 

I have spend quite a few hours in our community kitchen here on the second floor of the dorm where I am living now.  Lots of relationship building and learning and conversation happens in that kitchen; (and lots of cooking too) I have made two HUGH pots of chicken soup, two HUGE bowls of potato and beet salad, two bowls of tossed vegetable salad, etc. in order to be able to share with others of my friends (many NEW) who live here on this floor.  There are now 2 men and the 7 women sharing this space.  Our Cuban pastor friend returned to his country this week---we are missing him!  These second-floor residents(students) come from Honduras, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Peru, El Salvador, and the USA. EVERY SINGLE day I learn from them and every single day I have opportunities to offer a "mother-hug" or a "mother-ear" or a friend-smile!!!
For lunches this week I have shared that hour with Olga (Colombiana living here in CR and in charge of the Women's Network for Econ. Development), Priscila (Mexican) working here at the UBL  and in charge of our communication office (Spanish), and Luisa (El Salvadoran married now to a Costa Rican gentleman David and in charge of our UBL communication office (English and Spanish). 
I now am teaching THREE English classes on Wednesdays and Fridays---one in the a.m. for our UBL staff members and two in the afternoons---a beginning class and a "not beginning" class!!!  My. English students in the afternoons come from our student body and also from our nearby neighborhood.  These classes is a way in which our UBL can extend a service (free English classes) to the wider community.

Last night we had a Bible study discussion for students here---a voluntary opportunity with pizza shared by all!  The study was ably led by Texia, a UBL student from Chile.  I love auditing a Bible class taught by my dear friend Jose Enrique...that class I attend but only as a LISTENING student for 3.5 hours on Tuesday afternoon.

 

For Margie, World Communion Day is a special day to participate in communion locally knowing that Christians throughout the world are also taking communion this day.   As United Methodists we take an offering (I think this is the 80th year of doing so).   The offering is used to provide scholarships for deserving national/international graduate students to be equipped to change the world.   Once again, thanks for your faithful support for this offering.    

Remember too... October is highlighting UBL and the new distance learning labs as our Mission Focus of the Month.  As the month goes on, we will have additional news for you about UBL and the progress they have made toward their $15,000 goal to get computers and software.  

UBL - a home away from home

Our Margie has arrived safely back in the "arms" of UBL, her Individual Volunteer assignment with GBGM for the next 3 months.   After a long travel time she arrived on campus around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday.  She had expected to be there a day earlier but the volcano was active and no planes were landing in the San Jose area.    She was given a complimentary room with food vouchers for Tuesday night in Dallas with the expectation that she would be just 24 hours late but experienced another 2 hour delay due to mechanical problems.  

Tim Ridenour, Bill and Sheri Stockwell, Gene and Bonnie Albert,
Rebecca Rusnak, Amy Chui, Margie Miller and other UMC friends made up
our team of 15 in 2010. 

Thanks for the support you have given the project she has come to love so much.   In 2010, a mission team from Valparaiso 1st visited UBL and Margie was one of the team members. 

Since that time Margie was trained and deployed to serve at UBL (which was not envisioned in 2010) and Rebecca Rusnak returned to Costa Rica as an Individual Volunteer with Strong Missions, married Erick Quiros, and now lives fulltime in Carrillos, Costa Rica (all this was not envisioned at that time.). 

After the services on Sunday, September 18, one of our FUMC folks gave Margie a check for $1,000 to take with her be used for the UBL project of getting the long distance learning labs up and running for their next educational impact on the religious education of leaders in Latin America.  We will be sharing more about UBL and how the focus for their institution remains the same but the "vehicle" has changed considerably.    

Margie Returns to Costa Rica SOON

Bonnie, Alicia, Patty, and Margie -

There are many reasons our Margie Miller is steeped in the Hispanic Culture.  Her life has been filled with it since the 60's.    After studying the language in Costa Rica in the mid 60's and then on to serve in Iquique, Chile for 3 years, she returned to Valparaiso in the early 70's and encouraged our church to welcome several families from Chile who were given safe passage to the US.   We opened our doors and hearts to the Munoz family (as well as other refugees from Chile and Afghanistan).  

