INTEGRATING FAITH, SERVICE, SCHOLARSHIP
LASP NEWS
LASP’s mission is to cultivate a Christ-centered community of critical thinking learner-scholars from multiple disciplines, that seeks to expand global awareness and integrate Kingdom values via experiential learning in the Latin American context, challenging students to respectfully engage our host cultures and strive for academic excellence.
A Biannual Newsletter Twenty Five Years At LASP LASP Director, Anthony Chamberlain reflects on his 25th anniversary in Costa Rica. P. 1-2
Fall 2015 Current
Alumni Updates
A few updates from our current semester
Read about what LASP alumni are doing, where they are in the world, and what they are passionate about.
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Perspectives
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Looking Back
The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same? Twenty Five Years At LASP by Antonio Chamberlain The More Things Change, the more they Stay the Same, is an expression I’ve been contemplating for many years. Perhaps it seems silly. But having just completed 25 years at LASP, this dicho keeps recurring as a potentially meaningful frame of reference for reflecting over the then . . . and now. When Ruthanne and I arrived at LASP in 1990, Costa Rica’s population was just over 3 million. Today there are more than 5 million (and we brought 3 Tico children into the world, so we are in part responsible). Then there were 280,000 cars on Costa Rican roads. Twenty five years later, we creep along with 1,350,000 other registered cars. Twenty-five years ago it took me 10 minutes to drive to work, the same distance that now often takes me 40 minutes. The trickle of tourists coming to Costa Rica then has increased to an annual flood of more than one million visitors today. During the same time period, however, the poverty rate has remained virtually unchanged . . . folks who do not have their basic needs met still hovers at about 25%. Just a few weeks ago LASP’s program assistant led the newly arrived Fall 2015 semester participants in an orientation week devotional by placing a water bottle in the center of the classroom and asking Antonio, Ruthanne, and Ben them to report what they saw. Their responses varied widely depending, of course, on where they David, December, 1993 were seated relative to the bottle. My reminiscing found me perusing the old issues of LASP’s Central America Currents (later renamed, Latin American Currents). Among them I found an article I had written 25 years earlier entitled “The Power of Changing Perspectives” . . . eerily similar to the 2015 orientation reflection. Mine was a consideration of the different emphases of North and Latin American approaches to Easter. It concluded: “Christ was constantly imploring his followers to examine common things from a new perspective. He is using Central America and Central Americans to do just that today in the LASP.” P. 1
Looking Back These early newsletters made reference to our charlas with Rios Montt (Guatemalan President in the 1980s, yet still in today’s news) and with Daniel Ortega (President of Nicaragua in 1990 and again in 2015). I also saw photos of past LASPers who have gone on to give service in so many meaningful ways back in the USA and around the globe, in education, health care, relief and development, church leadership and just about every other imaginable area. I wish you could leaf through these issues with me. They contain wonderful memories brought back by photos and articles from 50 issues. Still, some of the students’ post-LASP journeys, to which I have been privy, have entailed painful steps, including sickness, divorce and even deaths. It’s strange how often in the Bible people’s trust in God was shaken. CCCU professor, Peter Enns, in his book “The Bible Tells Me So,” suggests it may not be because Drew Simmons, Spring ‘93, (Currently risk management, OSU), with Daniel Ortega. they were weak, but because life happens… . “for some reason or another, life does not move along smoothly… You get the feeling from the Bible that being unsettled is almost a normal part of the process . . . that struggling seems like something we should expect in our own Spiritual Journey. True struggling in faith is a stretching experience.” pg 239 That has been the case, and likely always will be. So . . . is it true that, the more things change, the more they stay the same? In some ways it sure seems that way. Little progress has been made in solving many of the problems of critical concern back then and some problems have even worsened. Also, it seems to me that LASP participants, past and present, at their core are the same, though LASP’s pedagogy has had to be re-shaped to fit their new realities . . . which are a “moving target.” Back in the day, Costa Rica’s telecommunications were monopolized by the government which meant that imported unauthorized technologies were unheard of. Today, however, virtually all LASPers have their own pocket computers and are connected to home 24/7. LASP’s methods for challenging students to “engage this context,” have had to evolve with the times. Fortunately, recent LASP graduates are still finding meaningful ways to translate their experiences in Latin America into actions that touch the needs of the still-hurting world. At the end of 25 years at LASP, it seems to me that North American students, walking reflectively through the rich landscape of Central America while rubbing shoulders with its diverse inhabitants, still find the Good News is “unexpected.” Happily, these experiences continue to transform lives into those better equipped for service in God’s Kingdom. My prayer is that this tradition may stay the same, in all its new forms, even as its participants endeavor to embrace that which God has intended, through Christ, for all the world.
