A DREAM come true!!!

Dear friends and family,

Hello 🙂 For those of you who have been following my crazy adventure with God over the last couple of years, thank you! For those of you who are just “joining me”, welcome! From around the time of age 16 God has been stirring something in my heart. A passion for overseas mission work was conceived although it would be more than 10 years later that I would see its birth, and yet still be unaware of the impact it would have on the rest of my life. I started out participating in short term trips (about 2 weeks long) to Trinidad in 2007 and upon my return from the first one, God allowed me to experience the pain of having your heart in another country and yet be “home”. I knew there would be more overseas work He would have me do, I just had no idea when or where it would be.

Then, in 2010, just a few short months after graduating from Occupational Therapy school, my sister Natasha and I left the country at the beginning of 2011 to complete an 11 month trip literally around the world. During this trip one of my “goals” was to allow the Lord to ignite in my heart a passion for any of the countries I would go to for further work in accordance with His will. Sidenote…a couple years before this trip I would randomly joke around in class saying that I was going to one day “sell everything I owned and move to Africa and adopt orphans”-the funny thing is my friends agreed. This in a sense “self-prophecy” would be fulfilled during this 11 month journey.

Ayonda and I at El Shaddai in 2011 🙂

My heart was ignited for a little tiny country nearly surrounded by South Africa named Swaziland. I cannot explain the feeling of stepping off the plane onto African soil for the first time knowing I was HOME. Actually to be honest I had food poisoning for my first few days in Africa, but THEN I fell in love :). Our first stop was a little orphanage on top of a mountain 45 minutes from Swaziland’s capital city of Mbabane, its name El Shaddai-in Hebrew this means “Lord Almighty”. To make a rather long story short I knew by the time I left there that I would one day return. El Shaddai is home to approximately 65 orphans. The need that I saw present there was discipleship, someone to really be there for the kids when they are having a bad day, when they need someone to talk to, when they need a shoulder to cry on, but also to be a stable and consistent friend, someone to have fun with and to talk about God with. The Lord has given me a vision for this place in very specific ways, so specific in fact that I really believe I have children there I will one day adopt as my own.

You will understand my confusion then as when I returned home from the 11 month journey and was “oh so ready” to up and move to Swaziland that I felt like God was saying “not right now”. I was frustrated to say the least and really began to doubt the thoughts and visions I’d had of this land that I truly thought were from Him. And THEN, in typical (as He moves in my life) God fashion, I was asked to lead another 4 month (July through October 2012) trip of 55 individuals with only a months’ notice…at first I said no, and then God clearly said YES…so, off I went. Leading this group of people was one of the greatest things that I have ever taken part of and stopped short of nothing less than Gods strength working through my weakness. At the end of this trip I thought, finally I will be given the peace to make plans to move to Swaziland…nope. For about 40 days God did not permit me to work save for a few massages (I am a massage therapist as well) to keep my head above water. I was angry but God was teaching me dependence, even though I had the means to work and provide for myself, God was asking me to allow Him to provide for me, and then boom I was allowed to work again and have been doing so full-time up until now.

Then, about 2-3 months ago I knew in my heart something was shifting, God was moving and I knew it was towards me moving to Africa, finally. You would think I would be overjoyed right? Wrong, I was sad, I am watching my nephew grow, I am getting closer to my sisters, I am able to make good money and for once actually save some, and I truly enjoy my work, but if I’ve learned anything about God I know that His timing is the best and to not operate on its table is a very dangerous and life changing thing for an individual. This move is different though, it is more permanent, and this is why…the kids at El Shaddai are used to missionaries, missionaries that come throughout the year for a month at a time or maybe even a year, but then, sorry kids “my time is up”. Attachments are formed, faces are burned in memories, and then they wake up the next morning with just the thought of that person playing, laughing, and singing with them. That’s not going to be me, when they ask me how long I have with them, I will not have a date to tell them, I am moving to Africa with the “end date” being a mighty word from God, but I already know the visions He’s given me and in my heart know there probably won’t be one.

Through the power of Christ living inside me and making His home in me, I plan to see a nation changed. Part of my vision is to raise up a group of leaders within that orphanage who will literally change the course of their country, the means is through a living and active relationship with their heavenly Daddy and King. According to recent studies, “Southern Africa is the worst affected region on the continent of Africa. As of 2011, HIV has infected at least 10 percent of the population in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.” Swaziland is one of the highest at a staggering HIV infection percentage of 26.

This is where I’m moving. Jesus is famous in the Bible for spending time with the “least of these”, for looking at “hopeless situations” and bringing redemption and re-igniting hope. Nothing on earth is capable of being a “hopeless situation” to God. He is the God that WITH Him all things are possible! Many of the young girls and boys at this orphanage have also been physically and sexually abused before their placement at El Shaddai, part of knowing what I am walking into is that God desires for me to help in the healing that these children need for these areas. I have not experienced these hideous types of abuses (although some of my family and friends have), but what I can offer is myself for God to use, to speak through, as He has proven so faithful to do so in the past. I love these children; I love them as though they are already mine. I have such a God-given heart and passion for them that is truly supernatural in its explanation. Healing takes time in all relationships, consistency, love, and a willingness to fight for the other, this is what I hope to be and do for these children. I am scared, I know it will be messy, I know I will miss home, I know there will be times I will feel completely inept for the situation, but that is why I am going with God my Father, God my Friend, God my Provider, God my strength, God my Savior, God my everything.

