Union Worldwide 2019

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UNION WORLD WIDE

UNION COLLEGE

03/13/2019

CLOCKTOWER Message From the Editor

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very year Union students head out around the world. Some chose to go with Adventist Colleges Abroad. Some feel a calling to be a student missionary. While still others stay in the Unites States and dedicate time to being a task force worker.

Having spent a year task forcing and a summer with ACA, these programs are all close to my heart so I decided to create an issue dedicated to Union world wide. Union’s about family, and I hope wherever you are in the world this issue brings you a little joy and a little piece of community.

Maegan Luckiesh is a senior studying graphic design.

WHAT’S INSIDE PAGE 03 ZAMBIA PAGE 04 FLORENCE PAGE 06 NOT FOR EVERYONE

Photo provided by Ryan Haakenson

INTENTIONALIT Y S

ometimes things just don’t go according to plan. It only took a couple weeks of working here in Pagudpud, Philippines to realize I wasn’t needed in the medical clinic and wouldn’t be fulfilled by assisting the already-adequate staff.

I was left in a tough spot, realizing the mission I thought I came for would not suffice. I wasn’t at a school that needed me to teach or an orphanage that needed me to care for kids; I felt that I wasn’t really needed at all. I wondered why I was here and how I could make a difference.

God provided answers summed up in one word: intentionality. I didn’t have clear instructions to follow, so I intentionally prayed and looked for opportunities. As I asked Him to, God opened doors to out-of-the-box ministries where He would use me to bless the community. One of my favorite things about our awesome God is that He loves to use the things we enjoy for His glory.

I believe that when service is truly led by God, it’s not only fulfilling, but also fun. He led me to an elementary school needing someone crazy enough to climb trees, tie rope to branches and hack them off so they wouldn’t eventually fall on buildings or power lines. continued on page 2

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Union World Wide Student Missions & Task Force Chantelle Bravatti Madi Kamarad Marcus Tan Sheldon Ramos Ryan Haakenson Tori Palmer Claudia Bauermeister Jessica Bovey Alex Jensen Marveen Gentillon Bethania Helmer Adventist Colleges Abroad (ACA) Katie Buxton Julia Rizzo

INTENTIONALITY continued from page 1 He led some other student missionaries and myself to a nearby basketball court where we’ve played for six months, making friends and working to begin a basketball ministry.

One of those friendships led to my adoption into a Filipino fraternity—seriously, I have two T-shirts and a jersey. It’s legit. Delta Sigma Xi for life!—None of these things were part of my job description here. Nobody told me how to get involved or start these relationships.

I intentionally prayed, asking for opportunities to be used, and God paved the way. More importantly than anything I’ve learned in the clinic, I’ve learned that we can be missionaries no matter where we are. You don’t need to fly across the globe.

There’s a difference between being willing to serve and seeking to serve. If you want to truly make a difference, serve intentionally. Ask God to show you where and how He wants you to serve where you are, and take time to think of tangible ways to serve and love.

I challenge you to put this paper down right now and go tell someone you appreciate them and that God loves them. Be intentional. Be a missionary.

Kristin Babienco Moriah Perkins Cassidy Via Zachary Bright Samantha Nielsen Logan Kennedy Brandon Hendrix Gabrielle Nappi

Social Media Instagram - @clocktowerasb Twitter - @ClocktowerASB Facebook - The Clocktower

Website clocktower.ucollege.edu

Photo provided by Ryan Haakenson

Ryan Haakenson is a junior student missioning in Pagudpud, Philippines.

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LESSONS FROM ZAMBIA W

orking in a mission hospital in the Zambian bush, my colleagues and I encounter the kind of hopelessness that confuses and tears my heart apart every day.

There have been countless moments where I’ve stopped to look around me and wonder if God even cares. I ask why He allows so many of His children to live under horrible conditions. Why is it so normal to see cases of child molestation? What is He doing to feed His malnourished pregnant mothers?

Does He have a plan to break the vicious cycles of poverty? I ask because when I stop to take in all of the hurt, pain and suffering surrounding me, I find a lot of hopelessness.

I find that progress is painfully slow. I find that there are still so many needs not being met and I’m desperate to find a faster and better way.

has invited me and has allowed me to be a part of something far greater than myself.

I still don’t know why I have to watch so many of God’s people suffer, but I must have faith and trust that God is who He says He is and He knows what He’s doing.

I chose Jesus which means I chose to have faith in His goodness and greatness, and I will follow Him even if I never get to see the results.