Alicia and Manuel and their 6 children  (Jamie, Patty, Louis, Daniel, Steven, Rebecca, and Moses) arrived on snowing day in February in 1976 (?).   Manuel passed away about 4 years ago.   Margie and Bonnie have traveled to and from Moline, IL at least once each year since 2010.  Last week was one such day... lunch was packed and off we went for our visit ... this time it had been one year since we had been there.   Between visits, Alicia had suffered a stroke and was diagnosed with Parkinson's.  We were saddened to learn of her declining health but we had an enjoyable visit with our old valued friends.  

 

Patty greets us warmly whenever we come by taking the day off from work to be the best hostess.  She surprised us this time with making Chilean Empanadas.  Maybe Margie can explain why this culinary treat has one ripe olive, 3 raisins, some onions, and hamburger in each and every one.  We even got take-outs to bring home to share.   

 

We had to hustle in our visit this year as Margie leaves on September 19 to return to the love of her life, the Latin America Bible University and all the students and faculty.  Our United Methodist Women took up an offering in June for the school.  They are needing new computers and the software for each of them to get their long distance learning lab ready to go.   UBL had a goal of raising $15,000.    The UMW collected over $500 so we are going to send that with Margie next week.  

 

Margie will also be carrying funds that she can use for ministries with the students (sometimes there are great needs that become apparent such as medicines for family members, emergency transportation, emergency needs back in the home country) and she also has a women's network she loves to support in small ways.   Some folks just hand her a $20 to partner with her in this work.  (She's even had someone on the plane ride on the way to Costa Rica give her funds to help out.)  Don't be bashful. 

 

Next month UBL and the computer project will be the focus of the Mission Offering.   The move to allowing students from all around Latin American (Central and South America) study form their home countries will really help more students to get their religious degrees without the expenses of a year or two away from home.    All students will have to spend some time on the campus during their studies but the expenses of living abroad will be greatly reduced. 

 

We are hoping that Valparaiso 1st will provide at least $1,500 toward the expenses of getting the computers up and running.   Your help will be much appreciated.   You can write a check anytime and put UBL on the memo line. 

Living in a culture of violence...

Margie involved in conversation around Living in a Culture of Violence.

One of the new activities for our dear friend Margie Miller is to be part of a discussion-learning group.   Within the student body of UBL many countries are represented.  That's one of the beauties of UBL...students within the context of digging deeper into their own personal belief structure and the Biblical courses that will prepare them to lead back in their home countries, have a safe place to really talk about issues that face them back home.  

Margie writes: I am sending along this newsletter with picture (See the photo above) telling about a new group of which I am a part...wanting you to know one more blessing in my life here as I live and LEARN so much alongside these dear people who are studying and leading here at the UBL.

Her dear friend Ruth, a UBL professor and Baptist missionary, gathered a group of students to come together after hours to tackle political problems following one of the famous potluck meals.  With participants from Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Peru, they came together around the topic of "Living in a Culture of Violence".   Each country would present the issue from their prospective with a few questions from others.   After all 4 countries were heard from, they would then have an open discussion on the topic.  Ruth shared in her newsletter. 

 

The stories were heartbreaking. They spoke of living in a suffocating atmosphere of fear and mistrust that permeates every aspect of their lives. They detailed the structural violence corroding their countries: corruption, poverty, illiteracy, concentration of wealth in a few families, military repression, impunity, lack of justice. They claimed that not only were the governments not able to control the criminality, gangs, and mafias, but they participated in them and profited from them. The governments, they said, align with international corporations to steal land from Indigenous peoples to exploit petroleum and minerals. One student told of the systematic destruction of his people, the Indigenous Miskitos of the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. All spoke with passion and pain. They detailed how the structural violence has provoked domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and street crime. The pervasive impunity has motivated a vigilante justice in which criminals are burned alive by the community. The terror has forced mass migrations, breaking up families and communities.

