Miracle Baby: Grant County’s First Birth in the New Year

By: Katherine Arch

On January 1st, 2016 IWU alumni Nathan (’05, Social/Behavioral Sciences, Business Administration) and Kim (’04, Elementary Education) Cromer welcomed Caleb Jonathan Cromer into the world. Caleb was Grant County’s first birth of the year, born at Marion General Hospital. Many people herald the birth of a child with comments about the miraculous nature of new life, Grant County’s first baby of the new year, however, cannot be described as anything short of a miracle.

Chronicle-Tribune source

When the two married ten years ago, doctors told Kim and Nathan that they would never have children. Coming from a family of twelve children, Kim especially was very upset by this news.

“We were told it would be a miracle to have a baby,” Kim recalls. Upon hearing this news, the couple felt called by God not to pursue fertility treatments. Instead, they chose to wait patiently and hope that God would grant them their desire to have children.

“There’s a verse in Psalm 113 that says “He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother” (Psalm 113:9 a) I clung to that verse at that time,” Kim recalled. “I felt as though God gave me that verse as a promise. I needed to wait.”

During this period of waiting, Kim recalls that she was working at McCullough Junior high as a teacher. Many of McCullough’s students are from poor socioeconomic backgrounds, every day Kim faced the struggles of poverty. Her heart was heavy with the struggles these students faced.

“I wanted to help children who were hurting,” Kim remembers. “So Nathan and I decided that we wanted to pursue doing foster care and in-home childcare.” After making this decision, Kim stepped down from her position at McCullough and the couple began the journey of foster care.

“We had groups of siblings several times; sometimes we just had individual kids,” stated Kim. “At one point we had a five-year-old, a three-year-old, and a one-year-old in our house at the same time!” About two years ago, the Cromers took in a young boy named Isaiah; this child they were able to adopt. Kim commented on the significant difference between adopting and doing foster care. She mentioned how difficult it is to give children back when their time as foster parents ends.

Looking back on the series of kids that came and left their home, Kim recalls that the process of doing foster care was “emotionally and physically exhausting.” The Cromers, however, sensed strongly that this was something to which God had called them. So they continued volunteering to take children through the foster care system. At the same time, they finalized adoption for Isaiah. After successfully adopting him, the Cromers found out they were pregnant.

“We were thrilled,” Kim stated. “We felt as though God had promised us this child, and now we were being given him.” The pregnancy was without complication, and on January 1st, the couple welcomed Caleb to their family.

“His name has special meaning,” explained Kim of her son. “Caleb means “faithful”, and Jonathan means “gift from God.” We really felt that both of those names were fitting.”

Five days before Caleb’s birth, their last foster care child left their home. The family plans to take a year off of foster care to adjust to their new family dynamics and resume care next year.

“We have no promise that we’ll have a child again,” Kim emphasized, “and his birth doesn’t change our desire to do foster care. This is something we still feel called to do. Caleb was simply our miracle baby.”

The Indiana Wesleyan Alumni family is excited to celebrate the birth of Caleb Jonathan with the Cromers!

 

Written by Katherine Arch, Story Teller for Alumni Relations. Katherine Arch is a Senior English major at Indiana Wesleyan, and a member of the Track and Cross Country teams. She is passionate about sharing people’s stories and celebrating their unique divine potential in written form. Katherine also operates a website called “Join the Ranch” at jointheranch.weebly.com. It is about pursuing God’s purpose for her life and vocation.

Seeking Revival In The New Year

IMG_2582Throughout campus at IWU, faculty and students are praying for revival. Spearheading this prayer effort, Student Body Pastor, Reverend Dr. Jim “Umfundisi” Lo, is encouraging students to seek sensitivity to the Lord and His leading. Formerly the Dean of the Chapel, Lo is heavily involved in spiritual formation across campus through his position as IWU Campus Pastor and Professor of Religion (Intercultural Studies). This position outlines different responsibilities than his previous job and allows Lo to become more intricately involved in campus spiritual formation and pastoral ministry.

“Being Dean of the Chapel required that I attend to the logistics of having services three times a week,” Lo explained. “It was a lot of technical work.” Serving as the Pastor of Students allows Lo to concentrate on supporting the community spiritually, especially in prayer. Referencing a recent sermon he gave in a chapel service, Lo emphasized the need for the community to focus on the power of prayer to pursue spiritual growth. Lo articulated his belief that the Indiana Wesleyan community could be on the brink of a revival if individuals committed themselves to actively seeking the Lord through prayer.

“So many people have come to me, saying that they believe that God has something to say to them, but they sense something is in the way,” Lo mentioned, emphasizing the value of prayer and the eminence of revival. This spiritual rebirth, Lo explained simply is as, “Reviving my heart to hear what He calls me to do.”

