“Student Missions is a benchmark program at Walla Walla University”, Jeanne Vories, Support Coordinator for Missions and Ministries says. Upwards of 75 students set out from campus annually, dotting the globe with hearts of grace and attitudes of service. For those who go, their year-long adventures prove to be both highly beneficial to the ones they serve as well as to themselves. Students often emerge with invaluable perspective, greater resilience, and increased confidence that often transfers to leadership influence. To WWU chaplain Tommy Poole, “the Student Missions program is one of the best things the Seventh-day Adventist church has got going for young adults period.”
A key factor in its transformational influence is how the program tosses students into situations where they are far less supported than they are accustomed to – setting the stage for a season of intense reliance on God. “Students’ hardships draw them closer to the God who endured incredible hardship in order to serve humanity,” says Tommy Poole.
A significant process of becoming a student missionary is training and preparation. Students are required not only to raise money for their year of service, but they must also take part in cross-cultural education both in and out of the classroom before heading out. Our own Pastor Troy Fitzgerald has been contributing to this missions training at WWU for the past 16 years. He’s a firm believer in the value of student missions and actually wrote his dissertation on the impact it makes on student’s spiritual lives.
For the weekend of October 23-24, the chaplain’s office at WWU is especially emphasizing the Student Missions program on campus. On Friday night, a Student Missions Fair will be hosted in the church before which is a special vespers program celebrating current & past missionaries as well as encouraging students on campus to sign up themselves. Available positions include teaching, chaplaincy, dean’s work, church-support, technical roles, and many others. Tommy Poole reports that right now, over 100 positions remain open in the Pacific Islands region alone. Without willing servants, schools will go without teachers.
Five current student missionaries took part in informal interviews with us over the past week. Each person responded to three questions. (1) Where are you and how are you serving there? (2) What has been the biggest cultural surprise thus far in your experience? (3) How can your church community support you right now?
In the coming weeks, the University Church will organize a special focus – shipping Christmas packages to each of our 55 missionaries this year. Be sure to watch for updates on this valuable project!
For more information on the Student Missions program or if you're interested in becoming a student missionary, stop by the chaplain's office or call us at (509) 527-2010. If you'd like to stay connected with current SMs, check out our Facebook page, or follow on Instagram (@wwu.sms). If you'd like to be a part of our newsletter, email tommy.poole@wallawalla.edu.
Emily Field
Kasese, Uganda, Africa
Christalis Home
Q: Tell us about where and how you're serving.
A: I'm serving over here at the Christalis Home for Orphans. Over the past year or two, ASWWU raised funds to build them a new home. Christalis is an Adventist organization out of Maryland. Their website is christalis.org if you want more info. Christalis also runs an assistance program for kids over here. We help with updating profiles of the kids so the potential sponsors elsewhere in the world can know the basic things about them before deciding to sponsor their needs. We travel around town and the nearby villages to talk to the family face to face so we can most accurately update their profiles. We all help with the assistance program since it's a huge part of the company.
Right now, the team and I are currently getting ready to resettle 6-7 of the older kids (18+ yrs). So I'm traveling around town and the nearby villages with Aseneth (one of the local staff members) to try and find family members who can take them. If we actually find family, we talk to them and see if they're willing and able to support another child.
We do all these things when the children are at school. When they're at home we play with them, do worships, and help with homework.
Q: Tell us about the biggest cultural Surprise.
A: The biggest culture surprise I've experienced is how laid back everything here is. We Americans think of schedules in a completely different way than Ugandans. I would go so far as to say that there isn't a schedule here! For example: the other day, we were all ready to walk to worship at the Church down the street on a Friday evening. While we were waiting, the house became very quiet (abnormal since there are so many kids). We went to the kids' rooms and there were a few stragglers hanging behind. “Where did all the other kids go?” we asked. They replied, “Oh, they left an hour ago,” as if it was business as usual.
To sum that up, there's a noticeable lack of communication (especially with scheduling) and that can be frustrating!
Q: How can your church family support you right now?
A: We're doing well as far as things we need/use for ourselves. Prayer is always at a premium. But truly, we have hundreds of kids waiting for the assistance program to come through for them; we need sponsors! So if there’s a way you can help us with looking out for these little ones, it would be amazing! And feel free to send me an email! emilyfield04@gmail.com
Brooke Spickelmier
Milo Adventist Academy,
Oregon
Q: Tell us about where and how you're serving.
A: I'm serving as a girl’s dean here at Milo Academy. But as is always the case with mission work, I get to wear a bunch of other hats too (makes it all the more fun!)
Q: Tell us about the biggest cultural Surprise.
