Envision Magazine – Issue #10

NATIONAL

AWARD -WINNING,

CHRISTIAN

COLLEGIATE

ISSUE 2018

MAGAZINE

The voice of millennials in the Seventh-day Adventist church #thehaystack

thehaystack.org

@thehaystack

Mrs. America Says Me Too

COVER PHOTO BY JESSICA CONDON COVER DESIGN BY TAYLOR SCALZO

ISSUE #10

17 Years a Slave

32

DACA and the Death of Dreams

CONNECT

06

Why Are Christians So Fake?

10

Dear Relationship Guru

12

Can I Be a Christian and a Feminist?

15

Our Work Isn’t Done

18

Reaching the Unreached

20

Facebook Is Making Me Hate My Friends

24

Mission Fully Alive

36

Stop Saying Gamers Aren’t Social

39

Board Games and Belief

48

I Leaned to Be a Man From My Mom

es... ind the scen h e b , k a e p k snea ISSUE 10, 2018 Produced by the Department of Visual Art, Communication and Design at Andrews University EDITOR WRITERS

How do students pu t this magaz ine together?

You can wat ch the film!

DESIGN EDITOR DESIGNERS

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Want to hear what Mrs. America thinks about the #metoo movement?

Check out the behind the scenes clips.

making of this maga zine

and other films!

Diane Myers Hannah Choi Anh Do Sarah Duvivier Joanna Jones Alain Pichot Taylor Scalzo Dave Sherwin Jonathan Borton Clarissa Carbungco Jessica Condon Cassandra Fuller Merari Gonzalez Autumn Goodman Darren Heslop Brianna Kittleson Donn Latour Julia Viniczay

FILMMAKERS

Kiana Gurley Jeremy Martin Daniel Martinez Justin McLaughlin Joy Ngugi Reiss Ramirez Jeriah Richardson

COPYEDITOR

Mel Burdick

MODELS

Scan here to watch the

Heather Thompson Day Abigail A’Kessler Ashley Acevado Darlene Berroa Daniela Castillo Jack Connors Felicia Datus Heather Thompson Day Seth Day Jacque Delhove Mekayla Eppers Sarah Geiger, Dominique Gummelt Nicole Knapp Michael Nixon Dr. C. Woolford-Hunt

Hudson Day London Day Keegan Fossmeyer Matthew Rajarathinam Janelle Rovellequartz Christian Sanchez Yusuf Timothy Nina Woodard

WEB DESIGN

Laura Lucio

SPECIAL THANKS

Paul Kim Doug Taylor

PHOTO BY MERARI GONZALEZ

EDITORS PAGE

Heather Thompson Day EDITOR

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M

illennials are known for a lot of things. We are the most diverse generation, the most educated, we are the least Republican generation, and we are also the generation to kill the cereal company. We want things fast. No time for milk and a bowl. Give me a straw and an avocado.

We want passion over paychecks and a mission we can get behind. We crave authenticity and yet we hide behind filters.

For me, Envision isn’t just a magazine. It’s a reflection of the conversations of young adults in our culture. It’s the soapbox for a generation that is disappearing from our church pews and slipping through the cracks of Christian education. I don’t just think this generation needs church, I think the church needs them.

Within these pages my prayer is to create a safe space for young adults to have an honest conversation. I want them to be fully engaged in telling the truth about what they Envision for their churches, communities, and work places.

When I took on the role of editor for Envision, I did so under the premise that I couldn’t combat the drear statistics flooding our newsfeeds today. I can’t change all the things I don’t like about our culture but I can add my voice to it. I can provide pieces of paper littered with the thoughts, concerns, and stories that matter so much to so many of us in this moment.

Did you know that 1 in 4 women on today’s college campuses experience rape? Forty-two percent of women who are raped, tell no one about the assaults because, hello victim-blaming. Sixty percent of rapes on college campuses are perpetrated by someone the

victim knows. So not only are women experiencing sobering rates of victimization (#metoo), for the most part, it isn’t monsters in the alley holding knives to our throats, these are people we know, perhaps even friends that we trusted. These are the worst kinds of monsters, wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Brock Turner was the Stanford swimmer who sexually assaulted a girl he found unconscious. He was interrupted by two graduate students who saw him attacking a partially clothed woman behind a trash bin. His victim wrote him a letter. She said, “I stood there examining my body beneath the stream of water and decided, I don’t want my body anymore. I was terrified of it…I wanted to take off my body like a jacket and leave it at the hospital with everything else.”

Brock got 6 months. His dad said his son’s life shouldn’t be ruined for “20 minutes of action.”

In 2014, The Economist reported that the student loan debt exceeded 1.2 trillion. Millennials are the most educated generation in history, but they are also paying for it. Over 7 million of us are in loan default. The average person has over $37,000 in personal student loan debt. In 2003, that number was only $18,000.

Millennials are working more for less.

I have a daughter. I want to raise her to be strong, and smart, and to fight against systems that create imbalanced gender and racial power dynamics.

But the reality is, that for the first time since 2006, gender equality is moving backward rather than forward in matters of the workplace, education, politics, and healthcare.

Today, two-thirds of minority students are still attending schools that are predominantly segregated.

These schools are of course funded well below the neighboring suburban districts.

The trajectory is bleak, but while our kids are the future leaders, we’re the leaders now.

If any generation can be tasked with saving health care, dismantling rape culture, and stabilizing power systems, it’s this one. Our parents told us we could be anything we wanted, and most of us just want to be moral and good.

An evangelist was once asked how he managed to fill the churches of England. His response was simple: “I set myself on fire, and people come to watch me burn.”

Young people are matchsticks. As you read the words scattered on these pages, my prayer is that you will join us as we burn.

That’s what I Envision.

2018 / ISSUE 10 / ENVISION / 5

WHY

ARE S N A I T S I R H C

SO

6 / ENVISION / ISSUE 10 / 2018

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STORY BY HEATHER DAY THOMPSON PHOTO BY AUTUMN GOODMAN | DESIGN BY SARAH DUVIVIER

I am just going to come right out and say it, Christians can be fake.

If I have just caused you to squint your eyebrows, first you need to understand that I am one of you.

I’m not just an Easter and Christmas Christian.

I’m not the Christian who only thinks Scripture is good for Instagram selfies. I’m hardcore. I’ve read through the Bible cover to cover more times than I’ve binged on Back to the Future, and trust me, that’s a lot. I attended church school for the majority of my education and I play Bible trivia games for fun. I can answer which servant of Saul introduced David to Mephibosheth without using google. (Ziba. Thanks for playing).

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This isn’t a criticism of the church from the outside, this is coming from someone who can turn to a song in the hymnal faster than you can locate it on Pandora. I feel more romantic about Christ each day I’m alive, and so I hope we can be adults here and have a real conversation: Oftentimes, Christians are fake, and it’s a turn off.

When I first decided I was really going to do this religion thing I too thought that this meant I had to be perfect. Time-hop will graciously show me my old status updates and I legit want to throw up in my mouth each time. I was like a sugar-coated peep dipped in caramel then slathered in chocolate icing: too sweet. No one’s buying that.

2018 / ISSUE 10 / ENVISION / 7

#THESTRUGGLEISREAL #THESTRUGGLEISREAL 8 / ENVISION / ISSUE 10 / 2018

I didn’t want anyone to question whether or not I had a sincere relationship with God, and so I tried to say the right thing, at all times, and even felt a need to prove to people that I was a good person. Somewhere along the way I think God was like, “K girl. Chill out,” and I went through the strangely difficult process of allowing myself to be who I actually am. I tried to be the perfect Christian, and it turns out that God just needed me to be myself.

I know I am not alone in this because hello newsfeed! I see it all the time. Christians trying to outdo one another in their Christian-dom.

Everyone pretending they have it all together.

Making sure that every good deed doesn’t go without a notification and photo-op. But look fam, that’s not who Christ was. The Bible says to give in such a way that your left hand doesn’t know what your right hand has done.

Christ didn’t wait till there was a crowd to begin His sermon. He would get so lost in this compelling conversation with one person that others gathered. I had a professor who told me once that no one is ever converted from the pulpit. If you want to make an impact you have to get off the stage and start having some real conversations, with some real people, as the real you. You don’t have to post photos of your Bible or Hebrew tattoo to prove to people you like Jesus. Just be kind and respectful. Give to people who need it. Spend your energy trying to boost others, rather than looking for ways for others to boost you.

Live in such a humble, gracious, loving way that people just want to be next to you.

All different types of people. Not just other Christian people. Because PS. That’s how that works.

Whenever we try too hard to convince others of something, I worry that we are actually trying to convince ourselves. I have spent the last couple years focusing on

showing God who I am, rather than other people. I’d say that it was easy, but it wasn’t.

