Andrews University Agenda

Andrews University Agenda http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/ News and Events at Andrews University en-us Copyright 2024, Andrews University Sat, 23 Nov 2024 22:09:00 +0000 Sat, 23 Nov 2024 22:09:00 +0000 webmaster@andrews.edu webmaster@andrews.edu José Bourget http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/55200 Two of my favorite things growing up were reading Bible stories and memorizing Bible verses. Weird, I know! But these two activities were associated with an experience of belonging, creativity and words of affirmation. Oftentimes our family worship was reading from The Blue Books (formally known as The Bible Stories by Arthur Maxwell) or dramatizing stories from Bible heroes and even playing different types of Bible trivia. We would pray together as a family and review the “lesson.” The real treat was showing up to Escuela Sabatica (Sabbath School) where I would get to see my friends who I hadn’t seen in a week. Then the teacher would punch a hole, or place a sticker, or paste something on an elaborate craft to celebrate when I recited the memory verse of the week. Adventures in the Bible continued when my mom married my stepdad who added three boys to her two. Friday nights, with the invention of handheld screens absent, we really got creative to keep ourselves engaged. It was a simple game that involved our minds, hearts and bodies. Each of us would have our own Bible (mine I earned from getting to Sabbath School early for an entire quarter). One of us would be the “quarterback” who would call out a Bible book, chapter and verse. As soon as you found the verse, you would read it and then you were released to run the course around the house. The first one back to the Bible would get a point. You use your mind to find the verse. Your heart to run. And your body to keep the other brothers from getting through the obstacle course before you. We almost never broke something. True story. As I got older, the Bible was a steady guide when I reached for it. I didn’t always reach for it. But when I did, eventually it provided the right-sized story or verse to give my soul the nourishment it needed. This is when I realized that the Bible is more than interesting stories and encouraging words. It is one of the ways that God speaks to me (and you!). Did you see that I use the word “eventually”? It’s really tempting to always take a quarterback approach when using the Bible as a guide. We expect that we ask our question to the Word and the Word will spiral back the answer. If life was simply about waking up, eating and going to sleep, this approach of “question asked and answered” might be enough. But I want a life that is more than merely existing. I share all this because I learned something new about myself from one of my favorite Bible promises. It is a favorite of many found in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Sometimes I have approached this verse with the lens of one of the worst, albeit popular, versions of a stereotypical man. What does that mean? Let me try to demonstrate. The verse ordains me to plot out uncharted territory. When confronted with obstacles, I will, by my strength and my might, be more than a conqueror. Standing firmly with the spirit of my understanding and prophetic vision. I press on to finish the race second only to Jesus and making sure others see my straight and narrow path. Though I’ve been bruised and mocked, these weaknesses of the flesh reflect the strength of my convictions…..(or something like that). I had a plan. Like a really good plan filled with so many favorite things, and it stretched out years beyond the present, accounted for various contingencies, maximized values, and included life goals. God showed me one next step, then I planned and locked myself into several more steps beyond what God had actually revealed. The Bible tells us to not go to fortune-tellers, but sometimes when we look only inside ourselves that’s what we become, our own fortune-tellers. Here’s another favorite Bible verse: “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life” (Psalm 143:8). It was morning when I was presented with a choice to formally and fully serve Andrews University. And my first mistake was pretty typical for me: quick to speak and quick to act. That kind of impulse can sometimes move you to walk on water or other times to cut off someone’s ear. In this case, it was the latter and it was my own ear. I said no, and I wasn’t even aware of the hearing loss I just brought on myself. Even worse, it is hard to actually trust God when you are showing Him the way to go. Moving that quickly reminds me of a guy I used to work for. It took me forever to appreciate one of his best qualities—patience. Of course he didn’t think he was very patient. Yet over and over again, as he gave God time to act, things worked out in ways that had God’s fingerprints all over them. Come to think of it, this man probably felt impatient but wasn’t willing to act until God said so. I’ve gathered that the act of waiting to hear the voice of God during devotional time guided his professional life as well. He also got exceptionally annoyed when I attempted to finish his sentences. And those two things make a lot more sense now. Here’s why. The Bible presents really good answers. But taking time to listen allows the living Word to come alive in us. Basically, when I’m quick to listen and slow to speak, I give God time to finish His