Credit Card Debt

By Becky Friesen

For most of us college students, the following scenario relates to our current spending situation a little too vividly. As we near to the close of the school year, with much of our savings too quickly depleted, like most people, we turn to the next best option: credit cards.

You go on spring break and put $500 on the credit card and then a week later, a payment on your student account is due, so you put that on your card, too. Going out with friends? You stop at the ATM for cash advances on your credit card because your checking account is too low. Even if you have a card with a low APR, many credit cards charge you high interest on cash advances. Many also have a fee on top of the amount you withdraw. So, you end up paying four times what you should be paying, and then you get another credit card application in your mailbox. Wow, another card! I might as well apply, because my other one is full.

This is what begins the spiral that leads thousands of college students into financial ruin each year. In fact, many owe $3000 - $8000 when they graduate.

Here is an example of the true cost of credit cards: If you put your $2000 tuition bill on a credit card that charges an 18.5 percent APR, and make only the minimum payments each month - it will take you 11 years to pay off this one tuition bill. Plus, you will pay over $1900 in interest on top of the original $2000 you charged. This means, you will pay about $3900, almost double your original cost!

Credit cards make it too easy to overspend and buy items impulsively that you may not really need. Owning multiple cards will only compound the problem. Rodney Vogt, accounting professor, knows students dig themselves in deep in debt.

"If interest rates are high, and you only make minimum payments on your credit cards, you will never pay them off. Also, be sure to watch card fees! Late payments and using ATMs that are not compatible with your credit card can really cost you a lot of money," he said.

Here are some tips on credit card use:

Limit yourself to only one low interest rate card and for emergencies only.

Read disclosures carefully for annual fees and introductory rates which expire.

Avoid the interest expense by charging only what you can afford to repay in full each month. Treat your card as you would cash.

Use the "Do I need it, or do I want it?" test. If you don't absolutely need it, don't charge it!

So, once you've graduated and have your credit card bills in perspective, soon enough, you'll begin repaying your education loans. In order to figure out your new status in college loan debt, you must first evaluate your situation. You must consider how much you will earn at your new job, and how many extra or "new" expenses you will have to incur, such as a new business wardrobe, transportation, and living arrangements. Try to make reasonable estimates of these new expenses and work them into your budget.

The following are several options available for college loan debt:

Standard or level repayment: a fixed monthly payment for up to 10 years. Your monthly payments will be higher than with some of the other options, but you'll pay off the loan sooner, reducing the cost of the loan.

Graduated repayment: 10-year repayment period, but with lower payments for up to four years. After that, payments increase at specified periods.

Extended repayment: up to 25 years to pay off, but limited to borrowers with more than $30,000 in debt. Available only to students who took out a loan after Oct. 7, 1998.

Loan consolidation: allows borrowers to bundle student loans into one monthly payment. Repayment may be extended for up to 30 years.

With college loan costs and credit card bills, most students can expect to be paying off their college debt for years to come. Take heed of these tips, talk to a financial counselor and become a responsible spender.

Intervis Policy Passed

An announcement from SPC

The Student Policy Committee, SPC, voted March 29, on an intervisitation policy for all residence halls. The vote, which passed 6-1, will instate a policy that will restrict open intervisitation access to all residence halls. The vote was approved after it was discussed with the faculty April 3.

Under the new policy, each residence hall will have the same hours of intervisitation. Hours are as follows: Sunday-Thursday 8 a.m.-midnight, Friday-Saturday 8 a.m.-2 a.m. Under this policy all lounges (mod lounges, New Residence Hall lounges, and Haury Hall lounges, including sundeck) will be free from intervis restrictions. This was done to provide a common student gathering place in each hall.

SPC recognizes this change will pose a challenge for students but believes that this solution is a reasonable one that can be worked with. The new intervisitation policy will take effect in the fall semester, 2001.

KIPCOR nerve center for conflict resolution

By Sophia Muthuraj

Although it only looks like a small white house just south of the Fine Arts Center, it is actually the nerve center for both local and global peace-building.

The Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, or more commonly known as KIPCOR, was established in 1985. It was intended to be a peace institution that would complement the Bethel College Peace Lecture Series. In 1992 the lecture series and the institution merged, and moved into the small house south of the Fine Art center.

KIPCOR's mission is to strengthen conflict resolution and peace-building capacities within both local and global settings. There are a wide variety of peace building resources: peace lecture series, a community mediation center and a program that facilitates dialogue between victims and offenders of violent crimes. KIPCOR is also offers a conflict management certification program for students.

The community mediation center, headed by Barbara Schmidt, is a relatively new addition added in the last two years. The program is involved with mediating custody battles during divorce cases. Schmidt, a 1965 graduate of Bethel, joined the program last summer. She came to the program with thirty-five years of experience in social services.

Married to a clinical psychologist with two grown children, Schmidt had previously worked with juvenile delinquents in Wichita.

"The most satisfying part of the job is when I can see mental changes within couple after mediation, they are less involved with themselves and become communicative about disagreements," Schmidt said. She conducts individual sessions with the couple, and occasionally another mediator. Later a more intense two- hour mediation session is conducted with the couple. By this point, Schmidt hopes to come to a complete or partial agreement. Mediations continue if necessary.

"When the couples have communicated successfully then we have completed a successful mediation," Schmidt said.

Last year the program handled 63 cases and out of these 69 percent had full or partial agreements. KIPCOR works very hard to "walk the talk" and work within the community through programs like the community mediation center and people like Barbara Schmidt.

Familiar face moving on

By Joel Goering

Marilyn Hatch, secretary of the student development office, resigned her position effective today. She will change employment from Bethel to Central Bank and Trust, where she will become an assistant to the bank manager in Wichita.

Hatch, who has been at Bethel for seven years, said that although she had a very positive experience during her time here, she could not ignore the opportunity to change careers.

"I love Bethel, I love interacting with students," she said. "[But] this is a chance to go a different direction. I didn't go looking for it; it came to me."

The sudden and unexpected nature of Hatch's resignation caught many off guard, including her boss, Bill Born, associate dean of students.

"I was surprised," he said. "This entire department is saddened by her departure. I'm happy for her to get the chance to work in a bank, to change careers."

Students were also stunned by the announcement. "It's sad to see her go," said Ryan O'Reilly, Mountain Lake, Minn. "I was definitely surprised."

In her new position, Hatch will be working with loans - something very different from what she's done previously. Her entire career up to this point has been involved with schools and education. The opportunity to try something different was one she couldn't pass up.

Hatch will be sorely missed in the Student Development office, where her exit will leave a vacuum. "It's going to be frightening in the next couple of months," said Born. "You find out how beneficial someone is once they leave. Her departure will impact [not only our department], but other departments, as well."

Until a replacement is found, work-study eligible students will fill in as secretaries and attempt to live up to Hatch's standards.

As secretary of Student Development, Hatch had the opportunity to interact with students on a day-to-day basis. Her "personable" character, as Born referred to it, was crucial to the office's relations with students.

"I always enjoyed going down there [the Student Development office]," recalled O'Reilly. "We had a good time joking around...I always felt better after [a visit with Marilyn]. She's really friendly."

Reflecting back on her experience at Bethel, Hatch commented, "Every day was different, every day brought different students. I really enjoyed getting to know them. I'll miss the Bethel community. I made a lot of friends here and I'll miss them."

It's safe to say that the Bethel community will miss her, as well.

A week of singing, sharing and sightseeing

By Jody Schmidt

"'Cause it was, for me, a wonderful tour/ as has so often been the case./ These young folks are more than Bethel at its best - /they are a gift of grace." These words, from Dale Schrag's choir trip poem, show the kind of friendship and fun that the Choir experienced over spring break.

