Ritchies 4 Orphans - Ritchies4orphans.blogspot.com

Need Your Prayers and a little bit more support to buy Flights (Items for Orphans List)

2012-01-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

Zimbabwe Orphanage Mission Trip Update:
We have been contacted by two orphanages in Zimbabwe that care for abandoned children. Isaiah's House is home to 21 children (4 months to 5 years old) and a boys home caring for children who have previously lived on the streets. The leaders of these homes work directly with Craig Jones, who will be our host and Summer Seminary Internship Coordinator.

They have sent us a short list of important items needed for the precious children in their care. Please pray that we would be able to collect and deliver these items to their homes in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Underwear – boy & girls – particularly small sizes
Socks – unisex –1 year old up
wash cloths
Ziplock bags, all sizes
Coloring pencils
Toddlers (boys) shorts 2-3 years
Swimsuits for toddlers 2-4yrs
Sunhats for toddlers
Wet wipes
Stationery – early learning scissors

The ministry leader stated that there is always a need for stationery and art & craft materials throughout the Ministries (pens & pencils, book covers, coloring pencils, paint-brushes etc). We plan to work with this established Orphan ministry in Bulawayo. See www.ourneighbours.org for more information.

Thank you for praying for our family, the orphans in Bulawayo and the ministry in Zimbabwe that will be hosting us. We can be contacted at see5ritchies@yahoo.com if you want to join our support team.

National Orphan Sunday

2011-11-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

He will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help…
He will rescue them from oppression,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
Psalm 72:12, 14

For more than 2 years, we have been praying about where internationally God would have us caring for orphans. We sense God leading for us to visit Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Our church and Covenant Seminary have ongoing and developing relationships with several people in Zimbabwe. Last Easter, we had a meal and conversation with a Zimbabwean seminary professor and his wife about helping with orphans in Bulawayo area. Currently, there is an orphan baby home that needs caretakers. Covenant Seminary is in partnership with the local Bible Seminary—Theological College of Zimbabwe and there are openings for Skip to be involved in internship in May 2012 in Bulawayo after his May 17th Master's in Counseling graduation ceremony.

We are starting to see some potential with this location and need your prayer. For the last 9 years we have been working with MTW and have been in communication with them about our interest. MTW is supportive of our interest and working with us to visit this summer. Keary and I see many ways in which we can care for orphans as a family team in this location. New City is sending a team to Bulawayo in March to learn more about the ongoing reconciliation and orphan ministries. Please pray for us and for wisdom and leading in this area.

Medical Care for Widow and Fatherless - Thank you

2011-02-02T05:42:00.000-08:00

Thanks to God, you all and your prayers and financial support, many people in need received medical treatment and prescriptions in January 2011. The city of Addis Ababa has many poor areas. Many people can not afford medical treatment. This Project Beneficiary (ACT/MTW/SIM) mother and child w/ HIV have had a full check up and received needed medication. When a patient was waiting for the prescriptions to be filled we prayed for them. We sensed them become very encouraged by our prayers. Thank you again.

Back in the U.S. Thank you -SIM/MTW ACT staff and Friends - God is always amazing me.

2011-01-23T04:34:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your prayers. I am home - 5:00 AM typing to you all -- Now that I have slept for several hours, I wanted to let you know I am well and at home now and praising God for you all.

At this point, I wanted to tell you what God did over the 2 week period.

1) provided medical check-ups(Team made up of 3 medical docs, 1 nurse, 2 therapists and 5 counselors in training) and treatment, prescription medication, x-rays ultrasounds etc for more than 500 patients and beneficiaries of ACT. Most people have very limited income -- less than $5 per day is earned by most people in the project and some a lot less than that - so medical care is very difficult to afford.
2) provided Prayer and talk therapy for more than 500 people at length - including many widows, fatherless children and muslims and non-believers.
3) wireless internet device for faster internet for Ethiopian staff member
4) money for mother to see her son several hours away that she has not seen since being rejected and kicked out of her home by her family when she became a believer in Jesus.
5) gift items, shoes and toothpaste and other items to Ethiopia pastors who translated for us and who became dear friends -- they will follow-up with the people who called on Christ with home visits and bible studies. They have limited financial resources and are paid a small amount by their congregations.
6) money gifts to Ethiopia ACT staff, drivers, translators etc.
7) money gift for one pastor for his wedding anniversary that he celebrated while there.
8) shoes to staff worker who only had dress shoes and no sneakers for walking around
9) Balloons, candies and other items to fatherless children after we prayed for them.
10) Extra income for AID /HIV Beneficiaries of ACT - when we ordered our coffee through them -- They roasted and packaged our coffee for you all. 25 1/2 Kilos for you all ($3 a pound compared to $12 to 20 per pound at Starbucks for Sodama Coffee).
11) lunch and fun day for sons of ACT staff member
12) medication and gifts to MTW missionary and family etc.

Finally, we took several photos of families and beneficiaries in Addis with ACT -- We would like to send them photos with the next team going to Addis in February -- Please pray for this -- many home visits revealed their heart for photos of family and friends -- They love to put them on their walls and display them for all to see. For the most part, friends and family are the only things they have -- some homes are 5 feet by 5 feet with a few blankets and a bed -- So sending photos to them is a big Blessing -- If you would like to help with this -- you may mail a check made out to MTW - #16626 -photos on the memo line and I will apply this to the development and handling costs of the photos back to Ethiopia next month. 5744 Bartmer, St. Louis, MO 63112. You can forward this to friends if you want.

Items to donate -- Sunglasses -- at the altitude of 10,000 feet and being near the equator -sunglasses are needed to protect eyes -- many have eye damage --any unwanted sunglasses for children or adults would be appreciated as well. We will send them with the Baltimore Team going in Feb. or later team when they arrive. Send them to same address or give them to me when you see me.

Thank you again for your prayers and support.

By His Grace,

Skip Ritchie.

Scenes in Addis - Counseling, Coffee, Medical Care and Friends

2011-01-18T19:28:00.000-08:00

Sheraton Hotel in Addis- Praying for this upcoming week.

2011-01-16T06:10:00.000-08:00

I am resting today at the Sheraton doing emails -- This is one of the few places in a city of 5 million with fast and dependable internet service. Our house phone doesn't work and we have no internet service. Last week, we were so busy at the mobile neighborhood clinics and doing home visits that we didn't have much spare time. There is an email being forwarded around that has a photo of me drinking coffee. This is outside of a home of one of the beloved beneficiary near SIM. We visited her and prayed for her. She is positive for HIV. She has what is called non-progressing HIV / AIDS-- she is not taking medications for HIV but is surviving and her CD4 remains good. This is very unusual. The main help of this project is teaching adherence and regular med taking practices which saves their life. Dr. Jason prayed for her for a second time. Last year he visited her. She has a rare case. She has so much joy and welcomed us like family. She served us coffee as a thank you. I drank it, but was a little worried about getting sick. They boil the coffee, but continue to pray. So far all is well with me.

Hello from Ethiopia - Sunday Afternoon

2011-01-16T04:45:00.000-08:00

Today, we went to church with Gizaw. The church's name is Akaki Kale Hewot Church in the west side of Addis. They were having a wedding at the end of the service. Gizaw and his sons went with us to lunch. We dropped some of our team at the shops near the Sheraton Hotel. This week was a great week. Several people called on Christ. We treated over 400 people in our mobile medical clinic. Dan Zink is not feeling well. Please pray for him and our team. Next week, we will do more medical clinics, except for Wednesday. TimKat is the holiday which celebrates Jesus' baptism.

