Volume 99, Issue 8

RELIGION | 09

THE ISSUE OF

SERVICE Are We Empowering or Enabling?

THE WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY

collegian VOLUME 99 | ISSUE 8 | 20 NOVEMBER 2014 |

FASHION TRAVEL | 10| 21

I never thought of service or missionary culture as a complex subject until I served as a missionary and got my hands dirty. I can remember the anticipation growing as I graduated eighth grade and prepared for my trip of two and a half weeks. We were going to visit rural villages and churches in the Sunderban Islands near Calcutta, India, to evangelize and to teach healthy living. I have no complaints — it was a wonderful trip marked with good memories and one that seemed to have made a tangible and spiritual difference.

RICKY

BARBOSA Editor-in-Chief

But it wasn’t that simple. The whole experience was a confusing one — my personal spiritual life wasn’t turned on its head. In fact, the lack of God’s voice in my life became painfully apparent. Our trip was punctuated with tourist attractions, and

02 context EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ricky Barbosa ASSISTANT EDITOR Karl Wallenkampf LAYOUT EDITOR Mindy Robinson HEAD COPY EDITOR Andrea Johnson PERSPECTIVE EDITOR Alex Lemnah CONTENT EDITOR Carolyn Green

BACKPAGE & CREATIVE CURATOR Abigail Wissink

SCIENCE & TECH WRITER Daniel Hulse

CULTURE WRITER River Davis

SPORTS WRITER & PROMOTION MANAGER Alex Wagner

FASHION WRITER Alyssa Hartwick

TRAVEL & LOCAL WRITER Shannon Pierce

FOOD WRITER Rachel Peterson

COPY EDITORS Tyler Jacobson Kayla Albrecht Rachel Blake

NEWS WRITERS Savannah Kisling Morgan Sanker RELIGION WRITERS Benjamin Ramey Randy Folkenberg

ADVERTISING MANAGER Shandra Cady

I believe that even with the best motives and causes, things can go wrong. That’s why it is absolutely necessary to keep throwing ourselves into the fray. We must continue giving and learning how to give.

@c_sutton16

08 perspective

HUMOR WRITER & OFFICE MANAGER Lauren Lewis

Ask anyone who has spent serious time serving others what it’s like. They will tell you that serving is messy — mistakes are made, people are mistreated of, sacrifices are demanded, organizations are corrupted, and losses are felt.

Opinion | 5,7, 10-11 Religion | 9 Feature | 12,13 Randy Folkenberg

wordindeedministries.org

Editor’s Letter & Table of Contents | 2 News | 3 Senate & Infogr | 4 Photos | 6

although I saw people moved to tears and crowding into tents to hear the gospel, I met men of God more inspired and dedicated than I.

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Zachary Johnson LAYOUT DESIGNERS Matthew Moran Ian Smith Emily Brinley ASWWU HEAD PHOTO EDITOR Erick Juarez

14 life

Food,Travel | 14 Culture | 15 SM/ACA | 16 CW & CW | 17 Ads | 18 #thecollegian | 19 Humor | 20 Ads | 21 Science | 22 Sports | 23 The Other Cheek | 24

If you are interested in contributing to The Collegian, speak with one of our illustrious staff members. The Collegian is enhanced by regularly incorporating a wide range of campus perspectives.

Cover Credit: Feature Image by Mindy Robinson, Photos by Randy Folkenberg & Alyssa Hartwick The Collegian is the official publication of ASWWU. Its views and opinions are not necessarily the official stance of Walla Walla University or its administration, faculty, staff, or students. Questions, letters, and comments can be sent to aswwu.collegian@wallawalla.edu or richard.barbosa@ wallawalla.edu. This issue was completed at 2:20 A.M. on Thursday, November 20, 2014.

For information about advertising, please contact Shandra Cady at aswwu.ads@wallawalla.edu.

The Collegian | Volume 99, Issue 8 | 204 S. College Avenue, College Place, WA 99324 | collegian.wallawalla.edu

CONTEXT 03 NEWS

Senate

UPDATE

Old Business

P.L. 13 Keoni Coleman for Marketing Assistant P.L. 14

Gabrielle Pahler for Marketing Designer

an | 19

heek | 24

MORGAN

sanker

F.L. 2 ACA Student Care Packages

| 14

7

TO BUILD

P.L. 15

Emily Brinley for Collegian Layout Designer

P.L. 16

Concurrent Position for Arella Aung

New Business Matt Heinrich Graduation Gowns Open Forum Senate Listens Update

News Writer

A BRUNCH

An Inside Perspective

Hey guys! This week I interviewed Elise Kinne, the Collaboration Coordinator for the To Build A Home project.

Here is an inside look at our conversation. Enjoy!

MS: How long did it take to prepare this event?

EK: Since this particular weekend was AIA (Adventist Intercollegiate Association) weekend, it was a collaborative effort that took a great amount of organization and planning. Our project was adopted

by AIA at the end of last school year. Planning for this weekend also started at the end of last school year because we had to coordinate with the other Adventist colleges. It wasn’t simply planning the weekend events held on our campus, but working with all the Adventist colleges to make sure they were informed, equipped with proper marketing materials and scheduling events as well.

MS: How many people were able to come?

EK:

Around 150 people.

MS: How much money was raised from the local area?

EK: Over the course of the weekend we estimate that we raised about $2034.00, including the money raised from the duct tape offering we took up on Friday evening as well as the brunch ticket sales.

We were granted matches from two businesses.

Columbia REA gave us a $500 match and College Place Heating and Air gave us up to a $400 match for the “To Build A Brunch” event.

MS: How much money overall was given through AIA weekend?

EK: Overall, including the information we have from the other colleges so far, we raised $3796.72, but that will increase when we receive totals from all the colleges involved.

We only have totals from CUC and UC right now. If you check out aswwu.com/aia, you can follow the weekend’s total earnings.

MS: What have been some of the biggest benefits so far from leading this project?

EK: Visiting Africa and seeing the need first-hand is something that really inspired me to want to do more for this project. It is hard to try to get people on board and excited, so when I see individuals on campus start to become interested and develop a desire to help with the project, that makes me really happy.

So basically, seeing other people choose to become involved and help with the project is one of the biggest benefits because it means my efforts were not in vain.

MS: What have been some of the hardest parts of this project?

EK: Gaining the interest of the students can be difficult at times. Everyone is busy and often information goes in one ear and out the other. We want to unify our campus and really make this a collaborative effort. Support is key to the success of the project.

MS: What are the end goals for TBAH? EK: We have committed to raising a total of $100,000, which will be matched by our partnering organization

lifeinterlude.com

Christalis. Last year $50,000 was raised, therefore this year we need to raise $50,000.

MS: How can WWU students become even more involved?

EK: Students can always contact me if they are interested in becoming more involved. We have an emailing list for volunteers and this is how we seek help with events and anything concerning TBAH. Also, every Thursday at 6pm in CSP 154 we have meetings that are open to anyone who would like to become involved in TBAH. MS: What are the long-term goals for TBAH? EK: Our commitment, as stated earlier, is to raise $100,000 which will be matched by Christalis at the end of this school year when the project technically ends. Work has already begun for the new home and we aim for it to be finished by the end of the school year as well. While we cannot commit as a school to providing additional financial support, we hope to continue to send Student Missionaries to the orphanage to provide more long term involvement.

CONTEXT

ASWWU 04

Senate

UPDATE

Old Business F.L. 2 ACA Student Care Packages P.L. 13 Keoni Coleman for Marketing Assistant

ATLAS HOSTS OPEN MIC NIGHT Students gathered at The Atlas for an open mic night at 7:00 P.M. on Saturday night. The event was put on by the popular student house and coffee shop, and featured a full roster of more than 10 musical and lyrical student performances. The building was buzzing for nearly two hours as students sipped coffee and enjoyed the show.

Many performers stuck to the guitar and voice, but others tackled other musical styles

RICKY

barbosa Editor-in-Chief

with a fiddle, keyboard, and trumpet making appearances. Some even sang at acapella.

Some highlights included a piece of original praise music, a brief but powerful poem, and an appearance by Deux Lemnah.

Open mic nights are organized a few times each quarter, so make sure to be ready the next time The Atlas calls for musicians.

Open

POSITIONS

Atlas Baristas Social Team Advertising Assistant Staff Writer

P.L. 14

Gabrielle Pahler for Marketing Designer

TITLE IX POLICY

P.L. 15

Emily Brinley for Collegian Layout Designer

P.L. 16

Concurrent Position for Arella Aung

New Business Matt Heinrich Open Forum Senate Listens Update

SAVANNAH

kisling News Writer

Walla Walla University is now in compliance with a new Sex Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct Policy. David Richardson, vice president for Student Life and Missions, has been designated WWU’s Title IX coordinator. His job includes keeping the policy up to date with federal regulations regarding sexual assault and discrimination.

Title IX was an amendment made in 1972 that prohibited discrimination based on sex and gender. It has since been expanded to include protection for all citizens from sexual harassment and sexual violence. Any organization that receives federal financial assistance — and many students at WWU have federal loans — is obligated to address sexual violence by responding promptly to all reports with immediate and careful investigation, to resolve all reports of sexual misconduct, and to ensure that those involved are safe throughout the process. These new regulations are due

in part to President Obama, who has recently moved to raise awareness of sexual abuse and to protect victims. “Walla Walla University is committed to providing all individuals with an environment free of sex discrimination and sexual misconduct.

Walla Walla University prohibits all forms of sex discrimination and sexual misconduct including, but not limited to sex-based intimidation and harassment, sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual violence. Instances of sex discrimination or sexual misconduct, in any form, will not be tolerated.” The new policy has very strong procedures to handle situations that may arise. These procedures involve many members of faculty and staff on campus.

To view the full content of the new policy, visit http://goo. gl/PAC65E. To understand more information about your rights under Title IX, visit notalone.gov.g.

NURSING DEDICATION WEEKEND Our fine city of Portland has recently blessed us with a beautiful dichotomy of clear skies and bone chilling temperatures. Midterms and clinicals are marching on, laced with the occasional stories of crazy patients and ER drama.

Two weekends ago, the juniors were officially welcomed into the nursing program at the nursing dedication. Each student was able to invite an influential nurse that has helped them in their career to light

their lamp, symbolizing the start of the journey. We were privileged to have Trudy Klein as our speaker, who shared stories of influential nurses in her life and the importance of the profession. The weekend also featured a chili and cornbread dinner for Friday night vespers and a fun, interactive talk from Lucy Krull, our Dean of Nursing.

