2015 Summer of Service Report

How will they hear?

Dear friends, For 35 years we have sent students all over the globe to serve with our mission partners. As they return each August, I hear stories of how their service has impacted their faith, development and education. I also hear from our partners who share how our students have impacted their ministries. In tangible ways, these students fulfill Northwestern’s mission to “pursue God’s redeeming work in the world.”

I thank God that Northwestern enables students to participate in short-term mission experiences that set them on a trajectory for lives that include service and ministry. This summer, 19 Northwestern students embraced the challenge and privilege of participating in God’s redemptive work around the world through the Summer of Service program.

They saw the beauty of God’s work in the world—and also witnessed tragedy firsthand. They encountered extreme poverty; exploitation of vulnerable children, women and men who are modern-day slaves; refugees fleeing violence; orphans desperate for parents; and many who are sick or injured with inadequate healthcare available to them. In these settings, Northwestern students taught children, befriended victims of sexual slavery, and volunteered in refugee centers, hospitals, churches and orphanages. We pray these experiences will enable all of them to live more deeply devoted to a mission-oriented life wherever God leads them.

The SOS team members went and were eye witnesses to God’s redemptive work in the world. Now, in the following pages, they bear witness to that work in the world and in their lives. Thank you for your investment in these students, as well as in the lives of those they touched with the love of Christ and the power of the cross.

Patrick Hummel Director of Missions

But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? Romans 10:14

SUMMER LOVE Since 1981, more than 650 Northwestern College students have spent 6 to 10 weeks serving as short-term missionaries through Summer of Service (SOS). They have served on six continents in 90 countries. They raise the money themselves to cover transportation, room and board, and program expenses, mostly from family, friends, their home churches and on-campus service projects.

SOS students have traveled to countries like Brazil, Peru, Haiti, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Ireland, Spain and Uganda to serve with mission partners including the Luke Society, International Teams, Pioneers, Wycliffe and the Reformed Church in America. They have worked in hospitals, orphanages, schools, churches and refugee centers; taught Vacation Bible School and English as a second language; and served in sports and hospitality ministries. They have milked yak, helped deliver babies, and supported victims of sex trafficking.

More than 50 Summer of Service alumni have served as missionaries after graduation—some for a year or two, others for a lifetime—participating in community development, English teaching, evangelism, healthcare delivery, translation and aiding refugees.

Christians from around the world welcome Northwestern students into the action of their ongoing ministries. The students return home with questions about God and the world and stories of the surprising ways the Holy Spirit has transformed their hearts and minds. They say confidently that Christ is, indeed, at work in the world—and they’re eager to discover what God wants them to do next.

nwciowa.edu/faith | 712-707-7190

JOSIE CLARK

Biology health professions | Story City, IA immeasurablejoy.wordpress.com

Peru | Luke Society

Along with SOS teammate Heather Heilman, Josie served with the Luke Society by volunteering at the San Lucas clinic in Moyobamba, Peru. She was able to assist the clinic with one of their largest community outreach projects, providing children who have cleft palates/lips with stimulation classes, speech therapy and social therapy. Josie was also able to scrub into five different reconstructive surgeries. For one week, she also served at a clinic in the mountain village of Cordillera Andina, where she helped provide family planning services, physicals and check-ups.

FINDING PURPOSE During part of my trip, I really struggled with feeling useful. I was humbled when God showed me he had placed me in Moyobamba for a purpose—that I needed to be still and trust in him. Amazingly, God opened doors for me to talk to people about Jesus, not just in the clinic, but also among some of the friends I had made in the community and at my host family’s house. God’s timing was perfect in every situation and his hand was evident throughout my trip.

MOUNTAINS AND OTHER OBSTACLES Most challenging was my experience at the Cordillera Andina clinic. The trip there began with a three-hour hike up a mountain starting at six in the morning! The clinic did not have clean running water, and I slept on a treatment table for the week. It was very humbling to work alongside the two women who staff that clinic full time.

I had never experienced this way of living before, and it opened my eyes to the poverty and scarcity of medical care the villagers face daily.

SPEAKING AND SEEING Since returning from Peru, I can speak Spanish much better than when I left. I have also grown to really appreciate learning another language since I was able to see how important it was in building relationships. I also learned to see the beauty of creation more deeply. Moyobamba was absolutely beautiful and I fell more in love with the Creator this summer.

The San Lucas clinic is completely dependent upon donations, as all of the surgeries and services they provide children with cleft palates/lips are free.

Pray God provides funds for them to continue greatly impacting the lives of little children. Pray for unity among the churches in Moyobamba—that divisions between Protestants and Catholics heal rather than distract believers from knowing Jesus. Pray for impoverished Peruvian parents who are unable to provide adequate nutrition to their children or themselves.