Worku and Ethiopian Friends Here and There

2011-01-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Pray that God will strengthen my relationships with Ethiopians in need here and there -- This is a traditional coffee service with women who are with the project in Ethiopia. Many women are widowed and have children at home.

Salam No, Salam Nesh, and Salam Na Cho (Hello)

2011-01-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, through reading Scripture and the Holy Spirit’s leading, I began the Master’s program in Counseling at Covenant Seminary last August. God’s call to care for the fatherless is clear but I needed to be better equipped for service to the fatherless and orphans in this world. In the past, I have led our family on mission trips to Mexico and Peru to care and encourage the fatherless. Now I sense the Lord’s leading to be a part of a special trip this Christmas season. Covenant Seminary and Mission to the World are working together to bring the love and goodness of God to the people of Ethiopia. The AIDS Care and Treatment (ACT) Project ministers to the 700 HIV positive beneficiaries and 50 orphans under its care. When I think of those fatherless children and hear Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, saying “Skip-go and encourage them,” I know he will equip me to serve once again. This Christmas season (starting January 6 in Ethiopia) will you pray that the sick and fatherless in Addis Ababa would be greatly encouraged?

Counseling Professor Dan Zink will be leading our team of medical doctors and counseling students. The primary focus will be providing a two week medical clinic to persons with HIV/AIDS within the ACT/SIM project in Addis Ababa. This will also be a time of learning and specialized counseling training to ACT workers and counseling students under Dr. Zink’s supervision. SIM is the indigenous Addis based mission group.

It was a joy for Keary and me to travel to Africa for the first time in June to serve African orphans and learn from existing models of care. We spent five days at the ACT Project walking alongside project leaders, national workers and care givers. We went into the homes of the poor and prayed for individuals who were ill and suffering from HIV/ AIDS. We spent time leading Bible Clubs after school and were able to talk intimately with beneficiaries and their children. It was a time of great sharing.

Our entire time in Africa was quite memorable, but one moment in particular struck me deeply. I had just finished sharing a story to a large wide-eyed group of boys (about my son Stephen’s age) recalling God’s faithfulness to me, while living in Virginia. At the end of the story, I looked around and asked the boys if they would like for us to return. Most of the children exclaimed a resounding “yes!” Then, as I was thinking about what that meant, a young Ethiopian boy began to pray for me and my family. God spoke deeply into my heart and the importance of strong friendship and relationships. We need each other!!!!!

I am excited about this trip because it will allow me to bring the goodness and mercy of God to the fatherless, but it will also teach me more about how to more effectively care for those in need in the African/Ethiopian context. For the past three years, Covenant Seminary has sent teams to Addis and again we anticipate experiencing valuable hands-on training during this time. I believe my return will also be of great encouragement to the national workers and individuals I met this summer. Please pray for me and considering supporting me financially. Thank you for your partnership in the gospel, again.

National Orphan Sunday - Please Pray

2010-11-07T04:09:00.000-08:00

November 7, 2010, is national Orphan Sunday. It is a movement to raise awareness of the 145 Million orphans worldwide.Orphan Sunday began in 2003 in Zambia when American Gary Schneider responding to the need to help local orphans. This weekend, an estimated 2,000 events will be hosted throughout our Nation primarily by evangelical Christian ministries encouraging others to respond through adoption, foster care and global orphan ministry initiatives. Orphans will be the subject of sermons, fundraisers, benefit concerts, prayer gatherings, and other special events designed to prompt people to respond to the greatest need in the world.

PraiseThe LORD - The kids will have $300 more per month for food.

2010-10-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

This last month we have being praying that God would raise additional funds to increase the food budget at La Grace de Dieu (Grace of God)Orphanage in Kinshasa,DR Congo. God raised $900 for the children. On our recent mission trip, we discovered that the children were not getting fed regularly. We are in the process of hiring a trusted Congolese friend to help cook and feed the children so that they are getting all the food we have sent them.

Ethiopia ACT - Aids Care and Treatment - Video

2010-10-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

The video from Ethiopia ACT Project - AIDS Care and Treatment -- www.mtwact.org. Covenant is sending a team of counselors and medical persons to care for the people of Addis Ababa. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouZVT41KcJI

Summer Friends - African Refugees in St. Louis

2010-08-22T07:19:00.001-07:00

During this summer, our son Stephen became friends with some African refugees in St. Louis. We learned that they wanted a bicycle. Skip thought about the idea of getting them a bike and realized that it would be financially difficult for our family to buy a bike for them. Skip asked the children to bring a bike that we could fix through Bike Works in St. Louis. Bike Works offers used bike parts at a reduced price. They open their bike shop for people to fix their bikes each week. We prayed and put out an email to the Covenant Seminary community to see if anyone could help. Two families responded and gave us bikes for these refugee children. Praise the Lord for his provision. The photos above are of the bike that was brought to Skip by the young child and what God provided through his people.

Leaving Africa

2010-06-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

With heavy hearts, rumbling tummies, and encouraged spirits we prepare to leave Africa. We will have traveled over 18,000 miles in humble service to the poor and orphaned before landing in Saint Louis. We have been encouraged in a mighty way by God's love, faithfulness and commitment to his people. Along the way we have: laughed, cried, stumbled through many languages, eaten bizarre things, contracted food poisoning, slept under mosquito netting, suffered from altitude sickness, shared the gospel, enjoyed the smiles of strangers, worshiped in seven churches, made many new friends, held babies, fed the hungry, played with children, assisted the elderly, attended to the ill, shared resources, visited widows in great distress, wrestled with the sting of poverty, explored future ministry opportunities and have praised and prayed continually to our mighty God. We have been called a blessing but He alone is worthy to be praised! In two countries, under the oppression of rampant corruption and greed, we see the Lord's hand at work, his name being praised and his son exalted. On soil where whatever rests in your own two hands must be sold in order to have food for that day, we have learned more deeply about power of the holy spirit and the meaning of true faith. We now return to a land, also of great poverty....despite having an abundance of personal resources... we are a people that are poor in spirit, faith and belief in an Almighty and Sovereign Lord. The harvest is indeed ripe and the workers are few. We see great need for continued work in both Kinshasa and Addis Ababa, but also in our own hearts and in the cities oh America. Please be in prayer for our re-entry and for our future service to the poor and orphaned. Thanks to each of you that have supported our mission with faithful prayer and personal resources. We have been greatly encouraged by each of you and thank God for your partnership. We look forward to seeing each of you soon! Ciao and Mbote! Skip and Keary

Images from Addis

2010-06-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

More coffee

2010-06-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

We visited another beneficiary this morning. She had a friend in her home and they were preparing breakfast. Seven of us squeezed into her tiny, but clean, one-room home. We talked for 30 minutes as the coffee brewed for the daily coffee ceremony. They asked if we would take a photo of them. It was not clear though, due to the rising smoke from the burning incense. The two women and their children were beneficiary families. They were receiving help from the project and were praising God for the assistance. They admitted that the little they had was enough to help them survive and they were very grateful his provision. The homeowner had a 7 year old girl. I asked if she would like to see a photo of Madelyn. I shared one of Maddie holding a large hen from the Wylie's farm in Virginia. She grinned from ear to ear. We commented that the daughters might be friends if we lived in Addis! It was a very special time together. Skip prayed for both of the women and we left to see some other families. As we walked down the road children peeked out of their door frames and some from the afternoon clubs found us and walked with us. It is challenging not being able to communicate. We know zero Amharic but enjoy holding hands and smiling! A funeral procession ahead blocked our path and plans quickly changed to visit families at another time. We watched boys playing bottle cap games in the street, vendors selling mounds of fresh mangoes and avacados. For one of the poorest nations in the world we were impressed by the cleanliness of the public spaces and supply of food, as compared to the DRC.