Schrag is a man who can put a tour together just as well has he has the capability to create insightful thoughts through simple words. Schrag filled the trip with calmness, even when we were rushed or we knew there was no way to arrive at our destination on time. He had poise that, I believe, had an unconscious kind of effect on the rest of us. He also brought a sense of security. He always made sure we had something to eat and that we all had a place to sleep even if there was an uncertainty for two or three people. Of course, there were other factors that turned a really long bus ride into a fun tour.

Bill Eash, choir director, brought his humor and encouragement and reminded us that we were on this tour to work and that discipline was required. Eash led us and gave words of inspiration. There was the ritual of a prayer, "The Lord be with you...," before each concert that helped to remind us why we were singing. He brought his own insight to what each composer might have been thinking or what message they wanted to give. Eash, as always, frequently offered a smile with the question "How are you?" and truly meant it.

Jerry, the bus driver, was also part of the reason this tour was so remarkable. Shortly after the trip began the choir realized that we had one of the best drivers a tour like ours could want. The best example of his generosity was his suggestion to take us to a beach on the Pacific Ocean. After hearing the continual "It's only about ten minutes away," we finally reached the beach. We had half an hour to explore the beach and to stretch our legs.

The sense of community grew within the choir, as it only can when you are with the same people day in and day out in a bus for about a week. There were movies to watch, books to read and conversations to be had. Everyone discovered the quirks that everyone else had. Songs that were not in the program were sung accompanied by guitars.

The miles we covered took us to many gas stations, McDonalds, truck stops and churches. Kingman was our first stop followed by a night in Albuquerque where we rehearsed in the hotel's laundry room because there was no other room large enough for the choir. In Phoenix, Ariz., and Reedley, Calif., the choir sang at churches, but preferred Reedley because of the wonderful acoustics. San Francisco was our free day. On the way to San Francisco Dale presented flowers to the women while, as he says in his poem, "Scott McKenzie crooned" over the P.A. system.

Jerry got us to the Pacific Ocean next, then we were off to the First Mennonite Church of Upland, Calif. We arrived at 6:45pm instead of the scheduled 5:30 and we had to quickly prepare ourselves for the 7:30 concert. The next stop was the Grand Canyon in Arizona where Reid Kaufmann got his mullet hair cut after being paid $75. Then it was back to Albuquerque again, this time to sing for the Mennonite Health Assembly. We stayed in the Hilton where there was finally a pool. The next day we were on the road again traveling to Turpin, Okla., for the Sunday service at Turpin Mennonite Church. After wards, it was homeward bound for the home concert at Bethel College Mennonite Church.

When all was said and done, I had a great time during this choir tour. It is my last tour and of course like all last-time experiences I've had it will always be memorable. I will apologize now but this is the point where I have to get sentimental. I will remember all the gracious hosts we had when the choir had home stays. I will remember Dale, Bill and Jerry because of the gifts they gave to make the trip better for me and the rest of the choir. I will remember the bus rides that seemed to go on forever while the conversations, friends and adventures I had filled the time. I don't think I am a person who can create thoughts like Dale Schrag can so I will end with the words from his poem: "So I will stop-I'm finished and/ I won't say any more./ But believe me when I tell you,/ this was one great choir tour!!!"

Fighting the Death Penalty on Foot

By Mark Smith

Walk across Kansas!? What in the heck for? Protesting the death penalty? That's right folks, a group of crazies walked across the state this March for a cause.

You might think that we are nuts, which we probably are (just a little), but when it comes to slowing things down, looking at traveling in a different light, and working for something you are passionate about it honestly turns into a great idea.

Anna Wright and I were just that wild and wily for our spring break. We joined up with "Journey For Justice," the name of the group walking, as it passed through Newton on March 15. That night we were privileged to hear the stories of two women who had lost loved ones to murder. Wilma Loganbill told how she lost her son and her struggles with what that meant for her family. Kristie Smith also shared the impact her dad's death had for her family.

Key to that evening's presentation was their opposition to the death penalty. They unequivocally stated their opposition, even in the face of losing a close family member. The group and community members heard these sorts of stories every night as we stopped in a town along the way. It was a great honor to hear such personal stories told and to hear of where they have come from.

