Reproducing Leaders in Latin America

by Ross Carey

Whenever I go to Costa Rica, quite a bunch of former students come back and visit the course I am teaching. I always ask them to give a word of greeting and encouragement to the current class. This January was no exception. I think there were more than ten who visited. I would like you to meet a few of them who were with me and my students. Some audit the course again to refresh their thinking.

One of the auditors this January is Miriam Coto. Miriam took my leadership course in 2009 and the next year was my teaching assistant. She and her husband are members of a Costa Rican mega-church where they are in leadership. She wrote me an email today, using my middle name (which I use in Latin America): “Hi don Allen. I am asking your prayers for the workshop that I will be giving in church with the topic of Finishing Well and Giftedness. Already 300 leaders are signed up. It will be an all-day workshop this Saturday. Thanks for your help and support. You are part of such a beautiful thing that the Lord is going to do in our congregation. I bless you.”

Noemi Escobar, also from the same 2009 class as Miriam, came and visited my course this January as well. She wanted the material from the leadership and spiritual formation course to implement a discipleship program in her local church. She says, “You lead out of who you are. The growth of “Who you are” depends on the growth of your relation with God.”

Ana Cecilia Segura, who took my leadership course in 2005 and was my teaching assistant in 2012 dropped in on the January course also. She is now teaching my mentoring course in ESEPA Seminary as well as teaching my leadership and spiritual formation course in a satellite campus.

Marielos Vargas was in the first leadership/ spiritual formation class I taught in ESEPA Seminary in 1996. Marielos came to class this time with a woman she has been mentoring, using material she had learned over 20 years ago. Both greeted the class and inspired us all.

Eduardo Villalobos visits my class each time I teach in San José. Eduardo was my teaching assistant in 2004. He had first taken the class from one of my mentees who was a teaching assistant from the class of 1997. He has taught the course in the past. Today he heads up a Costa Rican missions agency.

As you can see, the Lord´s work is going on. Thanks to all of you, for the support and prayers you have invested in Kay and me and in these Latin leaders over the years.