November 2012 Edition

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AMAZING STORIES

Adams Memorial Hospital Welcomes Dr. Kathleen Heimann Dr. Kathleen Heimann graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Neurophysiology and a B.A. in Spanish. She then went on to receive her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Western University in Pomona, California where she also completed an OMT Fellowship and Masters of Professional Adult Education. Dr. Heimann completed her Family Practice Residency from the Ft. Wayne Medical Education Program in Ft. Wayne, IN. She is certified as an Impact Concussion Management Physician.

She is welcoming new family practice and OB patients, and has a special gift in relating to and educating her patients. Dr. Heimann is fluent in Spanish and has additional training in Napro Technology and has special interest in women’s reproductive health. She is married to Kyle Heimann and they will reside in Decatur with their two young boys.

Dr. Heimann will be joining Decatur Family Medicine physicians, Dr. Crystal Jencks, left and Dr. Jessamine Hippensteel, center.

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ONTENTS NOVEMBER 2012

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SCHOOL NOTES DEPARTMENT Featuring Bluffton-Harrison MSD

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NOVEMBER FEATURE ARTICLE

Vol. 4, No. 11, November 2012 © Wabash Valley Living, 2012. Published monthly. In print, by the grace of God, since June 2009.

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An Amazing Pair of Athletes

Caring Community Makes a Difference

Devout Dreams: An Unconventional Nun

Following a Dream

The Heart of a Marathon Runner

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School Notes A Great Time to be a Bluffton Tiger

Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District (BHMSD) students and staff are working toward another outstanding school year.

As summer quickly turned into fall, students were welcomed back to BHMSD with a new tool at their disposal. The school year began with the distribution of an Apple iPad for all students throughout the district.

Each day in the district, students and staff collaborate with one another in a truly remarkable digital environment, as teachers are able to incorporate 21st century skills into every aspect of the classroom. Coupling the daily student use of iPads with the district’s existing wireless infrastructure, BHMSD is poised for the technological age in education.

The district’s mission aims to provide “a learning community where a quality education empowers all students to learn and achieve to their full potential,” which aligns perfectly to the technology advancements occurring throughout the district. Students at BHMSD are immersed in a multi-faceted learning environment,

striving to maximize student potential in all areas.

Across the district, highly-qualified teachers positively impact students each day, striving to enhance student achievement.

Ultimately, the district strives to succeed in the areas of student achievement, school environment, staff effectiveness, community partnership, and service to stakeholders.

The results of recent academic achievements have left BHMSD proud of its students and staff. With 2012 ISTEP scores increasing by 6.9%, the district academic growth ranks 13th in the state.

Student ISTEP achievement is at the highest in school history, with results surpassing the state average in both Math and Language Arts for grades 3 through 7.

On the heels of this outstanding ISTEP performance, BHMSD schools have also been recognized by the IDOE as an “A” school corporation for the second year in a row!

What a great time to be a Bluffton Tiger!

–Wayne Barker, Superintendant Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District

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AN AMAZING PAIR

OF ATHLETES

by Mark Okoniewski ■ ■ ■ Editor’s Note: The Indianapolis Colts waived Chandler Harnish just before this article went to print. Still, Chandler deserves to be honored for his accomplishments—and, he certainly has a bright future ahead of him! We felt it a privilege to run this article as it was written before news of the waiver.

T

he Norwell High School community in Wells County has had the privilege of watching two young men rise to the top levels of their individual athletic professions. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Chandler Harnish and Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jared Parker not only attended Norwell High School, but they also graduated the same year.

for years, and his boys occasionally accompanied him to the gym for evening practices.

Chandler’s father, Ron Harnish, recalls, “Chandler was always a little different. He always needed to be doing something.” The elder Harnish has coached the freshman basketball team at Norwell

Chandler started playing organized football in third grade, but Leeann Harnish was not thrilled, says Ron. “His mother made it clear to me, right from the start, that she would prefer Chandler not play quarterback.”

“His older brother might or might not decide to go, but Chandler was going every time. In fact, when it was time to round up the boys for practice, I would usually find Chandler already sitting in the car, buckled and ready to go.”

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As it turned out, another youngster played the position, and Chandler enjoyed his initial exposure to the game so much that he grew to love playing elsewhere. However, the following season, it became obvious to Ron Harnish that his son would switch positions. “The quarterback moved away, and Chandler just naturally fell into the position. It really was not too hard of a sell at home.”

As Chandler entered high school, his work ethic became evident to those around him. And, his leadership skills caused his teammates to work harder, as well.

“Chandler was that kid who was the first one on the field or in the weight room, and the last to leave,” reports athletic director Eric Gordon.

“He had that very rare ability to make everyone around him better.

“His command of the huddle, and the confidence he showed, rubbed off on his teammates at the high school level, as well as at Northern Illinois.”

Chandler’s senior season found his team on the losing end of the state championship game, and they ended the season 14-1. For his performance that year, he received the Phil Eskew Mental Attitude Award, The Ft. Wayne News Sentinel Athlete of the Year award, and he was chosen as all-conference, all-area, and all-state. He was also selected to play in the north/south all-star game.

Chandler’s career at Norwell included records for passing yards (4,760), touchdown passes (48), and completions (300), as well as all-purpose yards (7,103). His elusiveness allowed him to gain over 2,300 yards on the ground, while scoring an additional 35 touchdowns.

Chandler was also a starter on the Norwell basketball team, where he earned all-conference as a junior. And, during his junior year in high school, he was the conference, sectional and regional champion in the discus. That season, he finished sixth in the state.

Chandler committed to Northern Illinois University and had a very impressive collegiate career with the Huskies. NIU was the only Football Bowl Subdivision school to offer Chandler a scholarship—and, he did not disappoint.

Overall, he set 30 NIU career records during his four years and was the first quarterback to lead the team to four straight bowl appearances. He threw for over 8,900 yards, while completing 61.9% of his pass attempts. He connected for 68 touchdowns and threw only 26 interceptions.

The young quarterback rushed for 2,983 yards and tallied 24 touchdowns. His career total of 11,927 total yards ranks third in the MAC conference.

Chandler’s senior season total of 1,397 rushing yards ranked first in the country in the FBS, and he was the fourth quarterback in FBS history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in one season.

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In 2011, Chandler received the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and was voted the MAC MVP by league coaches. He was also honored in New York City as one of only 16 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes for 2011, and he earned Academic All-MAC honors for the third time in his career.

This past spring during the NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts used their final pick to choose Chandler Harnish, dubbing him “Mr. Irrelevant” (the name given to the last person picked in the NFL draft). His work ethic puts him into a position to maximize this opportunity, as he finds himself on the 53-man roster for the Colts.

“It could not be a more perfect fit!” says a very proud Ron Harnish. “But if I know Chandler, he is going to continue to work towards being a starting quarterback somewhere in the NFL.” While Chandler Harnish spent his entire in the Norwell area, Jared Parker grew up just north of Ossian in Fort Wayne—until his sophomore year. Eric Gordon, athletic director at Norwell, shares, “Jared’s family was looking for a different environment for his final two years of high school, and the slower pace of life and rural setting seemed to be a good fit.”

And, Jared was comfortable coming to a high school where he would know a few of his teammates. The Parker family’s decision to move to Wells County was easier because Jared had played a number of seasons on a Sluggers travel team with some baseball players from Norwell.