As we walked, well over a hundred miles by the time we arrived in Topeka, we had a lot of time to talk and think, and of course fight the wind with our big yellow signs. We displayed signs like, "Vengeance is not Justice," "The Death Penalty is Dead Wrong," "Thou Shall not Kill," and "State Killing is Still Killing." Let me tell you from experience that walking 2 or 3 miles at a time, even 15 miles in one day becomes routine. 10 to 15 miles a day was normal, if that can ever be normal.

As we walked we got a lot of positive responses, a lot of no responses, and the occasional nasty response. Even right outside of friendly Goessel we got the finger. Oh well. The majority of the responses were quite positive.

It was interesting to walk through Herrington, home of Terry Nichols, Timothy McVeigh's partner in the Oklahoma City bombing. It is difficult to think of those two and boldly walk against the death penalty that McVeigh will soon face. Despite the emotions and feelings that come with the death penalty it is important to keep in mind the sanctity of human life. No one, and I mean no one has the right to take a human life, including the government. That is not a job we should be interested in.

While I am on the subject of McVeigh it might be important to note that Bud Powell, Oklahoma City, one of our speakers now thinks that 50 percent or more of the Oklahoma City bombing victims' families do not want him executed. His daughter was killed in the bombing, and he, like others, do not feel that McVeigh's death will help their healing.

Even despite my worn body I am glad I spent my break walking. It is always refreshing to me to get to go out and do something for what I believe in. Not everyone in this world agrees with me on the death penalty, but it is important for all of us to realize how imperative it is to stand up and let others know how you feel. Do not let your voice go unheard.

The divine comedy of the Grand Canyon

By Jared Gingerich, Keith Hiebner, Nick Enz and Claire Heiks

Life as we knew it was over.

As we descended into the hot fiery pit of eternal damnation, the smell of sulfur gas began to melt the follicles of our nose hairs. The deeper we went the hotter it became. As we looked across the downward spiral - I mean switchbacks - we saw the cliff walls approximately 12 miles apart. With each glance downward we eagerly anticipated our arrival at the River Styx - or was it the Colorado River - slithering through this grand canyon.

We finally reached the bottom in hopes of cooling off with some fresh water, only to realize that our water filter had become clogged with the very sediment that forms the walls that we would latter be obliged to climb up. Once we began our ascent, we came to the heretical conclusion that while hell may indeed be hot, it is definitely not down.

The brutal ascent was not the only aspect of our climb that caused us to compare it to an eternity of misery. In a time of much needed rest, Jared enthusiastically sat down on a cactus-bearing rock. With each cactus needle removed from Jared's delicate posterior, he concurred with Keith that everything in the Grand Canyon is indeed "dry and poky."

Nearing the end of the "switchbacks from hell," when we all were questioning if we were able to garner enough energy to make it to our camp, Claire suddenly sprung into a frantic sprint up the switchback leaving Jared, Keith and Nick behind in a rapturesque moment. When the three left behind souls examined the source of Claire's unfathomable energy, they discovered a garter snake no larger around than a pinky. Oh, the beasts of burden!

Nick, meanwhile, was at the tail of the troop. At this highly undesirable position Nick was inundated with the insufferable fumes of the sulfuric gas of hell's domain... or it could have been Keith's sphincter. As Keith found out, dried apricots are much like the scroll that John of Patmos ate; although it was sweet to the tongue it was sour to the bowels.

We made it to our campsite before sunset giving us enough time to cook our rice and beans and marvel at the vastness of the canyon and the inescapable buzz of silence. Thanks to Claire's chipper wake up call at 5:30 a.m. (which is long before the sun peers over the canyon walls) we were able to avoid the hellish heat. Despite our concern for the heat, we soon found ourselves shuffling through ice and snow near the canyon rim. Had hell frozen over?