A: Being that Milo is in the states, I didn’t experience a huge culture shift. BUT, we are seriously waaaay out in the middle of nowhere! Like, “no cell service and temperamental wi-fi” sort of deal. It’s interesting though. When I accepted the call to go to Milo, I thought this disconnection from "the world" would leave me feeling isolated. Instead, it has been one of the greatest things ever! I have redirected my time into my students, my relationship with God, and working on achieving spiritual, physical, and academic goals. Is God bombdiggity or what?!
Q: How can your church family support you right now?
A: The number one thing that you can do to support me is please, please, pray for me. Specifically pray that I would have the wisdom, understanding, words, and heart to serve well. Pray that I can help those here on this campus and that the Holy Spirit will continue to transform and renew the hearts and the minds of the students and staff.
Prayer is the most powerful, precious commodity that we have access to on this earth and I know it can shake mountains and change hearts of stone into hands of service. Also, I love receiving encouraging verses or worship thoughts that I can share with my dorm students at evening worship.
My prayers are with Walla Walla as this new school year begins! May it be a blessed one where God's will is carried out!
Jacob Patterson
Longburn,
New Zealand
Q: Tell us about where and how you're serving.
I'm serving as an assistant boys dean at Longburn Adventist College. There are 29 boys here aged 12-18. I look after them and assume a ‘parental’ role while they are here at school.
Q: Tell us about the biggest cultural Surprise.
Because I am a missionary in the beautiful country of New Zealand, the cultural differences for me are less severe than they might be if I were in South America or Africa or something. However, there are many subtle differences; the light switches go down for ‘on’, the cars drive on the left side of the road, and cantaloupe is called ‘rock melon’.
All in all it is quite similar to life in the USA, except for one thing.
Sheep.
Good gravy there are so many sheep. I had heard that New Zealand was flush with them, but no amount of watching the Lord of the Rings could prepare me for the massive amount of sheep in Middle Earth! Virtually every direction you look you can spot sheep in the distance, grazing the rolling hills of grass. I've heard if I stay here long enough a flock should start following me around, claiming me as their own.
Q: How can your church family support you right now?
The only support I could ask for besides prayer at this point is Mexican food supplies, as there is a disheartening lack of Mexican food here. I’ve even begun to dream about burritos and making late night trips to Del Taco! Things are getting desperate. Any and every sauce packet counts. Thanks so much!
Paige nettland
ubon ratchanthani,
Thailand
Q: Tell us about where and how you're serving.
A: I’m serving as a teacher. Here in Thailand, the population is 95% Buddhist, and the name of Jesus is essentially unknown. You have to view every day as an opportunity to serve, sharing stories from the Bible in your classroom, talking to the parents of your students, even people who see you and ask where you're from.
Q: Tell us about the biggest cultural Surprise.
A: The biggest cultural surprise to me has definitely been the contrasts between the quality of living here. On one side of the street, you'll have massive, new, clean homes, and literally on the opposite side, you'll have people living in what's essentially a box made of scrap metal. This dichotomy is evident essentially everywhere, and it's been hard to take in.
Another thing would be little cultural habits around etiquette. Things like making sure I take my shoes off when entering places (from restaurants to church), to constantly being mindful of the way I'm sitting, making sure I don't accidentally offend someone. It’s been a challenge. I've never thought about my feet so much in my entire life! The way Thai people behave is with great awareness and deliberateness. I find this positive but it still has been difficult to adapt to. Making sure you don't talk to loud, using the traditional Thai "Wai" (bowing motion), not walking in front of people. I have to consistently remind myself to turn my own volume down. Hahaha!
Oh. And there aren't any bagels here, either. And the cockroaches are terrifying.
Q: How can your church family support you right now?
A: Prayers are always more than welcome - every single one of them is appreciated!! I think the other SMs here would appreciate the occasional letter or postcard, for sure. As for Christmas. I'd love to receive a book in English. They don't have any here and I can't affort the shipping costs if I wanted to buy one online!
Carla johnston
Blantyre, Malawi,
Africa
Q: Tell us about where and how you're serving.
A: I am teaching the children of the missionary physicians at Blantyre Adventist Hospital in Malawi, Africa. My students include one 6th, 7th, and 10th grader. And my missionary partner Mindy Robinson is teaching two first-graders and a kindergartner.
Q: Tell us about your biggest cultural surprise.
A: I haven't felt extremely surprised when it comes to the culture because I talked to a lot of people about it before I got here. With that said, two things have been very different.
First, the communal, "it takes a village," attitude of Africa bleeds into everything. There is no such thing as personal space here! Street vendors will follow you around for an entire city block, beggars will actually touch you (one woman grabbed the hair next to my scalp the other day), and people almost sit on each other in the minibuses (the main form of public transit). While this can be overwhelming, or even annoying, at times, it all stems from the very Malawian attitude that ‘everyone is in this together’. They have a word, “iwe”, that basically means "us" or "together," but you can find it on posters, plaques, tapestries...it's a cultural marker here.
