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MISSION ARTICLES
This is a collection of articles that our missionary wishes to make available to you. If you find that our efforts are important and worthwhile, perhaps you would consider supporting us financially. If so, Please Click Here and in Preference, please enter "Elizabeth Ratliff"
Or, perhaps you would like to come to our mission and participate with us in this very fulfilling work. To find out more about how you can organize your own team, Please Click Here. Or if you would like to find out about how to join a team that may be looking for additional members, Please Click Here.
With our goal to be in Nicaragua as of January 2020; there have been a lot of emotions preparing for this move. The overwhelming emotion is excitement and joy as we prepare to be full-time missionaries; living in Matagalpa, Nicaragua to spread the Gospel. Tom and I can honestly say that we can not wait to live in Matagalpa and do what God is calling us to do. We believe that God has called us to Matagalpa and it is our objective to fulfill God’s command in Matthew 28:19 which says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” I find the last part of this verse extremely encouraging to know that Jesus promises to be with us. I (Ruthie) will serve as the school nurse for Nicaragua Christian Academy (NCA) in Matagalpa. I attended the Managua location of NCA for grade school and middle school. NCA has an amazing testimony and vision to make disciples of Jesus Christ. It is definitely worth your time to look at their website and read more about this amazing school; go to NCA.edu.ni for more information. I will write another blog post soon and share my testimony and the incredible story of God’s goodness in preparing me personally to be a missionary.
While I am being honest and transparent that I am extremely excited to make this move; there is also a part of me that is struggling with preparing to leave family. As I mentioned earlier, I grew up as a missionary kid and as such I am familiar with the sacrifices of living on the mission field. On the other hand, there are incredible blessings found in being a missionary; God did give me an amazing missionary family. I will always think of Greg Kynast (Director of the NCA-Matagalpa) as Uncle Greg and Uncle Jim and Aunt Viola Palmer are basically my second parents; and many many more people. With that being said, I am praying that God gives us the gift of an adopted family on the mission field. In all of this, I know that God is good and He will take care of our family in this adventure to give our lives to Him.
Thank you to everyone who has taken a leap of faith and joined our team. We are overwhelmed with joy in growing our relationships with our support team and having the opportunity to learn more about each other before we move to Nicaragua. It is our goal to build our team now and have an opportunity to cultivate those relationships; to prepare for being a team together in Nicaragua. We want everyone who joins our team to feel as much a part of our ministry as us being there in person. Alright… I need to go cook some dinner and of course make dessert to share with friends. Talk to you guys again soon!
Ruthie