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EMILY CULVER

Nursing | Hinton, IA

India | Rahab’s Rope

Emily worked with Rahab’s Rope in Bangalore, India, serving women who had been rescued from the sex trafficking industry or who had suffered other abuse. She built relationships with the women through sharing Bible stories, teaching life skills, playing games and making crafts three times a week. On Wednesdays, Emily worked at a medical center and assisted in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. The rest of the week, she worked with children who lived in the Naganalli slums, engaging them in lessons and activities.

PRAYER POWER Before my experience in India, I was having doubts about prayer, wondering if God actually listened. Now I know that God really does care about us—even about the littlest things. During my SOS experience, a number of things scared me, and my only comfort was God. Every single one of my prayers was answered without fail.

There was no doubt in my mind that God would take care of me, and the truth is, I have never experienced that before. It was amazing to be connected to God in that way.

SOUL SEARCHING I learned a lot about myself while serving in India. I learned there were a lot of things defining me at Northwestern that were simply stripped away when I went to India. I was left with the raw Emily. I had little idea who she was, and I found out I didn’t like her in some ways. Since returning home, I have been working on improving who I am and taking steps toward the person I want to become.

Rahab’s Rope is going through a rough patch at the moment, so pray the staff and volunteers will be guided as they attempt to become more organized. Pray the women at Rahab’s Rope let down their defenses between themselves and God. Pray God will replace their anger with his love and grace in their hearts. Pray the children who are growing up in the slums understand the goodness that lies within them.

Pray they will experience and accept God’s love. Pray I will not forget what I learned in India, that I will become more discerning and discover all God has to teach me from the summer’s experience.

SONYA HAGBERG With her SOS teammate Alysha Daniel, Sonya traveled to India to serve with Word for the World. Serving in the Indian towns of Chennai, Madurai and Pondicherry, she was able to attend a youth camp, visit a national missionary conference, lead several programs, and visit hostels, nursing homes and slums.

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EMBRACING YOUR INNER CHILD Rishi Uncle (you say the name first in India) was one of the missionaries we stayed with in Pondicherry. He taught Bible studies with us, and one that particularly struck me was based on Matthew 18. The verse described Jesus telling his followers to be like little children if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven. Many times we focus on how we need to have childlike faith, but Uncle made a beautiful connection I had never thought about before.

Exercise science | Frankfort, SD

India | Word of the World

When children fight with their friends, how long does it take for them to make up and become friends again?

Not long. Adults are the ones who often hold grudges.

It’s easier for kids to humble themselves and ask for forgiveness. It’s a childlike trait to cultivate.

INTERCESSION During the national missionary conference in Kotagiri, a speaker was sharing about prayer, saying that prayer is not only important for the ministry, but prayer is actually ministry in itself. It was encouraging to think about how I do not need to be on the mission field to actively participate in the Great Commission, I can make a vital contribution wherever I am—even when I’m back at college.

ALYSHA DANIEL

Music | North Massapequa, NY

India | Word for the World

Alysha and her SOS teammate Sonya Hagberg served with Word for the World in three different cities in India: Chennai, Madurai and Pondicherry. During their time in Chennai, both women spent time interacting with their host family and learning more about the mission. In Mandurai, they visited schools and homes, sharing the gospel with more than 700 people using colorful bracelets as a means to overcome the language barrier. While in Pondicherry, Alysha and Sonya visited different villages and prayed with residents. Before heading back to the United States, they attended a youth camp and the Word of the World national missionary conference.

LOST IN TRANSLATION During my trip, I found the same thing both exciting and challenging: language. Tamil is my dad’s first language, but I’ve never had the chance to really learn it. It was exciting to learn some new words, phrases and songs. At the same time, though, Tamil is an extremely difficult language to learn because of the pronunciation rules. For instance, they have three different “r” sounds and three different “l” sounds based just on where your tongue is placed when you speak.

So that definitely was a challenge when it came to communication, but I had fun with it nonetheless.

Pray Word for the World continues to stay strong in their faith and their mission. The local government is making it more and more difficult for missions to function effectively. The organization we worked with only employs indigenous missionaries, which is great. The only problem is that many Indians don’t see mission work as profitable. Pray God will continue to bring people to this mission in order to further his work in the world.

IMPACT GIFT Time and again during the summer, we were drawn to verses in Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12 that talk about the body of Christ and how we are all one in the Lord. Throughout the few weeks we were in India, we saw countless examples of how God used people with vastly different gifts to reach an incredible number of people. One of the girls we became close to in Pondicherry runs a children’s program and just this past year has singlehandedly reached around 500 children.

