In just a few days of service work in Harlan, Kentucky, Kora Kornhaus learned an invaluable lesson: her volunteer work was as important as the gifts she opened herself up to receiving in return  – whether good advice, hospitality, a meal, or a story.

Kornhaus and nine other 91����Ƶ students spent their fall break volunteering with (SWAP) in Harlan, Kentucky. The trip was coordinated by Y-Serve (formerly YPCA), a student service organization. Club advisor and University Chaplain Brian Martin Burkholder also accompanied the group.

The trip was the first service work sophomore John Jantzen had contributed to while at 91����Ƶ, but he had volunteered with projects at camp and convention, “as well as smaller things like helping with MCC canning or school kits.” He was grateful to take a break from his studies: the long weekend was “an opportunity to both relax from the stressors of college life, and take a step back and remember what is important in the real world.”

SWAP, a program of Mennonite Central Committee, works to address substandard housing in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. The organization’s logo is a cross formed by a  hammer and paintbrush. Volunteers come year-around to help make homes safe, warm and dry. The location has been the site of several past Y-Serve trips, which also happen during spring break.

Kornhaus, the organization’s secretary, drew her lesson from one experience during the weekend: helping a community member who collected aluminum cans as a source of income but had no way to get them to the recycling center. His basement was nearly “three-quarters full of cans,” said fellow volunteer and Y-Serve Co-president Isaac Sawin.

“After a lot of mind-numbing work, we were all feeling fairly exhausted, yet once the man came over and shared about the hardships he’s had to go through in his life and gave me a quick hug, I felt as though the work was worth it,” Kornhaus said. 

The 91����Ƶ group also fixed an exterior wall and installed siding at a home that SWAP had started to work on in the summer. “When completed, this project will allow the homeowner to have a safer, warmer, and dryer home,” said Stephanie Broersma, SWAP Harlan Location Coordinator. “It was a blessing to have students interacting with the homeowner who is an older woman who lives alone, and the homeowner offering them hospitality.”

The volunteers also helped to assemble pallets of food for a food pantry, install a playground at a school, and make sound absorbers for the SWAP gathering room.

Sophia Sherrill, Y-Serve co-president, said that the most rewarding part of the trip was seeing the “immediate, positive impact we were making with our work, and feeling like we were working alongside people rather than inserting ourselves into the situation. It felt good that we were wanted and appreciated there.”

A bonus was the “absolutely gorgeous views” on their daily three-mile trek from their campsite to the main road.

“I would encourage anyone that’s thinking about volunteering with SWAP to do it,” Sherrill said. “It is a wonderful organization with great people that are really making a difference in their communities.”

Broersma expressed gratitude for the 91����Ƶ group. “It is a blessing to see young adults interested in serving others in the name of Christ, and we hope that they will continue to find ways to serve wherever they go.”

Jim Bishop ’67 traded in his “Bishop’s Mantle” pen and switched hats as well to contribute this coverage of the Oct. 1-2 Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale. He also was the photographer (another hat switch!). Below is a longer version of the “good news” that appeared in the local newspaper, the Daily News-Record. Several alumni are named in the article.

An early summer mix of pleasant temperatures and rainfall in the Shenandoah Valley, followed by nearly two months of dry conditions, transformed into warm fall weather just in time for the 55th annual Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale Friday night and Saturday, Oct. 1-2, at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds.

This year’s sale raised a preliminary figure of $355,000 for the worldwide relief, service and peacebuilding program of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). Despite certain restrictions in fund-raising brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, last year’s effort raised $333,931; final actual proceeds in 2019 totaled $381,033.

“Once all expense reports are finalized and additional funds come in, our total receipts will likely exceed the total funds raised this weekend,” said Dave Rush of Harrisonburg. “We had a lot of activity and received positive comments about the online bidding and video available this year.”

Rush noted that there were winning bidders on line from 9 different states, adding: “One man won top bid on a wood crafted item while in a plane flying from Maine to the West Coast.”

Activities began Friday evening with a barbecued pork barbeque dinner, special music by a variety of local groups and genres and the start of the live and silent auction that resumed Saturday morning and ran through early afternoon.

The annual auction of handmade quilts, wall hangings, knotted comforters, artwork and wooden handcrafted items accounted for $138,988 of the total funds raised.

An oak side table with drawer and drawer made and donated by Norman and Grace Lambert of North Carolina brought in $5,700. Other high bid items included: an anonymously-donated copper applebutter kettle that went for $4,500; a 90” x  90” feed sack quilt made and donated by Mary Guntz of Vermont went for $4,100; a seven-drawer lingerie chest of maple and walnut made and donated by Dwight and Trella Kauffman sold for $3,200; a 101” x 117” Mariner’s Compass quilt donated by Friends of the Relief Sale went for $3,100, a 102” x  92” Park Plaza quilt by Evie King and Evie McPhee brought $3,000, and a 90” x 90” Hunter’s Star quilt pieced and machine-quilted by Lorraine Mooney and donated by Williamsburg Mennonite Church went for $3,000. There were 37 items that brought $1,000 or more; 23 of these were quilts.

