Connecting alumni and friends with San Diego Christian
SDC Goes Green p. 7
Student Missions p. 8
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Alumni Updates p. 14
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Children from the Hill Tribes.
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August Issue #13
TABLE OF CONTENTS
7 FEATURES
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SDC GOES GREEN SDC supports the Santee community by utilizing clean, renewable energy with recently installed solar panels.
STUDENT MISSIONS Students traveled to Thailand and Laos, engaging in the culture, building community, and sharing the Gospel.
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ALUMNI UPDATES Congratulating the class of 2015 and celebrating alumni births and marriages.
Cover photo: SDC Thailand Go Team with the villagers and school children.
TRUTH P U R P O S E IM PAC T 200 Riverview Parkway
Santee, CA 92071
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(619) 201-8700
sdcc.edu
CONTENTS 6 7 8 12 14
From the President News: Solar Panels Missions: Thailand and Laos Class of 2015 Alumni Updates
UPCOMING EVENTS
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10.6.2015 GRADUATE SCHOOL AND SEMINARY FAIR Click here for more information!
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LETTER FROM THE VP FOR ADVANCEMENT The other day I had the opportunity to meet with an alumnus who had returned from his six month trip of serving abroad. While there, he used his passion for soccer to minister and serve others. During my short time with him, he reflected on his time at San Diego Christian (SDC) and the transformation he underwent. He expressed entering the program with some unfamiliarity with what to expect, but through the care of his admission counselor, faculty, and staff, his perspective on life changed and he became devoted to pursuing a life of ministry. He is now going off to graduate school to pursue a Master’s in Ministry. This story represents the journey that often takes place at SDC as students develop in an enriching learning community, grow in their relationship with the Lord and pursue a life of purpose. It is a blessing to be inspired by each of you as you live out a life of impact. Sincerely,
Robert Jensen, MSEL 5
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Alumni, It has become a tradition and characteristic of our institution to utilize the summer to spread the Gospel and impact the world through service. This summer we had the joy of sending students out to Thailand, Laos, and Poland. I have enjoyed hearing about the exciting and life changing experiences several of our students and staff have been through. It is during these moments I am reminded how blessed this institution is to have a presence locally and globally. In July we also had the joy of impacting K-12th grade students in the San Diego community through SDC’s Institute for Community Engagement (ICE). ICE is an initiative to partner with local and global communities to promote a passion for learning. Within ICE, SDC Youth has been established to create summer youth camps and fall and spring class days to celebrate learning. Please visit our website if you are interested in learning more about this program. We can definitely see how God is blessing and using SDC in wonderful ways within our community. If you are in the area, please stop by the campus to say hello! Hawks for Life,
Paul Ague, Ph.D. President 6
NEWS
SDC GOES GREEN THIS SUMMER San Diego Christian College (SDC) installed and activated their first set of solar panels in an effort to operate energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable buildings. The project is part of the institution’s initiative to support the Santee community by utilizing clean, renewable electricity and reducing harmful emissions and waste. In May and June, SDC partnered with Foshay Solar Energy to insall a total of 179 combined panels on the roofs of three campus buildings and 987 panels in the parking lot - equating to half an acre of coverage, as well as four EV (electric vehicle) charging stations. The Photovoltaic Grid-Interactive system uses the light from the sun to generate electricity and feeds it into the main electricity grid to power the buildings. The institution foresees these 255-watt panels providing the vast majority of SDC’s annual electrical use. “This is the beginning of renewable energy for San Diego Christian and our continued commitment to be environmental stewards in the Santee Community,” said Dr. Paul Ague, president of San Diego Christian. “Innovation means working with what we have to create something new - and in this case, we’re going green by using the power of the sun to reduce energy expenses and generate clean electricity.” SDC has plans to build out the campus to include residential housing, athletic facilities and multipurpose venues with renewable energy being at the forefront of the designs. This project was financed by Figtree Financing under a recent state and federal legislated program referred to as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE). The project was managed by Land & Design, Inc. from concept to finalized solution.
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MISSIONS
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HOPE FOR THE HILL TRIBES. ONE CUP AT A TIME. By: Micah Parks (‘16)
I recently had the privilege of returning to Thailand to serve and capture the story of the ways God is working in the hill tribes. I had the opportunity to shadow and learn the ways Lanna Café works with the hill tribes and supports the Karen people through direct trade, child sponsorship, and sharing their story through the phrase, “Hope For the Hill Tribes.” Lanna is a non-governmental organization that buys coffee directly from the hill tribes at fair prices and represents the people through telling their story and sending profits to the child sponsorship program. This program supports the lives of children in the villages. In the hill tribes village of Ma Ho Jo, there is a school recognized by the Thai government from kindergarten up to 6th grade. Children from this village and six surround-
ing villages have the opportunity to receive an education. Because some children are not able to afford school or easily travel to school, the missionary that started Lanna Café is working with the hill tribes to build youth hostels with hostel parents where these kids can safely stay and be taken care of during the school week. The kids that stay in the youth hostel, as well as kids that cannot afford the school, are supported by the child sponsorship program. This support can continue up through high school. During my trip last year, I stayed with a family that had a daughter in 6th grade. When I visited them this year, the family was thankful to announce their daughter was being financially supported through an American. She is now attending 9
high school in the city of Om Koi. I asked her father what his hopes were for her and he said he hopes, “she can be a doctor or a teacher or whatever she can.” He proceeded to humbly express thankfulness and gladness for the opportunity his daughter has to get an education and read in her own language. This is just one of the many stories that illustrates what is happening in the hill tribes. Lanna Coffee is literally bringing “Hope for the Hill Tribes. One Cup at a Time.”