Lo explained that he sees the campus as expectant, ready to hear what God wants to say. With the impending Summit services next week, Lo hopes that the time of spiritual emphasis will result in a spark of revival. In preparation, Lo and a team of prayer warriors are interceding on the behalf of the students who will be in attendance.

“It is our prayer that the students at IWU not become enamored with the lights or the music or the emotions of Summit. Rather we hope that people will take the time to meditate on the words of the songs and truly spend the time pursuing God and what He has to say to them,” said Lo. He explained that this could look different for different people. Some might sense sins for which they need to repent; others might find God giving them vocational direction. “We are praying to see sins released, and commitments made to surrender to whatever God has for individual lives,” Lo stated.

This year, Lo hopes to see revival diffuse through the IWU family and into the community of Marion as well. “If revival ignited at IWU it should reach the greater community,” Lo stated. “I strongly sense that God does not want us to focus exclusively on our personal spiritual growth. He wants us to reach others.” To introduce this idea and theme for the IWU community, Lo invited Marion officials to visit IWU before the Summit services so that they could be prayed over. As Lo mentioned repeatedly, prayer will be vital for the effectiveness of the Summit services and the revival we are hoping for.

 

Written by Katherine Arch, Story Teller for Alumni Relations. Katherine Arch is a Senior English major at Indiana Wesleyan, and a member of the Track and Cross Country teams. She is passionate about sharing people’s stories and celebrating their unique divine potential in written form. Katherine also operates a website called “Join the Ranch” at jointheranch.weebly.com. It is about pursuing God’s purpose for her life and vocation.

Equip. Serve. Send. Multigenerational Missions in Cambodia

Gallant ImageEquip. Serve. Send. This pattern is reflective of how God has called the Los, Gallants, and
Baileys to minister in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Since 1974, God has systematically moved in the hearts of three Indiana Wesleyan-affiliated couples to pursue full-time missions in this country. Each couple has brought a new passion and focus to this ministry, yet through their multigenerational presence in this country, God has demonstrated His concern for the people of Cambodia.

First impressions aren’t everything. When Tiffany Neuenschwander (Gallant) stepped off the plane into Cambodia for the first time, she was overwhelmed by the overwhelming heat and a pervasive sense of fear. Several days later, she found herself very sick, tended by a doctor who barely spoke English. During this short-term missions trip to Cambodia led up by Dr. Jim Lo, Tiffany first received the call to full-time missions.

As she lay in the hospital, Tiffany clearly sensed God asking if she was seriously willing to give everything to follow him. She said yes. During the remainder of the trip, the Lord laid the people of Cambodia on her heart. When she returned home, Tiffany began explaining to her fiancée, Tim Gallant, her call for them to pursue missions together.

In 2001, Tim and Tiffany married. Following their marriage, both sensed a desire to take a trip to Cambodia with IWU the upcoming summer. However, since they lacked the funds for such an undertaking, they disregarded this opportunity. Several weeks later, Dr. Lo called, asking if they were still praying about this trip.

“The news floored us,” they commented, recalling that they had not told Pastor Lo about their desire to attend this trip. But God’s blessing on this trip was clear; the Gallants were the first to raise their funding and during this trip, Tim received the call to Cambodia as well.

Following Tiffani’s graduation from IWU with a degree in Intercultural Studies in December of 2003, Global Partners officially appointed the two as missionaries to Cambodia. Since that time, the two have been fully involved in ministry and serving.

In the past 11 years, the Gallants have completed three stints as residential missionaries. During their initial placement, the couple focused on language and culture assimilation. Concurrently, they taught English at Wesleyan Bible Institute and worked to build community through various fellowship opportunities. Their second term, which was from 2009-2011, the Gallants became house parents for the school and spent the majority of their time teaching Bible classes. Additionally, they were blessed to live with the other five Khmer staff families. Now in their third term, the Gallant’s have shifted the focus of their ministry; they now focus less on formal education and emphasize stronger outreach within the province. The couple works with local churches helping to equip indigenous ministries to realize their ministry goals.

During their time as missionaries, the Gallants spent two years in the United States reassigned to the IWU Marion campus where they served as Missionaries in Residence under the direction of Dr. Lo. From 2011 to 2013, Tim received his Master of Divinity from the school: the two also spent time mentoring future missionaries and receiving encouragement from Dr. Lo and other IWU staff and faculty. During this time, that the Gallants met Jacklyn and Chad Bailey, students at Indiana Wesleyan University.

Now in their third term in Cambodia, the Gallants serve as field directors for missions in Cambodia through Global Partners International. As part of their ministry assignment, they work to help missionaries acclimate to their new position on the field. The Gallants along with their two children, Katherine and Jonathan, eagerly await welcoming the Baileys to the field; when they arrive, they will partner with them to help them acquire the language, culture, and ministry goals necessary for their assignment.