My natural instinct is to love the crowd, the compliments and attention. But if you read through the Gospels, you will find very quickly that Christ actually let Himself get lost in a crowd, wasn’t looking for compliments, and never sought out attention. The man was the embodiment of humility and if anyone should have acted like they walked on water…..uh well…Christ!

So stop faking it. Stop with the awkward sermonizing of pain. Stop smiling to people’s faces if you are going to whisper behind their backs. Stop pretending like your kids are perfect. Okay, so I totally do that, but only because they are under 6. How bad can they be? It’s too soon for me to worry about running random drug tests. Right now my biggest concern is getting them to stop leaving poop stains in their underpants. #THESTRUGGLEISREAL Stop pretending like your marriage is perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I’m OBSESSED with my husband. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I have stood in the driveway in my skivvy’s screaming at his tail lights once or 10x in our marriage. My condolences to our neighbors.

Stop the holier than thou spiel. Stop the hypocrisy. Stop quoting 1 Corinthians 13:1 and then laughing at racist jokes. Stop pretending like you have never stubbed your toe and dropped an expletive (shut up we are all sinners).

Christianity is just about coming to God as you are, and hoping that each day, He will help you put a little more ‘good’ into a world with a lot of bad ju-ju. It’s about genuinely loving God and genuinely loving people.

The world doesn’t need more perfect Christians. But it does need more authentic ones.

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REACH OUT! RELEVANT YOUTH EVANGELISM

180° SYMPOSIUM 2018 MAY 8–10, 2018

°

LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY

FOR REGISTRATION AND MORE INFORMATION:

cye.org/180

Am I

too

young?

WRITTEN BY ANDREWS UNIVERSITY COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY PHD STUDENTS: SARAH GEIGER, NICOLE KNAPP & JACK CONNORS AND THEIR PROGRAM ADVISOR DR. C. WOOLFORD-HUNT PHOTO BY JULIA VINICZAY

THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES There have been identified 5 ways in which individuals feel loved in a way that matters the most. These are:

words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, physical touch.

To take the quiz and discover what your “love language” is, visit: 5lovelanguages.com 10 / ENVISION 10 / 2018 For more/ ISSUE Resources, visit: EnvisionMag.com

Q

Dear Relationship Guru: I recently turned 20 and on my birthday, my boyfriend of two years proposed to me. Of course, I said yes! Because we are both in college, we cannot afford a big ceremony, so we want to elope this summer. I am so happy, but some of my family and friends are not. They worry that I am too young—just finishing my second year of college— and that I am throwing my life away, but I know that I am ready. I understand that there will be hard times, but I know my fiancé and I can still finish our educations and have plenty of fun being married, as much as we could before. For some reason, no one else seems to get that. It honestly makes me angry. I love my friends and family, but I love my fiancé, too. In the end, this is my life, and my decision, not theirs. How can I make them understand this?

From: Anxious to Get Married EnvisionMag.com

A

S O M E

S T A T I S T I C S

Dear Anxious to Get Married Thank you for your great inquiry! We can tell that this is a challenging decision for you, especially because you do not feel that you are getting enough support from your family.

We want you to know that we support you for reaching out during this challenging time in your life. It takes a great level of maturity to recognize that you need perspectives beyond our own.

Marriage is an exciting time for everybody, but it is also a time for honest searching of who you are at this moment and who you will be in the future. You are in such a time of change and growth in your life as a college student. There are many things to consider when deciding when to get married, and who to marry. We hope to give you some direction with resources, statistics, and general counsel on marriage. Whatever you decide, we have full confidence you will make the right decision for your life. When others, even family, see a young person move forward with strength, assurance, and good judgment, whether they initially agreed with your decision or not, it will help lead them to see you did make the best decision.

God’s blessings to you, and we wish you the best in the coming months as you determine your next steps.

QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE GETTING MARRIED EXCERPTED FROM ELEANOR STANFORD, THE NEW YORK TIMES

1. Did your family throw plates, calmly discuss issues or silently shut down when disagreements arose?

30-40

60

of marriages after the age of 25 end in divorce

Some reasons for this are that later marriages have greater financial stability. When considering such things as housing, utilities, bills, tuition, and debt, this can place great hardship on a young couple’s marriage.

Waiting a few years can be greatly beneficial to the longevity of your marriage.

EnvisionMag.com

%

%

of couples who get married under the age of 25 end up divorced.

2. Will we have children, and if we do, will you change diapers?

3. Will our experiences with our exes help or hinder us?

4. How important is religion?

How will we celebrate religious holidays, if at all?

5. Is my debt your debt? Would you be willing to bail me out?

6. What’s the most you would be willing to spend on a car, a couch, shoes?

7. Can you deal with my doing things without you?

8. Do we like each other’s parents?

9. How important is sex to you?

10. How far should we take flirting with other people? Is watching pornography O.K.?

11. Do you know all the ways I say “I love you”?

12. What do you admire about me, and what are your pet peeves?

13. How do you see us 10 years from now?

2018 / ISSUE 10 / ENVISION / 11

Can I be a

a STORY BY ASHLEY ACEVADO ILLUSTRATION & DESIGN BY TAYLOR SCALZO

I

f you asked me this question about a month ago I would have skittishly told you no, uncertain of the right answer, and worried about giving the wrong one.

I couldn’t see how Christians could both be feminist and Christian at the same time.

In my mind it was much like oil and water, existing in the same area of our lives, but never mixing. After much pondering, I’ve come to my very own conclusion that yes, one can be a feminist and a Christian.

Feminism isn’t something new to our world, in fact I might even go as far as saying that feminism was part of God’s perfect plan back in the Garden of Eden. How? Well, I will get into it.

Let’s take a look at what feminism is first.

According to Google Dictionary, “feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes”. In simple 12 / ENVISION / ISSUE 10 / 2018

terms, feminists believe that both men and women should have equal advantage in holding political positions, having rights to the same pay, and social equality for men and women.

I understand that yes, the word feminism or feminist can take on a plethora of definitions or meanings to different people. Some call themselves a radical feminist, an ecofeminist, a liberal feminist, and so many more. Each of these different categories of feminism believe and stand for something different, or focus on a different cause related to equality for the sexes. This is much like the different branches of Christianity. We have Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Evangelicals, and so many more, but one thing that remains the same in each is the belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God, and the importance of

maintaining your relationship with Christ.

Although it may be a far stretch of comparison between the two, it at least helps us understand that feminism can also be separated and categorized in many different ways, but the heart of it all is based upon equality for both men and women.

Let’s go back to the beginning of time, in the Garden of Eden when God created both Adam and Eve. In the book of Genesis 2:21-23, it states this, “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man.’”

When I read this verse, it is so clear to me that God’s intentions for both women and EnvisionMag.com

& men were to be equals in the eyes of God. One cannot exist without the other. God created his perfect plan, and in his perfect plan was the concept of feminism “equal-ness” before God’s eyes, not Adam governing over Eve, or Eve governing over Adam.

Over many years on this earth, we cannot deny that evil exists. It shows itself in the hearts of the many who lust for power and control over others. It shows itself in the way a prideful heart could see oneself as higher than those it deems below them. Women have suffered a great deal in our society for the very basic rights of life, liberty, and justice. Feminism is our pledge, our spoken word, our call for equality, to bring back the vision God intended for us from the start.

In Isaiah 1:17, the bible says this, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct EnvisionMag.com

oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”

As Christians we are called to seek justice where there is injustice, and to correct oppression. Is that not the very heart of our beliefs, and the mission of Jesus Christ when He came down to this earth? The basis of Christianity is to treat others kindly, love, and live for those God came to love and die for. And he came for everyone, that we may know the Father in Heaven.

Part of being Christian is knowing the Father, and in knowing the Father, we then know love. Love is never jealous, proud, or rude. Love does not rejoice in evil, but delights in truth.

The truth is this, God the Creator of the universe created each of us, individually and uniquely, but one in His eyes, we are to work side by side, build upon each

other, and not try and tower over the next.

This whole time I was a feminist, raised by a feminist, and lived among feminists.

The best part of that realization was also realizing that yes, my feminist family and friends are Christians, God-fearing men and women. Men and women who understand that when God is centered in our lives, when our hearts synchronize with His wi13ll and His ways, His perfect plan comes forth. In John 10:10, God says He came that He may give life abundantly!

The apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8 says this, “Whatever is pure, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think of such things.” So now ask me. Can I be a Feminist and a Christian? My answer is yes, I can’t picture being one without being the other.