What then, has been the role of the church? Surely the church has stood out against these injustices, has spoken for the poor and marginalized, has called for justice? No, it has not, they agreed. They divided the church into three groups:

1. Those who have their head in the clouds and are heavenly bound, not to be concerned about worldly things.
2. Those who see their opportunity and join the system, using religious rhetoric to win votes, power and wealth.
3. Those who oppose injustice and stand for the poor. They are quickly “disappeared” by the state apparatus.

Where is our church (United Methodist Church and/or Valparaiso 1st) in our culture of violence right here in the USA?  Where are we personally?   Is this one of the hot topics for the future at FUMC?  

 

The next Political Dinner will be November 6.   Lift the students, Ruth and Margie up in prayer as they enter into another evening of meaningful ways to be a world changer. 

 

 

Mission Sunday... October 25, 2015

Youth Choir sang, as well as the youth provided all of the
worship music.  

Part of the lead up to our finance campaign is to hear from various ministries of our church.   On October 18 we were blessed with a service in word and song with our young people.  When both the youth choir and the children's choir share in the same service, we had a wonderful warm feeling being with so many of our church family in one service.   

 

On Sunday, October 25 we will be hearing from the mission teams ... Local Missions, National/International Missions, Hilltop, and Rays of Hope will share the worship time.  

 

Part of the pledge and general gifts to the church are used to support our mission program.  All of the 4 mission areas have a small budget...$6,000 to share.   Recently we (National/International Missions Team) send Margie back to Costa Rica with $300 of our budgeted funds to use at her discretion while she volunteers at UBL (Latin American Bible University) in San Jose, Costa Rica.   This week she sent us a note telling about a need that was addressed with those funds.  Read her words...

Just today I gave $120.00 to a refugee family who are being protected, loved and cared for here by the UBL community.  They are close and loving friends of mine...REv. Hernan, Mirna is wife, and Rachel their teen-aged daughter.  3 years ago they ran for their lives from the their MOST violent nation of Honduras, threatened at gunpoint.  So, the Lutheran Church of CR and several Lutheran Churches in the US, plus the UBL community are helping together in their support.  I have recently learned of a fairly serious health problem with 16 year old Rachel is suffering, and for which they simply do not have the $$$ to buy the medicines she needs.  We together have checked with my niece Dr Molly Stout by skype (Molly is a doctor in St. Louis and we all talked today together by skype) and Molly confirms that Rachel needs regular dosages of this particular medicine.  So...because she has NOT been taking it regularly due to lack of $$$, I have given her mother money for 5 months supply---$120.00.  They are good and faithful people, and they are very, very grateful for this gift from YOU, my church!!
I told her that today I would write to you her gratitude!  and MINE!  Love to all, Margie

Another way your pledge dollars are used is to support two missionaries.   Clara Biswas who serves in Cambodia and Ardell Graner who serves in Dominican Republic.   We were blessed in 2014 - 2105 with visits from both of these missionaries. $2,500 for each missionary is pooled with other churches who support our missionaries.  It takes about $60,000 per missionary to fully fund their living expenses, travel expenses, and medical insurance.  To support one missionary requires at least 24 churches giving at $2500 per church.  Again this is an example how working together is better than working on our own.      

In addition to that our church sent a team to Dominican Republic to get better acquainted with the ministry being lead by Ardell and her husband Gordon.  The mission team provided some of the project money for the completion of the parsonage at Monte Rojo church.  Previous blog posts give a bit of that story...just scroll down to June.   

Another way our congregation supports mission is through the Monthly Mission Focus.   As you know in October, your donations are going to UMCOR's response to the refugee issues in our world today especially to those fleeing Syria.  Each month a mission offering (which is above and beyond your pledge) supports a ministry within the connectional church whether it be within our state, another place in the US or out of country.  We are so blessed with a church denomination that has mission at its core.   It is only because we work together that we can make such a huge difference in our world.  We are "CIA"...Christians in Action".   Thanks for your gifts...in response to all that you have been given.  You are blessed.  

A report from Margie...

