2019 - 2020
C O L U M B I A C O N TA C T CONNECTING THE COLUMBIA BIBLE COLLEGE COMMUNITY | COLUMBIABC.EDU
C R EATIVITY & C HAL L E N G E What Happens When a Global Pandemic Interrupts the Semester.
N OW MY EYE S HAVE S EE N YOU From War-torn Syria to Lebanon's Refugee Camps to Columbia's Campus.
R AY OF HO P E An Interview with Urban Outreach Worker Andrea Sali, Alumna of
T O PI C
the Year.
LE AN ING IN TO H O P E CULTIVATING SEEDS OF FAITH & RESILIENCE
COLUMBIA CONTACT
P R E S I D E NT ’S D ES K
2019-2020 Academic Year Columbia Bible College seeks to equip people for a life of discipleship, ministry, and leadership in service to the church and community.
COLUMBIA CONTACT PURPOSE STATEMENT The purpose of the Columbia Contact is to encourage and provide updates about news, events, and related college business to students, alumni, and friends of the college. Columbia Bible College provides faith formation and professional ministry preparation for Christians of all ages and supports the churches of the region in the fulfillment of their mission. Columbia is evangelical Anabaptist and is operated by two regional Mennonite conferences, British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches and Mennonite Church British Columbia.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Stephanie Jantzen
LAYOUT & DESIGN Grant Bielefeld
COVER Grant Bielefeld
ILLUSTRATIONS Grant Bielefeld Transitions icon by Payungkead (p.4) Prayer icon by Freepik (p.14)
CONTRIBUTORS Gil Dueck Lorrita Bos - Copy Editor
CONTACT Tel. (604) 853-3358 Toll Free. 1-800-283-0881 info@columbiabc.edu Fax. (604) 853-3063 Columbia Bible College 2940 Clearbrook Road Abbotsford, BC V2T 2Z8
HOPE, PURPOSE, AND PERSEVERANCE In his book, No Shortcuts, Columbia board member Brad Willems argues that for people to persevere, their lives need a reason, a purpose. “You must find something that stirs your soul, makes you passionate, and makes you get up enthusiastically each morning.” We chose the theme, Leaning into Hope, for this edition of the Contact months ago, long before the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe. For years already, we had recognized the importance of cultivating seeds of resilience in the lives of our Columbia students. It is relatively easy to argue that our twenty-firstcentury Western culture is largely responsible for the fragility and the accompanying sense of entitlement which seems so prevalent today. Our quest for quick answers, demand for comfort, and a preoccupation with excitement and entertainment bear much of the blame. But we also have to take responsibility for our own lives, and recognize our tendency to gravitate towards the path of least resistance. The solution to this malady is determining to live with hope, and to live on purpose. Consider how the Apostle Paul weaves together the themes of faith, hope, and perseverance in the following passage. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:1-5).
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Why is it that some people can persevere even in the midst of the most trying circumstances? Someone who looked deeply into that question was Viktor Frankl, a survivor of a WW II German prison camp. In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, he tells of observing how the prisoners who lost hope were those who would quickly perish, while others, who stubbornly retained their freedom to determine how they would respond to the evil around them, either managed to survive or died with a courageous peace. As one who had experienced deep suffering, he made this bold statement: “There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the knowledge that there is meaning in one’s life.” When we discover our purpose, we can face almost anything. Developing resilience requires more than sheer discipline and the willpower to press on no matter what. That’s what makes the Gospel message so powerful. “We boast in the hope of the glory of God…. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” We have reason to hope. Our lives have meaning, even when we face trials – God cares about us. The antidote to the vanity and meaninglessness of our culture is not to become a self-made man or woman, but to seek God’s purpose for our lives, determine to follow wherever he leads, and to love everyone we meet along the way!
B rya n B o r n, P re s i d e n t
CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS 01
█ PRESIDENT'S DESK Hope, Purpose, and Perseverance.
03
█ NEWS & UPDATES
Launching the Health Care Assistant Program, kudos, and staff transitions.
13
COVID-19
03
█ ALUMNI UPDATES See what alumni from your Columbia community are up to.
11
█ BEARCAT ATHLETICS
Challenges and creativity mark the end of the academic year.
FEATURES Bearcat Highlight: Jackson Anderson and the life of a Bearcat. 17
15
05
RAY OF HOPE
NOW MY EYES HAVE SEEN YOU
By S tephani e Jantzen
A n inte rv i e w w i t h Ch ri s t i n a A j i
An interview with urban outreach
What it's like to move from Syria to BC.
worker Andrea Sali, Alumna of the year.
█ SOUL FOOD
Columbia staff and faculty share how they are cultivating hope in their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
02
NE W S & UPDAT ES
COLUMBIA NEWS & UPDATES WE LAUNCHED OUR HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT PROGRAM Columbia welcomed four students to its first-ever Health Care Assistant class in October 2019. The program is eight months long, and combines academic study, skills training in a lab at nearby Menno Place, and two practicum experiences. Starting January 2021, Columbia hopes to offer the program in an evening/weekend format as well, to provide maximum flexibility (columbiabc.edu/HCA for more info).