2018 / ISSUE 10 / ENVISION / 13

Free online minstry courses and resources! www.adventistlearningcommunity.com

STORY BY MICHAEL NIXON, VP FOR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT ANDREWS UNIVERSITY PHOTO BY DARREN HESLOP

I

am sure that you already heard the news, but isn’t it part of my job to tell you again?

Last month, the 2018 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings listed Andrews University as the country’s most ethnically diverse national university (tied with UNLV & Rutgers University). At any moment, we can look outside the window of our dorm room, classroom, or office and see people from any one of the near 100 countries that are represented on our campus. At Andrews, we can truly aim to change the world because the world is at our fingertips right here on campus. So, our work here is

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done…right? I would submit to you that this notion is wrong—our work is just beginning.

Before coming to campus, I came across an insightful article in Forbes magazine entitled “5 Reasons Diversity & Inclusion Fails.” The last two reasons offered by the author struck me the most.

I will handle them in reverse order.

Number five said that organizations that are serious about prioritizing diversity and inclusion should “move people to the center of your organizations growth strategy.”

Diversity and inclusion is not something that we do, it is better served and more transformative 2018 / ISSUE 10 / ENVISION / 15

Michael Nixon, VP for Diversity and Inclusion, meets with Debbie Weithers, former Dean for Student Life.

** NEED (friendly) Michael Nixon pic if it becomes who we are. “You can focus on representation, reputation management, and abide by the ‘right metrics,’ but without thinking about individuals [you are aiming to make], the [organization] defines the individual [and not have] the individual define the [organization].”

Being ranked #1 in campus ethnic diversity is an example of a well-intended focus on becoming a more welcoming environment to a global community, but if we do not back that up by becoming focused on including all of the diverse members of our campus, that statistic will become nothing more than an optical illusion we use to advertise our school to the public. Here at Andrews, we are seeking to support our diverse population by activating and leveraging its full potential through meaningful, longlasting engagement and empowerment.

Number four said that organizations should “think mosaic not melting pot.” “Diversity and Inclusion must be about understanding your identity and the identities of all people… Only then can we be courageous enough to steer away from like-mindedness through assimilating people’s differences (melting pot) and towards like-mindedness through honoring those differences (mosaic).” Diversity and inclusion has to go beyond “cultural competency.” It requires administrators, faculty, staff, and students from all different backgrounds and ideologies to work together to create a campus culture that embraces diversity of thought and allows for meaningful and sensible engagement which then leads to a deeper understanding of and appreciation for one another. We should think of our campus as less of a melting pot and more of a salad bowl. When you chop up an onion (watch those tears) and add it to your salad bowl, it will still retain its

16 / ENVISION / ISSUE 10 / 2018

onion properties. It will have been added to the rest of the mix of spinach, tomatoes, croutons, etc., but it’s flavor (and its effects on your breath) will still be prominent to your taste buds. That is the way that we are seeking to view diversity and inclusion here on campus. We are not seeking for new members of our community to merely assimilate to the “Andrews way” of doing things in order to survive, we want our “circle” to extend out to include them and allow what they bring to our campus to be valued, accentuated, and appreciated.

As a Christian, Adventist institution, we believe that we have been given a moral directive by Jesus’ Himself to affirm the value of every individual on our campus and to treat our fellow children of God with dignity and respect.

The exciting thing about this moment in our institution’s history is that the table is set. We have been blessed and challenged by God with the unique opportunity to move from mere representational diversity into the outcomes of transformational diversity, equity and inclusion. Our diversity and inclusion commitment has shifted to a new level that will require us to operate differently. Our commitment to transformational diversity requires us to take on the filters of others, see from their perspective and therefore learn to respond in more effective and appropriate ways. This commitment will enable us to understand the members

of our diverse faculty, staff, student, and administrative bodies in more complex ways that will enable us to develop a deeper appreciation for their contributions to our campus community.

Ultimately, we understand that our campus ethnic diversity ranking comes with a serious responsibility to thoughtfully engage our entire community in navigating, celebrating, and deeply understanding the opportunities that diversity brings to our campus community. The reality is, our ability to make our amazing campus diversity a strength is up to all of us.

There is no program, initiative, forum, or directive given by me or any other person that will magically lead us into this new, transformative dimension. Many see dialogue as the answer in and of itself, but while dialogue is extremely important, if we do not approach in the right way (with an open mind and disposition) it can actually be quite dangerous and damaging. We will not always get things right, but that will not ever be due to a lack of effort and intentionality. I am so optimistic about the days ahead, but we cannot do it without each other. Diversity and inclusion is not about “catering to” any one particular group—it is about including and empowering all of us. If we are not doing that well, let me know how we can do that better. My door is open to you. I am looking forward to joining all of you on this transformative journey. With God on our side, nothing will be impossible for us.

EnvisionMag.com

W H AT ' S YO U R S TO R Y ?

At Envision, we envision a world where stories matter. Do you have a story, perspective, or idea you would like to see in Envision? Write us today!

We are always looking for new voices to help shape our magazine. Your article should be between 500-1500 words on topics like personal story, relationships, current events, or faith.

If we decide your submission falls in line with our editorial team, you could see your work in print!

Write us at WriteEnvision@gmail.com in order to submit.

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Reaching the Unreached STORY BY FELECIA DATUS

These are some of the statistics that drive the team of Adventist Frontier Missions..

•

There are nearly 7,000 unreached people groups representing more than 2 billion people.

•

Out of every 1,000 Gospel workers worldwide, only 14 serve among the unreached.

•

Out of every $100 given for Christian ministry worldwide, less than one penny goes to help reach the unreached.

18 / ENVISION / ISSUE 10 / 2018

PHOTO BY BRIANA KITTLESON

Burning with an unquenchable desire to see the Lord’s return, in the fall of 1984, a small group of Andrews seminary students gathered to learn more about taking to the Gospel to the world. A year later, with Clyde Morgan serving as president, AFM was born. Then in March 1987, AFM’s first missionary family embarked on a journey to plant a church among the Ifugao people in the Philippines.

What makes AFM extraordinary is that they are the only Seventh-day Adventist ministry focused solely on reaching groups of people who have no access to the Gospel because of geographic and language barriers. Most of the unreached live in an area that expands from northeastern Africa across southern Asia between 10 and 40 degrees north latitude. Among missionaries, this area is known as the 10/40 window.

Each year, a number of college students take time off from their studies and dedicate themselves to God’s work by

DESIGN BY TAYLOR SCALZO

going out to minister to the unreached. At the time of writing this article, out of 93 current missionaries, one third are student missionaries. Over the past three decades, AFM has sent 420 students into the mission field. None has ever returned the same.

I got a chance to sit down with John Baxter, Recruitment and Human Resources Director, and he explained the great need for young missionaries and how lives are forever changed by embarking on an extraordinary mission for Christ.

Felecia Datus: Why should university

students consider ministering to unreached people groups?

John Baxter: Students connect with

other young people better than those who are older.

FD: Can you describe some of the work that student missionaries do?

JB: Each student missionary is given one focus. They are given a task of teaching, EnvisionMag.com

PHOTOS © ALEX WICKLUND, AFM

afm student missionaries

ANNA RORABECK SERVING IN KHON KAEN, THAILAND

FLOYD COUNSELL SERVING IN PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES

music, health education, or nursing. The primary focus for anyone is to make friends, and they are intentional about making one or two friends. Students serve for an academic year, sometimes stay for 2 or 3 years. The friend they make will stay, and that friend may become the next apostle Paul or John for that people group.

In developing relationships, they learn to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.

FD: How do you help prepare them before they go abroad?

JB: There is a rigorous application

process because we are sending them to the unreached. That student missionary (SM) may be the only Christ the people see. Also there is a one month training program.

FD: Many students are deterred by the

thought of being uncomfortable in the mission field and being away from the comforts of home. What would you say to such students?

JB: Growth will happen. Most of the time when people in the Bible experienced growth, God called them to go somewhere else, for example, Abraham, Joseph, or the disciples. Life wasn’t always easy but they saw God working and they changed the world. Young people are radical in their thinking to believe that they can change the world. We change the world by changing people’s lives. We do that by introducing Jesus.

FD: There are those who do not consider

mission work when they are in school because they wish to finish their studies as soon as possible. How would you address this?

JB: Many students say that they would go when they are finished, but 99% will not.

There are student loans to pay, need for EnvisionMag.com

a car, a job, dog, and spouse. Going as an SM helps to clarify life objective. Between sophomore, junior and senior year, you have the flexibility to say I want to change.

4 out of 9 who returned in 2015 changed their majors because of the field. A lot of young people don’t know what they want to do, they learn what they do want to do in the process (of serving as a missionary).

FD: What kinds of students do you look for?

JB: First criteria; must be converted,

committed Seventh-day Adventist and not playing church. We want those who have a genuine relationship with Christ and give evidence of that in their lives. You must have a personal devotional life. You will be eaten alive spiritually if you do not have a spiritual life.