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The first baseball open gyms Jared attended at Norwell provided a valuable lesson for the young man, as well as some insight into Jared’s personality. There was a senior on the baseball team who took pride in winning every wind sprint. Jared coasted through the first five or six sprints, and then gave it everything he had on the final two, and ended up winning them both.

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The senior who was used to winning those sprints glared at Jared. Coach Kelby Weybright noticed what had happened and took that opportunity as a teaching moment.

“I spoke with Jared on the side and told him, ‘That is not how we do things at Norwell.

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“‘We expect our players to go full out on every drill and every sprint.’

“Instead of some smart aleck answer or shaking his head, Jared looked me right in the eye and told me he understood, and that it would not happen again. I knew right there and then, we had another leader on this team.”

During the summer between his junior and senior season, Jared continued to play for the Sluggers organization in Fort Wayne. Between the workouts, the coaching he received, and a natural growth and maturation, he came into his senior season a very different pitcher—some say, an 8 to 10-mile per hour faster pitcher.

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“It was during our very first game of that season,” reports Coach Weybright. “There were a couple of professional baseball people in the stands, and the weather was typical spring baseball weather in northern Indiana – cold and rainy.

“We were playing a team in Fort Wayne, and the first three pitches Jared threw were clocked at 97 on the radar guns. Within minutes, baseball people on the west coast had been texted the information that Parker had hit 97 consistently.”

That Norwell season would be unlike any other in the school’s history. “We looked at the sign-in sheet for the scouts after every game, and whenever Jared pitched, there would be no fewer than a dozen teams represented,” says Eric Gordon.

“And, that doesn’t even take into account the major college programs that would come to evaluate Jared.” About halfway through that season, the college teams came to understand that this young man might very well go straight to the professional level.

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Some young men and baseball programs might crumble under the pressure of that level of scrutiny. Jared and his teammates embraced it. They won the tough Northeast Hoosier Conference championship, swept through the qualifying tournaments, and ran the table that season, going 35-0 while securing the state 3A baseball championship for Norwell.

Coach Weybright remembers, “We made sure that we followed our game plan with pitchers, including Jared, and did not overpitch any of them. Everyone on the team understood it would take a total team effort to complete our goal—a state title.”

But, that doesn’t mean coaches were never tempted to bring Jared in to pitch in a tight game.

“I remember a game late in the season.

The kids were really excited about finishing the regular season without a loss, and we found ourselves comfortably ahead early.” At the high school level, no lead is completely safe. Sure enough, the opponent took advantage of couple of walks, a misplayed ball and some timely hits to pull within two runs in the bottom of the seventh.

“Jared looked at me, and told me he could get loose. I told him to sit down and relax.

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“After another base hit turned it into a one run game, Jared took off his jacket and grabbed his glove.

“I again instructed him to sit down, and that we would figure this out. Three pitches later, we recorded the final out and finished the regular season undefeated.”

Jared’s numbers for his senior season were unbelievable. He compiled a 12-0 record while earning a microscopic ERA of 0.10. He collected 116 strikeouts in 70 innings of work, and, fittingly, was chosen “Mr. Baseball” for the state of Indiana.

Then, Jared was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with their No. 1 pick (the ninth overall selection in the 2007 draft) and was assigned to South Bend Silver Hawks in Class A his first season in professional baseball. He moved on to an assignment at Class AA in Mobile, Alabama, his second year. In his 215 innings at the professional level, he collected an impressive 212 strikeouts while going 16-11 with an ERA of 3.50.

Unfortunately, Jared’s second season ended in August with a major elbow injury. He underwent surgery that fall and began a long rehab process.

Once again, the work ethic developed early in life helped bring him back to where he wanted to be.

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“Jared is a great friend of our family,” shares Coach Weybright. “He stayed in touch and let me know how his rehab was progressing.

“When he was in the area, it was typical to see him in the gym, working to strengthen the arm and keep his legs in good shape. We knew he would be okay.”

This past season, Jared was traded to the Oakland Athletics, and the fairytale story continued.

Jared became one of the rookie starters on a pitching staff that saw the Athletics overcome an improbable thirteen-game deficit against the Texas Rangers—concluding with a three-game sweep to literally steal the American League Western Conference Championship on the last weekend of the season.

Jared’s 2012 stats include a 13-8 record, 140 strikeouts recorded in 181 innings of work, and an ERA of 3.47. Now, Jared finds himself opposing one of baseball’s legendary pitchers, as he is matched up with Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS. ••• How did lightning strike twice in Wells County?

Could the Norwell community and the school environment have contributed to the success these young men have enjoyed?

If you have the opportunity to spend some time within that institution or get to know the individuals who are in the positions of leadership at the school, I think you will come away believing the answer to that question is a resounding “YES”! WVL

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CARING COMMUNITY

MAKES A DIFFERENCE Sandra K. Zeigler ■ ■ ■

J

enae Blasdel was awakened one night at midnight. She knew something was not right.

Jenae had been suffering from headaches, dizziness, balance problems, and vision problems.

She normally wore prescription glasses, but they did not seem to help her vision. Jenae did not want to go to the doctor.

She had just turned 23 years old. She was a student at Purdue University at West Lafayette and lived in a dorm on campus. Other than the mysterious illness plaguing her, Jenae’s life wasn’t much different than those of the students around her.

“My headaches had started in 2009,” she says.

“That December 2009, I graduated from Purdue, but it had taken until January or February 2010 for me to realize how serious everything really was.

“By then, the other symptom had started. I was throwing up violently.”

Reluctantly, Jenae finally decided first to approach her family doctor in Portland to see what he could find. The doctor ordered an MRI for Jenae there at the hospital.

15

Jenae had also made an appointment with her eye doctor, who ordered a second MRI to be done immediately following the first.

The MRI results were not good. “The tumor that was found was the size of a golf ball.

“It was in back of the right eye behind my ear.

That was why I also had earaches.

“That was what had caused my throwing up. I was lying on top of the tumor. That was also why it affected my vision.”

Jenae remembers, “I was given steroids to relax the tumor. It was the best I had felt for months.”

She continues, “The doctors sent me to Indianapolis right away. I chose Indianapolis Methodist Hospital—we had a call from a friend who had seen Dr. Cohen and had highly recommended him.

“I was really pleased, when I was able to get in for a medical consultation with him. A few hours later, after going home and changing, I was there.”

Jenae explains, “Dr. Cohen is known worldwide. Using Google to check him out and learn even more about the procedure, my family and I were able to watch surgeries actually being done.

“Some of the patients were awake for their surgeries, while others were asleep.”

Jenae shares, “I went back to Indianapolis and was admitted to the St. Vincent Hospital on Tuesday, February 9th. On Thursday, February 11th was my surgery, and I opted to be asleep.

“I went home on Monday, February 15th.

My restrictions included being limited to not lifting anything over ten pounds, and I could not run the vacuum cleaner.

“My dizziness stopped. I felt better and better. My vision was fine. My earaches and my throwing up were gone.

“I spent a week at home. I still had most of my hair, except for the area of my surgery.”

One week later, Jenae’s good fortune changed.

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She recalls, “I had my staples removed, and I was told it was cancerous. The doctor had removed the entire tumor, but it had left cancerous cells behind.