WE MADE THE GENERAL STUDIES DIPLOMA MORE FLEXIBLE In consultation with the University of the Fraser Valley, Columbia has made changes to its two-year Diploma in General Studies. The updated diploma continues to provide students with 59 credits that transfer directly into UFV’s Bachelor of Integrative Studies. At the same time, it allows students more freedom in course selection, with five electives that can be chosen from a long list of available subjects. (columbiabc.edu/GS for more info.)
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KUDOS Gareth Brandt, long-time member of Columbia’s spiritual formation faculty, contributed a chapter entitled “Men in Community” to the newly published book Peaceful at Heart: Anabaptist Reflections on Healthy Masculinity. (Edited by Don Neufeld & Steve Thomas, available from Wipf and Stock.) Biblical Studies faculty member Jesse Nickel’s doctoral dissertation was recently accepted for publication. It will be published under the title The Things that Make for Peace: Jesus and Eschatological Violence by de Gruyter, a German academic publisher.
█
ALUMNI UPDATES LINDSEY PIKKARAINEN,
BA in Caregiving & Counselling, Class of 2016 We are doing well. I am at home with my three-year-old and one-year-old. My husband is in construction with a great company (he took a few classes at CBC while I was there). I am working towards a Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University, in hopes to work with the marginalized people in our community or wherever God takes us. What brings you hope? Jesus brings me hope through the work of his people. When I see others working and serving for the good of others I see hope in humanity and in God’s creation. We are somewhat connected with Gardom Lake Bible
TRANSITIONS WELCOME Levi Friesen started as a custodian.
Trish Giesbrecht started as the Program Director for the new Health Care Assistant Program. Hannah Juras started the new role of Columbia Representative.
Camp, and to see what the staff and the volunteers do there year round brings me hope. For myself, working towards a goal of working with the marginalized, and against social injustice brings me hope, and in a totally different perspective my children give me hope. Their joy and excitement for things is so obvious and beautiful it shows what hope really is. We have a hope in Jesus, we have something to live for!
Yehuda Mansell started as the Intercultural Studies Associate.
Tina Richardson is the new Director of Admissions & Program Director for
LUKE BUSHMAN, BA in Biblical Studies, Class of 2019 I work as an Associate Pastor at Hammond Bay Baptist Church in Nanaimo, BC and my wife works as a care aid for adults with different disabilities. Our life is very good, full of bingewatching The Office and playing with our dog Piper. We have felt very blessed to have the opportunity to help others in our respective jobs at such a young age, and it has been a wonderful adventure of a year — first year of marriage, first year of ministry, first year living on Vancouver Island. What brings you hope? The goodness of people always gives me hope. I am always amazed at how people from all walks of life treat myself and others so well. I find hope when I see the youth I work with welcome a new kid to the group. I find hope when a group of seniors lead the charge on maintaining the church. I see hope when people make sure others are taken care of during difficult times, by praying, talking, and of course providing food.
the Educational Assistant program. Adrian Warkentin started as the Commuter Director.
Jazzlynn Wiebe started as an Admissions Advisor.
FAREWELL Stan Bahnman resigned from his role as Dean of Students.
Doug Epp is retiring as Columbia’s Director of Service Learning.
Marlene Janzen is retiring as the Executive Assistant for Student Development. Gwen Reese is retiring from her
PROMOTED TO GLORY RUDY BAERG (1931 – 2019) led the music department at Columbia for 29 years, starting in 1968. Along with leading choirs, Rudy taught academic courses, voice lessons, and music lessons. His ministry had a lasting kingdom impact on hundreds of students.
role as Program Director for the Educational Assistant program.
CONGRATULATIONS Matthew Kaminski is the new program director for Columbia One.
David Warkentin is taking on the role of Director of Integrated Learning (formerly Service Learning).
04
Now My Eyes Have Seen You AN INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTINA AJI
Christina Aji with refugee friends.
C
hristina Aji is a Syrian who came to BC from Lebanon in 2018, and enrolled at Columbia Bible College
in 2019. She continues to serve with New Heights Ministry, establishing connections with Canadian churches and ministries. She shared her story in an interview at the beginning of March 2020.
Tell me a little about where you grew up. C: I grew up in Damascus, the capital of Syria. Lots of people don't think that there are Christians in Syria but there are. I grew up in church, and even my school was a Christian school. My dad is a carpenter and an electronic engineer. He worked with the government for 30 years. My mom is an accountant and then, after the war started, she was in charge of the ministry for displaced people. I have a younger brother who lives in Berlin, Germany now.
How did the war affect you? C: When the war started on March 15, 2011, I was in my first year of college. I was 18.
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It was a shock to everyone. We felt we were living in safety, in a country where there was relative religious freedom. The war started with protesting, then shooting. This is where it started getting chaotic. People started dying. There were random explosions and mortar shells, so no one would leave home. The damage, the fighting — it was brutal. You’d hear about crazy things — people being beheaded. It was all around us. Our town was the closest to the center and so the government wanted to protect this town, specifically. But literally everything around us was damaged.
And so, I wasn't afraid, but it was so heavy. I was wrestling with God, like, "What is going on? Why are kids dying?” I was comforted by Psalm 33:10-11: “The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
Did you feel afraid? C: I wasn't scared for myself. I experienced God's grace in a way I still don't understand. I've known since I was a kid that I wanted to be in ministry. I was expecting, in a way, to go to dangerous places one day.
