SGWM Newsblog

Ramirez Family March 2010 Missions Update-Kenya

As many of you know that Pastor Dave and his family are in the States for furlough, which has blessed me with new additional ministries and responsibilities. This time has been an incredibly stretching time for me and yet it has been an even greater time of experiencing the grace of our God in a whole new way. I have seen God’s grace not only carry me through the many responsibilities and the trials that come from just living in Africa, but to do them in a God glorifying way. I do not believe I am called to “just get through” my responsibilities and trials and call it “the grace of God” but to live a life that is impacting to all those around me, especially my family; for God’s grace is enough for all the challenges we face, small and great. Thank you for praying for me and my family during this time

Our Family
On the morning I was heading out to teach at the Bible College, I learned that the night before 7 men were killed by the local police, which instigated riots on the streets which I needed to travel through that morning. As Africa can be so unstable, when we ask for prayer for safety, these are the kinds of things that we face often unexpectedly…

*Please continue to pray for our safety.

Clay, our 7 year-old, has been learning that he is also responsible to turn to God personally for help (not just lean on daddy and mommy’s prayers) and to trust in the LORD’s care for him…As he too has been praying for himself, he has been gradually having more victory over his night terrors. We are so thankful to God!

Joram our precious second born has celebrated his 5th birthday (Robot theme)! Every birthday we have the tradition of asking “the” question: “So, what important lessons has the Lord taught you this past year?” He shared with us that God has taught him this past year to protect and care for others (he is our aggressive lover, whom often pummels or injures the person of his affection)…

Ezra (our 2 year-old) was listening to his mama and brothers discuss what it looks like to “walk with God”. In the middle of the discussion, he declared he too wanted to walk with God. Trying to assure us that he understood he confidently explained back to us what we had talked about, then said, “let me get my sandals on right now!” May it be that easy for us all!

*Please continue to pray that our family would glorify Christ in all that we think, do and say…that truly we would be willing to be spent for His glory alone as we learn to apply the truth of God’s Word by faith to our own lives…

Quick praise report: God took care of my hernia surgery reimbursements as the full amount was paid by our insurance company without problem! Thanks for your faithful prayers…

Our Ministry
Thank you for praying as I was able to teach at a pastor/leadership seminar this past month. Over 100 pastors/leaders sludged through thick mud from the rain to a small tin roof church in the Kibera slums. The funny thing is after I taught, I discovered that this particular church has a lot of cultic practices that I was directly contradicting as I simply taught the Bible. Thankfully I didn’t get stoned, but more so, weeks after the seminar the pastor that invited me shared that the attendees are still marveling over God’s Word. Praise God for the sufficiency of His Word and its power!

Bible College: Associate degrees from Calvary Chapel Bible College, Murrieta, California have finally arrived! We thank God for all the labor that so many people have poured into the students whom also have worked hard to earn their AA in Theology. We do praise God we have received more funding for the Bible College, though I ask for prayer for wisdom in the administration of developing a fully independent, Kenyan-sustained program in the near future.

New Discipleship Class: I started a new discipleship class for graduates of the Bible College. My vision is to invest and train-up graduates to properly teach the Word and also administrate in a Bible College setting. Beyond this, I hope to disciple these graduates in preparation for their next venture of faith (as many of our graduates have expressed their desire to move back to their villages, to teach and pastor).

*Please pray for wisdom and grace to pour into these vessels what they will need in order to reach Kenya for Christ’s sake.

Youth ministry: This month I was blessed with the opportunity to invest in the “next generation” and minister to our youth group (early 20’s). I was met with countless questions concerning doctrine and real questions about how to live pleasing to God.

F.I.C. Concert: Our outreach was held in the Kibera slums this month and was incredibly impacting as other Christian churches in the community have been stirred with a desire to imitate what Calvary Chapel Nairobi does to reach the youth. What a blessing!

Somali Bible Study: The Somali young men are growing in their hunger for the Word of God and asking important questions about their faith. These young men are constantly risking their lives as they apply their faith by sharing the truth of God’s Word compassionately, with urgency, among this mostly Islamic people group. Many Kenyans do not even believe that there are Somali Christians because this people-group seem “too difficult to reach”.

*Please continue to pray protection, boldness, and anointing over our Somali brothers who are risking all to share the delivering, transforming, life-producing truth of God’s Word among their people!

Church Services: Glory to God the messages are bearing glorious fruit! I heard from a church member giving testimony that he and few others were in the same matatu (local transportation) actually discussing the Bible message after church. That kind of testimony is every Pastors dream, because people are truly walking away with the Word in their minds and hearts!

Death seems to be a regular event here in Kenya. Just as often as one might attend a birthday party on the weekend in the States, there seems to be an occasion to help with the burial of someone we know. Another beloved sister in our church passed-on, provoking an opportunity for our church to respond with great love. As it is, our members struggle to pay rent, get enough simple food, let alone the fuel to prepare food daily, yet our church was able to raise enough money to send her body “up-country” (to her village area) for burial. We praise God for the testimony of the churches love that was powerfully seen in the family of the deceased!

Thank you again for your prayers and financial support. We know that in order for you to be supporting, it is with a great love for the gospel and our family. We humbly ask for your continued prayers concerning our support that we may remain in Kenya and share God’s truth in love.

By His grace, for His glory,

The Ramirez Family
Arie, Nasiema, Clay, Joram, and Ezra

Psalm 73:25-26

Email: slavebygrace@yahoo.com

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Reaching The Nations…One Soul At A Time