Greetings Beloved!

My name is Arie and my wife’s name is Nasiema and we currently have two delightful boys in our family: Clay Shekaniah who is just over 3 1/2 years old and Joram Truth who is 18 months (who are both such blessings!!!). We would like to briefly share with you our journey that brought us into an intimate relationship with Jesus and the things God did to stir our hearts for what we believe to be our calling: to edify the bride of Christ and to reach the un-reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Arie’s testimony

Prior to God reconciling me to Himself, I was heavily immersed in drugs, violence and promiscuity. My mind had slipped so far from reality that I had really begun to think I was “God” at the same time conversing with demonic voices in my head. Thirteen years ago I clearly heard the Gospel, and finally understood that our existence was all about a relationship with Jesus…

God has miraculously over a period of several years healed my mind (praise be to God!) and my relationship with my Savior has matured and bloomed into a deeper, loving, sober walk of faith. My life is God-sustained, God-ordered and by His grace, God-led. Whether at home, work or while in the ministry, my one desire is to glorify Him!

Nasiema’s testimony

While veering from my under-grad course work (Pre-Med/Biology) at UCSD, I began studying out world religions and became convinced that a “Universal Transforming Spiritual Truth” existed and that I needed to somehow learn how to “tap into it.” At that time, I witnessed my younger brother’s life clearly and amazingly “transform” by this “Universal Truth” that he professed was Jesus–I was skeptical and not convinced. I began diligently searching for meaning and purpose for my own life while working and hanging out in the wilderness, detaching myself from “society.” Driven by adventure and determination, I later found myself in Calcutta, India, traveling solo in hopes to meet up with Mother Teresa whom I believed perhaps might have had answers for me. After three months of volunteering, experimenting with meditation and yoga techniques, searching for answers about “God” with travelers, nationals, and sitting on Sai Baba’s ashram listening to his dissertations, I ended my search at the Divine Retreat Center in Kerala, India. It was there where I heard testimony after testimony how Jesus “transformed” lives, heard charismatic worship passionately expressed from the heart to our Savior… It was there that my Lord met me in an intimate, redemptive vision making very evident to me why He died on the cross for me, that He is my purpose, in Him I have forgiveness, in Him I have true life and through Him, by His grace, I can have an intimate relationship with my Creator!

Our commission

Early in our Christian walks, before the Lord joined both Nasiema and I together in marriage, the Lord commissioned me to serve the persecuted church in Chiapas, Mexico, minister in the slums of Philadelphia and New York, bring relief to the Sudan, and co-labor with other missionaries preaching the Gospel throughout Europe….In the meantime Nasiema returned to India, this time sharing the Gospel of Jesus and later was sent out to China, Taiwan, Philippines, Jordan, and Israel making disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It was the Lord who brought us together and we were married literally by faith in the One who called us to this new holy calling. We were sure that God had “paired us up” to send us around the world to preach the Gospel “to the ends of the earth”…..The Lord sent us to Evansville, Indiana, then to La Puente, California, and then back to Orange County to serve with Calvary Chapel Saving Grace. This is not what we had envisioned. During these past six years, God has cultivated a love for the bride of Christ. This love has produced a desire to create warmth and community through the building of one-on-one relationships, discipleship, teaching of the word in various capacities here and overseas. With the arrival of our two sons, we’ve had so many wonderful opportunities for personal growth while learning the joy of shepherding our own children’s hearts. This past season also brought the repeated lesson that our hope must be in Him alone and that our life’s purpose must first and foremost be the pursuit of our God Himself, where EVERYTHING stems from….

This year we have been invited by Pastor Dave and Twinkle Zavala, M..D. to join them in serving the church in Nairobi, minister in the slums, develop the Bible College, and receive and administrate short-term mission teams coming in to Nairobi…Our hearts are both honored and over-whelmed with joy to co-labor with the Zavalas for the kingdom of God.

Truly, in a “nut shell”, our desire to serve the Lord on the mission field has been birthed from our relationship with Jesus; a simple and obedient, loving response to God for the nations…

If you have any questions or comments PLEASE contact us….We would LOVE to hear from you…

By His Grace,

The Ramirez Family
Arie, Nasiema, Clay, and Joram