▲
Above: Ministry for the displaced in Damascus.
►
Far right: Our Church in Damascus—Jesus Light of the World Alliance Church.
“I found true joy and peace regardless of
where I'm at or who I am with and this experience was priceless for me.”
God opened my eyes to see Him at work. Because of hardship and displacement, thousands of people were meeting the Lord as churches opened their doors to them.
You completed college. What did you do then? C: In 2013, I moved to Lebanon to join New Heights, a ministry focused on sharing God’s love with young people in the Middle East and North Africa. Lebanon is a small country next to Syria. Their population is only four million but then, one and a half million refugees moved to Lebanon. I joined the first New Heights team serving Syrian refugees in camps. My mom moved with me to Lebanon, but my dad stayed behind in Syria for his work. I would go back and forth from Beirut to Damascus, doing ministry in both places.
The last time the whole family was together in Lebanon in 2016.
Refugee camps in Lebanon where I did ministry.
Then, in 2016, a church from Coquitlam, BC, contacted our church in Lebanon and asked if there was a family they could sponsor. My mom and dad were praying, and they were convinced to go, but I didn't want to make plans to leave because it was so uncertain. Lots of Syrians were living in a waiting state. I didn't want to live like this. I moved to Lebanon because I had a calling and a mission. Why would I leave?
It must have been difficult for you to come to Canada. C: Yeah. The whole leaving process... I would say it was even more difficult than being in the war. I struggled with depression as soon as I heard that we were leaving. I begged my parents not to take me to the airport. Moving here, I went through trauma, bargaining with God: "Why did you bring me here? I promise you, I'll be more faithful if you take me back." I couldn't see anything good. Even in BC, one of the most beautiful places on Earth, I couldn't see beauty. I couldn't even be grateful for coming to Canada. This lasted eight months. My uncle, who's a psychiatrist, asked if I would consider starting medication for depression. I said, "I'm not against medication, but I just want to try on my own and see.”
I kept praying and God met me. It was like a veil was lifted. He healed me emotionally, spiritually, physically — everything. I'm not saying that suddenly I was so happy, but He gave me a sense of contentment. I sensed Him saying, "You're good. I love you because you're my daughter, not because you do ministry." I found true joy and peace regardless of where I'm at or who I am with and this experience was priceless for me. Like Job says, "I've heard about you but now my eyes have seen you."
You recently started your studies here at Columbia. How has that been for you? C: I wasn't thinking of coming back to school but my ministry leaders and my parents said, "You already have experience onfield. It would be amazing if you combined this with academic knowledge. You'll be equipped and sharpened." I decided to go to CBC and I'm so grateful. The first semester renewed my sense of calling, reminded me of the gifting God has given me. Now, I pray: "God, if coming to CBC was the thing you brought me to Canada for, it's worth it."
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I'm learning a lot. What I love is that teachers here don't only teach their material, they go above and beyond, caring for students individually, their walk with God, their personal growth. I have way deeper understanding. It's like I'm falling in love with Jesus all over again and I'm also inspired to share this knowledge with others. I'm seeing the way to teach things like the redemption. I love teaching and just seeing people's faces light up when they understand something new.
You lived through a war, and then you come to Canada where a lot of people are depressed and anxious, but they are actually living very sheltered lives. How do you process that? C: I definitely wrestled a lot. Vancouver is one of the most fortunate places on the planet. People here have enormous freedom to think whatever they want to think, to feel whatever they want to feel, and you can say nothing. There isn't ultimate truth. There is your truth, my truth, and it's all truth. How do I share the truth of the Bible in a place like this?
The village I lived in in Lebanon.
I started keeping up with the local news and going downtown, just walking there, sitting with people. I talked with moms, hearing them share their worries about what their kids are learning in school. Learning more gave me so much more empathy for people. It was definitely a humbling experience for me. Sin here is covered with sugar. They just call it freedom. It's called being nonjudgmental. It's called lots of nice names. This is what's making people blind. The struggle is the same, it's just different. Satan is trying, in all different ways, to keep people away from God, and so some ways might be stress, anxiety around school. Other ways might be poverty. Whatever hinders us from growing in our relationship with God or understanding God's love to us is worth standing against, no matter how silly it might look, no matter how big; it is worth standing against.
What words of encouragement do you share with those struggling to find hope? C: How I encourage myself is I pray, pray, pray. Even though it looks dark and heavy, Jesus is the one who has the authority, not the evil one. Jesus is the king over my life, no matter who is the president, or the ruler of the land. I believe that in persevering and choosing to live out like that, even when it's difficult, even when our feelings say, "No," God will give us the eyes of faith. He will transform our vision to see Him working in the midst of struggle, just like what happened with me. This is possible. â–
â–˛
Above: Some of my refugee friends.
â—„
Mid-left: The Straight Street where Paul stayed after his encounter with Jesus. My
Some of my refugee friends we did ministry with.
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school was on this street!