The second cultural surprise is how low women rank on the social totem pole. I knew the culture in this regard would be different than back home, but just how vast that difference is was unexpected. For example, it's hard to get used to the fact that, at parties or potlucks, men go first, then children, and then women get the left overs. Polygamy is very common in the villages, though not here in the city, and women often have severe postpartum bleeding because of all of the manual labor they do around the house.
I suppose it's important that I try not to view our way of treating women as superior (besides the whole polygamy thing), but I'm used to women being treated as ladies and men being gentlemen. They had a health expo with a special preacher our first two weeks here, and even he talked about how, regardless of what your culture says, husbands should treasure their wives and love them as Christ loved the church. I was a fan of that, but I found the sermon interesting because that's not an issue pressing enough that it would be preached at home.
Finally, a small funny cultural surprise is my habit of nearly being hit by cars! I have several times walked into the middle of the street thinking the coast is clear when it's not because Malawians drive on the "wrong" side of the road here.
Q: Tell us about how your church community can support you.
A: You are already a blessing to us (Mindy Robinson and I)! Your prayers and cards mean a lot! As far as something for the Christmas package, “Afterbite” as well as insect repellent are always appreciated. Both of us are having major chocolate chip cravings; they don't sell them here! Snack foods, like nuts (Mindy is allergic to cashews, but almonds, walnuts, pistachios, etc. are all great) and dried fruit and granola, would be wonderful. Lipton onion soup mix, and G. Washington's broth packets (we had some were here in the apartment when we arrived) would be fantastic; we can't find more in the store! We'll probably be running low on certain hygiene products like toothpaste and witch hazel by the time Christmas comes around, and that stuff can be hard to find here (we're good on shampoo though).
Oh! And, if someone feels like spoiling us a little, we are both missing almond butter (like from Andy's).
Join Us in Seattle, February 14-15, 2016
Theme: “The Final Week”
Texts: Matthew 21-28, Mark 11-16,
Luke 19-24, John 21-22
Preaching by: Brandy Kirstein, Charles Tapp,
David Franklin, Dilys Brooks, Emily Poole,
Iki Taimi, Jennifer Scott, Karl Haffner,
Lisa Clark Diller, Macy McVay,
Matthew Gamble, Ofa Langi,
Paul Dybdahl, Raewyn Hankins,
Tara VinCross, William Johnsson, Zane Yi
Special Guests: Walla Walla University’s excellent choral group I Cantori
Register at: the1project.org/gatherings/seattle-2016
(rates increase January 1, 2016)
SABBATH MORNING
AT THE UNIVERSITY CHURCH
MUSIC NOTE
We wish a warmalla Walla welcome to all visiting families; we are so glad that you’re here. Please join me in welcoming also the Walla Walla University Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Brandon Beck. Today is the debut performance of their academic year. We also thank the many students of University Singers and several soloists including Ariana Parks, her brother Zach, Johanna Chevrier, and a sextet comprised of Megan Schwark, Marti Phillips, Morgan Sanker, Alivia Nye, Adeline Tomarere, and Michaela Paulson. Frankie Bones leads the choir with piano accompaniment. Finally, Lindsay Armstrong, a junior music major from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is the first of two student conductors who will lead the choirs this year. Join me in thanking these musicians!
In the prelude we hear the first movement of Symphony No.8 in B Minor (“Unfinished”), by Franz Schubert (1797-1828). Both the offertory and postlude derive from Symphony No.1 in D Minor, Op.42 for organ and orchestra by Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911).
As you prepare to worship, I invite you to take some silent time to meditate on the choral anthem texts. One will be sung in Latin; the translation and both texts are here.
Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory to God in the highest
O the stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone of a whole new world.
A grain of wheat may be knocked to the ground and suffer thru’ the winter’s cold only to rise right up again and bear its seed a thousand fold.
Never can our journey fail; a little child will lead the way, whose eyes are filled with a shining light to whom the night is bright as day.
The love that rolls the stone away gives us life that we may sing “Grave, where is thy victory? Death, o death, where is thy sting?”
-Kraig Scott
TOUCHES OF INTEREST
Membership Transfers, First Reading
(IN)
Carl Acker from Five Oaks Church, Durham, NC
Robert and Charel Anderson from Bonners Ferry, ID
Jeff and Kari Firestone from Loma Linda University Church, CA
Michael and Doreen Hackett from Stockton Central Church, CA
Troy and Renee Patzer from Upper Columbia Academy Church
Wayne, Gina, Aaron, and Audrey Pollard from Pasco Ephesus
(OUT)
Adam Clemons to Green Lake Church, Seattle, WA
Debbie Johnson-Lang to Cloverdale Church, ID
Theresa Rae to Pendleton Church, OR
Breast Cancer Awareness 5K sponsored by WWU’s Women’s Club AGA is on October 25 at 9am. Register for $25 in the Foreman Hall lobby on Saturday night before (7-9pm) or online. Contact foreman@wallawalla.edu or 509.527.2532 for details.
