Reason I'm blogging now is to inform you that a new blog has been open under the name of http://ronnieherrera.myadventures.org/. This blog doesn't have any posts yet and will most likely have new blogs from now on. The old blogs existing in this website will be posted eventually and you will be able to read them.
I'm transfering the old emails I have if by some case I sent you this link via facebook orany other type that is not your main email account, (if desired) please suscribe in order to stay alert on what's happening in my life, family, ministry etc.
I just wanted to quickly inform you that I have started the process of Fund Raising and that in case I don't have your address, I would love to have it so I can send you a letter that will explain in detail what my ministry will be about once I get to the DR.
Please be willing to receive this letter, even if you think you won't be able to support financially. I'd love to have you pray for me and my fianceé and for our marriage.
We would love if you became a part of our team, to help The Dominican Republic rising and reflecting the Glory of God among the Nations.
I am
aware that has been a while since the last time that I posted anything on my blog;
I know as well that some of you have been expecting to hear anything from me;
Therefore, taking advantage of an empty block of time I now have in my schedule,
I would love to share with you what God had been doing in my life in the past
months after my arrival to America. Before, during and after my recent trip to
Dominican Republic, God has been doing amazing things recently. Trust me; it is
a great blessing to me to be able to share these stories with you thus
encouraging you to keep me in your prayers.
As I
had mentioned in my previous blog, God has been leading me to encourage,
motivate and urge some of my students to walk on a path that leads them closer
to Him. At the beginning I felt really discouraged, for I would spend time
talking about God and I would see no results. Some of these students are Muslims,
others are Catholic and others might not have avowed any inclination toward a
certain religious belief. The long walk before they see Jesus as their Savior might
be long; however, it is not me but the Holy Spirit who does the work. I am confident of this, that he
who began a good work in [them] you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
My life in the community of believers where I normally
attend, I must admit, is indescribably encouraging. Most of the guys are my age
and every Sunday morning we meet to study the Bible. These studies have been
very helpful and by the grace of Jesus I have been able to teach some of the
classes myself. It's a community of Hispanic believers in Christ who share the
same faith and the same heart to see the Hispanic population here in Passaic
serving Christ boldly. This makes real in my life what the Psalmist wrote in Psalms
84 "Betterisonedayin your courts than a thousand elsewhere".
Ana and I have already started all the arrangements for
our nuptials. Recently I made a trip to DR (I'll blog about it later) in which
I officially proposed her. Our plans are to get married in December and to
continue both studying in college and working for the kingdom. In order to be
able to live together in Dominican Republic, there is a series of paperwork to
be done so that my staying in DR doesn't affect my permanent residence in
America. For this I will need your prayers, and if there's any practical way
that you can help us God will make it clear to me and to any of you. So far it
all seems very confusing, but I'm confident that God wants us to live together
and don't compromise our marriage for the sake of a Visa, and that there is a
special purpose in our living in Dominican Republic.
We are still praying so that God reveals to us what HIS
desire is. Maybe God is calling us to minister in San Juan and maybe HE is calling
us to train those who have a similar call to the nations in the Dominican Republic.
I'm honestly not very clear about it, but I firmly believe that HE will prepare
everything that we need according to HIS will whenever HE considers it appropriate.
My response is to trust HIM and obey HIM and HE will do His job. I would
appreciate your support by praying for us and our ministry once we get married.
Pray that all the logistics for our marriage don't become a pain in the neck
but a process through which we are able to glorify Our Father above.
First of all I want to thank you all for your support and your prayers. It's been 6 months since I arrived to America, and if it wasn't for the prayers of the saints, my life would have been a total mess.
The reason of this post is letting everybody know how is life so far. I believe that I'm in this country with a purpose and it is to have a closer relationship with my Father and engage what he's been doing here in America.
So far I'm working as an English teacher for Latin American immigrants and International Students in NJ. My job has given me the opportunity to build strong and meaningful relationships with some of those students, plus helping them improve their English before they start studying in college. Is common to have them come to me for an advice or simply to chat about life. I'm very glad to know that they consider me a good friend as well.
Twice a month I meet with an awesome body of Latinos to share the bread to encourage each other and exhort one another specially as the day comes closer. Every other Sunday I visit some friends in NYC, where we also share some bread and spend time in brotherhood.
I'm planning on Marrying my beloved in December (Dios mediante). Therefore I request you to pray for Patria and I so that we plan everything with wisdom and according to the plans that my Father already has.
