Only God
RREACH’s first operational value is “Only God.” One way we recognize and live our dependence on Him is by beginning, covering and ending every aspect of ministry in prayer, with thanksgiving.
Dr. Richard says, “Prayer precedes ministry,” and as the Lord continues to open doors for his ministry, we realize afresh the need for prayer.
Please take a moment to pray and praise over the updates on this page, featuring a daily prayer calendar at the beginning of each month. Also let us know how we can pray for you!
Prayer Calendar
Prayer Updates
A quick update: GProCongress and the Dallas GPA | April 9, 2014
Dear friends,
Thank you for continuing to lift up Dr. Richard and the ministry of RREACH in prayer. April has just begun and already it has been a very busy month, especially relating to the 2014 Dallas GPA and the Global Proclamation Congress for Pastoral Trainers, which, the Lord willing, will take place in June 2016.
CONGRESS: The Lord willing, RREACH will announce the new location for the GProCongress on May 31, 2014 at www.pastoraltrainerscongress.org. Please be in prayer as discussions with one potential host site in particular take place throughout this month.
Also, with just over two years until the opening ceremonies of this historic congress, there is much to be done. Please join us in praising God for the fine work that already has been accomplished toward this effort, and pray that He would send just the right people to help Dr. Richard and RREACH complete the task at hand.
DALLAS GPA: Since our last update, we are happy to announce that RREACH now has *24 pastors who have received their visas, including the most recent - Pastor V from Liberia! Unfortunately, Pastor M from NE India was denied his visa, and Pastor G from Cameroon was unable to get a second appointment and cannot come. Please pray for pastors M and G during this discouraging time.
Please be in prayer for those pastors who have been accepted and received their visas - that they would be successful in raising their half of their airfare to Dallas. Also pray that God would protect them and would be preparing their hearts for the Dallas GPA.
Please pray for this upcoming visa appointment:
April 10: Pastor J from Gambia (he has been rejected once. This will be his second interview.)
Finally, please pray for the following logistical requests related to the 2014 Dallas GPA:
That our entire Dallas GPA budget would be raised by June 28, 2014.
For at least 40 tables to be sponsored at the Dallas GPA graduation banquet.
For all technology to work well prior to and during the Dallas GPA.
For all host family spots to be filled by families excited to meet and show hospitality to these pastors.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
Prayer coordinator
*Pastors with secured visas represent the following countries: Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Haiti, Hungary, Lebanon, Liberia, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Zimbabwe
Received: April 29, 2021
RReaching out to all ages | March 28, 2014
Dear friends,
Greetings on behalf of Dr. Ramesh Richard. Thank you for your continued prayers for Dr. Richard and RREACH. Since returning from India, Dr. Richard has had a busy schedule with domestic trips that have allowed him to minister to teenagers, seniors and ages in between. Please join us in praising God for Dr. Richard's personal proclamation ministry.
Ignite Conference, Des Moines, Iowa:
In mid-March Dr. Richard was a keynote speaker for Grace Church's Ignite Conference in Des Moines, Iowa. He also did breakout sessions with 500 youth and 200-plus volunteers. After seeing some of the students' seriousness about their personal faith in the Lord Jesus, Dr. Richard was encouraged about America's future.
At the Ignite Conference
While there, he spoke at Grace Church's two Sunday services, spoke at an evangelistic event, and also was able to spend time with long-time friends in the area.
Bible study retreat, Kerrville, Texas:
Soon after returning from Iowa, Dr. Richard took another trip to Kerrville, where he taught his "Root to Fruit" study to around 30 people in their 70s and 80s. He found this group eager to know God's future plans for their lives and said he wants to be like them!
While in Texas' Hill Country, Dr. Richard and his wife, Bonnie, took some time for a biking adventure. His first time on a bike in 21 years!
2014 Dallas GPA update:
Finally, thank you for continuing to pray for the upcoming Dallas GPA. We are praising God as just today we learned that Pastor K from Bhutan received his visa! This will be the first time Bhutan has been represented at a Dallas GPA. Pastor A from Nepal also received his visa and we accepted a pastor from Pakistan who already has a U.S. visa, bringing us to 23* pastors with visas!
Please continue to pray for pastors from Cameroon and Gambia whose visa applications were rejected and who plan to reapply. Also, pray that candidates from northern India and Nigeria are able to schedule appointments next week.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator
*Pastors with secured visas represent the following countries: Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Haiti, Hungary, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Zimbabwe.
Received: April 29, 2021
"Because of the Dallas GPA..." | March 21, 2014
Dear friends,
We are excited to announce we have accepted 27 candidates, including 20* who have secured visas. We are blessed that two newly accepted candidates from Cuba and Brazil already had US visas.
Since our last post on the Dallas GPA, we have the following updates:
Pastor J from Gambia and Pastor G from Cameroon both are planning to reapply for their visas. Their first applications were rejected. Please pray for favorable outcomes in both cases.
