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06 Feb

February 6, 2012 |

Dr. G. Blair Dowden (left) receives the Andringa Award from Paul Corts, president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

Huntington University has been recognized with The Robert and Susan Andringa Award for Advancing Racial Harmony for its “best practice” programs in the area of racial and ethnic diversity.

The Andringa Award is presented each year by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The award recognizes an initiative or program that helps create a welcoming climate, improves retention, or provides support for ethnic/racial minority students, faculty or staff.

“Huntington University is pursuing racial harmony and diversity at multiple levels with a variety of programs and with the clear commitment of its senior leadership, faculty and Board of Trustees,” said CCCU President Paul Corts. “We congratulate Huntington University for its significant achievement and impressive commitment to racial harmony and diversity.”

In 2008, the university launched the Horizon Leadership Program. The program is a partnership between Huntington University and Youth for Christ USA with the goal of creating a more racially and ethnically diverse campus. A cohort of students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds is selected each year to receive the Horizon Leadership Scholarship, a combination of federal, state and institutional aid. The scholarship covers all fees associated with tuition and housing costs for up to 10 semesters.

The university also helped develop the Harmony Initiative, an ad hoc group of local business leaders, elected officials, clergy, educators, and social-service workers advancing values of the City of Huntington’s mission statement, which declares Huntington to be “a community of civility and inclusion, where diversity is honored and differences are respected.” President G. Blair Dowden serves as chair of this task force, and two other university personnel are members.

“This work is ‘a marathon and not a sprint,'” said Dowden. “But by sustaining this momentum and building on early successes, we are transforming the university and its surrounding community. By sharing our experience and learning from others, we can all better serve ethnically diverse students. This award is a significant milepost along this journey.”

06 Feb

February 6, 2012 |

The area where our Gonaives church is located still hasn’t recovered from the affects of several hurricanes.

Top: Working in a salt basin. Middle: The team and a few Haitians outside a salt storage hut. Bottom: a salt basin ready for harvesting.

A team of 8 persons from UB churches in Canada has been in Haiti since January 30. Joan Sider, a retired schoolteacher from New Hope church in Toronto, is sending back daily reports. Here is her report for Saturday, February 4.

The team visited the salt-harvesting project, an exciting money-making project for the Haitian churches. Pastor Wedemarc started a business harvesting salt, and used it to support himself and 50 schoolchildren, and also provide some funding for the church he had planted. Seeing that this was such a viable business, it was expanded with the help of micro loans from UB members in the US and Canada–about $50,000 so far. The salt buyers include the Northwest Salt Company, out of of Kansas City, and a for-profit salt venture in Port Au Prince by Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind. Pastor Wedemarc is now looking for a manger so he isn’t involved in the day-to-day operations.

 

We left the hotel around 9 or so, and set off for a part of Gonaives which was very obviously the poor area of the city. We drove out to the area where the surface salt harvesting happens.

We passed a lot of basins until we came to ours. We have 5 done–3 shallow ones and 2 deep ones. A reservoir of salt water is used to fill the shallow basins. It is pumped from the reservoir.   The shallow ones have a depth of about 10-12 inches with a surface area of about 450 sq. meters.  One of the guys paced it off and he feels it is larger than what Pastor Wedemarc said–more like 1200 sq. m.

The harvested salt is bagged like this.

There are three salt colors–pink, gray and white. It fetches the same price and the quality is equal, but maybe a slightly different taste.

We saw men digging the basins–such hard work whether a deep or shallow one.  Women gather the salt with baskets or just use their hands.  Imagine yourself standing in a knee-deep saline solution!  Imagine digging one of these basins–having to throw the clay-like soil up and out of the basin!  We were able to watch several basins being harvested.

One knows when it is time to harvest the pink salt when the water turns a reddish color.  I guess the other colors have water that turn gray or white.   Our basins will be harvested in March.  It is expected that our storage crib will be filled twice a year off the harvests.

After our visit, we began the journey back to Port au Prince.  Even with an air conditioned van, it was a hot trip.  We were well packed in.  We ate lunch and then relaxed most of the time. Oh the men went out and began tuning up Pastor’s car by changing spark plugs and air filter, and caulking around the sun roof to keep it from leaking.  I think they want to try and do something with the fan belts at another time.

The men went for a walk to see George, a man who owns a little corner store. We have befriended this sightless man for a number of years.  He lost a number of fingers during a robbery where a machete was used on them.

