Over the next few months, we’ll introduce you to everyone behind the scenes at Ancient Path – from the Board of Directors which meets monthly here in Ohio to the African Directors and team members doing the tough day to day work in Malawi and Madagascar.
Let’s start with board member, Julia Ellifritt – in her own words.
Name: Julia Ellifritt
Personal info: I have three children – 14 year old Lian, from China; 13 year old Nate from Madagascar; 13 year old Kynan from Cleveland, Ohio.
Work/Vocation: I have a master’s degree in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University. I am currently the Program/Education Director for Cornerstone of Hope Bereavement Center and have been doing grief work for 25 years.
Films I like: Shawshank Redemption – a great movie about people in prison who, even though confined to a 6 foot cell, become comfortable there, and reject freedom for their comfort zone of prison. I see many people in my job who are stuck in a spiritual or emotional prison, but are afraid of the freedom that comes in Christ, and/or with good emotional health. It seems foreign to them, and they often prefer the comfort of their own prison, no matter how unhealthy.
I also like Martian Child and Lars and the Real Girl, about needing to compassionately meet people where they are, in order to help them change.
Music I like: I actually don’t have an MP3, stereo and all that. My life is filled with noise (mostly good) with 3 teens and clients – so I really just like the silence when I am alone. But I love our Ancient Path CDs – they set such a beautiful atmosphere in the home and for prayer. I also use them in my work with clients.
Books I like: A Chance to Die – a biography about Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot and anything about Hudson Taylor, pioneer missionary to China and incredible man of faith.
I’m currently reading: Just finished House Rules by Jodi Picoult – an outstanding book about a teen with Asperger’s Syndrome. I’m also reading The Shack again. I loved it the first time – it messes with your pre-conceived ideas of God.
A quirky trait: I guess my quirky trait is that I can’t think of anything quirky about myself. I’m either dull or I live in a state of denial.
Embarrassing moment: Patt and I were in a village in Madagascar – she was walking with a couple of local pastors a fair distance ahead of me and I was trailing behind, shooting video of houses and people, and knowing me -very focused on the children. Suddenly I hear “YIP YIP YIP!!!” and this little dog comes out of nowhere and bites my ankle. I yelled for Patt but she either couldn’t hear me or was deep in conversation. When I caught up to her, I was fuming and once we realized the skin hadn’t been broken, Patt started – and couldn’t stop – laughing. Which made me fume more – until I started laughing myself. The most embarrassing thing was it was all caught on video. The video is smooth, clear – then suddenly YIP YIP YIP!!!, followed by a YEOW! from the videographer and suddenly I’m shooting sky and the ground as I try to get away from the dog. Guess you had to be there but we still laugh every time we talk about it. I wonder what the villagers thought?
Life heroes: Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, Mother Theresa
Favorite quotes: “Who God wants to use greatly, He wounds deeply” -A.W. Tozer
“Pain becomes bearable when we are able to trust that it won’t last forever, not when we pretend it doesn’t exist.” – Alla Bozarth-Campbell
“The treatment the wound gets determines whether time will bring healing or hate” – Elsa McInnes
Favorite places I’ve traveled: Madagascar, Thailand, anyplace in Africa
Favorite life experiences: Adopting each of my 3 kids. These have been the hardest, yet most rewarding experiences, and each has shaped my character in ways that only God knew needed work. I’ve enjoyed traveling around the world and have also enjoyed the various arts productions I’ve been involved with. Backstage, of course, in various creative and administrative roles. Gotta love those artists but they definitely need us creative-administrative types to bring us in on time and on budget!
Favorite things to do: There is precious little downtime between a full time job and 3 teens, 2 of whom play organized sports 5-7 days a week. But when I do get a minute to myself, I love to knit. I’m just learning, but love doing anything with my hands. I can promise you that what I’m not doing in my free time is cleaning… you just need to see my house to know that is true!
Life Scripture: James 1:27 has been my life scripture for 25 years.
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
This scripture has driven my life’s choices as I care for widows during the day, with hospice and grief work, and come home each night to care for the (no longer) orphans in my home.
How I first got involved with Ancient Path and why I choose to serve God through this organization.
My crazy, wonderful friend Patt, and two other women, Cathy Monnin and Elaine Skulina and I met weekly for months back in 1998 to begin a work that focused on compassion and the arts – what was then WorldView Productions and is now Ancient Path. It was such an anointed and exciting time in God! I am still a board member and I choose to continue to serve God through this organization because it provides more opportunities to act on my life’s passion for orphans – and to do it with lifelong friends. I really love the fact that 100% of every dollar donated to our orphan program goes directly to Africa to feed and care for the children. I know that to be true – and also know how the dollars are used in Malawi once they get there. That’s important to me.