own sentences. It’s one of my new favorite things. Giving time to listen for the voice of God. I’d like to tell you that I know exactly why and to what end God has brought me to Andrews University now. The simple fact is I don’t. But I did eventually allow God to speak a complete sentence. Essentially He said “Go!” So I made the trek of about 100 yards north. Now it is time to listen so we can hear the next step God wants us to take. Hopefully, we’ll give time for God to finish the sentence. Tue, 21 Jan 2020 10:20:42 +0000 Alayne Thorpe http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/52901 My earliest memories are all connected to education—my father, a fifth/sixth grade teacher, teaching his students and working with those who needed extra instruction, my mother baking cookies for his classroom, my father taking his class on a picnic and playing games with them. I learned two important lessons from these early, chalk- and book-filled years—education is a sacred profession where a good and caring teacher can change a student’s life and, from my mother, all children can learn and are worth your respect. These lessons remained with me, even after my father and mother were both hospitalized and I had to help my grandmother raise my younger siblings (two brothers and a sister). It was because of my parents’ illnesses that we first came into contact with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. My father spent a number of months in what used to be called the Washington Adventist Sanitarium (now Hospital) in Takoma Park, Maryland, and our family was “adopted” by the small church attached to the hospital. Church members brought food to help my mother, provided child care for my siblings, and, most importantly, gave us Bible studies in our home. And through their loving efforts, I learned another important lesson—that a church filled with committed Christians can keep a family together. I was lucky enough to earn full scholarships for college and attended the University of Maryland so that I could continue to help my mother with my brothers and sisters. When I was 19, my mother, my sister and one of my brothers and I were baptized as Seventh-day Adventists. My father was baptized the following year, less than 11 months before he died. I began working for the Seventh-day Adventist Church first as a curriculum specialist and editor for Home Study Institute, eventually becoming a faculty member at Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) and, ultimately, vice president for Education for Griggs International Academy/Griggs University (GIA/GU). I feel that the Lord has blessed me in my professional life. By working at GIA/GU, I have been able to work with students at almost every level from preschool through graduate school and in many countries. Under the leadership of Joseph Gurubatham, GIA/GU became an educational equivalent of ADRA, working with educational institutions around the world to build local capacity, making it possible for students in Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, India, Venezuela, Eastern Europe, China and, yes, even in underserved communities in the U.S., to have access to Adventist education. Joseph Gurubatham was an exceptional mentor who helped me to realize that Adventist institutions could work together to find solutions for Black South African pastors who, because of Apartheid, were unable to benefit from the training available to their white colleagues. In South Africa, GIA/GU offered pastoral training programs in collaboration with Bethel College and the General Conference. For six years, I had the pleasure of traveling to South Africa and watching students who completed high school equivalency programs, then associate degrees and, ultimately, bachelor’s degrees. More than 200 pastors were helped through this collaboration. I have never experienced a more joyful graduation than that first graduation at Bethel College—the singing and crying and, yes, dancing in celebration of the accomplishments of the students. I worked together with Valley View College (now University) to offer government-approved degree programs for more than 100 students, many of whom now serve the church as pastors and administrators around the world. And with Newbold College to provide undergraduate education to pastors in the Balkan states after the fall of Communism. We had students who spent years in prison because of their beliefs but who were finally able to study theology. And with students in West Africa who were not able to take government exams because they were offered only on the Sabbath. For these students, we worked with the West-African Division to develop a high school equivalency exam that the colleges and universities could use for admission. Or students in mainland China, working in collaboration with Taiwan Adventist College and Hong Kong Adventist College. I have had the pleasure of working with people such as Marion Hartlein, Erma Lee, Larry Blackmer and Arne Nielsen to help K–12 schools throughout the North American Division to supplement programs and support students who need something the local school cannot offer. The Lord has blessed me in that I have seen the transformative power of Adventist education up close—in the lives of hundreds of students who were helped because institutions, organizations and church entities were able to look beyond their institutional barriers and toward the needs of the students. There is one story I will never