2017 Summer of Service Report

… let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 JOHN 3:18

SUMMER OF SERVICE 2017

CAMPUS MINISTRY

As they come alongside ministry partners to sacrificially serve, respectfully participate and humbly learn in communities culturally different than their own, students more fully understand God’s heart for the nations.

Dear friends, It is my privilege to offer this Summer of Service (SOS) report to you. For 37 years Northwestern has sent students all over the world to serve with NWC mission partners. Our partners express gratitude for SOS students’ meaningful participation in their work, and our students are deeply impacted by their life-changing experiences. As Northwestern’s director of missions, I am humbled to work with remarkable students and ministry partners each year.

Our goal for students is to help each one grow as a follower of Jesus Christ. As they come alongside ministry partners to sacrificially serve, respectfully participate and humbly learn in communities culturally different than their own, students more fully understand God’s heart for the nations. They see how God is at work in the world and understand more clearly how they can join in that work. Northwestern’s missions program is one significant way we fulfill the college’s mission of enabling students to “pursue God’s redeeming work in the world.”

Your support enabled 19 students to participate in short-term mission experiences this summer. They sacrificed summer employment and embraced the challenge and privilege of participating in God’s work around the world. They saw evidence of God’s power and beauty—and also witnessed darkness and tragedy firsthand.

They encountered people living in extreme poverty, refugees fleeing violence, orphans who long for parents, addicts who need hope and a safe place, sick and injured people with inadequate healthcare,

and many who know very little about Jesus and the hope he brings.

They also encountered amazing servants and organizations that minister among these people every day. We pray these experiences will push them to live more deeply devoted, mission-oriented lives wherever God leads them.

These students were eyewitnesses to God’s redemptive work in the world; now, in the following pages, they bear witness to that work through shared stories, insights and prayer requests. Thank you for your investment in these students as well as in the lives of those they touched in the name of Jesus.

Patrick Hummel Director of Missions

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

1 John 3:16–18

2

Kate Arnold

Arin Bishop

Mexico | Camino Global

Spain | International Teams

Kate and three other college students interned with missionaries in Amealco, Mexico, teaching English at a community center and helping staff a newly opened coffee shop. She also participated in church ministry, attending worship and Bible studies and living with a host family from the church for the final two weeks of her internship.

For the first 10 days of her SOS experience, Arin walked part of the Camino Frances de Santiago, a pilgrimage from western France to Santiago, Spain. Thousands complete the pilgrimage every year. For the remainder of her experience, Arin volunteered at Pilgrim House in Santiago, a welcome center and refuge for pilgrims from the more commercial and touristy environment of Santiago. Pilgrim House provides laundry and food service as well as space for pilgrims to reflect on their experience with others.

Elementary education; Bellevue, NE

RAISING CURIOSITY Many people in Amealco are skeptical about Christians and closed to the message of the gospel. The missionaries have to find creative ways to connect with the people, evoking curiosity so people become open to them and then open to hearing the gospel and surrendering their lives to Christ. My team and I did not witness anyone come to Christ while we were in Mexico, but it was amazing to hear stories from the church members about how their lives have changed dramatically since learning about the living and loving God and experiencing what it means to have an ongoing relationship with him.

PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS One of the biggest things I think God is teaching me is to depend on him and live to glorify him in all things, especially when I don’t see him working according to the timing I had in mind. The people I served alongside taught me a lot about this as I observed their many years of perseverance and faithfulness to serving God despite little evidence of progress. They ministered to me, reminding me how learning to trust God with little things teaches us to trust him with big things.

PRAY THE MISSIONARIES and members of the church in Amealco will receive encouragement and wisdom and that they will have opportunities to share Christ with their friends and family members who aren’t yet believers. Pray those who hear the gospel will be receptive and respond in faith. Pray the church in Amealco will be able to move to a more accessible location and that leaders for the church will be identified and nurtured. Pray more Spanish-speaking missionaries will be called to participate in the ministry of Camino Global.

Kate Arnold

3

Biology–health professions; Gifford, IL

PILGRIM’S PROGRESS For many people, the Camino turns into a spiritual journey, even if they didn’t intend for it to be. When you walk day after day for more than a month, the first thing put to the test is your physical stamina and ability to adjust to the pain brought on by that much walking.

