Diverse group of students spend spring break building cultural bridges in the nation's capital

GOSHEN, Ind. – It wasn't a week on the beach for seven Latino and six Anglo students from Goshen College during spring break the last week of February. Instead, it was an intense week that involved learning about other cultures and doing service in Washington, D.C., as they spent time with the bilingual Mennonite congregation, New Hope/Nueva Esperanza.

New Hope meets for worship in a rented school auditorium in Alexandria, Va., praising God in English and Spanish. On Feb. 22 the sermon was in English, with Spanish translation available. Sometimes the reverse is true. Pastors Kirk and Marilyn Hanger lived in Mexico City for 10 years as church planters. They and others provide human bridges in this vibrant, diverse Mennonite congregation of Latinos, African-Americans and Anglos. After church, Anglos in the Goshen group were introduced to the delicious Mexican stew, posole.

First-year student Ben Baumgartner's favorite part of the trip was hearing stories from members of the New Hope congregation. Church members fled civil war in El Salvador and the Congo. They have struggled with abuse, deportation, language barriers, drug addiction, prison and mental illness. But all have been touched by God's grace and healing.

Sophomore Hector Varela was especially impressed with the multiculturalism he saw in the New Hope congregation and "the faith and perseverance that keeps a small church together."

Service projects for the week were arranged by former Goshen student Brian Waidelich, who was an intern at New Hope in the summer of 2008 as part of the college's Ministry Inquiry Program, and decided to stay on for an extra year. The Goshen group served in elementary schools, a thrift shop, the Washington Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) volunteer house and a social service agency for senior citizens. Sophomore Francisco Gallegos especially enjoyed teaching Spanish plurals to third graders in a bilingual school while their teacher attended an emergency meeting.

The group – led by Tamara Shantz, assistant campus pastor, and Becky Horst, associate registrar and grants coordinator – also visited the MCC Washington office and an international development bank that specializes in assisting small businesses worldwide. During a free day in the city, they took in the Holocaust Museum, Washington monument and many other sites.

The Goshen College Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning sponsored this bi-cultural service trip to foster intercultural understanding and relationships. "After our first meeting on campus, I wasn't sure this group would be able to come together and enjoy each other. But the common experiences of the week really helped that to happen," Horst said.

By the last evening, a Latino student was playing – and winning – Rook, a popular card game among Anglo Mennonites, and Anglo students were learning how to salsa dance.

– by Becky Horst

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction," "Making a Difference College Guide" and U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit www.goshen.edu.