IS THE FUTURE FRIENDLY? A THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON HOPE FROM ROMANS 5
by Gil Dueck
AN
ad grabbed my attention recently. An image of a piglet, gently suspended by a green sling, carried by a purple helium balloon, with the tagline, “The future is friendly.” Let’s be honest, if this image was all we had to go on, we’d have to agree: what could look friendlier? The company behind this ad is telecommunications giant Telus. Their business is the future: relentless technological change, more capacity, faster connections. To convince people that this future is friendly is a big win for Telus. But is the future really friendly? Not all of us see it that way. If you listen to the loudest voices, there are reasons to be pessimistic. The 24-hour news cycle is devoted to making us aware of every bad thing that’s happening – virus outbreaks, tumbling stock markets, growing anxiety about climate issues. There is a lot to worry about.
And worry we do. Rapidly rising rates of anxiety and depression have college leaders and employers scrambling to understand and respond. Addictions and suicide are on the rise in most Western countries. Fewer of us are getting married, fewer are having children. Our community ties are weaker as we spend an increasing amount of time glued to our screens. We are hearing urban loneliness described as a public health crisis. We’re afraid of talking on the phone with strangers.
Global hunger is in sharp decline. In 1960 an average of 4500 people per day starved to death globally. Today that number is 74 per day even as the global population has doubled.
We seem angrier, more polarized, more worried. More pessimistic.
Homicide and crime rates are down in both Europe and North America.
THINGS HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER
Education and literacy levels are rising across the globe.
And yet all this is happening at a point in human history where things have never been better. In 1987, 35% of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty. By 2013 that number had fallen to 11%.
Female and male life expectancy both increased by more than six years between 1990 and 2016, and the gains were biggest in poor countries in Africa and Asia. The child mortality rate has fallen by more than half since 1990.
By almost every measurable standard, our lives are better today than they were 50 years ago, never mind when we compare to times in the more distant past. There are plenty of reasons for optimism.
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It begs the question: is it better to be an optimist or a pessimist? Psychologist Martin Seligman wrote the book on this topic. In Learned Optimism, he makes a compelling case that optimists do better overall in life. They overcome obstacles more readily. They are more resilient. They enjoy higher quality relationships. They even have better health and longer life expectancy. But after extolling the virtues of optimism, Seligman offhandedly mentions: “Overall, there is clear evidence that optimistic people distort reality in a self-serving direction and [pessimistic people] seem to see reality accurately.” (p.111) Pessimists, he observes, are more likely to own their failures. They have more accurate memories. And they are better judges of how much control they have in a given situation.
I want to consider these questions through the lens of one particular New Testament text – Romans 5:1-5. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
has passed the verdict on you. More than that, the Judge has got up out of his chair, crossed the court room, and embraced you.
WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD This is the hinge on which our text turns — since we have been justified, we have peace with God. Does this sound like good news to you? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. Peace with God is only something you value if you know its absence.
“Are happiness and truth at odds? Does a pessimist need to give up on reality in order to be happy?”
There’s a disturbing tension here: are happiness and truth at odds? Does a pessimist need to give up on reality in order to be happy? These are actually profound theological questions. Can we look at the world squarely with all its problems and still be happy? Can we look at ourselves – with all our frailties, fears, and failings – and still smile? Can we look to the future and be hopeful?
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Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
THE JUDGE WHO LOVES US Justification is not a word we use every day. To be justified is to be “reckoned as right” with God. It basically means that the verdict on our lives has been passed. The word has a legal sense, as if we were found “not guilty” by a court. But it also means that we are now in right relationship with the Judge. It turns out, the Judge loves us.
In The Prodigal God, Tim Keller reflects on Luke’s story of the lost son. He points out that there is not one lost son in Luke 15, but two. The more famous son sins extravagantly, betrays his father, and hits rock bottom. He knows he’s blown it and he fears that he can never go home. The other son is lost too, but in a different way. He’s the son who never left, the calculating son who followed the rules and expected a payoff in return. He’s the resentful son who can’t stand seeing his disloyal brother get a party he doesn’t deserve. He too, is estranged from his father; he just can’t see it. The younger son got this. The older son did not. Keller’s point in the book is that a lot of Christians live like the older brother – loyal, grudgingly dutiful, and estranged.
And this relationship status with God exists in the present. Notice Paul’s use of the past tense: we have been justified. If you’ve put your faith in Jesus, this reckoning has
To them, Paul’s good news that we have peace with God will seem like old news. Of course, we have peace with God. We’re decent people. We’ve followed the rules. And God is kind of in the business of peace, right?
happened already. It’s not dependent on your feelings. It’s not real only if you experience life as a steady series of victories. The Judge
But without a sense that this peace is a precious gift, it will slip through our fingers.
Without a sense that our sin has estranged us from God, we will not hunger for peace. It will not feel urgent or necessary to us. And yet Paul, says clearly, it is vital. Because of Jesus, we have peace with God. Whatever else we hunger for, whatever else we aspire to — it is peace with God that is our greatest and most urgent need. And it’s ours forever.