I will follow Him even if I never see the progress I expected to see or if He never makes me the hero. He never promised that.

The Lord promised love. He promised an end to all suffering and refuge for every one of His children. As I continue to learn about my part in those promises, I have to hold fast to these fundamentals of my Father. My heart may continue to tear and doubts may creep into my mind, but I will choose to turn towards His love. I will look forward to the day He comes to carry out all of His promises and pour love into His broken children.

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He knows what He’s doing and He has a plan.

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But then the Lord reminds me that it’s not my place to save His children. Jesus has and is already doing that.

It’s not my place to play His role. He reminds me that He’s the Father who does not forget His children. He cares more for each and every one of us than we could ever know. He knows what He’s doing and He has a plan. My job is to have faith and trust in that plan.

In fact, God doesn’t even need me. Compared to the one who brings light and moves mountains, I’m pathetic. I have yet to see the bigger picture of His entire work and yet to fully understand the world around me, but the Lord still invites me to be a part of His story.

Let me repeat that because it’s become an important lesson to me: God doesn’t need me, yet He still invites me to be a part of His story. What a beautiful thing. It’s an act of trust and obedience when I choose to focus on being grateful that He

Until then I will choose to lead a life focused on the Father. I will choose humbleness, goodness and gratefulness. I will choose to love and hope in the face of despair because I trust that God is in control.

I hope that anyone suffering or struggling knows they are loved beyond anything man could ever measure by a God who is greater than anything on earth or in heaven. God hasn’t forsaken any one of us.

With Love, Claudia Bauermeister

Claudia Bauermeister is a junior student missioning in Mwami, Zambia.

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FEELING FLORENCE

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hen I speak with friends and family back home, I’m often asked what it’s like living in Florence, Italy. Although there are negatives to any culture or environment, I wanted to share all the positives I see in this amazing city.

One of Florence’s best parts is the aesthetic of the city. When flying in, you’re immediately greeted by the red roofs that swallow every structure in sight.

From a common home, to the famous Duomo, every roof has the same red tile.

Then there’s the food. When I was coming to Italy I wondered if the food would live up to the hype. I can tell you with certainty that I’ve never seen a place so obsessed and prideful of the food their culture has to offer. From a simple Margherita pizza to Gnocchi alla Pomodoro, I haven’t once been disappointed by a meal prepared off campus.

Something Florence has on almost every street corner that I hold dear to my heart is gelato.

Although at times I’d love to have some ice cream with peanut butter, Italian gelato is unmatched.

When the other ACA students and myself first arrived at Villa Aurora, we spent a large amount of money the first month of school binging on any new gelateria we could find. Even though a cone with two flavors is only $2.30, we still spent too

Photo provided by Logan Kennedy

much money in search of our favorite location. If you ever find yourself here, you can’t miss going to La Carraia.

As I mentioned with the red roof tops, in general I love the architecture. The antiquity of so many different sites and structures is priceless. All the buildings are filled with rich history and there will always be someone there to tell you how absurdly old a building is. At Villa Aurora, there’s a class called History of Italian Art. In this class, we’ve spent the whole year learning about different buildings and pieces of art found around Florence.

There are endless stories to be told, many beautiful buildings to see and plenty museums to explore.

For anyone with an interest in renaissance art, this place has been a dream come true. Florence is the birthplace and home to many renaissance pieces, and it’s been exciting go see these works with my own eyes. From the Uffizi Gallery to Galleria dell’Accademia—Where Michelangelo’s sculpture of David is held— it’s been humbling to see what I’ve been learning about for years.

I’m blessed to have the opportunity of spending the year in Florence and would like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to visit me before the end of May. Enjoy the rest of your school year!

Logan Kennedy is a junior studying at Villa Aurora in Florence, Italy.

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TRAVELING ON A COLLEGE STUDENT’S BUDGET Y ou don’t have to break the bank to travel. There are plenty of ways to travel inexpensively, some more obvious than others.

It’s truly important to plan ahead to maximize your money.

When looking for flights, be flexible with your dates. Typically, the cheapest day to fly is on Tuesday. I usually research flights on Google in incognito mode on Kiwi, Kayak, StudentUniverse and Priceline. After I’ve looked at flights on these sites, I compare with Google Flights. Once I’ve found the best price, I book directly with the airline. Airlines are now offering basic light fares where you can travel strictly with a carry-on.

This is a great alternative. Additionally, I always create a miles account with the airline as those miles may come in handy to be redeemed later.

Also, invest in credit cards that offer travel rewards or have miles programs. My favorite is Bank of America Travel Rewards.