FD: How can students practically support young missionaries who are abroad?

JB: You can pray. You can also financially support, but it not an excuse for not going.

ELLEN CORBETT SERVING IN GREAT RIVER, CAMBODIA

to Christ, not AFM. Parents of student missionaries are solid people who trust Jesus. You have to trust your children back to God.

FD: Do you notice a marked difference in students when they return from serving?

JB: Maturity level grows significantly, they leave boys and return men. We get good people, the maturity they gain and the spiritual growth they gain is phenomenal.

FD: What is your final appeal to university students?

JB: If you love Jesus Christ and want to see him come back, hasten his coming.

We are not going home until everyone has heard and you have the opportunity. Now in your youth, you have the availability, flexibility, and you don’t believe it can’t be done. If you are looking for a challenge, take the gospel to the unreached and you will find Christ is faithful.

FD: The sites that you target usually have

little to no established Adventist presence.

How can young student missionaries maintain their faith without a church family?

JB: One of the things I appreciate at AFM, all student missionaries are associated with a career mission family who can help, when things get hard, someone is there who understands.

FD: What appeal would you make to parents?

JB: Have you ever read in the Bible where

the children of the Israel did not want to go (into the Promised Land) because they were afraid of what would happen to their children? What happened to the parents and the children? Entrust the children

“In order that the work may go forward in all its branches, God calls for youthful vigor, zeal, and courage. He has chosen the youth to aid in the advancement of His cause. To plan with clear mind and execute with courageous hand demands fresh, uncrippled energies. Young men and women are invited to give God the strength of their youth, that through the exercise of their powers, through keen thought and vigorous action, they may bring glory to Him and salvation to their fellow men.” – E.G. White

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I STORY BY HEATHER DAY THOMPSON PHOTO BY AUTUMN GOODMAN DESIGN BY SARAH DUVIVIER

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I

am not sure if you are aware of this yet, but Facebook is really good at making us hate each other. I have lost count of the number of times I have seen a post from a person I admired, or respected, that sent my fingers in a flurry across my phone screen, thumbs first. I’m also a collector. I screenshot to store evidence before metaphorically adding their name to the list of “friends” who are dead to me.

Facebook is like that one ex-boyfriend who you don’t even like, but keep calling because it’s either hang out with him, or watch six straight hours of Downton Abbey. You want to stop, but he makes it so easy.

You can imagine what was on my newsfeed. Probably very similar to yours.

Every day people, suddenly becoming politicians, writing memoirs and soliloquies about how much they love Trump, hate Trump, believe in Women’s equality, or…don’t…because apparently that’s a thing?

People who I once thought were intelligent, lovely human beings, suddenly became grotesque monsters and I wondered how it took me this many years and an election to notice.

I am sure you experienced something similar. Unless your timeline is filled with people who look, think, and believe just like you do, in which case you are probably very

confused by hashtags these days. I saw statuses that truly left me speechless. I couldn’t fathom how people in their right minds could broadcast such polarizing posts.

And then I remembered one of the reasons I started logging off social media one day a week: over-use desensitizes you.

A recent study by the University of Michigan found that this generation is 40% less empathetic than the generation 30 years ago. Empathy is the emotion that allows you to identify with the feelings of others. This is kind of a big deal. Remember that theme song from Barney? Apparently, no one in this generation does either.

If you are skeptical at this point, think about the last time you actually went to a friend’s house when hearing that something bad happened to them, or picked up a phone and called, rather than just commenting, “I’m praying for you,” on a timeline, and then hitting them with a sad emoji. Because nothing screams empathy like an emoji.

Hail 2018.

Long gone are the days of open conversation, where two people may agree to disagree. Long live the 400 list comment thread, filled with run-on sentences, typos, and empty threats to unfriend.

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Tracy Alloway, a professor of psychology at the University of North Florida, explains that some of us are making these controversial posts because they genuinely appreciate open discussion. It should be noted that these people often encourage others to be respectful in their threads, and their own gentle nature sets the tone for the rest of the discussion.

Of course, we are not all out to curate intellectual discussion. I am sure many of us have had a first row seat to the guy with a bat, a hornet’s nest, and remarkable aim. They circle the thread with kerosene, and every now and then, after already imploding your newsfeed, come back to strike one more match. They can’t get enough. And why exactly are they doing these things? Why are they out to start fights? Because apparently, hurting others can actually energize our brain.

Alloway notes that, “Dopamine is a feel good hormone, and it’s released when we’re talking about ourselves. We get the same pleasure rush when we enjoy a really good meal, or have sex.”

These pot stirrers are feigning for your likes and comments. They don’t care if you are coming to their page to brawl, as long as it means you are coming to their page. Talk about me, and suddenly any notification, is a good notification. Remember, empathy is dying, and demigods are thriving. A hit is a hit, bring on the dopamine.

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does bot think they are? And why do they not appreciate a tune UCI professor Peter Ditto points out that for most of us, like, Blank Space? it isn’t hyperlinks and evidence that causes us to form our Facebook fights typically barrel roll, leaving everyone opinions, but rather social experiences. “The way we know we’re demolished in their path. No one ever wins, and you bring the right is when most people around us agree.” This is why your crazies out of the woodwork. These fights cause anxiety, they timeline being filled with people just like you, may not be a good make you angry, and they fill your phone storage with screen thing. If you are wrong, you are never challenged on it. As long shots where there could be selfies. as no one is calling you out, Nsync may truly be the best band of My advice to you, as a person who has studied all time.You don’t make decisions based on logic and evidence, communications for over 10 years, is to use the this is about social inclusion or exclusion. It is The way we know sandwich method. When your friend, who you now good for all of us to be challenged by holding hate, creates that post about US drone strikes and beliefs that cause us to be excluded from time we’re right is on the ground”, try hitting them with this: to time. It makes us question whether or not when most people “boots Dear Sally, we are actually correct in our own thinking. around us agree. I have read your thoughts on US drone strikes Challenging ourselves is how we grow. So make abroad. I am glad I have had the chance to read a friend who tells you you are wrong. You will be your point of view. While I personally have to disagree with stronger for it. your above argument, because (insert data) I am glad that you Even if you aren’t a fire breathing narcissist, and your are on my timeline. You have allowed me to better understand a innocent post has somehow wreaked havoc on my timeline, position I don’t personally ascribe too. Thanks for posting. those social threats put you into attack mode. It’s kill or be killed Love, on Facebook. Survival of the fittest. Basically the next thing I Heather know I’m screaming at a 70 year old lady in Nova Scotia who And then back away slowly, careful not to step on anything I have never met. Or this bot on Twitter has sucked me into that may detonate, causing you to hate all of Facebook your their vortex of idiocy because they said they don’t like Taylor friends.

Swift, and I am genuinely feeling attacked. Like, who the heck But before you completely vanish back into cyber-land, grab that screenshot. Because…well…#petty.

“

”

SHARE GOOD NEWS

ADVENTIST FRONTIER MISSIONS afmonline.org | 800.937.4236

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Be a missionary.

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#missionfullya

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alive

ARE YOU MAXIMIZING AND OPTIMIZING DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR FULL POTENTIAL? YOU ARE LIVING YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST? STORY BY DOMINIQUE GUMMELT PHOTO BY JESSICA CONDON DESIGN BY ANH DO

T

he more people I meet, the more I travel the world, the more I realize that many of us are living extremely unhappy, unsatisfied and unhealthy lives.

And in many cases, this is because of the choices that we make day in and day out.

We are lacking passion, compassion, love, joy and respect for ourselves, our families, our friends, our communities and our world, in which we live. We struggle with upholding values, morals, commitment and loyalty and in the end, we find ourselves fully discontent. We are tired, exhausted, overly stressed, ill and have a negative outlook on life. Interestingly, most of us have internalized the belief that there is nothing we can do about all these challenges.

We think that time is the issue, or work, or family, or traffic, or school, or our bosses, teachers, professors and neighbors that are responsible for our lack of joy, contentment and feeling alive.

We live in a big, complicated and YET wonderful world, filled with amazing creatures that have the ability to create, change and grow. In fact, I dare to say that our reasons for not living life to the fullest are all excuses, stemming from a basic of lack of personal responsibility, lack of resilience and often laziness. However, I believe that if we all chose to join the MISSION to become FULLY ALIVE, we actually have the power to be transformed and transform for the better; not only ourselves, but then also in turn this world—our world—in massively positive ways.

I CHOSE to do that and I quit being a victim of negative circumstances and it is not only liberating, but truly lifegiving! There is nothing like taking responsibility and intentionally choosing to change, no matter WHAT your circumstances are. You may not be able to choose all that happens to you, but you have the ability to CHOOSE how to respond to these situations.