A taste of the culture

2010-06-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

We were invited out to enjoy a traditional Ethiopian meal. Our group of seven enjoyed a shared plate of wat, injera, beef and goat tibs, and berbere. There was music and dancing on stage. I hope I can upload a video clip for you to enjoy. A very delicious meal! So glad Skip is feeling better! At the end we enjoyed partaking in the coffee ceremony ...complete with burning frankincense!

Afternoon clubs

2010-06-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

Our afternoons in Ethiopia were spent at different locations helping with girls and boys clubs with beneficiary kids. One afternoon Keary was at the Lideta office helping with knitting and Skip went to the Bole office to play games. Our final afternoon was together with a group of ten boys playing American games, sharing stories and enjoying lifesavers!

Medical Clinic

2010-06-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

A group of 50 doctors, nurses and medical students from the Medical College of Georgia are visiting the site and are running a clinic for the next 10 days. They anticipate seeing up to 1000 patients total. It was a joy to watch them set up and welcome folks off the street. Here is a photo of the "waiting room."

Good Morning Addis!

2010-06-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

We had a good night's rest. Unfortunately Skip awoke feeling terrible. He has a headache and a slight fever. We are at 8,000 feet here in the city so he might be having altitude sickness. I left him in bed and went out on a few home visits with Mike Treadwell this morning. He is part of a larger team that services 400 adults and 750 children (called "beneficiaries") living with HIV. The beneficiary families receive medical care, free ARV medication, food assistance, school fees and other perks. He visits a few folks from the program each day. This morning we were in 3 homes. Each of the homes were found down rocky alleyways hidden between businesses, were simply one room and all were at any day going to be razed. They were constructed of tin on the exterior, had inner cardboard walls covered with newspaper and a dirt floor. The first woman we visited wanted prayer for her new marriage and for her child living with extended relatives. All of them were positive. It was explained to her that the virus can mutate (and become unresponsive to the ARV medication) between 2 positive partners if they did not use protection. She was not worried that it would happen to them. She was very grateful that we had stopped by to evaluate her health. The second home housed a women and her mother (sick in bed with TB). She wanted prayer for their health as well and for the TB culture results to come sooner than the expected 6 weeks. In the 3rd home was a bed stricken man with AIDS. He was no longer able to walk. He had a friend that would get him out of bed and take him out for fresh air (if that exists in squalor). We asked how we could pray for him and he refused. As an orthodox Christian he did not believe that we worship the same God. Our translator got into a deep spiritual conversation with him. In then end he admitted that he believed the Bible, but not some parts, including much of Romans. We had a friendly departure and he thanked us for our time together. My overall reaction was positive. It was a joy to be their homes, be a part of their lives and live out their struggles...if only for a moment. God is with us all, no matter our condition, and it was apparent that they were appreciative of the assistance they were receiving, especially the prayer. In comparison, people in Congo are living in much worse conditions.

On the Move

2010-06-21T07:31:00.001-07:00

Our final morning in Congo was spent packing and saying final goodbyes. We stopped by Papa Leon’s house after checking out of the Methodist Presbyterian guesthouse (MPH). Skip took some great photos of Leon’s family. They have welcomed us into their lives in such a warm way. The photo is of one of Leon’s daughters preparing the enormous fish we had purchased from the fishing village the day we arrived in Congo. We were caught in an hour long traffic jam en route to the airport. We really enjoyed watching the flow of people pass by as we waited for it to clear. Women carry everything on top of their heads: baskets of bread, 25 pound sacks of potatoes, bowls of green tangerines, sacks of fufu flour and anything else they want to sell. Men tend to sell their goods from roadside stands: gravel, car parts, household goods, cell phone minutes, wood and furniture. People are on the move in Kinshasa! One little girl (5?) with her smaller brother (3?) waved hello to me for at least 10 minutes. White women are rare in the city. Checking-in at the Ndjili airport was quite an experience. Our bags were checked 5 times at least. At every station we were asked to show our passports. Then we expected to give a tip (or bribe). Our flight to Addis was restful. We had time to reflect, diffuse and talk about what we had experienced and what is yet ahead. Our flight was delayed and we arrived about 2 hours late. Mike Treadwell on the MTW team met us at the airport and we are now staying in his home. His wife is Emily and they have a 3 year old son named Caleb. They have been living in Addis for 9 months and will be our hosts while we are here. We look forward to a good night’s sleep and some GREAT coffee in the morning!

Highlights - Care to the Orphaned and Abandoned

2010-06-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

Over this week, we confirmed that many of the orphans' overall health had improved from last year and that support from New City had provided regular meals to the children in need. The C.E.F.O.R.E.A. feeding program was still providing weekly meals to several malnourished children. The two Compassion Health Clinics were providing care to area children and to their families. The sponsored children for educational support were learning at school and were being well cared for by their local pastors. Medical supplies and medications were delivered to restock the health clinic pharmacies. The nurses who check on the orphans weekly showed detailed records of their improved health and the frequency of their visits to the orphanage.

Our day of rest - Zambi Asomona Yo (God sees you in Lingala)

2010-06-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

After breakfast we loaded the vans with the bulk of the team's luggage. Our friends arrived to pick us up and delivered a handmade dress or shirt to everyone on our team! We quickly put on our new gifts and headed out in two directions for worship services. Skip and I attended Cite Bethel Church. We had performed our first medical clinic of the week there. It was nice to see many of our patients again. New City pastor Barry Henning preached on Jesus and his interaction with the woman at the well in Samaria (John 4) this morning. Some of the children approached us after the service and proudly displayed some of the things we had given them on Tuesday. After saying Au Revoir to everyone at Bethel, we headed across town to a second church to hear New City pastor Tony Myles preach. It was great to all be together for our last of eight services in Congo this week. He did a wonderful job reminding us God cares for the orphan, widow and oppressed and is committed to us and accomplishing his plans for caring for them. The afternoon was spent checking team luggage. We were invited to share a meal with a Congolese family who had heard Barry preach earlier in the week. Our Congolese hostess prepared an enormous farewell meal for us. The meal was amazing and had both Congolese and American food! Mbise (fish), grilled chicken, Apple pie, potato salad, kabobs, and fresh green salad. It was amazing. We sat and talked together for hours and enjoyed a world cup soccer game too. Felix, a native from Ghana on our team, had been feeling sick all morning but was somehow revived when Ghana scored the winning goal! The team was dropped off at the airport before dinner and are headed back to Saint Louis. Four of us remain now and we are all leaving tomorrow. Our next post will be from Addis Ababa(if there is power.)

