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One week before Christmas, I have received one of the greatest good  news of last year: Ruth Padilla deBorst will become Director of Christian Formation and Leadership Development for World Vision International, effective this February.

I quote from the message I have received from Tim Dearborn, the leader of my sector in World Vision (called Christian Commitments, or Faith & Development):

We’ve been searching for several years for this position, seeking someone from the global South, who is an outstanding theologian and Bible teacher, a well-respected preacher and communicator, able to work trans-culturally in a global organisation, skilled in curriculum development and creating learning experiences for people from diverse backgrounds, with good experience in mentoring and leadership development, and a deep heart for Christ’s ministry among the poor.   Frankly, there are probably only a few people in the world who fulfill these hopes.  Over the years, we have reviewed over 150 applicants. In the past week we’ve reviewed a dozen more.

Ruth provides everything we’re looking for.  She has been the leader of the Latin American Theological Fraternity for several years, directed a leadership development training centre in El Salvador, was staff training for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students for Latin America. She was one of the plenary speakers at the recent Lausanne Congress in Capetown.  You can listen HERE to her Bible exposition. She is a gifted writer, speaker, team leader, curriculum designer and educator.

She also was the Bible teacher at this year’s World Vision Triennial Conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Ruth will continue to live in Costa Rica with her husband and the 6 children they share.  She will be seconded part-time to continue her work with the Latin America Theological Fraternity and especially their congress being organised for July 2012 Clave V.  She also serves on the boards of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, the International Fellowship of Evangelical Mission Theologians, and the International Justice Mission.

We welcome Ruth to World Vision and pray for fruitful cooperation with her in the years to come, in service of the poor and for the glory of our Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

If you are interested, you may read HERE and interview with Ruth by Christianity Today editor Andy Crouch.

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