IT’S ALL RELATIVE When I was saying goodbye to my host family on our last day in India, my dad and my aunt came to visit. As we talked, my father and I learned that we are actually related to my host family! Of all the millions of people in India, God placed me in the house of one of my cousins. I love those kinds of surprises.

Please pray for the Word for the World missionaries in Pondicherry and Madurai, that they will be continuously strengthened in their faith and that their ministries will be fruitful. Also pray the Lord will meet all their needs and give them the desires of their hearts. Pray for the specially-abled fellowship that meets every Saturday in Pondicherry, and pray the Lord will bless the ministry and participants’ hearts will be open to the gospel. Pray the youth campers grow stronger and deeper in their faith in God and that they can be a light to their non-Christian friends.

FRIENDS FOREVER My favorite part of the trip was the friendships that Alysha and I made. We spent a lot of time with some of the missionaries and visited a number of their homes. Not all of them spoke English, but we were still able to have meaningful interactions with them. I don’t think that when God commanded us to continuously be in fellowship with other believers that he meant it as a demand, but as a blessing. We spent a lot of time in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in India, learning about their daily lives. But I didn’t end each interaction feeling tired or overwhelmed by all the information. Instead, I felt so refreshed by the love of Christ I saw in each of their lives.

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SHAWN HARMON During his time in Ireland, Shawn served with Team World in the cities of Swords and Craughwell. He assisted the long-term missionaries with Bible lessons, planned a kids club for local children, and performed as a worship leader and member of the worship team during three church services. While in Craughwell, Shawn helped paint a church attended by his host family. He was also able to lead a youth group meeting and share his testimony.

HEATHER HEILMAN

Religion | Lake Park, IA

Ireland | Team World

Rest and a sense of hope from the Lord is definitely something the people of Ireland could use. The economy and scarcity of jobs in Ireland has caused much stress and unrest for many people—to a point where suicide rates are extremely high. Pray for healing between the Catholic Church and other Christians in Ireland. Finally, Ireland recently passed a new law that constricts the stay of missionaries in the country, and many are struggling to get documentation that will allow them to continue the great work they are helping God accomplish in the beautiful country.

Spanish and nursing | Mound, MN

Peru | Luke Society

With her SOS teammate Josie Clark, Heather served with the Luke Society in Moyobamba, Peru. She spent the majority of her time assisting elderly people with exercise classes and home visits, helping mothers learn about nutrition for their children, and teaching a kindergarten class. Heather was also able to assist with several cleft palate reconstructive surgeries. She also spent two weeks in the mountain village of Cordillera Andina, learning and serving at a local clinic.

SEEING THE FUTURE I graduated in May before my SOS experience, so I had a different perspective coming into the summer as far as making imminent decisions about what I will do in the near future. With each of the different experiences I’ve had, I’ve gotten glimpses of where I believe God is leading my steps. My time in Peru was empowering as I envisioned myself in another place permanently.

STRETCHING OUT The weeks I spent in the mountains away from Moyobamba were a surprise and more than difficult, but it was the most valuable experience of my summer. I thought I’d be caring for patients in the local hospital, so it was frustrating and humbling to feel I was being taken care of more than I was serving others. But the people I met and the conditions I lived in truly did stretch me, challenging me to confront some issues, as well as decisions, in my life. God never ceases to surprise me with yet another lesson in patience.

The Luke Society in Moyobamba is close to becoming selfsufficient as far as support received from the organization’s base. Please pray that the clinic continues to receive support.

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RELIGIOUS RIFT Among the challenges I faced in Ireland was the brokenness within the body of Christ. Historically, Ireland’s church has been the source of a lot of pain and division. As a result, many Irish have either rejected God altogether or at least rejected the idea of an organized communion of believers. It’s hard to find the balance between encouraging the unity of all believers and yet still understanding the pain that many in Ireland have felt because of the church.

NEED DIRECTIONS This summer I gained a much better sense for how to trust God in all situations. And because of this trust, I have less fear about what the future holds. I just need to be patient

CLARE IPEMA

and willing to act where God wants me. I’m much more aware of the strengths and gifts the Lord has given me, and knowing that gives me a better sense of where I’m needed and a direction for my life.

ROLE MODEL Linda Wagner, who serves as the leader of TEAM’s mission in Ireland, was a great encouragement and inspiration to me during my SOS experience. She has been in Ireland for 35 years and is as invested in serving the Lord as anyone I have ever met. It was inspiring to meet someone who has taken a leap of faith and become a long-term missionary as it’s something I’m trying to discern for myself.