Total funds raised from the annual “Our Coins Count” project were $16,052, with more funds expected to come in from area congregations, businesses and other groups. Coins and currency were collected in large water jugs for weeks, then the containers were brought to the sale for sorting and tabulating done by employees of Park View Federal Credit Union.  The funds will be evenly divided between MCC and Virginia Mennonite Missions (VMM) to purchase classroom supplies for church-related schools in rural Zambia (MCC) and family discipleship ministries in Latino congregations and scripture-based music ministries through Kids’ Klub programs in the U.S. (VMM). ​

This year’s “special projects” offering raised $3,300 to be divided equally between two area organizations – a WARM cold weather shelter in Waynesboro, Va., for homeless persons or at imminent risk of homelessness and to assist “People Helping People,” an ecumenical financial aid program supported by local faith communities.

Annually since 2017, a relief sale committee has promoted additional giving through a “S.O.S (Sharing Our Surplus)” campaign spearheaded by local pastor, counselor and community advocate Harvey Yoder. A special table was again staffed by Everence financial volunteers during the sale for people to donate money to MCC’s work with refugees around the world. Yoder reported that approximately $40,000 came in for this initiative this year. A total of more than $150,000 has been raised through S.O.S over the past five years.

A return of the popular donuts caused relief sale patrons of all ages to have glazed looks on their faces as Strite’s Donuts of Harrisonburg brought their donut-making operation on site and sold some 6,000 of their confectionary delights.

Persons also formed long lines to purchase quantities of Brunswick stew, with 165 gallons made in vats on the fairground premises by members of Springdale Mennonite Church in Augusta County.

Other homemade food items on display around the fairgrounds included baked goods, 1,200 barbecued chicken halves, cider, fresh produce, kettle-cooked potato chips and international fare including Indian food and lamb.

 Dave Rush, in his 12^th year as relief sale chair, is enthused over this year’s fund-raising effort.

“It was good to be back (at the relief sale),” Rush said. “We had beautiful weather and fun together. A huge ‘thank you’ to the many volunteers who gave their time and energy to make this event possible. Also, many thanks to the donors and buyers, and for a cooperative spirit expressed by those who wore masks indoors,” he added. “Every year it brings me much joy to see us all work together to raise money for MCC in the name of Christ.” impressed with the way so many people come together in a spirit of unity, both the volunteer effort and the generous giving to the work of MCC,” Rush said. “Through this event, we work together to help others around the world whom Jesus calls us to serve.”

MCC, based in Akron, Pa., is a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches that share God’s love and compassion with people at home and around the world to ease oppression, poverty and conflict. They lead natural disaster relief efforts, community development and peace work in more than 50 countries.  The first Virginia Relief Sale took place Sept. 30, 1967, on the farm of Paul Wenger in Augusta County. Net proceeds of $6,393 were sent to MCC.     

Every year for spring break, several student groups spend the nine-day period doing service projects in various locales in the states – under the Young People’s Christian Association (YPCA) umbrella – instead of going home or heading to warmer climes.

2012 groups and destinations

• (engaging God’s transformative work in the city) in Chicago
  co-leaders: Susan Peck and Litza Laboriel
• (joint urban missionary partners in the Bronx, N.Y.) March 3-7 and (empowering youth to serve Christ in the city) March 7-11
  co-leaders: Jamila Witmer and Nicole Groff
• (housing construction and repair) in New Orleans
  co-leaders: Erica Wagner and Mindy Esworthy
• (social change regarding dirty coal) in Appalachia, Va.
  co-leaders: Jacob Mack-Boll & Meg Smeltzer

Bertha Beachy, a long-time worker in Africa and the Middle East with and , will speak at an Abraham’s Tent forum 4 p.m. Tuesday, October 12 on “Why and How We Should Carry on Dialogue With Muslims.”

Her presentation will be held in Martin Chapel of the seminary building at 91����Ƶ (see campus map). Light refreshments will be served starting at 3:30 p.m.

Beachy’s passion for relating to Muslims, promoting women’s issues and working for peace and justice have taken her to many different places and assignments throughout her years of service to the church.

After earning a degree in elementary education and English from EMC (now 91����Ƶ), she moved to Somalia in 1958 to teach English and learn the ways and language of the Somali people.

She interspersed her service with educational opportunities in literacy, linguistics, Islamic studies and the Arabic language.

Now a resident of Greencroft Retirement Community in Goshen, Ind., Beachy continues to embrace opportunities to learn and serve, including a stint with a to Iraq and a peace and learning tour to Iran with MCC.