From our campus to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

RIVER

davis PDX Writer

PERSPECTIVE 05 ACA/SM

UPCOMING

EVENTS

FROM MEDICINE TO MONKEYS: FINDING HEART IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST JENNIFER

milchenko Contributor I remember one morning, waking up to the sound of the yellow-rumped cacique, a tropical bird famously known for its ability to mimic up to 90 other bird species and sounds. Without even opening my eyes, I listened to this bird impersonating macaws, frogs, and strange sounds that seemed almost human. I didn’t have to open my eyes to acknowledge where I was at, as I had woken up this way for the last 6 months. The soggy sheets underneath me reeked of merciless humidity. The sound of the titi monkeys’ not-so-elegant morning chorus signified that I was not in Kansas anymore.

The smell of deep-fried cauliflower and overcooked rice reminded me that Andy’s market was no longer a 10 minute walk away from my humble doorstep. In that moment, before my eyes were about to open, I realized I was no longer living in the future, or running from my past; I was just being, and it took a 4000 mile trip to the Amazon rainforest to realize it.

As an 18 year-old freshman in 2008, I already had a life-plan. I would graduate in four years with biology pre-med, go to medical school, and be done with residency by the time I was 28. Along the way, I would meet Mr.

Right at Western Wedding University (Or was it Walla Walla U? Not sure anymore), and he would be my partner in international medical outreach.

We’d probably have super attractive kids who would grow up to be educated, interesting people, and blah blah blah. You know where this is going: the always sought for, yet ever-elusive perfect family, perfect life, and the rest is history.

Yet, when I graduated from Walla Walla in 2013, I had forsaken the path of medicine, switched my major five times, and had the privilege of only observing Mr. Right…that is, everyone else’s Mr. Right. Single with no prospects, no ideas for what I wanted to do with my honors degree in biology, and feeling utterly confused about who the heck I even was, I figured going to the Amazon rainforest in Peru sounded like a fantastic idea. It was daring, it was brash, and it was something I wouldn’t have ever done when I was pre-med. Life is about risk, is it not? So, I said a very pleasant goodbye to my MCAT study books, and a hesitant hello to the next six months of field work in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest.

While I’ve been in the deserts of Africa and the hillsides of Thailand before, jungle was a new territory for me. Sitting in a small motor boat, stuffed into a life jacket with my camera around my neck, I started acclimating to what my home would be for the next half-year: a lush countryside

with incredibly saturated colors. Layers upon layers of green shades, back dropped by blue and white swirled cloud-skies; skies that could turn so ominous in an instant, and entrap you in a rainstorm so mighty, you wonder if you will drown where you stand.

My bungalow was bamboo, and my clothes were hand washed. My rain boots were always muddy and my back was always sweaty. I came to know the intricate beauty in the wing of a butterfly I was studying, and the screeches and pips of the jungle birds I had to memorize. I loved the cold wetness of a frog I had just caught wriggling against my palm, and the incredible fear and wonder, hiding behind a tree as a group of 50 peccary surround you, unaware of your presence. The beauty of the rainforest is an experience I could fill up the entire Collegian with, but that is not the primary purpose of why I am writing this.

I found something in Peru more beautiful than any dusky sunrise, more beautiful than a rainbow tree boa that glints magnificently in the sunlight.

It was even better than the laughs of my Peruvian friends poking fun at my horrendous Spanish mistakes, or the knowledge that we were getting dessert that night. This thing I found, amidst both the beautiful people I met and the ugliness I had to confront within myself, was this: I had found the courage to do what I loved, and to stand up against the people who told me otherwise. This life is my life, and I really, truly, can live it on this earth

only once. If I’m going to live, I’m going to live by my own heart and the heart of God. I am writing this because I want to encourage you to do what you love.

People say this all the time, and it’s become a cliché, but really, it should be a mantra. Why do you do what you do? Question it. Question everything, in any area you are studying. I questioned it, but it took me five years to even start asking. Yet, the moment that I asked “What am I made for?

What do I really love?” and came to the place where I gave an honest answer, the flood gates opened. God took me on a wild ride that I can’t even describe, and it’s more than I could have planned or asked for myself. I gave up on perfecting my identity, lived in another country, made friends and made mistakes, but I’m actually living now.

Not living by my plan, but on a whisper, on a small voice; whether it’s my heart or God, sometimes I don’t know; but whatever it is, it’s leading me to good places.

I’m returning to Peru in February to work for an aid organization, doing exactly what I love: journalism and photography; volunteer coordination and mentoring; working and living with people in poverty. I don’t have to be a doctor to do any of this. I didn’t even really need a diploma. All I needed was a simple question, and same goes to you: are you doing what you love?

Lecture in Hispanic Linguistics November 20 @ 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM CTC 305 Dr. Eva Núñez Méndez, Professor of Spanish Linguistics at Portland State University will be presenting on “The Influence of Spanish around the World: its History and Current Impact.” The presentation will be in English. She will be presenting at 7 p.m. in CTC 305.

Vespers Light November 21 @ 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Heubach Chapel Enjoy an abbreviated Vespers service this Friday evening in Heubach Chapel.

Thanksgiving Break November 24 November 28 Relax: it’s why the pilgrims ate turkey.

CONTEXT

SNAPSHOTS 06

Erick Juarez

Erick Juarez

Caleb Riston

Monica Culler

Erick Juarez

Caleb Riston

Monica Culler

Erick Juarez

Monica Culler

PERSPECTIVE CONTEXT 07 OPINION

uganda:pearl of

africa

LYDIA

kore Contributor

Erick Juarez

Caleb Riston

Monica Culler

theprayinglife.com

Uganda is known as the Pearl of Africa. This name is primarily due to the beauty in Uganda’s landscape, scenery, and wildlife. However, after going there this summer with the To Build A Home team, I discovered the pearl was actually the people, more specifically, the beautiful, smiling faces of 27 children. Last year, when the project in Peru fell through we had about a two-week span to figure out a new project. After talking with some people I knew, I was put in contact with a young lady named Shalini, who had started an orphanage in Uganda.

This connection was literally an act of God. Shalini had been praying that someone would build a home for them. Meanwhile our team here in Walla Walla was praying for a miracle to find a project that would allow us to do what our hearts and minds were set on — to build a home.

After many tears, late night meetings, and prayers, we decided to partner with Christalis and build a home in Uganda to provide a safe, loving home for 27 beautiful children that have the ability to steal your heart in a matter of seconds.

So why should we care about these 27 children? An easy answer would

be ‘because Christ has called us to serve others.’ But why should we, the students of Walla Walla care about these specific 27 children? Well, let me tell you a little bit about them.

Peter: Peter is a nine-year-old boy that dreams of becoming a pilot. He likes the color pink, is quiet and shy, but is incredibly bright. He helps take care of the younger children, and loves to read. And even though he’s a little bit older, he still wants hugs and squeezes, will hold your hand when you walk, and will love you more than you can imagine. He is a pearl of Africa.

Gracie: Gracie was the first child of the Christalis home. Also nine years old, she is in the same class as Peter, but is loud, spunky, and a drama queen. She loves singing, praying, and just being a girl. She wants to be a nurse, but is first excited to become a teenager. Christalis is the only home she has ever known and her smile and joy fills any room she steps into. She loves to sit on your lap, play games, sing songs, and will always let you know how much she cares about you through her actions. She is a pearl of Africa.

wordindeedministries.org

Michael: The newest child of the Christalis home, Michael started out incredibly shy and nervous. He covers his face, and gives you a coy, bashful smile when you look at him — and this will make your heart melt. When he comes home from school he runs as fast as he can to jump into your arms.

He has the biggest eyes and the biggest smile that will capture your heart in seconds. While he cannot speak English well, he is a ball of energy and love that will blow you away. He is a pearl of Africa.

Jackie: One of the older girls at the orphanage, Jackie dreams of becoming a lawyer. Although shy at first, she is a good listener; one of the hardest workers, and has a huge heart. Jackie walks at least 45 minutes to school and back every day, rain or shine. She is also the first one up and last to go to bed as she helps take care of the younger children. She is smart, funny, and loves to talk about life and what her future will be like. She is a pearl of Africa.

Manasi: The first university graduate of the Christalis home, Manasi is a leader among them. He has just graduated with his degree

to teach secondary education in chemistry and math. The younger children look up to him with awe as he helps around the home and has completed his degree in the last few years. He has been through more than many of us will endure in a life time and is a role model to many of the younger children at the home. He is loving, smart, respectful, funny, and very responsible. He is a pearl of Africa.

I could tell you a little bit about all 27 children because of how unique each of them is. Each child at this home has a heart of gold, has a bright and shining smile, and dreams of a big future. They are no less than us.

By building this home, we solidify the fact that these children will have a home to continue to live in, there will be no chance of them ending up on the street because a landlord kicks them out, and they have more opportunities to follow their dreams and become someone in the world.

This is why we should care. This is why we need to build this home. God led us to these children at a time when both parties needed each other, now it’s time to think about why God led us

to them. Now is when we can make a difference in the world. Yes, we could help children in any country, but right now God has brought us to Christalis and Walla Walla University can play a role in helping 27 children reach their dreams by building this home.

By helping the children such as Peter, Gracie, Michael, Jackie, and Manasi, we are setting the groundwork for a brighter future for them as well as for Walla Walla. This project is bigger than any that ASWWU has attempted and will only lead to bigger things.

These children, and many more, are the pearls of Africa, and while we cannot help all of the children in the world, we can at least help these 27.

We can only pray that what we do for them will transform their lives in a way that allows them to become strong individuals so that they can have a role in society and they too can go on to make a difference in the world.

PERSPECTIVE OPINION 08

SELFSERVING

THE

Authentic

ME

BENJAMIN

ramey

Religion Writer Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

BRENNAN

hoenes

—Matthew 5:3-4 (ESV)

Contributor Brennan Honenes

My recent return as a student missionary in Malawi, Africa, has sparked many conversations: some amongst octogenarians from my church who are quick to sanctify my short time of service, but more importantly, conversations with my peers on topics more significant than“first-world-problems.”

I recently engaged in a captivating conversation on human authenticity.

Charged with the question, “Are you a genuine person?” I was taken aback.

I responded hesitantly, admitting that I was notorious for being blunt, but conceded that, perhaps, I’m not entirely transparent. Transparency is scary though.

“What’s so scary about it? And don’t say the cliché ‘fear of rejection.’”

I explained, “It’s who you are. You put your baggage on the table for that person, or the whole world, to see and say ‘How do you like me now?’ It’s been compared to sex. You are naked and vulnerable, but emotionally so.”

I waited for a reply.

“So fear of rejection,” she said.

I had to argue or accept the label cliché.

“Is it though?” I bantered, “You don’t have to only accept or only reject. You can accept, but hate the terms, and maybe that’s what you are to someone… a list of less-than-ideal

terms that they accept for whatever reason.”

I scared myself. Isn’t that the essence of being a missionary?

The SM placement process is a formidable task, an obscure and cryptic process. However, I am not thrashing it. Students often have no idea what reality will look like. Their hosts rarely know who they’re getting, outside of a name and some basic information.

But they choose to accept, without knowing all the terms.

The contract almost mandates disappointment.