Social work | Merrillville, IN

Haiti | Children of the Promise

Clare volunteered with Children of the Promise (COPT) in Haiti. Working as a social work intern for the organization, she assisted with a variety of tasks, including sorting through donated clothing, painting and varnishing cribs, and helping with physical therapy classes. She especially grew close to a little girl who had issues sleeping through the night. When the child’s sleep schedule proved too tiring for the staff nurses to handle, Clare was able to step in and help.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE I think one thing God intended me to understand through this trip was unconditional love.

During my time in Haiti, I came to understand that God loves us so completely and we are simply called to accept that love. God used this trip to help me slow down and really hear that message. With this knowledge, I was able to look at the country and its people through God’s eyes, and it both broke my heart and filled it when I began to love the people of Haiti with the same unconditional love God has for me.

HOME HEALTH I was excited to experience Haiti outside the gates of the compound. During my trip, I went on home visits with the staffers, one time to visit a mother who had just had a baby within a few days of our visit. It was eye-opening to see homes that were furnished sparingly. Yet the warm way the families welcomed us into their homes was beautiful and amazing.

RICH INSIGHT A real challenge was learning to deal with the kind of poverty Haitians experience every day. Witnessing people who live in extreme poverty but still have joy was a real process for me to work through. At the end of my experience, my mind had been transformed to understand that material possessions aren’t the most important thing in life; relationships are.

Please pray the people at COTP continue to run the organization with their eyes focused on Jesus. I especially lift up the little girl I watched over; pray she will keep fighting and find comfort in Jesus’ arms. The most pressing need for Haiti is spiritual, so pray their hearts open to trust in God with everything they have and need. Pray God continues to work through COTP, and the Haitian people surrender to God’s unconditional love.

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SARAH MORREN Originally planning to serve in Japan, Sarah had to switch sites just two months before her departure. She settled on South Korea, but her trip was delayed again in the midst of a MERS outbreak. Finally arriving in Bundang, Sarah split her time between co-teaching K-6th grade English at a Christian elementary school, preparing and leading a three-day English camp, and assisting with a Bible camp.

GRACE BEFORE A MEAL Even though you go on a mission trip intending to bless the people you meet, they will bless you far greater than you could ever imagine. An example of this happened one day when I finished working at the Bible camp. I

JENNIFER NIBBE

English teaching | Allendale, MI

Bundang | South Korea

was tired, worn and hungry, and as I walked to a nearby restaurant, I met one of the women from the church I was serving. She introduced me to a friend who spoke little to no English. We talked for a while, and they offered to walk me to the restaurant and helped me order. Before leaving, she turned to me and said, “My friend would like to pay for your dinner.” I couldn’t understand why this woman, who could hardly understand me, would want to pay for my meal. When I asked why, she replied, “I want to do this because God loves you.” I will never forget that moment.

I learned so much about grace and selflessness while in Korea. I can only hope to pass these lessons on to other people to show God’s love wherever I go and in whatever way I can.

Elementary education | Apple Valley, MN

Fiji | Pioneers

Jennifer’s summer, spent working with Pioneers in Fiji, included two distinct experiences. For part of each day, she worked on a papaya farm, planting more than 500 new papaya trees. She also helped harvest and sell the crop at a local market. The remainder of each day, Jennifer planned and helped host kids clubs at various locations, sharing Bible stories and helping to bring the word of God to children.

STORYTELLING One of the kids clubs I helped organize took place at a Hindu elementary school. Originally we expected to have one class of around 20 kids. But God had bigger plans and gave us the opportunity to teach the entire school of nearly 60 students. With five minutes’ notice, I was told I needed to share the Bible story we were learning about that week, and then broaden it as much as possible to the central message of the gospel. It was incredible to be a part of sharing the good news with children who may have never heard about Jesus before.

CULTIVATING FRIENDSHIPS I worked with a Fijian couple, Tomasi and Serina, on the papaya farm. They both had incredible stories about how God had brought them out of a life of sin, and how they now trust God with everything they have. Every conversation with them was full of wisdom and encouragement, and I couldn’t help but be inspired by their faith in God. LEAD TIME Prior to my trip to Fiji, I never saw myself as a leader. But being put in charge of planning the kids clubs completely changed my perspective. I realized God had gifted me in unique ways, and I could use those gifts to show the love of Christ to these children in need. I know I have a lot to learn about being a leader, but I also know God will provide me with the gifts or connections I need to do his work when I’m called.

The missionaries in Fiji are involved in a lot of different projects; pray they will find trusted Fijian workers to help take care of the farm ministry. Pray the new missionaries who are coming will grow the children’s ministry beyond what it has been. Pray resources will be donated to help start a new sailboat ministry. The people of Fiji are caught up in going through the motions of being religious, but many are lacking a personal relationship with Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Pray they will hear about Jesus in a loving and sensitive way and their hearts will be open to the message.