“Thankfully, when I was in Indianapolis for the first MRI, a spinal tap had showed that I was cancer-clean, otherwise.”

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Dr. Goodwin, a pediatric oncologist at St. Vincent Hospital, explained to the family that Jenae’s type of cancer was classified as one primarily found in boys, usually two to nine-years old.

Jenae returned to St. Vincent Hospital in March for radiation treatments under the care of another specialist. She says, “I was told it would be a fourteen month process.

That sounded like an eternity!

“On top of everything else, I had two weddings coming up that I was to be in, and I was to be going through radiation!”

Jenae’s treatment was two-fold. The first round took thirteen days. The radiation was focused from her head all the way down through the spine.

16

Jenae recalls, “If I was up to it, I traveled back and forth from Indianapolis to Bryant.

When I was too sick, I stayed at St. Vincent Hospital. Then, there were seventeen days of radiation just hitting the spot where the tumor had been.

“I became very ill. I first lost some of my hair and was throwing up. Again, when was too sick, I stayed at St. Vincent Hospital and did not travel back and forth.”

It must have been especially difficult for such a young woman, as Jenae experienced one of the common effects of radiation— losing her hair. But, she reflects, “My guy walked through every step with me.” She had met her boyfriend, Jared Horn, early in 2009—well before her diagnosis.

Chemo treatments started six weeks later after radiation. A chemo-port was inserted near the heart to spare Jenae the frequent needle pricks needed otherwise. She was ill much of the treatment period.

“During chemo in August, I had a wedding to be in. I felt well, but I looked really sick.

Jenae smiles, “I decided to wear a wig, even though I did not like to wear wigs. Jared was there—not as part of the wedding party, but he was an invited guest. My friend was glad that I was able to be there as part of her celebration.

“Chemo treatment was done every six weeks. With that being one cycle, I had eight six-week cycles to complete.

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“Day one was a big hit, and I went home.

Day eight was not as big of a hit.

“I wanted to lie in bed. My stomach hurt, I was throwing up all the time—three to five times a day.

“Finally, my weight dropped from 184 pounds to 104 pounds. What could I eat?

“They put a tube into my stomach, but even Ensure and Boost came back up. I was supposed to drink water, but nothing tasted good—not even water.

“I was dehydrated, so I had to have ports to push IV’s with liquids.”

Jenae continues, “Getting to the bathroom was hard. And, I couldn’t sign my name.”

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So, she started occupational and physical therapy. Therapy sessions were done at St. Vincent Hospital when she was there, or they were done at Jay County Hospital when she was at home.

“It helped me to gain my strength back,” she says.

Jenae acknowledges, “Dana, my youngest sister, helped to get me to my appointments. She came home from college to help out with me, so my parents were able to still work. Fortunately, she could take classes online from Purdue.”

Jenae was overwhelmed by support from her community. “In September, 2010, I had my last chemo on a Thursday, came home on a Friday, and on Saturday, there was a Community Jenae Day. “There was a community dance, volleyball, hog roast, live auction, and a motorcycle ride. And, the Nashville country-Western group, Savannah Jack, presented a live concert.

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“Everything, except for the auction and tee shirts, was done through a freewill offering. Seed corn, beans, car details, and a picture signed by Congressman Mike Pence were some of the items auctioned off. Over $100,000 was raised to help with my medical expenses.”

Jenae says yet another hurdle appeared in her battle with this unusual form of cancer.

“In February, 2011, I developed shingles on the left side of my head. I was put in the hospital to monitor the shingles.

“I guess I was put in isolation because the shingles were contagious. I was in the hospital for at least a week.”

Then, says Jenae, “In April, 2011, Jared proposed, and I said, ‘Yes!’ “I found out later that Jared had bought tickets for a Purdue game, and because we both had graduated from Purdue, he was going to propose at the game. Then, he couldn’t because I was hospitalized and in isolation.”

As Jenae began planning her nuptials, the road to recovery presented more obstacles.

“Pre-wedding medical problems included gallstones, which were removed as an outpatient procedure. I was only in for an hour and went home that day.

“Then, my feeding tube had to be removed. At least, for this, I was awake.

My port had to be removed, but I was under for this procedure. All were handled at St. Vincent Hospital.”

Jenae had recovered sufficiently by the day of her wedding. She says, “We had a big wedding last August 11, 2011, in Portland at the Church of the Nazarene.

Our honeymoon was in Cancun, Mexico, with an all-inclusive vacation.

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“I am currently a stay-at-home wife. We live in Wayne City, a very small town in southern Illinois. We made the move because of Jared’s job.”

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Jenae adds, “I am still on maintenance. I had a year with MRIs every three months, and then I went to every six months. Next, I will go to once a year.”

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She concludes, “I am very thankful for all of the support that I have had.” WVL

19

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kimberlyhough@myitworks.com 260-849-0409

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1261 W 200 S Berne, IN 46711

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Karl and Kim Reber operate Bluhm & Reber from a rural location just outside Decatur.

BLUHM & REBER DRAIN SEWER & SEPTIC TANK CLEANING Commercial Industrial Residential (260)565-3469 (260)409-5408 cell

They offer removal of waste from tanks or holding pits, including waste removal for dairy farmers, as well as debris removal from pipes and drains.

Bluhm and Reber also provide grease pit evacuation services for area restaurants.

Contact Karl and Kim to learn more about their services.

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ABASH VALLE

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NOVEMBER 2012

LIFE IN ADAMS, JAY & WELLS COUNTY & NEIGHBORING OHIO COMMUNITIES

BLUFFTON Calendar of Events REMOVE THIS SECTION AND HANG IN A CONVENIENT LOCATION FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

BLUFFTON CALENDAR

1st

9th

16th

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Wells County YMCA (260)565-9622

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Creative Arts Center (260)824-5222

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Creative Arts Center (260)824-5222

Moms’ Morning Out

LEGO Club

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Wells Co. Library (260)824-1612

Genealogy Workshop

Artist in Action

Teen Dance Night

at Club 250 8:00 p.m.

Timber Ridge Golf Club (260)824-2728

Artist in Action

Cycle Cinema

5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Wells County YMCA (260)565-9622

Y Zone

6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Wells Co. Library (260)824-1612

10th

5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Wells County YMCA (260)565-9622

2nd

6:00 p.m.

City Gym (260)824-6069

20th

Artist in Action

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Creative Arts Center (260)824-5222

6th

Family Story Time

Fall Fun Day

80’s Night at Club 250 8:00 p.m.

Timber Ridge Golf Club (260)824-2728

6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Wells Co. Library (260)824-1612

13th

Toddler Activity

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

City Gym (260)824-6069

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

City Gym (260)824-6069

7

th

Lunch and Learn

Conflict Resolution/ Emotion in the Workplace 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Arts Commerce Visitors Centre (260)824-0512

8th

Moms’ Morning Out 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Wells County YMCA (260)565-9622

Toddler Thursday

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

City Gym (260)824-6069

Services for the Blind 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Wells Co. Library (260)824-1612

Toddler Tuesday

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

City Gym (260)824-6069

Family Story Time 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Wells Co. Library (260)824-1612

Toddler Tuesday

22nd

Cake Decorating Class

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Wells County YMCA (260)565-9622

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

City Hall (260)824-6069

Family Story Time 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Wells Co. Library (260)824-1612

15

th

Moms’ Morning Out 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Wells County YMCA (260)565-9622

Moms’ Morning Out

23rd

Artist in Action

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Creative Arts Center (260)824-5222

City Tree Lighting & Santa’s Arrival 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Courthouse (260)824-6069

Teen Dance Night

Toddler Thursday

at Club 250 8:00 p.m.