So I became their negative terms and they, mine. We were too aggressive, too eager to make the place better, too expedient. They were unreasonable.

They loved formalities but were crippled by illegitimacy. Why would I need five printed contracts to repaint the little classroom we taught in? I offered free paint!

Fast forward seven months, my fellow SM and I headed home due to immigration issues. I remember clearly the day we conveyed our exigent circumstances to the class.

Upon hearing that we had a week left in the country, one of our students sprung to his feet and applauded, and another began to weep. You win some, and you lose some.

A stint of mission service is a

tale of contract signing. An array of emotions ensue when you live the consequences of a contract you didn’t fully understand: joy when things surprisingly work out and grief when life becomes increasingly small. Fear and security, glee and sorrow, laughter and agitation, liberty and slavery, relief and pain. I felt all of these things, and you can probably relate.

I found myself crippled by isolation throughout my time as a missionary.

Not liking the people you’re with, or vice versa, isn’t exactly conducive to community. But to serve is to live with the consequences of vulnerability. It is painful.

My soul caught fire this weekend when I heard Tim Gillespie speak to what true service means: “And what is pain? Pain is understanding that we’ve been cut off from our deepest connections, whether be bone and sinew, or being cut off from the hearts of those we love.”

Many student missionaries will say their experience was the best of times and the worst of times, but perhaps my time was just as much understanding the contract I signed. I wasn’t afraid of rejection; I craved it. I wanted the easy way out of being sent away after throwing my bags on the proverbial mission field table, but I got to carry on being authentically me.

The word ministry is used in the New Testament to denote “one who serves,” like a waiter at a table or one who “waits on you.” The beauty of the usage is that it is found in a variety of contexts, relating to both genders and many different tasks. It is a beautiful and fulfilling thing to serve another person. We have become extremely good at telling others and ourselves why we need to serve — our university sends out about 80 students to mission fields abroad. Knowing how and why to serve has become apparent, but knowing how and why to serve has not.

I was outside and on the phone, a few minutes into the conversation my friend asked, “Did you hear? Pastor Jon Speyer is in a coma.” I stared up at the starlight and back down into the dark night. This was my friend, counselor, and teacher who showed me the gap in my belief that lead me to fill it with an understanding of Jesus as my judge and friend.1 I couldn’t imagine what the family was going through, especially when Christmas wasn’t too far away.

I knew that I needed to do something, but what? I now lived a couple hundred miles away from Monterey Bay Academy where he lived and taught. Even if I did reside closer, what was there to do? Time to pray.

“And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”2 I prayed constantly — I even tied a string around my finger

so there was no way to forget there was something to be praying for. I fasted for a day or two but I felt guilty that I wasn’t spending more time in prayer, maybe if I did then God would listen. I couldn’t understand why me staying up and talking to God late at night would be any different then what we were all already doing, but I felt guilty nonetheless. I still had the lingering belief that if I didn’t do my part to serve him through prayer God might not work miraculously.1 Pastor Speyer remained in a coma and never woke up and at the time I didn’t understand why. I really believed that he was going to be okay.

When you serve and pray within the capacity that God has granted, miracles and extraordinary things will be done.

That is the purpose of prayer right?

Regardless of whether God works miraculously, bending reality according to the will of His people or not, prayer did something for me. It allowed me to serve myself — it gave me a practical way to respond to a situation that was out of my control.

By maintaining a conversation between myself and my God I was able to validate the pain and the fear that I felt. Because sometimes there is nothing else to be done except feel the way that you do, and be content with feeling that way for a while.

After his passing I needed to mourn.

Those who mourn are comforted because the act itself speaks to the current condition and expresses it so that healing and comforting can take place.3 That is what prayer is for, and why I continue to do so — not because I believe it will do things for other people, but because of what I know it does for me. Serving yourself is not selfish; in fact it is an absolutely necessary part in living a fulfilled life. Without it the only meaning I have would be from external sources; it would be impossible to be selffulfilled. That is why sometimes we all need to be a little bit selfserving.

1

Refer to last week’s article “My Absolution”

2

James 5:15 (ESV)

Thanks for still helping to teach me some life changing lessons Jon. 3

PERSPECTIVE 09 RELIGION

RANDY

folkenberg Religion Writer Vespers last Friday night was unique. For those of you who weren’t there, let me explain. Brennon Kirstein, the chaplain at Southern Adventist University, was our guest speaker. He told us about how he has always been interested in making money (though it’s obviously not his top priority because he’s an SDA chaplain). As a young adult he had invested in a piece of property and built a house on it. Eventually the housing market began to crumble and he had to foreclose on the house, putting his family in serious debt.

Over the next few years, thanks to some advice from the Bible and Dave Ramsey, they paid off all their debts.

Kirstein combined his story with the Bible story of the paralyzed man who was healed by Jesus after being let down through the roof. His sermon emphasized two things: God can free us from any trouble that we find ourselves in, and being financially in debt should be avoided at all costs.

This second point was the main point of the sermon with a special appeal made to live simply and pay off debt.

Kirstein wasn’t talking about heaven, he didn’t discuss deep theology, and he wasn’t even preaching about a personal relationship with God. While Kirstein’s topic was spiritual, it was intensely practical and relevant; that’s what made it unique.

Afterward I heard multiple people saying that it was kind of weird.

Why? Because its main point was not something deeply spiritual, but rather something intensely practical. Most of us aren’t used to a spiritual sermon addressing daily physical topics. Was Kirstein’s emphasis in the wrong place? Absolutely not! In fact, this was the type of sermon that I could hear Jesus Himself preaching.

If you think that the Bible speaks more to eternal life than to everyday life, you’re wrong. The beginning of

HEAVEN ON EARTH the Bible hardly says anything about eternal life but has tons to say about how to live here on earth. The Ten Commandments make four statements regarding a relationship with God and six regarding relationships on earth. The Levitical Law given to the Israelites by God primarily focuses on

Earth. His life testifies of the intense practicality of the gospel, not to mention His teaching and His healing.

Jesus taught about the love of God and the importance of a relationship with Him, but He also taught that this relationship was demonstrated by our relationships and love for others. Jesus

this day our daily bread.” He declared, “Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” Through his connection with God, Jesus worked to bring heaven to Earth and when He left, He turned to His disciples and asked them to do the same. True Christianity, according to Jesus, is something that undermines

Randy Folkenberg

how they could live healthy and happy lives in their time. Psalms is chalk full of passages praising and glorifying God for showing his power, his faithfulness, and his love on this planet.

Proverbs gives loads of advice on topics such as living simply, respecting elders, guarding the tongue, keeping a positive attitude, and picking good friends. Over and over throughout the Old Testament we see a God who cares about life on Earth.

Then we come to Jesus. The very existence of God in human form demonstrates that God cares about people not just as future residents of Heaven but as current inhabitants of

was upset with the religious leaders of the day because they separated love from the law, and in doing so, they destroyed its relevance and practicality. The heart of Jesus was not concerned with enabling people to have a connection with God that did not better their lives on earth. In fact, to Jesus, heaven was not something that was supposed to wait until the second coming. One day, Jesus sat down and taught His disciples how to communicate with their God. This prayer, the Lord’s prayer, was centered around God and his principles being realized on this planet. He prayed, “Deliver us from evil.” He said, “Give us

the influence of evil of this world, and in its place reinforces the love and goodness of God which is the very framework of Heaven. Christians, in all practicality, are called by the grace and power of God to bring heaven to Earth.

To illustrate why Christians should not sit back and hold out for heaven, let me share my favorite Civil War story. Chamberlain was stuck on Little Round Top with his soldiers as the battle of Gettysburg raged all around him. He knew that it was only a matter of time before the Confederates would be marching up the hill below him as they tried to take the Union flank. If

Chamberlain and his men retreated, the whole Union army would be at stake. Sure enough, a wave of troops came rushing up the hillside, only to be repulsed. The Confederates regrouped and advanced again, only making it halfway up the hill. Over and over they attempted to take the ridge until Chamberlain and his men had run out of ammunition. It was at this point that Chamberlain fully realized the gravity of his situation. If he and his men hid behind their crudely made barricades during one more assault, they were sure to be overrun. What did Chamberlain command his men to do? To retreat? No. Instead, he ordered them to fix bayonets and prepare to charge. Soon the Confederates could be seen emerging from the smoke. As the rebel bullets began to fly, Chamberlain ordered his men to charge down the hill at the oncoming Confederates. Soon, the Confederates were overcome by this bold maneuver, and Chamberlain is now in the history books.

This world and the people of God are under the attack of Satan and if we think that he’s going to back away, we are horribly wrong. The only way to stop the devil from advancing is to go on the offensive, to proactively oppose the devil and slowly but surely regain the ground he has taken. This is what God calls us to do on this Earth.

Christianity is not a stationary bunker where we hold out until the enemy gives up. Christianity is a movement.

Followers of Christ are called to oppose and take action against any advancement of the devil and to improve life on Earth. That means encouraging freedom from debt, like Kirstein did at vespers. That means helping at a rehab center. It means fighting diseases. It entails providing security for the insecure. It includes advocating for social justice when so many people are sidelined and ignored by society. Heaven is a place where peace, safety, freedom, equality, security, unity, and love prevail.

Since this is what heaven is all about, Christians should strive for the same on Earth. Together we should pray, “Your kingdom come on Earth as it is in heaven.” Then we should go and help make it a reality.

PERSPECTIVE OPINION 10

VOLUNTOURISM:

MORE HARM THAN GOOD? HEATHER

ruiz

Contributing Writer In August, 2013, Heather Ruiz traveled through West Africa as a journalist for ADRA. After working in development for nine months, Ruiz moved to a village in the Western Sahara to find answers for her questions about responsible volunteering and empowering communities.

The following article is her insight on constructive service.

It took me a while to find it. The taxi driver and I were shouting over each other in French about whether the orphanage was another street down or already behind us, but finally the crooked sign “Grace House” appeared in dripping, painted words. The driver lost no time in depositing me on the lonely street, and I felt more orphaned than ever before marching through the creaking gate.

Dirty floors and dim lights welcomed me inside. I did my best to prepare myself for what might come next — coughing invalids or stray chickens or skeleton babies — and I nearly stepped on top of bright red Sanuks.

“Who are you?” The voice caught me first, unmistakable in her accent.

“The journalist from ADRA. I called earlier about stopping by?”

I found myself looking at… well, a stereotypical American College Student in all her glory: pink tank top shouting Abercrombie like a tag line to her expressionless face; RayBans slipped into a highlight-streaked ponytail; I almost expected an iced Starbucks to appear in her hand.

“Oh, I’m just here for a week before we go on the safari.” She shrugged. “I came to volunteer with a group from my university.”

I followed her through the halls and corridors to her squad in the main room, and there I found the chaos.

Some children were dancing, others scaling volunteers’ laps and arms, still more were jumping in place as the uncontrollable excitement pummeled through their slender bodies.

