lo

the

Indonesian
APRIL 1981

VISItOR

News from Ron ond Ellon Ritchey, Missionaries to tndonesia

FIELD ADDRESS:
HELLO

Jl. Imam Bonjol 50A, Salatiga, Jateng, Indonesia

Phone: (0298) 81159

FRIENDS,

to Indonesia. April 7th, 1980 was our departure date. Ten months later on February 7th, 1981, we re-entered Indonesia. We have not published a newsletter during that time, so we
would like to share some of the highlights of those stateside months.
REPORTING

We praise the Lord for a very special and productive furlough and for our safe return

most of you again.

was our home base.

We praise God for your support.

Joliet, Illinois, where Ron's parents. Bill and Dorothy Ritchey live,

One great joy of our furlough was to travel and meet

Bryant in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. We drove to Phoenix, Arizona, flew to Seattle, Washington

for the North American Christian Convention, returned to Phoenix and drove to Joliet,

From there we traveled west to visit Ellen's parents and the Church at

Michigan. Everywhere we went, we were encouraged by your hospitality and your interest.
You are great Body-builders!

visiting many of you loved ones on the way. Our travels south took us to Florida and Kentucky. We went east to Indiana, Ohio and

measured feet and boys now expenses

The second is our growing family. Every month the children are eating more. I just them. Eight year old Deric is four feet five inches, Dasen at age six is four
one half inch, and Dorothy Ellen at three years is three feet four inches.

God that you continue to increase your support. Two factors increase our needs. One is the ever present inflation rate we all face.

on April 26, 1980 at the annual meeting; and September 6, 1980, presented a budget to the board. A copy of the new budget is included with this letter. Hopefully you have already received a financial report giving income and expenditures for the year 1980. We praise

Inc.

Part of our reporting was to the Boai]^ of Directors of Christian Mission International, "Hie board members are elders from supporting churches. Ron reported our activities

attend a missionary-operated English school. We pay for books, travel and school from our salary. These increasing needs are reflected in our budget.
SERVING CHURCHES

Both

were some ways we tried to bring the Indonesian work and ways before you. God can make

Slide programs, sermons, "mini-missions seminar", time of formal and informal sharing

Good News out to all peoples in all nations! We shared with many of you in Faith-Promise rallies, so we know you have a vision and concern for "the uttermost parts", and that
encourages us, too.
a furlough.)

stones into people, but He has chosen you and me to be His helpers. Let's help Him get the
(The February 15th cover of Horizons states well whaFis involved in"

IN

TRANSIT

out as expected, and so was there to see us off. That was definitely OUR blessing. Amid tears, hugs, and "I love you's" we again said good-by to our Ritchey family. Now I quietly reflect on the miles between us all. Is not Christ lour-hope and consolation? We
are separated now but we look forward to a heavenly reunion. ^

functioning plane, Dave Beamer, friend, elder and member of CMI Inc.'s Board could not fly

We left the U.S.A. Tuesday, February 3, 1981 from Chicago's O'Hare.

Due to a mal

Minneapolis, Seattle, and Tokyo were our stops on the way to Hong Kong. Twenty-three hours later. Bill Reece, Wing Wong, and our host, Ken Smyth met us. It was Chinese New Year s Eve. How grateful we were to and for the Smyth's lovely hospitality. They live in

the New Territories which is miles from downtown AND from the airport.

They arranged for

us to meet the Wayful Jews, the Gary Anderson and David Poling families as well as the

Wongs and Reeces. We were delighted with the fellowship, appreciated seeing another mission field, were impressed with Hong Kong, and praise the Lord that there are dedicated
servants of His working there.

Bob and Jan MacLean and Bill and Barbara Myers met us at the Jakarta airport on February 7th at 9:30 P.M. We were excited and exhausted. A few days in Jakarta doing some business, some family swimming, some hopping, then off we flew to Central Java, happy to
greet old friends again.

DECISION
A proposal was awaiting us in Salatiga.

