Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Winter 2014 | Page 6
dearWHEATON
forthright affirmation of the College’s “rock”
I thank you for the great article on short-
Spain working with North African university
since its founding more than a century and
term missions (STMs) that was in the spring
students.
edition of Wheaton. Associate Professor of
Johannah Wetzel ’01
Anthropology Dr. Brian Howell’s research
Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada
a half ago.
The words of a popular Christian song
come to mind and are certainly appropriate:
“I won’t bend and I won’t break. I won’t
water down my faith. . . . For tomorrow and
today, I must be a light for future
generations.”
Right on!
confirmed the ways I’ve believed STMs
need to change.
I work at Trinity Western University as
coordinator for spring and summer break
A Welcomed Guest
I lived and graduated from high school
missions trips. I have sought to bring more
in the little town of Clay City, Indiana (pop.
value and thoughtfulness to the before/
1,100). One Saturday evening (I was a junior
Marilyn and Thomas McCarty
during/after aspect of our program, and have
in high school) a young man from Chicago
Midlothian, Virginia
increased the teaching and reflection
came to preach at a Youth for Christ meeting.
components. My hope has been to instill in
He could not return home that night, so my
Thank you for the article “Free to
my students an attitude of going as learners
parents offered our spare bedroom. Staying
Serve” that told of the impact Wheaton
on their short-term missions trips. What an
with us, he heard about my being active in
College has made, and is making, in
encouragement to have the changes I have
church and Youth for Christ, and that most
medical missions. What a marvelous idea
brought to Trinity Western’s STMs program
everyone thought I would become a minister.
that inspired Dr. Dan Fountain when he
confirmed by an outside, academic source.
was on Wheaton’s campus, which would
free medical missionaries from the burden
I also recognize more deeply how my
philosophy (or theology) of STMs has been
of student loans so that they could move
influenced by the Intercultural Communications
quickly into ministry. The stories about
class I took with Dr. Duane Elmer. I have the
Yes, our guest was Billy Graham. And it
was he who wrote a letter of reference to
Wheaton for me.
I attended Wheaton my freshman and
sophomore years in 1949-51. Although I did
Wheaton alumni serving in Senegal, western
notes from that class tucked away in a file,
not graduate, I was blessed in many ways
Africa, and even in Chicago at Lawndale
and I still use activities from his lessons and
with the wisdom and guidance that my
Christian Health Center reminded me of the
insights from the books he recommended
Heavenly Father answered through prayer.
global effect Wheaton graduates are making
in the teaching I do. Dr. Elmer’s class was
I thank God for my Wheaton College
for Christ and his kingdom.
one of the most practical in terms of what
Christ-centered years.
Randy Carey M.A. ’99
I have ended up doing. After graduation,
Robert L. Petry ’53
Wheaton, Illinois
I served for two years as a missionary in
West Melbourne, Florida
Marissa Schults ’13 served in shortterm missions in Zambia with Student
Ministry Partners (SMP), one of
Write Us
seven ministries of Wheaton’s Office
We want to hear from you. Send us your
of Christian Outreach
letters and e-mails as they relate to material
published in the magazine. Correspondence
must include your name, address, and
phone number. The editor reserves the right
to determine the suitability of letters for
publication and to edit them for accuracy
and length. Unfortunately, not all letters can
be published nor can they be returned.
Editor, Wheaton
Wheaton College / Wheaton, IL 60187
[email protected]
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