“Green dress?” A volunteer was pulling clothing out of a cardboard box.

“Miiiiiiiine!” screeched every girl voice and, honestly, a few boy voices.

They tore and clawed through the

crowd, arms flailing out.

“Blue t-shirt? Yellow socks?” The voice continued.

“Hey, I have candy over here!”

Another volunteer contributed. Even the walls seemed to be quivering with pleasure.

I discovered the director in the back of the room, smiling wide.

“How many volunteer groups do you get here?” I shouted over the din.

“Sometimes two a month,” he beamed proudly. “The volunteers cover almost all our staff.”

“You aren’t providing jobs for any local workers?” I repeated.

“Well, no.” He paused a moment, sensing the need to make it sound better. “We have so very many children here at Grace House. They need food and a home. They need help. Here, they get help.”

“Where do they come from before here?” I encouraged, reaching for my notepad.

“Terrible families. No food. So poor, you know.”

“Wait, they have families?”

“Half of them have families.” I was frozen for a moment, but the sad

visiting so many orphanages created “jobs” for children from families that could benefit from a few less mouths to feed.

“Some of these children have lost their parents and are emotionally susceptible at this stage,” I gently said.

“Isn’t it damaging to further their never-ending cycle of abandonment from a revolving door of volunteers?”

“This is just the way it is.” The director crossed his arms. “We do this to make a difference the best we can, and you need to remember, this is for the volunteer, too. This experience is life-changing.”

I glanced at the group of college students, taking selfies with the animated children. No doubt this will be a series of profile pictures. For a moment, I wondered if the unidentified, romping, homeless children seemed reduced to the same status of elephants and zebras on the veld.

“So your grandfather sells shoes on the street so your sisters can eat?” I asked again to make sure I had gotten the French right.

“Yeah.” Hassan traced a stick around his bare toes. “As far back as I can remember. Can I have your watch?”

“No. I didn’t tell you that you could have it.”

“But the other volunteers give me things,” Hassan insisted.

“Well I came here to play with you.” I stared back stubbornly into his grinning eyes.

“Do you have an iPod in America?”

“Yes.” “Can I have it?” He had such lust in those small eyes.

“No, Hassan. Keep telling me your story about your grandpa.”

...despite hearing that Jesus loves him, the message of material goodness has swept him further into devotion.... truth is such numbers are typical in African countries. After the wave of volunteers to orphanages in Ghana began to show signs of an abusive business enterprise, the Social Welfare Department organized a survey revealing that 90% of Ghanaian orphans have one or more living parent.1 The presence of volunteers

“When I grow up, I’m going to America, because I want to buy things like what the volunteers have.” He pointed a stubby thumb at his bare chest. “I’ll be a rich man, like in the movies.”

“Hassan, has anyone told you about Jesus when they visited?” I knelt down on his level.

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “I know about him. I pray to him when the volunteers come. Do you have Angry Birds on your iPod? The volunteers showed me that game. I know how to play that game.”

“What else do the volunteers show you?”

Hassan began to mumble, not understanding the concern on my face.

“The last volunteers gave me things,” he said hopefully.

This is the classic White Savior Complex, the worship of the land of the White Man. Somehow, despite hearing that Jesus loves him, the message of material goodness has swept him further in devotion, and he will worship the white saviors for the spectacular contributions to his development rather than the ostensible Jesus fellow. Will Hassan wake up tomorrow thinking about his grandpa, selling shoes in determination to provide and sustain, or the next group of regaling volunteers?

It became clearer to me over time that it is necessary for collegiate volunteers to re-prioritize and reevaluate our approach to aid so that we use our resources to empower countries to develop themselves according to their own standards and not continue to hinder them with our own.

The “mission trip model“ has been praised for the individuals willing to sacrifice their time and money for impoverished communities, doing as Christ would. However, without knowledge of language, local culture, societal nuances, and the economical framework of the community, this type of “voluntourism” is sometimes wasteful at best, and possibly destructive to the community at worst.

The development industry, which previously consisted of agencies and governments giving and spending aid, is now joined by masses of enthusiastic college-aged hopefuls, wishing to change the world while knowing little to nothing about the complexities of the country. In 2010, $211.77 billion was spent on international volunteering,3 creating an industry devoted to the volunteer’s personal experience. The temptation to swoop in and fix a village’s hunger, poverty, and disease seems simple

PERSPECTIVE volunteers. By sending out untrained volunteers, we are essentially saying that development work is “easy,” that our skills as middle-class twentysomethings are so valuable that they can save a village, and that just because we are from the U.S., we are superior to the third-world countries that we aim to serve.

The complexities of Africa’s social and economic development remain unconsidered, and questions about how and why poverty exists are overshadowed by the aesthetic pleasure of the experience. After just a few months, the volunteer will come to realize their shortcomings and a part of them may give up, realizing that it’s not a simple answer.

It’s time to recognize that in pursuit of a service experience, we may be salving our own consciences without fully examining the consequences of the people we seek to help.

Teju Cole, a writer on the topic of responsible volunteering, tweeted: “The White Savior Complex is not about justice. It’s about having a big emotional experience that validates privilege.”2 Cole has a point. Individuals fundraise for Africa, do a little good, experience something that their affluent lives cannot offer, and return home with a full memory card and a story that places them in the ranks of the kind-hearted and worldly wise.

But can’t there be more than an experience? Can’t we redirect this “voluntourism” industry to be sustaining and empowering local communities, so that good intentions will carry into good outcomes?

As individuals from developed Western countries, shouldn’t we allow our role in international development to be defined not by our own interests but by the expressed needs of developing nations?

“Bring in the goat!” Cheikh Mohammed beckoned towards one of his wives. She returned a moment later with a blistering platter to add to the collection of feast foods. He motioned for me; we plunged our fingers into the meat.

After spending nine months with ADRA, I decided to leave with my unanswered questions about responsible third-world development and take a bush taxi deep into the Saharan interior. I wanted to see a

community still relatively untouched from outside aid; I wanted to know how people can withstand hardships and sustain themselves by themselves.

I wanted to see inner empowerment working for myself, a community that hadn’t yet been crippled into dependency.

“Well, probably just going the way we’re going now,” David said.

electing, not short-term solutions that make us feel like we “done good.”

I chewed on his Arabic words while he finished his bread.

Guaranteed, she’s a full-time nurse and busy as can be, running the organization out of Burtonsville, Maryland. Off the top of her head, she’s hoping that the volunteer base and donations will become larger for the 9-year-old organization.

The Egyptian military, which is now suppressing the country's oncehopeful movement for democracy and killing dozens of activists in the process, subsists on $1.3 billion in annual U.S. aid. Nigeria is one of the top five oil suppliers to the U.S, and the American government did not see fit to support the Nigerian protests against one of the most corrupt governments. Haitian rice farmers have suffered appalling losses due to Haiti being flooded with subsidized American rice.3 And finally Uganda, our country of interest, suffered when the Obama administration recently halted or reallocated an estimated $9 million in aid, cancelled regional military assistance over rebel activity, and barred Ugandans involved in human rights abuses from entering the U.S.A.

“But poverty and hunger still exist, and our morality moves us to feed and clothe,” I broke into his silence.

It’s time to recognize that in pursuit of a service experience, we may be salving our own consciences without fully examining the consequences of the people we seek to help.

That’s how I found myself sharing dinner and conversation on the village chief’s rooftop each Thursday night, overlooking a cluster of low painted tents and the gingerbread-type houses breaking up the wide expanse of desert.

“Cheikh Mohammed, do your friends give you gifts?” I started in Arabic, breaking off a piece of village bread.

“Of course, it’s a friendly thing to do.” He adjusted his posture on the scratchy woven carpet.

“Now if I’m coming from America to give you gifts, am I your friend?”

His face darkened, and he chewed a great deal before he spoke.

“Heather, a donation is a very dangerous thing to give away. Your American world is filled with so many items and material goods, that you might not understand the gravity of handing something for free to someone who has never been handed anything.”

I watched him deliberately dip his bread into goat sauce and carefully chew, knowing that he would explain himself.

“Do you know what this village means? Generations of desert wanderers, learning and toiling for their bread and meat and homes. We are proud of this; we are empowered, by this. Now, give a village man a handout? You’ve just weakened him.

You’ve increased his dependency; diminished his sense of self-esteem.

One of the most widely-accepted notions is that Westerners are the solution to African problems. This requires portraying us as helpless and endlessly recirculating images only

11 OPINION

of abandonment and violence, or innocence and primitivism.”

“You asked me if my friends give me gifts,” he said. “Make sure that you are my friend. Make certain you understand me, first. Learn my strengths, my heart, my efforts. Once we are established in brotherhood, then yes, send me a present, one that won’t hurt me to open.”

“You see, Heather,” he set his meat down to look closely at me, ”We are not weak. We are not underdeveloped.

If you believe we must be helped, look more closely. We are content in our hearts, affectionate to each other, and attentive to our souls. Perhaps the greater need is for us to be helping you.”

Walla Walla University is well on our way to raising $100,000 for To Build A Home in Uganda thanks to the cooperative efforts of the student body. Matching the fundraising efforts of Christalis, a local organization, we hope to create a new home for children that will sustain them for years to come. The intent is sincere, benevolent, and ethical. What could the outcome of this intention be?

Christalis has more projects currently running than just To Build A Home; one is raising money for a truck just to have reliable transport in Uganda. The annual reports show that Christalis receives an average of 86% of income from outside contributions, meaning that if donations were to slow down, the organization would not be able to sustain itself. I was a bit concerned about the possibility of something like that happening to our orphanage, so I called the director, Shalini David, to ask her what the sustainable strategy is.

Well then, how does this building project affect the local economy, the orphan’s culturally-responsible relatives, the struggling families in the area who could drop off more “poverty orphans,” and most importantly, the cognitive, relational, and emotional development of these institutionalized orphans?

David didn’t respond. I tried an easier one. How many children are needing this home, as in… orphans?

“Maybe 20-23 are true orphans,” she admitted. “But a pastor brought us two children whose parents were recently killed by rebels.”

Yes, rebels, exactly what I wanted to talk about next, because won’t a shiny, new, $200,000 orphanage attract rebels to a simple village?

“We have a guard each night,” David said; “other than that, we heard about things happening around the area but we haven’t had much happen [there].”

Is there a plan in the future budget for another guard to go along with the new building? In fact, is there a future budget that is taking into account the extra expenses of a bigger orphanage in order to sustain this lifetime commitment of dozens of dependent children?

“Not right now, no… every penny of the projected $200,000 is for building only, not sustainability. We hope to have groups come and visit the orphanage in the future…”

I waited in silence on the phone.

“God will provide,” David concluded.