Today’s seminar on understanding and enhancing interpersonal communication is today 3-5pm, Chan Shun Lecture Hall, #154. No Reservation needed. Loren Dickinson, presenter.
Free screening of ‘Paper Tigers’, hosted by The Health Center. This film documents the moving story of what happened when Walla Walla’s own Lincoln High School radically changed its approach to student support and discipline. Save the date: December 3, 2015, 6:30pm, at Cordiner Hall, Whitman College.
The Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) is looking for local leadership. “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world” Be a part of a program the teaches and encourages people to “Learn more, Live more and Move more” Please contact us now if you would like to be a trained leader in the CHIP program for the Walla Walla Chapter this next spring. We need a Co-Director, Marketing Director and Food Coordinator. For more info, contact Dr Shirley Anderson, 520-4685 or Brenda Clifton, 526-9120.
Wycliffe Bible Translation Banquet will be on Friday, October 30, at 7:00 pm at the Marcus Whitman Hotel. Learn how the good news of salvation is being taken to every tribe and language. For complimentary tickets contact Curt Schafer at 527-3116 or elicurt@gmail.com.
Free counseling for individuals, couples, and families at Pathways to Change, a community counseling clinic managed by the School of Education and Psychology at Walla Walla University. Counselors are second-year master’s students in counseling psychology under the supervision of program faculty. The clinic is located in Smith Hall and is open Sunday through Thursday from 2 to 9 p.m. For more information, or to make an appointment, call Pathways to Change at 509-527-2654.
Grief Recovery Support Group at SonBridge Community Center begins Sunday, November 1, at 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for 13 sessions. Group Leader Lori Richert can take 12 in the group; please call her at 559-930-9035 to sign up. No cost! This weekly seminar and support group is for people who are grieving the death of someone close to them.
A Women’s Retreat will be hosted by the WWU Chaplain’s Office in November. They are looking for sponsors to help reduce the cost for 25 students. If you’re interested in donating or would like more info, contact katie.palumbo@wallawalla.edu.
Milton-Stateline Adventist School invites you to its 3rd annual Talent Show and Silent Auction. Admission is only $2.00. There will be refreshments available to purchase. All proceeds go for new playground equipment. October 24, 6:30pm in the gym at 53565 W. Crockett Rd, Milton-Freewater.
'Be The Match' thanks you for your recent participation in the bone marrow donor drive. It was very successful; 140 new donors registered at the event! In addition the volunteers that helped to steer the event did a wonderful job educating new donors, enthusiastically helped donors fill out consent forms and swab their cheeks. This experience led to a conversation of a possible Be The Match on Campus club at Walla Walla University to help save more lives. www.bethematch.org.
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EVENTS
Friday, October 23
5:56pm - Sunset
8pm - WWU Campus Ministries Vespers, Sanctuary
9pm - WWU Student Missions Fair
Sabbath, October 24
WWU Family Weekend
5pm - Evensong with Kraig Scott & Students, Sanctuary
5:54pm - Sunset
Sunday, October 25
9am - AGA Breast Cancer Awareness 5K Run
Monday, October 26
7:30-7:50am - Morning Worship, Heubach Chapel (m-f)
Tuesday, October 27
11am - WWU CommUnity, Sanctuary
7pm - High Five Youth Group, Jr. High Room (weekly)
Wednesday, October 28
Noon-1pm - Women’s DVD Bible Study, SonBridge
6:30pm - Pathfinder’s Club, Fellowship Hall (weekly)
7pm - Prayer Meeting, Heubach Chapel (weekly)
Friday, October 30
10am - 3:30pm - Red Cross Blood Drive, Fellowship Hall
5:44pm - Sunset
7pm - Wycliffe Translation Banquet, Marcus Whitman Hotel
8pm - WWU Campus Ministries Vespers, Sanctuary
Sabbath, October 31
6-8pm - Children & Family Ministries Soup, Supper, & Games
Sunday, November 8
7pm - 2015 Distinguished Faculty Lecture by Dr. Kellie Bond
GIVE
Thank you for partnering financially with the University Church.
Our local budget supports Rogers & WWVA, Children’s Ministries, worship services, our facility, and a number of staff members’ salaries. Donations marked “Tithe” support our pastors’ and teachers’ salaries as well as the World church.
As always—we welcome your gift made online here.
Click Here for PDF Version of Bulletin -- Or go to our bulletin archive page.