Currently I am in a season of being surrounded by loving friends and family, but for the first time in my life I feel completely alone. This is a good and bad feeling, good in that I know God is intentional with allowing me to experience total dependence on Him and bad in the sense that it just doesn’t feel good. I know that it is something I need though before I leave, I need to be able to look around at all the humans around me and note that they are wonderful but have an absolute 100% certainty that all of my emotional, physical, and spiritual needs can be totally met in Christ the King of my heart and Lover of soul, not in anyBODY, but in the Cornerstone :). The other night I asked God why I had to do this "alone", and He said, "I went to the cross "alone"…What truly can the world do once you actually believe He is ALL you need? What kind of things would you be capable of? Join me in my journey!!!

If you ask people who really know me, they will tell you that I am always thinking about and creating something in my brain 🙂 Here are some thoughts I have had and things I want to do for some of these babes: 

• I have created a “registry” on Amazon for those of you who like to purchase items vs. donate monetarily. This is the link: http://www.amazon.com/registry/wedding/256UX1MOPQ6D4 It’s entitled “Rachel and Swazi land” Note: For this list I have included items for a weekly movie night, for fun outside, for reading, for me-to better carry children and care for the younger ones. PLEASE feel free to purchase these things OR send me items (not too big or heavy) that you would recommend for children, if you have DVDs appropriate for ages 4-15 that you no longer want feel free to ship them to my house instead of purchase them online, also for you moms, if you have items that you would not have been able to live without when your children were young or that you would recommend, also ship me those! I am also asking for BOOKS! Books are so important for kids! I won’t be able to take an entire suitcase of them, but I would like at least a small collection for them, you know some classics like "Goodnight moon”, etc, ship me those as well! ***Another option is to send gift cards to Barnes and Nobles, etc. 

This was when I lived in a town named Nsoko (southern Swaziland at a local care point-they love these parachutes, which are listed on the registry!!!)

• Another vision I have is for my girls and boys (if they are interested) to spin flags in worship. I used these for the group I lead and they were fantastic AND also expensive. My vision is to take with me at least 20 sets, which would equal 40 flags. These flags are called “wing flags”, they need to be purchased in sets of 2. You can find them on the site below and also ship them to my house. Feel free to purchase whatever color and material you like, just make sure they are in sets of 2 and that they are the “wing flags”. http://www.itsaboutworship.com/ Current 10% off coupon code: WFSALE

 

One of my racers, Abby, spinning the wing flags on a river in Nepal, can you imagine 40???

• Third, as a single white female, I am going to need a reliable car, and one that can make it up and down a very rough mountain (the closest city is a 45 minute drive) FULL of pot holes that get a lot more dangerous with heavy rain. Adventures in Missions (the organization I will be going through as a missionary) has stated that if I raise the money for this car through their organization, they will then own the car. However if I raise the money myself and place it in my savings account I will own the car, which is the method I prefer. SO, if you feel lead to send money for my car, please mail me a check to my house and write “car” on it! The total amount needed for the car is roughly $10,000.  
• AND last but certainly NOT least, I need funding, I need monthly supporters, for a monthly budget of around $1,000-which broken down can mean 10 monthly supporters of $100 or 20 for $50 or even 100 for just $10! This covers food, lodging, health care and insurance, life insurance, electricity, cell phone, savings for airfare home, gas, visas, basically everything, plus some extra to be able to buy the kids special things and for me to go out of town and explore every once in a while. As before ALL of these donations (minus the donations for the car), are 100% tax deductible, the only difference is that I will need you for a LONG time, I need consistency. Of course one time donations are greatly appreciated as I will need more than $2,000 for start-up cost including my airfare to Swaziland, and my initial visa, as well as fees adventures in missions require. For a detailed list of my spending and budget at any time during my time in Swaziland, feel free to contact adventures in missions directly. My support link is to the left under “SUPPORT ME”, you will have options to donate by mail, set up a monthly donation, or one-time donation and just be sure to write my first and last name on any check and in the “staff member” box 

Lastly, I am SO excited! I am thankful to have met you at some point in my life for you to even be reading this, I plan to make yearly trips home and would love to try my best to travel around and tell about my adventures in Swaziland!!! If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at (919)454-6455 and [email protected]

***My target time frame to leave is within the month of July so if you feel led in any way to give, please do so as soon as you can!

My home address:

Rachel Ritsema

212 Climbing Ivy Ct.

Cary, NC 27511

“The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.” (AMP)

***To read more about my 11 month journey through the nations and 4 month squad leadership, click here!!! http://www.rachelritsema.theworldrace.org