May 17, 2022
 

Dear Friends of MOST Ministries,

As I look back over the last four years as Executive Director of MOST Ministries, I am profoundly grateful for you and each of our ministry partners (donors, volunteers, team members and leaders, pastor and missionary hosts, Board of Directors, staff, and prayer partners) who have been dedicated to carrying out the mission of MOST Ministries. The recent pandemic demonstrated our collective commitment, perseverance, and resilience to rise to meet the global challenge of keeping the ministry going so we can continue the mission of impacting the world for Jesus Christ by sending short-term mission teams to foreign mission fields now that international travel is again possible. 

I have shared with MOST Ministries’ Board of Directors that I plan to retire as MOST’s Executive Director this year.  This decision wasn’t an easy one but, as many of you know, I have been commuting between Grand Rapids (my home) and Ann Arbor, Michigan (MOST’s Mission Center) for the last four years.  As God’s Word states, For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven… (Ecclesiastes 3).  That has been certainly true during my time at MOST Ministries, and it is also true as I move into another phase of my life.  After practicing law for most of my professional career, then transitioning into Christian ministry-related work, it’s now time for me to spend more time with my husband, three adult children, four young grandchildren, church family, and friends who live in Grand Rapids.

The Board of Directors has formed a search committee for the next Executive Director of MOST Ministries.  Their plan is to do a comprehensive search to fill the position.  A press release and more may follow as their work progresses. 

I hope those of you who know me understand that I love MOST’s mission of serving people in great physical need and connecting them to the local church by sharing the Gospel.  It’s a ministry model that is extremely effective!  Because of this, I am committed to making a smooth transition for the good of the Ministry – one that builds on the work that has been done in the past, and takes it to new heights to expand the impact we and former ministry partners have made together for Christ in 52 countries since 1989. That said, YOUR time, talent, and treasure is needed by MOST Ministries now more than ever to continue this important work that Jesus commanded all of us to do!  

Serving Him Together,
 

Ruth Richert Martin
Executive Director
MOST Ministries
 

And Jesus said to them,.…“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 18-20)

P.S. If you know of anyone who might be qualified and interested in the position please write to MOSTExecutiveDirectorSearch@mostministries.org.  Thank you!

 

January 20, 2021

 

Dear Friends of MOST Ministries,

 

Who would have thought, just a year ago, that our lives, our churches, our schools, much of our economy, and MOST Ministries’ plans to send 33 short term mission teams overseas, would soon come to a screeching halt because of a novel virus from China called “COVID-19.”  And who would have thought, back then, that the virus would become a pandemic that would require hospitalization and end in death for millions of people worldwide.

 

It’s safe to say that 2020 was a year like none other in recent memory.  In addition to the devastating health effects of a global pandemic, we experienced: hundreds of thousands of businesses permanently closing and millions of people losing their jobs because of the pandemic; protests that turned violent in several cities across the country; political divisiveness in the U.S. on a scale that hasn’t existed since Civil War times; a tumultuous presidential election; and much more.  Just a little more than a month ago I was thinking how wonderful it would be if on January 1, 2021, God would “turn on a switch” and make the pandemic, the political divisiveness, and the “not so peaceful” protests in the U.S. go away for good – but as we know, that didn’t happen…

 

As shocking as these things were to us, none of them were a surprise to God. Thankfully, our all-knowing God is the creator of everything that is good (Genesis 1:31). He never causes evil, nor does he ever approve of it (1 John 1:5, Hab. 1:13, James 1:13). Thankfully, we can take comfort in the fact that God knows what He’s doing and His ways and everything He allows are much higher and better than our ways.  (Isaiah 55:8-9).  Therefore, despite what is troubling us or how we feel, we need to remind ourselves that God is in control – especially when everything around us feels out of control.  God has been, is, and will always be sovereign over our lives and our world. 

 

We also can be thankful that God has faithfully sustained MOST Ministries and each of us during the past 12 months.  Trusting in God’s continued goodness, grace, and mercy, the Ministry is stepping out in faith this year and has added 15 overseas mission trips from mid-June through December to our 2021 schedule.  Registration to join a 2021 mission team is now open.  We encourage everyone who has a heart to physically serve people in great need and share the Good News about Jesus, to prayerfully consider joining a MOST team or financially sponsoring other individuals who would like to register for a MOST team. To see our 2021 team schedule or register for a mission team, please go to:  www.mostministries.org/team_schedule or contact our Team Administrator, Kaleigh Bone, by email at kaleighb@mostministries.org; or by phone at (734) 994-7909 Ext. 3.