The needs in Cambodia are great. While there are many pressing concerns in this country, the Gallants stressed the primary need is for people to care for each other. Although the people refer to each other in endearing terms, the Gallants mentioned many people in this country are apathetic towards each other.

“If the people of Cambodia could get past this attitude of self-preservation and benefit and begin to treat one another with care and compassion, then the country would be drastically different,” the Gallants mentioned.

Spiritually and financially impoverished, the nation of Cambodia is desperate for change and hope. In the ministry of the Gallants, the Los, and the Baileys, God is demonstrating that he has not forgotten this place. Through the willing lives of these people, God is using the Gallants, Los and Baileys and has equipped them with the desire to serve, so they can send His love throughout this needy country.


Written by Katherine Arch, Story Teller for Alumni Relations. Katherine Arch is a Junior English major at Indiana Wesleyan, and a member of the Track and Cross Country teams. She is passionate about sharing people’s stories and celebrating their divine potential in written form.

Ted Talks, IWU Style Led By Student Alumni Association

The Indiana Wesleyan University Student Alumni Association hosted Alumni and Faculty on campus today. The goal was to learn from their experiences. The Student Alumni Association calls these events “Triangle Talk”. Triangle Talks is modeled from the popular Ted Talks which is a popular speaker-led event. Triangle Talks are designed to help students learn from alumni and faculty about life outside of the IWU bubble. The month’s focus is on the importance of scholarship.

Jake Rupp opened the event with an introduction and prayer. He welcomed guest speakers and encouraged the audience to prepare for a time of question and answers at the end of the presentations. His first introduction was to Dr. Doug Morris, faculty from the Occupational Therapy Program.

Dr. Doug Morris opened the round of three speakers. He shared about the importance of Christian scholarship. He stressed the important of this because he said that the secular market may have written Christian scholarship off because of the perception that Christians are lazy. He says that many think that Christians are not serious about excellence.

He equates scholarship to hard work. “It is acquired through work.” says Morris. He referred the book, “The Disciplines of a Godly Man”. He reminded his audience that the books encourages us that we must be disciplined at work. He shared that the author says that “1 in 4 american workers admit that they do not do their best at work. 20% of an average work day is waisted.” The typical human brain puts out as much energy that can burn a 40 watt lightbulb for over 24 hours. “If we are going to be Christian scholars we need to think as a Christians. The Bible transforms our minds. There are many who are not even Christians that know more about the Bible than the average believer of the Bible.” He challenged the student to give it their best effort.

Jordan Easley is an IWU Graduate who is part of the Orr Fellowship and works at Tender Box. His talk focused on the theme of, “Why the World’s Coolest Companies Don’t Sell to You”.

Jordan shared a bit about his personal life. He showed pictures from his childhood. He laughed as he shared that he came from Hannah City, Illinois. He told the students that the city motto is “A small town where you make big friends.” He encouraged those that have come from small towns to embrace their rich heritage. He also shared about his student experience when he was a student. One of his humorous facts included a fun-fact about his middle name. He said it is “Chase, like the bank.”

His talk was about the business model that he uses at Tender Box. Since the new model of sales is a “B2B”, Business-to-Business sales model. He also talked about the “SaaA Company model, Software-as-a-Service. Jordan said, “We mostly hear about B2C – Business-to-Customers strategies but the really cool companies are selling to businesses.” He shared with the students that it is important to know how to sell to companies instead of only customers. He used the example of GoogleDrive versus Microsoft end-user products.

The advantage has to do with the ability to scale this model for the masses within the business. We now are sold the keys not the end-products. It is not a one-to-one model. It is a business-to-business model.

Jordan wrapped up his presentation by saying, “Your choice is about having one big marshmallow or a bunch of little marshmallows. For me, it is about a bunch of little ones. ”

Brittany Herendeen was the third presenter. Her topic was entitled. “Lifelong Scholarship”. She is currently working in marketing in an orthopedic company.

She began her talk by saying, “Scholarship is more than just a college application. When I first started in my job I spent all my time studying anatomy books.”

Brittany offered three principles that she has learned since being out of school. They included;
1. God calls us to pursue wisdom. (Prover 16:16)
2. It is an indicator of our character and performance.
3. Whatever you do, work at is with all of your heart. (Colossians 3:23)

Brittany told the group of students that as she prepared she actually “Googled how to be a scholar.” She found six steps to being a scholar. She entitled her points; “Scholarship In and Out of the Classroom.”

1. Question Everything.
2. Be Curious.
3. Love Learning.
4. Fully Form Opinions. She stated that rather than just have an opinion she said, “Really study the subject.”
5. Change Your Mind. He point was well-taken as she shared, “Learning is about expanding your mind.”
6. Avoid Bias. “In college this is hard because we are influenced by our peers and family. It is important that we expand experiences and ideas.”