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I want to challenge you to use this week to take a walk somewhere alone and reflect on these questions:

1 Am I truly happy with my life?

Are my mind, body and spirit as 2 healthy as they could be?

I living life to the fullest, 3 Am maximizing my full potential?

When you return from your walk, start a journal (written, audio or whatever) and note down your reflections to this question and I am certain that you will discover something that you know you should change. When you do, I challenge you to make an intentional choice to make a commitment, right then and there, to join this MISSION to become FULLY ALIVE! It is going to truly be a mission, a journey of transformation, and it is going to be hard work. But it is going to be worth your while. Once you go this path, you will never want to go back and you will be a change agent in this world to make it a better place for everyone! I know you can do this.

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MRS. AMERICA SAYS “ME TOO” STORY BY MEKAYLA EPPERS

PHOTOS BY JESSICA CONDON, MERARI GONZALEZ, CLARISSA CARBUNGCO

DESIGN BY JOANNA JONES

I was 8 years old.

Summer was my favorite time of year.

STORY BY MEKAYLA EPPERS, MRS.10AMERICA 26 / ENVISION / ISSUE / 2018 2017

PHOTOS BY

DESIGN BY JOANNA JONES

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MISS ELKHART COUNTY, 2014

MISS INDIANA USA, 2014

We lived in a two-bedroom, one bathroom, little white house on a lake. My childhood was spent in swimsuits and wet towels that would dry in the sunshine. Typical weekends were a combination of live music, large crowds, and record-breaking bonfires. My dad’s band would set up on the deck of our tiny house and play music to the dancing flames of tiki-torches. I’d sit on the mismatched yard furniture that mom purchased from the latest yard sale and watch them, mesmerized by how my dad could so perfectly move his drumsticks to the music. It was like a perfectly choreographed dance.

To blend in with fellow party-goers, Nikki (my older brother) and I always made sure we had a can of pop in our hands. I would follow his lead as he walked around the bonfire, playing it cool, sipping his drink just like the adults did.

When the music started to die down, I would make sure to tuck in early. Not because I was concerned with getting in trouble or getting the right amount of sleep each night, but because if I waited too long I may go to bed only to find that a stranger was passed out in it. That happened a lot on summer nights. I was 8 years old.

One day my parents introduced me to a new friend at one of the parties. He was a big man and reminded me of a Teddy Bear with his short curly hair. He played board games like my babysitters would and sat with me to watch the band play. My new friend started spending the night on the couch and would stay the whole weekend, instead of leaving like the other party-goers. One of our favorite games involved swimming out to the middle of the lake with our big inner tube. We would swim under it to hide from the big horse flies. Sometimes he would push me around like I was a princess on a water carriage. On special occasions, my new friend would babysit us instead of our usual babysitters. And instead of board games, he would bring me gifts and sweet treats.

I went into Mrs. Heins’s 3rd grade class that fall. One day she humiliated me by asking in front of everyone a question about my being on the free lunch program. I remember it well because that also was the day that we had a guest visitor.

Miss Miller had come from the family services center.

Using two large dolls named Jack and Jane, she talked about the inappropriate and appropriate ways we could be touched. The entire class giggled at her presentation but I sat wide-eyed with my hands folded in my lap. She showed us where we were never to be touched by anyone other than our Mommies and Daddies.

My heart stopped.

Miss Miller explained that if our parents had to touch us there, that it should never hurt and we could always say no!

The entire classroom practiced this over and over with her.

No, no, no!

I didn’t participate. I was too busy trying to breathe.

My vision started to get very narrow and my head started to spin. It felt like someone was sitting on my chest and punching me in the heart. What did she mean no one was supposed to touch me there? That’s where my friend liked to touch me? I could feel the blood drain from my face and I looked around to see if any of my friends took notice. No, everyone was still watching Miss Miller and giggling. As Miss Miller started to say goodbye, she said that anyone who thought that they had been “touched in the wrong way,” were free to come out to the hallway to speak with her.

I have to tell her, I thought to myself. But the other kids will see if I don’t go back to my desk. I don’t want anyone to know about this. What if I get into trouble?

Certainly I will be grounded to my room. I won’t be able to go to Nonnie and Grandpa’s for my overnights. I think I will just sit down instead.

The rest of the day was a blur and I couldn’t seem to focus. I got off of the bus and went right to my room. I told my Mom that I had a headache and needed to lay down.

The next few weeks started to get really hard. I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t eating dinner, and I was falling behind at school.

One day, after I got off the bus, my Mom stopped me in the kitchen. “I have something that might cheer you up! Your friend is on his way over to visit you!” There it was again, that same feeling I got in the classroom when Miss Miller came to talk. The room started to get smaller, my head began to spin, and the familiar weight sat on my chest, punching my heart over and over again. My Mom noticed the blood drain from my face.

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MRS. INDIANA AMERICA, 2017

MRS. AMERICA, 2018

“Mekayla Fawn, what’s going on?”

The whole thing spilled out. I told her about Miss Miller and her two dolls, Jack and Jane, and that she showed us how we were supposed to keep our private parts private. I told her how my friend would touch me there and how I didn’t know it was wrong. I told her that I was too scared to tell her because I didn’t want to get into trouble. My mother cried. She brought me in close to her chest and then we cried together.

I am now 29 years old now. What happened at 8 still affects me. My life didn’t get easier after I told my parents.

It felt like after I told, everything spiraled downhill. I never had to see my abuser again, but for unrelated reasons shortly after my father went to prison, and my mother, while evading prison, ran to an Indian reservation in Canada. By 11 years old I was a complete mess. I missed my parents, I felt totally abandoned, and I still had the trauma of sexual abuse to deal with.

Today I am married to an amazing, loving, supportive and Godly man, and yet, there are still times when I just don’t want to be touched. That’s part of what happens to victims of abuse.

Even intimacy with people we love can sometimes make us cringe. I have winced at the touch of my own husband.

Sometimes these spurts will last a few days, but other times they will go on for weeks. I know how blessed I am that my husband is understanding, but he is the one getting punished for the bad things other men did. How is that fair?

Right after we got married, I went through one of my personal rough times; I didn’t want to be touched.

Newlyweds are supposed to be… well, like newlyweds! It got so bad that we hardly said three words to each other and my husband finally had enough. He did something that possibly saved our marriage and I will never forget what he did. One night, he left the bedroom and sat down at his computer. He wrote me a letter that changed my entire perspective on sexual intimacy.

You see, I had always seen sex as a tool. You can use it to get things from people, hurt them, and manipulate them. That’s what sex was for me and that’s how it was used against me, since the time I was 8 years old. I had no idea that it could be anything different until my husband shared what making love was from his perspective.

I am not going to share what he said because that’s very special to me and it was meant for my eyes only.

The important message however, needs to be shared with everyone. My husband explained that sex is far more than a task. Here I was, just thinking it was my job as a wife to “put out” whenever he wanted it. It was an inconvenient task that I sometimes loved and sometimes hated.

To my husband, sex isn’t physical intimacy. He explained that each time we are intimate, it is a deep connection to him. He told me what he thinks about and the emotions that run through his head. He could explain, in detail, what each touch meant to him. His words showed me that there really is a difference in having sex and making love.

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Despite whatever things have broken you, God still has a plan for you.

Our culture has ruined sex for so many people. And sexual abuse takes years and years to overcome alone.

That single letter changed everything and possibly saved our marriage.

All of these different experiences have shaped the person I am today, and how I view intimacy.

Sexual abuse truly poisons you. It’s no wonder that each and every one of the counselors I saw told my teachers and grandparents to expect me to hit a downward spiral.

I would probably end up in drugs or facilities, they would say. After all, my childhood consisted of sexual abuse, parental abandonment, and neglect. I was not allowed to be Mekayla; I was just another statistic.

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I wanted so desperately to prove them wrong.

I wanted to be a model or a beauty queen. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a princess. It was a far cry from the poverty and mental health struggles I actually dealt with. I started watching pageants, and saw these real-life princesses. I told myself that one day that would be me, and that I would be able to show other little girls on the free lunch program with absent parents and horrible trauma, that they could create their own future.

I wanted to be a radio broadcaster and an advocate. I wanted to be extraordinary, and show

everyone what God can do with broken things. I wanted to prove to them that despite the odds, God had a plan for me.

Despite whatever things have broken you, God still has a plan for you. I never imagined when I was an 8-year-old girl, crying in the bathroom, that I would grow up to be Mrs. America. God has the power to do things with you that you can’t even fathom. Let’s make that the new mantra that’s trending. Someone tells you that God has a plan for them, and you can smile and say, #metoo.