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COMING FULL CIRCLE On my last day in South Korea, I was introduced to my host mother’s sister and her two children. We spent the day getting to know each other while I played with her son and held her newborn baby. Suddenly she asked me, “Will you teach me how to play with my son? I see you play with him and love him. I want to know how to do that too.”

This was so powerful to me. I couldn’t believe that

a mother of two was asking me, a 21-year-old student with no children of my own, how to play with and love on children. So I used the experiences I’ve had babysitting children and the knowledge I obtained from my classes at Northwestern to help her show love to her children while still maintaining discipline in the household. This was just another moment when I could see that God has been preparing me to serve the people of Korea my whole life.

Please pray that people in Korea realize their self-worth. South Korea has the highest suicide rate in the world, and the academic and workplace competition takes a heavy toll on the people. Pray they will know they are loved and are worthy of love. There is a large population of Christians in South Korea. Pray they continue to see genuine growth in the church. Pray for church leadership. Pray for safety and protection for Korean missionaries who regularly go out all over the world to serve others.

AMBER PATER

Elementary education | Pipestone, MN

Haiti | Children of the Promise

Serving alongside SOS teammate Naomi Sandquist, Amber spent her summer working with Children of the Promise in Haiti. She taught preschool three times a week as well as a special needs class in the afternoons.

In the evenings, she volunteered at a local orphanage and assisted the nannies in caring for the children.

HEARTBREAK I faced a lot challenges while serving in Haiti. I taught a class of children who had been through more heartbreak in their five years of life than I have in my 20. I read to kids who may never experience the joy of living with a forever family, and I did physical therapy with a child who died during the summer. I also fell in love with a precious baby girl who was abandoned and may have attachment issues the rest of her life because caregivers will continue to come and go in her life.

LOVE IN ACTION I met Carla, who serves as a social worker for Children of the Promise. She was in her late 20s and was the most kind, funny and genuinely loving person I have ever met. She taught me about unfailing, unconditional love. No matter how dirty or whiny the kids were, Carla picked them up and held them. She loved them no matter what. She was truly an image of Christ to me, and I was inspired by her grace and the relationship she had with the orphans.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER I am still processing everything I learned from my experience. God’s grace and unfailing love became very real to me when I was in Haiti. I also was struck by the brokenness and imperfections we have to endure on earth. Life is hard and difficult—especially for the kids I met in Haiti who should have families, for starters. Still, I met believers in Haiti who demonstrated such a complete trust in the Lord and his work on earth.

I know my time in Haiti and the people I met influenced me greatly.

Pray the Haitian orphans I met will be welcomed into families and that their ability to form attachments will not be permanently damaged. Pray the Haitian economy will improve so families will be able to find jobs and have the means to care for their children. Pray the Children of the Promise staff will receive wisdom for making daily decisions dealing with the orphanage, village and families.

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CANDRA PENNING

Nursing | Hubbard, IA

Philippines | Luke Society

Along with her SOS teammate Abigail Stevens, Candra spent her summer serving in a medical clinic on the island of Palawan in the Philippines. During the week, she worked in the clinic and helped with patient check-in, taking vitals and assisting with procedures. On the weekends, she tagged along to staff outings, church services and youth group events.

HINDSIGHT IS 20-20 God had so many surprises in store for me during my summer in the Philippines. He placed me with incredible staff and a host family that I got to know very well; they treated Abby and me like family and showed us a great amount of love. I was able to participate in a medical mission to a remote village about two hours away and provide free medical care to the local residents. I was also blessed with the opportunity to help deliver four babies during my time at the clinic! Looking back at all the unknown circumstances that surrounded my trip, it’s encouraging to reflect on how God proved his faithfulness to me and provided me with so many wonderful experiences and relationships.

HOST OF INSPIRATION The Cayaons, our host family, were in charge of running the clinic we worked at. They were absolutely incredible and shared so much laughter, joy and wisdom with us during the summer. They are a true power couple: Susie is a doctor and Rev. Ben is a pastor. They both strive to glorify God in all that they do, and they exemplify the healing ministry of Christ. They took every opportunity to share the gospel and offer their services to help those in need.

COMMON CORE During my trip, I was reminded that despite our many differences, and with more than 8,000 miles separating the United States and the Philippines, Christ is what unites us. I love that about missions; that Christ is always our common ground.