GLORY IN OUR SUFFERINGS ? None of this negates the reality of the hardships we face. Paul knew this firsthand. He suffered repeatedly for his allegiance to Christ. He faced prison, beatings, shipwrecks. The people he cared about most misunderstood him. Paul is not someone who put his faith in Christ and then enjoyed a life of unending victory and comfort. Yet Paul encourages us to “glory in our sufferings.” These are strange words. They sound almost unbelievable in 2020. Why would we glory in suffering? Most of us want to get as much distance between ourselves and suffering as we possibly can. If you’re like me, you see difficulty as discouraging, maybe even evidence that you’re on the wrong track. It’s so easy to see suffering as confirmation that the future isn’t friendly. Paul turns this on its head when he says we glory in our sufferings. Why do we do this? Because of what it produces in us! Suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope. We end where we began with hope. When we overcome obstacles faithfully – we confirm our hope which actually strengthens it. Perseverance. Character. Hope. These are virtues that I would like to see more of in my life. But often I feel their absence. I do not normally encounter challenges as opportunities to develop perseverance or resilience. It’s easy to become discouraged.
To lose heart. It’s easy to want to give up in the face of challenges. We have a crisis in resilience. We are children of comfort. We have not had the material struggles that previous generations faced. This is not to say we haven’t endured hardship. It is to say that comfort has conditioned us to be rattled when suffering comes our way. We are good at naming our brokenness, our anxieties. And this is broadly a good thing – especially if we have had to overcome the shame of naming our pain.
SO IS THE FUTURE FRIENDLY? So, is the future friendly? Are happiness and truth ultimately at odds? Some of us need to be reminded of these simple, yet profound truths. You have been reckoned as righteous before God. If you have put your faith in Christ, you have peace with God. This is who you are. You are not defined by the past. You are not defined by what you have done (or failed to do). You can be free from guilt and shame.
But we may need to grow in the area of perseverance. According to our text, perseverance is the pathway to hope. It’s as we persevere that our strength grows, that our character develops, and that our hope is renewed.
HOPE WON’T LET YOU DOWN We are sometimes so reluctant to be hopeful. The fear is always that we’ll get our hopes up only for them to be dashed. We will seem naïve or foolish. Gullible, maybe. We will be ashamed of having trusted someone who let us down. But as those who follow Jesus, we can take the risk of facing the future with a smile. Because as Christians, Paul says, we are defined by hope. The verdict has been passed on our lives and on our futures. These are the decisive realities that define us. They are more durable than our
You can dare to hope. This doesn’t mean that you won’t face trials. But it does mean that these trials can be transformed and that you can be transformed as you face them. This is how Christians ultimately understand both today and tomorrow. As those who have put our trust in Jesus, hope is our birthright. The future is friendly. Amen. ■
Gil Dueck is Academic Dean at Columbia Bible College. He launched the Winter semester by sharing a message on hope in our January 9 chapel service. The above is adapted from his talk.
circumstances. They are more enduring and trustworthy than our feelings.
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B E A RCAT AT HLET IC S
JACKSON ANDERSON 2019-2020 SEASON STATS Position: Outsider Hitter Aces: finished in the Top 15 in the league Kills: 128 total Digs: 107 total Blocks: 31 total Total Points: 176
W
e interviewed first
ON HIS REASONS FOR PLAYING:
year Biblical Studies
I play sport to honor God, I play sport to build relationships, and I play sport for fun. Often those are easy to mix up. Above all else, we play for God and I think that’s something that at 16 years old, I didn’t understand. Even at 19, I don’t fully understand it yet. But when you start to understand it, you start to see it change the way you play.
student and Bearcat Jackson Anderson to get an insight on life as a volleyball athlete at Columbia.
HOW HE HONOURS GOD AS AN ATHLETE: I think you honor God through sport in the relationships and through the way you carry yourself – I think it’s easy to get carried away in games and let your actions slip
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and let your choices slip and let the things you say slip up, but ultimately, God is still watching. There are opportunities to build relationships with your opponents, with your teammates, with your coaches, with the officials, and that’s big.
A HIGHLIGHT FROM THIS YEAR: Going to practices every day. The grind of everyday, going to practice, everyday going to the gym, I’ve just really enjoyed that stuff because having to push yourself every day is not just a thing in athletics. You start to translate it to the rest of your life so, I’ve really enjoyed that.
“HOPE IS ALWAYS CLINGING TO WHAT'S STILL TO COME AND JUST NOT GIVING IN TO YOUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCE.”
WHERE HE SEES HOPE & RESILIENCE IN HIS LIFE: When I was 17 I had my second knee surgery and it was a really tough time for me. I couldn’t look towards having hope yet. Each day I had to go to the gym and do rehab, each day I was faced with the possibility that I might not play again. I just had to look at getting through each day. Each day was its own battle. It was tough. Once I was healthy enough, I started looking towards playing again, and having hope that I would get out there again. This past year I’ve really struggled with my faith and I’ve really struggled to find God in that, and I think through being hopeful and being resilient, I’ve seen that relationship restored, I’ve seen my life transformed, and I’m really thankful for that.
Athletic Photos: Leslie & Grant Miller
A TYPICAL DAY:
• Wake up around 7-7:30 • Breakfast, Bible reading, prayer, stretching • Morning classes • Lunch • Workout • Homework • Supper • Practice • Fun & rest HIS BEARCAT EXPERIENCE, IN A NUTSHELL: For the first time in my life, I’ve seen the connectedness of faith and sport. I’ve seen the emphasis on relationships and how important relationships are within a team. And this is the first place I’ve been at where I’ve felt relationships and faith have been more important than anything else, because ultimately, that’s what lasts. You can win a lot of games, you can lose a lot of games but ultimately the relationships are what’s going to last and the faith experience is what is going to last so, I’ve seen a lot of emphasis on that and that’s been really cool to see.