forget—we worked for many years with a number of Job Corps Centers throughout the U.S. (career training programs and Griggs International Academy provided the opportunity for their students to complete high school). We were packing boxes to move GIA/GU to Andrews University when I was called to the front desk where a young woman waited for me. She wanted to shake my hand and to say thank you. She’d had a baby at 13 and dropped out of school, but she was determined to change her life. Because of the partnership between Griggs and Job Corps, she had finished high school, gone to community college and was working for the Postal Service. She pulled a picture of her daughter out of her wallet and told me, “This is what you have done. You have changed my life. You have changed her life, and I just wanted to say thank you.” I know that for every success story, there may be many failures, but without educational opportunities, there are no success stories. So, what have I learned in my life? The power of Christian education to transform, the power of collaboration to make transformation possible, and, most of all, that what is best for the student is more important than what is best for me. Everywhere I look at Andrews University, I see the power of Christian education in the faces of students on our campus and off, graduate and undergraduate, face-to-face and online. What a blessing it is to play a small role in helping the transformation to take place. Mon, 29 Apr 2019 13:55:54 +0000 Tony Yang http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/52834 What do you do when God doesn’t answer your prayer? I confess that I usually take the standard two-step approach: 1) I convince myself that it must not be God’s will 2) I stop praying about it. I normally don’t stress about it too much and go on with life. But there was one particular prayer that was different. It started five years ago in 2014, when my wife and I were praying more than usual for our three girls. For reasons we didn’t know at the time, we kept asking where we should raise them. While there were many good reasons to stay in Southern California—family, close friends, pleasant year-round weather, and a house we really liked—we were strongly impressed to ask if that’s where God wanted us. It didn’t take long for His answer to become clear. In fact, the conviction was so strong my wife and I put our house up for sale before we knew where we were going. I know, that sounds crazy—almost reckless. But we figured if God wanted us to do this, we should be ready so that when He said “go” we wouldn’t be tied down by a home that needed to sell. Then, when our house sold almost immediately, we found ourselves asking: “Now what?” So, we decided to rent while we waited on God. I mean really, how long could He possibly take to give us an answer? All of these prayers and changes were happening coincidentally—perhaps divinely—as I was about to make one of the biggest decisions of my life. I had received a call to serve as a lay pastor at a church in Los Angeles. While it was completely unexpected, it wasn’t all that surprising when you consider that I first felt the call to pastoral ministry when I was just 6 years old. But somewhere during my high school/teen years, I decided to run away from that call. As I got older, I found myself running faster and farther away. Now, some 40+ years later I faced the fact that I can’t outrun God’s convictions. That voice was still there—stronger than ever. So, I continued to do a lot of praying. But, if I were to be perfectly honest, I think my decision to pray was not as noble or admirable as it may sound. The same reasons I ran away from God’s call for so many years were still driving my decisions. Rather than humbly surrendering, my prayers felt more like a wrestling match with God about giving up what I had worked so hard to attain. My accomplishments were modest, but in my own little world my life was coming together quite nicely. After about eight years as a television news reporter, I transitioned to healthcare communication and marketing—quickly moving up the management ladder, initially in a hospital setting. University of Southern California (USC) then recruited me to lead a significant marketing assignment as its executive director. Eventually I landed at Loma Linda University Health, where I served as assistant vice president of public affairs for the system of schools, hospitals and physician group. That’s where I was when I came to a crossroads. I had to figure out whether I should keep going—stay on a successful career path. Or, should I and my family take a sharp turn—start a new path that includes ministry? All the rational arguments in my head were loud and compelling: Be practical. You’ve worked hard. It’d be a waste to change now. Besides, you can do ministry when you retire. But that other voice in my head and heart—more of a quiet whisper, really—was equally strong: You’ve been running away for too long. Isn’t it about time? If you’re going to do this, you’ve got to do it while you have some years left in you if you’re going to make a meaningful impact. I discovered that these thoughts were swirling around in my head, kicking up so much dust that I could no longer see clearly anymore. At that point, God directed me to a book that cut straight through the cloud of confusion. This book used sports as an analogy to point out that most of us spend the first half of our lives seeking success. But by the time we reach our