Next you need mental toughness to persevere on what at times seems like just a long walk. Finally, the test becomes a spiritual one. It was exciting to witness God working in people’s lives as they simply walked and participated in conversations with other pilgrims.

RESTING PLACE Similar to the pilgrimage itself, the Pilgrim House was more than it seems at first. The ministry is purely one of hospitality, not evangelism. But through that I was able to see how God uses simple actions and gestures—how living one’s life in a Christ-like manner can really impact people and open their eyes to the possibility of God.

STEPPING AHEAD This summer taught me to worry less and put more blind trust in God. I’m learning to be present to God in the here and now, reflecting on the past and trusting for the future. Much like the Camino, you can’t get to the steps ahead until you take the ones right in front of you.

PRAY THE DISTINCTIVE hospitality provided by the Pilgrim House sets the stage for conversations with pilgrims about Christ and the Christian mission of ministering to people who are on a journey.

Pray the Holy Spirit will nudge them along a spiritual walk, opening their minds to the possibility of God in their lives.

Betsy Bolt

Stephanie Brethouwer

Greece | International Teams

Netherlands | Shelter Youth Hostel

Betsy volunteered with Helping Hands Refugee Ministry at an Athens community center for refugees fleeing conflict in Afghanistan and Iran. She participated in the center’s weekly ministries, including giving away clothing, serving meals, providing shower and laundry facilities, and hosting social tea gatherings. Staff at the center also shared the gospel with refugees.

Stephanie lived with around 35 other volunteers, all of whom volunteered as staff at Shelter Youth Hostels in Amsterdam. Stephanie worked in reception, served food in the hostel café and led open-invite Bible meditation sessions. She also showed guests around Amsterdam, sharing historical facts and answering questions about her reasons for spending a summer in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.

Nursing; Colorado Springs, CO

WEAKNESS AND STRENGTH In mid-June our staff helped at a refugee summer camp run by another ministry. Along with other interns, I had to scrub toilets and cook and clean for around 180 people in temperatures that ranged from 100 to 115 degrees. I prayed hard for energy and a good attitude, and God delivered. God also used me in unexpected ways as the swim camp needed a female lifeguard, and I have lifeguarding experience. They also needed a female who knew how to belay for rock climbing, and I have climbing experience too!

LOSING ONE’S LIFE FOR CHRIST I was most impacted by the Afghan believers, many of whom literally sacrifice everything for God, including their culture, community and families. I’m reminded of a woman I met, Maryam*. Maryam and her husband became believers and married without their parents’ permission or approval. When Maryam became a Christian, her mother disowned her. Maryam cried for her parents every night, and she and her husband prayed for them. In July, Maryam joyfully told me that she’d received a call from her mother—their first contact in years.

Maryam’s mother and father wanted to hear about her faith. Maryam and believers like her suffer, but God is faithful to them. After years as refugees in Athens, Maryam and her husband have recently moved to the Netherlands to begin building a life for themselves. *Not her real name.

PRAY THAT Helping Hands will be able to raise the funds they need for remodeling a donated building into an educational center where classes and Bible studies can be taught. Also pray the refugees served by Helping Hands will be safe and protected—especially the women. Pray they will find physical homes in Athens or elsewhere in Europe and that they will find a spiritual home in Christ.

Psychology; Beatrice, NE

BELOVED COMMUNITY The staff and volunteers working at the hostel are from all over the world, but we all loved the same God and had the same purpose for serving at the Shelter Youth Hostel. The community we formed was encouraging, prayer-oriented and loving. They challenged me, showed me godly love and helped me experience how big our God is.

CONVERSATION STARTER I am a quiet person who struggles talking in front of large groups.

Yet for some reason I signed up for a hostel outreach program that involved leading guests around the city, sharing historical facts and also just chatting with guests. Many times I would be asked about my reasons for spending a summer in Amsterdam, and even though I don’t necessarily enjoy talking to large groups, I was able to share my reasons for volunteering and explain the connection to my faith.

BOLD CHANGE Two of the biggest changes in my life since this summer are these: I now truly believe God can do anything and is at work in the world.

I’ve also become bolder in my actions and words.

PRAY VOLUNTEERS with servant hearts will continue to staff the youth hostels and that they will soak in God’s love and truth and then demonstrate that through their hostel service. Pray the hostel guests and those who live and work in the Red Light District around the hostel will be both challenged and encouraged by the hostel volunteers’ presence and ministry among them.