I've been a bit negligent this year with following Margie's activities.  She's just difficult to keep up with.  She sent these photos and few words today.   Good to hear from her.   Too bad she doesn't enjoy her volunteer "job". 

Margie LOVES to teach this class every Wed and Friday afternoon, 4-5 p.m.!!! Today we had 14 students plus teacher!  One student is taking this pictures and thus is missing from the picture. 

She wrote to the Shop women several weeks ago... thought you might like a few words from that email.
Yes, I am so happily back here in Costa Rica with this warm and loving "family" I have here, too!  The trip was without delay and without any problems...easy does it!!!  Hooray!

  I have important and interesting jobs here awaiting me...especially teaching now two English classes...mornings and afternoons Mon and Wed., one hour in length.  The student population for the morning classes is entirely those who work on our administrative/office staff here at the UBL, and free work hour time and classes in English is now one of the added "benefits" the UBL is offering to these folks--9 people in this class, and I work with another volunteer in a "team teaching" arrangement.  Kimmi is a good friend whom I have known here over these past several months, and we work well together, complementing each other's strengths!  I believe that is how GOD plans for us to work with others ALL THE TIME, don't you agree?

Graduation time at UBL

Gustavo, Margie and Beauvais

Margie is winding down her time at UBL for the "spring" semester. She writes:

Today was a very special day for me...the graduation of some UBL students who have earned their Bachelors or Licenciate Degrees in Bible or in Theology.  Here I am rejoicing with these two dear friends with whom I have had the privilege of working side by side on the corrections of their theses...to the left is Gustavo Perez, a Colombian who has lived for several years with his family here in Costa Rica, and to the right is Beauvais Mervileus from Haiti, who is leaving in one more week to return to his beloved country after spending three whole years here at the UBL earning both degrees in Bible.  What wonderful assets these two men are/will be in the leadership within their churches and communities!!  Another JOY for me today was to hear the names of three other students who graduated en ausencia, whom I know, and the man from Bolivia now living in Canada I was happy to review and correct his graduate thesis by "long distance" e-mail services!! Such blessings!  Much love to you all, Margie

Margie in her element

Margie with friends...playing games and enjoying one another. 

Found this photo on Facebook.   Some blog readers may have seen it but some of the blog readers are not on Facebook so I share with you.  
Margie is winding down her time (for this winter and spring) in Costa Rica.   Her estimated return date is May 3 so we lift her up in prayers as she prepares for the journey again.  Now just because she is "coming home" doesn't mean she will be home.   She will surely continue her journey here in the US as she visits the families of Sarah, Rachel, and Naomi.   Whenever it is she loves our warm welcome back.  
How's the painting coming along Margie?   We were so blessed with the opportunity to be part of that project.   See you soon. 

Let the painting begin!!!

Thanks to all who "Chipped In to Spruce UP" the dorm rooms at the Latin American Bible University (UBL).   Today $600 was sent to the school via Margie Miller so that paint can be purchased.   Soon students will be leaving the school to go home for the break or they have finished their program, then these vacated rooms will be cleaned and painted in preparation for a new students.   Be sure to check back for photos in April...I know our inside person will get a few before she returns to Valparaiso in May.   THANKS ALL.  

 

Making treats... plus CHIP IN and SPRUCE UP

 In the kitchen of the dorm where I live, about 12 of us gathered to learn the art of making delicious pupusas (a quite popular and common delicious Salvadoran  food) under the direction of Luisa and her daughter Gabi!!  We are students and volunteers here sharing in the fun, UBL "family" activity!  Yes, my dear ones, I DO really do some serious WORK here, too, but you surely KNOW that a very important part of my WORK is just "being there" with others here!!    Love to all,  Margie

 

Bright and early this morning we got an note from our good friend Margie Miller from her home away from home.   While most of us would want to live in an apartment when spending 3 and 4 months at a time in a far away place, our Margie prefers living in the dormitory where she has constant interaction with students as noted in the above story. 

 

It seems the Dormitory where she lives and "plays" needs painted ... rather each room needs to be "spruced up" a bit after years and years of students moving in and out of the room and not enough funds to do this kind of maintenance.  These rooms have not been touched for longer than any one can remember.   Margie has asked if we could partner with her and come up with funds to cover the cost of paint.    