second half, many of us begin to desire significance over success. Yeah, that’s me! I found out I had entered my life’s halftime, which happens to be the exact title of the book—“Halftime.” The book suggested that many people panic during this stage of life, which often leads to poor choices in the form of some sort of a mid-life crisis. But with careful planning and strategizing, combined with prayer and dependence on God, this book suggested that we can be very intentional during our halftime for an exciting and truly meaningful second half of our lives. So, I found myself still at a crossroads, but now I was able to see clearly the names of the two roads in front of me: Success and Significance. I decided it was time to change course. I accepted the pastoral call. To make room in my life, I made some adjustments in my professional life by switching to a less demanding position. It was initially tough on my ego and my pocketbook, but God pulled me through by showing me an even more clear path toward my second half. The reality is that this book, these prayers, these plans all took about three years to sort through. But during that time I never stopped praying about our initial question: where should my family and I live? In fact, I prayed every single day about it. In retrospect, I realize that God wanted to work on a few things in my life before answering our prayer. It was after I had surrendered it all to Him—three long years later—very suddenly multiple signs clearly pointed to Michigan, including a job offer from Andrews University. As a California guy, I have to admit that I asked God—even as we were driving out here—Michigan? Are you sure, God? But after being here for nearly two years now, God is faithfully showing me significant reasons why we are here. Our children are thriving at Ruth Murdoch Elementary School and Andrews Academy and immersing themselves in the community. As for my path from success to significance, I have the privilege of serving as an associate vice president, chief marketing officer and world changer at Andrews University. I also have the blessing of serving as the pastor of Living Springs Fellowship, the English-speaking congregation at Andrews Korean SDA Church. Because the group is almost entirely college students, my job at Andrews University is the perfect complement. And I even have the convenience of walking from my office to the classroom to pursue my MDiv at the Seminary. Now, my entire life is my ministry. As I reflect on all these prayers and decisions inspired by God, I realize that I couldn’t have planned it better myself. Good thing I didn’t have to. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Thu, 18 Apr 2019 20:14:43 +0000 Jephthah Ndlovu http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/51947 One of my earliest childhood memories is the fire in my belly to become a pilot. I had never boarded an airplane or visited an airport, but I was, interestingly, inspired by the birds that I’d see flying in the sky. Their graceful flight kept me thinking that one day I, too, could fly the boundless skies. Being cognizant of my dreams, my eternally optimistic mother would always look me straight in the eyes and say, “My son, God will make you fly a plane one day.” Her words added hope to my dreams! I am forever indebted to God for giving me a mother who has UNRESERVED faith in me! I am blessed to have grown under godly parents who are my secondary role models after Jesus Christ. My dad is an ordained Seventh-day Adventist minister, and because of that my childhood was adventurous. One of the early lessons that life taught me was the inevitability of change. My dad’s pastoral ministry meant that we would frequently relocate homes when dad was assigned to a different church. Eventually, my dad accepted the call to serve at Solusi University in Zimbabwe, the place which I now regard as my home. Growing up in a pastoral family and African home meant that I grew up in an extended family. My dad and I were the only males at home until early in my teenage years, when my younger brother was born. In jest, I would use my family dynamics to explain why my cooking skills are less than perfect. As a family, my father instilled in us an honor for the principles of Gethsemane and OneAnotherness. Our Gethsemane is a designated prayer place where our battles are won. And our OneAnotherness promotes love for everyone by understanding that “we do not need to look alike, just love alike.” These principles still serve me well. I have a deep respect for people and a burning desire to spread love—God’s love. In 2014, I had the awesome privilege of attending the Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and visited Andrews University. On my flight back to Zimbabwe, my prayer was, “God, you have placed this calling to be a pilot within me. Moreover, I’ve seen firsthand the fleet of planes at Your institution. Next year this time, I need to return to Andrews and pursue aviation so I can fly and take the Three Angels’ Messages to the whole world.” At that time all I had was a dream! I was on my way back to a country that was still regarded as Third World. I reviewed the information from Andrews University—tuition was beyond my reach. I claimed the promise that “with God all things are possible.” I wanted to become a part of a family of world changers. God saw to it that the next year, fall 2015, I enrolled as an aviation flight student at Andrews. I believe in a God who still