Betsy Bolt

Stephanie Brethouwe r

4

Tabitha Frey

Elizabeth Glover

Southeast Asia | OMF International

Spain | International Teams

Tabitha participated in Mekong Missions Intensive, a program that enables interns to experience what the first year of being a missionary is like in just six and a half weeks. She lived in a small Christian and Buddhist village and taught English both in the village school and during halfday “camps” on the weekends. Tabitha also worked with Burmese refugee children, distributed Bibles, and volunteered with an organization that combats human trafficking.

For 10 days of her SOS experience, Izzy walked the Camino, a pilgrimage undertaken by many people in Spain and across Europe. After her own journey ended, she volunteered at the Pilgrim House, a hospitality ministry that offered walkers a place to rest, do laundry, and reflect—both privately and with other pilgrims—on insights and experiences of the journey.

Social work; Springfield, MO

SCHOOLED IN TEACHING Once I arrived at my ministry site, I found out we would be teaching English. I was terrified. The first day teaching English to 15 first graders was a disaster—kids throwing spoons, hitting each other, crying and screaming. They weren’t listening and certainly weren’t learning anything from me. I left the classroom crying and dreaded the thought of going back. For two weeks, teaching English went in a similar manner and I started questioning why I had come if I was going to be so terrible at what I was doing. Then one day I arrived at the school early and jumped rope with the kids. Something shifted in them and me. I began preparing my lessons differently, and for each English word I taught them, I learned the corresponding word in their language. Teaching those first graders became my absolute favorite part of the summer.

PRAYED UPON Halfway through my trip, I was tired, sick and struggling to understand all God was teaching me. On top of all of this, my prayers felt so ineffective. This went on for a few days and then about halfway through the week, something changed. I felt joy and peace and knew beyond any doubt that it was because people had been lifting me up in prayer. It was incredible to feel that kind of spiritual community from 8,000 miles away.

PRAY MISSIONARIES AJ and Mersee have the strength to continue ministering to their neighbors. They are among the only Christians in their village, leading a church with just six believers, all of whom are being persecuted for their conversion to Christianity.

Pray also that there are missionaries willing to come and teach at their newly established language school.

Nursing; Spencer, IA

ON A JOURNEY While on the Camino, I met pilgrims from all over the world and developed special relationships with fellow walkers from different backgrounds, cultures and religions. They expanded my worldview and deepened my understanding of diversity and God.

WAYSIDE REFLECTIONS When pilgrims arrive in Santiago, the Pilgrim House provides an alternative to the more touristy celebrations. The House is a place to rest, reflect and engage with others who are seeking to understand the meaning of their pilgrimage. Pilgrim House staff strive to simply show love to all who enter. Sometimes pilgrims engage them in conversation and ask questions, and this opens the door to sharing the gospel.

UNCOMFORTABLE STILLNESS This summer I learned to be comfortable with discomfort. I am a busy person who loves having things to do, so my summers are usually packed with activities and going from one place to another.

This summer, though, during my time in Spain, I experienced such stillness and peacefulness in my daily schedule, it made me uncomfortable. At first it was so frustrating to not be doing something all the time. But I learned to be still and experience God’s presence.

PRAY DONORS WILL GIVE funds to support the ministry of the Pilgrim House and that the long-term staff there will feel encouraged. Also pray the pilgrims who visit the Pilgrim House will have hearts open to the work of the Holy Spirit.

Elizabe th Glov er Tabitha Frey

5

Amy Greeb

Aubrey Jorde

Peru | Luke Society

Jamaica | Robin’s Nest

Amy interned with clinicians and public health caregivers in Moyobamba, Peru. She recorded medical histories and taught health classes for new mothers. She also participated in exercise classes for elderly patients and taught music as therapy for children with cleft palates.

Aubrey interned at Robin’s Nest Children’s Home in Montego Bay, Jamaica. She fed children a lot of meals, washed a lot of dishes, and changed a lot of diapers. She helped the older children with their homework and read books and colored with the younger ones.

RISK ASSESSMENT

LOVING HOME

There was a Peruvian missionary, Diana, who radically changed my thinking. She worked in one of the most dangerous parts of Peru and literally put her life into God’s hands as she went back day after day, even after she was told she would be killed if she returned. Her dedication to God’s work and her love for the people she served is something I admire and hope to imitate.