She continues to relate to many Muslim friends and is a strong proponent of interfaith dialogue.

Abraham’s Tent at 91����Ƶ is a center that plans and sponsors a variety of opportunities and programs for interfaith engagement.

Admission to the program is free.

The faculty and staff of 91����Ƶ honored three colleagues who are retiring and cited 47 others for years of service at the school’s annual recognition dinner Tuesday evening, May 4.

Ron Piper

Ronald E. (Ron) Piper, vice president for finance, retired Apr. 30 after 24 years as an administrator. The 91����Ƶ Board of Trustees awarded Piper “administrator emeritus” status at its March meeting.

Piper served as chief financial officer of the university, responsible for the development and final preparation of the annual operating and capital budgets. He handled financial compliance, oversaw internal control policies and procedures, provided strategic information concerning finances and represented the institution in external business transactions. He gave oversight to the business, human resources, physical plant, financial assistance and auxiliary services departments.

Wendy Miller

Wendy J. Miller, assistant professor of spiritual formation at the seminary, will retire after 19 years on the EMS faculty. The 91����Ƶ Board of Trustees awarded Miller professor emerita status at its March meeting. Along with teaching, Miller has been a retreat speaker and spiritual director and developed “SoulSpace,” a guide for scripture reading and prayer on 91����Ƶ’s web site.

She has written several books, “Invitation to Presence: A Guide to Spiritual Disciplines” (Upper Room Books, 1995) and “Jesus, Our Spiritual Director: A Pilgrimage through the Gospels” (Upper Room Books, 2004) and writes a monthly column on spiritual formation in “Lectionary Homiletics.”

Joyce Hedrick

Joyce C. Hedrick is retiring after 17 years at 91����Ƶ, serving most recently as disability support services coordinator in the Academic Support Center. She did presentations on attention deficit disorder and about students with disabilities and their transitions into college and university settings.

Hedrick was a pastor in Hawaii and Pennsylvania, an administrator and a secondary school teacher before coming to 91����Ƶ. She is active at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church.

91����Ƶ President Loren Swartzendruber presented the retirees with a gift and a plaque during the ceremonies. They also received tributes from their colleagues.

Use the 91����Ƶ personnel directory for more info on faculty and staff awarded for service.

35 years

Thirty-five year service awards were presented to John W. Fast, assistant professor of music and assistant to Global Village curriculum; and Betty J. Hertzler, mail services supervisor, 91����Ƶ post office.

Anita B. Weaver, office coordinator for the Adult Degree Completion Program, received a 30-year service award.

25 years

Twenty-five year service awards went to Evelyn E. (Evie) King, custodial services supervisor, physical plant; Martin G. (Marty) King, audio-visual manager, information systems; Roman J. Miller, Daniel B. Suter endowed professor of biology; and Dorothy Jean Weaver, professor of New Testament, Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

20 years

Twenty years: Gretchen H. Maust, office coordinator, visual and communication arts and assistant coordinator, Abrahamic Center; and Teresa L. Puckett, lead custodian, physical plant.

15 years

Fifteen years: Harlan deBrun, instructor, physical education and recreation department; Elroy J. Miller, associate professor, applied social sciences department; Jennifer L. (Jenni) Piper, user services manager, information systems; Don A. Yoder, director of seminary admissions; and Nathan E. (Nate) Yoder, associate professor of church history, Eastern Mennonite Seminary and archivist in Hartzler Library.

10 years

Ten years: Jason H. Alderfer, network systems administrator, information systems; Beth K. Aracena, associate dean for curriculum, cross-cultural programs; Lora L. Baker, custodian, physical plant; Stephen Cessna, associate professor of chemistry; Kenton T. Derstine, director of Clinical Pastoral Education and field education and placement, Eastern Mennonite Seminary; Cheryl D. Doss, secretary-coordinator, Suter Science Center; Linda W. Gnagey, director, Academic Support Center; Philip J. (Phil) Guengerich, events coordinator, athletics; Valerie M. Helbert, associate director, Summer Peacebuilding Institute, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding; Terrance L. (Terry) Jantzi, associate professor, applied social sciences department; Jonathan A. (Jon) Kratz, director, international student services; Linda L. Sauder, office assistant, Adult Degree Completion Program; Karen J. Weaver, hostess at the 91����Ƶ Guesthouse; and Leslie K. Weaver, office assistant, financial assistance.

5 years

Five years: Joan B. (Joni) Baughman, administrative assistant, student life division; Steven A. (Steve) Benson, head coach, men’s and women’s volleyball; William R. (Bill) Culbreth, assistant professor, business and economics department; Katherine B. (Katie) Derstine, secretary/receptionist, registrar’s office; Annmarie L. Early, associate professor, MA in counseling program; Laura H. Esch, office coordinator, nursing department; William H. (Bill) Goldberg, associate director, Summer Peacebuilding Institute; Kevin J. Griffin, head coach, women’s basketball; Sonia L. (Jeanne) Horst, assistant professor of psychology, Julia M. Hottinger, custodian, physical plant; Steven D. Johnson, associate professor of visual and communication arts.

