Happy New Year from the
Wesley Foundations!
Here is a look into what the Wesley Foundations in Iowa are doing this semester.  A great New Year's Resolution would be to keep in contact with the Wesley Foundation directors and to consider visiting the Wesley Foundations to see what they are doing! 

Wesley Foundation at the University of Iowa Reaches Out to Kirkwood Community College
     Every other Tuesday at 11 in the morning, Paul M. Shultz, the director of the Wesley Foundation at the University of Iowa, drives across town to Kirkwood Community College.  At Kirkwood, he joins a faculty member and a diverse group of students.  Paul helps lead a discussion with this group as they share about their religious traditions.
     Among the students who attend:
  • A Mormon from Des Moines
  • A Presbyterian from Vinton
  • A Muslim from Puerto Rico
  • A Muslim from Somalia
  • A self-described fundamentalist Christian from Muscatine
  • An atheist from Cedar Rapids
  • A Christian from Somalia
  • A Christian from the African American Tradition from Chicago
     These are but some of the students who pass through this dialogue seeking to learn from each other what their religious tradition means to them.
     Utilizing some of the methodology develop by Eboo Patel and his Interfaith Youth Core work in Chicago, the group picks a topic to discuss, such as compassion, and the students share a time when they experienced or extended compassion and then for them share what their faith teaches them about compassion.
     The dialogue is informative and filled with humor and sometimes very touching stories are told.  In this world, where religious intolerance seems to foment violence, a group of students are brought together by their religious diversity and are learning from one another.
University of Northern Iowa
            Worship is about to begin, but I reflect on the day nearing completion.  We received 8" of new snow on top of what we already had on the ground.  After snow blowing the 8" that were covering the sidewalks and parking area here, I went inside to warm up.  As I stood looking out the front windows, I could see car after car spinning their tires trying to drive up College St.  One little truck couldn't make it and just sat there blocking traffic for a while until a group of passing students came over and pushed him.  As he drove away, his tires were still just spinning and spinning.
            So later this morning, I was in a hurry to meet at student at Maucker Union (being late of course) and went rushing out of the front door down the nicely shoveled steps out to the street and took two steps and the next thing I know I am imitating a snow angel in the middle of this busy street!  Fortunately nothing broke this time.  I was pleased to see that two passing students came over to help or at least check on me.  I was laughing when one of them found the same hidden ice patch and the other almost slid.  We all got up and out of the way of traffic sharing a good laugh. Later this afternoon I discovered that a couple more of our students found the same ice.
            My resolution for our UNI Wesley Foundation this semester is that we are going to laugh more, pay more attention to the hidden ice patches, eat more, serve others more and try to live more faithfully our slogan "All Are Welcome".
            We have meals planned, a new Social Justice group forming, concerts and poetry readings planned, as well as communion shared, prayers lifted and lives blessed.  Some of the time I am aware of the blessings and changes and many times I am not.  But I think that's ok.  Thank you for your continued support of this meaningful ministry in noticeable and hidden ways seeking to hear the call to Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
Iowa State University
          The Wesley Foundation at Iowa State is beginning Spring Semester with
several "settling in" activities including games, movies, bowling, "deep
thoughts" discussion and midnight breakfast. Once the semester gets
rolling students will be involved in Covenant Discipleship groups, worship
planning, leadership and participation and a wide range of activities in
the categories of Spiritual Disciplines, Outreach, Justice, Community and
Acts of Mercy.

          Our first faithspring (alternative worship experience) of the semester
featured a look inside 1st century worship. The next two weeks will focus
on worship in the Black tradition and Taize worship. Students may also, of
course, opt for the Sunday morning sermon series at Collegiate United
Methodist Church/Wesley Foundation..."Living the Dream in Nightmarish
Times".

         A Winter Retreat at the end of January will be led by students on our
Vision/Action Team who will facilitate a wide variety of spiritual growth
activities for their peers.
   