A reflex reaction to this critique may be, “At least they are doing something,” or “Wow, I guess we can’t really do anything,” but this would be lazy thinking. It’s not that our intention isn’t genuine, it’s that our analysis isn’t. As long as the West has the kind of economic, cultural and militaristic stronghold over places like Uganda, our hard work is still not targeting the root or causes of oppression. Our main goal should be evaluating foreign policies, which we play a direct role in

Isaiah 10:1-2a: “Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right…”

Let us begin our involvement right here with the money-driven villainy at the heart of American foreign policy.

To do this would be to give up the illusion that the sentimental need to "make a difference" trumps all other matters. If we are going to interfere in the lives of others, a little due diligence is a minimum requirement.

For orphans, let’s provide resources to the capable families, donate for child sponsorship and feeding programs like the one Christalis is also running, assist at-risk mothers, and re-home children or develop a family model in orphanages. Let’s support vocational training and community-based initiatives. Let’s talk about this White Savior Complex and how to keep it out of ministry. Let’s match volunteers to their existing skill set and require them to be integrated with their host communities, learning and listening to real needs.

Let’s befriend these fighters, these strong survivors, and then let’s refocus aid to further empower our friends.

http://www.irinnews.org/report/84582/ west-africa-protecting-children-from-orphan-dealers 2 foce-pros-release.com 3 msnbc.msn.com/id/35608836/ns/world_ news_americans/6/fodd-imports-hurt-struggling-haitian-farmers 1

FEATURE

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES 12

LOOK TOTHE VALLEY Opportunities to serve in our very own Walla Walla Valley

While WWU has a long legacy of generous service around the world, it is easy to overlook the Walla Walla Valley, which is ripe with service opportunities for students. Many allow students to serve in ways conducive to a tough academic schedule by allowing students to choose avenues with manageable time commitments. Whatever your passion, these service organizations will provide ample opportunities to get involved.

Blue Mountain Action Council This local organization seeks to “develop and implement strategies to prevent poverty in our communities, and leverage community support, service, and volunteerism.”

BMAC organizes a number of programs, including Adult Literacy Tutor to assist adults preparing for their GED or ESL tests; tutoring for elementary school kids; C2C after school programs; Adopt a Family, which allows students to help families BMAC cannot; and a number of behindthe-scenes jobs such as mailings, data entry, maintaining files, and taking calls. To connect with BMAC, phone (509) 529-4980.

Blue Mountain Humane Society The Humane Society is perfect for volunteers who want to work with animals.

Due to their constant work with animals in the valley, volunteers can visit weekly or monthly to assist the Humane Society. Also, about once a month they have a kid’s event which provides an ideal time for volunteers to create a fun and warm environment. To get involved, call Elaina Avery at (509) 529-5188.

Blue Mountain Valley – Mission Native American SDA Church This church is located a few miles away from WWU on HWY 11. They have many opportunities to help their services, from teaching Cradle Roll, Kindergarten, and Junior/Earliteen Sabbath School classes

to organizing or assisting in their Sabbath afternoon children’s program. The church is open to weekly or monthly involvement; simply contact Elder Matthew Lombard at (509) 540-1188 for more information.

Camp Fire Walla Walla Camp Fire’s core purpose is to help youth prepare for their lives, right now.

Volunteers read to kids and help them with their homework. Also, volunteers can enjoy playing tag or capture the flag with the students. Their programs run Monday through Friday, and they operate five different programs at the elementary schools around the valley, offering volunteers a number of ways and places to get involved.

Involvement is in the afternoons after school ends until 5:30 P.M. To get involved, call (509) 525-3180.

Children’s Home Society of Washington Children’s Home Society provides services to children, youth and their families.

The mission is to help children thrive by building on strengths of children, families and communities. Volunteers can help the Children’s Home Society in two main ways.

First, they need mentors to tutor and work with kids after school on weekdays, and even during the summer at the farm labor homes.

Second, they need help in their office, working the front desk and other duties. To get involved, phone (509) 525-3532.

Of course, there are still more opportunities not listed here. For more information about any of these opportunities or to find out more about volunteer and outreach opportunities run through our Chaplain's Office contact Kelia Cook (Community Service Coordinator) or Rychelle Willis (Volunteer Ministries Coordinator). Email community.service@wallawalla.edu.

Christian Aid Center The Christian Aid Center has a wide variety of jobs for volunteers ranging from a one time commitment to a more long term relationship with the Center. The Christian Aid Center operates a number of programs, including a kitchen, which needs decorators, cooks, and servers. Also, the they operate family services, which needs Bible study leaders, childcare providers, class instructors, and organizational aids. If these or other opportunities spark your interest, contact Jeannette Regalado at (509) 525-7153.

Community Center for Youth The Community Center for Youth provides a fun and safe environment for middle school and high school students to socialize, get help in school, and learn new and healthy lifestyles. Student volunteers can be a great asset in working with these kids. The Center holds activities like activity nights, dances, and a new program called “Girls Night” for teenage girls. They also hold sports centered events. Volunteers can be involved through mentoring and supervising. If interested, phone (509) 526-2571.

Eagle Meadows Eagle Meadows is a superb place to volunteer, a retirement center just down the street from the WWU campus. Volunteers are always welcome to spend time with the residents through conversation or meals. Of particular interest are the bingo days, which

can provide both volunteers and residents a great time to get to know one another.

Volunteers can also schedule group visits to play music or just talk with the residents. To get more involved, call (509) 302-2208.

Friends Program The Friends Program also operates near to home, just across the street from Foreman and Conard at Davis Elementary School.

The Friends Program connects students to teachers, students, and classrooms that need assistance from Kindergarten through 4th grade. The Friends Program also allows the opportunity to befriend an individual child and get to know him or her throughout the year during lunches and recesses. The Friends Program is an excellent way to positively impact a young child’s life. If interested, call (509) 527-4745.

Gospel Outreach Gospel Outreach is a Seventh-day Adventist mission organization based in College Place. Their goal is not to send American missionaries to evangelize in foreign countries, but to enable native workers, pastors, and missionaries to reach out to those in their community. They focus especially on what they call the “10/40 Window,” a smaller section of the world where 60 percent of the world’s population lives. For more information about Gospel Outreach, call (530) 249-4258.

Y

FEATURE

13 SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

Helpline

Regency at the Park

Volunteer Chore Services

Helpline assists working-poor individuals and families on an emergency basis with food, clothing, prescriptions, transportation, utilities, short-term shelter, homeless prevention rental assistance, infant-care needs and referrals for crisis advocacy and counseling. In addition to serving as an emergency food bank for needy families, Helpline provides screening and voucher referral for food services at three other area food banks. Helpline coordinates with wide varieties of social services to ensure needs are met without duplication of services.

Helpline also operates STEP Women’s Shelter. If you have a passion for these operations and want to get involved, call (509) 529-3377.

Regency at the Park is a rehabilitation center in College Place. They appreciate volunteers and have a number of ways to get involved.

One program they have is called adopt-agrandparent. Students are able to meet with a resident for a year, committing to building a friendship with them each week. Regency also encourages student groups to play music or spend time with the residents at any time.

To volunteer, call (509) 529-4480

Volunteer Chore Services provides free chore services to low-income adults who are frail or have a disability so they may continue living independently in their communities.

The kinds of assistance they provide include transportation to appointments, cooking, light housekeeping, minor home repairs, yard work, laundry and shopping. To get involved, contact Robin Dowsett at (509) 525-0572.

Salvation Army

Walla Walla General Hospital

The Salvation Army is a social organization with a food bank, social services office, church and associated programs including an after school drop-in center. Volunteers are needed to work in the food bank and drop-in center, and helping with storage, sorting and cleaning, as well as contacting clients about the offered food choices each week. A great opportunity is helping in the kitchens with their cooking classes in their demonstration kitchen. To volunteer with the Salvation Army, call (509) 529-9470.

WWGH greatly benefits from volunteers.

Student volunteers can improve patient experiences at Walla Walla General by helping in different areas of the hospital to fulfill its mission of peace, hope, and health.

To become a volunteer, call (509) 527-8275.

Interfaith Coalition on Poverty This organization’s passion is best described by its mission statement: Faith communities fighting poverty, working for justice. This organization has three core goals: to educate and mobilize faith communities on poverty, to promote systemic change in that regard, and to build a strong voice for the needs of the people. The ICP meets monthly, usually the 4th Wednesday of the month, at noon, usually at the YWCA of Walla Walla. Questions can be directed to June Christensen at SonBridge, (509) 529-3100.

Quail Run Retirement Center Quail Run is a small retirement center whose residents have been through quite a bit of change. The center is committed to working on establishing regular events for these residents. There are several areas that could incorporate volunteers, including mid-week Bible studies, musical programs, church services on weekends, and weekly game nights. To become involved, phone (509) 529-2180.

St. Mary’s Hospital St. Mary’s provides a number of diverse opportunities for volunteers to get involved, including patient contact, clerical, retail, and spiritual care. Students can be involved in comforting patients and helping with their lives, and, with training, volunteers can also be liaisons for same day surgeries and the emergency department. Student volunteers requested to help with patient discharge services and the steady strides joint replacement program. St. Mary’s even offers pet therapy. To get involved, call (509) 525-3320.

Walla Walla Public Schools There are five elementary schools, four middle schools, and two high schools in our area. All of them need help in all sorts of areas such as tutoring and reading. With so many students in the area, and many from underprivileged backgrounds, the area’s public schools can always benefit from student volunteers. To get involved, contact Kathy Gifford at (509) 526-6743.

The Warming Center The Warming Center Community is in need of volunteers at the First Congregational Church, in order to open their doors to those in need of warmth and shelter tonight.

The Warming Center provides a warm, safe place for homeless to spend the night on these cold winter nights. Volunteer slots available throughout the evening and night, and they are looking for at least two to three volunteers per shift. Contact Erik Oshiro of United Way to help out, (509) 520-5059.

Wheatland Village Retirement Community Wheatland Village welcomes volunteers, especially student groups which can share music with the residents. Also, the chaplain is always looking for people willing to lead the Saturday afternoon worship service. To volunteer, call (509) 527-9600.

YoungLife This program gives volunteers a chance to form lasting relationships with teenagers in the Walla Walla area. Volunteers attend a weekly meeting and spend time throughout the week getting to know teens in YoungLife better by joining them for lunch at their school, going to their athletic events, and other supportive activities. YoungLife has seven different ministries in Walla Walla, most of which are centered around schools.

Volunteers build relationships with the kids, earn their trust, and provide a healthy environment for them. If you are interested, contact (509) 525-1518.

LIFE

FOOD & TRAVEL 14

RACHEL

PETERSON Food Writer

It’s been said that we eat with our eyes. We like to pick the foods that look good because they obviously taste better, right? With these recipes, presentation is everything; just make sure you stop staring long enough to try it. All of these sweet combinations are almost too pretty to drink and they’re also incredibly Instagram-worthy. They’re perfect for snuggling up in front of the fireplace, and will make lovely additions to your inevitable Netflix marathons over Thanksgiving break.