Brittany finished her presentation by encouraging the students to “Pursue scholarship in the classroom as a habit of striving. Pursue a life of learning for a lifetime.”

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Why Baby Steps are Better – Reflections from Homecoming 2014

Guest author: Alumnae Dr. Melissa “Missi” Khosla

Two of four days of IWU Homecoming have passed, I am overwhelmed …overcome. During this four-day flash of time, the foundation and history of IWU, the men and women on whose shoulders we now stand, visit campus, in person and in the telling. As a student, I knew that the buildings had names; as an alumnus, I now realize those buildings are the standing legacies of persons who were touched by an academic community, and who desired to give to the future students who will be touched by the community that is IWU.

Those of you who were present for the Scholarship luncheon will recall the telling of Rev. Killian’s journey to IWU – his story – we all have one. “How did you find IWU?” “What made you choose IWU?” …often the answer is: “I just knew.” “It was just right.” “I was led here.” On Wednesday afternoon, Reverend Killian stood before us and drew us into his story. Mr. Noggle, Mr. Shatford, Mr. Huffman… the men who influenced his coming. Mr. Baldwin, Mr. McConn, the men who influenced his staying, which led him to influence innumerable more. Reverend Killian, thank you for sharing your story.

On Thursday an intimate crowd gathered, awed by the IWU chorale led by Dr. Todd Guy – Dr. Guy – a man passionate about music and an expert in orchestrating the God-given talents of his students. On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Ott shared his experiences as God brought him through IWU – meeting here, marrying there, grieving over yonder…and then the scaffold: Mr. Philippe, Mr. Maxwell, and now the Ott legacy.

In a time when it is too easy to see only here, only now and ‘what if’ and ‘when’, we are reminded that the founders went before us, building the foundation of the house where we nowdwell. At Indiana Wesleyan, that foundation is made of a material that doesn’t wear, doesn’t erode, isn’t easily swayed – a foundation of Biblical principles and promises. IWU is what it is today because the founders built slowly, wisely, and purposefully – baby steps.

In discussion with a past mentor, I was able to compare the IWU of my time to the IWU of today: shorts in chapel, dress and media no longer regulated by the governing bodies, but by discernment, clubs and meetings that speak to issues never uttered in my time.

As a student, I remember thinking that the university would never move quickly enough to be relevant. It needed to change, and change fast. Fast is progress, right? Fast is successful. I graduated, married my IWU sweetheart, and moved away, ready to take on the world – quickly and gracefully.

But another theme during this Homecoming week is submission – the process of submitting oneself to the sovereignty of our Loving Lord to seek and walk the path down which He guides. Dr. Kellie Haworth reminded us that the path down which the Lord leads may not be the path initially envisioned. Those of us who have walked the path long enough to be able to look back are thankful that the journey is sometimes slow, which has allowed us to grow in wisdom and purpose as we follow our Lord. I now understand that IWU is the Christ-centered institution that it is today because the founders knew that to move slowly, and with the Lord’s guidance is wise, and will result in purpose.

Melissa Khosla, OTD, OTR/L
Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Occupational Therapy
School of Health Sciences, Indiana Wesleyan University

Guest Blogger – Lydia Flynn, Student at John Wesley Honors College

The all-student Convocation is held during the first week of a new Academic year. This year the all Convocation was held on Wednesday, September 3. As part of the presenters, Lydia Flynn who is a student in the John Wesley Honors College at IWU shared a message in response to the message Dr. Dawson shared with the student body.

Lydia is a member of the Class of 2016. She has been a guest author of the John Wesley Honors College blog.

This is what was shared. Take time to pause and reflect on the message that is embedded in this article.

From Lydia Flynn:
Dr. Dawson has reminded us that learning is beneficial, both for individuals and for society as a whole. As we dedicate ourselves to our learning, we should reflect on our approach to this vocation. Our student body will accomplish impressive things during this school year. We will study theological doctrines and economic concepts, the relationship between color theory and emotion. We’ll describe biological processes and solve differential equations. Some of us will complete research projects, and others will become published authors. These are great successes to aspire to and to celebrate. But it is in the midst of this performance environment—within the mentality of achievements and grades, of personal competencies and professional development—that we may place too much focus on ourselves. We may easily forget the reality that true learning, indeed, the best kind of learning, cannot occur removed from God and from each other.

If we are honest about our accomplishments, we will recognize that nothing we achieve this year can be credited entirely to ourselves. To quote writer C.J. Mahaney, “every time I claim to be the ‘author’… of that which is actually God’s gift, I’m committing cosmic plagiarism.” When we take sole credit for an accomplishment, whether before others or within the privacy of our own minds, we effectively ignore the role of the God of the universe. Perhaps we would not behave so proudly if we truly understood our dependence on God – for we could not even exist without God’s loving creation of each one of us. This pride contests God’s supremacy; we deny our dependence on God and seek to elevate ourselves to His position as the Creator of all good things.

