A publication for alumni and friends. Vol. 2, Issue 4, Winter 2007 The rays of the late afternoon sun and purchased one and brought it to the bathed the Phnom Penh riverfront in a embankment above the river where he warm, golden glow. A welcome, cool released it, believing that his transgressions breeze blew in from across the wide would be borne away on its wings. Families expanse where the Tonle Sap and Mekong unrolled their mats on the lawn in front of rivers converge. Down below in the river, the Royal Palace and unpacked their picnic fishing boats were putting in for the night baskets. As a boy ran by, unwinding the while freighters plied up and down the vast string of his kite as it rose higher into the inland waterway. Back up on the shore, a air, an elephant, followed closely by its crowd began to grow as Khmer families handler, lumbered along as it made its way arrived for a relaxing evening out. A group from Wat Phnom after a day of giving rides Serving Him of saffron-robed Buddhist monks walked to tourists. After the sun had set behind Serving Him along the road, returning from their the Royal Palace, silhouetting its distinctive afternoon prayers. Near the riverside architecture against the darkening blue sky, allall overover thethe pagoda, women sold joss incense sticks and a full moon rose over the river and took its lotus flowers to be used as offerings to the place. Another day had come to an end in world!world! ancestors. A young man sat next to a cage of small birds as an older fellow walked up Serving Him The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh continued on page 4 From every tribe and every nation! Sports history made Students from Thailand, Guatemala, commit suicide. “I was very depressed. Life at Kuyper South Korea, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Japan, had no meaning; it did not make sense,” Brazil and Outer Mongolia he said. It was then that he recently shared their picked up that old Bible with opinions on a variety of the intention of throwing it topics with the Kuyper away; but instead of throwing College News staff. it away, he started to read it. OnOn coming Coming to to “I read the entire Bible four times in one week,” he said. Knowknow Christ To say that there was standing room “After that I read it again For Satya Maharjan, only would be a great understatement. By eight times over the next two an interdisciplinary studies all standards, the Boonstra Center had weeks. I read about the death, major from Kathmandu, never hosted so many people. On Tuesday, resurrection and ascension of Nepal, it was a divinely October 30, the gym’s floor perimeter was the Lord. I cried…it was for arranged meeting with an Javier, Joseph and Tom in some places three deep. To accommodate walk to the dining hall me he lived and died.” After old Bible that brought VIP guests, the refs gave the ok to place a almost one year of reading the him to Christ. Satya was few folding chairs close to the playing Bible, Satya gave his life to Christ. born into a nominally Buddhist family. floor—right next to the bleachers. The For Gary de Leon, a media and Bible “Growing up, I really had no interest in music, loud and rhythmic, made the walls major from Guatemala, it was the God,” said Satya. “I had heard the Gospel shake, while the students, in a section persistence of a Christian friend who from British missionaries but rejected it. reserved just for them, were on the edge repeatedly invited him to his youth group I also rejected Buddhism, and any other of being legally riotous. Casey the Cougar form of religion.” During a difficult period Every Nation Sports History in his life in the late ‘90s, he tried to continued on page 6 continued on page 3 Kuyper College equips students with a biblical, Reformed worldview to serve effectively Christ’s church and his world. LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Students develop As this edition of the News was getting ready to go curriculum for to press, one of our students, Anamaria Campean, succumbed to a short-term illness. Her death on Kosovo children Thanksgiving Eve was deeply saddening. It was very As part of the TESOL program, apparent, though, that Ani’s friends were well-aware Curriculum and Materials Development of and impacted by the vibrancy of her faith and her students for ESL/EFL (English as a certain hope in Jesus Christ. As an international student Second Language/English as a First from Romania, Ani brought a fresh and exciting Language) contributed to the mission effort in Kosovo. “Since people going perspective on our relationship with Christ and how we overseas often ask for ideas to help teach live that out in the world. She was a character—fun and English, it occurred to us that Kuyper enjoyable to be with—as we shared in her journey to see and be like Christ in students could provide a service by whatever situations the Lord led her into. We will miss her for she graced and creating materials and in the process blessed our lives with her smile, her energy and her love for Jesus. experience the reality of planning a We are grateful that Ani’s mother, Elena, was able to be here for several curriculum,” said Teresa Renkema, weeks. I am also thankful for and proud of the Kuyper community that associate professor of intercultural surrounded them both with prayer and care during this difficult time. In Ani’s communication. The curriculum, named life, throughout her illness, and in the body of Christ that surrounded her, it is “Oh, the Places We’ll Go” as a takeoff truly amazing how we saw the tangible expression of God’s love come alive. on the Dr. Seuss book, provides lesson The witness that was given impacted hospital staff, members of the Romanian plans, games and activities ideal for use community in west Michigan, and her friends. Ani came to Kuyper because she in overseas camp situations. wanted to guide people to Christ and she did so, even beyond her last breath. Professor Renkema approached This edition of the News goes on to highlight the lives and ministry calling Crossworlds, a mission agency supporting ongoing ministry in Kosovo, to inquire of other international students. You will be inspired by their stories of their as to their interest in the project. They backgrounds, coming to know the Lord, journey to Kuyper College and their responded enthusiastically and provided vision toward the future. Like Ani, they are here because they want to bring the answers to students’ questions regarding love and grace of Christ Jesus back to their countries. In the meantime they too context, children’s needs and the grace us with their lives, teaching us new and different things about the body objectives for the curriculum. Then the of Christ around the world. They sensitize and alert us to better ways to Kuyper students went to work. The end communicate the gospel message cross-culturally as we learn from them during result was impressive. their study with us. It is a wonderful blessing to have these students with us and The curriculum covers three hours I am very grateful to the many of you who, through your prayers, encouragement of classes on two levels for seven days. and gifts have given these students the ability to respond well to God’s call in Since the classes are for children in a their lives. Ani’s life is proof of that. camp situation, the focus is on fun as well as learning. Dr. Nicholas V. Kroeze “The students were surprised by the amount of work curriculum planning President required,” said Renkema, “yet they were very pleased to hear from the missionaries who used the program that it not only was a hit, but that it also continues to provide new and fresh ideas.” 2 IN MY WORDS The Story of God and the body of Christ Carol Hochhalter together, sang and read the Story of God, and heard from a Instructor of Music and Worship and missionary about God’s work in eastern Asia. That evening, we Worship Coordinator worshiped in an entirely different setting: a coffeehouse in Hamilton, Ontario, known as “The Freeway.” We were welcomed Our worship tour took place in May, so we into the fellowship of this Salvation Army outreach ministry, and focused on the ascension of Christ. To fully challenged by their plans to live as a true community. understand the full glory of the ascension, we On Monday we visited Smithville District Christian High remembered the life, death and resurrection of School where we led an upbeat worship service that again focused Christ. To recognize our need for a savior, we on the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. The looked to Moses, focusing on God’s self-revelation technicians were marvelous, the students were delightful, and the —and Moses’ response—in Exodus 33 and 34. staff and faculty made us feel at home. The “Nutrition 9” class With our context in place, our worship told the Story of God: served us lunch and sat down to eat with us. While we enjoyed “the LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, the good food, we enjoyed the company even more. slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” (Exodus 34:6). Monday evening was one of the high points of the worship The Story of God was shared by our 14-member team in tour for me.