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ACA

DEATH of DREAMS

and the

STORY BY DARLENE BERROA

PHOTO BY CASSANDRA FULLER DESIGN BY ANH DO

For as long as anyone can remember the United States has been known for the “American Dream.” It is the idea that through hard work and determination anyone can achieve success in America. That is the main reason why many individuals choose to migrate here in the first place. The issue with the “American Dream” comes when it’s time to discuss who it’s actually for.

Does “anyone” include people of all races, gender, sexes, or even illegal immigrants?

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Recently there’s been plenty of talk about DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals legislation. This legislation came about as an executive order by former President Obama in 2012. It gave illegal immigrants that entered the country as minors a chance at having some sort of protection from being deported, along with a few other perks. At this point in time, DACA was like a breath of fresh air when it came to immigration reform, because the Dream Act had already been dancing around Congress for over a decade and nothing had been done. For once, these immigrants were given the chance at opening their very first bank accounts, being able to go to college, and even getting the chance to hold down full-time jobs. They were able to pursue happiness legally, for the first time in their lives.

People have always rushed to America for different reasons. Some rushed here for protection, to meet with family, or make money to send back home. Those are just some common reasons, but there is one thing they all have in common. They all came here with hopes of living a better life. Most of these DACA recipients crossed the border when they were relatively young. Chances are their parents brought them over with them, because their parents were running away from the poor quality of life in their home countries. Their parents believed that having nothing in a land of opportunity was better than having nothing in their native country.

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“IT IS PARTICULARLY CRUEL T AMERICAN DREAM, ENCOURAG SHADOWS AND TRUST OUR GOV THEM FOR IT. THIS IS A SAD THE END OF DACA However, as of recently, the Trump administration is aiming to do away with DACA. Now this wouldn’t be that much of an issue, if the legislation didn’t already protect over 800,000 individuals. After giving these individuals a taste of the American dream, it wouldn’t be fair to tell them they can no longer live in the only country they really know.

CEO and founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg said it best, “It is particularly cruel to offer young people the American Dream, encourage them to come out of the shadows and trust our government, and then punish them for it. This is a sad day for our country.” Zuckerberg has a point. DACA recipients have already put in time, effort, and hard work in order to achieve the kinds of feats they have achieved over the last few years.

The main reason that Trump aimed at ending DACA was because a group of states led by Texas and Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatened to sue if action wasn’t taken by September 5. If they had been allowed to sue, DACA would have been put on hold indefinitely. What Trump did makes it clear that the life of DACA rests in the hands of Congress. Trump has given Congress six months to come up with an alternative for the legislation. If Congress comes up with nothing, then DACA will be no more and over 800,000 individuals will go back to countries they may not even know.

One issue that many anti-immigrants find with DACA is the belief that jobs are being taken from Americans. Naturally there are some jobs DACA recipients

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TO OFFER YOUNG PEOPLE THE GE THEM TO COME OUT OF THE VERNMENT, AND THEN PUNISH D DAY FOR OUR COUNTRY.” have, which they wouldn’t if they weren’t protected by law.

Since these jobs are being snatched from Americans, this is then pushing down wages. Although this logic makes sense, there’s no evidence to back it up fully. Besides, being a DACA recipient doesn’t automatically mean you will be employed.

There are a myriad of reasons that go into someone being employed. For example, level of education, what skills one has, and communication skills, among many others.

IMPACT OF DREAMERS Since DACA was implemented in 2012, the economy has benefited greatly. As these individuals have now become full time workers, their salaries have increased, which means that these workers now have the opportunity to afford even more than before. This movement of money is what helps keep the economy strong and healthy. In fact, DACA recipients are making smart investments because they intend to stay. Many of them are buying their first cars and houses. Others are investing in higher education with the hopes of getting well paying jobs in STEM, and even getting involved in the social science aspect of the communities they live in. Economist Giovanni Peri once said, “population creates its own jobs in some sense.” In this case, that is true, because some DACA recipients are even opening up their very own businesses, which also help create jobs within their communities. These immigrants aren’t just fighting for themselves, they are fighting for their families and communities. Therefore, should DACA recipients be relinquished from the workforce, it’s already predicted that the economy will suffer. In fact, according to the Center for American Progress, removing DACA recipients from the workforce would do more damage than good. States would actually be losing about 8 billion annually in gross domestic product. Now, the U.S. isn’t poor, but that’s a large chunk of money that could be put to good use.

Anti-immigration activists also hold the belief that most illegal immigrants are criminals. This logic aims to protect America from outsiders who intend to wreak havoc on the land. That kind of logic is quite questionable considering that not all individuals are the same, and should not be thrown in the same pot just because they come from

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the same place. The Migration Policy Institute statistics have even proved that out of the 11 billion unauthorized immigrants in this country only 820 thousand individuals have been convicted of a crime. That is roughly about 0.7% of individuals. That just goes to prove that people don’t migrate here to live a life of crime. What’s really on an illegal immigrant’s mind is just trying to figure out how to survive, and not get caught. In order to do that, they have to settle down and lay low. Various immigrants resort to buying fake ID’s and fraudulent social security cards.

Although this is breaking the law, they don’t know what else to do to obtain a decent paying job without being at risk for being taken advantage of. A method like this one can allow immigrants to remain undetected for years.

Usually when people think of illegal immigrants, they mainly think of people from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. This would be acceptable if those were the only countries from which illegal immigrants came from.

This belief stems from the idea that they just easily cross through the Mexican border. But illegal immigrants also come from various other countries apart from the previously stated countries. For example, India and Korea, among many others. People figure out ways to trek to America by foot, boat, plane, train, and much more. There are even countries that don’t make deportation something easy to deal with, China being one of them.

Another thing that should be taken into account is the fact that since most DACA recipients came to the U.S. when they were young, chances are, America is all they know. If they were to be deported to their native lands, chances are they wouldn’t know how to get up on their own two feet, because they wouldn’t be familiar with anything.

These immigrants might not even know their native tongue that well to defend themselves in a country they barely remember. Even if the DACA recipients had some skills to fend for themselves in their native land, it doesn’t really matter because the American way of life cannot be compared to any other country’s way of life.

Immigration Reform is a topic that will always stir up far too much debate. Everyone has their own take on the whole issue. The whole country won’t ever be satisfied with any single decision taken on this topic. People always have their own beliefs on what they think is best. At the end of the day, it has to be a decision that benefits everyone. There has to be a way for Americans to somehow cater to the immigrants. After all, this country is a generous country.

The United States of America was founded by immigrants. Their hard work runs through the very veins of this country. All the different things that they bring to the table are what truly makes America great. Immigrants are necessary for this country to keep moving forward. As a country, it’s time to accept that they are here, and they are human too. Congress will soon make a decision on what to do with them. Hopefully they’ll take into account these undeniable truths.

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STOP SAYING STORY BY JACQUES DELHOVE PHOTO BY JULIA VINICZAY DESIGN BY ALAIN PICHOT

GAME “You’ll never make any friends playing that stupid video game.”

That hurtful phrase is something that almost every gamer has heard. Ever since people of all ages and backgrounds picked up controllers and started to control pixels on a screen, someone has been around to lecture them on how antisocial the practice is. While that may have been true for the 14-year-old closeted in his room playing the same game over and over, today’s video games are not an antisocial endeavor; in fact, they might be one of the most socially interactive practices in human history.

There are two main types of games, single and multi-player. The differences between these two are evident, and the latter is by far the more popular. In the early days of computers, multiplayer video games were limited to how many people you could physically fit in the room with you. However, a technological marvel called the Internet (whoaaaaa!) changed all of this and enabled players to have an interactive experience no matter the distance between them.

People of similar interests can band together to test their skills against other players, or to pit themselves against the most challenging encounters game developers can create. Groups of 20 people work together in World of Warcraft to take down the most challenging content, and the very best of these are considered professionals, and make their living doing so. Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas, or MOBAs, are a gaming genre that has spread across the world, pitting teams of 5 players against each other in an ultimate test of skill, reflex, and strategy.

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ERS Professional leagues have been formed that match the very best players against each other, vying for prize pools of up to $25 million. Teams practice together for 6-10 hours a day, oftentimes living in the same house year-round. Gone are the days that gamers are closeted in their rooms with only themselves; through their keyboards and their microphones, they can now communicate with their best friends.

Multiplayer games are not the only medium that encourages social interaction, however. Single player games can be just as popular, if not more so, and encourage those passionate about them to seek out others who share that same passion. Role Playing Games, (RPGs) attract the attention of those who love becoming invested in stories and characters, and experiencing the vision of talented artists and creative writers.

They find internet forums and chatrooms full of people who care about the game just as much as they do.

