Pastor Frank Ramos, 

  I was born in the “enchanted island of Puerto Rico in the month of June, in a rainy afternoon and the Coqui serenading my arrival in Lares, Puerto Rico. I grew up listening to salsa and merengue music, eating arroz con gandules y lechon asado. I come from a large but very close family, My parents Julia Rosado and Frank Ramos, 3 brothers and 3 sisters.  My father had a small business in Lares, he worked very hard to provide for us. Unfortunately there was a fire when I was 4 years-old at the house we lived and suddenly, we had no place to go, nothing to eat, and nothing to wear! But we were so thankful to God to be alive and that was all we cared!  This is the beginning of the itinerancy of my life!Faith in God moves us to trust in a better future, a better tomorrow! God enables us to see obstacles in life as opportunities to grow. My parents had a job offer in USA and my family moved to Chicago, Illinois where I was raised and attended school in the early 70’s. We struggled to adapt to a new culture and new community, but we were all thankful to God that our parents had a job to provide shelter and food for us!    God always opened doors for us! My mother and grandmother were devoted Christians who guided us and instructed us to obey God and live a life in accordance to His word! Few years after my oldest brother got a job in Harrisburg, PA and because we wanted to be together, we followed him to PA where I finished High school and then college. I went to Riverside Center of The Art’s to study communication for two years. I met Barbara Walters and others famous journalist while during an internship at Channel 33 as a Spanish news reporter in Hershey Pennsylvania for 1 year. Then God provided me with another opportunity and started working for Department of Social Services in PA. Here was the turning point in my life. While working with people and getting to know their needs, I found me! Through this experience I realized I wanted to help people to find themselves and God! I believe God has a purpose for every human being, since the beginning of creation, and through the blood of Jesus Christ, God sees His purpose in each one of us! God has given humans a burning flame of hope and love within their hearts so we can embrace others and give them the breath of life! In the early 80’s while living in PA, I attended church and study the bible with the elders of my church. Getting to know Jesus and working in the community made me grow into a more concerned human being and felt the need to make a difference in people’s lives. I knew in my heart that I wanted to be a pastor.  In 1984 while searching for God’s will I attended a United Methodist Church in Harrisburg, PA, where I was convinced through the social principles  and the Discipline of the United Methodist Church to pursue studies in Theology. I continue my studies and graduated from Garrett Theological Seminary. I met my wife Deya at Garrett, we married and have 4 children, 3 grandchildren and one in the way. I have served as pastor in seven churches and worked at the WNC Conference as a Director of Hispanic Ministries establishing new ministries throughout the conference and as a liaison between the Anglo and Hispanic/Latino culture.  I served as a consultant and facilitator of the National Plan of Hispanic/Latino Ministries for the UMC.  My wife and I facilitate workshops on Culture awareness and how to do ministry in the Hispanic/Latino population. I am now serving East Flat Rock United Methodist Church here in Hendersonville, NC. Here in this new community we have found welcoming friends. We thank God for allowing us to serve and love this church and be part of the reviving movement that is taking place here thanks to the Holy Spirit and the commitment of faithful Christians! We plan to be here until our Lord and the superintendent decide that is time for my next move as part of the itinerancy of my vow as minister.

My wife Deya and I see ourselves- with God’ blessings- serving in missions somewhere as we “retire” –in my opinion one never “retire” to serve the Lord. Since 2004, we started and sustain a small mission for extremely poor children in a remote village in Esteli, Nicaragua! We go every year to give them Christ and provide school materials to these loving children and support a feeding program for them. We have friends that come with us and are part of this mission every year. We pray that the Lord provides us with health and resources to continue this mission and we hope to retire as volunteer missioners in Nicaragua.

Blessings,

Pastor Frank & Deya