Ruth's ministry is Christian education. She lives in Costa Rica, where she serves on the faculty of the Latin American Biblical University, a seminary that prepares pastors and leaders for churches throughout Latin America. Ruth also responds to invitations from affiliated institutions in other parts of Latin America. The University has also asked her to work with the Publications Department, editing materials written by the faculty for their extension programs.

She writes: Ruth Vindas is the pastor of the Iglesia Bautista de Cinco Esquinas in San José. The church found itself in an increasingly rundown neighborhood, and began to suffer incidences of vandalism from drug addicts. When Ruth became the pastor, she proposed to the congregation that they partner with a rehabilitation program. To their credit, they did, and began to welcome recovering drug addicts into the church, creating an accepting and empowering space for them.

The drug rehabilitation center moved out to Cartago, a neighboring city about an hour from the church, so the men are no longer able to attend the Cinco Esquinas church. But Pastor Ruth and her husband Marino regularly visit the men (by bus, since they don’t have a car), and two weeks ago 16 members of the congregation traveled out to spend time with them.

Meanwhile, the church has continued to be a refuge for the men who complete the program and return home to the neighborhood—as well as for those who don’t make it and go back to the streets. 

Ruth told me about an addict who was extremely hostile toward God, and would say terrible things about God to explain why he couldn't believe in God. She let him vent and when he said, “I hope I’m not offending you with what I’m saying”, she said, “You don’t offend me because I don’t believe in that God you’re rejecting either. My God is nothing like what you describe, and when you meet my God, you will realize that you are loved.” Gradually he began to understand, and finally the day arrived when he gave public testimony of how he had come to believe that God loves him and is a merciful and forgiving God who wants only good for him.

• Pray for Ruth as she helps train and develop Christian leaders in Latin America.

• Pray for Pastor Ruth as she ministers the love of Christ to her community and beyond.