Just as Dante's "Divine Comedy" would be incomplete without Paradis, so would our spring break adventure be incomplete without Havasu Canyon. Havasu, which means blue green water, is a fitting name for the canyon, carved by an emerald stream that leads to gorgeous 200-foot waterfalls and emerald pools. One cannot help but compare this scenery to the Garden of Eden, or so we have read. This paradise-like experience is shared by many people that are permitted to hike through the land of the Havasupai (people of blue green water).

While sunbathing at the bottom of the waterfall at the emerald pool, Jared, Keith and Nick came to the biblical conclusion that they did NOT wear clothes in the Garden of Eden. Claire, along with other hikers, was graced by the opportunity to see the rare "white whales" of the Havasu Canyon from the top of the falls. However, our experiences with the rank, yet ecologically sound, composting outhouses led to the conclusion that creation had been soiled by the fall of humankind and there was suffering in the world afterall.

Was this paradise lost or paradise found or random items plucked from the paradise lost and found? Maybe there is a little paradise in hell and a little hell in paradise.

Service Trip

Chilled. That's what 22 students, one Randy Smith, and five Borns did this spring break.

On March 16 we loaded into three huge vans and drove south to Brownsville, Texas, the southern-most point of the state. We had a great group of people go along, and the group dynamics were a highlight for many people.

Sunday morning, after arriving at the Iglesia Mennonita del Cordero late Saturday evening, we attended a service that was partially in Spanish. We were able to meet some of the church members there, and get to know their families better. After lunch, we headed across the Mexican border to Metamoros, a busy city with plenty of shops and authentic Mexican food. We learned quickly that tacos are not the same there They consisted of only meat and a soft tortilla. But, boy, they were good!

Monday morning we headed out early to South Padre Island. In order to get ahead of the "spring breaker rush" we rushed to the beach to claim a plot of sand. (Unbeknownst to us, most spring breakers have just gone to bed when we arrived). It was about the coldest day of the trip, and winds were fierce coming off the Gulf of Mexico. Some of us ventured out into the ocean, braving the chilly waters, but mainly, we stayed in the comfort of the warm sun on the beach.

The next morning, we woke up again bright and early, ready to apply our extensive knowledge of construction work. One group of about ten people worked in Mexico at a church, mixing concrete. The next day, they helped a man from the church re-side his entire house. The other fifteen people drove to Los Fresnos (about 20 miles) and worked on a small housing development area. They helped build low-income houses with other volunteer help. The incoming family was also required to put in about forty hours a week of labor towards their own house. Here we worked on the roof finishing decking and nail-gunning.

A highlight of the experience was the "hurricane tie job." This consisted of nailing 20 nails in each stud of each house. People were a little sore after that. Those evenings, we had options of going to movies, hanging out at the church, or even revisiting the beach. Randy Smith's personal highlight was sitting on Padre Island Thursday night, "having fun, sharing together. Group bonding happened," he said.

Finally after three days of hard work, (and one finished roof) we headed north to San Antonio. We stopped at the missions outside of the city and learned a bit of Texas history. Then, much to the excitement of a few guys (and Bill Born) we arrived in the exact city that the Arizona/Ole Miss and Kansas/Illinois games were being played! So, after an arduous week of no basketball, they found tickets to go. (Ask Mark Schmidt who won.) The rest of the group spent time and money at the Riverwalk, malls, and enjoyed the city.

That night, very exhausted, we crashed at La Casa-a Mennonite-run house that was big enough for all of us. And then, once again, early the next morning, we headed north for the final stretch of our long journey. I think that, perhaps the most memorable part of this trip was the people.

Tina Schmidt, Goessel, said she enjoyed "getting to know people that I didn't know, and making new friends."

It was a great experience for all who went, and many are looking forward to next year. Those who went on the trip were: Nicole Patton, Helen Dick, Joel Goering, Ian Schmidt, Andrew Voth, Joel Smith, Mark Schmidt, Chris Pagoyo, Rebecca Claassen, Adam Franz, Grayce Brown, Jacey Boese, Kara Stucky, Tina Schmidt, Kendall Johnson, Ha-Young Park, Sophia Muthuraj, Stephanie Nance, Crystal Enz, Kira Kindall, Amanda Dick, and Ryan Robinson.