The kids that live at Robin’s Nest are there for a variety of reasons: Some are orphans, some were removed from unsafe homes by Jamaica’s Child Development Agency. Some are in the process of being adopted, some are not. Regardless, Robin’s Nest is their home, either for a short time or for a long time. I was blessed by seeing how well the children are loved at the Nest by everyone, from the “moms” who give daily care to the home’s directors and non-caregiving staff.

Biology–health professions; Robins, IA

GOD VIEWS I have learned that although there is one God, there are many Christian perspectives on God. As Christians, we tend to think that we personally have the most accurate perception of God, that we are reading the Bible as God intended it to be understood. But that seeming devotion can divide us from other equally devoted Christians. By being open to others’ views of God, we can have a fuller picture of who God is.

PLANS CHANGE Before this summer’s trip, I told people I wanted to work as a physician assistant in a Spanish-speaking country. I had my life planned out according to what I thought was God’s plan for me. However, the more I saw the faith of the people in Peru and felt God’s presence the same there as I do in the U.S., the more I realized God is everywhere.

Every single one of the workers at San Lucas had no idea this would be God’s call on their life, but God led and they followed. I am prepared to do the same.

PRAY DONORS WILL GIVE money to relocate the San Lucas Clinic. Among other things, they want to have their own operating room so they can expand their program offering free cleft palate surgeries.

Social work; Eyota, MN

LOVING CHALLENGE While at Robin’s Nest, I was with kids all day, every day. I didn’t get a choice regarding who I interacted with. I was with all of them and needed to love all of them with equal enthusiasm. Of course, some were easier to love than others. God taught me how to love those who were difficult to love. Since returning to the U.S., I have tried to continue loving everyone the way Jesus loves her or him. And Jesus loves us all day, every day—even when we are difficult to love.

PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN One of my favorite parts of each day was right before bed when we would pray with the kids. I would ask what they wanted me to pray for first. Then they would ask me and pray for me.

PRAY THE CHILDREN at Robin’s Nest understand their importance and worth—especially the older boys at the home. Pray they understand they are known and loved by their Creator, even if they don’t have a biological family and even if they are not adopted by a new family.

Aubrey Jord e

6

Hannah Lindsey

Sarah Lunn

Bolivia | Pioneers

Ghana | Luke Society

Working alongside Bolivian missionaries, Hannah helped host a Vacation Bible School, an English-language camp, and overnight camp and backyard Bible clubs. She also had opportunities to build relationships with other college-aged young adults. Toward the end of her summer experience, she and her team visited a Quechua village to distribute radios that will enable villagers to hear the Bible in their own language.

Sarah learned about Ghanaian culture and medicine as she lived in Kasei and accompanied healthcare workers in rotations through various areas of the clinic and hospital, including the laboratory, dentistry unit, and maternity and emergency wards.

Social work; Omaha, NE

RELATIONAL TRAINING Time and again I’ve heard that we are relational beings created to be in fellowship with one another. Even though I agreed with this, I never made relationships a priority. For most of my life, I have stayed away from investing in too many relationships as I knew that at some point I would have to say goodbye. I left for Bolivia with the idea that I would only be there a short time and the people I met there wouldn’t be anything more than acquaintances. God had other plans. From my first day in Bolivia I was welcomed and accepted by everyone I met, and when it was time to leave, I felt like I was leaving home.

UNCOMMON SUPPORT I knew before going to Bolivia that I had been greatly blessed by those who were supporting me, but I didn’t fully grasp the rarity of my support. While I was in Bolivia, my team and I discussed our support and fundraising efforts, and I was shocked to learn that each of my teammates had struggled to raise enough funds. I couldn’t imagine not having the amazing support system I have, and I cannot express how grateful I am to everyone who gave, whether financial or prayer support.

PRAY NEW LEADERS WILL RISE UP to lead the Bolivian church when the missionaries I met return home to Canada. Also pray the church will be revived and the faith of the Christians who gather there will deepen and mature as they grow in their passion for knowing God.

Biology–health professions; Jewell, IA

LEARNING EXPERIENCE My role this summer was more experiencing than doing. It took me awhile to be comfortable with this as I definitely have a doer’s personality. God taught me it’s okay to dedicate seasons of one’s life for experiencing—that every season doesn’t have to be about accomplishing. The time I spent this summer experiencing the way people in another culture live their faith taught me about my own.