Also David A. (Dave) King, athletic director; Jonathan L. Lantz-Trissel, recycling and water reduction coordinator, physical plant; Philip M. (Mark) Mace, head men’s baseball coach; Joy Y. Martin, office coordinator, applied social sciences department; Daniel B. (Dan) Risser, user services hardware support, information systems; Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement; Walter W. (Walt) Surratt, assistant professor, business and economics department; Cynthia E. (Cindy) Voth, assistant director of housing and residence life; and Linda E. Witmer, associate professor/assessment counselor, 91����Ƶ at Lancaster.

MCC language assistants

Mennonite Central Committee language assistants Norman Aguilera of Nicaragua, Sara Hanna of Egypt and Alexandra Montoya of Columbia were also recognized during the ceremonies.

Read more…

This semester, 91����Ƶ is holding activities on one day – Wednesday, Feb. 11 – and moving from the Campus Center to the spacious hallway on second floor of the University Commons.

91����Ƶ freshman Jihoon Park (left), 19, of South Korea, talks to Mennonite Central Committee’s Sonya Charles in October 2008 during the fall semester Mission and Service Days. Photo by Nikki Fox, Daily News-Record

“We’re trying a few different things this time around – everything happening on one day, in a different setting, inviting local community ‘learning agencies’ and serving refreshments,” said Jennifer Litwiller, director of career services at 91����Ƶ. “We hope the end result is more students and others checking out the many service opportunities,” she added.

Representatives from at least 11 church-related agencies will have displays set up and will be available all day to talk with students and area residents about possible service openings with their organizations.

Participating agencies will include: Eastern Mennonite Missions, Salunga, Pa.; Mennonite Mission Network, Elkhart, Ind.; Mennonite Central Committee, Akron, Pa.; Virginia Mennonite Missions, Harrisonburg; Paxton Ministries, Harrisburg, Pa.; PULSE (Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Wycliffe Bible Translators, Willow Street, Pa.

Community Learning agencies will include: Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Clubs of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County, Community Mediation Center, Harrisonburg Gift & Thrift, Habitat for Humanity, Mercy House, NewBridges Immigrant Resource Center, Our Community Place and Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community.

An extended university chapel service 9:55-10:40 a.m. Wednesday in Lehman Auditorium will complement the mission-service theme. Steven Mosley, a writer, filmmaker and biblical storyteller from Orange County, Calif.,will give a 42-minute performance, “The Chosen Garment: the Whole Bible in One Act.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment with a service representative, call Jennifer Litwiller in the career services office at 540-432-4131. More information is also available online.

By Tom Mitchell, Daily News-Record

91����Ƶ freshman Jihoon Park (left), 19, of South Korea, talks to Mennonite Central Committee’s Sonya Charles Wednesday at 91����Ƶ’s Mission and Service Days. The two-day event, held in the spring and fall at 91����Ƶ’s Campus Greeting Center, brings representatives from various mission agencies to talk with students. Photo by Nikki Fox

Karmen Eby came to 91����Ƶ with more than a casual interest in mission work.

"I enjoy traveling – that’s part of it," said Eby, who served three missions before coming to 91����Ƶ. "But a mission is also about where God is pulling your heart."

Eby, 25, an 91����Ƶ senior social work and business major from Harrisonburg, was among a stream of students who took time Wednesday to explore the notion of doing mission work while in school or after their university days are over.

The occasion that drew them to the university’s Campus Greeting Center was 91����Ƶ’s Mission and Service Days, an event that acquaints students with mission opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. The university holds Mission and Service Days in the fall and spring.

The program concluded Thursday at 5 p.m.

On Wednesday, more than a dozen agencies set up displays and had representatives on hand to talk with students about mission work. Each booth promoted a group that does missions locally, nationally or overseas.

Jennifer Litwiller, director of career services at 91����Ƶ

Mission and Service Days serves as a visible part of 91����Ƶ’s broader goal "to educate students to lead and serve in a global context," said Jennifer L. Litwiller, director of career services at 91����Ƶ.

"We want to provide instruction for [students at 91����Ƶ] to explore opportunities during their college years and after graduation," said Litwiller, 36, a 1995 91����Ƶ grad.

Students considering missions may choose from programs that vary in location of assignment and level of commitment. The latter option is particularly important to candidates who may still be unsure if a mission is right for them, Litwiller said.

"Some missions are for several years, some for the summer, and some even shorter," she said. "Some students choose to do a mission on their spring break."

