Database connections built into the NSAPI of the Netscape Commerce Server

For anyone that is working on the NSAPI: I am building a database application into the NSAPI. I have the forms returning information to my application function. The application function is opening a database connection, and returning information to the client. The only problem is that I am opening and closing my connection each time I run the function. Can anyone tell me how I can make the connection global so that each instance of my application function can see the connection? In other words, how can I make a variable global to each instance of my application function. If this is the wrong forum for this, please send suggestions of other forums.