Christian Health Care Center Employee Volunteered at Clinic in Africa

Alyssa Rittinger, a part-time nursing assistant at Ramapo Ridge Psychiatric Hospital at Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff and a nursing student at William Paterson University, spent two months last summer in a small medical clinic in rural Kenya in Africa. Ms. Rittinger needed to raise money and reached out to family and friends to support her efforts.

“I had gone on a few mission trips, but I wanted something more long-term,” said Ms. Rittinger, a resident of Midland Park. “I learned about an organization called Africa Inland Mission from people at church. I applied, went through the interview process, and it all worked out. God clearly wanted me to go.”

Ms. Rittinger and three other young American women from across the country teamed together to work in the small clinic which was staffed with only a nurse, a lab technician, and a cashier. The nurse was in charge of the clinic, and they treated cases of malaria, typhoid, and upper respiratory infections. Children came for immunizations, and pregnant women came for health monitoring. The community they worked with was Masai, a very large tribe in Kenya. Ms. Rittinger and the three other American women worked from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. servicing sometimes 25 to 30 people a day while other days were slower with only a few people coming to the clinic.

“I tried to learn as much as I could about the culture and put aside what we know and believe to be right in our American culture,” said Ms. Rittinger. “Our way isn’t necessarily better, just different. It really opened up my eyes and gave me a new perspective. I love that Christian Health Care Center strives to be the hands of Christ to everyone they serve. I feel that my trip to Kenya was an extension of this same mission.” 

Ms. Rittinger couldn’t say enough about the people in Kenya.

“I think about those people all the time,” she said. “They left such an impact in my heart and in my life. They are such great people: loving, gracious, welcoming, and grateful.”