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Last Updated: May 26th, 2010 - 17:07:52 |
In Fairfield, Ala., no one would expect Matt Rittscher walking around the neighborhood adorned in flannel carrying a hammer, and dreaming of Vietnam.
Three years ago when Rittscher, 25, decided his life's work would be in Southeast Asia, he did not expect to get his training in the Deep South. However, as this Kismet native gains handyman experience fixing doors and such, he opens a passage to his life in the Far East.
Since September, Rittscher has worked at Christ Episcopal Church in Fairfield, Ala., with GreaterWorks, an organization that offers ministry experiences to young volunteer-minded people. Volunteers repair community houses and establish meaningful relationships with local residents. While fulfilling GreaterWorks duties, Rittscher also builds a skill set that will prepare him for
his life in Southeast Asia.
"It's a great opportunity to get your feet wet," says Rittscher.
Rittscher, nicknamed "Ranger" for his love of outdoors, is learning about a culture of poverty that he expects to find in Southeast Asia through his help in the Birmingham, Ala., suburb.
"Fairfield's population is comprised of a couple thousand at-risk children and marginalized adults," said the Rev. Gates Shaw of Christ Episcopal Church.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 21.5 percent of Fairfield citizens lived below the poverty level in 2000, much higher than the national average of 12.4 percent.
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| Matt Rittscher of Kismet rides his bicycle through Fairfield, Ala., to perform house repars with GreaterWorks, a ministry and community service organization. Rittscher's time in Fairfield, Ala., is preparing him for work in Southeast Asia. Photo submitted by Matt Rittscher |
With GreaterWorks, Rittscher does not just interact with citizens struggling financially, he is learning what it means to live with little income. While Rittscher and his three other GreaterWorks cohorts were provided a free house and paid utilities, their home is far from luxurious.
"It's not a glamorous house," said Rittscher. "It's an older house that had been abandoned for 13 years before we moved in."
Rittscher's stipend parallels his living arrangements. GreaterWorks provides his four-occupant house with $500 a month for gas and groceries, and then gives each individual a monthly $230 salary.
"It teaches you the difference between what you need and what you want," Rittscher said.
While low-income Americans in Alabama are culturally different from impoverished Southeast Asians, Rittscher still feels his time in Fairfield, is preparing him for his work abroad.
"This experience is teaching me how to learn about different cultures," Rittscher said.
While in Fairfield, Rittscher has learned about violence and teen pregnancy in order to offer answers to local young teens during Tuesday nights' youth group meetings.
"Here I talk about not joining gangs and not getting pregnant, the sort of issues that I didn't have to face," says Rittscher. "I am constantly feeling unequipped, but that is part of the job."
While Rittscher received training on how to perform some duties with GreaterWorks, he was given no instruction for discussing these issues. Rittscher has found that he can learn about these topics by simply using other people as resources. His understanding of gangs comes from older, trusted friends, like Joseph of Fairfield, who once lived the dangerous lifestyle.
"He was a very active gang member for over six years," said Rittscher. "I learned a lot about gangs and the allure of the street from him."
His mother, Carol Rittscher, can see her son is growing from his experience living within the community at GreaterWorks.
"I can see that he has developed a maturity since he has been down there," said Carol Rittscher. "He has become empathetic with some of the problems that those people have down there that he wasn't aware of before."
Sacrifices for people
While in Fairfield, Rittscher has learned that being a friend to someone can often bring challenges. While Rittscher was in Kismet for Christmas, a homeless friend broke into his GreaterWorks home and church. Computers were stolen; property was damaged. In handling the incident, Rittscher and the GreaterWorks staff faced difficult decisions.
"It was an internal struggle within us because we are called to forgive, but at the same time, we know that if he isn't punished he won't learn," Rittscher said.
Ultimately, Rittscher's friend was arrested. Despite the outcome, Rittscher still views the month he spent getting close to this friend as one of the greatest parts of his work in Fairfield.
"I am learning how to dangerously love people," Rittscher says.
For Rittscher, GreaterWorks is just a continuation of a lesson about selflessness. Before moving to Fairfield, Ala.,, Rittscher spent a summer at the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana for YouthWorks. Additionally, Rittscher has traveled to Chile to build a multipurpose building and worked for Habitat for Humanity.
Thaddeus Studebaker feels helping people has just become natural to Rittscher, his lifelong friend. Studebaker said Rittscher once made a 4 a.m. trek from Manhattan, Kan., to his home in Topeka for a "cold" swim in 15,000 gallons of freezing water to fix a busted sump pump in his basement.
"The only word to describe Matt is selfless," says Studebaker. "He has a love for others with no expectation of getting the same in return."
Learning to work
Rittscher is also getting an old fashion lesson in hard work. Rittscher's typical day often starts at 6:30 a.m. with devotion time and dishes. At 9:30 a.m., Rittscher heads to the church and does paperwork before meeting with the Rev. Gates Shaw to talk about what is needed in the community.
The rest of day is spent building relationships with locals, while handling home repairs. With many evenings often devoted to church fellowship, Rittscher's days can be long.
One of Rittscher's challenges is actually striking a balance between accomplishing repair work in Fairfield, Ala., and connecting with the people. Rittscher admits he occasionally gets frustrated when the locals' skills do not seem to match the work needed in Fairfield, but he keeps a firm grasp on the most important reasons he is in Fairfield.
"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if a door henge or a sink faucet is fixed," said Rittscher. "People are the purpose of why I am here, not the list of things to do."
After finishing his GreaterWorks experience in May, Rittscher hopes to remain placed in Alabama for his summer work with YouthWorks. Rittscher will be one step closer to Southeast Asia after completing his time with YouthWorks.
"Ideally, I would like to serve in a short-term mission status over there in the next year and a half," Rittscher said.
Rittscher hopes a short trip will help him to better define the roles he is best suited for in Asia. Once Rittscher finds his niche, he plans to get more education, if necessary, and then move to Southeast Asia permanently. While the places Rittscher will go on his journey to Southeast Asia are undetermined, Shaw is confident he will reach his desired destination.
To follow Rittscher's story or donate money for his work with GreaterWorks, visit www.greaterworks.us. his life in Southeast Asia.
For full story please see Sunday's Times
© 2008 Southwest Times
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