HOW HE DEFINES HOPE: Hope is always clinging to what’s still to come and just not giving in to your current circumstance.
A FAVOURITE BIBLE VERSE: Titus 3:5 says, “That Christ saved us, not because of the righteous things that we had done but because of his mercy.” I look at that in a lot of different areas of my life – in sport, we often make mistakes, but in life, I’ve made a lot of mistakes too. I look at that and remember, ‘God still forgives me, God still loves me and I wasn’t saved because of what I did or didn’t do, I was saved because of him’ and that gives me hope for the future that there’s a chance to change and it gives me resilience through each day to know that ultimately no matter what I do, I’m still forgiven and loved. ■
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COVID-19 CHALLENGES & CREATIVITY MARK THE END OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR by Stephanie Jantzen
T
he COVID-19 outbreak arrived in Canada in early 2020, and with it came radical changes for students and staff at Columbia Bible College. Out of concern for public health and student safety, Columbia chose to suspend in-person learning as of March 16 and asked students to move out of residence by March 23. That week was difficult, as students made travel plans and said hurried goodbyes, instructors scrambled to shift their courses online, and many staff members moved their offices home. Amidst the challenges, creativity and resilience were also clear and abundant within the Columbia
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community. Faculty continued to teach with dedication and excellence, putting in long hours to master new technologies. The counselling services team transitioned to video sessions, and cancelled appointment fees for the rest of the semester. The commuter lounge went online, with Zoom coffee house and game nights for commuter students. With a little help from the marketing team, Student Development created a series of videos and emails to encourage students to hang in there and finish the semester well, and students did – with positive attitudes, despite the grief of missing out on so many communal end-of-theyear experiences.
PRAY WITH US As the College prepares for Fall 2020, prayers for wisdom, courage, resources, and creativity are much appreciated! Please also pray for God’s guidance and peace to be clear to our students and graduates as they navigate possible summer job challenges, internship postponements, and uncertainty around what comes next.
Perhaps the most significant end-of-theyear experience affected by COVID-19 was graduation day, originally scheduled for April 18. Here again, the Columbia community worked to support students and help them celebrate God’s work in their lives at CBC. A commencement ceremony premiered on social media at 2 PM on April 18, featuring a keynote address from Biblical Studies faculty Ken Esau, an original worship song from Intercultural Studies graduate Wes Braun, a valedictory address from Biblical Studies graduate Jessica Stefick, and a closing blessing from Dean of Students, Stan Bahnman. The video ceremony also honoured each graduate by showing their photo, name, and academic achievements on screen. While the video was a creative substitute, it doesn’t match the opportunity to be together
in person, so the College is also hoping to host a gathering for the Class of 2020 on campus in the fall, pandemic permitting. At the time of publication, uncertainty around COVID-19 makes planning for the Fall 2020 semester a challenge. The College continues to prepare with faith and hope for students to return to campus in August and September, while at the same time thinking through alternate scenarios in case COVID-19 restrictions continue past the summer. It’s certainly a challenging situation, but then challenges are not new to Columbia. Over its many decades, Columbia has weathered the Great Depression, a World War, and more than one economic recession, and the College is “leaning into hope” for the year ahead. ■
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RAY OF HOPE AN INTERVIEW WITH ANDREA SALI, ALUMNA OF THE YEAR by Stephanie Jantzen
Are you done yet?” At 6’2”, a woman we’ll call Ruth towers over Andrea. Ruth is an addict, surviving on the streets of North Surrey, BC. A lot of mornings, Ruth crosses the Pattullo Bridge to show up at the Union Gospel Mission in New Westminster. On every visit, Andrea stands toe to toe with Ruth and greets her: “Are you done yet?” Meaning, are you ready to stop using drugs and get help? It’s a question she’s been asking Ruth for eleven years now. For eleven years, Ruth’s answer has been, “Not quite, but thanks for asking.”
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Monday to Friday, Andrea Sali commutes from Langley to New Westminster, where she works at the UGM Resource Centre. Her official job title is “outreach worker,” but Andrea chuckles as she explains, “I’m an outreach worker. I’m one of the pastors; I am a housing advocate. I literally do everything, whatever needs to be done.” There is never a shortage of things to do at the Mission. At 8:30 am, doors open for breakfast. One hundred people filter in, many of them hungry, anxious, and angry after a night on the streets. The hot meal “calms the beast,” as Andrea puts it, “and then you can take it from there.”