My family is doing good. My mother is missing me and father and brothers of course, but she's doing really good as she's working around Guachupita. My grandparents are a little sick, so it wouldn't be bad if you interceded for them as well.
This post may lack more info, and I know some of you may have some questions regarding how is my life going in more details. I will ask you to post a comment and add your email into it and I'll send you an e.mail with more specifics.
I just wanted to stop by and quickly let you know how things are going here in Us so far.
Spiritually
Recently God has been doing amazing things in my life. I've been worrying a lot about my family (specially my siblings and my father), and the fact that it seems like they never are going to accept Christ and let Him change their lives. God has been imparting me a lot of hope ansd assurance about the issue, letting me know that, no matter what happens, He is still in control. This morning during prayer I was led to Jeremiah 33, andI felt like that was Him talking about my family.
Ministry
In my class of English, all of my students are wonderful, Specially three of them that have been a great asset to the trust I need to have in the father and Him providing me with people I can minister to. A Turkish couple, they are muslimms and we have developed a great relationship, last saturday they invited me to their house for dinner, first the food was really good, and second we good a good chunk of time talking about the culture of both Turkey and the DR, Religion, UFC, Dancing, etc. I'm going for breakfast to their house tomorrow as well. Please pray that this relationship grows more and more everyday, regardless of our difference in beliefs. The other one is a colombian engineer, who's seems very open to Christianism, since he was born catholic. I hope in Christ that this relationship lasts long and that the love of CHrist drills deep into his heart.
Work
Classes have increased, and the number odf students as well. I had worked for 6 years teaching English, but here is a little harder since all classes are multinational. Usually a class can have at least 5 nationalities. Still getting used to the fast pace working here in the states, and the productivity focused labeor and not the relationship focused way of work in "Quisqueya".
School
This is one of my favorites so far. I'm attending Passaic Community College. And in one of my classes (algebra), while the teacher is talking the guy next to me turns around and starts telling me how "hot" the muslim girl behind me is. I tthought that this was a great opportunity to build a relationship with a guy and basically help him not to look at girls in that way. After the class was Finished, He went to her and asked her if she was covering her head because she was married, after a while she started talking about her religion and pointed at me saying "you understand this, right?" to make the long story short, she thought I was a muslim from Bangladesh because of my beard and my middle eastern look, and the guy happened to be a believer.
Family
Is good. Luisito (my brother) is going with me to youth group every saturday. Which is a good start. Mom is doing good, even though she would get a little deppressed every now and then because we are not there. Keep praying so that we can be togather one day. Patria is good, even though business of work and college has kept me 3 days without talking with her, which feels like an eternity.
So I know it's been a while since the last time I wrote and told you about wwhat was going on in my life. here is a little review about the last two months. and a promise I will keep writing here and letting you know abourt the eternal journy in the Father's paths.
A couple months ago I got a letter in the door of my house tellikng my that the request my dad had made in the US so that I can get a residency, had gone through. after that the proccess and paper work fo me to get the american visa started, and wwithing a month I was ready to depart from the DR.
Still I felt from God it wasn't the right time for me to leave so I kept praying until His answer was a go. Leaving family, friends, Youth Group, and Ana wasn't an easy thing to do, still it was nessesary.
It's been two months now and here I am in NJ. opposite to previous mission trips, there wasn't that set up process and communication trying to figure out ministry locations or church that I could affiliate with. Instead, it was a show up and live.
A month after I got here I applied at a local English Institute, and after reviewing all my experience in teaching English, they hired me, and also recommended me to work at the same institute but in another town.
School was about to start and I saw that I could apply for financial aid. I did and it happend that right now I'm studying at a local community college. I took the carrer of English and so far I've been attending classes and praying God asking Him to reveal His purposes in this country.
I've made of this a mission trip and in the class I'm teaching right now there's a pair of muslim adults that I believe could be a good potential for me to share Christ with them. I've never worked with muslims, but I've got some help from those that have and they have been an excellent asset to me. '
Please keep praying and asking God to keep me in His purposes.
"I think I'm going to pass out" said a woman next to me while I was working translating in a local clinic, another lady replied "the earth is shaking" and two minutes later it appears on the news. The begining of a nightmare.
Since then everyone is moving.
Last thursday Miguel and I went to Jimani a town next to the borther, there were choppers landing every five minutes, and each one came with a bad new, someone with a broken leg, arm or simply about to die.