Phillip A. Rhodes, administrator for Virginia Mennonite Ministries’ Partners in Mission program, says that his association offers prospects a choice of limited missions, usually for a year or less. Those options are often alluring enough to draw an applicant’s interest, said Rhodes, 25, of Dayton.

Virginia Mennonite Ministries is based at 901 Parkwood Drive in Harrisonburg.

"We try to find what a student is interested in, but it’s fun to hear the questions they bring to us, like how they can use their major on the mission, or if we’re involved in any kind of business," Rhodes said.

Uncertainty can deter some students from doing a mission.

One obstacle is money, though officials at 91����Ƶ say that needn’t be a barrier. Students who’ve taken out college loans can often get those loans deferred, if they make arrangements ahead of time, says Michele Hensley, director of 91����Ƶ’s financial assistance office.

"A lot of times, it depends on the mission board they’re going to for their mission," Hensley said. "Many can get loans deferred, and there are a lot of churches out there that can help.

"But the best thing is for a student to remove as much debt as possible beforehand."

Loan obligations have stalled more than one applicant.

"Loans are a major issue, a big concern," Eby said. "They’re what holds a lot of people back. I’ve heard people say that they want to do a mission, but they feel like they’ve got to get a job and pay off their college loans first."

Organizations that recruit students for missions find 91����Ƶ’s campus to be fertile ground: the school’s focus on cross-cultural experiences grooms grads for missions.

Eojin Lee, a senior church-music major at 91����Ƶ from Daejeon, South Korea, was more than a visitor to Mission and Service Day. Lee attends Stephens City Korean Community Church, which partners with Bell International School to recruit people from the U.S. to teach English in South Korea.

Lee, 22, thinks that Mission and Service Days "represents something about how 91����Ƶ celebrates diversity, and how it emphasizes serving God’s people."

Read more…

Retirees

Beryl H. Brubaker

Beryl Brubaker

Beryl will retire at the close of this academic year after 37 years as a teaching and administrative faculty member. She has been provost since 2000, giving overall guidance to the undergraduate and graduate academic programs, Eastern Mennonite Seminary, various auxiliary programs and the Adult Degree Completion Program. She was interim 91����Ƶ president for seven months in 2003 between Joseph L. Lapp and Loren Swartzendruber.

Earlier, Dr. Brubaker was vice president for enrollment, 1994-2000, and nursing department chair, 1994-2000. She joined the nursing department faculty in 1970.

Vernon E. Jantzi

Vernon Jantzi

Vernon is retiring after 32 years, having served as a teacher and administrator, most recently in the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and the undergraduate justice, peace and conflict studies program. A sociologist, linguist and researcher, he has led cross-cultural seminars and taught in the Summer Peacebuilding Institute and done considerable advisory work for development and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) around the world.

Nevin J. Bender Sr.

Nevin Bender

Nevin served the 91����Ƶ community 25 years as an Associate in Servanthood after a major stroke ended his career as a pastor and social worker. As a member of the grounds crew, he has performed many of the hardest, least glamourous jobs on campus.

“Nevin’s passionate faith, intense work ethic and model of service have been an inspiration to all,” said his colleague, Will Hairston.

Helen I. Nafziger

Helen Nafziger

Helen has been director of career services at 91����Ƶ 22 years, helping generations of students to “choose, change and use a major” as they explore vocational options. She advised undeclared majors, assisted students and others on career issues, provided a library of career resources and addressed parents during campus visits, drawing from her wealth of knowledge and experience.

Patricia Hostetter (Pat) Martin

Pat Hostetter Martin

Pat became director of the Summer Peacebuilding Institute (SPI), a 20-course, six-week program that is part of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, after earning an MA degree in conflict transformation in 1998. Before coming to 91����Ƶ, Martin worked with Mennonite Central Committee programs in Southeast Asia 18 years, including living and working in Vietnam during that conflict.

Allon H. Lefever

Allon Lefever

Allon is retiring as director of the masters in business administration (MBA) program at 91����Ƶ after five years to pursue several entrepreneurial interests and take on a wider leadership role with Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA). He will continue as a visiting faculty member, teaching a summer entrepreneurial course in the MBA program.

Heading the list of persons recognized for long years of service with 45 years was Lois B. Bowman, librarian of the Menno Simons Historical Library and Archives in Hartzler Library.

30-year service award:

• Sandra L. (Sandy) Brownscombe, professor of education and physical education

25-year service award:

• Lawrence M. Yoder, professor of missiology, Eastern Mennonite Seminary

20-year service awards:

• David W. Emswiler, HVAC-plumbing assistant, physical plant;
• C. Eldon Kurtz, director of physical plant;
• Marie S. Morris, vice president and undergraduate academic dean;
• Lester R. Zook, physical education and recreation department chair.