HOT CHOCOLATE

LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE Feature

cookingclassy.com

RECIPE: HOT CHOCOLATE

Dark Hot Chocolate Base 1/4 c. cocoa powder 1/3 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 3 c. whole milk 1 1/2 c. half & half 4 oz. 70% dark chocolate, chopped 1 tsp. vanilla extract pinch of salt

White Hot Chocolate Base 1/3 c. sugar 2 1/2 c. whole milk 1 1/2 c. half & half 8 oz. white chocolate, chopped 1 tsp. vanilla extract

I N G R E D I E N TS

Flavor add-ins: marshmallows // whipped cream // chocolate chip cookies // brownies // coconut flakes // dried pineapple // peanut butter // honey roasted peanuts // your favorite chocolate squares and truffles // almond, coconut, peppermint, or vanilla extract // sprinkles

I N ST R U C T I O N S Dark Hot Chocolate Base:

I’d love to get feedback from you! If you have any comments or suggestions for recipes you’d like to see featured, send me an email at rachel.peterson@ wallawalla.edu

In a large bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Heat the milk and half & half over medium heat, stirring every few minutes.

Once milk is heated, slowly add the dry cocoa mix.

Stir continuously until smooth but do not boil. Next, stir in the chopped chocolate and vanilla extract.

White Hot Chocolate Base: In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and salt.

Heat the milk and half & half over medium heat, Adapted from howsweeteats.com

stirring every few minutes. Once milk is heated slowly add the sugar and salt. Stir continuously until smooth but do not allow the mix to boil. Next, stir in the chopped white chocolate and vanilla extract.

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cream Hot Chocolate: Before filling your mug, rub frosting or honey along the rim of the mug. Crush chocolate chip cookies into crumbs and press the crumbs onto the rim. Fill the mug with hot chocolate, then top with whipped cream, marshmallows, and a big cookie.

Mint Hot Chocolate: Use dark hot chocolate base and add one cup fresh mint leaves to the milk mixture while warming. To intensify the mint flavor, add a drop or two of peppermint extract. Remove the mint leaves before serving. Top with whipped cream, marshmallows, and crushed peppermint candies.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate: Use the dark chocolate base and stir in 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter once the chocolate has melted. Top the hot chocolate with whipped cream, marshmallows, and honey roasted peanuts.

SERVICE TO THE SOUL SHANNON

pierce

Travel Writer What makes a trip a mission? It’s exhibiting God through the acts of service.

Service can be performed through building a church, giving immunization shots, giving a vacation bible school to kids, teaching in a school, teaching little Indian kids “red light, green light,” or even providing free musical concerts around a country. They’re exciting trips, which may cause you to grow spiritually and culturally.

I’ve only been on four mission trips of varying lengths, but they’ve definitely been memorable. My junior year in high school, I went to India for three weeks in January. It was hot and wonderful. We

went to a little town northeast of Hyderabad, India, and we held a camp meeting for the surrounding towns. Every night there was a huge turnout of kids and adults who came to hear eight Americans speak. We sang songs and provided a children’s story, a health talk, and a sermon.

only barely started. I finished the talk as fast as I could and sat down confused. They were all still laughing — and to this day, I don’t know why they were laughing, or if they understood that high blood pressure is a bad thing, though I know that I definitely made an impression on them.

We all participated in the program. This was before my public speaking days, so I would try to make everything funny. With a translator, I had to get up and talk about blood pressure. I’m not sure how the phrase “if your blood pressure gets too high, your blood may spurt out of your veins and kill you” was translated, but everyone just started laughing. I was serious; high blood pressure is a serious thing. Throughout the whole talk, the translator kept looking at me, and in between laughing would ask, “Are we almost done?” No, in fact we had

During the days, we would go to the local Adventist boarding school and teach the children games and vice versa. They would all run around, screaming with excitement that they got to play with the “big kids.”

After a few hours we would give them toy cars or little dolls. The smiles on their faces were indescribable; their excitement was through the roof. We would leave the school and head towards the villages to pray and sing with the village members. We dedicated churches and baptized people. In India, it was dangerous to hold

Photos by Shannon Pierce

Adventist meetings because Hinduism is the main religion, so having a huge turnout of people was rewarding.

Yes, it is true that towards the end of a trip things may grow tiresome. You usually spend at least four days being tourists and getting to experience the country, but by the end you just want a little alone time in your own home. You complain about how hard it is to be in a different country, about not having the necessities that you’re used to, about having to experience the unfamiliar foods and smells, and how you just can’t wait to get home. There will always be a point in that trip that you will become selfish, and that’s natural because we aren’t accustomed to different cultures.

However, when we go on these mission trips, we start to see lives in a different light

because we often experience living situations that are worse than ours. We give to those in need, and show them that they are loved. In return, the people we are ministering to show us by demonstrating what true friendship is, unobscured by material objects, and they remind us not to take life for granted. If you ask any student missionary, they’ll tell you how it changed their life. When they come back from their year abroad, they struggle to be in the States with all the materials readily available; many feel guilty that we have so much and others don’t. We are given so many opportunities to go and experience this feeling at least once. I encourage you to go on a mission trip at least once if you have time in college.

LIFE

15 CULTURE

THE MUTABILITY OF LANGUAGE BOYSON Guest Writer If the world has a soul, it is here — Waterhouse’s, The Lady of Shalott, hangs in a wide, bright room across from Sargent’s, Study of Madame Gautreau. Painted four years apart, one is based on a Tennyson poem, the other, on a French belle of that same epoque. Both have taken me by surprise and, I’ll admit, I stand agape between them.

I took myself on a trip to London a few weeks ago. I wanted to see the poppies at the Tower of London,

pouring out of one window and covering the ground in blood red, but I also wanted to see the Turner exhibit at the Tate Britain. I had neglected to research what else I could find at the Tate before I arrived in the city, so after eating ice cream at the Tower with an elderly couple from St. Alban’s (we swapped historical tidbits, but noted with some sadness that the next British monarch won’t be a woman — which is another story for later), I ventured towards a museum with a world of Turner and possibilities at my fingertips. I was not disappointed. I spoke the language of the art museum, and found that the Tate spoke back.

For Thine is / Life is / For Thine is

the kaleidoscope New discoveries, far and near. Songs, books, art, it’s shared right here.

the / This is the way the world ends / This is the way the world ends / This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang, but a whimper — T.S. Eliot’s words repeat themselves in my head, the Duruflé Requiem soaring through the candlelit Merton chapel. Eliot wrote “The Hollow Men” in the 1920s — most likely a response to the First World War — and he discusses, quite eloquently, the problems of moral paralysis. About twenty years later in 1947, Duruflé wrote his famous requiem not coincidentally just after the Second World War. I sit agape every time I hear the one and read the other.

About a week ago, a group of friends and I went to hear the Duruflé

Requiem performed for Eucharist at Merton. I found myself repeating the words of Eliot’s poem in my head, over and over; I guess I was thinking about the wretchedness of war and the radiance that sometimes comes from that wretchedness. The requiem and the poem haven’t any connection to each other, but the language of art connects the splendour and the sadness of two world wars where there weren’t any connections before.

I recently shared a few of my favorite things with a good friend of mine. She speaks the language of math and of English, and also that of Barber violin concertos and of Eliot poems. She describes art — in its most vast and encompassing

sense — as the language by which we place ourselves in the world. But these languages can be fluid between each other, between two paintings in the Tate, between a poem and a requiem of seemingly no connection.

During the mid 16th century, Titian painted a series of poesie for King Philip II of Spain based on the poems of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” and this is the language Bekah and I shared — poesie: painting as visual poetry and poetry as written painting. There is a mutability in language and in art, and that is what I’ve found when I stop and open my senses.

TELESCOPE

Grumpy Cat: America’s favorite pessimistic feline has landed her own movie this fall. This month, the meme character comes to life “Obsolete World”: in a Christmas film entitled, Artist Jeannie Lynn Paske is Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas the hand behind the haunting Ever, join Grumpy Cat as and beautiful artwork of her pseudonym “Obsolete World.” she’s adopted by a 12-yearThese unique pieces feature an old from a mall pet shop and Old Fashioned: array of poignant and solemn goes on a strange adventure The upcoming film, Old Fashioned, hits close to characters living in a forgotten to ultimately learn the true home, but it’s not so local anymore. Filmmaker and world, each accompanied by videographer Phillip Sherwood aids in the production meaning of Christmas. Is it a deep and thoughtful title. of this film about chivalry and respect in a relationship.

Personally, I am intrigued by the possible to make a good movie Looking to counterbalance the upcoming racy film, 50 quiet message, earthy tones, from a meme? We will find out Shades of Grey, the producers seek to give a moral opposition unique creatures, and poetic on November 29. by displaying a relationship based on God and true love instead captions for every piece. Take

SCOPE

MICROSCOPE

icollider.com

MADELEINE

a look at the beauty of Paske’s “Obsolete World” on her website: www.obsoleteworld.com.

of immoral and secular lust. This small film is potentially reaching millions by taking on the mega movie. Will David beat Goliath? Find out on Valentine’s Day, February 14, when both films are released.

soundcloud.com amazon.com

PERSPECTIVE SM/ACA 16

Rychelle Willis

SM EXPERIENCE RYCHELLE

willis Contributor

A little over three years ago I was standing in a little classroom, sweat dripping down my back and rain pouring into the classroom and flooding the sides of the room because the windows didn’t actually close.

I couldn’t get the lights to come on so everything I had written on the chalkboard was impossible to see.

I watched my students file into the classroom: seven big, intimidating guys and seven girls; they were the senior class and only a year or two younger than me. My biggest fear when I signed up to teach high school was the seniors, the older kids. I had no clue how to handle them, so naturally God decided I should have them as my homeroom class. It was the first day of classes and I was beginning to realize how unqualified I was for the job I needed to do.

I was a student missionary on the island of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia. It is a little, 16x4-mile island about 500 miles southwest of Guam. The people there are a unique mix of traditional and western culture, holding on tightly to traditional island customs such as village etiquette and dress.

I signed up to be the high school math teacher, but that morning as

I watched my students enter my classroom, I realized they needed so much more than that. They needed someone they could respect, someone who would be firm and disciplined in the classroom, someone who was patient and a good teacher, someone who was good at confronting when they had snuck in alcohol, betel nut, and other substances they shouldn’t have. They needed someone to be an example of God’s love because lots of them had never experienced it before.

I saw these needs and I felt like I was not qualified to give them what they needed. I was just a sophomore in college, what did I know about controlling a room of high school students?

There were many students I got to know well and who opened up to me throughout the year. But there is one in particular who still holds a special place in my heart. Jane was in the sophomore class; she is a college freshman now. Jane would come and talk to me about everything, when she broke down I was the person she came to ask for advice and she’d let me pray with her. Towards the end of the year Sabrina Tym, who taught English, gave them a journal assignment to, “Write a letter to your favorite teacher from all your years of school.” This is what Jane wrote: “To Ms. Rychelle, thank you for teaching us Algebra 2 this year. I really learned a lot. Thank you for the wonderful music and discovering different cultures and histories with us. Thank you for the advice you’ve

Rychelle Willis

given me and thank you for the hugs when I most needed them. I will miss you and I hope to see you again. I love you Miss.”