The best way to plan a trip is by reading travel bloggers’ previous itineraries and tailoring it to fit the type of traveler you are. Make sure to research

opening times and ticket prices and draft up a budget. Choose where to cut activities to make your money travel further. Stick to your plan, and your budget, even if something amazing presents itself.

Keep in mind that most cities have free walking tours (but remember to tip!) which give a great overview of the city. Simply google “Free Walking Tour” and the name of your city to discover the meeting time and location. If you’d rather do something 100 percent free, Rick Steves Audio Europe app has free, detailed audio walking tours about the history and culture of the country.

Another app I enjoy is Globe Converter, which can be a lifesaver when you can’t run conversion numbers quickly. I also use Maps.Me for navigation without data. You can easily travel abroad without a phone plan or SIM card, as most places offer free wifi.

Utilize public transportation. Most places in Europe have inexpensive metro and bus systems.

Otherwise, you can typically rent a bicycle or scooter for a minimal fee. If you choose to rent a car or motorbike, make sure you get your international license in the United States first!

Lastly, I never stay in a hotel. I also usually don’t go down the hostel or couchsurfing route.

Although I’ve heard they are plenty safe, I just don’t feel comfortable. I choose Airbnb. There are two choices: entire place or private room. While it depends on dates and location, it is usually inexpensive. If it’s your first-time using Airbnb, email me, and I can send you a coupon for $40 off.

If this article has made you yearn for your next inexpensive international trip, then I suggest you check out Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, Portugal, Thailand and Turkey (not necessarily in that order.) Of course, there are more, but I haven’t made it everywhere yet!

Photo provided by Katie Buxton

Katie Buxton is a junior studying at MEU in Lebanon.

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SM-ING ISN’T FOR EVERYONE! C

onsistent with the new “Nebraska—It’s Not for Everyone” slogan that represents our state, I believe the same it true about being a student missionary. But I also believe it IS for more people than are currently in the application process. Here’s my historical perspective on why I say that.

My Church has always been a mission-minded church with a focus on spreading the gospel to ALL the world.

that same school and serve for a year in Peru. I felt confident that God was leading me when I went to my home church during a break and one of the elders stood up and said they had a chance to sponsor me as “their student missionary.”

I needed to raise $535 and when they passed the offering plate that Sabbath there was $535 exactly! Off I went for one of the hardest most amazing years of my life.

I lived seven months out in the jungle where I never saw a person who spoke English the

“When I was a kid” (I keep promising that I don’t want to use the expression unless I have no other option, but...!) I used to look forward to camp meeting because of the returned missionaries who were making their rounds visiting as many summer gathering of Adventists as possible. Their stories were so amazing and their adventure used to stimulate that same spirit in me. It sounded both exciting and in harmony with God’s command to “go into all the world.” I wanted to be a missionary when I grew up!

But when I “grew up” there wasn’t as much need for missionaries as before. That, I believe, was a good thing because my Church focused so much on educating the local people in all parts of the world that missionaries were not in as high demand as 20 years before. I affirm my church in their long range focus. Locals understand their own people better than foreigners and I believe are able to minister much more effectively and efficiently that an “outsider.”

That, however, left a kind of hole in the Adventist theology of mission, and camp meeting was no longer focused on returned missionaries.

We tried to fill the gap with “Mission Spotlight” and other such media, but for me seeing pictures and hearing singing in a 10 minute slideshow was just not the same. I needed more to keep my mission faith alive.

Along came the Student Mission program with the first SM sent out by the world church being a Union College student in 1965! Go Union! Four years later I had the opportunity to represent

Photo provided by Pastor Rich Carlson

whole time. I was bitten by an alligator and a rattlesnake, broke my ankle, learned to fly, and climbed the second highest mountain in the Andes at 22,205’. I also worked. We did a youth evangelistic meeting and 28 people were baptized. In my spare time I traveled by raft down the Amazon for 12 hours and stayed with a tribe of cannibal indians. I got lost in the jungle and was attacked by a wild boar. I survived

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miraculously, both the boar and being lost, by a direct answer to prayer.

I spent that night telling the people gathered around the communal fire about my God who saves even dumb Americans who get lost in the jungle because they didn’t listen to the wisdom of the locals. 33 years later I had a chance to return to my jungle home and, when I asked about the tribe of cannibals they said they ALL became Christians and there’s now an Adventist church and school in the village. They love to tell the story of the dumb American who got lost in the jungle and whose God they now serve because He delivered the gringo from certain death!

