Prayer Letter

Each year, Eddy and I send out a long prayer letter to our supporters that sums up the last year and looks towards the future.  This year, it went out later than normal because we were working out a few details as far as our future plans.  I have copied the letter here so that you all can see it.  (If you did not receive our letter in the mail and would like to receive them in the future, please email me with your address and I will add you to the list.)

Update – November 2014

Eddy and Carrie Ramos

Missionaries

Santiago, Dominican Republic

 “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;  the God of my strength, in whom I will trust;”  2 Samuel 22:2-3

Greetings from the Dominican Republic!  Blessing to you and your families!  We consider ourselves privileged to have the calling of serving God’s kingdom in the Dominican Republic.  We love the country and the people.  I am constantly in awe of the beauty of the island and I am fascinated by the culture.  The DR truly is our home and we are blessed to live and serve here.

Over the past year, Eddy and I have continued to serve at Pathway to Jesus School in Santiago.  I have been serving at the school for almost five years and Eddy has been a part of the ministry for over ten years.   We are so thankful for the time that we have had serving at Pathway to Jesus.  We are thankful for the work that we were called to do and we pray that we have been a blessing to the ministry and the people there.  We have also been blessed in our time as well.  God used our positions at the school to help us learn and grow in so many ways.

PATHWAY TO JESUS SCHOOL

2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR

The 2013-2014 School Year was a great year for Pathway to Jesus School.  The children thrived and grew and learned.  They were taught about Jesus and His love for them.  We were thankful for each opportunity that we had to witness and share with our students’ parents and families.  We had spelling bees, and service days, and Christmas programs, and Kindergarten graduations.  We celebrated with them in their accomplishments and guided and corrected them when it was needed.  The staff also grew as a team.  They helped and supported each other and prayed for and leaned on each other as well.

 

Eddy and I continued in our roles in the administration of the school.  I continued in my role directing the preschool and helping with the organization of the finances and Eddy continued in his role in the general administration of the school and in the area of maintenance. 

CONSTRUCTION/WORK TEAMS

CROWN POINT

First Christian Reformed Church of Crown Point sent a work team down in February for the fourth year in a row.  They worked hard laying block and pouring  columns.  They also had a great time playing with the kids at recess and visiting sponsor childrens’ families at their homes.  We had a great time with the Crown Point team and are so thankful for them.

ILLIANA

Illiana Christian High School sent their fifth annual work team of students and teachers over Spring Break of this past school year.  They work hard in a variety of jobs including building tables and desks, finishing the outer wall at the new building, painting several interior and exterior walls, and painting several murals. 

We always love hosting the Illiana teams.  It is so great to see how God uses their trips to open their eyes to a new culture and move in their lives.

VISITORS/PARTNERSHIPS

Joy (Gort) Kasper moved down to the school for several months during last year and helped in the area of administration of the elementary school.  She mentored teachers, organized schedules and curriculum, built a new Bible curriculum, helped host the teams, and the list could go on and on.

We are so thankful for her help and for her time.  She was a huge blessing to the school and to us personally as well.

The “Grannies on a Mission” came down on their third annual trip in February.  Karen Hoekstra (my mom) and Ruth Boss have a special place in their hearts for Pathway to Jesus School.  The staff loves when the Grannies come to visit.  They hosted a brunch for the teachers and gave gifts to the staff.  They cleaned and organized.  They also visited their Dominican friends and blessed the school in a variety of ways. 

2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR

Pathway to Jesus has started a new school year.  We are now safely beyond the busyness of the beginning of the school year and looking forward to our Christmas programs and activities.

We have two new administrators at the school this year.  Franklin and Yahaira, who were both teachers at the school for a few years before now stepping into administrative roles.  We are thankful for both of them and for their dedication to the school.

A SEASON OF CHANGE

I would now like to share with you how God has been moving in our lives and some decisions that we have made for our future.   For quite a while, God has been working in both of our hearts and preparing us for a possible change.  Additionally, the last time we came to the states (last winter) Eddy spent a lot of his down time praying and in communion with God seeking out direction for his life.  At that time, he needed to decide whether God wanted us to stay in the school as administrators, in which case he would get a degree in administration, or if God was calling him to become a pastor.  By the end of our trip, Eddy was sure that God was indeed calling him to be a pastor. 

We’ve spent the last several months seeking God’s direction and figuring out what that means for us and for our ministry.  Ultimately, what God revealed to both of us is that He is leading us down a completely new path.  Although this was a difficult decision for us to make, we know that we need to be obedient to God’s calling.

As we were searching for direction from God, we were also working on preparing the school for our possible absence.  Over the last year or two we have made major strides at the school in administration and organization.  As mentioned in our update, there is now a qualified functioning board that is governing the school.  We also have two new administrators that accepted positions starting this new school year.  We are thankful for what God has been able to accomplish through us at the school over the last few years and we are also confident that He will continue to provide the necessary people to continue the work being done there.

During these months, God was working in our lives in another way as well.  Just over a year ago, the decision was made to suspend services at the church.  So for the last year, Eddy and I have been attending a new church called ICC.  It is lead by a missionary, Jim White.  For those of you who have been on a work team, you will know them as the missionaries who also run the mission house where all of our teams stay.  God has used that church, its leaders, and its members to move in our lives in a big way.  Jim and Teresa have become mentors to us, we have become a part of their church family and we have become involved in some of the church’s ministries as well.  Eddy serves on the praise team, I am the children’s church coordinator, we both are involved in the youth group and the evangelism that they do. 

God used our involvement in the church and it’s ministries to confirm to us that this is the type of work that God is calling us to do. 

As we were seeking God’s direction in our lives, we both felt God leading us to talk to Jim and Teresa about possibly working alongside them in their ministry called “Sharing the Vision”.  We asked for a meeting with them and they revealed to us that they had also prayed about us working with them as well.

After meeting with them a few times, praying about it, and talking it over with our mission organization, Eddy and I have made the decision that at the end of December, we will be transitioning from Pathway to Jesus to Sharing the Vision.  In fact, we have no doubt that this is what God is calling us to do.

Jim and Teresa White and Sharing the Vision’s mission is evangelism and making disciples.  Their major ministries are the church ministry and the team house ministry.  They have a large team ministry and receive several teams per year.  They do leadership and pastoral training.  They also mentor and support nationals who have ministries in the DR as well. 

Eddy and I will be serving in a variety of functions.  We will be helping in leadership roles in the church ministry as well as the team ministry and construction.  Eddy will also be focused on seeking direction in the area of training and education.  Working with Sharing the Vision will give the opportunity to get some real, practical training in the area of church ministry, evangelism and making disciples.  It will also give Eddy the space to seek out the best theological educational opportunities.

Although the decision to make this change after so many years at Pathway to Jesus was difficult, we have such a peace with this decision because we know that God is leading us and we also have faith that He will be with us every step of the way.  We are filled with joy and excitement to see how God will continue to work in our lives and use us for the good of His kingdom.

THANK YOU

Thank you all so much for your interest, for your prayers, and for your support.  We are humbled by the outpouring of love and support that we receive.  We ask that you continue to pray for us in this transition and we will continue to pray for all of you as well.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9

                                                                                                                        Blessings,

                                                                                                                        Eddy and Carrie Ramos