REACH intern: ‘Incredible opportunities to serve in Ivory Coast!’

Rylie Farr is amazed at all the incredible opportunities she’s had to do hands-on ministry during her time in Ivory Coast as a REACH intern.

Her team has focused on four different areas of the CMF work in the Abengourou area: the PIM Clinic; a home stay with an Ivorian family; a trip to a rural village with Kristin and Ian Isely for a Women Together meeting; and English Club with children in the Open Heart child sponsorship program.

“The friendships and relationships that I’ve formed here have been life-changing and life-giving,” said Rylie.

Clinic work

“We recently spent two weeks in admissions and maternity in the Ivory Coast Clinic,” said Rylie. “It was a great opportunity for us to use basic medical skills, taking a patient’s vital signs and directing them to the appropriate section of the clinic. This was a real service to the clinic staff and took a load off of their work.”

“In maternity, we observed the mothers’ appointments and interacted with them and the midwives,” she added. “I loved getting to hear the babies’ heartbeats.”

A weekend in Adou Koffikro

Rylie and teammates Kristine Gevock and Elise Gregory visited the home of Abraham and Bridgette in Adou Koffikor for a weekend.

“They are wonderful people with a heart for Jesus,” said Rylie. “They welcomed us into their home and showed us what their daily lives look like. We visited many of their friends’ homes in the village, hiked through a jungle and various farms and helped Bridgette with the cooking!”

“On Sunday morning, they held a church service at their house,” she added. “It was such a refreshing weekend and a beautiful way to experience the gospel lived out in another cultural context.”

Women Together in Ebilassokro

Rylie traveled with her host missionaries, Ian and Kristin Isely, and three Ivorian women from the clinic, an hour and a half on rough, dirt roads for a meeting of Women Together, Kristin’s ministry of education and empowerment for young women.

“For this meeting, Marina, Fatou and Chantal talked to about 30 girls between 12-18 years of age about puberty, which comes with many difficult relational changes in their culture,” said Rylie. “It was heartbreaking to hear some of their stories, but it showed me the value of women’s health and sexual education.

“Kristin’s ministry is beautiful because it is educational, practical and empowering,” she added.

English Club

English Club is part of the Coeur Ouvert (Open Heart) child sponsorship program that partners with CMF and is run by local believers. The children attend government schools, and sponsorship pays for uniforms, backpacks and supplies, a health screening every three months and other benefits.

“We get to interact with some of these sponsored kids through English Club,” said Rylie. “Since they are now on summer break, we teach a group of about 30 of the kids in a classroom setting every Wednesday and Friday afternoons.

“The kids are all very intelligent and fast, eager learners,” she added. “They are also kind and respectful and have been a joy to teach! It has been a blessing to get to know them!”

Top photo: REACH interns Kristine Gevock, Elise Gregory and Rylie Farr Spent a weekend with Ivorian friends Abraham and Bridgette and their daughter in Ivory Coast as part of their REACH ministries.