A.B. Chamberlain family 2015 P. 2
Current Perspectives Perhaps the most exciting part about intellectual pursuits in study abroad is that the world really becomes our classroom! Getting out of the confines of the classroom and taking our learning “to the field” to glean directly from the source is one of the richest ways we can explore the local reality here in Latin America. We always love visiting Roddrick Sell’s organic farm outside of Heredia, where we learn about a unique alternative response to the challenges of the system in which we all live and participate. We always leave the farm feeling renewed and hopeful!
“I am a better person overall because of the time I was able to spend at LASP.” LASP FA „13 alum
“I can honestly say that those months in Costa Rica were life changing and that was the best time of my life.” LASP SP „14 alum Students have enjoyed this semester hanging out with a weekly ecumenical Bible study at the University of Costa Rica, where they have played games, danced, shared personal testimonies, and much more. It has been extremely enriching for students to see a new “Latin American face” of God through this cross-cultural faith experience. As we continue to earnestly seek God through our academic and experiential engagements this semester, we are excited to continually have our faith stretched and our hearts more attuned to the messages God has for us. We are thankful for this challenging time of growth and look forward to continuing to be transformed! Students reap potentially the richest learning opportunities from their incredible host families that have received them warmly in San Jose. So many lessons are learned in the mornings, around the table, in the moments of miscommunication and the moments where love is expressed despite all the barriers. Students have enjoyed growing close to their families and even going on plenty of adventures with them, like this trip to Los Chorros waterfalls in Grecia. There is so much beauty within this country, reflected in its landscapes and its people. P. 3
Current Perspectives
“My faith is more raw. My love for people is more authentic. And my heart is more attentive.” LASP FA „14 alum
“What we had at LASP was the Church: An intense community of mutual love and respect for each other and for God.” LASP SP ‟15 alum We have been fortunate to receive many engaging speakers in our Core Seminar this semester. Perhaps the most notable was our class discussion on U.S. Latin American relations with Don Miguel Ángel Rodriguez Echeverría, former President of Costa Rica and Secretary of The Organization of American States (pictured left). Other speakers have included artist Elmer Rodríguez Campos, Dr. Sherman Thomas, indigenous leader Gloria Mayorga, lawyer Agustín Gutiérrez Carro, political officers of the US Embassy, and Nicaraguan embassy leader, Aminta Ortiz. We have appreciated the diversity of perspectives that these speakers have brought to our classroom, which challenge our own views and opinions. We look forward to all of the opportunities that the rest of the semester holds for us!
Alumni Relations Kristen (Benson) Vega, SP ’96 and family have joined World Gospel Mission and will be going to Cusco, Peru, to work in evangelism and discipleship. They are just starting to raise support, but pray that the Lord will open the doors to go soon.
a Second Language to middle and high school students for 17 years. Her husband, Porfidio, teaches first grade for native speakers in a bilingual program. They have two boys. Jacob (11) and Lucas (4).