Timber Ridge Golf Club (260)824-2728

Business After-Hours

27th

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

City Gym (260)824-6069 Chamber Food-Tasting 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Sassafras on Main (260)824-0512

Toddler Tuesday

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

City Gym (260)824-6069

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 2

SPECIAL INSERT - BLUFFTON EVENTS CALENDAR

Liv覺ng W

ABASH VALLE

Y

NOVEMBER 2012

LIFE IN ADAMS, JAY & WELLS COUNTY & NEIGHBORING OHIO COMMUNITIES

DECATUR

Calendar of Events

REMOVE THIS SECTION AND HANG IN A 23 CONVENIENT LOCATION FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

DECATUR CALENDAR 24

1st

LEGO Club

8th

16th - 17th

Weight Watchers

Christmas Open House

10th

17th

3rd

1-Day Team Tournament 2:00 p.m.

Villa Lanes (260)724-3660

Craft Show 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Riverside Center (260)724-2520

8:00 p.m.

Villa Lanes (260)724-3660

12

5th

10:00 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

10:00 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

Chamber Luncheon

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

Weight Watchers

Weigh-In/Meeting 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital

Comedy Club Night

Baby Lapsit

Cozy Christian Readers Book Discussion 10:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

Mom’s Support Group 1:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital (260)724-2145

Poetry Coterie

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

Healthcare Provider

CPR Training 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital (260)724-2145, ext. 2256

Weigh-In/Meeting 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital

Dick Mies Memorial

th

Baby Lapsit

Patient Proection and Affordable Care Act Discussion 11:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Adams Central Schools (260)724-2604

Mom’s Support Group 1:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital (260)724-2145

14th

2-3 Yr. Old Story Time

2-3 Yr. Old Story Time 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

4-5 Yr. Old Story Time 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

Country Christmas

Childbirth Class

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital (260)724-2145, ext. 2505

19th

Baby Lapsit

10:00 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

Mom’s Support Group 1:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital (260)724-2145

All Books Considered Book Discussion 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

21st

4-5 Yr. Old Story Time

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

15

th

7th

Decatur Small Business Assoc.

Downtown & Citywide www.decatursba.com

LEGO Club

2-3 Yr. Old Story Time

4-5 Yr. Old Story Time 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

26th

Weight Watchers

10:00 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

Weigh-In/Meeting 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital

Baby Lapsit

K123 Club

After-School Special 3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 2

SPECIAL INSERT - DECATUR EVENTS CALENDAR

28th

2-3 Yr. Old Story Time 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

CHRISTNER’S (260)728-2151

4-5 Yr. Old Story Time 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

SMORGASBORD

J.L. Trekkers

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

Lunch: Monday thru Friday 11a.m. - 1p.m.

310 E. Monroe Street Decatur, IN

Sunday 11a.m. - 1:30p.m.

www.pizzakingofdecatur.com

30th

Teen Game Night

4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Adams Public Library (260)724-2605

HOURS:

Dinner:

Sunday thru Thursday 10:30a.m. - 9p.m.

Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday 5p.m. - 9p.m.

Friday 10:30a.m. - 10p.m.

24

th

The Gobbler Tournament 9-Pin No-Tap Mxd. Doubles 11:00 a.m.

Villa Lanes (260)724-3660

Saturday 4p.m. - 10p.m.

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25th

The Gobbler Tournament 9-Pin No-Tap Mxd. Doubles 1:00 p.m.

Villa Lanes (260)724-3660

26th

Mom’s Support Group 1:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital (260)724-2145

29th

Weight Watchers

SALES & SERVICE

Computers Laptops Netbooks COMPUTER ACCESSORIES

Weigh-In/Meeting 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Adams Memorial Hospital

— we bring technology to you.

Sponsor a Calendar for Your Community: Call (260)438-1123 or email

1421 Manchester Street, Decatur ½ block west of US 27 North

(260)724-2276 www.innovativeconceptsav.com

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Providing Networking & Virus Removal

SPECIAL INSERT - DECATUR EVENTS CALENDAR

3

REGIONAL EVENTS

ADAMS CO.

23rd

23rd

3

4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Downtown Berne (260)589-8080

& Santa’s Arrival 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Courthouse (260)824-6069

rd

Holiday Bazaar

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

South Adams Schools, Berne (260)589-8007

6

th

Blood Pressure Checks 8:15 a.m.

McDonald’s, Berne (260)589-2327

Senior Bingo

8:30 a.m.

McDonald’s, Berne (260)589-2327

Blood Pressure Checks Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Muselman Wellness Pavilion (260)589-4496

10th

Nature in November 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Limberlost Site, Geneva (260)368-7428

Saturday Nite @ the Village 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Swiss Village, Berne (260)589-3173

11th

Dr. Stephen VanHorn ITEM Presentation 6:00 p.m.

Grace Bible Church, Berne (260)589-2687

13th

Blood Pressure Checks

Rainbow Lake 5K

10:00 a.m.

Limberlost Site, Geneva (260)589-2101

27th

Blood Pressure Checks Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Muselman Wellness Pavilion (260)589-4496

BLUFFTON 7th

Conflict Resolution/ Emotion in the Workplace 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Arts Commerce Visitors Centre (260)824-0512

9

th

Teen Dance Night

at Club 250 8:00 p.m.

Timber Ridge Golf Club (260)824-2728

10th

Fall Fun Day 6:00 p.m.

City Gym (260)824-6069

80’s Night

Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Muselman Wellness Pavilion (260)589-4496

at Club 250 8:00 p.m.

Timber Ridge Golf Club (260)824-2728

20

13th

th

Senior Bingo 8:30 a.m.

McDonald’s (260)589-2327

Blood Pressure Checks

4

24th

Lunch and Learn

Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Muselman Wellness Pavilion (260)589-4496

26

Weihnachtsfest

Cake Decorating Class 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

City Hall (260)824-6069

City Tree Lighting

JAY COUNTY 3rd

Claire Lynch Band 7:30 p.m.

Arts Place, Portland (260)726-4809

9th - 10th

Christmas Bazaar

7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Jay County Hospital, Portland (260)726-7131

10th

Holiday Arts/Crafts Show

9:00 a.m. - ?

Jay County High School, Portland (260)726-5866

14th

Celebration of Lights

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Jay County Hospital, Portland (260)726-7131

15th - 17th

Winterfest 2012

Downtown Portland (260)726-4481

15th

Community Christmas Sing 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Jay County Courthouse, Portland (260)726-4481

17th

Parade of Lights 6:00 p.m.

Downtown Portland (260)726-4481

Visit with Santa

6:30 p.m.

Santa House, Portland (260)726-4481

SPECIAL INSERT - DECATUR EVENTS CALENDAR

12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Wells Co. Library (260)824-1612

Family Story Time 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Wells Co. Library (260)824-1612

29th

DROWNING IN

DEBT?