Fifteen-year service awards:

• Gregory T. (Greg) Becker, director, auxiliary services;
• Rachel J. Diener, director, Early Learning Center;
• Janice L. Gerber, information office coordinator;
• William H. (Will) Hairston, grounds supervisor;
• Joyce C. Hedrick, disability support services coordinator;
• Violet M. Horst, assistant professor of nursing;
• Janice. K. Liskey, accounting manager, business manager;
• Gloria I. Rhodes, coordinator and assistant professor, justice, peace and conflict studies department;
• Lucinda Schlabach, office coordinator, physical education and recreation department;
• Annie B. Thompson, custodian.

Ten years:

• Pamela D. Arbogast, lead custodian;
• Owen D. Byer, professor of mathematical sciences;
• Jane Wenger Clemens, associate professor of social work;
• Nancy R. Heisey, chair of Bible and religion department;
• Janice (Jan) Jenner, director, Practice Institute, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding;
• Julie M. Lake, custodian;
• Daniel E. Marple, Jr., network systems engineer, information systems;
• Pamela A. Rutt, assistant director, MA in education program, 91����Ƶ Lancaster;
• Lisa L. Schirch, professor of conflict studies, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding;
• Timothy J. Swartzendruber, associate director of development.

Five years:

• Brenda K. Beckler, head field hockey coach;
• Brian Martin Burkholder, director of campus ministries/campus pastor;
• Gerald W. (Kirby) Dean, head men’s basketball coach;
• Deanna F. Durham, community learning coordinator and associate professor of sociology/social work;
• Martha G. (Marti) Eads, professor of language and literature;
• Julie K. Haushalter, campus pastor, Eastern Mennonite Seminary;
• Miriam E., Hill, custodian;
• Matthew W. (Matt) Hunsberger, Lehman Auditorium facilities technician;
• Lisa G. Landes, assistant professor of nursing;
• Betty R. Lee, lead custodian;
• Bonnie Price Lofton, publications editor, marketing and communications department;
• Kenneth L. Nafziger, vice president for student life;
• Daniel C. Patterson, electrical/HVAC assistant;
• Amy C. Potter, associate director, Practice Institute, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding;
• Moira R. Rogers, professor of language and literature;
• Priscilla R. Simmons, RN to BN program director and professor, 91����Ƶ Lancaster;
• Kathy K. Smith, program administrator, Practice Institute, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding;
• Cynthia J. (Cindy) Smoker, office coordinator, development department;
• John L. Spicher, chemical hygiene officer, chemistry department and anatomy lab instructor, biology department;
• Judy F. Townsend, custodian;
• Andrea Schrock Wenger, director of marketing and communications;
• Alex R. Yoder, counselor, financial assistance department;
• Laura A. Yoder, assistant professor of nursing.

Loren Swartzendruber, 91����Ƶ president, also received a certificate for five years of service from Susan M. Godshall, chair of the 91����Ƶ board of trustees.

Mennonite Central Committee language assistants Deicy Bermudez Hurtado and Cecibel de la Tamaris were also recognized during the ceremonies.

91����Ƶ students reflect on the sunset at Lakewood Retreat, Brooksville, Fla., a program of Southeast Mennonite Conference

Four groups of 91����Ƶ students spent their mid-semester break the first week of March doing service projects under the auspices of the Young People’s Christian Association (YPCA).

The students shared highlights of their experience in university chapel Wednesday, Mar. 12.

‘Volunteering is Rewarding’

Eleven 91����Ƶ students worked at Lakewood Retreat, Brooksville, Fla., a program of Southeast Mennonite Conference, cleaning facilities and doing general cleanup work around the camping facility.

91����Ƶ student Alec Burkey prepares to do some heavy metal work in Florida on truck parts in disrepair. By the end of the group’s stay, Burkey had the truck up and running, saving the camp money in repair fees.

“Volunteering is rewarding – seeing hard work pay off, how much was accomplished in a short time and giving yourself to a worthy cause,” said Michael Charles, a junior from Lancaster, Pa.

Seven other students did manual labor for Jubilee Partners, an intentional Christian community in Comer, Ga., and related to local immigrants that the group ministers to.

“For me, this week was a time of seeing God in a different way through the people we met, through singing and other activities,” said Heidi Hershberger, a sophomore from Boyertown, Pa.

Repairing Katrina Homes With MDS

Mobile, Ala., was the destination for nine students, led by Nick Meyer and supported by Eldon R. Kurtz, physical plant director at 91����Ƶ, and his wife Sharri. The group divided into three smaller work teams to repair homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina under the auspices of Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS).

91����Ƶ student Kim Gross tackles some greenery during her stay in Florida.

“It was a great change of pace from studies,” said Nick Meyer, a senior from Harrisonburg, Va. “We did more than just home repair work, but grew spiritually through the experience.”