There is a kitten in the yard here.  I have been making friends with it–not touching it, but talking to it and seeing that some water is out for it. The male helper here takes the cat inside with him at night.  I sure am glad to hear that.

06 Feb

February 6, 2012 |

Last Thursday, February 2, Jim Kendall underwent a heart catheterization. He had been having some issues with his heart–partly with low sodium and electrolyte imbalance, which causes heart arrhythmia. Jim is a retired Michigan pastor living in Charlotte, Mich.

Everything went well. Jim reported, “I have no blockage, nor any evidence of a previous heart attack. I’m grateful to the Lord for the good report. Evidently, my heart arrhythmia was due to my electrolyte imbalance. Thankfully, my sodium level is now within its normal range. I still have to take it slow for a few days while the incision heals. They ‘sealed’ it with a new device, a plug, instead of using the old sandbags. The incision is still a bit sore and tender. The Lord is good, all the time.”

04 Feb

February 4, 2012 |

Dr. Chaney Bergdall with students.

Nick Kight, a senior at Huntington University

Preach, teach, minister. The significance of these words constantly resonates with Dr. Chaney Bergdall. Even though he plans to retire at the end of the school year, he says he will never retire from his life calling — as a teacher and minister of the Gospel.

“I turn 65 next summer,” said Bergdall, professor of Bible and religion at Huntington University. “My wife and I would like to take this time to move closer to my son, daughter-in-law and our granddaughter. I’m looking forward to the move.”

It was 36 years ago when Bergdall joined the faculty. The position fulfilled his lifelong passion to preach and teach.

“I saw my coming here as a way that I could give back to the United Brethren Church. It was another way for me to serve which led me to accept the position,” he said.

Since arriving in 1975, Bergdall has enjoyed observing what happens in the lives of his students during their college years and will miss the interactions he has with them on a daily basis.

“I have fond memories of seeing students grow and watching them latch onto new thoughts about the Bible and the Christian life,” he said.

Over his years at HU, Bergdall has taught countless numbers of students — all of them appreciative of the knowledge they have gained under his direction.

“Nothing shone through more clearly in my classes with him than how much he loved what he was teaching and the desire he had to impart the beauty of that knowledge to his students,” said Peter Owens, a 2010 Bible and religion graduate. “It was the way he gave us the information that inspired us to work hard for him.”

As a current seminary student, Greg Casserino, a 2011 youth ministry and Bible and religion graduate, more than ever appreciates the constant encouragement he received from Bergdall to dig deeper and to put forth more diligence in his course work during his undergraduate career.

“I look back upon Dr. Bergdall’s classes with much respect and appreciation,” he said. “Dr. Bergdall’s well-articulated processes for digesting scripture have prepared me to encounter the rigorous coursework that is before me. I will be forever indebted to Dr. Bergdall for the countless ways which collectively worked together to shape me into a deeper man of God.”

Bergdall’s impact has stretched to the faculty, as well. He has become known among his colleagues as a “conscience” in tough times.

“Through conflicts and disagreements, Chaney stood bravely amid the harsh words and meanness that abounded at times,” said Jim O’Donnell, Luke J. Peters Professor of Business. “He spoke truth even when it was uncomfortable for him to do so. It’s no wonder he was, again and again, chosen to serve on the Faculty Concerns Committee and so often to be its chair. He was the spokesperson for the faculty, speaking sense, grace and truth.”

And as May 12, 2012, approaches, Bergdall remains excited as he starts a new chapter in his life. Once he and his wife, Patricia, get settled in Goshen, Ind., Bergdall hopes to continue being active in some way to give expression to his life calling.

“I’m a teacher and minister of the Gospel,” he said. “I’ll never retire from that.”

04 Feb

February 4, 2012 |

On January 31, Dr. Blair Dowden, president of Huntington University, participated in a panel discussion of college affordability in Washington, D.C., during the annual meeting of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU).

The panel was led by Zakiya Smith, senior advisor for education at the White House Domestic Policy Council. Additional panelists included the presidents of Hardin-Simmons and William Peace universities.

Coming just days after President Barack Obama unveiled proposals to tie federal funds to college affordability, Dowden’s remarks focused on cost-saving measures, a low 2.5% tuition increase, and Huntington’s innovative loan repayment assistance program for all undergraduates.

03 Feb

February 3, 2012 |

End of the work day.

A team of 8 persons from UB churches in Canada is in Haiti right now. Joan Sider, from New Hope church in Toronto, is sending back daily reports. Here is her report for Wednesday, February 1.