TIME

Two days after arriving home, we met with

other Christian ^urch/^urch of ^rist missionaries in Indonesia (C.C.M.I.) working in

Central Java and discussed the proposal. Since that time, Ron has accepted the job of working with the transmigrant Christians from the village churches who have moved to Sumatra, and the Celebes. We are amazed and thrilled to see God sending out the church from HERE. Please pray for the steadfastness and boldness of these young Christians as they begin new lives, pioneering in a "new" land but with the presence of the perfector of their faith protecting them. What a Way-maker we have! Ron*will also be developing and co-ordinating materials for Christian growth in both the Javanese and Indonesian languages. Please pray for Ron's diligence and faithfulness,
also.

PRAYER

REQUESTS

AND

ANSWERS

Thank you for asking us about our needs. Several families here are in a very serious time of decision-making which will affect us all. The boys are back in school with first reports sounding very good. Again we can only speak of God's goodness to us. The boys travel to Boyolali daily, usually by public transportation. We pray daily for their
safety.

The future is bright.

The Central Java CCMI met with the Bethany Fellowship

missionaries February 20th and decided to start an International school.

With God's help

we are expecting the school to open this September here in Salatiga. We need teachers and understand that visas through the Department of Education can be granted in a short time. Are you a Christian school teacher? Would you come and teach our children? We need you
to first pray about it and then let us know.

Let's work hard for Jesus before the night falls.

Yours in His Service,

<^<PUj
Ron, Ellen, Deric, Dasen & Dorothy

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MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM RITCHEY 18 K^nmore Court

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BUDGET FOR 1981

Missionary Salary
Includes: Stewardship
Food

$880.00

Household Supplies
Clothing Education: Children (3)
Adults (2)
Recreation

Gifts

Medical/Dental (not under

insurance)

C.M.I. Inc. Expenses Rent Allowance $300.00

Housing Maintainance (Gas, electricity, water, telephone, disposal)

Insurances

124.22

Health & Hospitalization

Life
Car

68.80
43.66
29.17

Retirement Program Transporation

Car Purchase Fund

100.00
100.00

Gasoline & maintainance

173.12

International flights In-country flights Publicity Postage Photography

Administration

138.40 21.16 37.55 15.65

261.89

(Government filing, office expenses)

TOTAL MONTHLY TOTAL YEARLY
Financial Overview

$2,293.62 $27,522.48

Income 1979

$20,860.66

Income 1980
1981 DESIRED INCOME

$26,916.47
$27,522.48

jC 1^DO ^

the
indonesun
VISItOR
AUGUST 1981

Niews^from Ron and Efl^n Ritchey, Missionaries~to incfonesia

FIELD ADDRESS: Jl. Imam Bonjol 50A, Salatiga, Jateng, Indonesia
Phone: (0298) 81159

Dear Christian Friends, This will be a letter from Ron and Ellen of their work during May, June, and July,

TRIP

TO

SUMATRA

Ron with 3 Indonesian men and Bob Sigafoose drove to Jakarta on the first leg of their
Sumatra trip. Bob flew home from Jakarta to Portugal and Ron and others went on. Our

family was pleased to see him home safely in 2% weeks later. He visited three trans migration areas. Each place he had to get permission to enter and show the literature he

was leaving with the Christians and leave a sample at the office (which pleased him).
Without exception he was well received and cared for. The three areas were very different. One area, the most depressed, had to contend with brackish water which left a salt residue daily in the soil. There had been three crop failures there already. One area had com that looked like Illinois, so tall and productive; very impressive. One area was not exceptional. The Christians moved there from around Salatiga seemed to be faithful and
eager for encouragement and advice.

The roads were something else.

Ron has some terrific stories to tell about his long

and slow travel on the Sumatran roads. Our Land Cruiser was superb in its performance. Only the car rack had to be welded several times. It has taken Ron a long time to

"recover" from the trip. The terrific heat, long hours of driving, unusual sleeping accomodations and the strain and responsibility did not constitute a picnic, apparently.

The next trip is planned for August into another province of Sumatra.
taking public transportation this next time.

Ron is thinking of

AT

HOME

All the time Ron was gone, I was going to school with the boys, back and forth to Boyolali. I go on a bus. Dorothy Ellen spent the mornings with Linda Joyner. When Ron returned, I participated in a Ladies Retreat as song leader. It was really a blessing. The song leading was fun, because everyone participated happily. The push was on for the end of school. Studying had started in November, so without pushing could have gone on until August. I began doubling my student's math and really

cutting some unimportant corners.

We all finished by June 12th.