“Hearing stories from people who had experienced major loss made us thankful for all that we have,” he added. “We also had a lot of fun.”

‘God Taught Us a Lot’

Eight students traveled to Wilmington, Del., to assist in an after-school program run by Urban Promise. They cleaned classrooms and interacted with children from pre-K to junior high age in the inner-city program.

“God taught us a lot,” said Jessica (Jess) Sarriot, a first-year student from Jerusalem. “I learned to respect and appreciate what teachers do in relating to kids in a new way.”

In addition to the service teams’ ministry, the 91����Ƶ Chamber Singers spent the mid-semester break giving programs of worship in music in nine locations in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

91����Ƶ President Loren Swartzendruber (right) offers a blessing during the Sunday morning worship service. Pictured from left: Brian Boettger, president of the 91����Ƶ alumni association; Clair Schnupp, Distinguished Service Award recipient; Ingida Asfaw, Alumnus of the Year honoree. Photo by Jim Bishop

Dr. Ingida Asfaw, 67, of Grosse Pointe, Mich., a 1962 91����Ƶ graduate with a double major in biology and chemistry and originally from Ethiopia, received 91����Ƶ’s 2007 “alumnus of the year” award during the Sunday morning worship service of homecoming and family weekend.

The award is presented annually to a graduate who has been recognized for significant achievements in their profession, community or church.

Dr. Clair E. Schnupp, 70, of Dryden, Ont., was presented the 2007 “distinguished service award” in recognition of nearly five decades as a missionary, working under “challenging conditions” in the extreme Arctic north.

The annual “distinguished service” award seeks to recognize graduates who have demonstrated in notable ways the Christian service and peacemaking emphases of the university.

Ingida Asfaw

Ingida Asfaw and wife Elizabeth. Photo by Jim Bishop.

Dr. Asfaw is chief of cardiovascular surgery at Sinai-Grace Hospital, Detroit, Mich., while devoting consider time to improving healthcare standards and providing greater access to medical care and supplies in his native Ethiopia through the Ethiopian North American Health Professionals Organization. He founded the volunteer network in 1999.

The organization today includes some 500 doctors, nurses and other members who offer their time and skills in Ethiopia, where there is only one doctor for every 100,000 people. Asfaw leads health professional volunteers on semi-annual medical missions to perform surgical procedures, conduct training programs and donate medical equipment. In 2003, Asfaw performed the first open-heart surgery in Ethiopia.

Asfaw came to the US in 1958 on a cargo ship from Ethiopia, arriving late on campus for the start of classes and with limited English skills.

This fall, nearly 50 years later, he returned to his alma mater as a distinguished surgeon to be recognized as alumnus of the year. In 2006, he received a national “Everyday Hero” award for charitable service sponsored by Volvo automobiles, selected from a field of some 4,300 nominees.

Saturday morning of homecoming, Asfaw led a Suter Science Center seminar on “the importance of spirituality in healing the cardiac patient.”

“Technology has forever altered the way in which we think about the cardiovascular system and the way that it heals,” Asfaw noted. “However, one thing has remained constant – those with strong spiritual connections seem to recover from insults to their cardiovascular system more quickly.”

Asfaw is married to Elizabeth Asfaw, originally from Memphis, Tenn., and they have two daughters and a son. He is a deacon in his congregation, the Plymouth United Church of Christ in Detroit.

Clair Schnupp

Clair Schnupp with wife Clara and the traditional gift to alumni award recipients: a clock with a personalized engraved plaque. Photo by Jim Bishop.

Schnupp, a 1959 graduate with a double major in Bible/philosophy and social science, and his wife Clara have spent nearly five decades in mission work in hundreds of remote Aboriginal communities in northern Canada, Alaska and Greenland.

Aviation plays a key role in the couple’s ministry. Over the years they have flown different planes – on flats, skis and wheels – and have logged more than 12,000 hours to relate to thousands of Cree, Ojibway and Inuit people. Today, Schnupp pilos a Piper Cheyenne II dual engine, turbo prop plane.

Schnupp is chairman of the board for Northern Youth Program (), a multi-faceted organization for Aboriginal ministry started in 1967. Under its rubric are Arctic Ministries and Beaver Lake Camp, used for youth and children’s camps as well as for counseling. Another program serves urban youth in Thunder Bay, while prison outreaches serve several cities.

Earlier this year, the Schnupps did biblical counseling for three weeks in the community of Sisimiut, Greenland. They termed this trip “a special joy,” as they observed sessions of lay counseling being carried out by earlier graduates of their program.

Clair and Clara Schnupp

“My four years at [the former Eastern Mennonite College] gave me a missiological, theological and biblical foundation for ministry,” Schnupp said. “I thank God for that training.”

He went on to complete a masters degree in biblical counseling at Providence Seminary, Otterburne, Manitoba, where he is now an adjunct professor. He earned a doctoral degree in philosophy of religion and society at Oxford Graduate School, Dayton, Tenn., in 1995.