Moms’ Morning Out 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Wells County YMCA (260)565-9622

Toddler Thursday

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

City Gym (260)824-6069

Paper Folding Craft 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Wells Co. Library (260)824-1612

Photographers’ Group

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Arts Commerce Visitors Centre (260)824-5222

30th

Artist in Action

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Creative Arts Center (260)824-5222

30th - Dec. 3rd Festival of Trees

Arts Commerce Visitors Centre (260)824-5222

(260)849-2185 Call Today for a FREE

BANKRUPTCY Consultation!

Dec. 1st

For More Information, visit www.bernelegal.com.

ng

eReader Fair

Jingle Bell 5K Run 8:30 a.m.

City Hall (260)824-6069

Christmas in the Mansion 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Wells Co. Historical Museum (260)543-2423

Sponsor a Calendar for Your Community: Call (260)438-1123 or email

raelene@wabashvalleyliving.com

ERIC D. ORR ATTORNEY AT LAW

SPECIAL INSERT - BLUFFTON EVENTS CALENDAR

3

ADAMS CO.

23rd

25th

3

4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Downtown Berne (260)589-8080

9-Pin No-Tap Mxd. Doubles 1:00 p.m.

Villa Lanes (260)724-3660

REGIONAL EVENTS

rd

Holiday Bazaar

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

South Adams Schools, Berne (260)589-8007

6th

Blood Pressure Checks 8:15 a.m.

McDonald’s, Berne (260)589-2327

Senior Bingo

8:30 a.m.

McDonald’s, Berne (260)589-2327

Blood Pressure Checks Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Muselman Wellness Pavilion (260)589-4496

10

th

Nature in November 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Limberlost Site, Geneva (260)368-7428

Saturday Nite @ the Village 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Swiss Village, Berne (260)589-3173

11th

Dr. Stephen VanHorn

Rainbow Lake 5K

10:00 a.m.

Limberlost Site, Geneva (260)589-2101

27

th

Blood Pressure Checks Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Muselman Wellness Pavilion (260)589-4496

DECATUR 3rd

8:00 p.m.

Villa Lanes (260)724-3660

10th

Dick Mies Memorial 1-Day Team Tournament 2:00 p.m.

Villa Lanes (260)724-3660

Claire Lynch Band 7:30 p.m.

Arts Place, Portland (260)726-4809

9th - 10th

Christmas Bazaar

7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Jay County Hospital, Portland (260)726-7131

10th

Holiday Arts/Crafts Show

9:00 a.m. - ?

Jay County High School, Portland (260)726-5866

14th

Celebration of Lights

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Jay County Hospital, Portland (260)726-7131

Downtown Portland (260)726-4481

13

17

Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Muselman Wellness Pavilion (260)589-4496

Craft Show 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Riverside Center (260)724-2520

Country Christmas

Senior Bingo

24

Blood Pressure Checks

9-Pin No-Tap Mxd. Doubles 11:00 a.m.

Villa Lanes (260)724-3660

8:30 a.m.

McDonald’s (260)589-2327

3rd

Decatur Small Business Assoc.

Downtown & Citywide www.decatursba.com

th

20th

JAY COUNTY

15th - 17th

Christmas Open House

Blood Pressure Checks

The Gobbler Tournament

16th - 17th

ITEM Presentation 6:00 p.m.

Grace Bible Church, Berne (260)589-2687

th

4

24th

Comedy Club Night

Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Muselman Wellness Pavilion (260)589-4496

28

Weihnachtsfest

th

The Gobbler Tournament

Winterfest 2012

15th

Community Christmas Sing

6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Jay County Courthouse, Portland (260)726-4481

17th

Parade of Lights 6:00 p.m.

Downtown Portland (260)726-4481

Visit with Santa

6:30 p.m.

Santa House, Portland (260)726-4481

SPECIAL INSERT - BLUFFTON EVENTS CALENDAR

Photos by Mark Okoniewski

Margie Liechty, front left, and housemates. Photo provided.

DEVOUT DREAMS:

AN UNCONVENTIONAL NUN Sharyl M. Calhoun ■ ■ ■

I

n the usual course of events, little girls dream of becoming a princess…or, perhaps, a mom.

Margie Niebrugge’s childhood dreams were different. She wanted to be a nun.

“I hail from Green Creek, a little German Catholic settlement outside of Effingham, Illinois,” says Margie, a kindergarten teacher at South Adams.

“I’m the eighth child of ten. We were in a very rural area, and pretty self-sufficient, with a cow, chickens and a garden. My parents had strong faith and a love for family. We worked hard, played hard, and often prayed together.”

She also had two uncles who were in the priesthood and an aunt who was a nun. Visits with her aunt were rare and very special. “To me,

she was like an angel walking on earth. She just seemed so happy and full of life. As a little girl, I used to tell the teacher I was going to be a nun.”

The dream was not a passing fancy. As a freshman in a public (but primarily Catholic) high school, Margie was too timid to share this secret longing with her friends. She was afraid they would think her strange.

Some of the school’s staff members were nuns— including the school counselor, a Notre Dame Sister. One day, the counselor asked Margie, “What would you do, if you could be anything?”

Margie replied, “I either want to be a beautician, a nun, or a math teacher.”

“I dated normally through high school,” Margie

29

“As a nineteen-year-old, that was a real wake-up call for me about life. People often ask if that’s what made me decide to become a nun. I don’t necessarily think so, but it did make me look at life in a different way.

“Then I thought I wanted to be a nurse,” she laughs, “because I had such good nurses! But, I went back to cosmetology.”

At age 23, Margie became affiliated with The Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, a community of sisters near Plymouth, Indiana. She explains, “The foundress took the name from the Annunciation, when Mary said, ‘I will be a handmaid of the Lord.’

“I went away for volunteer work for a week, and I absolutely loved it! These were very real people.

They laughed, they enjoyed life, and I loved the prayer together.”

The life of poverty meant relinquishing her car and other material possessions. She would receive $25 a month to spend and be required to map out a detailed budget each year. Coats and larger necessities were supplied by the convent.

She chose not to wear the traditional garb of a nun.

“I was with them from 1984-1997,” says Margie.

“The main ministries were orphanages, hospitals, and the teaching aspect. Our median age was 72, which was tough; there were very few women my age.

“Our Novitiate was held in Cincinnati, so I did a lot of moving. I lived in Mishawaka, then I went to Cincinnati, and then to Southside Chicago.

They wanted to immerse me into true inner city— and it was very scary.

“I told my director, ‘Cincinnati is big enough.

Please don’t send me into a bigger city.’ And two months later, they did. Fifty-first and Laflin, if you know Chicago, is very rough territory. It opened my eyes and changed what I took for granted—of how lucky I was to grow up where I did.

“I went to neighborhood meetings, kids were getting their bikes stolen off their porches, bullets were coming through their windows…one of our

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Margie found The Poor Handmaids to be down-to-earth and possessing a large variety of ministries—including one nun who acquired a beautician’s license, simply to provide hair care for seniors. It was quite different from when her aunt entered the convent. While her aunt had been restricted to three days off every five years, for example, Margie was allowed two weeks of vacation each year.

In this community, Margie’s studies delved into the Scriptures and theology at Mishawaka and St. Mary’s Notre Dame. She was given the opportunity to experienced life as a nun for a full year before making a more permanent commitment.

t Us C Le

says. “After graduating, I went to cosmetology school. At that time, they discovered I had a complication around my heart. They said I would die within a year, if I didn’t have open heart surgery almost immediately.