answers prayer, and each semester here at Andrews has propagated a testimony. One of the many is God’s mind-boggling intervention in my finances at Andrews. I received an email which I label as a “divine hook-up.” The email was from then-provost Andrea Luxton. At first, I thought it was one of the random messages that we receive as students, but this one had my name on it. God had answered our family prayer. I had received the “Dare to Dream” scholarship, which alleviated my financial burdens. During my first semester at Andrews University, there were countless moments when someone would mistake me as a seminary student. Being a religion major had never crossed my mind. But then I had a life-threatening experience during the second semester of my freshman year and was admitted to the ICU. After this experience and many other indications, I was convicted to add religion as a second major to my aviation flight. I believe these two will complement each other well in my dream to be a missionary pilot. Since my time in the hospital, it has never been medically explained what actually caused the experience. The Federal Aviation Administration interrupted my aviation journey because they would not risk me flying after that experience. They still have not cleared me to fly, though they have asked for information in an ongoing review process. As disheartening as that could be, I am currently in my senior year and scheduled to graduate with a BA in religion. My faith is unwavering because of the promise that He who has begun a good work in me is faithful to mold me into the missionary pilot that He would want me to be. I am humbled to serve with the Watchmen, a contemporary gospel a cappella group delivering an urgent message to a cold world. Since its formal inception on February 9, 2017, God has confirmed that He is willing to use even the chief of sinners to fulfill His great commission. This ministry serves to announce that it is time to make Jesus go viral! Because of God, we just recorded our debut album at the 3ABN studios. It will be released on February 9, 2019. Some of the group members are international students who have been blessed with the grand opportunity to attain knowledge at Andrews University. It is for this reason that the ministry has created the Watchmen Educational Scholarship Fund* to financially support international students who aspire to study at Andrews University. This initiative will be primarily enhanced by the album project. Andrews has greatly influenced my perspective on life. I am determined to change the world starting from the smallest circle of influence I have. I am going by faith into the next phase, praying that God fulfills my dream to be a missionary pilot. My definition of “missionary pilot” has always been about service. Hence anywhere, anyhow and whomever that God wills that I serve, may His will be done. I pray someone is inspired to live to their fullest potential as they await a Jesus who is coming in the fullness of time! Thus far I don’t know how that will happen, but where God leads I will follow! *The Watchmen Educational Scholarship Fund is currently organized and processed by the Watchmen and is independent of Andrews University. Wed, 23 Jan 2019 16:17:55 +0000 Christian Guana-Jarrin http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/51604 Being raised as a Roman Catholic in Ecuador was just part of the norm or tradition, and bearing a name that friends used to make fun of at times while in primary school was just something that did not bother me. I did not care. But things can radically change when we experience the manifestation of becoming our true selves, and so it was when I became a Christian. I was no longer part of an old tradition that was so rooted in my culture. I realized that my name literally meant what I had just become—but who is a Christian? And what does it mean to be a Christian? I made my way to the University of Sydney and earned a bachelor’s in computer engineering, then embarked on an awesome IT career during which I traveled through 32 countries—I am so thankful to God for this. But coming back to Latin America where I also worked in a senior IT position started to shape a new me. Yes, I was already a Christian, but I knew something more was missing. I believe that Christianity should go beyond the four walls of a sanctuary, and living in Mexico City for four years radically changed my understanding of who a Christian is and what it means to be one. You see, Latin America is a special land, a place of so much history, culture and beauty in nature. But at the same time, it is a place where globalized countries have countless social problems due to political systems that have barely tried to develop and provide equal access to opportunities for all society. And so you see injustice, poverty, insecurity, corruption, crime, hunger and all the problems that Latin American governments face, such as improving access and quality of public services, relationships between politicians and society, police behavior, health, social activism and even the environment. Do we just accept the world as it is and go with the flow? After all, this is the easiest thing to do, right? This is when I, with other like-minded people, started to do something for others without even knowing how it was going to end (and I’m still on that journey). We visited orphanages, parks where homeless people lived and nursing homes. We did this for Christ, sharing the good news of