There were challenging days, times I had no idea what to do. But God, somehow, got me through each and every challenge, and used me; even though I was completely unqualified.

On that first day of school, with the water pouring in, no light on the chalkboard, and a room full of teenagers eager to test me, God took over. He got me through each class, kept control of my classroom, gave me patience when I had none and even helped me to develop a love for my students I never could have imagined that exists even now, three years later.

Given the chance, I would gladly do it all over again. God doesn’t need people who are qualified, who know what they are doing and can do it on their own. He is looking for ordinary people who are willing to rely on Him and follow Him wherever He leads.

LEARNING KARLI

fredrickson Contributor Sitting in a dimly lit and cramped room, I watch with more than an ounce of anticipation (or is it dread) as more and more white shirted, brown trousered young people come rushing in through the entry door that leads to the kitchen, the narrow hallway that connects the rooms, and the dining/study area, in which I am currently seated. I inch closer to the louvered window to catch a bit more of a breeze, yet where I also catch a glimpse of the chicken bones and unwanted beans have been tossed to wait in the sill. I brush away a fly that keeps trying to land on my semi-drenched face and again wipe away the sweat that won’t leave my upper lip, wondering why I must sit in the room right next to the ovens where they are baking tonight’s rolls.

In glancing around at three score unknown faces, I attempt to find the little boy that I am to tutor. I ask if anyone has seen Dion; no one claims they have. An older boy leaves and comes back a few minutes later with a thin, large eyed, tight-lipped boy, explaining to me that he was hiding in the slide. He sits Dion next to me and thus begins the trial of trying to encourage a boy of eight, with three times the experiences of life than I pray to ever face, to open up to learn.

It takes a few weeks for this small, aged boy to acknowledge me and respond to me at all, let alone say a word. As time passes I begin to learn

Karli Fredrickson

about Dion in our daily lessons of counting from one to ten using the water jugs that held our Crystal water.

I learned of the scars that covered his arms and legs as he learned what sound “d” makes. I learned of his stubbornness and of how loud a quiet and shy boy can scream when being taken back home. I learned of the loss of his parents, and while I didn’t learn his whole story, I saw bits of it in his dark and distant eyes. I learned that he liked to hold hands with someone he trusts as he walks home from school, whispering parts of his day. I learned that he liked to sit on his friend’s lap (despite the high humidity and heat) as he read books aloud. I learned that he loved to call out my name from behind the fence at the home in the evening, just so that he could tell me one more thing that day. I learned he loved to run happily screaming across the street, arms flapping like bird wings, to jump into my arms and tell me “I love you.” I learned that he always would come stand with his back touching my stomach, quietly taking my right arm and wrapping it tightly across his chest to hold the love in.

I went to Belize to tutor kids after school. I was taught the persistence of children who face adversity. I was taught of the hunger in each soul to be accepted and loved unconditionally. I was taught of the power of God’s love to change any circumstance for His will. I was taught the patience and sacrifice of truly loving (if possible) someone.

PERSPECTIVE 17 CW/CW

Creative

Collegian

WRITING

WISDOM

EYES

BY MASON NEIL I looked into her eyes, and I began to slip.

ABIGAIL

wissink Creative Curator

If you’d like to submit your poetry, prose, songs, or any kind of creative writing, email me at abigail.wissink@ wallawalla.edu

Everyone’s been told that the eyes are the windows to the soul.

But what if the eyes were more? What if your eyes chronicled what you had been through, the pain your heart had endured, and the stress you had bared? What if they acted as a space where people shared common stories, sang songs, and danced together?

Maybe they do.

I don’t often run into people who have been able to open their eyes the way she did. Sometimes I’ll run into someone and we will share a spell together. It is not by my choice. A glance can steal a memory, and a blink can hold a lifetime. Never are these exchanges verbally acknowledged. It is a thing of singularity: shared, but secret.

Her eyes were different. The depth in them was bottomless. They searched me, prying out details I had long forgotten about, recalling to mind memories I had wished to never remember. I felt the gates of my heart being opened. Not by force, but compelled by something indefinite and warm.

There were tears that carried shadows, tossed and turned by swells of great magnitude. Gusts of wind blew from every direction. This was not a carefree life. Struggles plagued the scene. Clouds in the sky flocked to hide a body of light that hung

just out of your vision. Yet still it persisted, urging a curiosity for more.

The swells acted as a mosaic, melted together by the light. History, a twisted and ugly limb, formed terrible thorns that irritated the vision, fogging the present and shadowing the future. It was beautiful. Not the beauty you find in a flower or a peaceful landscape, but the beauty you find in acceptance of what is.

All this in just a glance.

She stirred. A rush of wind caused a blink, and the connection ended. She was gone.

I kept walking, not knowing what had happened.

Still, I was glowing in the cool iridescence that follows such an intimate encounter. My form floated and hovered as I fought to continue on my path through the crowd. Eyes continued to lock with mine, asking where she was. A sense of urgency filled my heart as I caught vacant stares.

She had seen me and felt me. The intimacy was unnerving.

I cannot shake the feeling left after our encounter. Each day, my eyes scan, hoping to reconnect with the stories left behind, hanging in the air. How will I ever reach an end? I did not see what she looked like. I did not even see what color her eyes held. I only felt what she left, and I knew.

video

vimeo.com/aswwu

Prayer, Praise, and Popcorn; And All God’s People Said A look at Walla Walla University’s popcorn-laced Friday night worship, “Prayer, Praise and Popcorn;” a place to feel God through worship with friends, to make music with passion, and to let your week melt into a single moment in a room with God. Eric Weber

Experts claim hallucinogenic plants may help decode ancient Southwestern paintings Result: they predict the Apocalypse Drone strikes woman in Florida market Update: drone Apocalypse Biggest chocolatemaking companies say we’re running out of chocolate Apocalypse now English man attempts to rob store with the photo of a gun Not a rational reaction to the Apocalypse Walmart workers plan Black Friday protests over wages Save money, Apocalypse better

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LIFE

19 #THECOLLEGIAN

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LIFE

official-furby.wikia.com

HUMOR 20

“go to heaven for the climate, hell for the company”

Good day, my fellow freezing friends. I have only a few concrete rules in my life: 1) Always hide the family photo albums before friends come over 2) Never go the speed limit 3) Never chug a Dutch Bro’s ER-911 (caffeine overdose is real) 4) Never go into Gottschall’s office with only five minutes to talk 5) Always dominate your relationships as if you were a Love Crusader (Deaux Lemnah) 6) Never ever buy a Furby… again.

These rules exist for many reasons and past experiences. I especially adhere to rule number one because I once wore headgear, smiled with a tooth gap which comfortably fit four toothpicks, and religiously wore technicolored Winnie the Pooh overalls. On occasion these photo albums are found and my brother and I recall stories of our childhood that can be defined as a time when we tried to kill each other with occasional laughing fits between punches. Many of our best stories stem from something stupid we did together.

My favorites include: that time he shot our neighbor with a paintball gun at his dinner party, provoking my first experience with very colorful cuss words, or when

Title Game: Whoever is the first to identify the author of my title and email me at lauren. lewis2@wallawalla.edu will receive a baked good (Hint: Pap and Huckleberry Finn).

Competition Winner: Week 5 Mindy Robinson

we went rollerblading and I broke my arm trying to skate backwards while being pulled by our Corgi who was running after my brother who had bacon. But my ultimate beloved is story number three, when we created a sizable crater in my bedroom. All we wanted was for my Furby to shut up, and after we could not figure out how to take out the batteries, throwing it against the wall was the only other reasonable option.

Mother was not happy.

I originally loved my Furby; his name was Bernard.

But after my brother and his friends kidnapped Bernard and trained the retard to say dirty words, I had to dispose of him. I was very sick of hearing “I want to do you” or “It’s sexy time” in a seemingly innocent and high squeaky voice all day and night. Unable to reach my dad’s mallet placed on the top shelf, the only other logical option was throwing Bernard against the wall as hard as possible. My arm was not strong enough, but my brother’s was. Thank goodness. (If you ever purchase a Furby, watch the Youtube videos titled: How to make your Furby evil or Furby vs. Siri.)

If you don’t know what a Furby is, Google it and you will understand the horrible hell that provoked the experience. I personally define a Furby as the most devilish collection of plastic, cheap vocal recognition, and fur-like material that China and Toys “R” Us could sell to children in the 1990s. I promise the manufacturers are still laughing.

thecollegian

SNAPCHAT

LAUREN

lewis

Other ridiculous and awesome things came from the 1990s. Quickly, let’s recall some favorites:

Humor Writer

- “The Amanda Show” - Floppy Discs - When Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears dated - “Rugrats” - Dialing *69 to your friend who prank called you - Steve Urkle - Mood rings - Bubble gum tattoos - Dreaming of being slimed on Nickelodeon - Apple laptops with handles - Sporting frosted tips while dancing to NSYNC - Dying of dysentery on the Oregon Trail - Jelly shoes These were the best of days. If you do not remember them or anything from the list above, you are probably a freshman. Oh, I forgot, rule number seven, never date a person who doesn’t understand the phrases, “to hang up the phone,” or “in West Philadelphia born and raised,” or a freshman.

Have a great Thanksgiving Break, y’all.

te, ”

LIFE

21 FASHION

take a

LOOK INTO

me Quickly,

STYLE PROFILE STYLE PROFILE STYLE PROFILE STYLE PROFIL q and a A: Who or what is your style inspiration?

L: I’ve always taken a big interest in the cultural history of fashion, from the polished and flawlessly classic looks of Audrey Hepburn in the 21, Health Promotion late 50s, to Debbie Harry with that rough and rebellious look. The 70s punk scene alone was I spotted this week’s style profile candidate while standing in line in the borderline revolutionary to the ideals of women’s cafeteria. Her cool, unique style immediately caught my attention and fashion. I have the highest admiration for the I thought she deserved a feature. Originally all the way from Florida, fashions of every decade, which I’ve always tried Laurie is a third-year student with a sense of individualism in her to incorporate into what I wear. dress and in her thought. Just by reading her responses in the Q&A, you will be able to tell that she possesses a special, oneA: If you could raid anyone’s closet, whose of-a-kind fashion sense, which is inspiring to see in a society of would it be? conformity. Laurie is not afraid to play with style — I mean, she M: It’s hard for me to think of one particular is even wearing her fiancé’s grandpa’s old hat! person whose wardrobe I would raid, though I’ve always dreamed of breaking into the vaults of an old 1920s-30s movie. Maybe Clara Bow, or Rita Hayworth.