Pastor R from Bangladesh was granted his visa!
Please pray for these upcoming visa appointments:
March 24: Pastor A, from Nepal
March 28: Pastor K, from Bhutan
Thank you for your continued prayer as we work through the process of accepting candidates and helping them obtain visas to attend. We rejoice greatly over each one who is able to come, as we know from experience what attending the Dallas GPA means to these pastors and their ministries.
In fact, just recently we had a visit from 2013 Dallas GPA graduate Pastor A, from India. He had this to say about his experience in Dallas last year, as recorded by RREACH staff:
After the Dallas GPA last year, many began telling Pastor A they could see a difference in him. When he asked how, they said he was handling things differently. When challenges come up, he’s calmer and less angry. He still is driven and energetic, but he handles problems without getting so excited.
Pastor A also identified several other ways God changed him through the Dallas GPA, including his preaching (he said he preaches more on the Bible now than his own thoughts) and his leadership.
'Because of the Dallas GPA, I am a leader who thinks about others first,' he said.
Thank you for your prayers!
For His glory,
Edie Ross
Prayer Coordinator
* Pastors with secured visas represent the following countries: Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Hungary, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cuba, Haiti and Angola.
Received: April 29, 2021
A 20th anniversary and a historic first in India | March 14, 2014
Dear friends,
Thank you for praying for Dr. Richard while he ministered in India earlier this month. We are grateful to bring you the following praises from his trip!
Personal Proclamation:
While in India, Dr. Richard was able to see many friends when he spoke at the 20th anniversary of a church plant by Delhi Bible Fellowship, where he served as pastor in the mid-1980s. The church plant had struggled when Dr. Richard was serving in India, but the Lord has been gracious and in the last 20 years they have planted several more churches.
Dr. Richard also spoke at a leadership conference, and was thankful that RREACH friend and former coach Del Harris could join him and present a workshop.
Ministry Training:
In Bihar State (once called the "graveyard of missions") Dr. Richard spoke at a pastors conference in Patna attended by 170 pastors and their wives. One of Dr. Richard's childhood friends felt called to Bihar, where being a Christian meant being under threat in every way. Now, 30 years later, this place is called the "vineyard of missions" and there are 1,140 churches and 110 pastors there! (Pastoral training is of great importance here so that church health can keep up with church growth!)
Evangelizing opinion leaders:
RREACH and our partners in Bihar held their first-ever evangelistic event in Patna, attended by 70 people, including 45 unbelievers. Several trusted Christ!
At an evangelistic event in Bangalore, a former classmate of Dr. Richard's responded to the invitation to trust Christ!
Please continue to pray for those who attended events and meetings at which Dr. Richard spoke, that God would continue to use Dr. Richard's words in their lives to encourage, convict and bring them into fuller relationships with Himself.
For His glory,
Edie Ross
Prayer coordinator
P.S. We have updated news on the 2014 Dallas GPA! Click here to see it!
Received: April 29, 2021
Dallas GPA: Marching (toward the goal) in March UPDATED! | March 7, 2014
Dear friends,
Please join us in praising the Lord as we march toward securing a full class of 25 pastors with visas for the 2014 Dallas GPA. Currently, we've accepted 25 candidates, including 15* who have obtained their visas. We now have 17 candidates with visas!
Since our last update, Pastor A from Burkina Faso was granted his visa, as was Pastor D from Fiji. Please pray for these and other pastors who have secured their visas as they work toward raising funds to cover their part of their air travel to Dallas.
Additional prayer requests include:
Please pray for Pastor V from Liberia. After his visa appointment, the U.S. Embassy in Liberia put his application under further review. We are expecting the embassy to call the RREACH offices today to confirm the authenticity of our invitation. We are hopeful this will result in an approved visa for Pastor V. Please continue to pray for this situation. We've not yet heard if his visa will be granted.
Pastor J from Gambia was rejected for a visa. He is trying to decide if he should reapply. This is disappointing for both Pastor J and for RREACH, as no pastors from Gambia have previously attended a Dallas GPA. Please pray for God's wisdom, direction and favor. Please continue to pray.
Pray for God to provide one more master coach to join Dr. Richard in filling out the 2014 Dallas GPA faculty. Please continue to pray.
Finally, please pray for positive outcomes to these upcoming visa appointments:
March 12: Pastor A, from Haiti GRANTED!
March 13: Pastor G, from Cameroon REJECTED. Pray for wisdom on whether Pastor G should reapply or not.
March 13: Pastor F, from Angola GRANTED!
March 17: Pastor R, from Bangladesh
March 28: Pastor K, from Bhutan
Also, please pray for Pastor A from Nepal, who should receive his passport next week. Pray that he does and that he can secure a visa appointment very soon!
For His glory,
Edie Ross
prayer coordinator
*Pastors with secured visas represent the following countries: Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Hungary, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad, Zimbabwe, Haiti and Angola.