HEART AND HEARTH Among those who taught me so much during my time in Ghana is Akos, who served as our “mom,” cooking meals and caring for us.

From her I learned how to give freely. Whenever Akos made food, a lot of people would show up, and she welcomed them with open arms.

MEDICAL PREP The Holy Spirit is very much at work in Ghana! The clinic staff commit the first hour of each day to prayer, devotions and worship before they see any patients. They prioritize honoring God before and in all they do. The experience filled me with the Spirit, and now I can more clearly see how my life plays into God’s plan.

PRAY THE GHANAIAN GOVERNMENT will prioritize adequate healthcare for its citizens. Like any hospital, the St. Luke Hospital of Kasei requires funds to operate, but the insurance system there has not reimbursed the hospital for any care for more than a year. Pray also the system will be corrected and payment will be made.

Sarah Lunn

7

dsey ah Lin n n a H

rg Muilenbu Rebekah

Rebekah Muilenburg

Bethany Muyskens

Jamaica | Robin’s Nest

Mexico | Luke Society

At Robin’s Nest children are organized into “pods” of about five to seven children; each pod has a pod-mom. Rebekah’s role as a Nest intern was to assist the pod-moms by changing diapers, helping children get dressed, doing laundry and assisting the older children with homework. She also accompanied children into town for things like medical appointments and swimming lessons.

On weekdays this summer, Bethany shadowed physicians in an Xalapa, Mexico, reduced-price clinic, performing some caregiving tasks and learning about healthcare in another culture. She also volunteered at an education center, tutoring students and helping prepare and serve a nutritious lunch. On the weekends Bethany assisted with a Bible school and attended a church started by her SOS host family.

WEALTH OF HAPPINESS

CARING FOR FAMILIES

From the people at Robin’s Nest, I learned that life does not have to be extravagant and perfect to be joyful. Many of the children at the Nest come from hard backgrounds, yet their joy and love for God are evident and abundant in their daily activities.

On my first day in the clinic, I sat in on an appointment with a three-year-old and her 19-year-old mother. The doctor suspected the toddler’s arm was broken, but the family did not have enough money for an X-ray, so we simply immobilized her arm with an ace bandage.

Later I learned the child’s dad had hurt her arm, but the mother didn’t feel she could leave her husband and provide for her family on her own. Vida en Abundancía, a Luke Society clinic, offered the woman a job volunteering in the kitchen so she could take leftovers home for her family and later offered her a job as a janitor. They also encouraged her to finish her education. A few weeks later, I also noticed her husband attending a meeting for fathers in which they learned how to have better relationships with their kids and spouses.

It was incredible to see how God is using this ministry to make a difference in the lives of local community members.

Psychology; Orange City, IA

CHILDREN’S CHURCH Every Sunday we planned children’s church for the kids because it was too chaotic to try to round them all up and go to a church service off-site. During children’s church, we sat on benches in a circle to sing worship songs and listen to a short message. I always felt God’s presence and encouragement during that simple worship.

FAITH LESSONS I feel like my relationship with God has grown through my constant need to trust him and his plan for me this summer. I found peace during quiet time with God when things started to get frustrating and stressful. I prayed more this summer than I have in probably all my life. God challenged me in many ways, and I learned the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone.

PRAY THE NEST’S MATERIAL needs will be met: food, clothes, diapers, baby wipes and more. Pray the home’s directors and staff, especially the pod-moms, will be strengthened and sustained. Pray more loving, Christian families will feel called to adopt children from Robin’s Nest.

Bethan y Muysk ens

Biology–health professions; Sheldon, IA

GOOD MEDICINE My host dad, Dr. José Luis, is the founder of Vida en Abundancía and the regional director of the Luke Society for Central and Latin America and the Caribbean. Dr. José quit his job as a physician in a local emergency room to start a ministry in a poor neighborhood. At the time he was also putting his three sons through college, but he trusted that God would provide.

PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES in the neighborhood Vida en Abundancía serves. Vida en Abundancía just received 11 new computers to use in their education center. Pray they will be put to good use and enable the children to excel in their studies. Many are lacking fathers or have fathers who are heavily involved in drugs and alcohol.

