In addition to pastoring St. Thomas More Old Catholic
Mission, Father Rick serves as the president of Saints
International, a missions organization dedicated to
spreading the Gospel into all the world by any means
possible.  

In 2002, Father Rick and his wife Christina spent the
month of July in Nieuw Nickerie, Suriname, South
America working with missionaries Glenn and Paige
Schmittou.  During the day, they taught students at
Bridge Academy, the only English speaking school in
the western half of the country.

The streets of Paramaribo

In the evenings, the Saints taught on Biblical worship at
Word of Faith Christian Fellowship.  This was especially
meaningful to those who were new Christians.  With fewer
than 500 Christians in a city of 35,000, the only forms of
worship these new converts had ever know was either
Hinduism, Islam, or animism.

As the sound of worship was heard coming from the church
( formerly a warehouse with a large sliding door for the front
door), those in the surrounding neighborhood came to the
church to "watch" what was happening.  This was the first
time they had ever been inside a church.  Several of these
came to personal faith in Christ in the weeks that followed.

On the weekends, the Saints International team joined
forces with a missions team from Texas to evangelize.
 Together with parishioners from the Word of Faith
congregation, groups went door to door throughout the
surrounding neighborhoods sharing the Gospel.  

The Saints led a group performing dance and drama
on the steps of the City Hall adjacent to the town's
large outdoor market.  Hundreds watched the dramas
and listened to the testimonies of faith that were
shared.  Many asked questions about the Christian
faith and began attending church services seeking for
answers.

The streets of Nieuw Nickerie

Muslim Mosque

Hindu Temple

Some Information about the Peoples of Suriname

Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the
latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15.3%, "Maroons" (their African
ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10.3%,
Amerindian 2.6%, Chinese 1.7%, white 1%, other 1.1%

Religions: Hindu 36.4%, Muslim 26.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 14.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous
beliefs 5%

Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is
native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Hindustani (a
dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Saints International