salvation, and the whole experience silently started to shape a new me, a new Christian. Later on, things got even bigger as we organized social and medical fairs in rural communities of different states in Mexico. We helped many people by bringing them groceries, clothes, shoes and toys for the children. We presented Christmas plays sharing the stories of Jesus and afterwards brought doctors with free medicine and glasses. When you understand that seeking a faith experience is about giving yourself to others, this radically changes how you understand what it means to be a Christian. Christians need to change the world by committing to a true revolution of thought and action. This experience of giving ourselves to others brought me to Andrews University, the mecca of Adventist theology, and I am completing a Master of Divinity (MDiv) in order to go out and continue changing the world with Christ. As I finished my first year in the MDiv program, there was a poster on campus advertising the need of missionaries in Cuba for one whole school year. I put my name down. After all, it was this notion of giving myself to others that brought me to Andrews. At the end of the interview and selection processes, I was one of two student missionaries who entered Cuba after 55 years—the last Christian missionary had been forced to leave the country in 1963 due to the Cuban revolution. And going to Cuba confirmed once again that as Christians, going with the flow is just not enough. We need to give ourselves to others, which in the end is what it means to be Christian (John 3:16 becomes so much more vivid when we consider the word “gave”—God has given us the supreme example). I am thankful to my God for all that He used me to do for His glory in the Cuban city of Santiago during the one year of service there. I am grateful for the new friends made and the CDAR ministry that is led by youth and young adults and still causing a difference to this day (if you are interested, search for “CDAR” on YouTube). In spite of all my wrongdoings and failures, I thank God for the many people touched by the Gospel, the 48 precious souls who committed their lives to God and the 20 that I continue to pray for and stay in contact with, hoping they will one day accept Christ as their Savior. Ultimately, I thank God for confirming once again who a Christian is and what it means to be one. As we live in a world where practically every human being is somehow dependent on the continued flow of money, goods, culture and people, let us give ourselves to others in our circles of influence. Let us go beyond the four walls of a sanctuary and understand that going with the flow is just not enough. Let us rekindle the spark that ignites a commitment toward a true revolution of thought and action. Let us wholeheartedly change this world with Christ and for Christ! Maranatha! “Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (GNT). Mon, 10 Dec 2018 14:40:10 +0000 Newton Hoilette http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/51301 My life really started in high school in Jamaica. I was in an Anglican school at the time and determined to be a doctor; I would have been like Albert Schweitzer if my mother had her wishes. But being one of only four Adventists in the school, I soon found myself a witness and that, along with being very active in my local church, made me passionate about making a difference in the community and the lives of individuals. It was natural, then, when I went to West Indies College to become engaged in evangelism and ministry in addition to studying for my bachelor’s degree in theology. I found leadership instinctive and with outstanding mentors in my mother and church elders my path developed towards being a pastor, a youth minister with particular interest in Pathfinders. That is where my career officially started: inclusive of being a pastor in Jamaica, conducting a large tent crusade, directing the conference youth camp, visioning and building up a new campground—working 24/7 literally, driven by passion for young people. But God had even bigger plans for me, and so I was called to West Indies College as a dean of men. God’s ways are not always understood, and I didn’t understand them then, neither did many of my colleagues. But I followed God’s leading and soon realized why. I am still friends today with the young men whom I worked with and for at that time. I continued to follow God’s leading through an MA at Andrews University, a supporting area of church administration with a concentration in counseling, as well as an EdD in educational psychology and counseling with a minor in religious education. After graduation in 1979, I returned to West Indies College with wider responsibilities of dean of students and academic dean but still passionate about students. There I led the first formidable self-study of West Indies College, with the view of attaining college-wide accreditation, which was presented to the Ministry of Education. It was in 1982 that, due to the medical needs of my wife, I finally moved to the United States permanently, making my home in the Detroit/Southfield area. There I became director of clinical services for a neuropsychiatric clinic and subsequently program manager for chronic pain management in a local hospital. I loved working in that environment because again I saw myself as helping people. In 1988, when I was called to be vice president for Student Services at Andrews University, it was a hard