Brenda (Heuker) Caballero, SP ‘97 and Melissa (Keys) Zubal FA ‘97 and husband her family live in the Grand Rapids, Michi- moved to a small village north of metro gan area. She has been teaching English as Detroit and are embracing small town life
after living in an urban area for over 10 years. She is working with seniors with Alzheimer's, learning to live off their own land and become part of a local community. Its been a big adjustment but she’s says it's another step in her life and she’s putting her LASP experience to work as she stays aware of world events and shares that with her small town community. She says “Thank you LASP for opening my eyes to the greater world. I learned so much and hope I've made an impact on others because of that experience. I miss all my' 97 classmates and hope to hear from more of you on our fb page! “
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Alumni Relations Sara (Roberts) Caryl, SP ‘00 currently lives in the DC area with her husband and 4 children. They just returned from living in South Korea for two years. This is a picture of her kids taken in Okinawa, Japan.
is their first year on the field in Nicaragua Yuri Semenyuk, SP ‘04 says her first child and it’s a blessing to have the opportunity Lucas just turned 6 months old. to be back in Latin America again living Brittany (Harty) Webb, SP ‘05 and husand working. band, Luke, welcomed their daughter Necia Hobbes, FA ‘02 and husband Neil Annabelle Glory into the world in May. Jones welcomed their son, Rowan Jones Their son, Callum, is 3. They live in IndianHobbes, on July 11, 2015. apolis where Brittany continues to work as a family nurse practitioner in the innercity.
Sarah Wineland, SP ’05 still lives in DC and would love to host any friends who may be coming through town. She recently got engaged to Jason Chen, a surgery resident and hopeless romantic, and will get married in fall 2016. She continAlysa (Sauder) Short, FA ‘00 and husband ues to do photography part time. For her Mark had a baby boy, Micah, in June. day job, she works for Deloitte Consulting They also have a 2 ½ year old, Analisa. and is helping to shape the long term Chris Qualls, SP ’01 just moved from Bei- Jennifer Tadeo (Alig) SP ‘03 and husband health and wellness strategy for the milijing, China down to Lijiang, China in beau- Efren Tadeo Dimas had their first baby on tary community. She hopes to meet her tiful Yunnan province. He is running an October 1st, 2015, Tomas Julian Tadeo. boss' boss' boss soon, also known as the outdoor education company called Jour- He weighed 7lb 2oz and was 21in long. Surgeon General. ney Wilderness Adventures. Daniel Fuller, FA ’05 is doing well; he and Krista (Streight) Tran, FA ‘01 says Zecharihis wife Kristin still live in Indy and are ah David Michael Tran was born August serving in ministries in the inner city 28, 2015. He is their first child. After where Daniel’s Spanish still serves him waiting so long for God to bless them with well. Their first child, Stephen Daniel, was a child, Krista is staying at home with him born October 3, 2014 instead of working.
Kristina (Kline) Whiting, SP ’02, husband, and two daughters (4 and 2) live in Managua, Nicaragua and work for Servant Partners (www.servantpartners.org) which is a Christian missions organization that works incarnationally among the poor in slum communities around the world. This
Toby Roberts, FA ‘03 and his wife Yasmin moved back to El Salvador (from Guatemala) and are running a small, agroecological farm in the highlands of El Salvador with their 8 month-old daughter Gabriela. P. 5
Alumni Relations Joshua and Tiffany Sheats, FA ‘05 welcomed Alyssa Pearl Sheats to their family on June 26, 2015. They live in West Palm Beach, FL and invite all LASPers to come see them! Joshua hosts a daily finance podcast called Radical Personal Finance www.RadicalPersonalFinance.com.
Esther Knicely and Ashley Halsall (Orlando) SP ‘06 both live in Miami. They enjoy hanging out regularly. If any other LASPers come to Miami, let us know and we can have an even bigger reunion!
Sarah McDevitt, FA '06 was married June 6th, 2015 in Kings Lynn, England to Liam Chapman. (picture to the right) Kadie Becker, SP ‘08 moved to Saint Paul, MN in August and started a grad program in ESL. Matthew and Clare (Winter) Crowson, FA
‘08 have settled in to their new life in Thailand. Clare is no longer teaching kite surfing with Matthew but has taken a job with the US Embassy. They are excited to announce that they are expecting twin girls. Laura (Frey) Reyes, FA '08 and her husband Israel moved back to Ohio in May after an amazing year in Costa Rica with LASP. Israel is delivering furniture for a local company, and Laura is studying full time for an M.A. in Spanish at Bowling Green State University, and is a Teaching Assistant for Elementary Spanish at the University. They are having fun enjoying fall after some time away, and send all their love to LASP! Amanda Rodriguez (Boggs), SP ’09 and husband have left the Chicago area and moved back to the border city of Piedras Negras, Mexico. Amanda accepted a missions position with CrossRoads Missions as the Field Coordinator. They partner with existing ministries within the city (orphanages, school, churches, etc.) and hosts short-term teams from the U.S.