Joan Sider, New Hope Community Church, Toronto, Ontario

Before I tell of today’s work, let me mention the school associated with this Gonaives church. There are 5 classes of children ranging in age probably equivalent to our K-6 schools. The pastor’s wife is the director/principal and there are 3 female and 2 male teachers. I went into each classroom, took pictures, and greeted the children. They stood to their feet as I entered. They are dressed in their school uniforms and the female teachers have vests made of the same material as the girls. The older classes had scribblers and appeared to be doing a lot of work from the blackboard. There is a lot of rote teaching, and in the mornings when Audrey is doing the quilting with the ladies, it can be quite noisy. One of these 5 classes meets at the back of the church and we’re at the front.

It was very interesting to notice that the children taught by the ladies, had an extra long break because the principal and the female teachers wanted to quilt. So, as kids do, they were playing and not being too quiet about it. I was surprised when two of the teachers started into a second round of quilting–it was a lucky day for those children. The principal and one of the teachers each won a quilt in the draw. The others received sewing kits.

Now to start today. The owner of this hotel and the pastor drove us back and forth to our work sites–Audrey, to the old church and the men to the construction site. I floated between the two places.

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02 Feb

February 2, 2012 |

Global Ministries is sponsoring three seminars for persons interested in leading or participating in a short-term mission team. It’s a very informative, interactive, and fun seminar.

You can choose from these locations and dates.

March 2-3, 2012
Monroe UB church
205 South Adams Street
Monroe, Ind. 46772

March 9-10, 2012
HomeFront UB church
6265 8th Avenue
Grandville, Mich. 49418

June 8-9, 2012
Criders UB church
2380 Loudon Road
Chambersburg, Pa. 17202

The cost is $50 per person (or $45 if you bring 5 persons from your church). Ministers can earn 1 CEU for attending.

02 Feb

February 2, 2012 |

Al Jazeera did a fascinating 60-Minutes style report about the illegal logging trade in Sierra Leone, which threatens to deforest the country. It includes an undercover sting operation on the vice president himself. Chinese companies lead the way in this multi-million dollar business. You can watch the 25-minute report here and read the accompanying article.

02 Feb

February 2, 2012 |

Three Huntington University faculty members have been granted promotions for the 2012-13 school year, by action of the Board of Trustees at its January 2012 meeting.

  • Dr. Luke Fetters will be promoted from associate professor to professor of ministry and missions.
  • Dr. Thomas Bergler will be promoted from associate professor to professor of ministry and missions.
  • Diana Shenefield will be promoted from instructor to assistant professor of nursing.

02 Feb

February 2, 2012 |
Top: the entire team together (with Joan behind the camera). Bottom right: the guest house. Bottom left: Joan Sider and Pastor Wedemarc, a professional engineer.

Top: the entire team together (with Joan behind the camera). Bottom right: the guest house. Bottom left: Joan Sider and Pastor Wedemarc, a professional engineer.

A team of 8 persons from UB churches in Canada is in Haiti right now. Joan Sider, from New Hope church in Toronto, is sending back daily reports. Here is her report for Wednesday, February 1.

Our day began early–and nothing like a cold water shower to get you up and at it. The shower was good, but it is still a shock when that first cold water hits. I’m not complaining, just giving you the facts.

Everyone slept well, enjoying the coolness of our rooms with the AC. Speaking of temperature–January/February is the best time to come. It is mid-80s, but here in Gonaives, at this time of year there is a good breeze. It would be very hot on the construction site, if there were no breeze.

We had a good breakfast–scrambled egg and cheese sandwiches, coffee and juice. It was filling and delicious. Haiti-style egg McMuffin, I guess. We ate out on the patio and enjoyed the breeze indicating another good day weather-wise.

Another great day with lots accomplished. I spent the morning with Audrey and the quilting ladies. There were 7 in the first group and the remaining 3 groups had 12. One of the women knew how to use the sewing machine and so worked away at binding the quilts, won by one of the women each time–their names go in a hat and one is drawn. All the other women were given a sewing kit. The women enjoy the bright coloured material used in these kits. They were actually arguing over the kits this morning trying to get the brightest material ones.

There is a young man, Michel, who has been a great help to Audrey. He helps organize the ladies since he speaks English very well. It is a blessing to see a young man keen to serve the Lord by helping this way. I saw him actually doing a few ties on the quilt. We are expecially thankful to God for providing him. This leaves Michel to be with the men on the construction site.

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