MONICA RUSTAD Monica spent her summer working with International Teams out of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. She served with a hospitality ministry that assisted pilgrims during their Camino de Santiago pilgrimage to the burial site of the apostle St. James, located in northwest Spain’s Galicia region. In addition to working as the receptionist at Pilgrim House Welcome Center, Monica was also responsible for creating a calm and inviting space for weary travelers.

REST AND REFLECTION A big lesson I learned this summer was the importance of being present and willing to help wherever you are. I learned God will use you for his purposes, even when you feel that no one is benefitting from your presence. In Spain

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Pray generous donations enable the Luke Society to continue meeting their expenses. Pray God brings a licensed pharmacist and laboratory technician to the clinic to meet the needs of the community. Several of the clinic staff members are facing trials, so pray they continue to seek Christ for their strength and joy and that he will work restoratively in their lives.

Nursing | Spencer, IA

Spain | International Teams there were no obvious needs or areas of improvement; there seemed to be no opportunity for ministry. But I learned God will use you in ways you can’t anticipate and that all types of ministry—from evangelism to healthcare to hospitality—are essential for furthering God’s kingdom.

PILGRIMAGE The most exciting experience I had in Spain was walking part of the Camino during training exercises prior to working at the Pilgrim House. The Camino is a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, which is used by many as a form of spiritual retreat.

I walked 130 miles in 10 days with many pilgrims I met along the way. It was an experience unlike any other.

KARA PRACHAR

Mathematics | Milford, IA

Denver | Mile High Ministries

During her SOS experience, Kara served at a homeless drop-in center located in the heart of Denver. Run by Sox Place, the center provides a safe haven for homeless youth to spend the day playing games, watching movies and surfing the Internet. She also helped to provide the young people with clothing, hygiene products and free meals.

SOCIAL NETWORKS The best part of my summer was listening to the life stories of the kids I worked with. I cooked food, played card games and built relationships with them. I became a part of their daily life, and they grew to be an important part of mine. The most challenging part of my summer was learning how to work with people I don’t necessarily agree with on many things—still serving alongside them despite our differing perspectives.

Pray for the managers and staff of Sox Place. The same people work there five days a week, every week, and rarely take any time off.

MISSION ACTION I witnessed God working in a place that shared the good news primarily through actions rather than words. I learned that missions is about the daily building of relationships and investment in the community where one lives; it doesn’t have to necessarily involve vocal evangelism.

SELF KNOWLEDGE I have learned to love and accept myself more after living in Denver and working with young people there. My interest in working with oppressed people has grown, and I realize that I have a passion for working with people who are homeless. My experience really stretched me.

NEW VIEW Since my trip, I pay more attention to the needs of others rather than my own. I also try to think about how my actions and attitudes could negatively affect people around me. I am trying to be more mindful and appreciative, more open to new experiences and constructive criticism.

Please pray my team will persevere in their new ministry as they work to make it self-sustaining. The most pressing needs of the city where I served are a spiritual revival and a sense of purpose in the church, so pray for guidance and blessing during this time. The pilgrims I served desire a continuation of the spirit of the Camino; they desire for their lives to be changed by the pilgrimage, but this is hard to achieve once they return to everyday life. Pray they’ll be able to sustain their experience and live truly changed lives.

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NAOMI SANDQUIST

Nursing | Colorado Springs, CO

Haiti | Children of the Promise

With her SOS teammate Amber Pater, Naomi traveled to Haiti to serve with Children of the Promise. Naomi volunteered as a nurse intern at the organization’s orphanage and was able to assist with blood work, therapy, feeding infants, physical assessments and helping with the care of sick patients.

HOMESTAY During my time in Haiti, I was able to see God answer prayers for health and homes. The first week at the orphanage, I heard about a little boy with Down syndrome who was abandoned in a local hospital. We went to see him and tried to get the hospital to begin paperwork so we could bring him to the orphanage.

After weeks and weeks of prayer for someone to complete the paperwork, he finally got to come to the orphanage a few days before we left! God does provide!

LOVE BRINGS LIGHT I learned so much about the way that God loves while in Haiti. So many of the children in the orphanage go unnoticed. I got to see the beauty of the joy and healthcare that Children of the Promise provides, but I also realized there is so much hurt caused by abandonment, malnourishment, poverty and preventable deaths. I learned daily that although we cannot fix everything and we cannot by our own hand make the darkness go away, we have a God who is a father to the fatherless, a defender of the weak, and a light in the darkness. I learned more about how missions is not an attempt to fix a broken world, but instead works to bring the hope and love of Christ into a broken world.

Haiti is one of the slowest countries in processing adoptions, leaving children in orphanages and foster homes for years. Pray they are able to expedite this process and place children in forever homes faster. Pray for the stamina and health of the nannies, missionaries and workers at the orphanage. Pray for the adoptive families as they patiently move through the lengthy adoption process.