Bonobos DR Congo

2010-06-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

Our work in Congo is coming to an end. Our first team leaders left today to return to the States after lunch. We spent some time shopping in a local market…WOW what an experience. There were so many wonderful things being sold…wooden carvings, money from Zambia (former Congo), baskets, parrots, monkeys, carved rocks and minerals, masks, figurines and paintings. There were so many vendors and when they see Americans they assume you are spending a fortune. After shopping we drove across Kinshasa to the edge of the city to the Bonobo refuge. What a treat to see these orphans in action! They were so adorable! As soon as we arrived they greeted us with loud screeches. After a few photos one Bonobo excitedly started running, wanting us to follow. He led us (one side of the fence) and the entire community he lived with (on his side of the fence) down a path. They screeched and played and rolled around. It was very entertaining. One older Bonobo had a smashed plastic coke bottle. He ran it along the ground (like a toddler would with a toy car) for our entire hour long visit at the refuge. An interesting fact…Bonobos only live in the DR Congo. The Congo River separates them from the Republic of Congo. They will not cross the river. The refuge has a river running through it and the water is used as a boundary. An unforgettable afternoon! We spent dinner along the Congo river at a restaurant that overlooked the rapids. Tonight everyone is packing up. The bulk of the team will start the “leaving process” after church tomorrow. Bags have to be checked in downtown before arriving at the airport, exit fees need to be paid and there are no electronic tickets in Kinshasa. It takes all day to get out. We are leaving Monday morning for Ethiopia and are getting excited about our time there too.

By the Grace of God

2010-06-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

An after noon at La Grace de Dieu Orphanage. Forty children, supported by New City Fellowship, live together in a small compound. They are under the care of Sister Victorine. The children lined up, sang songs, and even did a dance for us in thanks for our partnership with them. It was a very special afternoon. We held babies, played games, helped feed the kids fufu and bean soup and thoroughly enjoyed a full afternoon of fellowship together. The kids were surprisingly helpful and caring to one another, seemed happy and were receptive to receiving us. It is always difficult to imagine life in an orphanage, especially one in this physical condition. The photos will give you an idea. We conducted a few medical examinations during our visit, drew some pictures and played some new games together before leaving. We donated quite a few baby clothes for their new arrivals as well. It was hard to leave these precious ones.

C.E.F.O.R.E.A.

2010-06-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

It was a long but fulfilling day today. We arrived back at the guesthouse at 9pm after twelve hours of service in the city. We spent the morning at C.E.F.O.R.E.A (Center for the Care of Abandoned Children) When we arrived there were fifty or more children (of all ages) waiting with mothers, grandmothers and caretakers to receive their only nutritious meal for the week. We are traveling with Pierre who used to be a part of this program until he came to the US for spinal corrective surgery and was adopted. He is greeted like a king in Kinshasa now. Many of the kids remember him and all admire him greatly. His grandmother “Coco” was the first to receive us. There were many welcoming hugs as we visited with the children while the ate. As they finished each family was sent home with small bags of fish, rice and cassava flour for the week. When lunch was over we began setting up our medical clinic to service the children in need. We never expected the townspeople to arrive and pretty soon we had a line of 40 or more patients waiting to be seen. We made priority for the orphans and got through as many in line as we could in a few hours. Today we saw a terrible case of rickets, intestinal worms, high fevers, several hernias and countless other ailments.

Our first clinic (Bethel Health Clinic) and school visit

2010-06-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

18 hours later, Keary is BACK! What a spell. Today we were on the run. We visited a partnering church on our side of town today. We arrived and greeted over 50 people waiting to receive medical help. We set up a make-shift examination room and waiting area and started to see patients quickly. Skip jumped in as an intake nurse so-to-speak and ended up serving assisting with diagnosing minor ailments, writing prescriptions and sending patients to the dispensary. Keary helped serve on an children art team for all of the kids that came with sick parents. We set up a coloring and a painting station. We believe that most of the children enjoyed brush painting, literally, for the first time. We had to teach many of them what to do. They painted designs or village scenes mostly. We concluded the clinic and headed off to visit some schools where different orphans attend. The first was a plywood structure divided into five rooms. Four were classrooms and one was an office. It sat on a widow’s land. The nominal rent paid by the school helps her to survive and the land allows a school to exist for her extended family and neighbors. Her smile was precious! One of the orphans there had a terrible fever (likely malaria) and we were able to tend to his immediate needs with some ibuprofen. Another orphan cried as she was remembering her parent's passing. It was sad to see them ill and upset. The second school was all cinder block. Two classes were in session, both taking exams. We met with around ten orphans there and spent some time learning about their school. They sit in a 12x25 foot block classroom with over 60 kids all lined up on wooden benches with only an old blackboard in the front. The darkness and basic feel was striking. The future leaders of Congo are learning in a traditional way. We ended our day at La Croix de Jesus Church for a very vivacious and loud church service and another huge meal presented by the church members. Hugs and kisses everywhere. The Congolese are so excited about our help and presence here. The pastors 3 boys befriended us and spent half the night taking photos of themselves with our camera. We arrived back at MPH for a early bed time.

2010-06-10T14:36:00.001-07:00

This morning we met a couple at our guesthouse who are in Kinshasa to pick up their newly adopted Congolese children…two one-year olds, a boy and a girl. It was a nice morning talking with them about their experience and sharing some baby toys with them.
We took a walk over to the American School of Kinshasa and walked the grounds. It is the only site in the city (43 acres) that is a true rainforest environment. There are 270 children on the beautiful campus and we enjoyed visiting the African history classroom. We saw a few parrots and many gorgeous tropical plants.

Mid day we sat encircled in a large room. The pastors form the local churches that we have relationship arrived to discuss with our team the plans for the week. It was an eye opening experience. In America we enter into a meeting on time, silent our cell phones, follow a printed agenda, discuss the items on the agenda and leave at the designated time. Nothing could be far more different in Africa. Meeting with pastors and visiting Marcel Mukendi’s widow and 12 children traditional dinner at the home of Pastor David. Michael Jackson, sharing lifesavers, questions about American Equal Pay for Equal work 20 month soldier, 25 month teacher $4 chicken Adopted baby might have Down’s Syndrome

Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her Ephesians 5:25

2010-06-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

Today Keary woke up very ill. We are not sure what is going on. She was unable to get out of bed….symptoms seem to suggest food poisoning or some crazy Congolese bug.. It was a very sad day not being able to visit the orphanage and medical clinic. It instead became a day of praying, sleeping and recovery. All in the Lord’s plan for us. Skip stood by my side all day. He attended to my every need….fetching bread, water, bananas and handwashing laundry to dry in the hot sun. This is why I love serving in missions together. The team had a very successful day but commented that getting around the city was quite challenging with the traffic. It can take 2 ½ hours to drive 10-20 miles. I hope I can get a photo of the traffic and pedestrians so you can you why. The potholes are enormous, there are no painted line divisions, lanes, or stop signs or traffic lights. Total traffic chaos.

Something to pray for

2010-06-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

We delivered a suitcase of children's clothing/shoes and money to a widow who has 12 children. Her husband was a pastor and dear friend to many on the New City Team. He was a big part of the partnership and ministry here in Congo - He died recently from a complicated illness. Most of his children are under the age of 16 years of age -- youngest being twins age 3. When we left their home after giving them clothing and shoes, we could hear the children jumping around and joyfully shouting in excitement. Their needs are very apparent. The medical team did some assessments and set up a clinic evaluation appointment for one of her children who was very sick.

Praise the Lord -- They will need much prayer and support in the future.

What a joy!

