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] 4    W I N T E R   2 0 1 4