This year, whether we create visual art, musical performances, poetry, lesson outlines, foreign-language compositions, or care plans, we should keep in mind that everything we produce utilizes the resources which God has already given us. No matter what our task, we always start with something: physical materials, our minds, our creativity, or the input of others. As Bruce Ellis Benson describes in his book Liturgy as a Way of Life, we are simply unable to create “out of nothing” as God can. We never truly create anything, but find ourselves merely improvising on the material and immaterial gifts which God has provided. This knowledge reminds us of who deserves ultimate praise in all the wonderful things this campus will accomplish.

In addition to our dependence on God, humility requires us to accept our reliance on other people. We owe credit to other people for successes we consider to be our own. By incorporating skills, knowledge, and experiences that have been developed and shared with us by others, we use gifts they have passed on to us.

As we remember that we are not truly independent in our work, I hope that we can improve some of the tendencies we bring to learning. We may think of our courses as venues for competition between individual students, and many of us pride ourselves on having the best ideas, the highest grades, or the busiest schedules. But we can choose a different way of learning together. Rather than competing, we can create an edifying experience of supporting and encouraging one another. Indiana Wesleyan holds opportunities to continue learning from others within our academics as well as beyond our coursework. Being surrounded by a community of Christians offers us a unique environment to learn something together that is far more difficult than anything else we will attempt this year: how to more fully love God and our neighbors. Of course, we will take different paths to carry out our Christian calling, but sharing one goal, we can explore this mission together.

Anyone who has experienced life outside of a thriving Christian community, as some of us here today have, can appreciate what a blessing it is to live among practicing Christians. This type of environment provides us the opportunity to study specific disciplines within the context of our faith. As we pursue our education together, we should be able to recognizing more fully how little we understand. Yet even those of us who have been isolated from fellow believers probably do not give thanks often enough for this community. Yes, we should seek outside perspectives, and yes, we must engage in the world beyond this university, but that does not mean we ought to reject the blessing of the faithful examples around us. I myself constantly struggle with pride, but I have learned from fellow Christians, especially on this campus, how to combat it, and I am thankful for their influence on my life.

While our student body is largely Christian, that fact does not excuse us to alienate those who believe differently. Actually, it demands the opposite. We are called to welcome those with differences from us, for God loves in the midst of all our differences. If we love others as God loves them, we do redemptive work in the relationships we develop and build God’s Kingdom on Earth. This calling is not an easy one. We know we should reflect Christ’s all-encompassing love, yet we struggle with loving people we would rather marginalize or even hate. Here, too, humility should impact our hearts and minds. If our perfect God loves these people, who are we to reject them? Thus humility calls us to reconcile our relationships with others.

This mission, loving God and neighbor while living humbly beside those in our community, is the most difficult challenge we will face this year. It has a great deal to do with our minds—our intellect can serve as a foundation for love toward God and other people. By working to better understand God and the reality surrounding us, we lay the groundwork for the devotion that follows in our hearts. As we contemplate God’s omnipotence and astonishing love for humanity, we will not only find ourselves humbled in the face of God’s holiness, but our love can also grow deeper. For those of us who are new to Christian fellowship and for those of us who grew up among Christians, let us rely on the community of this campus as we share our experiences, skills, and love of God and humanity with all those we encounter.

Finally, as we begin this academic year, let us commit ourselves to humility. May this attitude lead us to glorify Christ, acknowledge those who support us, and love God and our neighbors. Thank you.

One Man – Making a Difference in His Hometown

Alum of IWU, Francis Mustapha makes a difference in his hometown – Madina village of Sierra Leone, West Africa. Growing up he wanted to make a difference but did not know how or when. Story of a Dedicated Educator

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Francis shares his story with a small group of alumni at the Fort Wayne Education Center. He shares that one person, an educated nurse made a difference for him so he is returning to his hometown to build a school and provide education for generations to follow.

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Telling the story of the little boy (from the Bible) who only had two fish and loaf of bread and because Jesus blessed it they were able to feed 5,000. Determined to make a difference and see his vision realized, he partnered with local churches and people who gave just enough for the project he determined to complete. Each time he returned to his village he had the funds to complete the project they set out to complete. “This happened over-and-over again (nearly) ever six months” comments Mustapha. “The Lord provided just what was needed.”

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Since 2011 the projects have been completed. “Years of greed, selfishness and corruption have left the country with no moral conscience. We cannot get anywhere working with the adults who are corrupt. We have to start with the adults of the future…the children.” says Mustapha. “Much has been invested in this country so we cannot loose heart or give up!” He does not plan to walk away. He further comments, “When you feel like giving up you look to your children he says. This will change this nation!”

His challenge to his listeners is that we should not give up when there are obsticles. “Our hope is that we educate children in moral conscience and service” says Mustapha.