2010-06-07T05:17:00.000-07:00

Our group split today to visit different churches. One of our New City Fellowship pastors Tony Myles was invited to preach in one of these churches. The congregation had 2000 members at 3 services. He was a bit nervous but did an amazing job. Our Congolese friend Noel translated the sermon into French. The language is being resurrected from my brain and team members are starting to turn to me for translation now. Kind of scary! We were hosted by a woman and her friends for lunch in their backyard garden. We are being treated like kings so far. What an amazing buffet of traditional food. So far no grasshoppers on the menu. Their hospitality was a gift. I learned that they had no electricity for their preparations! Hard to imagine with the quantity of food and the size of our group. We gabbed for hours before realizing that we ran out of time to see the Bonobos. Boo! We spent the evening at Pastor Leon’s home. What a joyous time getting to know his relatives and grandchildren. It has been a high light of our trip so far to be inside a Congolese home, playing with children, learning to eat fufu at a table with Congolese women and sharing photos of my life with each of them. The grandchildren know all of your names kids! They especially enjoyed a video clip on my camera of our visit to the Scripps Aquarium in California from January. It featured a diver feeding a variety of fish in a huge tank! They screamed “Grand Poisson, Grand Poisson!” “Big Fish, Big Fish!”

Sunday Lunch

2010-06-07T03:33:00.001-07:00

Dinner on the river

2010-06-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

We drove for miles out of the city along a long country rode to a fishing village named Kibuku. Along the way we passed hundreds of folks selling their goods and traveling by foot to who-knows-where. We passed a refugee camp set up for Eastern Congolese who survived the war. What a sad site. The village at the end of the road was quite a place. I wanted to take hundreds of photos but after the event with the soldier we were a bit afraid. I personally don’t want to know what the inside of a Congolese jail looks like. We walked along the river, saw children swimming in the nude, long hand carved wooden canoes, families cooking over charcoal fires, fishermen pulling in HUGE ugly fish (sturgeon?catfish?) and barges being loaded with enormous bags of garlic, onions and other goods. We ate an amazing dinner of spiced fish, Kwanga (steamed fufu in banana leaves), and fried plantains. After relaxing and watching the border patrol officers paddle away in their canoe we pulled out our cameras to take a few shots. Enjoy!

June 5 What a day!

2010-06-06T14:00:00.001-07:00

Every seat on the plane filled with folks from Rome on our stop to refuel. Not too far past the end of “the boot” a man sitting beside us stood up, and then collapsed in the aisle. We quickly helped to find a doctor and an Italian translator while the Ethiopian crew stood by completely unresponsive. The entire time I was thinking…When is the right time to tell the pilot? How are we going to land on the water…or do we wait until we get to land ( northern Egypt in Africa) and hope he makes it? Fortunately a blood pressure cuff was located and the gentleman was cared for well. A sudden drop in blood pressure mixed with forgotten medication and no food was his diagnosis. Flying across the African continent was beautiful, especially across Congo. The Congo River winds distinctly through dense jungle for most of the way. Occasionally I would catch the glimpse of a few tin roofs…a small village I suppose. We arrive safely in Kinshasa and were greeted immediately. We were ushered through the diplomat line and never once had to touch any luggage. The local Congolese Christians took care of everything! All of our bags arrived and we met up with the Pastor Leon Mukendi, most of his sons, Dr Tim and Kathy Rice, Charlie and Pierre Svoboda. Someone suggested that we take a photo of the group while we were waiting for the luggage to get loaded. After a brief moment two Congolese soldiers approached us the group and wanted to arrest the Pastor and confiscate the camera. Apparently it is illegal to take photos in Congo. Fortunately he was used to the “system” and was able to convince the soldiers that they could not arrest American citizens, paid them ½ of the bribe they were asking from Daddy’s wallet and we were on our way! 22 hours of flying from Dulles to Kinshasa.

June 4 En Route

2010-06-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

We departed on time today, Yippee! International flights require that you arrive 2 hours early. What fun! We enjoyed several interesting conversations while we waited to board. Our first was with a French-speaking nun and her English-speaking companion heading to Burundi to serve in a women’s clinic. We have an open invitation to visit them in the future! “Please come, and bring your friends!” We met a couple returning to continue their work in southern Sudan to help the Sudanese with agriculture, education and other health related self-help initiatives. They were intrigues with our mission and we shared resources as well. We are now seated next to a Kenyan woman studying economics at George Mason University so that she can return to her community in Nairobi upon graduation and initiate change. Right now we are 2191 miles from Rome, which appears to be about half-way over the Atlantic Ocean. We have been flying for 5 hours so far. We stop in Rome to refuel, then head out on a 5 hour flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. From there we will take 2 more flights (another 4 hours) stopping in Brazzaville before crossing the Congo River and arriving in Kinshasa! Ethiopian airlines has been great so far. A 3 year old Ethiopian boy is sitting in front of us and we are playing games with him through the crack in the seats. What a cute laugh and beautifully perfect smile. I am starting to realize how white I really am! KR

June 3 And they're off....

2010-06-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

After many last minute errands, hugs and kisses we left for the airport. We are carrying 8 bags (280lbs), completely stuffed with medical supplies for the clinic in Kinshasa, clothes and shoes for orphans, and gifts for local family members from the Congolese living in Saint Louis. Our trip is going well but will take longer than the expected 23 hours. Our quick 2 hour direct flight from St Louis to Dulles ended up being 7 hours. New regulations do not allow a plane to sit on the tarmac for over 90 minutes so when the 90 minutes passed we had to return to the gate and start all over. Skip sat next to the official photographer from Camp Woodward….Stephen’s dream skateboarding camp in Woodward, Pennsylvania. He also happened to be the brother of Sayer’s teacher next year. Keary sat next to the president of a non-profit group that serves several villages in Myanamar. We enjoyed sharing stories about serving Burmese people and he passed along many useful contacts/organizations that could be of benefit to our service to orphans in the future. We had a late arrival into IAD but were happy to have some good rest before our morning departure. We were shuttled to the hotel by Carlos, from Lima Peru. We enjoyed exchanging stories with him about our time there and his recommendation of a Peruvian restaurant for dinner (at 9pm) that served amazing “pollo a la brasa.” in Leesburg.

packed, repacked and packing again

2010-06-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight we opened our bags, reshuffled items, weighed and repacked. New donations and items for the Congolese keep arriving. God is a mighty provider. We are picking up Grandma Tractor (Skip's mom) at the airport tomorrow at 1:00. Orientation to St. Louis will begin and we head out on Thursday. Some of our team members have arrived in Congo already and are preparing for our work. Please visit www.ncfbridge.org to check our team blog!

14 days until we leave for Congo - Beginning to Pack Bags

2010-05-20T19:37:00.000-07:00

We covet your prayers. We are packing this Saturday for our trip to Congo. The team is taking 36 bags of items. We leave on June 3rd. We will try to post updates on our Blog --http://ritchies4orphans.blogspot.com. We are focusing on orphans and the rest of team is working with the pastors, health clinic providers and persons involved with economic development to fund orphan and mercy needs.

Keary and I are also planning to deliver photos and visit the MTW work in Ethiopia on our way back to the U.S. See this MTW AIDS Care and Treatment Ministry. This work provides medical care and counseling. Covenant has been working with ACT as well. --- http://www.mtwact.org

Thank God for Congolese Friends

2010-05-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

We are looking forward to Friday. We are meeting with our dear Congolese friends. They are translating some things for us into Lingala and we will share a meal together. When the time comes I am apparently going to be able to read it! We'll see! They are going to give us some Congolese culture lessons as well. Skip and I are a bit overwhelmed by the idea that we will ever be able to understand the culture we are headed into and know how to effectively connect with these precious children we are headed to serve. Pray that we would be great listeners on Friday (we love to talk!) and truly hear about how to connect to our friends in Congo... folks we have never met but none-the-less are are so anxiously awaiting for our arrival!