 

The easy thing to do would be to ask UMW or UMM to fund this but instead, we are giving everyone an opportunity to show Margie how much we appreciate all she does at UBL.   You can support Margie in this request by 1) signing a document of support and 2) giving $5 - $10 toward the purchase of paint.   They have plenty of workers or volunteers who can paint the rooms but the funds to purchase the paint are not available.   Will you be among the 120 people who love Margie enough to want this project to happen during the month of April?        

 

Mission in the future is going to be more and more about not only sharing financially with our gifts but joining hands in a partnership.  This is a perfect 50/50 partnership because we can support the project with paint and they support the project by getting the paint in right places to give the dorm a face lift.  Find a member of the National/International Mission team and be part of the Spruce up the Dorm project.  

See Connie/Max Roach, Eldon Versteeg, Bonnie Albert, Mike Strayer, Mike Yohe, or Julia Young to  sign a sheet and share a message with Margie as well as make a donation for paint.  

 

Together we can make this happen.  Thanks for your support.   See you in Church.  

Sunday, March 8 update:  We are on our way to get that dorm painted...with over 50 supporters and now $310 in donations after our 1st attempt at reaching people.  
It's not too late to be part of the CHIP IN and SPURCE Up... check the welcome table for a place to write a message to Margie and share in the purchase of paint for UBL.  
  

Margie is back to her second home... with visitors from home

Margie and Mary

Margie and Mary met up in Costa Rica last weekend.   Not sure what happened but let me show you the message we received!

Mary aaand ffffriend Debbiiie weeere traveleinnngin Panaaama aaand CR and included me in an aaaabsolllutely deliiicious,eeeeven ELEGANT dinner togeeetehr in their   hotttel tonight in San Jose.  Yes, a real treeeat fffro    me tooo bee with them!  MMMuch love, Margie3
 I'm not sure what all was in the dinner but you all can come to your own conclusions.   So Margie has settled into her second home without one glitch.   Just not sure about what has happened to her iPad in the process.
 

Meet Texia Edita Anabalon Navarrete‏

 

Texia grew up in Valdivia, Chile, in the Evangelical Pentecostal Church there.  As a young adult she was always very interested in her service there as teacher among children and youth.  However, more and more she was concerned that in her church the study of theology was not allowed, and the view of God seemed mostly to be that of stern requirements and possible punishments.  She is a licensed industrial  electrician, but she really most loved teaching children and youth about Jesus...Jesus of tender loving kindness, God of joy and peace and justice. One of the first courses she took was entitled, "To be a Woman is Marvelous" taught by a visiting UBL professor in Chile for this short, intensive class.   Her years prior to coming to the UBL are filled with amazing, even miraculous, stories of God's leading and provision of more and more classes in Pastoral Bible Institutes which finally led her being chosen for the ONE available scholarship in Chile to the UBL in 2012.

Texia serves communion at a local
church in Puntarens area.

Texia has been a vital part of our UBL community and beyond during these past three years, and soon she will have graduated with both her Bachelor's Degree and her Licenciate Degree in Bible Sciences. She will have completed all her course work, her community service hours, her theses for each degree, and has actively continued to use her gifts in many areas of Sunday School teacher training workshops with the Pentecostal churches of Puntarenas and the Baptist Churches of Alajuela in Costa Rica.  She still serves as director and teacher of the weekly Sunday School in a community center of a very poor neighborhood in San Jose which now also has involved other UBL students in leadership there. She also gives the introductory classes in computation skills for newly arriving UBL students.     Texia says that UBL means "opportunity,"--opportunity for personal development, spiritual growth in the Bible and theology, a more ample future, pastoral counseling.  She will seek always to find ways to educate children and adults by means of the Bible and theology in order that these same opportunities become realities for them.

Meet the President of UBL

Please meet Dr. Edwin Mora, President of UBL. Dr. Mora calls Margie the most spoiled of all the UBL Volunteers.   Not sure what that means but obviously it is endearing. 