June 13th was closing

with games, awards, a picnic and much satisfaction.

VISITORS
June 15th, John Harper, his grandson, Chris, a friend Keith, and our beloved Dad and Granddad arrived in Indonesia. We picked them up at Semarang Airport on the 16th. They were our house guests for three weeks. The Wednesday before July 11th, their return date, our family and Dad Ritchey were driven to Solo to catch the night train, a sleeper. We had 2nd class accomodations, which meant three berths to a compartment. It was about a thirteen hour trip and much more pleasant than driving, but if you ask Dad, the sleeping part was sorta cold; only one blanket allowed. Keith, John, and Chris drove into Jakarta from Bandung having gone there earlier. We all met together again at the American Club, which was a big treat for all of us. Our host family, the Myers, belong and can share it with their guests. We had a lovely time of

swimming in a beautiful pool and then hamburgers, pizza, steak or whatever (even pie or soft ice cream for dessert). Very early next -tiay, we were off to the airport to say
goodbye.

Ma of had died. He had been with us since after three weeks in Indonesia in 1971. He was
V? years old. If any dog had the proverbial nine lives, this one had.
HOME LIFE You might be interested in some things that happened at our house while the visitors

In the meantime, John Mulkey had called from Salatiga to ask Ron to stay an extra two days to meet a man about the International School our group is trying to begin here in English-speaking community of Central Java. I had been trying to sort out the library and catalog the books, and be done with it before we went to Jakarta. As it turned out, we had to stay until Tuesday morning so we picked up two riders. Becky MacLean and Barbara Wolter (a missionary intern from Ozark Bible College) rode back with us to Central Java. They were in charge of the children's program at our all Missionary Retreat which was to start on Thursday. We arrived back in Salatiga Wednesday about 2:30 and glad to be back! Linda Joyner was waiting at our house to tell us our faithful dog,

BUSINESS

IN

JAKARTA

dishes. I had gotten a chicken for supper, which is whole in Indonesian markets. My helpers boil the legs and head and eat them. I told the girl to cut off the legs and
head and then boil the chicken. We then went for a swim.

were here.

I had asked a new girl to work for me in the evenings to help with meals and

When we got back, she just had

boiled the legs and head, so we had to pressure cook the chicken and have a late lunch.

Another time, I fixed meatloaf with ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar topping.
mistake, I used hot chili sauce, so that was a "hot" meal.

By

little store room beside the kitchen. As I grabbed the toaster I saw a black tail quickly
disappear. John Harper was just walking by so I requested assistance. I recommended some antisnake weapons as there was no pitter-patter of escaping feet to go along with the disappearing tail. The odd thing is that we have NEVER seen a snake in our yard area. With three mighty men battling the snake, even its disappearing act could not save it. It was just a little orange and black dead snake, after all was said and done. Actually, it probably would have been a much less harmfu! intruder than the rats that have digested my
Tupperware on occasion, if I could have stood the suspense.

One morning I was scrambling around to fix eggs for all of us and I rushed into the

After arriving back Wednesday with Becky and Barbara, we left again Thursday for Bandungan, 45 minutes from Salatiga, and our missionary family time together. It was really a special time, although the Winegarners could not come. Chuck had stepped on a board with nails in it, and two of them had gone through the shoe into his foot. He had to keep the foot up to keep the pain down. They were the only ones missing. Saturday, the MacLean boys came here and spent the night with us, attended church, the whole family had

dinner with us and then they went to visit in their former area near Boyolali.
And that has been May, June and July for us.

The seven

MacLeana and Barbara began their trip to Bali Monday morning.

tables. Dasen needs help with the Indonesian language. Dorothy Ellen started play school again just this morning and seems to be more amenable to being here. She continues
to ask when we are going back to Joliet. When I listen to Voice of America she asks if

Several things are in the docket "to do".

I must work with Deric on his multiplication

that is from Joliet, but she is sorting things out. She asked if we could have her birthday while her granddad was herenot a symbolic one either. She had a list of gifts that
would be welcome

Our "school building" has been rented and is being cleaned up waiting government approval which will be received the end of this month, we expect. Then teachers can come here more easily on visas other than through the Department of Religion.
Yours in His Service,

Ron, Ellen, Deric, Dasen & Dorothy

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