Drop-in starts at 9:30. Some faces are new, but many people have been stopping by for years. The UGM, Andrea shares, is “a place people can hang out with their friends and get different resources that they need. And then move on for the day.” The resources depend on the individual. Some come for counselling, some for a little encouragement, some for help with getting into recovery, and some for practical support. The New West welfare office sends a representative three days a week, to help people process their applications in a place where they feel safe. “I’ve never had two days the same, in the 14 years I’ve been here,” says Andrea. “Every day is a new adventure. That’s one of the things I love about this job.” Amidst the variety, there are clear areas of focus for the UGM outreach workers. Building relationships is one, because it takes trust to help people move forward. “I literally get paid to love people,” Andrea grins, “That is the job. That’s pretty awesome.” Another
key priority of the job is sharing the gospel of Jesus. “People come in, specifically, for prayer. That’s a pretty beautiful thing.” When it comes to recovery from addiction, Andrea is clear: “As far as I’m concerned, Jesus is the only way.” She speaks with the hard-earned experience of someone who spent 18 years actively addicted to drugs and alcohol. Her body took so much abuse it started to shut down. She experienced three years of hemorrhaging. Multiple surgeries later, nothing worked.
asked God. “No,” was the answer. When Andrea returned to Canada, the phone rang. It was Union Gospel Mission, asking her to work with them. She had never applied for a job there, or sent in her resume. “It was a clear, straight-up God thing.” Fourteen years later, Andrea is still serving at UGM. Her ministry with women struggling in addiction is powerful. Whenever possible, she gets women into a recovery program, places like the UGM Lydia Home and Mission. But her care doesn’t end there. Once they graduate from treatment, Andrea is in touch with these ladies constantly as a mentor and sponsor. She arrives at work at 7 AM – half an hour before her shift officially starts – and sits in her car, texting a long list of women to check in. Many of the women have turned their lives over to Jesus, and Andrea hosts Bible studies for them.
“I’VE BEEN BROKEN, I’VE BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD. AND GOD TOOK ME OUT OF THAT. SO I GET TO BE A RAY OF HOPE.” Then: a genuine miracle. “I was at a New Year’s party, and God got a hold of me,” Andrea recalls. “And literally – boom! Healed and clean and sober. Never looked back, never had a relapse, nothing.” As she moved out of drug abuse, she became aware that Jesus was relentlessly pursuing her, even showing up in her dreams. “He just came after me, and he got me. The rest is history.” Andrea’s background was unchurched, to put it mildly. So, two months into her newfound relationship with Jesus, she showed up at Columbia Bible College. She was older than most students, but dove into her studies with passion, enrolling in the Intercultural Studies program and, in her third year, signing up for an overseas internship to Ireland. It was in Ireland that Andrea realized what God was calling her to do. She clearly recalls the moment when she was serving at a soup kitchen and she heard God say, “This is what you’re going to be doing.” “Here?” Andrea
“I have a unique opportunity because I was where they’re at,” Andrea reflects. “I know exactly what they’re going through. I’m somebody speaking into their life, who can say, ‘I’ve been broken, I’ve been down that road, and I know what it's like. And God took me out of that.’ They can witness where I’m at now. So I get to be a ray of hope.” Still, not every day at the Mission is a good day. Some members of the community don’t make it: there are overdoses and deaths. Violent outbursts and volatile behaviour are not infrequent. Andrea admits that she makes mistakes too – says the wrong thing, lets people down.
God first and foremost: “I am in constant conversation with God. Prayer is a huge part of my life, and that just pours into the ministry that I do. It’s like my heartbeat.” And on some days, hope is just plain easy. One morning, Andrea is in her office, and Ruth walks in. “I’m done,” she says. That was two years ago. Ruth got into recovery and is now clean and sober. She’s living with a Christian family, and reaching out to her kids. She’s handed her life over to the Lord, and she’s thriving. “It’s beautiful,” Andrea says, her voice full of tears. So Andrea keeps going. “At the end of the day, I know I've given 110%, and I sleep well at night. Because I come in, and God's called me to do one thing in this position that he's placed me in, and that's to love His people. And I do that with every fiber of my being. And some days, I do it really well. Nothing beats that. Right?” ■
THE UGM SUMMER MINISTRY TRAINING PROGRAM Every summer, the New West UGM runs ‘ministry bootcamps’ for church teams. Over the course of a week, the team will learn about the dynamics of addiction and homelessness and be equipped to reach out with greater confidence and skill within their own communities.
How does she stay hopeful, day in and day out? “I keep in mind that the same God that brought me out of my addictions is the same God working in the lives of those that I get to journey with,” she explains. She keeps
To learn more about this program, contact Bill Wong (bwong@ugm.ca or 604.313.5887)
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SO UL F OOD
Leaning Into Hope W
e asked our Columbia staff and faculty to share how they are cultivating hope in their
lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. May you be encouraged and blessed, and perhaps inspired to adopt one or two of these practices in your own life.
The illustrations on these pages were created by Grant Bielefeld, who graduated from Columbia Bible College with his BA in Worship Arts. Grant now works as a freelance illustrator and designer.
Hannah Juras, Columbia
Representative As an extrovert who lives alone here are some of the things that are helping me remain positive and hopeful:
• I started a gratitude list. I write down five •
•
• •
things that I’m grateful for every day. I set certain time chunks of the day where I avoid Covid talk. I don’t look at the news (It usually means I have to put my phone away), I don’t talk to friends about it. I listen to a different Broadway soundtrack each day. It’s like a fun story that I can listen to (instead of the deafening silence in my living room “office”). I have fresh flowers (that I’ve picked from my daily walks) in a very visible place My bible study group created a collaborative playlist on spotify of worship music that helps us put our focus back on Jesus.