 

As people are being vaccinated for COVID-19 and the State of Michigan lifts more restrictions on indoor gatherings, MOST Ministries’ Mission Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan will reopen to groups of volunteers. If you volunteered at the Mission Center prior to the pandemic, you will receive an email from Kelly Bone, our Business Manager & Volunteer Coordinator, to notify you of the Mission Center’s re-opening and the safety protocols in place.  And if you have never volunteered at MOST Ministries but would like to, please contact Kelly: by email at kbone@mostministries.org; or by phone at (734) 994-7909 Ext. 4 to receive volunteer email notifications.  We need you!

 

God has called each of us to carry out His Great Commission to the ends of the earth.  Because of your faithful prayer, volunteer, and financial support of the Ministry, our mission teams will, once again, have the privilege of sharing the Gospel and serving the physical and spiritual needs of lost and hurting people around the world.  May God bless you in the New Year as you continue to be a blessing to others!

  

Serving Him Together,

 

Ruth Richert Martin

Executive Director

MOST Ministries


 

August 10, 2020

 

Dear Ministry Partners,

 

Thank you for your faithful support of MOST Ministries during this unprecedented time of great challenge and financial uncertainty for the Ministry due to the Coronavirus pandemic!  MOST’s staff is still working from home and will continue to work from home until Governor Whitmer’s order that “non-essential workers” must work from home, is rescinded. 

 

Our staff has started to develop MOST’s 2021 mission team schedule by reaching out to pastors and missionaries to whom we were not able to send short-term mission teams this year because of the pandemic and restrictions on international travel.  God willing, a successful Covid-19 vaccine will be approved and widely available by early next year so we can resume sending teams in 2021 to serve and share the Gospel with thousands of lost and hurting people in great physical need around the world who currently have no hope.

 

In the meantime, I would like to share the cover letter for MOST Ministries’ bi-monthly Prayer Calendar that was emailed to subscribers on July 15th. It was written by Kaleigh Bone, our Team Administrator & Communication Specialist.  If you would like to become a MOST Ministries Prayer Partner and currently do not receive MOST’s twice a month Prayer Calendar by email, please contact Kaleigh by kaleighb@mostministries.org, complete the sign-up sheet on MOST Ministries’ website (https://www.mostministries.org/prayer_calendar), or leave Kaleigh a voicemail message at: 734-994-7909, Ext. 3.  Thanks again and God’s blessings on you and your loved ones!

 

Serving the Lord Together,

 

Ruth Martin

Executive Director

MOST Ministries


 

May 21, 2020

 

Dear Friends of MOST Ministries:

 

Did you ever think that so much could change on a global scale in such a short period of time? Only a few months ago we began hearing about a new, highly contagious virus that broke out in China.  But then, almost overnight, the coronavirus known as COVID-19, became a worldwide pandemic.  Now, everywhere you turn, people are talking about it and its effect on them and their families, their friends, their business or employment situation, their church, their retirement accounts, or the economy in general.  It’s difficult, if not nearly impossible, to escape a conversation that begins or ends with talking about “the virus.”  It has been a surreal experience for most of us, the magnitude of which we never would have expected to encounter in our lifetime--but the good news is: none of this has taken God by surprise!

 

I received a letter from a local pastor who said,“I have heard that if you look around, you’ll be distressed; if you look to yourself, you’ll be depressed; but if you look to God, you’ll be at rest.”  And I agree. Especially at times like this we all need to keep our eyes on the Lord who has never been silent about dealing with difficult times. His Word is filled with encouragement and instruction on how to survive and thrive in any season of adversity.

 

And where we place our confidence largely determines how well we deal with adversity.  If we place our confidence primarily on people, statistics, the government, our paychecks, the balance in our retirement account, or anything other than God –the One who is “our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble” --we can be at peace no matter what is going on in the world or, more personally, what may happen to us.