Pray God will open the fathers’ eyes to the stress they are placing on their families. Also pray their children don’t follow in their parents’ footsteps—that they turn to Jesus and their witness spreads to their entire family.

8

Suresh Portillo

Hannah Powell

France | Pioneers

Kenya | Leamis International

With a team of other Pioneers volunteers, Suresh visited missionaries in three French cities. In the villages surrounding Lourdes, they offered prayers and left notes of encouragement in the public square. In Marseille, they hosted a coffee and lemonade stand, which led to the opportunity for conversation and prayers with customers. In Hem, they helped host a community festival aimed at building bridges between Christians and Muslims.

Hannah’s SOS experience was focused on two main roles: teaching nutrition and caring for orphans and women. Most days she traveled to different regions of Kenya to teach a three-hour nutrition course, working with protein extraction, agriculture development, water purification, sanitation, food preservation and introduction of new recipes for increased income.

She also spent time visiting many different orphanages and assisting with programs that supported young women.

PRAYER AND RESPONSE

CHANGING LIVES

The missionaries taught me more about the power of prayer. They showed me how effective prayers can be, not just for those prayed over but for the ones who pray as well. They helped me understand that there is not one sole outcome of a prayer but that God can respond in more than one way.

The ministries I worked with together provide a home for more than 850 children. Some of them are orphans; others have parents who are either neglectful or abusive. The ministries’ goal is to get the children off the streets and into school. More importantly, they are exposed to the gospel and trained in the Christian faith. I loved the opportunity to take a girl out of her abusive home where she’d been sold into an early marriage and tell her she has freedom in Christ to find healing and hope. I loved holding a baby that began his life in a trash can, realizing he’d have a chance to grow up knowing a God who loved him and wouldn’t reject him. I held hands with a child who came to me eating paper. I prayed God will protect him and call him to be a man of God who will transform his community and culture.

Worship arts; Richmond, CA

CROSSING CULTURES Among the surprises I experienced this summer is realizing how much I didn’t understand the identity God has given me for my time here on Earth. I’ve grown up in two cultures, and I always struggle with being somewhere in between and not knowing exactly where I fit. This summer included a lot of self-discovery and understanding of culture, language and values that are important to me because I was raised in two cultures. In addition, as I kept meeting people from different countries and backgrounds, I started to admire how God could bring people from all parts of the world together.

PRAY MORE PEOPLE with servant-hearts join the work of the pastors and missionaries serving in France. French culture is very secular. Pray that a curiosity for God breaks through secular barriers and leads French people to ask questions that might lead to God. Pray those whose religious practice is mostly just tradition are prompted to seek a more meaningful faith.

Portillo Suresh

Biology–health professions; Lincoln, NE

TRANSFORMED I am a college senior and as I look to the future, I cannot settle with the typical American dream. I don’t know if this means I am called to go into missions, but I refuse to lead a “normal” life. I want to be radically different, living on nothing but essentials and giving excess back to God. I am ready to enter the world now with a new perspective of who God is and how I can be a small instrument in the orchestra of his redeeming work in the world.

PRAY FOR THE LEAMIS MINISTRY as they start a new Bible school aimed at training Kenyan pastors. Pray also the ministry will identify creative ways to become self-sustaining financially. The current girls’ home is overcrowded. There is a larger space, but the rent is expensive. Pray the ministry might gain the use of the property rent-free.

Hannah Powel l

9

Peace Preston

Kristina Sevcik

Ghana | Luke Society

Ireland | Dublin Christian Mission

Peace and two teammates served as medical interns at St. Luke Hospital in Kasei, Ghana. As she rotated through the pharmacy, lab, clinic, and surgery, maternity and emergency wards, Peace gained experience with patient intake, dispensing drugs, drawing blood, and locating and listening for fetal heartbeats. When not working in the hospital, she and her teammates played games with children in the village.

Kristina interned primarily at the Lighthouse, a Dublin Christian Mission ministry to people who are homeless. She helped serve meals, distribute clothes, and host art and music events. She also cleaned and assisted with office work. Kristina and the other staff also ate meals with Lighthouse guests, engaging in conversation and building friendships as a way to show God’s love.

DEPENDENCE

RELENTLESS LOVE

God is humbling me. I used to believe I could handle any new challenge because of how I have handled past travel and new environments. I used to naively believe I could implant myself into a new culture, and if I had the right intentions and the right attitude, it would be fine. However, God has shown me through the difficulties I experienced this summer that I cannot succeed on my own.

