A letter from Elisabeth Cook in Costa Rica
June 2012
Dear friends:
New faces grace the hallways of the Latin American Biblical University every two months. Men and women from Bolivia, Perú, Guatemala, Honduras, Chile, Dominican Republic, Haiti… This year the arrival of students for their term of study in Costa Rica is especially precious as they are here in a time of uncertainty and change.
Beauvais (left) and Luisa (right) study in the UBL library.
As I mentioned in my January letter, the Ministry of Education in Costa Rica approved UBL in 1996 with a decentralized educational program, serving in Costa Rica but also through educational centers in various countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2009 that same Ministry of Education decreed that centers outside of Costa Rica are not valid. In spite of legal action in defense of our legally approved statutes, we have been forced to transform the structure of the institution. At this time over 200 students are waiting to hear the final verdict from the Ministry of Education as to whether the courses they have taken outside of Costa Rica will be recognized as valid. We have received news that the governing body that makes these decisions has reviewed our case but have not heard what the result was.
These months have been times of uncertainty, frustration, and not a little consternation, but also of hope and the possibility to rethink who we are and what our mission is in this area of the world. We refuse to surrender our vision for a liberating and transforming theological and Biblical education, made available to excluded peoples and groups throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Creativity and wisdom are needed to plot a new path into the future. The 60 students enrolled in Costa Rica at this time have made a commitment to continuing their studies in spite of the uncertainty, as have the faculty who continue to teach, research and work together in this process of rebirth.
Two of these students are Luisa and Beauvais. Luisa is a lawyer from El Salvador who decided she wanted to become a minister; she is in her second year of study preparing to serve with the Episcopal Church in her country. She sees her husband and daughter—who remain in El Salvador—as often as possible and is looking forward to graduating next year. Beauvais is much further from Haiti, where his home is, than the distance shown on the map. For more than a year Beauvais, the UBL study center in the Dominican Republic, and UBL have worked hard at getting his visa approved so he could travel to Costa Rica. After one rejection and another eight months of waiting, he’s finally here. Because of visa restrictions, Beauvais will be in Costa Rica until he finishes his degree in Biblical Studies. His testimony to the tragedy of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince (he was there at the time of the quake) and to the struggles for survival in this, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has brought new experiences and realities to the doing of theology in the classroom.
My primary responsibilities, besides teaching Hebrew Bible and being the Chair of the School of Biblical Studies, are to move us into the technological present (no longer future!) of online education. In spite of the reservations of those who prefer hands-on contact with their students, we are convinced that this is an alternative, among others, for continuing to offer an inclusive, ecumenical and Latin American theological education.
As far as current events at UBL, just a few days ago, along with a group of some 70 guests, the faculty discussed the topic of the women’s veil in Islam and in the New Testament. But much more than exploring an interesting subject, it was a key for discussing the cultural, religious and social limitations imposed on women in our societies. We may not wear veils in Costa Rica, but men still receive higher salaries for the same jobs and women are judged by their appearance and dress rather than by their abilities and essential humanity.
On a personal level, I am working hard on my Ph.D. in Biblical Studies with the University of Exeter, hoping to present my dissertation at the end of 2013. As of October of this year, and through March of 2013, I will be in the U.S. on Interpretation Assignment. I will be located in Berkeley, Calif., and will be available for sharing with congregations and groups throughout California and nearby states.
Your continued prayers and giving make possible the work of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) throughout the world. Through your mission workers each one of you is present, sharing God’s light and justice is a world where hope is often scarce.
Blessings and Shalom,
Elisabeth Cook
The 2012 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 14
Write to Elisabeth Cook
Give to Elisabeth Cook's sending and support
