Dr. Rachel Andresen was born in Deerfield, Michigan on April 8, 1907. Due to the intense violence and harmful stereotypes held during the century, Rachel had a unique perspective into the misunderstanding of cultures and beliefs.
In the year 1947, Rachel and her husband traveled to Denmark so she could meet his family. She saw firsthand the effects of World War II, the chaos and hopelessness spread across the continent. Since Rachel was, at that point, integrated into the World Council of Churches ecumenical movement, having started organizing a quarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the couple was able to attend the Council's first World Conference after WWII. The city of Amsterdam had been in a blackout during the war, and a ceremony was held to celebrate the city lights being turned on for the first time in years. The occasion was pure magic: filled with joy and laughter, and in that moment, Rachel's life course altered forever as she became determined to "never let the lights go out again."