ABIGAIL STEVENS

Chemistry | Ord, NE

Philippines | Luke Society

With her SOS teammate Candra Penning, Abigail served with the Luke Society in Palawan, the Philippines. During her time there, she assisted the local clinic with patient interviews, emergency room visits and deliveries of babies. During the weekends, she helped with church ministry and outreach.

The Luke Society is currently looking to fill two positions. Pray God brings the two people called to fill this need, and that he continues to work in the lives of the staff and renew them. The church where I served is also in need of money to enclose the sanctuary. Although I loved worshipping outdoors, please pray God will help the church build walls.

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KELCIE SCARLETT

Social work | Lucas, IA

Bolivia | Help and Friendship Center

Kelcie spent her summer living in Cochabamba, Bolivia, serving with iTeams at El Centro de Amistad y Apoyo (the Help and Friendship Center). She built relationships with the children that attended the center, helping them with homework, preparing snacks, and even planning and supervising a week-long Vacation Bible School session.

LANGUAGE LEARNING The language barrier was a big challenge for me during my experience in Bolivia, but I cherish the moments I spent getting to know my host sister, mom and volunteers at the center. We talked for hours, learning from each other and praying for each other. Despite the communication challenges, it was so exciting to see the whole center get excited to learn, worship and praise during VBS.

Pray the children of Cochabamba continue to come to the Help and Friendship Center and that they are safe as they travel there. Pray for the wellbeing of the families and children who attend the center. Pray the kids who hang out there are given the chance to just be kids.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES God was able to use both my strengths and my weaknesses for his purposes during my trip to Bolivia. He used sports and physical activity, two of my passions, to help me connect with people at the center through activities. However, I’m not good at planning things, so putting together the entire VBS session was a challenge for me. But it actually went a lot smoother than I expected, and it was gratifying to watch my plans play out during the program.

LETTING GO During my trip, I realized that my perspective on the relationships and timing has changed. I grasped that God puts people in one’s life for a reason—and often for just a season. Sometimes they aren’t meant to be there for a lifetime. People come and go, and that’s okay.

MISSION’S A JOURNEY About once a year, the clinic staff conducts a medical mission to a remote village to offer free exams, medications and a gospel message. One Saturday in July we were able be a part of a mission to the village of Mapasang. To reach the church, we travelled 2 hours by vehicle and then hiked for an hour-and-a-half through rice fields and across rivers. We were even accompanied by soldiers for protection. After we arrived, the clinic staff saw 150 patients, including four people from an unreached mountain tribe.

ROLE CALL Before the summer, I viewed myself as the central character in my life story. I was focused on my tasks, my goals and my feelings. Yet I am learning more and more to see myself as a small character in God’s story.

For two of the four deliveries I assisted with, I was the one to “catch” the baby. While I was overjoyed with this experience and saw this role as very important, I also reflected that there were others in the room who could easily have filled my spot—and done so with more experience! I long to surrender myself daily to be used by God for any small role.

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KELLEY THURMAN

Biology health professions | Prineville, OR

Greece | International Teams

Kelley and her SOS teammate Jacob Vermeer served at a Muslim refugee center this summer in Athens, Greece.

Placed at the Helping Hands Center, Kelley was responsible for helping provide the refugees with food, clothing, showers and Bible lessons. She was put in charge of the children’s room, where she engaged refugee children in crafts, games and Bible stories. Kelley also served at a family camp, where displaced families could stay for a whole week with guaranteed meals, shelter and safety. More than 30 hours a week were spent sharing the gospel with the refugee families, which Kelley described as life-changing.

MISSION REVISION I learned so much about God this summer. One of the most important things I learned was how intense and deep God’s love is for his people and his creation. I know God loves me, but the love I felt this summer was deeper and more raw, frightening and real than I have ever felt before. I was hit hard with how mightily God is fighting for his people, and how much he wants them to know him. I learned that missions is not necessarily going out into the world, but is about allowing God to completely use you, and to fully surrender yourself in order to live a life that reflects God’s character.

Pray more people will feel called to go and serve in Athens because they are very much in need of several men to work with refugees full time. Pray also for the country of Greece as a whole; the economic crisis occurring in Greece will have an impact on the refugee center in Athens. Pray the center remains financially viable and able to keep serving the refugees.

OVERWHELMING LOVE Since returning home, I see people in a whole new way. I have been humbled by the awareness that I am just one child of God. I am not the only one he loves; he loves everyone, everywhere. It’s important for me to be in prayer and never forget all the children of God who feel lost because they don’t know him. My experience in Greece has also changed my perspective on Muslims. They are made in the image of God, just like me, and I am called to love them just as much as anyone else.