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David Warkentin, Director of
Columbia One & General Studies In this disruptive season around the world, it’s hard not be overwhelmed by the stories of suffering and death. And socially isolated in our home, loneliness and weariness creeps in daily. While we do need to honestly face this reality, I’ve found myself reflecting on the word “life” in the midst of my honest engagement. Do I have eyes to see life, even in this time? As a way to keep this question in mind, my family has planted flower seeds in small pots and placed them around our home. At various points throughout the day, someone can be heard exclaiming, “I see green!” Or, “mine’s
growing!” This practice has provided a daily reminder that life is persistent. Life emerges, even in isolation. I’ve needed this daily reminder of good news rooted in life (Jn. 10:10).
Jeremy Walker, Quest Director
I have been cultivating hope through acts of remembrance. First, remembering other times in my life where I have gone through challenging circumstances and seen God’s faithfulness and goodness in the uncontrollable. Second, by remembering what God’s people have endured. Reading Paul’s letters written from prison and David’s psalms as he is under attack has reminded me that much is possible because God is WITH us.
Yehuda Mansell, ICS Associate
It starts with listening. Months ago, via Google Translate, I discovered that my neighbour Bachar used to be a tailor in Syria, but with little to no English his small business has been at a standstill. It continues with listening. My connections on DTES have been crying out for masks, which are nearly impossible to find. Then I remembered a church that had more than 1000 fabric shopping bags languishing in a cupboard, (cuz they’re cheaper if you buy ‘em bulk) and knew they would probably love to be free of them. I can’t sew a button to save my life but my wife mobilized my brother Ari, who has a machine, and he developed a prototype based on current masks, using beer cozies for nose guards, bed sheets, and now fabric shopping bags, electrical wire, and elastics. So, these are being delivered in clean containers, via Fire Stations to frontline
workers in the DTES. I’m still struggling to find a sewing machine for Bachar, but I have the supplies to get him going. Today, I’ll likely snag one from Walmart.
I think the one thing I’ve been doing most is having a list of things that I know will reground me or make me sense hope again:
• Connecting with God
Matthew Kliever, Quest Associate
A practice I am currently engaged in is waking up early each morning to sit by my front window, light a candle to remind me of God’s presence, pour a hot drink to remind me of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and to watch for the sunrise as a reminder of the new possibilities that come with each day. Then I write whatever comes to mind.
• • • •
Leslie Miller, Admissions Coordinator & Financial Aid Advisor I’m finding it to be really helpful (and then in turn hopeful) to have a schedule. To plan things out and to stick to it. To plan chores for each day. Exercise for each day (or a schedule of 3x a week or something). Meal plan and execute at the right meal times. Do special evening or weekend things that I would do normally. I’ve started learning about sourdough and have a homemade starter going (we’re on day 3!). All of these things have kept me grounded.
•
– voicing my fears, doubts, worries. Then thanking him for all the things that I do know and trust to be good/hopeful Eating a good snack Getting in exercise (outside if possible) Spending time in the garden Calling a friend (if I’m feeling this way, someone else is too and I can help be a part of their journey towards hope) Getting off of social media / news and reading a book or playing a game or doing a puzzle.
Tina Richardson, Director of
Admissions I’ve been enjoying trying some new recipes. Food is an awesome way to connect even in small groups. Found a cool tool that tells you what you can make with what groceries you have in the house: supercook.com. I also read Psalm 91 at least twice a day.
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How are you cultivating hope in your life during the pandemic? Stephanie Jantzen, Marketing &
Communications Manager I have been spending my coffee breaks playing a lot of Connect 4 with my six-yearold, Matthew. I find that putting aside my worries and my workload for a few minutes and becoming more like a child — enjoying a simple game and hearing my son laugh — helps me a lot. It’s like a mini-sabbath in my day that reminds me of the possibility of childlike trust in my Abba.
Mike Richardson, Quest Faculty
My 91-year-old mom is in an independent living care facility in Oklahoma and experiencing signs of Alzheimer’s, but she always recognizes my voice on the phone. Since being at home, Kathy & I have begun phoning her daily for a devotional time together. I am reading Jesus Calling by Sarah Young to her, then Kathy sings a hymn to her and we close in prayer — a virtual worship time — and it seems to bring her such joy and delight. This is one of the ways we are seeking to steward this new stay-athome life-style and redeem the impact of COVID-19.
C O L U M B I A C O N TA C T Columbia Bible College 2940 Clearbrook Road Abbotsford, BC Canada V2T 2Z8 Send change of address and alumni updates to alumni@columbiabc.edu
Joy Reimer, Library Technician,
Circulation Coordinator I've been doing a lot of connecting with CBC students, staff and faculty via Facebook, Messenger and text, as well as family and friends. I have joined a wider community prayer group "Pray for ARH" which lifts up our local nurses, doctors, and hospital staff in prayer hourly. It is amazing to see how God is being praised and the ARH staff have commented on how they are feeling a peace at the hospital. I am also so blessed to have family at home to talk with, have devotions with, and laugh with over old Newhart shows. ■