Beautiful, slender and graceful, Ribika is one of my near neighbors. The mother of an almost three-year-old, she also keeps busy assisting at the clinic and managing their crops.
Ribika has a heart for God. Living in a village quite a distance from Kemantian, she was baptized into another religion at seven but has now realized she really did not know God or much about Him or the Bible. She remembers being shown a video of the crucifixion and resurrection as a young third-grader in a public school, and that made a lasting impression on her, though she did not understand it.
With her intense desire to know Jesus, she decided it would be best to marry an Adventist and live in Kemantian, where she could learn at home and church. So she married a young man and was promptly disappointed because, even though he had learned many stories in school and church, he was unconverted and unbaptized. She came to me in tears one day.
“I thought I was marrying a Christian, but he is not. He isn’t even always very kind. I’ve begged him to tell me what he knows because I know he does know, but he refuses. How can I learn more about how to be a Christian?”
Happily, I informed her that I was more than willing to study with her and teach her and that we would continue to pray for her husband and his family. As the studies began, Ribika was an eager student. She began having worship with her young son and teaching him Bible stories, inviting her husband to join her, but he continued to refuse.
When we were urgently summoned back to the States with our son Christopher’s devastating diagnosis, the Bible studies were left with another staff member to continue guiding and training Ribika. Upon my return to Kemantian months later, she eagerly came to me, “I am so glad you are back! When can we start Bible studies again?” She then informed me that her studies had been neglected for one reason or another, but she was happy I was back to really explain things to her.
Because I knew I had limited time in Kemantian this trip, I suggested that we have a study every night, seven nights a week for the following six weeks, instead of once a week. As we began studying, she said, “I so want to be baptized!” Happy with her enthusiasm, I suggested that we set a date and earnestly prepare before I was to leave again. She was so happy that she cried, “Really? I’ve been wanting this for so long!”
Ribika’s baptism is still a few weeks away, but her interview by the elders is this next Sabbath. We are covering ground quickly, and she has an absorbent mind. Her heart for her family to know Jesus, to train her son, and her unceasing prayers for her husband’s conversion touch my heart. Oh the joy of young love! I hope she never loses it, though her trials will increase.
We are discussing ways that I can continue to disciple her during the times I am back in the U.S. Kent and I will be coming and going for a while as we support Christopher, his family and our other children. We plan on returning to Kemantian as frequently as we can to continue to grow the capability of our local leaders and church members. Follow up is vital and best done by those with whom they have already established a relationship.
Ribika lives quite a distance away from her family because though it is tradition for the man to move to the woman’s village, Ribika wanted to be in Kemantian. God has thus ordained that she be here to learn of Him and to receive the Holy Spirit, who will enable her to reach her family and others as well. Another missionary is being born! Please remember her in your prayers as she continues to grow in grace.