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kitchen workers lost her 18-year-old son as he just happened to walk across the street in the midst of gang fire.”

By the time Margie reached the end of her “Formation,” she had completed more religion and philosophy courses at Xavier University. In 1987, Margie officially became a nun. She had achieved her childhood dream.

But she had also dreamed of becoming a teacher. As Sister Margie, she completed her teaching degree at DePaul University in Chicago. Her first teaching assignment was in Hammond, Indiana.

“I taught first grade for three years. It was a different experience. We lived right off of Cline Avenue, and it wasn’t a very safe place.

You learn quickly where to be and not to be.

There were five of us living in that house.

When it was your birthday, they took a theme and really lived it up. They did things you wouldn’t expect sisters to do. It was simple, but it was all for fun,” she laughs.

During the next three years, Margie taught school in Chicago. She was especially impressed by this group of sisters who were at various ministries: one sister was CEO in their hospital system; one ranked high in the medical field of oncology; another was a school principal; and yet another was studying for her doctorate. They were very intelligent, very professional women in the world’s eyes but, in privacy, they led a very simple, prayerful life; they truly cared about people.

“I really loved the women I lived with, overall—you know we’re not perfect—we’re all human,” laughs Margie. “They were giving people who loved their ministries. We were a really hospitable place where people really needed help.”

These sisters were full of life and brimming with talent. Margie had sung in several “awesome” choirs, but with this group of nuns she was given a unique opportunity to go onstage in the Chicagoland performance of ‘Nunsense.’

“We went to audition for the casting of ‘Nunsense, in front of the New York director.

We sang songs about celibacy (including one to the tune of Do-Re-Mi). He didn’t believe that we were real nuns, at first. We were in eight performances over six days, and we got to perform with the actual actresses and to be backstage at the Forum Theater in Chicago. It was a lot of fun.”

31

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Margie also enjoyed her role in summer ministries, such as helping with Appalachia Camp for young children. At East Chicago’s Nazareth House, she cared for neglected and abandoned babies and toddlers. And, at a Cincinnati event dubbed ‘Over the Rhine,’ the sisters held a shower for a homeless woman. Margie marveled at the depth of gratitude expressed by the woman, over such a simple gesture of kindness.

After nearly ten years as a nun, Margie began to experience serious doubts about her chosen vocation. Her life seemed to revolve around meetings—many important and necessary, others…tedious.

It was later, on a ten-day silent retreat, that she was completely “freed” to read Scriptures, pray, contemplate her life’s direction, and talk with yet another spiritual director. Rather than making Margie feel guilty for leaving the convent, she was commended for making the difficult decision in a “very mature” manner.

“The year I left them, I went into exclaustration—I lived on my own and received a paycheck, but they still took care of my insurance and were financially responsible for me until I got my dispensation. My aunt was probably the hardest person to tell, but I really felt that I was leaving for the right reasons.”

She struggled with a desire to have children of her own. She also experienced a spiritual intimacy at faith-sharing meetings, where both men and women shared their deepest thoughts about having a relationship with God. “There’s an attraction in that,” she says, frankly, “and it was difficult for me at times.”

Margie received her full dispensation at age 36.

She moved to Covington, Kentucky, where she taught for six years.

Margie was not the first sister to question her life as a nun. She received spiritual guidance from various people. An ordained Mennonite couple helped her to understand that her relationship with Jesus Christ was more important than anything else in her life. Then, she was sent to a Formation house in Cincinnati to be with women who were considering becoming nuns. When Margie said, “I have so many doubts and questions, right now.

I don’t think you really want me there!” They answered, “Yes, we do. You are honest about your journey. That’s the kind of person we need there.”

“It was another year before we started seeing each other. But, he would call to see if I made it home safely; we stayed in touch and had lunch once in a while if he came through that way.”

“One day, I happened to go to the horse races in Lexington. That’s where I met Bill Liechty. He was with an auctioneer friend from Richmond.

Margie says she pursued Bill much more than he pursued her. She moved to Fort Wayne, where she taught in a Catholic school. After they had been dating for a couple of years, Bill still had not declared his love for her. His parents teased, “We are going to adopt her, if you don’t marry her!”

Visiting in Berne, going to where he had coffee, and meeting his family, Marge says she realized

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what a good man he was. She told her mother, “I don’t know that Bill will ever become Catholic.” Her mother’s response was, simply, “Is he a good Christian and a family man?” The more they got to know him, they realized he was.

“Sometimes, people tease Bill and say, ‘You took her out of the convent!’ But I was already a free woman when he met me! There was no big fanfare when he proposed to me. One day in June, 2002, we went to Richards Jewelry to look at rings. He said, ‘We’ll take that one.’

“When we walked out of Richards, we both started to cry. It was after church that Sunday that he formally proposed to me. Then we went around Berne, telling everybody the news. We got married in February, 2003, at First Missionary Church with Pastor Chris, Father Tom, 23 nuns, two priests, and various Amish, Quakers, Catholics and Protestants!

“Unfortunately, we were a bit older, when it comes to starting a family—so that part didn’t happen.”

But children have always been an important part of Margie’s life. “I’ve witnessed so many children who are not in safe places. The whole breakdown of the family is a major issue. I’ve met kids who are so low, academically…but I see how quickly they progress, once they get the opportunity. You can tell right away, in a classroom, which kids come from strong family backgrounds.

Since moving to Berne, Margie has become a kindergarten teacher. Her brilliant smile and endless supply of energy are clear indications that she has made the right choice in her present vocation.

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“In my classroom, one of my goals is to build a community and a sense of belonging.

We really care about each other. I pray a lot for the welfare of our students. One of my constant prayers is that I can really be present to this child at this moment, and not be too distracted by other things.

“Bill and I pray together every evening.

We pray for guidance and direction in our marriage and our family, about our ministry and our work. We always pray that our home is a place where people feel welcome. I am a Catholic and he is not, but God is such a center for both of us.”

Margie concludes, “I never could have dreamed that God’s path would bring me here! He has blessed me so much. It’s just amazing!!!”

33

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FOLLOWING A

DREAM Sandra K. Zeigler ■ ■ ■ How does a guy growing up in the countryside outside of the small town of Convoy, Ohio, fulfill a dream of becoming a pilot? How does he end up flying in and out of Ecuador?

Better yet, how does he end up living there?

W

hen Chad Irwin was around fifteen or sixteen years old, he went on a mission trip to Honduras, a Spanish-speaking nation. He went as part of a medical group and served as a dental helper.

In 1991, Chad went to Belize, an English, Creolespeaking country, as part of Teen Missions International. He helped with the construction of a children’s home. Children were sent to the home to live when their parents became too poor to take care of them.

While in high school, Chad read the book, “End of the Spear,” by Steve Saint. In 1956, five

missionaries, including Steve Saint’s father, were speared to death by the fierce, murderous, and mysterious Waodani tribe in Ecuador.

As Chad read the book, he knew he wanted to become a pilot. He really felt that this was what he should do. Chad also says he was influenced by Elisabeth Elliot’s “Through Gates of Splendor,” and the documentary film, “Beyond the Gates,” based on Elliot’s book.

Chad and his friend, Andi Nieswander, attended Crestview High School, located south of Van Wert, Ohio. The two served on short missions trips together.