Among the things God revealed to me is his heart for people. In Dublin I encountered many people in situations that were desperate and heartbreaking. Some of the guests were people who’d simply fallen on difficult circumstances. Others were addicted to drugs or alcohol. Some were angry and suspicious of the world; others were defeated and just plain hopeless. God called me to love and care for them all relentlessly.

Biology–health professions; Spencer, IA

STORIED LIFE We had a lot of down time this summer, and I took that opportunity to read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller.

I was challenged to write a better story for my life, and what better co-author than the author of the universe? I used to look forward to the summer because of some trip or experience I had coming up. It’s like I was floating through the school year and truly living just during those weeks during the summer. I was discouraged when I accepted this truth because I wonder: What will my life become when I am no longer in school? But if I am truly in tune with the spirit, the life God has for me will be so much more exciting than I can imagine.

PRAY THE GHANAIANS’ most pressing needs will be met: a consistent water supply and capable teachers. The country has a high birthrate, and the government pays for primary and junior high school, but there are not enough quality teachers. Also, sometimes situations feel so bleak and dire that it feels like there is no hope.

Pray for hope.

Biology–health professions; Searsboro, IA

SUCCESSFUL FAILURE Participating in SOS was actually quite a bit harder than I expected.

Even though I loved the mission and people I worked with, I found myself stripped of confidence. Many times I felt inadequate for the work I was doing and felt I lacked the necessary qualities to be effective or well-liked. Because of this I learned to really rely on God and ask him to cover where my abilities failed.

NURTURING FRIENDSHIPS I always looked forward to spending time chatting with the guests at the Lighthouse, and many of them became good friends. Sometimes we had simple conversations about what their interests were, and other times we discussed what had brought them to this point in their life. One of my favorite things this summer was when these friendships grew to where we were mutually comforted and encouraged by each other.

PRAY MORE STAFF and volunteers will be called to Dublin Christian Ministry as they aim to meet the needs of increasing numbers of homeless people. Pray also more donors will support DCM with money and gifts of food and clothing.

Kristina Sevcik

reston Peace P

10

Darby Skillern

Kyle Swart

Jamaica | Robin’s Nest

Fiji | Pioneers

As an intern at Robin’s Nest, Darby supported the center’s caregivers by taking care of the kids, swimming with them, pushing them on swings, playing tag, reading books and more. When shorter-term teams of volunteers visited, Darby and other summer-long interns painted, cleaned and organized at the center. Each night the interns prayed over all the children individually.

Kyle and five teammates from across the U.S. spent six weeks at Oasis Farm in rural Fiji. Long-term missionaries at the farm work alongside local farmers to explore new ways of farming that will better support local families and the economy. Kyle and his team did a variety of tasks, from pulling weeds to painting farm buildings. They also interacted with kids in the village, playing games and teaching Bible lessons.

Elementary education; Shenandoah, IA

Actuarial science; Oostburg, WI

NO FEAR

KID FRIENDLY

One of my weaknesses that God helped me overcome this summer is fear—fear of swimming in rivers, fear of living in an open-air home, fear of not being enough. God threw those fears out the window.

He reminded me that alone I am not enough, but through him I am capable of anything.

I was surprised and blessed to experience so much joy working with kids. I went to Fiji with basically no experience with kids, so I was nervous. I was the only guy on our team, so all of the boys would stick close to me and look up to me. I came to enjoy it.

QUESTIONING FAITH

I met missionaries who do very different things—from farming to practicing law. It showed me I can use my gifts in whatever calling God has given me. So I have come to peace with becoming an actuary, even though it is not explicitly a missional career.

My personal faith grew immensely this summer. It was nearly impossible not to praise God for everything he has done in my life. I read my Bible more, I journaled every night, and I felt closer to God. I got more comfortable talking about my faith, asking the questions I have, and feeling silly sometimes. I know my faith is strong, and I am okay with feeling silly about some of the questions I may ask.

JOY-FILLED HOME God taught me a lot this summer, but I think the biggest thing he showed me is that Robin’s Nest is a happy place. A lot of times we hear of an orphanage and think it must be an incredibly depressing place because of what most of the kids have gone through. But the Nest feels like a home, and there is so much joy there.

