Dear friends,

July is always a memorable month, since the 25th is my birthday and a Costa Rican national holiday, but this year has been special. I celebrated my birthday with a friend in the Osa Peninsula, the most unexplored and beautiful part of Costa Rica. Thank you to all who sent greetings!

On the 15th, I waved a sad goodbye to Mylinda, Gary, Jamie, and Micah Baits, who had been with me as fellow missionaries almost since I arrived to Costa Rica and have been like family. We have shared meals, celebrations, worship, laughter, and tears from when Micah entered school until he graduated as the valedictorian of his class.  Mylinda will be continuing with International Ministries as a consultant for ministries with women and children at risk throughout Latin America.

Only a few weeks after the Baits’ departure, I was delighted to welcome a new colleague, Sue Hegarty, and her 11-year old daughter Katy. Sue and I had worked together in Cuba, where she stayed for a number of years and has now been transferred to Costa Rica. She will be teaching at the Baptist Seminary and at CEDEPCA, the women’s theological training center that I have talked about in previous letters. Katy is attending Marian Baker School, where the Wiegners and the Baits studied, a wonderful community where she felt comfortable by the end of the first day. Sue and Katy stayed with me for their first two weeks and have now found their own home. Katy, I have decided, is the personification of Anne of Green Gables: feisty, dramatic, articulate, bright.  I am enjoying her as much as I do her mother.

As the Director of Publications at the UBL, I represented Editorial Sebila, the publishing arm of the University, in an book fair at CLADE V, a gathering of over 800 Latin American Christians. This was last held 10 years ago and has been in the planning for at least 5 years. To my astonishment and delight, our book stand was overwhelmed with a crush of people the entire time we were open and, by the end of 4 days, we had sold half a year of sales. Inspired by this success, we just signed up for a stand at the national Book Fair, which we hope will introduce us to the thousands of people who participate. Our books offer themes rarely found in other places: Bible studies from a Latin American perspective, original reflections on Christian ethics and theology, pastoral care to those marginalized by the church and society.

Thank You!

Finally, and most important of all, THANK YOU to all of you who contributed to my support through the Matching Fund Drive. I am deeply grateful to you and to the major donors who have made it possible.

Your colleague in ministry,

Ruth Mooney