To hear more stories and learn more about supporting the growth in the Hill Tribes, visit Lannacoffee.org.
PRAYER IS NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT By: Kendra Chamberlain (‘18)
Before Chandler, Paige, Tito (Matt), and I journeyed through Laos, we were told stories of God moving through the closed country of Laos. Laos is called a closed country because God is not “allowed” and to speak of Him would be illegal. Though we knew the fruit of our labor would not be seen right away, our team’s vision for this trip was to see our faith in God grow through the offering of our prayer to Him. Our team arrived in Nakhon Phanom, a city right across the river from Laos, on May 13th for orientation before setting out on our prayer journey. Our focus was to prayer walk on-sight with insight. Tony Lasavath (‘02) states it this way: “Prayer is not an afterthought. Prayer is the means by which Heaven and earth are
moved.” We prayed for the country of Laos in the following ways: • Open Heavens: asking the Father to pour out blessings. • Open Homes: praying for whole families to come to Jesus. • Open Hearts: asking the Holy Spirit to transform hearts on all levels. • Open Hands: asking God to show the needs of the people. • Open Highways: asking God for effective planting and multiplication of churches within the country. We prayer-walked through a total of seven villages; several of those were included in the Bualapah-North cluster (a cluster of nine villages San Diego Christian has adopted and committed to pray for. It is on the Eastern side of Laos near the Vietnam bor10
der). Our days would start out with a devotion to keep our focus on God and to give us all something to think about on our rides between villages. Our team felt especially impacted in the Kheelaek Village because we were able to interact with many of the children and Chandler was able to play Takraw with many of the boys. When we returned, not only did many of the boys come out to play, but several of Kheelaek’s men also came out. This glimpse into the community was encouraging to our team in a place of spiritual thirst. Our experience in many of the other villages were very different. During the Vietnam War, Laos was heavily bombed, despite its neutrality. The repercussions of these bomb-
ings are still seen today as it has affected the land and the people. As we prayer-walked through the village of Vangkhon, we saw boats made out of bomb casings, many bomb holes around the village, and signs that instructed no fishing because of the possibility of unexploded bombs. In another village, Nachad, there was a man with a prosthetic leg because a bomb had exploded while he was digging in his field. Prayer-walking through these villages was eye opening. Seeing the effects of a war, how dry some of these villages are, and how dark of a country the So people live in was heart wrenching. The beauty of the people and the country, while undeniable, also serves as a mask for the need for truth in Laos.
In our short time praying through Laos, we encountered beautiful sights, beautiful but broken people, spiritual warfare, spiritual stretching, adventure, and God’s grace. Our team grew closer together, but more importantly, grew closer to God. The disconnect from God in Laos is a real and terrifying spritiual battle, but among this darkness, hope is springing up. The Mekong Kingdom Movement and the missionaries that are tirelessly answering God’s call in Laos are sowing that hope. We as a team are so blessed to have been able to join those missionaries and offer our prayers up to the Lord for Laos.
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CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2015
Tedd Sutton Biblical Studies The next step for me after graduation is Seminary in the fall of 2015. I will attend Westminster Seminary California to pursue a Masters of Divinity, with the desire to become an Ordained Minister in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). I am currently an on-staff intern at New Life Presbyterian Church, where I hope to continue to be guided and shepherded by the Pastors as I pursue ordination in the PCA. After completing my MDiv, I will pursue further education at Westminster Theological Seminary (in Philadelphia) in their PhD program. I also have the desire to become ordained in the PCA and either plant a church or accept a calling in a local church. I would like to thank my beautiful wife and my two boys for sacrificing their time away from me so that I could pursue my desires. I would like to thank my parents and in-laws for their support along the way. I would like to thank my church for their support and help in my journey as well.
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Veronica Martinez Communication I recently accepted a position with Joined Inc. as an Admissions Coordinator. In addition, I will continue working with young women through my church by starting up a cell group for college aged girls. I would like to go to grad school in a year or two, but more than anything, I’d like to continue working with young women on a larger scale, by either speaking at conferences or putting together events that directly targets them. I thank God for giving me the capabilities to be so successful and for allowing me to make it this far in life. I also thank my parents and three siblings for being so supportive and encouraging the last four years and for always believing in me.
Daisy Arellano Interdisciplinary Studies I am currently working full time with Kaplan College in Chula Vista, California as an Admissions Representative. My job is to help individuals train for careers doing something they will truly enjoy. I help prospective students explore educational and training options that can prepare them for a new or improved career. In addition, I will be starting a Psychology Masters program in August 2015. 13
Congratulations!
Caleb (‘11) and Alexandra (Harmening) (‘13) Davies Married in March 2015 14
Lana Christine Hogan Born May 2015
Daniel Loenhorst Born February 2015
Daughter of Sean (‘12) and Hannah (Shattuck) (‘12) Hogan
Son of Kyle (‘10) and Stacy (Seydel) (‘10) Loenhorst
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SDC Graduate Fair October 6 1:00 - 3:00 pm
sdcc.edu/career-services/graduate-fair
Graduate Schools are looking to connect, educate and recruit students to their graduate programs. Come ask questions, make connections and get excited about your future! Who should attend? Every student is welcome to attend the graduate fair. Come as you are and prepare to ask some questons about graduate school. Attending Universities Azusa Pacific Biola California Baptist University Claremont Graduate University Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary Loma Linda University School of Public Health Loyola Marymount University Master’s Seminary National University Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego State University San Diego Christian College Southern California Seminary Trinity Law School University of St. Augustine for Health Science Vanguard University Westminster Seminary UCLA