Still praying....

2010-04-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

We are about a month away from our departure to Congo. We ask you to continue to pray for us as we make our preparations. We have been praying for opportunities to meet Congolese people here in Saint Louis..to hear their stories, learn more about their culture and even practice our French! God has been faithful...we have met four individuals and one family. Now we need more time to build those relationships. They are all refugees and each have endured unimaginable loss. Pray that we can be an encouragement to each of them now and that our trip to Congo will only strengthen our relationships upon return. The Congolese in Kinshasa that are expecting our team are waiting in great anticipation for our arrival. Please pray for the remainder of our support needs. We are about $2800 short of our goal.

Fufu anyone?

2010-02-27T10:05:00.000-08:00

Fufu is the staple food of West and Central Africa. It is a thick paste of potatoes usually made by boiling starchy root vegetables in water and pounding with a mortar and pestle until the desired consistency is reached. In Western Africa, fufu is usually made from cassava, yams, and sometimes combined with cocoyam, plantains, or maize. The common method is to serve a mound of fufu along with a soup made from okra, fish (often dried), tomato, etc. Fufu products have been made into powder/flour and can be mixed with hot water to obtain the final product hence eliminating the arduous task of beating it in a mortar with a pestle. Photos: Dried cassava root being pounded into flour to be put in boiling water in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.A plate of fufu accompanied with peanut soup.Powdered Fufu mix.

"Kin La Belle" or "Kin La Poubelle?"

2010-02-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

Residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo capital, Kinshasa, used to proudly call their city "Kin La Belle" (Kinshasa The Beautiful) but after years of neglect, they now disparage it as "Kin La Poubelle" (Kinshasa the Dustbin). According to the BBC the city council of Kinshasa has just three dustbin lorries (garbage trucks) for a population of 8million people!

Pariah

2010-02-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

pa·ri·ah /pəˈraɪə/ –noun
1. an outcast.
2. any person or animal that is generally despised or avoided.
3. (initial capital letter) a member of a low caste in southern India and Burma.

The Congo is a country where the belief in Witchcraft is common. Historically a norm practiced in the countryside it is now increasingly more present in the cities as well. The increasing beliefs in witches and sorcery have tended to mirror the social decay caused by war and poverty. Many of the street children that roam the Congo's cities have been cast out of their families after being denounced as witches. These homeless 'witch children' often live in cemeteries and only come out at night. Children....pariah?

Less than 100 days

2010-02-25T06:46:00.000-08:00

We are within 100 days of leaving for the Congo. What an exciting time! Please pray as we seek to gather a strong support team and as we prepare our hearts to serve. We are reading a GREAT book on cultural intelligence where we are measuring our individual ability to engage successfully (in Congo) and are learning the importance of really knowing the culture of the people we seek to love in order to do so effectively. This is quite a feat for Westerners! My next couple of posts will be dedicated to sharing some things about the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Congolese. Stay tuned!

Q: What is the #1 killer in Africa

2010-02-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

1. A.I.D.S.?
2. Typhoid?
3. Malaria?
4. Yellow fever?

The answer is surprising to some. It has become a worldwide epidemic that impacts 350 to 500 million people each year. It kills about 1,000,000 people annually worldwide, 90 percent of those deaths are children in Africa. What is outrageous is that it is preventable! The answer is C. Malaria! Clink on the Bite Back Link on the side bar to learn more about Compassion International's response and their fight to save innocent lives from this deadly killer. We plan to help deliver treated mosquito netting to the orphans in Congo we will visit this summer. PLease let us know if you want to contribute to this project. We will hand deliver nets, in your name, for children in need!

Congo - June 2010

2010-02-03T16:27:00.000-08:00

Skip and I have decided to proceed with plans to go to the Democratic Republic of Congo in June. As our earlier post explained this will be an invaluable way to gain training and experience for future orphan ministry. The need in Kinshasa is great in the aftermath of war. Our Congo Bridge Team will travel to the capital city and will come alongside of the Congolese to help them in their ongoing process of rebuilding with pastoral training, economic development, medical assistance and orphan care. We have just completed our family news and support letter with all of the details. Now we will begin making plans for our time away. Scheduling summer childcare, necessary vaccinations, visas and flights are next!
1st photo: lunch at La Grace de Dieu orphanage in Kinshasa
2nd photo: new medical clinic
3rd photo: a widow with 3 children takes 3 orphans into her home!!

Our 3rd visit to the E.R. since arriving in St Louis

2010-02-03T16:23:00.000-08:00

This time it was Skip. Please pray for the healing of his left hand, severly severed with a serrated knife. I guess my brownies were too tough! 13 stitches later he is back together again and has several follow-up appointments in the works.
He is doing remarkably well!

An Appeal for Prayer

2010-01-22T08:07:00.001-08:00

This is an important week for the Ritchies. We have met with the head of Africa & Latin America with Mission to the World about future work with MTW. We have a meeting Saturday with the Congo Bridge Team from New City Fellowship, PCA about plans to serve on their orphan care team this summer in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We humbly covet your prayers for wisdom, love and support. Wisdom to dicern our involvement in these ministries, love for the national workers and orphaned children in Kinshasa (and the world) and a strong and faithful support team for our service. We believe that this trip will be an excellent opportunity to seek training and experience in orphan care. Over 120 children are in need at this site and we seek to encourage the national workers, bring much needed relief to the caretakers and orphans, provide training opportunities-- all while learning from the Congolese model of care. The training will allow us to serve more effectively in future sites where quality care is not in place. Please join us in prayer! If you feel led to support our mission donations can be made to our account at MTW or through New City Fellowship. Contact info is on the blog! In humble service, Skip and Keary

Christmas Update 2009 - Thank You

2009-12-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from St. Louis. One semester of classes (15 hours) has come to an end. We were able to return home for Thanksgiving and see family and friends. Thankfully, we are still a family. It was a stressful and challenging fall semester. Pray for us how we reflect on this semester and decide how God wants us to balance work and school. Keary and I continue to work part-time.

Keary and the girls were able to host the annual Christmas Tea Party in our home. Sixteen (16) girls enjoyed goodies and tea. Praise God for allowing us to have a special community of friends here in St. Louis.

Remember Dolly - Cusco Milk Cow Gives Birth

2009-11-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

Remember Dolly? God has blessed the orphanage with the birth of a calf from Dolly. We praise God and thank the Covenant VBS children and you all for your prayers and support. Dolly giving birth means milk for the children and financial support for the children's home.

Keith and Ruth Powlinson(MTW) sent us the photo yesterday from Cuzco, Peru.

Please continue to pray for the children of Josephine House, Dolly and calf, the people of Cuzco and the missionaries serving there.

Fall Update - Kids

2009-11-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

We are proud to announce - Stephen had 51 Excellent grades #5or A's, Olivia had 45 A's, Maddie had 62 A's and Sayer got many "as expected". Sayer's teacher wrote he is a "sweet child and natural leader". Imagine that!

They are adjusting nicely to the Freedom School with a couple of sad times here and there. Stephen got a perfect 100 on his Civil War history project on Turner Asby. Olivia got some nice comments from her music teacher. Maddie is a strong reader. Keary and I help with Maddie's class on Mondays. Sayer says the best part of school is playing at the different stations. Sayer has learned a new song "This is how we know" about Jesus.

