People often say you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their refrigerator….
In the case of Dick Rutgers, his refrigerator speaks volumes….but it is only a glimpse…
My time in Antigua, Guatamala was incredible…and although I have been gone for over a week….I am still learning and in awe of the amazing experience I had there. I can honestly say that the main reason the few weeks I spent there changed my life was because of the way God works through a man named Dick Rutgers.
Dick is a single, middle-aged, American man who has a huge heart and a strong desire to change lives. His desire is so strong that he moved from his comfortable home in America five years ago to live in Guatamala and minister to disabled people of all ages, and the children of a poor neighborhood he resides in. He is a father to the fatherless, a shoulder to cry on, a hand to feed those who cannot feed themselves; he loves the forgotten, educates the uneducated, and prays for the wounded. He has changed hundreds of lives, he provides medical attention to people who cannot afford it, he saves dying children from slums, he shelters those who are wandering….the list goes on. As we were able to spend time with him and get a glimpse into his life…there were times I sat back and watched this humble man and had tears streaming down my face. I believe my view of God’s character has expanded because of knowing this man…and I am forever thankful for the time I was able to see how much one person can impact the World.
Dick loves his life. After a few days of seeing how much each day of his entails, I asked him if he ever wished he had more “time to himself”…he told me, “when God calls you to something, He never makes you 
miserable, He just changes your perspective.” This statement is so evident in his life. His joy and love for each day was incredible to see, and it is clear that everything he does is for the Glory of God and an outpouring of his love for Him and God’s children.
miserable, He just changes your perspective.” This statement is so evident in his life. His joy and love for each day was incredible to see, and it is clear that everything he does is for the Glory of God and an outpouring of his love for Him and God’s children.His refrigerator tells a story…covered with Father’s Day cards, report cards, pictures of him and his children of Guatamala….elementary drawings of him with children all around him….a glimpse into the life of a humble, middle-aged man, who is in love with Jesus and in love with seeing God’s children experience the same love.
“He is not a fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” ~Jim Elliot