 

Your prayers and ongoing support of MOST Ministries will make a difference in reaching, serving, and sharing the Gospel with lost and hurting people all over the world.  As always, our staff is available to answer your questions, or support you in prayer. You can send your questions or prayer requests to us by email: most@mostministries.org, or call and leave us a message at: 734-994-7909.

 

Your Partner in Faith,

 

Ruth Richert Martin

Executive Director

 

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in man.It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.  Psalm 118:8-9

 

April 29, 2020

 

Dear Friends of MOST Ministries,

 

We are thankful for you and continue to pray for the health of you and your loved ones during this unprecedented time.

 

This is also an extremely challenging time for MOST Ministries because of the COVID-19 pandemic and bans and other restrictions on international travel. The inability to send volunteer mission teams to serve and share the gospel in impoverished communities all over the world at the request of pastors and missionaries, has been very disappointing. It has also seriously impacted MOST Ministries’ ability to cover overhead expenses that are necessary to keep the Ministry moving forward and do what God has called us to do.

 

We covet your prayers and your financial help, now more than ever! Therefore:

 

• If you have not made a donation to the Ministry this year, we ask that you prayerfully consider making a donation as soon as you are able.
• If you regularly donate to the Ministry, we ask that you prayerfully consider increasing the amount of your regular donation or pledge for a set amount over a 3-5 year period.
• If you had planned to serve on a MOST Ministries mission team this year and your trip has been postponed, rescheduled, or cancelled due to the pandemic, we ask that you prayerfully consider making a generous donation to the Ministry as we continue to make preparations and work with our hosts to send teams into the mission field as soon as it is safe to do so.

 

Donations to MOST Ministries can be made online by credit card or direct bank deposit by clicking here, or by check mailed to MOST Ministries at 655 Phoenix Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. You can also make a donation to the Ministry by calling or leaving a voicemail message at 734.994-7909, Ext. 4.

 

Your partnership and generous support of the Ministry is greatly appreciated and necessary to continue impacting lives for Jesus Christ through short term missions!

 

Blessings,

 

Ruth Richert Martin

Executive Director

 

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way,

which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:11

 

April 16, 2020

 

Dear Friends of MOST Ministries,

 

Our staff is still working from home to keep MOST Ministries running and poised to resume sending short-term mission teams to serve overseas, as soon as international travel bans and restrictions to serve in those countries are lifted.

 

Our plan is to re-open MOST’s mission center as soon as the State of Michigan allows all workers to return to their regular place of employment. Currently, all non-essential workers in Michigan must work from home through April 30th. Therefore, we are planning to re-open the mission center on Monday, May 4th.

 

In the meantime:

 

We are grateful that we have a Savior who sacrificed His life for us and conquered death, so that all people, everywhere, may have eternal life with Him;

 

We are thankful that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has begun to decline in Michigan and many other states in the U.S.;

 

We are keeping in touch with our international hosts, i.e., the pastors and full-time missionaries in-country who are still hoping that MOST will be able to send a short-term mission team to serve in their community and help them expand their church this year;

 

We miss our mission center volunteers and are looking forward to seeing them again;

 

We are praying for God to reopen the countries on our remaining 2020 schedule so we can safely resume sending volunteer mission teams to serve and share the Gospel with people in great physical and spiritual need; and

 

We are relying on God’s grace and faithful supporters (like you) who believe in MOST Ministries’ life-changing mission of “Impacting the World for Jesus Christ through Short-Term Missions.” Please join us, in faith, to continue bringing the Gospel of the Risen Savior to all people throughout the world.

 

Your Partner in Faith,

 

Ruth Richert Martin

Executive Director


 

April 2, 2020
 

Dear Friends of MOST Ministries,

I want to thank you on behalf of MOST Ministries for your prayers and continued support of the Ministry while we are doing our best to stay healthy and keep the Ministry operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To comply with the Michigan Governor’s work from home order for non-essential workers, our staff has been working from home since March 20th and will continue to work from home until the order is lifted.

During this unprecedented time of quarantines and international travel bans, MOST Ministries has had to make some difficult, but necessary financial decisions to keep the Ministry operating until the pandemic is over and short term mission teams can again travel to serve people in need and share the Gospel in other parts of the world.

