Campinas, April 13th of 2020

Eduardo Ribeiro
Rua Ferdinando Panattoni, 355
Jardim Paulicéia
Campinas São Paulo
Brazil 13060- 281

Mr.Randy Byers
Dallas Baptist University
Vice-President for International Affairs
3000 Mountain Creek Pkwy
Dallas, TX 75211, United States

Request for Scholarship

Dear Mr.Byers

I’m an alumni of DBU with a bachelor’s degree in Theology. I would like to continue my studies to
earn a Bachelors Degree in the area of Psychology. This is an area I am wholly involved in with the
ministry here in Brazil.

Just a little about myself;

1. I accepted Jesus in 1992 when I was 12 years old in the First Baptist Church of Campinas in the
state of São Paulo Brazil, where I later was baptized and became a member. I was the first
member of my immediate family to be converted to Christ. Everyone else were Catholic, and
today, almost all of my family serves Jesus through conversion and baptism.
2. Knowing little to no English. In 2000 I went to the United States as a missionary, and as early as
2001 I entered Christ for the Nations to study ministry and also learn English. After my
graduation, I served at the Living Word Church in Irving for one year in the optional practical
training program (OPT).
3. At the end of my OPT experience, I started my Theology studies at Dallas Baptist University.
During that time, I was serving as leader of the Brazilian Ministry at Hillcrest Church in Dallas,
Texas under the leadership of Pastor Mark Brand. As of today, he is the President of the
International Fellowship of Ministers at Christ for the Nations International (CFNI).
4. During my studies at DBU, many challenges were encountered. The Brazilian ministry at Hillcrest
Church grew and my role as a pastor became more and more demanding. To add to the struggle
my wife became pregnant and everything was very challenging both mentally and physically.
5. My main objective at DBU was to gain a true and exhaustive study in the area of Theology.
Although there were elective classes, I have to confess that some were excited and brought me
tremendous content such as history and philosophy, while others were difficult and challenging
for me like math, physics, and biology.

6. When I completed the studies I served, for nearly 2 years, as an associate pastor at Hillcrest
Church, under an R1 visa, until I returned to Brazil to plant a church. After 10 years pastoring the
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 ministry my wife and I started, I am now serving as an associate pastor at Taquaral Baptist
Church in Campinas, Sao Paulo.

Why Psychology you may ask?

1. For 5 years I was able to serve as a translator from English to Portuguese in the postgraduate
classes in Biblical Counseling, taught by Sam R. Williams, Ph.D. Professor of Counseling at
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) in Wake Forest, NC. Being a Translator in this
course woke me up with a desire to go deeper into the study of Counseling and Psychology.
2. After serving in Brazil for 8 years, pastoring the church we established, in 2017 I faced
symptoms of Anxiety and Depression. I was helped by well-prepared Christian people here in
Brazil. It was then that I realized that in the ministry countless pastors are facing Depression and
Anxiety crises and have no one to help or with very little to no experience in the area.
3. This year, 2018 has had an unordinary number of pastors committing suicide here in Brazil. I
found myself, with no formal training, counseling pastors in times of depression and burnout.
4. Having said that, I would very much like to be able to study psychology at DBU. I would like to
investigate the possibility of using some or all of my Bachelor's degree credits to go toward
earning my Masters.
5. I have written two books. The first is entitled “Finding God in the Wrong People”. It’s about
Christian life, developing a vision of mercy towards the lost. It also shares my journey from the
Ministry in the United States to Brasil. The second is in final editing. Its title is “AWAKE”. It
discusses the concept of the “Cave of the Soul”, using Elijah’s experience during his inner battles.
It creates a connection to various “caves of the soul” that human beings face during life, and
how can we use Biblical examples to overcome these Caves. I would like to write more on topics
like this that will help Christian leaders to overcome soul challenges and develop emotional
growth.

With this, I would like to request an opportunity to study under a full scholarship, if possible. I am
an integral part of the ministries here in Brazil. I am supporting my family and would appreciate
some help in my education. I feel a very deep passion in this area of study. So strong that I believe
God will play the main part, through my training, in the growth of Christianity here in Brazil.

I would like to thank you for your precious time and thoughtfulness in this request. I pray that an
opportunity will be granted to service more effectively in the work of the Lord.

Sincerely,

Eduardo Ribeiro
Associate Pastor
eduardo@ibacamp.com.br
Baptist Church of Taquaral
Campinas, São Paulo, Basil
+55 19 971478554 ( Cell number)
+55 19 984320700 (Church Phone)
www.ibacamp.com.br

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