God’s Transforming Work

What a privilege it is to be a part of this wonderful community for a couple of months, lending a hand in the library.
Just what have I been doing? In the beginning, I was helping Head Librarian Alvaro Perez Guzman to pull together an Internet Data Base on theological subjects for professors and students. More recently I have been helping with organization of the archives, a task that has been waiting for rescue for some time.

While archives work would be dull for most people, I personally find it interesting since I happen to love the study of history – and this work is enabling me to learn a great deal about UBL’s rich history. (I am also an organizer by nature.)

There are other great benefits in being here. The university is set in a beautiful tropical garden, which showcases the most well known trees, shrubs and flowers of Costa Rica. How could I not love this, especially when I think of what my fellow Minnesotans are experiencing right now – winter, to be precise, and the annual struggle through snowdrifts to get just about anywhere!

It has been a great extra boon to be able to trade English language skills for Spanish language skills with members of this outstanding group of theology students from all over Central and South America. How could one not live in hope when living among such a wonderful staff and students who will continue to return to their own communities throughout Central and South America year after year to share the ever-renewing good news of God’s transforming work?

The UBL is a treasure of an institution, a place of learning – but also a place of peace and hope and love.

Ruth Jones

Ruth Jones served as a Short-term Volunteer with the Library of the Latin American Biblical University, San Jose, Costa Rica. Ruth’s responsibilities included data entry, shelf-reading, and retrospective conversion.

Ruth Jones served as a Short-term Volunteer with the Library of the Latin American Biblical University, San Jose, Costa Rica.  Ruth’s responsibilities included data entry, shelf-reading, and retrospective conversion.

 

What a privilege it is to be a part of this wonderful community for a couple of months, lending a hand in the library.

Just what have I been doing? In the beginning, I was helping Head Librarian Alvaro Perez Guzman to pull together an Internet Data Base on theological subjects for professors and students. More recently I have been helping with organization of the archives, a task that has been waiting for rescue for some time.

While archives work would be dull for most people, I personally find it interesting since I happen to love the study of history – and this work is enabling me to learn a great deal about UBL’s rich history. (I am also an organizer by nature.)

There are other great benefits in being here. The university is set in a beautiful tropical garden, which showcases the most well known trees, shrubs and flowers of Costa Rica. How could I not love this, especially when I think of what my fellow Minnesotans are experiencing right now – winter, to be precise, and the annual struggle through snowdrifts to get just about anywhere!

It has been a great extra boon to be able to trade English language skills for Spanish language skills with members of this outstanding group of theology students from all over Central and South America. How could one not live in hope when living among such a wonderful staff and students who will continue to return to their own communities throughout Central and South America year after year to share the ever-renewing good news of God’s transforming work?

The UBL is a treasure of an institution, a place of learning – but also a place of peace and hope and love.

Ruth Jones