In 1997, Schnupp received a “Distinguished Service Award in Christian Psychology” from the Dr. Clyde Narramore Foundation. He is a member of the Society of Oxford Scholars and he and wife Clara are members of the Professional Association of Canadian Christian Counselors.

Clara is a certified teacher and also received a masters degree in counseling from Providence Seminary. They have five married daughters and 25 grandchildren.

When he chose Cambodia for a mission, Doug Neufeld wanted to help clean up the Asian country.

“Cambodia has lots of environmental issues,” said Neufeld.

Neufeld, his wife, Cristina, and their sons, Alex, 5, and Evan, 3, spent the past two years in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, returning to the U.S. in July. What Neufeld and his spouse saw during their stay in Southeast Asia was a nation nursing old wounds while harboring new hope.

Neufeld, an associate professor of biology at 91����Ƶ and chairman of 91����Ƶ’s biology and chemistry departments, used a long-awaited sabbatical and a leave of absence to serve overseas with his wife.

Talks with officials from , the relief and development arm of Mennonite Church-USA, alerted the Neufelds to the need in Cambodia for addressing problems with pollution, poisons and peace.

Neufeld’s wife, Cristina, and their sons, Alex, 5, and Evan, 3, spent the past two years in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, returning to the U.S. in July.

Wastewater levels in Cambodia loom dangerously high, said Neufeld, and the use of loosely regulated pesticides from neighboring Thailand and Vietnam increases contamination. The latter impurities thrive on impoverished Cambodia’s dependence on foreign trade, particularly in its export of rice, the country’s key crop.

Moreover, the tapping of newly unearthed oil reserves, Neufeld said, has caused deforestation.

“There is a lot of economic pressure on Cambodia to use its natural resources,” said Neufeld, who worked with staff from two universities in Phnom Penh to gauge toxin levels in sprayed fruits and vegetables. “How to use its oil reserves will be the next big issue there.”

Old Demons

Cambodia, said Neufeld, grapples with an even more venomous past.

Suffering inflicted on civilians by the sadistic Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s left deep scars. That horrific era’s physical legacy shows in today’s maimed survivors missing arms or legs, victims of Cambodia’s civil war, or its post-war traps that include forgotten yet functional land mines.

More subtle signs of the nation’s horrors remain in its people’s reserved manner, said Neufeld, especially in their trained aversion to cooperation. Such reluctance, he said, is indicative of Cambodians weaned on fear during the Khmer Rouge era.

This lack of cooperation can be seen in the two academies that use Neufeld’s scientific skill. The Royal University of Phnom Penh and nearby Royal University of Agriculture may both use his expertise but share little else.

“There’s a lack of trust between individuals from the Pol Pot days, which means there’s less cooperation than there should be between the two universities,” said Neufeld. “Khmer Rouge destroyed all of society. They killed intellectuals and took children from their parents.”

The constitutional monarchy that has ruled Cambodia since the mid-1990s, says Neufeld, amounts to barely more than a “nominal democracy,” and little of the state’s income from trade aids the poor.

“Cambodia’s government is not communist,” said Neufeld, “but it’s not fully functional.”

Cristina Neufeld, a part-time accountant in Harrisonburg who worked with pro-peace youth groups while in Cambodia, concedes that today’s Cambodians “still have a lot of difficulties dealing with their sad history,” but adds that she feels hopeful for their future. “They have a lot of energy to move forward.”

Cristina Neufeld, who spent most of her youth in Bolivia as a daughter of missionaries, thinks that taking her children to the Far East also enriched both boys’ lives.

“Our kids were able to learn a lot and experience a lot of things they wouldn’t have been able to experience if we had stayed here,” she said. “I think being over there gave us a better sense of just how connected the world is, how we can all affect each other all over the world.”

Teaching Tools

Marie S. Morris, vice president and undergraduate dean at 91����Ƶ, feels that Neufeld’s ministry will help his teaching.

“Doug not only sets the mission and goal of our school, but the real-world experience he can bring into a classroom will only enhance his teaching,” Morris said.

Neufeld plans to return to Cambodia for a pair of three-week trips within a year with students from 91����Ƶ and Buffalo State, which will partner on the project.

Morris adds that Neufeld’s work in Asia “brings theory and practice into service. I think Doug is a good role model of how that happens.”

Neufeld’s mission left him upbeat enough to want to go back.

Neufeld plans to return to Cambodia for a pair of three-week trips within a year with students from 91����Ƶ and Buffalo State, which will partner on the project.

Despite the barriers built by Cambodia’s past, Neufeld feels that the country’s best days lie ahead.

“Cambodians are survivors,” he said.

Contact Tom Mitchell at 540-574-6275 or mitchell@dnronline.com.