Mission in Africa
~Ruthie was blessed to have an opportunity to serve the BaTonga people of Zimbabwe, Africa with the Toledo, Ohio Diocesan Catholic Mission of Accompaniment (MOA) for 5 years, assisting with pastoral and human development ministries.
Service with Mission of Accompaniment
~Ruthie spent the first year in Zimbabwe focused on absorbing the basics of the CiTonga language and BaTonga culture. She participated in 3 months of formal language school in Monze, Zambia when she first arrived and then continued 4 years and 9 months of informal language school sitting under shade trees and walking down village paths with the very patient teachers found in those of the All Souls Catholic community. CiTonga Dictionary on Mulonga.net
Mission Projects
~Ruthie spent her time at the mission learning to live, laugh, dance, sing, cook, listen, hear, worship, mourn... really learning to absorb and share faith, life and community in the unique and graced BaTonga way.
In her service she strived to help 20 village Action Groups with small scale projects raising funds to assist orphans in their villages with school fees. Some of the groups focused on production of goods from the use oil pressed from indigenous tree seeds. With this self-sustaining project, the members make soap, lamp oil and cooking oil from tree seeds found or grown in their village, which was introduced into the area by the non profit Binga Trees. This type of project is focused on a local, development driven solutions to social problems and empowers groups to take ownership of projects and respond to ongoing needs with little outside support.
The Jatropha System -An Integrated Approach of Rural Development
Binga Trees Project - info on seed oil projects
All Souls Catholic Church & Tusimpe Pastoral Center - Constructed from 1999 to 2003
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Ruthie also assisted with construction planning, landscaping and sourcing of materials for All Souls Catholic Church (seen to the right) and Tusimpe Pastoral Training Center. She also sourced medicines and materials, like sheets, nappies and wheelchairs for the local hospital and their rehabilitation department. Technical assistance for gatherings and spiritual direction to the St. Ann Catholic Women's organization was also a part of her ministry in Zimbabwe.
Reality of HIV/AIDS
~HIV/AIDS has devestated this community. Just talking about it openly can be a ministry in itself. Often Ruthie was called on to take those about to die from the hospital in Binga back to their village. This felt like a strange pre-funeral to her. She would pass the village where the person was taken to find a real funeral a day or two later. The people of Binga know the heartbreak, fear and sadness of death much too well. For Ruthie, the reconciliation within in heart and mind of this frequent and harsh face to face with reality was diffucult. During the drive back from the pre-funeral processions, Ruthie would turn to meditating about how delicate the thread of life on this earth is and what a grace there is to be found through believing in the next life, where all in His favor are held as cherished children in the arms of the Lord.
Children of the Blind
~The children pictued to the right visited the mission weekly. They are the children of the blind. They don't attend school, but move from place to place, begging and leading their parents and grandparents around. They are one of the most at risk and disadvantaged groups encountered in at Mission. Mission staff provide them with clothes, soap and a bit of food when they stop by. The little girl in the white sweater has on a Catholic School uniform, donated from St. Peter and Paul in Sandusky, OH.
Under her former moniker, Ruth Ann Leidorf, Ruthie wrote a book of short essays touching on the her personal experiences in faith and culture. This was written from 1999 through 2004, the years Ruthie served with the BaTonga. With scripture based reflections after each chapter, by Fr. Bernard Boff, many have found it useful for faith sharing groups.
(Copies of the book are available through the MOA see side bar.)
Ruthie returned to the US in 2004 and continued to work with the MOA to raise funds through speaking at parishes and promotion of the Surprises book and All Souls church hymns CD. This was a very successful project, with more than $100,000 profit that went back to the mission for food aid. It is a good model for any group wishing to raise mission awareness and funds.
Ruthie's Present Work
with Habitat for Humanity
~Ruthie has been working with Habitat for Humanity International, since March of 2005, partnering Habitat Affiliates with the Coporation for National Service and AmeriCorps*VISTA Members. These partnerships support Habitat's effort to utilize community resources in building sustainable capacity aimed at alleviating poverty housing.
Habitat for Humanity International
AmeriCorps*VISTA National Service
~The VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) Ruth works with serve at local Habitat "Host Sites" through resource development, PR, database development, faith relations, ReStore start ups and committe development. The VISTAs have a true impact on how many houses are built for families in need and Ruth is inspired by the volunteer VISTAs she works with everyday. Non profits, as well as community and faithbased organizations can find information on grants to have AmeriCorps direct and VISTA service member resources to assisting with sustainable capacity building at:
AmeriCorps National Service - Info for Orgs and Volunteers
US Goverment National Service Web Site
Service options with AmeriCorps & VISTA. A great way to pay back student loans, while getting expereince & helping out our world!
~Service options are local or national and offer relocation assistance, paid travel to training, modest living stipend, health coverage and an end of service education award to be used towards past and future college loans. These are just some of the benefits of being an AmeriCorps State, National, VISTA or NCCC Member
Find an AmeriCorps Volunteer Program to Serve