decision on the one hand to move from my comfortable life, but on the other hand it was passion for the youth of the church that moved me to accept. The salary drop was over 50 percent, but I believe it was God-ordained. My first year I traveled from Southfield, leaving at 4:30 in the morning and sometimes returning home after midnight after leaving my office on campus after 9 p.m. I didn’t mind, not only because of passion but also because I believed that God had prepared me for this job at this time. I had experience in all nine departmental areas which fell under my responsibilities: from student activities to the counseling center to residence halls to the medical center to discipline to campus ministries to career planning and placement to international student services and intramurals. There are some very specific memories of Andrews University which I cherish. They include the contributions I made and that which I tried to bring to the table. I had been taught by my mother to be myself and to present well, so I always wore a suit and a tie, together with a matching pocket piece! It was critical to me to be intentional as a role model, particularly for minority students, hopefully showing them the value of pride in personal appearance. I also introduced the worship service known as New Life Fellowship so that students could experience a familiar worship style and be actively engaged in that worship and initiated a mentoring program for minority students through the formation of the Black Faculty Fellowship in 1989. I also initiated and inspired the genesis of the development of the Socrates Project in Benton Harbor. During those years at Andrews I originated, developed and presented to the Board my vision for and the concept of a “gymnatorium” (a combination of a new gymnasium and auditorium space, complete with facilities for wellness activities inclusive of a new swimming pool, a walking track, basketball, racquetball, etc.). I could see huge student need for these spaces and, as I stated then, this new facility would enhance the recruiting efforts of the University. The Board voted the building of this facility in support of my vision. Other projects such as Buller Hall, already on stream, were in the planning stages. The Howard Performing Arts Center emerged as a donor gift (which met part of the need I had envisioned). Then three years ago, two of my former colleagues, the vice president for University Advancement and vice president for Student Life met with me to give me the good news that my dream was finally in the process of realization. I was able to see for myself the evolution of the plans I had originally sketched with content, now in an architectural form. The former president then affirmed the reality of my building the next day in church. I am finally pleased that my vision and dream will be realized with the new Andreasen Center for Wellness. I was also involved in other campus-wide initiatives and made connections in organizations beyond the campus. In 1989, faculty and staff service awards banquet recognition was improved and enhanced through my direct involvement and effort by creating certificates, plaques and monetary gifts for recipients at determined five-year levels. In 1991 I was invited to become a member of the Consultant Evaluator Corps of the North Central Accrediting Association of Schools and Colleges/Universities, now known as the Higher Learning Commission. Upon leaving Andrews, I received due recognition for my 12 years of valuable service from the Corps. However, all the projects and interests I engaged in were all important only because of my passion for students. That is why on Sabbaths my wife, Elaine, and I would host an average of 25 students (along with faculty and staff) for lunch, as just one indication of our love and nurture for students. We wanted to give them a respite, to invest in them, because we wanted them to understand their value and potential. Lives were changed and commitments to service and the gospel were made. I believe that is why the former president presented me with the J.N. Andrews replica, “Legacy of Leadership,” endorsed to me and my beautiful wife who served along with me for the 15 years of my vice presidency. I left Andrews 15 years ago, but I want you to know that my passion for students at Andrews is still alive and well. I am proud of my daughter, Dr. Leesha Hoilette, who celebrates 25 years as an alumnus of Andrews Academy and am also proud that my adopted granddaughter Maya Nelson is in her junior year at Andrews. The legacy continues. Fri, 02 Nov 2018 10:11:00 +0000 Ale Pineda http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/51190 High school was ending, and I had to make a decision to go to college somewhere. It was hard to decide because I was so comfortable where I was. I had a solid group of friends, I was in a relationship, I was doing really well. I was refusing change. A month or two before graduation, all the doors to come to Andrews opened up, so I decided to just go with it and see where life took me. I remember getting into the car at the South Bend airport and driving to Andrews University. It was one of the longest car rides of my life. I wasn't sure what I was doing—I didn't understand my purpose. I remember being so incredibly scared and asking God why I had to be here. Orientation week was one of the hardest weeks of my life. I moved to a different country, I didn't know anyone, I was unsure of my major, and