Thanks from St. Louis

2009-08-24T08:05:00.001-07:00

Thanks for all your prayers -- We are now all united in one place. Skip attended the orientation at Cov. Pres. Much to think about -- Calling -- it was a big wake up for him. Check out the school - www.covenantseminary.edu

We live nearby Cov. Pres - Creve Coeur, East and north of the school. We worshiped at New City Fellowship (PCA) -- http://www.newcity.org/ucity/index.asp - it appears they are intentional about orphan care -- Their mission statement says -

Seeking first the kingdom means these types of ministries will mark us as the church. We will care for the widow, the orphan and the immigrant in our midst. It also means we will seek justice in marriage relationships, parenting responsibilities and work issues. God is concerned that his justice fill the earth, and that means justice both personally and socially. In his love and graciousness, these ministries are not the "calling" of a special few of God's people, but it is the privilege of all God's people to live such lives of service.

It has several ministries that we are interested in. Many different backgrounds and nationalities. Our kids are in School at Freedom School. Please check out the school --
http://tfsstl.org/

Back From Dalton, GA -- Thank you Grace Pres. Church

2009-08-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Our family had a wonderful time of worshipping the Lord by helping a man dying of Liver Cancer fix up his home. Dalton, Ga is the carpet capital of the world. The gentleman had two sons age 10 and 11. The church offered to fix up his home to help his children financially when his home was sold at his death. He was expected to die in 2 months and hospice was called in while we were working on his home. Grace Pres.'s Pastor challenged us to show the love of Christ and not expect anything in return for our construction help. We also did VBS all week and had 20 to 40 Latino children come to our bible club event. We were so blessed to be able to serve as a family. During the week, we invited many people to the church's annual Fiesta event. We heard this week that 300 Latino people came to the church for the event and heard the gospel.

See http://www.gracedalton.org/ for church information and their ministries.

Pleading The Cause of Orphans So They Prosper

2009-07-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

Please pray for us as we consider what God says to us in his Word about Orphans/Fatherless. Jeremiah 5: 28-29.

We are headed to Dalton, GA soon

2009-06-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

We have just over 4 weeks before we embark on our next family mission trip. This time we are staying state-side and will be in Dalton, GA from July 25-August 1. We look forward to serving the Latino community there. We are very excited that 1/2 our team is bilingual and the other half is learning Spanish! Our hearts still remain with the orphaned and we hope to serve in another orphanage soon. Please be praying for that next location (possibly Africa) and the remaining $1500 our team needs to raise to get to GA! Thanks for your prayers!

Josephine House Needs Your Prayers and Support

2009-03-26T11:45:00.001-07:00

Orphan Painting - Special People of Peru

2009-03-26T11:21:00.001-07:00

Peru Painting- A local artist painted this child. This is an excellent portrait of what the special little ones look like in Cusco, Peru-- Please pray for the neglected and abandoned children in this area. Our friend Jessica is working in Cusco and counseling children through Mission to the World (MTW). Please pray for her.

Ministry to Orphans in Congo - Inspirational Video Clip

2009-03-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.vimeo.com/2495731

Orphan Ministry Update 2009 - Ritchie Family

2009-02-11T05:26:00.001-08:00

We are praying about our next orphan mission trip. We have been praying about Africa - and the many orphans there - Kenya and Tanzania specifically. We have a friend who is going to Tanzania for a couple of months to help with an 80 child orphanage near Moshe, Tanzania. Our church is sending a team back to an orphanage we have supported for several years in Kenya.

Please pray for us and that God would direct us in our pursuit of caring for orphans. Rice is a big need for the orphanage. Here at Costco 50 lbs. costs $12 to $14 but there it cost $40 or more. A large shipping container is being sent in early March from our area. We are looking to send or take items the Kenya Orphanage. Please call us for more information. If you are lead to send support money - you can give us the check or mail it to MTW with the #16626 on the memo line or on a piece of paper. Thank you.

Ritchies Permanent MTW Account #16626

2008-10-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

We are official -- MTW has given us a permanent account number for support and funds for our family to serve Him in upcoming mission work. This # 16626 represents a change from short term to potential long term service. The address for support is 1600 N. Brown Rd. Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8141. Please put this number on the MEMO LINE. Please pray for us as we seek God's leading on how and where to glorify and serve his son, Jesus Christ. Thanks for all the prayers and support.
We are currently working through Let the Nations be Glad, by John Piper. So far, God has blessed our group and is guiding several people into full time mission work. We meet on Sunday afternoons in our home or the Garcia's home. We are seeking to encourage people who are being led by God in this area.

By His Grace,
The Ritchies, Skip, Keary, Stephen, Olivia, Maddie, and Sayer.

In trouble again -

2008-09-20T18:30:00.001-07:00

We are in Williamsburg with the family. Before we left we were able to send off more bathroom items for the children in Peru. Keith and Ruth Powlinson are in SC for a few weeks. You may remember we did not receive all of our Amazon orders before we left for Peru. We have learned from Ruth that several children are now residing in the Casa Josefina -- The home decor stuff we sent to them is to finish the girl's bathroom decorations. We are hoping to visit one of the families that supported us while in the area. We are closing our account in the next few weeks. Continue to pray for God's leading for our family and our desire to serve orphans.

Hello from Zig and Zip

2008-09-03T05:42:00.000-07:00

Hola! Sarah and Noelle --- Olivia and Maddie Miss you. The Ritchies -- Pray for the you all and the orphanage Casa Josefina.

Prayer for Milk Cow Valerie - Here She Is.

2008-08-17T13:20:00.001-07:00

She is not ready for milking yet. Pray for her health and growth.

Reflections on our Trip - Answered Prayers

2008-08-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

Today ,we went in front of the church and explained some of what happened on our Mission Trip to Peru. The biggest praise is that all 8 of our prayer requests were answered. We were able to help with the set up the Orphanage, we had lots of supporters, our travel went smoothly, we were healthy while there, we were able to deliver 24 bags of luggage with supplies for the children, we were able to give an summary to our church about the orphanage. As we review our newsletter that was sent out before on trip - most of the tasks/items listed were accomplished. The garden tiller was delivered, Keary was able to complete many sewing projects, we decorated the bathrooms, a cow was purchased for the children, and banners were made and supplies were provided for future banners.
Prayer Request Outstanding -
1) Orphanage will be used by God to care for children in Crisis
2) Rooms will be painted and inside decorating will be completed
3) Babies with HIV will be cared for and their situation addressed
4) Milk Cow Barn and Operation constructed

We are feeling better and miss our friends in Peru

2008-08-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

Olivia and Maddie are having breakfast. We are home and feeling much better. Keary was very sick for several days but is now feeling great. Olivia and Maddie had a special time with their new friends Noelle and Sarah. Most of their Pet Shop animal friends traveled with us to Cusco and back. They also wanted to say hello and say they missed you.

We are offically home but are sick - Thank you all!

2008-07-31T13:25:00.000-07:00

We arrived late last night from Raleigh, NC. - We are getting settled and are planning to have a time of sharing God's work over the last three weeks in the very near future.

KFC

2008-07-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

Jorge's first meal at KFC! And TMNT too!

2008-07-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

Stephen and Jorge in front of the Peruvian President's palace this morning!