Those able to do so travel to convention halls filled with people who care about the material so much that they cosplay, dressing up as the very characters they love. People find others like them, kindred spirits who have a passion more common than society believes.

Even to this day I have been told that those I game with are not my “real” friends, that I must meet them in person before it counts. So then what do we call people that we spend hours conversing with every day?

That we can truly be ourselves with, that we can talk to about anything? What are they, if not friends?

AREN’T SOCIAL

Location is a fluke.

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A VACATION WITH PURPOSE A MISSION TRIP AN ALASKAN CRUISE A SPIRITUAL RETREAT A MEANINGFUL ADVENTURE

September 9–16, 2018 Setting sail from Seattle, WA Register before March 31 for discounted rate

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BOARD GAMES AND BELIEF STORY BY ABIGAIL A’KESSLER PHOTO BY JONATHAN BORTON DESIGN BY ALAIN PICHOT

I

n one corner of the room, a small group shouts and groans as they program robots to race around the floor of a factory. In another area, several people are laughing as they collect sunlight to grow cardboard trees. At a table, a ten year old girl sits next to an elderly woman as they arrange lanterns on a still dark lake.

All of these people, over fifty in total, have come together to play board games, and I played a part in making it happen! The board game convention, known as A’CampbellCon, was founded and organized by my husband, Jeanmark, and myself, with our friends Jon &

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A’CampbellCon Founders: (Left to right) Abigail A’Kessler, Jeanmark A’Kessler, Jon Campbell, Kathleen Campbell, Katelyn Campbell

Kathleen Campbell and Katelyn Campbell.

The convention was held early in January 2018. When we had the idea to put together a board game convention, we had no idea how big it would become, or the impact it would have on our faith!

As a child, had someone asked me if I would like to play a game, I would have been… reticent, to say the least. “What game were you thinking? Monopoly? Way too long. Go Fish? Too simple. Chess?

No thanks.” There just weren’t that many great games available in general, and there definitely weren’t many faith-based or Sabbath appropriate games.

All of that changed a few years ago.

Board games have been exploding across the nation. I was hooked when I discovered cooperative board games-games in which the players all work together for a common goal. Before I knew it I was playing board games almost every week. Best of all, my friends were introducing me to games that helped me form a deeper connection with my faith.

It was an obvious step then to use board games to build new relationships, and the idea for A’CampbellCon was born. As Kevin Wilson pointed out at our Friday night vespers, board games are a great way to form relationships with people who aren’t at the point where they would accept

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an invitation to a Bible study. We had a couple of staunch atheists attend who were invited by their Christian friends, and they even stayed to play Christian-focused games on Sabbath!

Sabbath was by far my favorite day of the convention. In addition to commercially available Sabbath board games such as Commissioned, we also created some games of our own specifically for Sabbath.

There is nothing like creating a game to put the Bible in a new perspective! Jon and I created a game based around Joseph’s family that we called “One Less at the Table.” Players stepped into the shoes of Jacob, Reuben, Leah and others to navigate through the age-old story.

Even from the first moments of the game, people were learning things about the story.

“Abraham had children with Keturah? I never knew that!” exclaimed one player.

For myself, the characters in the Biblical narrative went from being foreign figures in a different time to real, relatable people I could identify with.

One of our attendees, Ryan Comeau, said it best when he summed up the weekend by saying “A'CampbellCon was an experience rich in community, fun, reflection, and God.” I couldn’t agree more. My faith has grown as a result of this experience, and I can’t wait to do it again next year!

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| ILLO AST C LA

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Taariq Patel

was born in Gloucester, England into a large Muslim family and shortly after his birth, the Patel family left England to come to the United States. Living in Hartford Connecticut, Taariq remembers his early childhood as being absolutely engrossed in the Muslim lifestyle.

Five times a day, Taariq and his family traveled to the Mosque, where he delved into the Qur’an. Mr. Patel’s stern demeanor kept Taariq

Taariq’s son Ishmael (above) is four years old, around the same age Taariq was when his photo (left) was taken.

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SADDAM HUSSEIN INVADES KUWAIT

1990

TAARIQ MOVES TO SAUDI ARABIA

1989

ESMIE FINDS STEPS TO CHRIST

1987

TAARIQ IS BORN

1981

Patel.

Taariq ed by id v o r p is page s on th Photo

MOVES TO INDIA

UNDERCOVER AGENTS

Witnessing her three sons being taught Islam struck Mrs. Patel profoundly. Immediately, confusion devoured Taariq.

Every time his father left the house, the Qur’an disappeared while the Bible surfaced. Taariq’s father lost control of his family and needed a solution. Brethren at the mosque influenced Mr. Patel; reassuring him that if he took his entire family to Saudi Arabia, his Muslim life would be

accepted. In 1989, the family packed up all their belongings and made their way to a country where, if one carried books that depicted a belief of any other religion, they could be put to death. Knowing this did not stop Taariq’s mother from smuggling the Bible, the Desire of Ages and the Great Controversy into Islamic territory.

The secrecy of teaching the Bible to her children carried on while Mr. Patel went off to work.

“My mother told us that we were undercover agents for the Lord, and as little kids we took that very seriously,” Taariq reminisces. “My brothers and I would always look out the window to make sure our father was not coming home while we were having worship.” As soon as his car pulled up, the books vanished either under the bed or tucked tightly away in pots and pans. However, one evening, Mr. Patel entered from the rear of the house, and caught his family in the middle of worship, and suddenly a wave of darkness crashed into the living room. Fear invaded the joyous atmosphere. In that moment, Taariq did not recognize his father, and only saw him as a man trying to tear his mother to pieces. The sound of what seemed like bombs tampered with the children’s ears as they watched their father throw fist after fist to the bathroom door where his wife locked herself in. Taariq and his brothers earnestly tried to stop their father by grabbing on to each of his legs.

Esmie did not give in to opening the door to her husband. Taariq’s enraged father grabbed every single one of his wife’s book and got rid them.

For a while, Mr. Patel would bring his boys to work with him to minimize the discrete worships, but eventually that fell

1989

on his toes. He always kept a sandal nearby, just in case stern demeanor kept Taariq on his toes. He always kept a sandal nearby, just in case Taariq and his brothers tripped over Arabic pronunciations.

They never ate at McDonalds, nor did they go to the mall. The mosque felt like a mall to them, just a much more respectful location to spend time in.

It was not until Taariq turned seven years old, when his mother Esmie Branner, started turning away from the Muslim faith, and drew closer to Jesus Christ, whom she had always been acquainted with since being born into a Seventh-day Adventist family. When she met Mr. Patel, neither of them were serious about their faith, but soon enough that changed once their children started growing up.

“Things grew complicated in our family because my mother came across some old boxes,” Taariq recalls. A book entitled “Steps to Christ” became the turning point in all of their lives. Esmie fell more in love with Jesus Christ, while Taariq’s father grew deeper in the Muslim faith. Esmie’s devotion to the Lord became problematic because the man of the house had been raising his children as Muslims. As the pastor dipped her under water, Esmie’s desire to become renewed only made her husband clench his fists harder, to the point he threatened to kill her. “I was very young, and as much as some may think that kids are oblivious to their surroundings, I wasn’t,” Taariq said. He remembers everything as if it was just yesterday.

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ATTENDS ANDREWS UNIVERSITY SEMINARY

2016

FIRST PRAYER IN SEVENTEEN YEARS

2010

SERVES IN U.S. ARMY

2000

MOVES TO BERRIEN SPRINGS

1993

Months later around the time Saddam invaded Kuwait, Mr. Patel returned to take his sons away from what was now unstable India.

When Esmie finally reunited with her lost sons, she divorced her husband and migrated with her family back to England where they could all worship freely. “No longer did we have to look out one of the windows being an undercover agent for God.” Taariq sighs with relief. It was not until the year of 1993 when Esmie brought her five children to the United States to a little town called Berrien

BEGINS RECOVERY

A TURN FOR THE WORSE

Springs, where God led her to study at Andrews University.

“I remember going to Ruth Murdock for a year, but it wasn’t until I began public school here in the area where I felt a change in me.” Taariq said. Esmie met a man named Arthur Branner, and they wed while at Andrews. Upon their graduation, the entire family was on the move again but this time to California. Taariq developed a love for rap music. His love for music further immersed when settling on the west coast. The rap game was not a hobby anymore, but more so something Taariq became passionate about. It was an outlet for all the pain he suffered at such a young age. Taariq recalls music being his first drug. “I didn’t just talk the talk, but I walked the walk.

I didn’t just rap about smoking weed, I began to smoke it. I didn’t rap about drinking alcohol, I drank the whole bottle and took pride in it.”