Margie shares: 

Edwin is a Methodist pastor, a Costa Rican whose specialty in the area of Bible and Theology is Liturgy.   Thus he plays the piano and sings beautifully, is in charge of our weekly worship, and has been a part of the teaching faculty here at the UBL for many years in the areas of pastoral ministries, liturgy, and technical writing and investigations needed by every student here in order to write the required theses for every degree bestowed by UBL. Students receive a Bachelors Degree or a Licenciate Degree in either Bible Sciences or Theology Sciences.  Now Edwin is our President for a term of four years, elected by the UBL Assembly.  He is quite a wonderful and capable man, always ready to greet with joy, service, and personal care those who live and study and work here.  Thanks, Edwin, for "spoiling me"!!!!

One of the needs at UBL is continued scholarship support for students.  Margie is often amazed at the faithfulness of the students who come on a prayer and shoestring to get the credentials to serve the church somewhere in Latin America.   Before the end of the year, both United Methodist Women and National/International Mission team will be allocating funds to be used for scholarships in honor of our dear friend Margie.  If this is something that you would like to help support, please contact Karen Fritz at kz8968@me.com  (UMW rep) or Mike Strayer at jstrayer@netnitco.net (National/International Mission chair) for details.  This would be a wonderful way for us to show how much we appreciate the volunteer extraordinaire Margie is.  

In the life of a volunteer

Edesio, Margie and Beauvois 

Margie is reading scripture (in Spanish) during one of the every Wednesday noon for the 30 minute devotional/worship time.   Generally she is a worshipper but on this day she was asked to read scripture.    Beauvais, from Haiti is pictured on the right.  She writes:

 

 He is one of my really good friends, and he and I spent many hours together correcting the grammatical errors on his small thesis.  Beauvais is a brilliant young Bible scholar, whose first language is Creole, his second French, and now his third is Spanish.  He also tries some English with me! 

The other man standing beside me is Edesio Sanchez, himself a leading Bible scholar and theologian, former teacher here at the UBL, a Mexican who now lives and teaches in Argentina, and who returns here for special teaching occasions.  I was privileged to hear him preach at a Sunday evening worship service which I regularly attend, and am happy also to call him a new friend!

 

She also shared that All-Saints Day is a big religious holiday in Costa Rica and in other Latin American countries so she's looking forward to a great weekend of remembering loved ones who have passed.  We can join her in taking time to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us.   Here in the US the big part of this time of year is Halloween and we sometimes forget the following day is All-Saints Day.  

 

It's always great to share a bit of what an Individual Volunteer, a short term missionary, does during the course of the volunteer assignment.   Thanks Margie for sharing a bit about what you do to fill your life.  

A little catchup from Costa Rica

"Catching up" might be possible... "keeping up"  may not be possible but here's a bit of information about our "missionary" in Costa Rica. 

Margie writes:

Here in my spot in CR I have not gotten to take any little trips since my arrival here 3 weeks ago.  Really I had hopes to get away to Tortuguero National Park to see the little turtles hatching,...a sight to behold which I have yet to do.  The rainy season is NOW---Oct-Nov-Dec---and the water has come in such abundance...(even with a little earth tremor "on the side" the other night, with earthquake 7.??? epicenter in El Salvador near one of their volcanoes which many felt at least a bit thru-out Central America...we did here) that there have been MANY, MANY landslides, mudslides, etc which make the main highway over to the Caribbean side and to Tortuguero Park too risky to travel for now.  I'm still in hopes that I'll get to go, but not before all the season for the hatching of the little turtles will all be past.
 Next week I have the wonderful invitation to accompany Olga, my really good friend here at the UBL who works in the direction of the Red de Mujeres--Women's Network--internationally and especially here in CR...Olga and I will travel Thurs-Fri-Sat together in her car to the far southwest corner of CR nearly into Panama, over by the Caribbean, in the jungle areas, to the indigenous peoples who are part of that network.  I will get to see parts of CR as of now unseen by me, and meet interesting peoples of indigenous communities, see and participate in their "industries" and craft-making, etc.  Such a wonderful experience I am anticipating.
 Meanwhile each day I receive very exciting challenges and opportunities and blessings right here where I live and work...I really do feel that this is like a second family for me!!  I presently have the new challenge for the first time to translates some LONG and TECHNICAL articles on Bible and Theology written and published in English by scholars from Africa and India...and it is MUCH more difficult for me to translate from English to Spanish---always easier to go from Spanish into my first language!  It's definitely something of a slow process.  Today I also served as translator (spoken only) for a small group of university students visiting and studying here from many USA universities in a marvelous program of one semester---1/3 here with us in CR, 1/3 in Guatemala, and 1/3 in Nicaragua!  WOW!  AND, tomorrow after a meeting with the team of UBL personnel with whom I am spending most of my time, I will then have the pleasure of meeting a friend of a friend from the USA who is on a cruise stopping off here in CR on the Pacific side, and she must see a dentist for an emergency root canal tomorrow and I will meet her to translate, if needed.  Supposedly the dentist doesn't know much English and the tourist not any Spanish!  As you can see by this little description, of just my "lately" activities, the time I spend here in CR is always full and interesting for me...I'm so grateful and so blessed by it all.
 God is good, all the time.  I am "up" for contacting my dear professor friend tonight just to see how I might be helpful to him in the revisions that he must now make in an article which he wrote in English and now needs to get it ready for publication.  I am always gratified when I can finish with a student ALL the revisions and grammatical corrections on a major thesis or a small thesis which he/she needs in order to be granted a degree here at this Univ.  Just this past two weeks I have been able to work side-by-side with THREE different students to do just that...now we ALL just sit and hope and wait that the team of professors will approve the students' work and say ES to that degree.  Two students were women from Peru and one is a gentleman from Colombia who has lived here in CR for many years with his family.
 Love again, Margie  

 

Work environment - computer assignments!!!

Here I am "running" to my work this morning
at 7:55 a.m. in the outside passageway of the
main building of UBL...with my morning cup
 of delicious CR coffee, my books,
and my little iPad...ready to give it my best shot for the day! 
.

But this morning I just had to stop a minute to join with my early morning friends for a chat, laughter, sharing!
 Here I am with Katie, Wendy, Grettel, and Luisa!  

Just  quick update on the happenings with Margie in Costa Rica.  For those who are new to the blog, Margie Miller is one of the Individual Volunteers who have participated in training, been connected with a ministry that seems to match their skill set, and assigned for short periods of time.  Margie is now volunteering at the Latin American Bible University in San Jose, Costa Rica doing a variety of things including some computer work.  For those who have been "training" her for this job for the past 5 years, we are pleased to know that she is using everything she's been taught!!!  And she says she is continuing to learn.   I think the Geek Squad and the Apple guru would be pleased to know this as well. 



At her work station in her "office" area. 

It may surprise some of my friends, even YOU, that "once in a while" I am seriously doing work at a computer in the Office of Development, in the ongo of planning for groups who come here to volunteer in solidarity with UBL...mission teams, study teams, and those who are both for work and for study in combination.  My abilities in Spanish and English are helpful in this office, which is now under the direction of Luisa (in the other picture).  I have known Luisa since my first arrival here in UBL, and we have been loving friends ever since.  She is VERY capable and it is a real pleasure for me to work alongside her, actually under HER direction. 

 

What a perfect match for an energetic woman in a Spanish speaking environment!  Her greatest gift is helping the students get their paperwork "proofed" before submitting their work .Often they are submitting papers in Spanish which is not their first language. Her job is to make sure the Spanish is being used to express the ideas the student wants.      She will also be working with Volunteer in Mission teams who are coming to UBL to help with a project or do some study. 

UBL is one of the General Advance projects for the United Methodist Church.   One way that our church family can support Margie and the fine University is to support student scholarships at UBL.   Advance #10247B   Funds will help provide financial assistance to Latin American Bible students ... where pastoral leaders are prepared for service in the church.