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“It has always been my dream to start a school there!” – Mustapha

Some facts: Education has declined drastically in recent past.
1,270 primary schools were destroyed in civil war from 1992-2001.
Sixty-seven percent of children were out of school in 2001.
Two-thirds of the adults population is illiterate.

In September, 2013 the school was opened and provided education to 270 children.

Francis Mustapha will be inducted as Alumni World Changer in the Spring of 2015.

Michael W. Smith in Concert – 27 years later!

You could call it a reunion – of sorts. Michael W. Smith came to Marion, Indiana in the Spring of 1987. Invited by then Marion College Student Government Association, this concert was too big for the campus. “We held the concert at the old Memorial Coliseum, what is now the Star Financial YMCA” says Rick Carder, current IWU Alumni Director. It was under his student leadership with the Student Activity Council that he came to town.

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This year’s Homecoming on October 4 will feature Smith in concert along with IWU’s Chorale. “I think that this year’s experience would completely blow him away at how much we (IWU) have changed in 27 years. The concert venue now is a 3,800 seat Chapel-Auditorium” says Carder.

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Michael W Smith has always had a gift for delivering songs that capture the hearts of the listener and give voice to their thoughts and feelings. During his three-decade career, the Kenova, West Virginia native has shaped the Christian music landscape with such songs as “Friends,” which was named the No. 1 Song of All Time by CCM Magazine and “Healing Rain,” a powerful anthem that remains one of the best-loved songs in his extensive repertoire.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014
7:30 PM
CHAPEL AUDITORIUM

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Phillippe Performing Arts Center Box Office at 765-677-2630 or online.

Ticket prices are $45, $25, $20, and $15

Purchase tickets here!

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Scaling the Heights

On occasion we have invited guest bloggers to help contribute to the story of IWU. Guest writers provide a special glimpse into the life at IWU and even helping to define the mission of IWU. Today we have an article that can be read as an inspiring story, even a devotional thought. Mike and Cindy Helvie ’81 are missionaries to with Global Partners. Their ministry has taken them all around the world to far reaching places as Zambia. Last year they lead a team of students to Zambia to study abroad. Their experiences and mentorship of students has defined a generation of young leaders serving as nurses with a profound experience of studying with Mike and Cindy.

Serving as Missionaries in Residence provides a rich ministry to students at IWU. Weekly you can see them meeting with students at McConn Coffee Co on the campus of IWU. They are mentoring and training our students! They are a welcomed relationship and resource to students.

Today, Cindy is our guest blogger. That you for sharing your experiences from your summer.

Written by Cindy Helvie ’81

On August 29th 2014 I stood on the top South Sister a 10,380-foot mountain, in Oregon. The sky was clear and blue and I looked down on rolling hills, smaller mountains and the steep red lava rock path I had just travelled. In my mind I kept saying, “I made it!” I was also excited that five of the seven ladies that started out also made it to the summit. I was with a group called “Northwest Women” each they year hiked or climbed to raise money for women in other countries. This year we raised money for World Hope’s Anti-Trafficking program in Sierra Leone.

Kay Winters, a pastor’s wife from New Creation Wesleyan Church was our leader. Kay had trained in mountaineering and was our coach for our preparation and climb. I took the preparation very seriously; if I was to succeed I knew I needed to be ready. The other ladies participated in five training hikes in Oregon. These hikes increased in mileage and elevation preparing the body for the endurance needed to climb in thinner air. I was not able to do those since I was in Indiana. My training needed to be in Marion.

I started in April by running on the IWU track. I remember the first lap I jogged. I didn’t think I could make it. I was out of breath, nauseated and my chest hurt. But I didn’t stop. I kept going and it got easier I added a lap each week, until I could jog 3 miles or 12 laps. Under our leaders direction I did the Stairmaster and push-ups and sit-ups to build my strength to carry the 20-25lb pack.

I needed to buy equipment. I looked for hiking boots in Marion and couldn’t find them. I had to travel to Indianapolis. The thick high-topped boots felt strange on my feet used to summer sandals. I had to break the boots in so I hiked in Mater Park with my boots and pack loaded with books. People looked at me strangely. One lady saw me and told her husband, “Why is that lady hiking with a pack, does she need to stretch her back?” I told an older man who was walking in the park that I was training for a climb. He saw me at the end of my training hike and asked, “Are you feeling ready to climb that mount’ in?”

On August 26th I flew to Oregon, a long time friend who had climbed two years ago helped me with additional equipment; a cold weather sleeping bag, whistle and rain coat. Our group drove to Bend, Oregon and went in to eat lunch our last “real” meal for three days. We would eat dehydrated foods at the campsite. As we came out of the restaurant the pastor who was our “support team” looked at his tire and realized it was low. When he put air in he could hear the air whooshing out. So we had an unplanned stop at the tire shop and sat while they bought two new tires for the truck.