SKIRT | DIY A: Since you seem to be a second-hand thrifting master, can you please give us a SHOES | Thrifted few tips?

M: You pretty much nailed it in your last article STOCKINGS | Walmart — keep an eye out for texture and color and determine the potential a piece might have.

COAT | Garage Sale Other than that, I’d probably say one of the biggest tips I could give is just to keep looking.

SCARF | Nordstrom Rack I’ve been building my wardrobe through secondhand thrifting for the last eight years, and I can’t HAT | Grandpa’s tell you how many times I’ve gone home empty handed after thrifting. It takes time, but there’s EARRINGS | Goodwill absolutely nothing comparable to the things you might find.

Laurie Fishel

ALYSSA

hartwick Fashion Writer

LIFE

SCIENCE 22

rcfellowship.org

SERVICE FOR THE TECHNICALLY-MINDED DANIEL

hulse

You can’t serve people if you aren’t a fireman, a social worker, a doctor, a missionary, or a pastor. While this statement is obviously untrue, it’s a statement that reflects the subtext of many people’s thinking about service — either you devote your whole life’s work to service by taking up one of a few professions, or you don’t. While there are certainly some professions that lend themselves more to humanitarian causes than others, it’s important to know that most

anyone who works in a profession that requires technical skills has something special and valuable to give to make the world a better place: engineers, programmers, scientists. The world needs people like us to use our skills not just for our own personal advancement, but for the good of everyone, and especially for the needy. As it turns out, there are many organizations that do this kind of work.

Let’s look at a few:

Science Writer

ewb-wwu.org

tinyurl.com

Open Source Ecology Open Source Ecology is an organization with the goal of creating a Global Village Construction Set — a set of 50 tools needed to make a small, self-sustaining civilization. Since the project is open source, the plans, documentation, and manuals for the tools are available to everyone to use and make their own.

So far, they have made several working prototypes, including a tractor, a soil pulverizer, and a brick press that are already being used around the globe. If you haven’t seen their TED Talks, I highly reccomend them. You can learn more on their website, opensourceecology.org.

[Professions] Without Borders As it turns out, there are a lot of “without borders” organizations (organizations that connect people with skills and needs around the globe) — so many that Wikipedia has a list of them. If you think your skills don’t match up with one of these organizations, think again. From Chemists Without Borders to Geeks Without Bounds to Statistics Without Borders, Doctors Without Borders, and even Lifeguards Without Borders, there is likely to be an organization you can join to help people using your set of professional skills.

One of the largest organizations (and the only one with a WWU chapter) is Engineers Without Borders, which takes on humanitarian projects that require expertise locally and around the world. Our local chapter of EWB has done a whole lot of good partnering with communities.

Just this summer they created and installed a gravity-fed water system for a small community in Peru.

The World of Open Source The Open Source Software world is filled with cool projects that rely primarily on community contributions. Free open source software can be run, copied, changed, and distributed by anyone, which makes it a valuable, public resource for anyone with technical expertise.

While many of these projects have large, successful organizations and sponsors that can hire people to work full-time. Many others are developed primarily by small communities are still used by large audiences, like the GNU Image Manipulation Program, a free photo editor; Krita, a painting

and drawing program; and Ardour, a music production program.

One of the coolest open source software projects is the elementary OS project, which aims to provide a free, intuitive, beautiful operating system that everyone can use. While it certainly isn’t the first of its kind, elementary OS has been the most successful at creating a free operating system that works not just for the tech-savvy, but for everyone. You can find out more about it or get involved at elementaryos.org.

LIFE

23 SPORTS

WOLVES VOLLEYBALL and the POSTSEASON ALEX

wagner Sports Writer Wolves Volleyball

This past week, the Wolves volleyball team traveled to Denver, Col., for the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) postseason tournament.

The tournament brought together six schools that are independent from a conference or league to compete for an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships in Iowa. Remember, the Wolves join the Cascade Collegiate Conference next year, and that will come with a conference tournament of its own. But for this season, WWU competed as an independent, so the invitation to this tournament was a big step for the Wolves.

Gerry Larson, WWU Athletics Director, said: “Considering the youthful makeup of this team, qualification for a national tournament is a significant accomplishment.”

Upon arrival Thursday, November 13, an awards banquet was held

honoring players individually for their play throughout the regular season.

Sophomore Maria Darling was voted onto the All Conference second team, while freshmen Lauren Barlow and Sierra Hample were each given an honorable mention.

Friday, the Wolves played in two matches. The first was against Rochester College (Rochester Hills, Mich.). After winning the first set 25-19, WWU lost the second 1525. The third set was very close and saw the Wolves come from behind to tie it at 24-24 after two straight aces from senior Amanda Preston.

Unfortunately, Rochester was the next two points, winning 26-24. The Wolves bounced back in the fourth set 25-15 to force the deciding set five.

Things looked good with an early lead, however Rochester took the set as well as the match victory.

combined 12 kills and 31 digs.

Before they left for Colorado, the group’s only senior, Amanda Preston, reflected on her teammates and the season they had been through: “The amount of talent that we have on our team is incredible. Since we are such a young team, there was a learning curve for all of us at the beginning of the season.”

She also mentioned that as the season progressed, “We had to work hard to get used to each other’s playing styles and to learn to play as a team.”

While the end result of this year isn’t exactly what the team had in mind, there were many positives for Amanda to take away from it. “This season has honestly been one that I will always remember. I am truly blessed to have been a part of this team and I wish them the best of luck in the years to come, in volleyball and in life.”

The second match the Wolves Thanksgiving Football played on Friday was against Cal State Marcos (San Marcos, Calif.), the Every Thanksgiving, I find myself favorite heading into the tournament thinking about what I am thankful for. and the 22nd-ranked NAIA team in Of course, spending time with family, img2.wikia.nocookie.net the nation. Though they competed friends and good food are among the well and kept it close in the first two first thoughts to come to mind, but sets, the Wolves lost 3-0 (25-18, 25-21 let’s not forget about the National and 25-11).

Football League!

An All-Tournament Team was This year, we have three great named afterwards, and Maria Darling matchups taking place. The Lions are was voted on for the Wolves. She off to a great start this season with finished the tournament with a a 7-3 record and they will host the

wallawalla.edu

plunging Chicago Bears. For Detroit, this is an opportunity to show a national audience that they are the real deal. Megatron Calvin Johnson is going to have a Thanksgiving feast against this lackluster Bears secondary.

The second game is an important divisional matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles.

This could be a real test for Dallas. They have looked impressive throughout the early part of this season, so a convincing win against Philly could officially make them one of the teams to beat in the NFC. On the Eagles’ side, Mark Sanchez will presumably still be handling quarterback duties with Nick Foles nursing an injury. The last time Sanchez played on Thanksgiving, the infamous butt-fumble happened. So it really can’t get much worse than that, right?

Finally, the evening game is between two teams whose rivalry doesn’t feel as big of a deal this year.

Maybe it’s because they are in second and third place in the NFC West, or possibly because key players from each team have been injured. But the Seahawks and 49ers are playing Thursday night in what will be another important game: WilsonKaepernick, Crabtree-Sherman, and Harbaugh-Carroll. The names we like are still there, hopefully there will be a chance to see something similar to the great Seattle-San Francisco matchups we have become accustomed to.

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Other Cheek

the

GENUINE HUMAN CONNECTION

ABIGAIL

wissink Backpage Writer

Let’s talk about something that gets ignored far too often: mental health. Statistically speaking, around 1 in 10 people our age has experienced a period of major depression.1 Our school has about 1,600 undergraduate students, so around 160 students on our campus have likely suffered from this invisible disease. That’s more people than the number of students who work for ASWWU, yet they are rarely discussed.

like a fool anyway. This is about walking up to that person at CommUnity that you’ve been dying to get to know without caring about getting rejected. This is about that capital-T Thing, the one you’ve been dying to do for years and have always justified not doing because it’s time consuming, or you don’t think you’ll be good enough, or you’re worried that your friends will tease you.

With the theme of service this week, the question can be raised of how effective one can be in serving others when suffering from depression. Understandably, trying to focus on service for others can be difficult when suffering from a mental health issue. Focusing on yourself is necessary at times to make yourself a more helpful person to others.

This is about knowing what you need to do for yourself to make you happy.

This isn’t me trying to be selfish or to tell anyone else to be either. This is about knowing what you need to do for yourself to make you happy. This is about service, the service we typically ignore: service to self.

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This is about not caring if you’re the only single person under the age of 30 at a wedding and dancing

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VERBATIM

“Aw, you feel bad? You’d make a good Canadian.”

– Teliesha Batuik

“It’s not full enough to be a goatee, but just gross and patchy enough to be a pedophile ‘stache.”

– Nick Gosney, on his Movember beard

“I feel gelatinous right now.”

– Acacia Chan

“The only thing keeping me from going pro is my ability.”

– Alex Lemnah

If you hear something funny, cringe-worthy, or that could be hilarious out of context, send the quote to me! abigail.wissink@wallawalla.edu

In a recent video, YouTuber Troye Sivan discussed the idea of becoming yourself and how it requires letting go of fear and embracing who you are: “I’m on the path to being a person that I’m equally terrified by and obsessed with: my true self.”2 I’ve found it’s much easier to help others when I’m in a good state of mind. When I’m stressing about a

paper that’s due or family issues, it’s really difficult to focus on anything outside my circle of stress. Taking time for yourself, working on one of your hobbies, or talking to a mental health professional are all healthy venues to help yourself, and in turn, help others. There are lots of local mental health resources in the valley, including free counseling on our campus. Taking time for self-service is vital, especially in an environment as stressful as college can be.3 Although a state of mental health is not easily achieved if you are suffering from depression or another disease, making steps toward recovery can be life-changing. Even if you aren’t depressed, finding the thing in your life that makes you unique can lead to more happiness in your life, as well, and can therefore help you in your service toward others. So cheers, friends, and may you be as happy and focused in life as a kitten chasing a laser pointer. http://tinyurl.com/othercheekMH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql8jG9OoSTM 3 http://tinyurl.com/MHothercheek 1

2

HaikuREVIEW INTER

VIEW

Each week I write riddles in the form of haikus about places around campus, popular books or movies, or something random of my choosing. The first person to email me with a correct guess as to what I’m referencing will be mentioned in next week’s Review. Email me your guess at abigail.wissink@wallawalla.edu.

What is your favorite hobby?

“Rock Climbing” -Cynthia Gobel

“Oh goodness. Photography.”

-Kendra Mitchell

“Watching movies and pointing out the hisotrical inaccuracy in the costumes.”

-Annaliese Hottal

We’re not on campus for the Review this week, friends.

Time for adventure!

Lots of seats, white walls, coffee, studies, and pastries.

Bonne chance, mes amis!

Don’t forget to email me your guess! The first person to email in last week with the correct answer, Dr. McVay’s office, was Tyler Sherwin (again!). Go Tyler!