CHILDCARE I have never been very good with children; usually I am very nervous or uncomfortable around them. So this summer I tried to serve the ministry through acts of service, like working in the kitchen, cleaning the bathrooms or sorting through clothing. But God had different plans for me. A sudden need for someone to take over the children’s room came up, and the staff leader asked me to fill it. I really wanted to say no, but I was there to serve selflessly, so I agreed. I didn’t expect God to work through my uncomfortable feelings and for me to be blessed by those children. God took something I thought was my weakness and turned it into the highlight of my day.

EMILY WALLACE Emily spent her summer serving with Rahab’s Rope in the slums of Goa, India. She helped with after-school tutoring and special-needs screening. She also helped teach selfdefense lessons to young girls living in the slums. Later Emily spent a week in Mumbai working at a children’s home.

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Art/graphic design and journalism | Tucson, AZ

India | Rahab’s Rope

MINISTRY LESSONS I now know that God and his love is a universal understanding. When you tell people in a different country that the reason you were sent to them was because of God’s love, the joy on their faces is unforgettable. I also learned that working with missions is a lot harder than I thought. Not only do you need to take care of yourself in another country, but you also need to make sure the mission group you’re serving is taken care of too. I learned God’s people are powerful. One person with the power of God can make a huge difference in someone else’s life.

JACOB VERMEER

Psychology | Pipestone, MN

Greece | International Teams

With SOS teammate Kelley Thurman, Jacob served at a refugee center in Athens, Greece. He helped serve meals, distribute clothes and spread God’s word. Through the Helping Hands Center, he was able to serve during camping retreats and other outreach efforts to assist the refugees fleeing from Afghanistan.

RADICAL WELCOME One of the most exciting things that happened during my time in Greece was my speedy acceptance into the Afghan community in Greece. The refugees I worked with opened their hearts to me so quickly. We were able to talk about tough topics and hard situations, even though we had only known each other for such a short time. They opened their community to me, an outsider, and I truly believe it was only through the power of God that I was considered part of their inner circle so fast.

Pray for the people of Afghanistan. Many of them have left home and are now searching for a new place to start a life; it’s been said that there are more Afghans outside the country than inside.

They are a group of people no longer welcome in their home country because of the constant unrest of the Taliban, and many Europeans do not want them in their countries either. There is no place for many of these people to go.

SAYING GOODBYE A hard part of my experience revolved around the constant change that enveloped the center. Refugees were in Athens for only a short time before they traveled to other parts of Europe. Every time I said goodbye to someone, I did so knowing I might never see them again. There was no way of communicating with them once they left, and I struggled with not knowing if they were okay or if they made it to their next destination.

TOTAL TRANSFORMATION God has radically transformed my thoughts and attitudes. Since returning home, it’s almost harder to describe ways in which I have remained the same than to explain how I have changed. This experience has been a spiritual metamorphosis. I left one person and came back a completely different one. I have seen the treasure that I have been so graciously given, but this is not a treasure to keep to myself. It is a gift that needs to be shared with others because it truly is greater than human comprehension.

Pray the children in the children’s home know they are loved. They are so lonely and desperate for attention from anyone willing to give it, and I hope they know there are people all over the world praying for them. Pray the girls in the slums are safe and can find access to healthy drinking water.

TOGETHER IN SPIRIT God encouraged me this summer by reminding me I was not alone. I took a book of letters from friends and family with me; sometimes their notes of encouragement were the only thing that got me through the day. I went days at a time without electricity, and I would go whole days without seeing any of my fellow interns. But I knew God had given me this specific opportunity to do something only I could do, and that helped me keep going.

TAKING NOTHING FOR GRANTED Since returning home, I see the world differently. Material things that meant so much to me before my trip seem silly and extravagant now. I think my attitude has also mellowed out, and I’m more patient in everyday tasks.

I also try to find the good parts of each day rather than focusing on all the negatives. My trip made me see how much I took for granted. I truly realized how blessed I am to live the life I’ve been given.

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN SHORT-TERM MISSION Northwestern College is committed to Standards of Excellence (SOE) in Short-Term Mission. The SOE criteria were developed by representatives from many U.S. mission agencies, schools and churches who send short-term missionaries. The common set of standards helps ensure that individuals or teams sent by U.S. organizations are excellent.

Appropriate training, empowering partnerships, God-centeredness and debriefing are all components of SOE membership. As a member, Northwestern is serious about doing short-term mission well—from preparation through follow-up. Northwestern is a covenant member of the SOE. Look for the SOE seal on any mission literature you receive.

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