This gave us a late start on our hike to the primitive campsite. I put on my 27lb pack; it was so heavy it seemed to pull me backwards! At 5,000 feet each step required exertion. We hiked 2 ½ miles in three hours. I wondered “How are we going to summit the mountain tomorrow?” We took out our tents, stoves, extra water, and air mattresses out of our packs. We walked down to the lake; collected water, filtered it, and boiled it to add to our freeze dried packs of food. It was 9 p.m.; we got our packs ready and crawled in our tents. In the night I heard the sounds of the wilderness, it sounded like animals, I pictured bears, sniffing around our tents. Then I shone a light and saw it was only the wind gently lifting and dropping the tent flaps.

I woke at 5am put my boots on and got my daypack ready with gloves, hat, down coat, climbing poles, high protein food, and three liters of water. We shared a verse together had a prayer and set out. We walked and walked, first the trail was over gently rolling hills then it began to get steeper. We walked through a boulder field, then over red lava rock path that was littered with “scree” with the mountain falling away on either side. The “scree” is a combination of sand, gravel and loose rock; it got in boots and made hiking difficult. Yet we kept climbing. The hardest part was at 9,700 feet, we had been walking over six hours, the path was steep, the red rock scree was deep, the wind was blowing, and there was no cover. I thought, “I really am on a mountain.”

I remember how I kept jogging on the red IWU track and just kept putting one foot in front of the other. The preparation on the track at IWU prepared me to reach the mountaintop. The preparation I did at IWU when I was a student over thirty years ago has prepared me for life as a nurse and missionary. It also prepared me spiritually, as I hiked a repeated a verse, “They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength they will mount up on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary they will walk and not faint.” I thank God that He did renew my strength and take me to the heights, I reached the summit! IWU is a place of preparation; you never know where it will take you!

See picture here of Cindy on top of the mountain

Examples of a World Changer

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In a recent chapel service at Indiana Wesleyan University, Dr. Keith Newman, CEO of Residential Education/Executive Vice President, spoke to the new students – the class of 2018 – sharing stories of alumni who have lived out the mission of IWU.

The University’s mission statement says, “Indiana Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered academic community committed to changing the world by developing students in character, scholarship, and leadership.”

Here are excerpts from a few of the stories that Dr. Newman shared.

Erik ’11
Eric is a fifth-grade teacher at Deer Run Elementary in Indianapolis. He graduated from IWU in April 2011. As a student, he served in the Dean of the Chapel’s Office as the Outreach Coordinator. He also worked for Conference Services and in the Rec and Wellness Center and was the Director of Promotion for Fusion and the Outreach Coordinator for Bowman House. Erik is changing the world one fifth grader at a time. He writes, “I get to live out my dream of teaching in a classroom! From the Revolutionary War to learning the ABCs, I do all I can to make the greatest learning experience for my students!”
Erik found his mission at IWU and is living it out in Indianapolis.

Cheryl Becket ’00
Cheryl was a PK, a preacher’s kid. She first lived in Evans Hall and then later in the Cox Apartments. She was a biology major, a bit of a science geek, a straight A student, and a valedictorian. IWU’s Christian commitment, strong biology department, scholarships and proximity to her home in northern Indiana were all a part of her decision to come to IWU. Cheryl studied a lot, but she was always willing to help others. She couldn’t say no. She was humble and disciplined and very determined. When she set her mind to something, she got it done. She wore sweatshirts and hoodies because she was always cold. Her roommates remember her studying with the hoodie tied tight so that all you could see was her face. Cheryl loved ice cream and was always up for a trip to Ivanhoe’s, a local attraction
Although Cheryl was a serious student, she was also very spontaneous, at times a bit goofy and loved a dare. She once ate a pepper in a jar at Steak ‘n Shake and her face turned assorted shades of red. Another time she and a friend tested Alka Seltzer and Sprite in their mouths to see who could keep it in longer. One of her favorite classes was entomology (she led a petition drive to get the class started). She spent three months bug hunting, including a camping trip to Tennessee where she accidentally pitched her tent on an anthill. She woke up to find the ants trying to carry her pinned bugs away. Cheryl did an IWU summer trip to Kenya where she collected more bugs but mostly fell in love with the people, especially the children. She loved candy corn in the fall. Her roommates were reluctant to tell me this, but they admitted that she once kept a cat in her room for a week and tried to keep it from meowing. Cheryl spent hours and hours in the lab. She loved the outdoors; hiking, exploring, discovering new places; always up for an adventure, she loved experiencing God’s creation. Cheryl loved her family and made quick weekend trips home to see them.
• She was handy and liked to fix things.
• She also liked to rescue things, such as a goldfish that kept jumping out of its bowl. Once the goldfish jumped into the sink and down the drain. Cheryl took the plumbing apart and managed to save the goldfish.
• And last, but certainly not least, Cheryl didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life when she was at IWU, but she loved God and was content to let Him lead her.
Here’s what you probably don’t know about Cheryl. In the summer of 2010, she and nine other medical aid workers were executed by the Taliban in the mountains of Afghanistan. Cheryl had been serving in Afghanistan for six years, helping mothers learn pre-natal care and teaching gardening for the purpose of growing more sustainable crops. Cheryl was 32 years old. Her mission was not as long as we would have liked, but she finished her race well and went to receive her reward as a faithful servant.

