Ministry Update - March, 2025
Dear Friends,
I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for all the unconditional support we have received from you in so many ways. I want to update you on our activities during January and February and share some exciting plans regarding the Transition House, where five young men are currently living, as well as new initiatives we are developing to work with orphanages.
Financial Update
First, I want to extend my sincere apologies to all those who have been donating financially to our ministry. Over the past few months, we faced some difficulties in processing donations, which have now been resolved. We are once again able to receive transactions. I understand that this situation may have been frustrating and confusing for many of you, and I sincerely appreciate your patience. If you have any concerns regarding your donations, please do not hesitate to let us know. Unfortunately, some situations are beyond our control, but we always strive to handle everything with transparency and integrity.
Transition House Updates
Currently, five young men—Fredi, Gabriel, Fernando, José, and Fabricio—are part of the Transition House. One of them, Fabricio (picture), has been with us for almost 15 months. He has demonstrated independence and the ability to sustain himself. He is currently in his second year of culinary studies and has a stable job that allows him to balance work and study. His perseverance and strong social skills have stood out, and as a ministry, we have supported him spiritually, educationally, and professionally. We believe he is now ready to graduate from the Transition House and continue growing independently. However, he will remain part of our program as we continue to guide him in completing his studies and maintaining a healthy and productive lifestyle.
Progress of the Other Young Men
Fredi is in his second-to-last year of high school, attending night classes and working three days a week packing potato chips to earn some income.
Fernando has been admitted to a public institute where he is studying programming and will soon begin learning to code.
Both Fernando and Gabriel have weekend jobs that allow them to generate income.
José is taking a four-month computer assembly and maintenance course at a technical institute. He does not currently have a job, but he, like the others, has the opportunity to work inside the Transition House, earning hourly wages.
Gabriel primarily works in household chores and kitchen duties, with a key responsibility of baking bread three times a week.
A Typical Day in the Transition House
Each weekday starts with a mandatory breakfast meeting, where we discuss daily updates and have spiritual conversations to begin the day. Every young man has assigned household chores to complete in the morning. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they attend Transformation Academy, a two-hour class designed to equip them with essential life skills.
During the afternoon, they are encouraged to complete school assignments, participate in assigned house tasks, or take on paid work opportunities within the Transition House. In the evenings, most of them attend their academic activities and return around 10 PM. They are encouraged to socialize before winding down for the night, with a set bedtime before midnight.
Accountability System
To encourage responsibility, we have implemented a point-based evaluation system that tracks:
Attendance at breakfast meetings
Participation in Transformation Academy
A symbolic rent and meal contribution
Completion of household chores
Keeping their rooms clean and organized
To ensure a well-structured system, we have hired a part-time house manager, Mery, a Christian woman with experience in food preparation and household management. She arrives at 8 AM and leaves at 1 PM. Mery oversees meal preparation, tracks expenses, monitors our point-based system, and mentors the young men in cooking and household management skills. Her guidance has been invaluable, especially as I (Orlando) am not an expert in meal planning and administration.
Transformation Academy
Transformation Academy is first part of the Business Academy developed by BlessBack Ministries under the leadership of Ron Pedemonte. Its primary goal is to train communities in business skills and cultivate a mindset for success, integrating biblical principles with entrepreneurship.
For months, I have been trained and blessed through these courses, which now allow me to teach these valuable skills not only in the Transition House but also within my community.
Part one, Transformation Academy, is designed to build self-awareness and essential life skills that prepare young men for independence and success. This includes:
Personal Growth & Leadership – Understanding identity, values, and strengths.
Critical & Strategic Thinking – Developing problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Emotional Intelligence – Managing emotions and building strong relationships.
Goal Setting & Resilience – Overcoming challenges and creating a vision for the future.
Financial & Career Readiness – Learning basic financial management and exploring career paths.
These are essential skills for any entrepreneur and, more importantly, tools for setting life goals and achieving dreams.
We require every young man who goes through the Transition House to complete this three-month course. Depending on their motivation, they can continue to the second part, which focuses on entrepreneurship and business strategies, also lasting three months.
Expanding Our Impact to Orphanages
As a personal goal, we want to expand this knowledge and life skills training to orphanages in our city.
Recently, we established our first connection with "Arca de Jesús," an orphanage housing approximately 40 boys. In coordination with their staff, we have arranged for nine boys to visit the Transition House almost every Saturday to participate in Transformation Academy and other dynamic activities.
We hope that in the future, this initiative will evolve into a structured project within our ministry, reaching multiple orphanages and impacting more young lives.
January & February Activities
Some key highlights from the past two months include:
Attending a Christian camp organized by Word of Life.
Participating in church activities during summer vacation.
Celebrating Fabricio and Orlando’s birthdays.
Strengthening our structure and accountability system to improve our work with these young men.
I also want to take this opportunity to share that we are always looking for leaders who are passionate about making a difference. Whether through mentorship, skills training, or new partnerships, we are open to opportunities that allow us to expand our impact and reach more young people in need. If you feel called to be part of this mission, we would love to connect and explore how we can work together to transform lives. I thank God for His great mercy and guidance, allowing us to influence and be a part of these young lives.
With gratitude and blessings,
Orlando Ramirez