PRAY THE CHILDREN at the Nest know they are in God’s family even if they don’t return to their biological family or aren’t adopted.

Jamaica doesn’t have the best healthcare, and living together in close quarters with many children isn’t the best way to stay healthy. Pray the children at Robin’s Nest remain healthy. Also pray they experience the love every child deserves and that the Nest caregivers are sustained as they love and care for the children.

llern y Ski b r a D

11

CAREER AND CALLING

CULTURAL INSIGHT I have a new view of the world and differences among people. I have definitely come to see the flaws in American culture, but I have also come to realize that no culture is exactly as God desires.

PRAY GOD WILL lead the right people to join the missionaries at Oasis Farms as they pursue their vision of making the farm into a microenterprise. The missionaries are also starting to boat out to less-reached islands in Fiji to share Jesus’ love; pray that will bear fruit. Pray more Fijian nationals, who are “cultural Christians,” will be inspired to a more personal and meaningful relationship with God.

Kyle Swart

Abigail Wanninger Nursing; Berthoud, CO

Peru | Luke Society Abigail taught nutrition and hygiene classes for new mothers and taught music classes (recorder, flute and violin) to children. She also assisted in a government-run clinic, giving injections and cleaning and disinfecting injuries. When a group of American surgeons visited, she served as interpreter for them.

NOTABLE PROGRAM The Luke Society has a ministry for children with cleft palates and lips that is absolutely beautiful to see. The music classes help the children with physical therapy, but they also enable the children to gain confidence.

DAILY BREAD God surprised me this summer with a demonstration of his provision through something that seemed insignificant. One morning I was traveling, and I forgot to grab an orange for my lunch. I ended up sharing a taxi with a woman who randomly handed me an orange without saying a word. God cares—even about the smallest things.

POWERFUL LESSONS I learned I am capable of more than I give myself credit for. God put me in situations that stretched me in more ways than I thought possible. I also learned that sometimes the most important aspect of care is building a relationship and simply caring about a patient as a person. The caregivers I worked alongside modeled that for me. I learned the power of generosity. Those I met were living with little but were willing to share what they had with me.

Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission

stmstandards.org 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.

C O V E N A N T

M E M B E R

PRAY FUNDS will be raised so the Luke Society missionaries can build their own clinic. Right now they are renting a space inadequate for everything they want to do. They have the land to build the clinic, but they are still trying to raise the funds to build.

Abiga il Wa nning er

12

Raiders for Haiti Although not part of the SOS team, members of Northwestern’s Red Raiders basketball team also spent part of their summer in service. They volunteered with United Christians International (UCI), a ministry founded by Northwestern alum Kristie (DeBoer ’95) and her husband, JeanJean Mompremier, to finish building a home for a Haitian family. They also hosted basketball clinics and built relationships with Haitian students in elementary and high school as well as college.

The Mompremiers founded UCI in JeanJean’s hometown of Caiman, Haiti, in 2005. Today UCI pursues its mission of teaching God’s word and equipping Haitian Christian leaders through a variety of ministries, including an elementary school, university and seminary; training center for medical and agricultural students; and nutrition center and health clinic.

Learn more at ucihaiti.org.

TEAM MEMBERS Kris Korver, head coach Rick Clark, assistant coach Jordan Baker, Business education; Sioux Falls, SD Chris Borchers, Biology-health professions; Sioux Center, IA Riley Francis, Athletic training; Hull, IA Justin Van Kalsbeek, Biology-health professions; Sheldon, IA Colton Kooima, Business administration; Sioux Falls, SD Christian Korver, History; Orange City, IA Steven Kragt, Business administration; Sioux Center, IA Grant Rohrer, Nursing; Slayton, MN Nathan Wedel, Business administration; Yale, SD

Summer Love Every summer since 1981, around 20 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 and in around 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.

They have traveled to countries like Albania, Bolivia, Fiji, Ghana, Haiti, India, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, Peru, Romania and Uganda to serve with mission partners including the Luke Society, Pioneers, Wycliffe and the Reformed Church in America. They have worked in churches, hospitals, orphanages, schools 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. Summer of Service alumni often serve as missionaries after graduation—some for a week or a month, others for a lifetime—participating in community development, English teaching, evangelism, healthcare delivery, and 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/give2sos 14

712-707-7207 | nwciowa.edu/faith

SUMMER OF SERVICE 2017