Drake University
          The Drake Wesley House is proud to begin a new endeavor in 2009. We call it Art @ Wesley and the name sums up the idea. We have converted the first floor of the Wesley House into an art gallery. Periodically, we will exhibit area artists (Drake students and community members) whose work can further conversations about peace. The Wesley House is honored to have our inaugural exhibit feature the work of an artist with an international reputation. His name is Amer Alobaidi and he is a refugee from Iraq, a former museum director, and an artist. His work can be found in collections across the globe. His commitment to peace resulted in death threats from extremists in his homeland. Amer, his wife and daughter now call Des Moines home.  The show is tentatively set to open March 1st. Check this update for details. This new year is off to a very bright beginning. We were blessed in 2008 and we are eager to see what God has in store for 2009.
JFON-NY Region Summer Internship
          Take a look into the life of a college student from Simpson.  Here is the story of Daphne M. Fernandez and how she made a difference with her summer internship. 
          It was a Wednesday, last week of May, about mid-day already, when I woke up hearing my buzzing phone. Receiving my placement site three days before my own NYC experience, it was then when Daphne M. Fernandez became JFON-NY Region Summer Intern.
          As one of the fifteen Summer Interns of General Board of Global Ministries, I humbly cherish the privilege of serving under Justice For Our Neighbors, New York Region. Within the eight-week internship, I gained legal work experience through case logs in national database INSZOOM, procedural closure of cases, client-friend intakes, and various immigration forms (which have a jargon of its own).  I attended the NY Annual Conference too as I met delegates seeking out information for the church or people they know of curious and desperate for hope. Beyond the regular clinic in Chinatown, Brooklyn, and Flushing, I also participated in JFON-NYAC Board Meeting and Board Conference Call.  Seeing all, together as one and not separate entities confined to their respective local clinics, I witnessed the visions, challenges, purpose, and passion that drive this project and the individuals involved. 
          One will see the entire emotional spectrum when working with immigration cases. There comes the joyous moments reaffirming the fight, the anger/comfortable tolerance/ignorance-at-the-system stage, and the saddening times shaking disposition. But at some point, all could be frustrating, due to senseless waiting, stubbornness of parties involved, or tedious paper work. But more especially, frustration arises when the verdict reads "no immediate remedy".  Imagine the choices: leaving the country with practically no chance of reentering USA triggering of the ten-year bar, staying here in the land of flowing milk and honey under the cloud of fear and paranoia until law changes, or the ever genuine wedding ceremony to a US citizen. It's no wonder lawyers jokingly tagged themselves as "love brokers" sometimes. However the beauty of this all, amidst the heavy descent of bad news weighing them down,  is when these client-friends themselves utter the firm assurance that there is God, that there is hope, that in Him how hard it might be,  all things are possible.
          We each have our own dreams, our own hopes, for ourselves, our loved ones.  May it be world-class education, secure job, supportive friends, loving family, serving government, open church, or understanding world. Mere thought that such wants, desires, longings are unattainable, impossible, it hurts. It's discouraging. It's heart breaking. It's definitely not easy.  But down to the abysmal pit of emotions, the constant truth sustains us: there reigns a God eternally carrying us through leaving footprints on the sand with us.
          During the internship, God's presence emanated with the sharing of stories, in hello's, in smiles, in tears, in every effort pooled for one cause, in the pumping heart regardless of tiredness and difficulty, in perseverance and diligence amidst negativities and uncertainties, in the love for family and its preservation, and in simply being there for someone. I saw God in my random experiences and people I unexpectedly met.  Truly, our interdependence does unify us in this one common world. Dealing with immigration reminded me of sincere listening. One that's free of pretense or assumption, for everyone does cater a unique story. My summer solidifies the vital continuity of life, the importance of moving on. Modified by the experience, lessoned learned, but still onward to our life purpose with renewed sense of action. Yes we individually have our own needed share of struggles, but be assured that God knows us by name. With God's love graced to all, we must collectively learn to use our time effectively as we become accountable of each other. 
          I would have loved to follow through on cases, on the affidavits written, on the Harlem office, and the sprouting projects in Long Island and Yonkers. Would have really loved to know the whole history, emotion, reasoning, mindset, in each step of the process, to personally hear the basis of their migration, petition, decision. How does he really feel when he knows he might not ever see his wife and children? What's in her mind deciding to overstay their visa for the sake of her daughter's American education? How does Mr. International Student-With-Islamic-Surname feel about his random detention and arrest in his dorm? Why is Ms. I'm-Getting-My-Master just now finally decided to apply for her naturalization after decades? What led them to EWI (enter without inspection) here in United States? Will the day come when the two-year old be separated from her mother who migrated here when she was five? Will he ever reach his American Dream after his cruel flight from his troubled homeland? But this didn't turn out so.
           Truly there are times when we each take upon the status of being a temporary resident. We never know where our God-given life will lead us. I still recall meeting JFON NY Board on 475/God Box/Heaven on Hudson. We were finishing up lunch when the Chair teasingly mentioned me coming in and leaving JFON-NY just like that. I still stand in saying I didn't just enter and abandon my JFON family. I am thankful for the chance of letting themselves, and me to them, play a role at that chapter of my life story. Eternal gratitude for my JFON family, all showing concern as they made sure that I got home safely on our late nights, as they hooked me up with events, places, and golden food that I must check out, and as they advised me with wisdom. From the volunteers of the local clinics to the clinic coordinators to my coworkers to the lawyers Atty. Don and Atty. TJ to my supervisor Alice, I enjoyed being surrounded by your presence. I gained enhanced experiences and I thank you. They justly personify the epitome in welcoming strangers, welcoming neighbors. May we all share God's unconditional love as we embrace all of our neighbors. Thank you for hearing this song that you've heard before and together may we continue to refuse to live comfortably until our earth will be as it is in heaven.

Here are a couple of links to learn more about this.  JFON is a project under the United Methodist Committee on Relief under the Global Board of General Ministries of the United Methodist Church.