Britney Villhauer, SP ’10 has had a bumpy road health-wise since the last newsletter. With surgery in Costa Rica in April and three surgeries in July in the States, she is hoping that things will stable out finally! Praise the Lord that she has been able to bounce back very quickly from each one and is still living in Costa Rica and working with LASP. This picture is when Britney’s great friends from Guatemala came to visit Costa Rica and they went to visit her host family at KéköLdi.
McCall (Adams) Calloway, FA ’10 is currently teaching English in Jeonju, South Korea with husband Carson. Haylee Hancock, FA ’11 came back to the U.S. in April from living in Peru for two years. She is now working at Family and Children's Services in Tulsa, OK as a Bilingual Family Support Specialist. She also recently became a Zumba instructor and will begin teaching classes soon. She plans on taking a trip back to Costa Rica pretty soon to see her host families. She says “Un abrazo para todos mi compañeros de LASP Fall 2011!” Karin Oxenham, SP ‘12 is living in Cairo, Egypt and volunteering in donor relations for EpiscoCare, a community development organization that administers holistic development programs in marginalized, urban communities in Egypt. After just 3 months, she has already learned a lot about the planning and management side of a grassroots, community development organization! She is also learning Arabic, and God is using this experience to continue to challenge her and open her eyes to the diversity in our world... P. 6
Alumni Relations ...She plans to complete a year there and then begin a master's program in international development next Fall. Erin Anderson, FA ’12 recently completed a year of service with Lutheran Volunteer Corps in the Bay Area, CA. She was living in Oakland and placed as a volunteer social worker at an agency called Project Homeless Connect. She now works at Project Homeless Connect as a permanent, fulltime employee and has established her life in the Bay Area where she works directly with San Franciscans who are experiencing homelessness. She is still in contact with her host family from Nicaragua and hopes to return to Central America someday to visit her families there.
Schools in Pleasant Hill, Ohio. She got mar- 2nd year of law school at SMU in Dallas, ried in June this summer to Tobin Eicher. Texas. Abi Kimm FA ‘13 began her PhD in Counseling Psychology at the University of Northern Colorado. Elise Cranston, Sp ’14 is working in Greenville as an Admissions Counselor at Greenville College and is still volunteering at The Simple Room as well as a new safe house for victims of trafficking. Jessica Scull, SP ’14 has recently had the honor of saying yes to her beloved fiancé Justin when he popped the question. They met in college the semester after Jessica returned home from Costa Rica. Just this past September, he proposed. They will marry June 4th, 2016. Jessica says she is missing all of her friends (who became Amanda Cummings, FA ’13 is currently more like family) from LASP. She misses living in Madrid, Spain for the next year their adventures together, though it seems (maybe longer) while she teaches English as a second language. Throughout the year life is full of them and they have yet to cease since leaving Costa Rica. Life is full of she will be seeing as much of Europe as exciting opportunities and wonderful possible. blessings. Jessica says she cherishes the memories from Costa Rica and is excited to make more as she moves forward into this new chapter of life. Siempre pura vida!
Joey Rihn, FA ’12 is teaching English in Riobamba, Ecuador and before that spent the year teaching English in Shandong, China. He’s had the chance to get pretty good at Spanish, Mandarin, and Portuguese (speaking with his Brazilian girlfriend that he plans to marry in a year or so). He’s currently looking for ESL jobs teaching adults in California. Mackenzie (Richards) Eicher SP ‘13 works as a Spanish teacher at Newton Local
LASP Staff Anthony Chamberlain — Director Javier Arguedas — Faculty Jessica Sanchez — Administrative Coordinator Britney Villhauer— Program Assistant
Landon Hankins, FA ‘13 just started his
stay connected. Learn how others are integrating faith, knowledge, experience, and action, and share your own stories as well. P. 7