Taariq’s love for the high only grew worse once he joined the United States Army. His wounds grew deeper and deeper as he involved himself with heavier drugs such as mushrooms, acid, cocaine and amphetamines.

Taariq woke every morning to his life spiraling out of control, yet his lack of memory of the foolery he engaged in the night before was never enough to truly wake him up. Soon enough, Taariq’s time serving in the military came to a close, and he made his way back to the Golden State, back to just another version of what he called “hell”.

“I had opened up so many portals to demons, and became heavily addicted to many things,” Taariq admits. Spending day after day wide awake, he couldn’t help but consume himself with drug after drug. Whether it was Norcos, Vicodins or OxyContin pills, Taariq Patel became enslaved to the most toxic lover one could ever fall for.

2011

out of routine. Esmie’s husband returned a few of the books to her, which allowed worships to continue. Taariq’s father grew exhausted with the lack of control he had over his wife’s faith. As rocky as things were for Taariq, little did he know that his life was about to take a 360 degree turn for the worst.

“One night my father came home and told my mother he wanted to pick up the boys,” Taariq recalls. He found it strange how his father told them to bring their jackets, when in Saudi Arabia the temperature was 100 degrees Fahrenheit and over. Pacing nervously around the room, Esmie felt something wrong in the pit of her stomach.

Within the next 24 hours, a suitcase, clothes and a boarding pass were given to Taariq and his brothers. They embarked on a journey to Bombay, India, where their own father left them to fend for themselves in the slums. For seven months, Taariq did not have the privilege of brushing his own teeth or taking proper showers. The three boys dug holes in the dirt to serve as restrooms, survived off of bone soup, and slept under a house constructed of cow manure and hay.

“My brothers and I grew up watching transformers and He-man, and now we were dropped off in a third world country, alone.” Taariq said. Lice made homes in their hair, blood stained their clothing and their teeth rotted while bellies growled.

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© Kahler Photography

He never cared much about his relationships with others, particularly women. “Drugs were my girlfriend; I had no desire to invest my time in any other relationship,” Taariq claims.

His relationship with the narcotics became bittersweet.

Being high allowed him to climb to cloud nine, but the second he retreated back to reality, the withdrawals kicked in, harder than he had ever been kicked before in his entire life. “I have had my bones broken; I’ve burned myself with fire and hot water, but the worst pain that I’ve ever felt in my life is going through opiate withdrawals.” It is a kind of pain in which Taariq could never wish upon his worst enemy. His once healthy body began breaking down. The 29-year-old at the time had to endure the rattling of his bones and the disappearance of his appetite to realize just how fearfully and wonderfully he was made.

On his 30th birthday Taariq found himself on workers compensation and disability, which gave him just another excuse not to work, but he had to find other ways to scrap up money to pay rent and remain high. He was fully aware that if he didn’t get some sort of medical attention he was going to die.

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FREEDOM IN CHRIST

“I remember my mother telling my twin brother and I to bring my nieces to her house on Friday evenings in preparation to take them to church the following morning,” Taariq says. Every Friday evening when bringing the girls, he would head back into the kitchen to make himself food. It was then when he would faintly hear the songs and testimonies that were going on in the living room. “Week after week, I would hear young people, my age, testify of the Lord’s goodness in that exact living room, and although I was in the kitchen, it all began to affect me, more than I wanted it to.”

Taariq faced eviction notices on his apartment door, his car was breaking down, and he was running out of time to find stability, yet no matter how high he got, when the sun set on Friday, the word of God began piercing deep into his foggy mind, as if God was carving hope into Taariq’s life.

Bitterness and anger about his downfall consumed Taariq. After not working for nearly two years, Taariq had no other choice but to return to his job. His unfit body could not walk up a flight of stairs, let alone work in a warehouse. In the past, he developed poor relationships while working, and was certain that when he stepped in that Human Resources office come Monday, he would permanently lose his job.

It was the Sunday evening before work, and Taariq decided to do something he had not done in nearly 17 years: pray. “I brought out a pillow by the side of my bed, got on my knees, and cried out to God.” At first, Taariq lashed out at God; attempting to question His maker. “Why were you never there for me? Why did you allow all of these bad things to happen to me?”

Taariq’s foul complaints quickly transitioned into a desperate plea for help. As tears washed his face, God began to ease his pain. Taariq felt the Holy Spirit tugging at the strings of his heart, and he made a deal with the Lord: “If you save my job, and keep me from being evicted, I will go to rehab, pray and read my Bible daily.”

The next morning, Taariq admitted his addiction problem to whom he thought wanted nothing to do with him and the chip that had always been on his shoulder. However, to his surprise, they provided Taariq the opportunity to enlist in a recovery program, and he knew that God was keeping His side of the deal. On January 3, 2011, Taariq spent 30 days at a rehabilitation facility in St. Helena, California and walked out a new man in Christ. “When I was in rehab, my mother gave me a lesson book, and there was a memory verse found on page 88 that I will forever cling to,” says Taariq. John 8:36 reads, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”

For 17 years, his mother never stopped praying for her son’s freedom from his enslavement with addiction and drugs. “When you’re held in bondage for so long, it becomes hard to think the chains will ever come off.” Upon being clean, Taariq Patel returned to Berrien Springs with a family of his own now to complete the seminary program at Andrews University. He is free from his pain, free from addictions, and now knows that he is only truly free when he’s free in Jesus Christ.

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ELIEVE

IBLE

Digging deeper into real issues of faith and spirituality... #iBelieveBible

ibelievebible.com

@ibelievebible

to be a man

i

from FROM my from mom MY my from mom MOM m my y mom STORY BY SETH DAY PHOTOS BY MERARI GONZALEZ DESIGN BY HANNAH CHOI

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82% of single parents are mothers.

The number of single-mothers has risen over the years as divorce continues to climb at alarming rates and dads disappear.

There is magic in a mother’s hand. It’s soft and forgiving, a mother’s “hush” can sooth a crying baby instantly.

Little boys are raised to be tough and unbroken. In the presence of a crying mother, tough guys discover they are fragile too.

The ideal father is intended to be from a branded line of warriors that would stop at nothing to ‘defend’ what is his. Fathers are strong, resilient, and would fight to the death if someone trespassed the well-being of their kin.

In my house, my dad was called mom.

Families were not created to operate in separation and division.

Yet, where have all fathers gone? I want to say thank you mom. Thank you for teaching me how to be a man.

Thank you to all the mothers who fall into the above statistic, and yet don’t give up on children who disappoint you. Thank you for not only being affectionate, but also unbreakable. You may not see the fruit of your labor now, in fact all you are probably seeing is defeat, but someday your son will praise you. He will praise you for your love, unwavering commitment to his future, and for drinking from two cups.

Thank you mom, for giving up your identity as a woman so that you could teach me about mine as a man. I learned everything I know about manhood from you.

Growing up as the middle of two brothers, life was exciting. We weren’t wealthy, so we never got to go to Disneyland, or on extravagant family vacations. It was just my mother and us three young men. Looking back now, I think my mother had the greatest struggle of all.

No dad to have “the talk” or to teach us how to drive stick. Mom wore many hats, whether she wanted to or not. Perhaps the other 82% of singleparent mothers can identify?

Life has its own challenges, but at times, life can be too much for a young man to understand without the steady hand of a father to take hold of the wheel when the road gets too rough. It’s a good thing that there is magic in a mother’s hand.

There is magic in a mother’s hand.

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It’s a good thing that there is magic in a mother’s hand.

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I’m 30 years old, and at this point in life I don’t blame my absent dad.

He only followed the example that he had been shown from his dad. I had to break the dysfunctional cycle. God makes all things new.

My understanding of manhood came in cards that my mother dealt me. I know how to be a dad because of my mom. As a husband I make my wife’s coffee first, because growing up I had a mom who ate last.

I raise my daughter to be strong because no one ever showed me that girls are weak.

My son holds the door while people pile into a car. He’s copying me.

I copied her.

Life is filled with jobs I don’t want to do.

Challenges that are easier to ignore than face. I face them anyway. People think that men are brave and don’t back down, but it was a woman who taught me that.

I think it’s important as a dad to have worship with my kids. I teach them to pray, talk to God like a friend, and read stories about Jesus. In my house, we get strength from our knees. As a man, I want to lead them spiritually. But it was a woman who taught me to lead.

She showed me that God can make beauty from ashes and mountains from dust. Using her last $5 for gas, we got to where we were going on half petrol, half prayers. People argue over a woman’s place in church which I think is odd considering how many women will have single-handedly brought entire families to Heaven. Ask 1 in 3 kids in America who their shepherds are. My mom was my first pastor and God ordained her. The world needs more dads, but we’ve been sustained by moms.

Thank you to all the women who taught boys to be men.

There is magic in a mother’s hands.

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