I was going to be in an education system I knew nothing about. I remember craving a typical Hispanic dish: rice and beans. The Thursday of orientation week, I remember waking up and praying that God would give me a sign to show me there was a reason I had to stay here because I was so ready to pack my bags and go home. I walked into the department orientation breakfast and found the education table (I was an education major at first) and met a few different people who told me about this little place called the Gazebo. They told me all about the “cheap” prices and the really good quesadillas. I asked my mom if we could go and try it out. And as I walked into the Gazebo, I saw the TV screen advertising rice and beans for $2.27. This was the sign I needed. This was God talking to me and showing me how he would provide for me. Three years later, I can definitely see my purpose. I can tell how much I’ve grown. I can tell how much the environment around me has influenced my personality and who I am on a day-to-day basis. I am forever grateful for everything that has happened at Andrews and all the opportunities I’ve been provided. Tue, 23 Oct 2018 11:51:56 +0000 Tanya Thomas http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/51021 I was a broken, lost soul with very little support and no real family. It was God’s divine power and love that saved me just when I needed it the most. When I found out that I was pregnant, I felt alone and scared. I cried out to God for the first time in my life, not knowing if He was even there or listening. I had been doing everything my way for the first 25 years of my life, but it was clear that what I was doing was not working. I knew that I had to make a change because I wanted the very best for my baby; I wanted to give her the life I never had. I prayed to God for guidance and for my baby to be a girl. He blessed me with both. I did not grow up as a Seventh-day Adventist or even a Christian and had very little knowledge about God. But I met a kind and wise woman at my previous job who introduced me to a living faith that gave me hope. As a lifelong Christian, her consistent kindness and love made me curious about her religion, her church and her beliefs. She never asked me if I wanted to read the Bible or study with her. Instead, she patiently waited for me to be ready—she waited for the Holy Spirit to impress me at just the right time. One day I asked her if I could study with her. She was happy to come over to read and study the Bible together. She and I, and my beautiful baby, met once a week to eat and study together. Eventually, I decided to give my life to Christ and dedicate my daughter to Him, to raise her in the ways of the Lord. After a series of Bible studies that led me to Jesus and an understanding of Adventist beliefs, I visited Pioneer Memorial Church, where Pastor Dwight made an altar call: “If you are praying about getting baptized, don’t wait, the time is now.” I said to myself, “Ok, I will do it.” I contacted the church and requested to be baptized and to dedicate my daughter—but both by Pastor Dwight. Being a very reputable man and in high demand, the odds were slim. However, by the grace of God, he was able and willing to do my baptism and dedicate my daughter the same day. We have been following God ever since. We center our lives around the ways of the Lord and seek His direction in all things. For the first time ever, I feel a sense of safety and security, a sense of belonging. Ever since God came into my life, He became my family, my friend and my strength. Even if we had nothing, we still have someone, He who will never leave us or forsake us. Before I found God, I was always nervous and scared of everything, but now I am stronger and less afraid. I pray to God for everything every day, for He is the source of life. Now don’t get me wrong, bad things do happen. Being a Christian doesn't exempt us from troubles and tribulations. But the difference is that He is with us and we know it. There are many things on our hearts, but we leave them at His feet and wait for His leading. We are in His waiting room. God is faithful and provides every one of our needs according to His perfect will. Just this past Christmas, we received a wonderful blessing, something that we have been praying for. An anonymous church member bought us a newer used car, as we had a very old one costing us a lot in repairs. My daughter and I are very happy with our wonderful gift and enjoy it every day. Also, He has given us some wonderful friends, who have become like family to us. God has opened doors for work for me as well, with the opportunity for me to further my higher education through online classes here at Andrews, so that I can support my family while pursuing a passion that He has impressed upon me. God continues to amaze me with all the ways that He is working in our lives. He has helped me to see our need for Him in our lives. I am so thankful for the opportunity to simultaneously work full-time and work on my degree part-time. My academic advisor and my professors have been very helpful and have been encouraging me through the challenges. I have found faith, work, friends and the opportunity to further my higher education in a way that fits my busy life. Now, in more ways than I could have ever imagined, I am no longer alone, and I am becoming the person God created me to be. Our lives are forever dedicated to His work, service and purpose. Mon, 01 Oct 2018 13:23:26 +0000