35

Chad shares, “Andi and I often talked about our desire to serve God in the future; but, at that time in our lives, we never dreamed we would one day be doing it together.”

After graduation, Andi attended Bluffton University in Bluffton, Ohio, where she received her degree in clothing and textiles. Chad explains, “She planned to use her degree to design and construct clothing for people with physical disabilities.”

He continues, “After graduation from high school, I went to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago in the Missionary Aviation program. I had always wanted to be a pilot, but I had planned to be a military pilot.

“I have a heart to serve God and a love of aviation.

When I found out about their program, I knew that God had made me for this purpose.

“It was while we were in our second year of college that Andi and I started dating. We were married after Andi completed college in 1995. I still had two years left at Moody, so Andi worked to help put me through school.”

Chad says, “After I graduated in 1997, I was asked to stay and instruct in the flight program at Moody. God used these two years to help me gain valuable experience and also allowed us to pay off our school loans.

“After two years of working, we felt called to serve with Mission Aviation Fellowship, or MAF, for short. MAF is the largest missionary aviation mission.”

The couple spent the end of 1999 and most of 2000 raising support they would need as missionaries in Ecuador. They spoke at churches, sharing what God had been doing in their lives and about where they were going to be working.

Life changed dramatically for the Irwins. At the end of 2000, their son Josiah was born. They were busy finishing up with support and packing up their house to move to Costa Rica for the Spanish language school.

Josiah was only five weeks old when the Irwins moved. They spent one year there in a language institute that specialized in teaching Spanish to missionaries.

The year was very challengning for the Irwins.

They were new parents, new missionaries— and, at the same time, they were learning a new language and a new culture.

“After language school in Costa Rica, we moved to our first assignment in Sucua, Ecuador, in April of 2002. Our first assignment was a very small base with just one airplane and two pilot families.

“Our goal was to encourage more missionary work in the southern jungles of Ecuador. After two years, it was decided that MAF would close the base, as new mission work was not happening there.

“In December of 2003, we moved to the larger MAF base at Shell, named for Shell Oil. Shell was the last town before the jungle.

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“There, we would work with twelve other families and six airplanes. Shortly after arriving in Shell, Olivia was born in February of 2004.”

In July, the Irwins came home for their first furlough for six months. They spent six months in the U.S. and headed back to Ecuador in February of 2005.

Chad explains, “During our next term in Ecuador, I became the chief pilot. I am in charge of training new pilots who come to Ecuador and making sure our pilots are flying safely and according to MAF rules.

“Around this time, the government of Ecuador started to cause problems for our pilots, saying that foreigners could not work as pilots in Ecuador.

“MAF continued to work to try and show the government that we were missionaries who happened to be pilots. We use the airplane to support missionaries and pastors and teachers working in the jungle, and the fact that we are Americans does not mean anything, as the Ecuadorian pilots do not want to do that kind of flying.

“We were able to keep working, but many families started to go home for other reasons, and we were not able to get more pilots from the U.S., due to the government restrictions. We came home on our next furlough four years later in 2008.”

Their last term started in 2009, and, shortly after returning, they moved into a house right next to their hangar and the children’s missionary school.

“This was very different from our previous ones. We began to seriously work to find Ecuadorian pilots who were Christians who would help us fly.

“We needed to do this, because we were not able to bring new pilots from the U.S. My job was to help select and train the new pilots. We now have three Ecuadorian pilots helping us with the work.”

In Ecuador, Andi serves as wife and mother, and she works several days a week at the library in the missionary school. Andi is also the president of the missionary school board. “We feel blessed to have a great school for our children to attend, and I thank the Lord for the part I can play in making it such a place,” she shares.

37

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Andi also helps make arrangements for housing for guests who come, using the guest home for work teams or church groups. The Irwins usually eat at home with visitors once or twice a week.

Chad and Andi attend a church in Ecuador comprised mostly of the Waoromi youth, and Chad serves on the church leadership committee. The Irwins’ children have both English and Spanish-speaking friends, since they speak both languages themselves.

Chad says, “We are amazed and stretched to see how God chooses to use us, outside of our comfort zone. Andi is actively involved in women’s ministries, and she and I lead a couples’ Bible study.”

Andi shares, “God has allowed us to build better, stronger relationships these last three-and-a-half years than in all of the years before. I am really looking forward to what God has for us in the next term.”

Chad adds, “I appreciate this verse in Jeremiah, because it speaks to God’s unfailing concern for me and my family.

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“There can be no doubt that what God has for me is for good. It may not feel good as I go through it, but I can trust him to know the outcome of each and every trial or situation we face, and to use it for His Glory.”

Andi chimes in, “Sometimes it is easy for me to succumb to worry. During those times I like to think about this verse and how the God of the universe is busy planning out my life.

“He’s not worried, because He knows how all those plans work out. It’s a gentle reminder to me that God has not forgotten us and that He leaves nothing to chance.”

Chad and Andi look forward to their return to Ecuador in January 2013. They will be working in the same capacity, even as the program completes the transition to a nationally-operated program.

Chad currently flies a Cessna 206. It has six seats—enough room for the pilot and five passengers. As a pilot, he flies in and out each day.

Chad transports teachers, missionaries, medicine to new mothers, and dental supplies into the villages. He carries up to 1000 pounds of cargo, mail, supplies, disaster relief, ambulance relief, and other materials.

Chad travels as far as 130 miles to pick up patients and transport them to the hospital.

He flies whatever is needed to the east and southeast from Shell, Ecuador.

Currently, the Irwins are trying to raise $1.2 million for a new airplane. It is becoming more and more difficult to get the gasoline needed for their old plane.

The move up to a larger, better plane would serve the people even better; because it would carry twice as much cargo. It uses jet fuel, which is more easily available.

This new airplane is the means to get the supplies and the people into the area to help the missionaries there make a difference in the lives of these indigenous people groups.

Chad and Andi Irwin are available to come and talk to churches and other community groups about their work in Ecuador.

Donations to Mission Aviation. For more details, contact: cirwin@mat.org. WVL

39

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THE HEART OF A

MARATHON RUNNER

by Mark Okoniewski ■ ■ ■ Imagine you’re a young boy who can’t keep up with your friends at playtime simply because you tire too quickly. Chris Meyer was familiar with this feeling, as a child.

C

hris Meyer was born on September 14, 1960, in Decatur, Indiana, to Tom and Nancy Meyer, and it became apparent early on that something was wrong. His skin color had a bluish tint, and after only a few days, he was rushed to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis.

Chris’ parents learned the coloration of his skin was the result of a problem with blood oxidation.

Their infant son was diagnosed with tetrology of fallot—a medical condition that includes four different problems within the heart. Each

individual case is unique as to the extent of the damage to the heart.

The Meyer family was informed that, while there were medical and surgical procedures being developed to repair this type of defect in an adult heart, Chris would need to survive on his own until the age of five before he could undergo the first procedure.

And so, the waiting began for the young family from Preble. At that time, information was not readily available on this type of medical condition.

41

The Meyers somehow endured the anxious days and nights, no doubt worrying whether their son would survive long enough to have the initial surgery needed for him to live.