I grew, I struggled, I fell in love with both the jungle people of Peru AND the calling in God’s great commission. My Church again had the foresight to realize that to retain the mission of the

Photo provided by Pastor Rich Carlson

STUDYING ABROAD

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expected my time in Argentina to be fun; I’d learn a new language and make pretty pictures to show my friends. What I didn’t expect, was to learn an entire new way of thinking.

I didn’t expect to experience the life-opening perspective shift that immersing yourself in another country’s day-to-day beauty and life brings. Yes, this year abroad would look great on my resume and yes, I maintained a great looking blog, but I wasn’t ready for how much

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Church uppermost in the minds of all its members that something had to take the place of the nolonger-as-much-needed regular missionaries.

There is still a need, just not as great and much more focused on specialized ministries than the previous traditional pastor-type missionary.

What took its place is what YOU have a chance to participate in. One year, exposing yourself to a new culture and the mission of our church. One year learning more about yourself than you can ever imagine because your support system is torn out from under you and you discover what you’re really made of and how faithful God can be.

One year to grow and come back to make a difference in whatever part of the world you’re placed. One year to see the needs of this world culturally, socio-economically and spiritually.

One year to make a difference and have a lifechanging difference made for you. All that in one year; I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Hardest year—best year of my life. Student missions, it’s not for everyone, but don’t short change it—it might be for you!

Pastor Rich Carlson is the Vice President for spiritual life and associate professor psycology and religion.

more confident and myself I became. Abroad, you’re forced to stretch and grow through experiences that you might never have otherwise.

You get to be you; whether that means reinventing yourself entirely or taking time to examine who you are now and deepening that person. Going abroad can be intimidating, but that’s why I’m here and each ACA director at each of our sister schools abroad are here for. We want to help you decide if being abroad works for you.

May you continue to learn about all that is different, and yet all that is the same between each of us.

Elena Cornwell is the ACA Coordinator for Union College.

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SUPPORTING STUDENT MISSIONARIES

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s a former student missionary, I know how it feels to leave home for a new culture and return to a whole new world. Serving in another country can be challenging.

On top of a new culture and language, taking a year abroad means missing an entire year with friends and family. With a friend all the way around the world and in a different time zone, it’s surprisingly simple to help them feel remembered. The following are what I wish I had received more of during my SM year: Messages Take advantage of the opportunities Campus Ministries provides to sign cards, and take a little extra time to write a meaningful message. From personal experience, I can say that a note saying, “Hey! It’s snowed so much this winter, you wouldn’t believe it! Can’t wait to see you when you come back! I’m praying for your mission and your safe return” is more meaningful than an anonymous “Praying for you!”

Photos Pictures can be visual reminders that the people back home haven’t forgotten you.

Seeing familiar faces and places can be a huge relief when you’re confronted every day by the unfamiliar—especially if the unfamiliar isn’t always smiling. It takes only a second. Snap a photo and send it to your friend abroad.

Calls Time zones are a pain, I know, and both you and your SM friend are busy, but at least once a month coordinate time to give your friend a call. Many spending time abroad are surrounded by an unfamiliar culture and language, which can often be overwhelming and cause extreme homesickness. Hearing your voice can help them feel closer to home, and seeing you on a video chat makes the experience even sweeter.

Listen If you haven’t spent several months in a culture different than your own, you won’t have the frame of reference to understand your SM

friends’ experiences. Often SMs come home and feel discouraged because their friends and family only want to hear about how the food was or the heat.

Imagine how frustrating it would be to go home from a crazy busy school year and only be able to say, “Yeah, I took a lot of classes” before people stopped paying attention. Try to listen to what your friends have to say and understand that it may not have been the biggest adventure ever—they lived day-to-day life there just like you did here.

Don’t know anyone abroad? Not to worry! Take the opportunity to introduce yourself when they return. Remember, these people have sacrificed an entire year of their lives, and many of their friends may have graduated and moved on. Your friendship could make all the difference to a person returning to a world that’s no longer familiar.

Katie Turk is a senior studying English language arts education.

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DID YOU KNOW THE SYLLABLES IN “ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO” ARE A COUNTDOWN The Clocktower encourages reader feedback and strives to maintain accuracy. If you have comments, please email us at cltower@gmail.com.

The Clocktower, established in 1927 and sponsored by the Associated Student Body of Union College, is published semi-weekly during the fall and spring semesters. The opinions expressed are the opinions of the writers and are not to be construed as the opinion of the editors, Associated Student Body, Union College, or the Seventh-day Adventist Church.