While our staff has been working from home, we have continued the MOST Ministries’ time honored tradition of meeting together as a staff, each morning, for group prayer. But because of the pandemic, we now gather to pray by conference call. Because we know that prayer is powerful, each morning we pray for one of the mission teams on our 2020 schedule, one of the hosts (national church pastors and missionaries) on our 2020 schedule, a MOST Team Leader, a MOST volunteer, and others who are connected with the Ministry.

If you or a loved one has a special need right now, we would be honored to have you send us a request for our staff to pray over. To send us a prayer request, you can email it to me at: rmartin@mostministries.org OR submit it on our website’s “Contact Us” page.

In the meantime, we pray that God will keep you and your loved ones healthy and grant you His peace that surpasses all human understanding, during these very challenging times.

Your Partner in Ministry,

Ruth Richert Martin

Executive Director
 

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Isaiah 26:3



 

March 19, 2020

Dear Friends of MOST Ministries:

Our ministry center & office will be temporarily closed from Monday, March 23 through Sunday, April 5, 2020 in light of the nationwide effort to keep travel and physical contact with other people to a minimum, and decrease the risk of spreading the Coronavirus (COVID-19).  The temporary closure is also intended to protect the health of our staff, ministry center volunteers, and their families.

 

Our staff will be working from home during this two-week period.  Phone calls made to the ministry center will be retrieved and returned on a regular basis.  Additionally, employees will automatically receive, and will be able to respond quickly to, emails sent to their MOST Ministries email address during normal business hours.

 

As always, our entrance inside the exterior door on MOST Ministries’ side of the building will remain open 24/7 for eyeglass donations and deliveries.

 

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Serving Him Together,

Ruth Martin

Executive Director



 

March 17, 2020

Dear Team Members, Team Leaders, Volunteers, and Faithful Supporters of MOST Ministries: 

 

On behalf of the MOST Ministries’ staff, I want to provide you with an update regarding the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic and how MOST Ministries is responding to the current situation.

 

First and foremost, thank you for your patience as we navigate this unprecedented, rapidly changing environment, and for your faithful support and prayers for MOST Ministries -- which are needed now more than ever!  

 

As many of you know, MOST has always had an excellent crisis management protocol in place to ensure the health and safety of our short-term mission teams while traveling and serving in the foreign mission field. Our staff has been closely monitoring the outbreak of reported Coronavirus cases, as well as the growing number of international travel advisories and travel bans. The information we monitor, on a daily basis, is from the CDC (Center for Disease Control), the WHO (World Health Organization), the U.S. State Department, and other reliable sources.  As an added precaution for the safety of our teams, our staff is in direct communication with our international hosts (indigenous pastors and full-time missionaries) to monitor the situation in their respective countries, from the time they request a team until the mission trip has been completed and the team is safely back in the U.S.

 

Last week the U.S. State Department issued a Level 3 ("Reconsider Travel Abroad") travel advisory due to COVID-19 outbreaks in several countries. Because of this, and after speaking with one of our long-time hosts who lives in Guatemala and also works for “Lead A Child” in Panama, we made the difficult, but prudent decision to cancel two short-term mission trips that were on our schedule to leave this month – a Medical Mission Team scheduled to serve in Guatemala and an Eyeglass Team scheduled to serve in Panama. Because the need is so great in the areas of the world where our teams serve, our hope and prayer is to reschedule all teams that may have to be canceled due to the Coronavirus and travel bans.

 

As we are made aware of new information that may cause us to reschedule any of the remaining trips on MOST’s 2020 schedule, we will continue to provide updates to the appropriate Team Leaders and Team Members to ensure that clear and effective steps are taken to ensure the safety and health of everyone involved. God willing, our remaining teams for 2020 will be able to serve as planned and, more importantly, will be able to share God’s love with thousands of people who are in need of hope that only the Savior of the world can provide!

 

It is our desire to see MOST Ministries continue to serve and share God’s love to a lost and hurting world this year and for years to come.  Please join us in keeping those impacted by the Coronavirus and MOST Ministries in prayer; and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

 

Serving Him Together,

 

Ruth Richert Martin

Executive Director

 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)