But, in 1965, five-year-old Chris returned to Indianapolis where a shunt was performed. This procedure rerouted arteries in his right arm so that the blood would be routed back to the lungs, and thus, become oxidized. By employing this approach, his body was permitted to continue to grow and become strong enough for the eventual surgical fix.

Three years later, Chris underwent the first of three open-heart surgeries. Doctors discovered pulmonary valve damage, as well as evidence of holes between his left and right ventricle. To repair the valve damage, the surgeon inserted his little finger through the valve as the holes were repaired with the insertion of small stitches in the heart tissue.

Four days after the procedure, physicians discovered a blood clot. Chris was rushed back into surgery, where, for the second time in his young life, his sternum was cracked open, and his tiny heart was operated on, once again.

After Chris recovered from these two surgeries, he was allowed to act much like any other young boy. Chris discovered that, while he could run, running a hundred yards was difficult for him.

And, swimming for an extended time tired him very quickly.

In fifth grade, he tried wrestling but found that fatigue made that sport difficult to pursue. The results were similar when he tried basketball, but Chris eventually learned he could handle golf. “I think that all of the walking I did on the course during those years of my life helped me to gain strength and stamina with both my body and my heart.”

In 2007, Chris, now middle-aged, was managing his remodeling business. He found himself sleeping an inordinate amount of time—and in odd places. “I remember running up to Menards in the morning one day, and then, waking up in my car at two o’clock in the afternoon.”

Chris’ wife Shelly insisted that he go to see his doctor to find out what might be causing his lethargy. Chris went to Lutheran Hospital, where doctors determined he was experiencing atrial fibrillation.

The upper half of Chris’ heart was beating faster than the lower half. While Chris’s earlier heart problems involved structural shortcomings, this condition was an electrical issue, as his aortic valve beat at a very fast pace.

As a result, Chris was the very first patient in Fort Wayne to receive a “double oblation,” and, amazingly, it was done robotically. The procedure involved entering the body through the groin and proceeding through the veins to the heart, where calls of the heart were cauterized, and the electrical circuits were rerouted to correct the condition.

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Let Your Friends “For the next two years or so I was prescribed a common medication, which is a very powerful blood thinner,” Chris recalls. “It made me feel horrible!”

Chris had a follow-up appointment scheduled about two weeks later. Sadly, his father passed away the day before his appointment. The doctor told Chris things looked okay, and, after scheduling a second follow-up two weeks later, he sent Chris home to help take care of his grieving family.

News wasn’t as positive at Chris’ next visit to the doctor. “I was told that my pulmonary valve was leaking at a rate of sixty percent.

They felt it was directly related to my childhood condition and had simply caught up with me.”

Once again, his heart struggled to get enough oxygen into his blood stream.

“I was give two options – go on a heart transplant list or have my third open-heart surgery to replace the valve.

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“I chose to go with a fresh valve.”

Chris was sent to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where, on April 16, 2010, he underwent open-heart surgery to replace his pulmonary valve. He chose to have a flesh valve, rather than a mechanical valve, primarily because he did not want to be on the drug thinner for the rest of his life.

“The mechanical valve would last for the rest of my life, but the blood thinner was something I simply did not want to deal with.” The operation went very well, and, within a few weeks, Chris was sent home to recuperate.

“I spent a ton of time at Adams Memorial Hospital, rehabbing and working on my strength and conditioning. Diana Macklin was instrumental in keeping me on task and in a positive frame of mind.”

It was during one of these sessions that Chris first heart about a 5K run/walk aimed at raising money for the Adams County Women’s Shelter. The “Run Over Violence” was scheduled for April of 2011, and Chris set a goal to not only participate, but to run the entire distance.

“I don’t know how, but I made it,” he says.

His time was 32 minutes and 23 seconds.

“It was the very first time in my life that

43

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I had been able to accomplish anything like this.”

Chris felt very good, physically, and was energized mentally after realizing both of his goals. So, he ran two 5K’s that summer. He also shed 20 pound—slimming to a healthier 165 pounds.

That fall, Chris decided to run in the “Catch Your Breath” 8K event hosted by Adams County Memorial Hospital. His time was around 50 minutes, and, once again, he never slowed to a walk.

A relative then suggested that the Indianapolis half-marathon might be fun, and Chris set a new goal for himself. He began training at the end of February 2012 for the May race by running thirty miles a week.

“I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed running, even during the training. I never wore head phones because I wanted to be able to hear myself breathe.”

As Chris trained, he drew inspiration from nature. “One morning, I was out for a run and saw a double rainbow. I immediately thought of my dad and was sure it was a message from him.

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“Ten days later, a second double rainbow greeted me, and there was no doubt that it was from my dear friend Tom Alberding.” Chris rededicated himself to his preparations for the half-marathon.

Chris and Shelly headed to Indianapolis the night before the race. That evening, the television broadcast warnings about extreme heat and humidity for the race the next day. “I began to get worried that I didn’t have the correct gear and headed down to Dick’s Sporting Goods where a knowledgeable salesperson helped me gear up for the conditions being forecast.”

The morning of the race, Chris arrived downtown at around 8:00 a.m. and took his place in his stall. He estimated his finish time at around two-and-a-half hours, but his personal goal was to complete the halfmarathon in two hours and 20 minutes.

“As you start the race, you go behind the children’s zoo, and then, there is a downhill portion of the course where you can see almost all of the 35,000 participants in a sea of humanity. As I gazed down on that scene, I found myself crying like a baby.

“I could not believe that I was actually going to complete something like this!”

Chris finished the half-marathon in two hours, fifteen minutes and thirty-one seconds.

Celebrate

Weihnachtsfest in

BERNE! NOV. 23-24 2012 Enjoy Weihnachtsfest Discounts Friday and Saturday at Downtown Merchants!

November 23 Activities: LIVE NATIVITY • CHILI SAMPLER FACE PAINTING • BABY ANIMALS MAKE-IT/TAKE-IT FOR KIDS TREE LIGHTING W/CAROL SINGING Activities are $1 or donation of canned good. ALL donations and proceeds go to Compassionate Ministries Network in Berne.

SINCE 1919

He recalls, “After the race, there is an incredible sense of accomplishment and community. There are people from all over the U.S. and Canada who come to enjoy this environment. Shelly and I spent several hours just visiting with so many people and groups.”

WATER HEATERS

Today, Chris’ thirst for running hasn’t been quenched. “Michelle Hess suggested running in the ‘Fort for Fitness’ minimarathon, and I made the decision to go for it. I hurt my back a few days before the race and had to see the chiropractor.

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“But, I still finished and lowered my time to two hours, 10 minutes and two seconds!” Chris plans on returning to Indianapolis next spring to run in the minimarathon again, and he plans on getting his time under two hours. WVL

45

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FRIEDRICH HELP US FIND

:

ED T N A W

Friedrich likes to hide.

He appears in a number of hiding places throughout this magazine.

Hint: He especially enjoys hiding in the advertisements!

RD REWA ED! OFFER

FRIEDRICH

See if you can find every hiding spot—then fill out the form below and mail it in for a chance to win!

the Gnome

Win a large pizza from Pizza Hut in Berne!

Congratulations to our September winner!

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FIND FRIEDRICH CONTEST ENTRY FORM Your Name # of Times Friedrich Appears

Your Mailing Address

Send Completed Form To:

346 US Hwy 27 N, Berne, IN 46711 Entry must be received by 11/15/12.

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