A Great Visit

2008-07-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

We have been sponsoring Jorge through Compassion International for the past 3 years. He came to our hotel this morning with his mother and together we toured historic downtown Lima. He enjoyed his first meal at Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch with us! It was a special day together!

John 1

2008-07-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

at least we think so......In Quechua! We were able to attend a Quechua service last week. WOW, that was certainly a first! The language is very phonetic and is read just like English. We just don't know what is means, but at least we can sing correctly!

Babies have arrived

2008-07-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

Sunday seven babies arrived! Mama Cerdo delivered healthy piglets. We have enjoyed watching them play in the barnyard. Grandma Cerdo is expecting any day now so we will soon have more! OINK!

Meet Valerie

2008-07-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

YEAH!! Meet Valerie! Yesterday we left our village of Pallpanccay to pick out the COW. Isn't she beautiful? She will reside at the home of the Powlison's in a few weeks after a shed is built for her. She is young but will be a great milk producer! We are so excited to be able to facilitate this gift for the orphans from the children at Covenant Presbyterian Church!

after a 4 hour train ride....

2008-07-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Stephen and Keary enjoyed a day amongst the ruins at Macchu Picchu. It was absolutely amazing!

Girls Club - Bible Group

2008-07-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

Keary led a group of girls in Pallpanccay in a bible lesson during Girls Club. They made a craft to share with others the love of Christ.

Construction at the Josephine House

2008-07-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

Maddie and I are working in the backyard. The Josephine house needs cabinets and benches for storage.
We have been woodworking all week. Please pray for safety for us.

The Builder

2008-07-19T14:23:00.001-07:00

A neighbor who we are getting to know.

Cabinets and Drywall Projects

2008-07-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

Not all Orphan work --- We are helping build needed cabinets at the orphanage. A peruvian friend made this out of scraps.

Meals at the Christian Institute

2008-07-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

Jesse and Stephen are playing a game after a meal.

Little Creatures

2008-07-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

Olivia and the rest of the children are having fun playing with kittens and puppies in the neighborhood.

Lunch with the Cov. Pres group at MTW office with Allen and Keith Powlison.

2008-07-19T14:14:00.000-07:00

We had taco salads and resting after working at the medical clinic. We are finishing up the drywall.

Jesse 1/2 Slater Anderson and Stephen

2008-07-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

This is near the Josephine House. Stephen is having fun jumping off the ledges and over Jesse. We had a great time getting to know Jesse. He was with us for several days and help with the construction on the medical clinic. He left yesterday to go back to Lima.

Banners In Progress for Josephine House

2008-07-19T14:08:00.000-07:00

Keary and Jane Fowler started on the banners for the orphanage. The are doing an example to show and teach the local women how to do one fo the church.

Lots of work to be done

2008-07-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

We are staying in a pretty rural part of the "county" outside of Cuzco. It is a village of about 25 people. Some folks speak Spanish but many only Quechua. The kids love the freedom to run around and all of the animals nearby. Poop everywhere. Olivia has adopted a dog and diligently feeds and cares for it. Sayer loves the 1 day old lamb we pass everyday to eat. It is so tiny! A family picked up a puppy in the road and Stephen has named him Samson and is trying to convince us to take it back to the States. Maddie of course likes all of the guinea pigs. There are 25 on the floor of the outdoor kitchen just a few steps from our house. Skip "El Capentario" has become the official caperter in the village and is making kitchen cabinets. I am sewing curtains and banners. I finished my lesson plans for my grad class finally! All is good. We are working hard and are enjoying our service here. More later. Skip will upload photos later today. Keary

Our New Friends - Gregoria

2008-07-13T14:24:00.000-07:00

This is the christian foster mom for Evelyn. Please continue to pray for us. The orphanage is ready to accept more children in need. Several children are being discussed. HIV babies are also being discussed. She is exited the local church Jesus Buen Pastor.

Special Treat on Sunday-Guinea Pigs

2008-07-13T14:19:00.000-07:00

Wagners invite us to their home to enjoy the guinea pigs.

Sunday Worship Service - Jesus Buen Pastor Church

2008-07-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

Dad with Baby Evelyn at the local church on Sunday.

Baby Evelyn -- First Child for the Orphanage

2008-07-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

Keary is with the first child Evelyn we talked about in the newsletter. Praise God.

Allen Children -- New Friends

2008-07-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

New friends for Olivia and Maddie.

Mission Garden Tiller - Complete

2008-07-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

We are making new friends. Praise God the garden tiller is together and delivered to the missionaries.

Josephine House

2008-07-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

We made it. This is the orphanage in a village outside of Cusco, Peru.

The approach to Cusco Airport

2008-07-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

We saw the 2nd heightest peak in the country. We had to turn around for fog but made it safely on the 2nd try. We landed at noon in Cusco with 24 bags. All bags arrived safely. Bill Allen and Ruth Powlison picked us up at the airport and took us to the Josephine House.

In Flight to Lima Peru via MIA

2008-07-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

Flight went well and arrived at LIMA.

Waiting to do the airport check-in drop

2008-07-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

Packed and waiting to be picked up by UNC Students to fly out.

On the Road to RDU

2008-07-08T20:41:00.000-07:00

We are on the road. Stephen and Olivia are in the back of our car listening to music. You can see the bags are packed to the ceiling. We arrived in Raliegh, NC at 7:30 pm to fly out of RDU tomorrow. God has already answered many prayers. We have a ride to the airport. Brian A. helped us connect with two kind UNC grad students to take us and drop us off at the airport. This will save us a substantial amount of money.

Car is Packed - Lord Willing leaving in 5 minutes

2008-07-08T09:53:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

I never imagined how much of a challenge it would be to just pack our luggage and get on the road. Please continue to pray for us. We fly out at 12 noon tomorrow. We are running about 24 hours behind schedule.

By His Grace,

The Ritchies

Sayer "Boo Boo" Cowboy

2008-07-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

Sayer wanted to say hello to everyone -- Please pray for Sayer.

Maddie's Prayer

2008-07-06T13:22:00.000-07:00

Today is Sunday. We are resting and thinking about our mission trip to Peru.

Maddie's prayer is to take care of guinea pigs while in Peru. She said "good evening" in Quechua -- "allin tuta" - She is wearing traditional native peruvian dress. She is holding her pet guinea pig --"Ziggy" . Ziggy will stay at home on this trip. Please pray for Maddie and Ziggy.

Olivia's prayer

2008-07-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

Today, the church body prayed for us and comissioned our family for our Peru Orphans Mission Trip. On the way home, Olivia drew this milk cow picture to show her dad.

Olivia - Milk Cow Prayer

2008-07-06T10:49:00.001-07:00

Olivia's prayer is that God will help us have safe trip and find a mik cow to help the orphans. She painted this picture for Peru.

A First for everything

2008-06-29T19:49:00.001-07:00

This is our first post to any blog. We DID IT!

The photo collage represents our mission trip to Peru. A map of the country, our Compassion Child Jorge who lives in Lima, a watercolor picture of Cuzco painted by a local artist and a homemade thank you card (designed and sent by Keary's mother Sandi) of a sewing machine. We chose these four as a focus for our trip...the country we will visit, the people we will see, the places we will serve and a sample of the work we will do.

Please visit us often in the month of July to hear more about our work in Cuzco, Peru. We depart on July 9th and will keep updates posted. We love you all and thank you for your generous support and prayers for our mission to the orphaned children in Cuzco.