I visited the Hospital and the situation was critical. People kept comming in, doctors made sure everyone got assistance, a back door was kept open to receive the bodies of a group of 30 Dominicans that were working as engineers in a building in Port o`Prince that colapsed during the earthquake.
The church miguel and I stood in started a ministry that I really felt identified with. because the doctors were so busy, no one was realizing that the people in the hospital still had needs even though they were meically assisted, they needed water, food and hygene supplies.
Before we went into Haiti to try to find people to work with, we went to store to buy food for those in needs, still looking to help in creating refugees for those that will have to start a new life from now on.
I spoke at my home church after arriving so we can get food and supplies togther to take them there, tomorrow me and a friend are going to take 200 pnds of food + toothbrushes, soaps, etc
Please keep praying and interceding for those people, there's a lot we can do, but the only one that restores the heart of those is Jesus.
God has been working in me the awareness on spirituall warfare, while understading what does it mean to be a son of His an to be interested in the things He is interested.
Ministry
Recently I shared the gospel with a freshman classa leading for kids to Christ that night. Imediatelly I put my self in charge of discipling two of them and teach them how to grow in Christ as well as developing a friendship relationship instead of a leader follower thing. (even though it istill is).
Just started working on some guys that have the same call to the missions field, by going to Guachupita with them, soon we might do some vision trips to different places to find a place where we can work on a longer term basis.
Health Twisted my anckle two days after arriving from Peru, so i'm still recovering. Otherwise I'm excellent.
Guachupita
is doing great we just Had cellgroup there yesterday and people were very happy with the presence of some guys I took down there (these 5 girls 2 guys actually kept visiting guachupita while Miguel and I were gone). Prayer is needed over them (I'll go over that later).
First of all, I pray that the blessings from God may be poured onto you.
The reason I'm wwriting this is to let you know (in case you didn't know) that I was in Peru for around three months and it was an excellent time there. Teaching in churches, training the youth for ministries, evangelism, personal disciplechip.
Now it all happened because of your spiritual and financial suport, without the key elementes of intercession and material support this trip would not have been made possible.
So I want to thank you all for caring about this, caring about my heart towards the Nations, towards the mountains here in the DR and Haiti.
Now I'm back in the Dominican finding that the youth group I used to lead has grown vertically and horizontally. That my spiritual choldren are still in the truth and growing more and more and a team of guys that also have a heart towards the missions. Lots of work confirming God's full time call.
Still I have a request, and it is to keep praying for this: in January I'm going to Haiti with a couple Guys, to preach and teach in the church I was last year, please pray for provision and spiritual covering.
recently due to my trip to Peru, a lot of people have expressed me their desire to become missionaries, most ogf them young people.
However most people have the mentality that being a missionary means to travel around the world and if it is possible preach the gospel to someone.
But I've met a group of girls (sisters actually) the three of them have a huge call to go and minister preaching the gospel in unreached nations.
Obeying a call means to do what God asks you to do wherever you are, these three girls that went everywhere with the kandela evangelism team, Have a specific call to Africa.
Connie, the oldest sister, 21 is actually working as a sound video technician in our church.
Connie, Whay do you wnat to be a missionary?
Because I'd like to go to ifferent parts of the world mionistering specifically to the kids,. I believe hat they are the futur of our world, and because I like to see them having fun while we teach them bible verses and sing with them, besides the fact that teaching them the word of God being children they'll be better man and women of God, and they'll be an example to others.
Betsy, 20, Worship leader in youth group
Betsi, If you ever make it to Africa, where would you like to work there? I'd like to minister more specificcaly to teenagers, meeting their need to develop a good relationship, and to hear about God. I'd like to help them bringing them the message of salvation, and let them know that they are not alone and there are people praying for them and willing to encourage them.
DTB
Mariolis, 18, youth group's worship leader
Mayi, what really made you upload pictures of kids in Africa on your facebook?
Well I was looking at some pictures of Africa on the web and I found a lot of pictres that atracted my atention, most of them have a pretty bad nutrition, suffering in hunger while we are all wasting so much food.
Another kid had some shoes made out of water bottles, again while our wardrobes are full of shoes we don't use. I uploaded those pics so my friend can see the materialism we are in, and that at least they can think about it, and feel compassion towards them.
Betsi, If you ever make it to Africa, where would you like to work there? I'd like to minister more specificcaly to teenagers, meeting their need to develop a good relationship, and to hear about God. I'd like to help them bringing them the message of salvation, and let them know that they are not alone and there are people praying for them and willing to encourage them.