Dr. Darrell ‘73
Darrell came to IWU as a transfer student. He was an orphan who had been raised by his aunt and uncle. With little money, Darrell would work as many hours as he could, dropping out some semesters in order to work so that he could go back the following semester. His plan was to teach high school biology because he loved the sciences. While working at Marion General Hospital one semester, a doctor asked him what his plans were after graduation. Darrell shared his goal and was surprised by the doctor’s response. You see, the doctor saw something in Darrell that he didn’t see in himself. He told Darrell that he was going to medical school. Darrell explained his financial situation and his family situation, but the doctor was insistent and persistent. Today, on any given day, Dr. Darrell Hermann will be operating on some of the tiniest people on the planet. He is a gifted and skilled pediatric surgeon making a difference because someone helped him find his mission in life.

Francis Mustapha ‘72
You will have a chance to meet him during the spring semester, so I won’t say much here except to introduce this exceptional man to you. He graduated from IWU in 1972, and came to campus as a soccer player. From IWU he went on to a distinguished career as a high school biology teacher in Fort Wayne. Listen to these words about his journey, “In the West African village where I was born, no one could read or write. When a school opened in a nearby town and I was sent there, it changed my life! Those teachers, though imperfect, opened up the world for me.”
His dream has been to build a school in the village where he was born, and that dream is becoming a reality. You will meet Mr. Mustapha this year and hear first-hand his world changing story.

Dr. Kellie Haworth, ’00
This year’s Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient.
Again, this October in chapel you will hear Dr. Haworth, a medical doctor speak. She graduated from IWU 14 years ago with a bachelor of science degree in Chemistry and pre-medicine. She was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army where she rose to the rank of Major. Currently she is at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Kellie is a wife, a mother, a medical doctor, a researcher and she has an incredible story of how God called her and is using her through her work with pediatric oncology. I can hardly wait for you to hear her share her journey with you.

Ryan ‘00
Ryan has been a friend for 11 years. He is Canadian and came to Christ in his late teens. His desire to learn more about God and to tell others about his newfound faith led him to IWU where he learned about missions and opportunities available to serve God cross-culturally. During his years at IWU, God called Ryan to serve as a missionary. After serving for a number of years as the director of housing at another Christian university where I first met him, Ryan and Sarah, and their four children went to serve in Nicaragua. I have the privilege of receiving their prayer newsletters, and it is amazing to read how God is using them despite the hardships of raising a family in such a challenging environment.

Brandon Beachy ’09 – Atlanta Braves
Brandon came to IWU as a power-hitting third baseman – and a pre-law major – from Northwestern High School in Kokomo, Indiana. He took up relief pitching his freshman year and progressed to the point of throwing 90 mph fastballs. The summer before his junior year, a freak fireworks accident on the Fourth of July caused his family home to burn to the ground. Brandon suffered second- and third-degree burns on his back, shoulders and bottoms of his feet. When he came back to campus that fall, he put on the facade of moving on but was carrying the weight of guilt and blame for the loss of his family’s house. It was after a particularly angry practice that God spoke to Brandon and made him realize that he needed to forgive himself in order to feel the amazing grace of Jesus Christ.

The following summer, Brandon played in a baseball league in Virginia. An Atlanta Braves scout happened to see him pitch one night and convinced the Braves to sign him to a free agent contract. Two years later he had flown through the minor leagues, led all minor leagues in ERA and was called up to the Braves at the end of the season as an emergency replacement starter in a critical game.

The next season he made the Braves starting rotation and was leading the National League in ERA in 2012 when he tore a ligament in his elbow which required Tommy John surgery. He tore the same ligament again this spring and is currently undergoing rehabilitation from his second Tommy John surgery.

Brandon has consistently talked about how the Lord has taught him to appreciate and value everything. Listen to what Brandon says about his experiences. “How can I question the Lord now just because things are a little rough? He has written some great chapters in my life book recently, and now I have to embrace this new chapter even though it is hard to see a good ending some days. My identity is in Him and not in what I do, so whatever happens with baseball I have so much to be thankful for.”

There are many wonderful stories being shared by more than 75,000 alumni around the world. Many of our alumni are making impacts every day. We would love to hear what you are doing, so keep us informed! We also invite you to pray for our current students as they begin classes.

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