Ross was born to Dr. Lillian and Dr. Rev. Raymond Strong, both Ivy-League educated and widely respected and influential throughout Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Ross watched as his father became president of the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico and the Bible Society in the East Caribbean, and the director of the Religion and Ethics Department of the Interamerican University in Puerto Rico. Growing up in this atmosphere of glorifying God through excellence, hard work, teaching, and shared knowledge, Ross learned everything he could about the ministry, helping everywhere there was a need. Ross had always had a servant's heart, but it wasn’t until later that he would understand how God would use it for His glory. Ross traveled extensively with his parents and saw and observed people from all walks of life. He witnessed the effects of poverty firsthand and also realized what a compassionate hand outstretched to help could do to change the life of someone in need.