New Mexico: Land of Enchantment

Adam Akers and Luke Schmidt

We were cruising south down interstate 25, the speedometer was ahem... right at 70 mph. Adam was flipping through the atlas looking for possible destinations. We chose the VLA telescope in central New Mexico, somewhat off the beaten path.

After being inspired by the telescopes we wanted to head back to the interstate. We had two options, 52 and 107, better known to the locals as "Bear Trap CG" and "Primitive Road, Travel Not Advisable." We started down 52 with high hopes for our "shortcut." Our first clue that we should've turned back was the unpaved road. But because we're are big tough farm boys that grew up on the back roads of Kansas, we did not take heed to the warning signs. This road continued for some time, gradually it wound its way higher and higher into the mountains, higher elevation directly relating to the narrow, rocky, snowy and steep conditions.

After we got to a place where there was a foot on either side of our '86 Honda battle cruiser, we decided we had reached the point of no passage. We turned around. Still not getting the hint, and convinced that these roads were a good idea, we took another road. It wasn't on the map but it had a sign that said "107, 11 miles." This road was also rough, but we were somehow able to ignore the harsh scraping of boulders on the underside of Luke's car. Cruising along at 15 mph we noticed that our gas was a little low. So we started coasting down the mountain passes with the clutch in. This worked great until the car died. This was about the sixth time this had happened on the trip so we weren't worried. After an hour of fiddling with the engine it was clear a situation had developed.

We decided to walk or hitchhike what we guessed to be a few miles to 107 and the remaining six or seven miles into Magdalena, the nearest town. So we put the car back together, put on some warmer clothes, got some food, water and a lantern and started walking. Our hopes were high for the first couple of hours. It was very dark and quiet. We were starting to get worried when we finally came upon a sign with an arrow pointing towards Magdalena. Convinced we were on the home stretch our pace picked up and we were convinced that after three hours of walking the end was just over the next ridge. The one thing we learned was that there is always another ridge.

Six hours into the walk we heard our first sign of civilization: a cow. By this time we were getting tired and cold. The average temperature that night was below freezing with a 5-10 mph wind blowing into our face. It was also uphill most of the way through two mountain ranges. Finally, after nine, long hours, we reached Magdalena. We stumbled to the nearest hotel, mumbling incoherently and hallucinating. We told our sad story to the lady at the front desk. She gave us the first of many strange looks and said, "How about a room?" We paid, ate the continental breakfast and went to bed.

Twelve hours later we began to show signs of life. After a shower we headed to the local cafe for a bite to eat. After some good home cooking we went back to the hotel and called the local police, we were forwarded directly to the state police who were less than helpful. They asked us why we didn't report this sooner and they gave us the name of the local towing service. We saw the local sheriffs car parked at the cafe so we waited for him to come out and filled him in on the growing saga. He told us that it was out of his jurisdiction; he couldn't leave the city limits.

After calling the local towing service, being forwarded to AAA in Socorro and realizing this was going to be a $100 charge just to get to Magdalena, we asked Allison Sahyoun, one of the owners of the hotel, if she knew anyone who could help us. About that time a state trooper opened the door. After much discussion, and a background check on Luke and his car, it was decided that the next morning another trooper would take us back out so we could add some gas and get it started.

The next morning we woke up early, got the gas and some starting fluid and waited. The trooper never showed. A call to the police revealed that they had no record of us or our situation. It was kind of a tense phone call, requiring all of Luke's passive aggressive Mennonite upbringing to stay calm, because frankly, we were getting fed up. Once again we turned to the owners of the hotel. David Sahyoun, the other owner, was at the desk. "No, problem, I have a truck, let me finish a few things and I will be right there." Forget public servants, strangers are your real friends.

We started out, set the trip odometer and waited for the first glimpse of Luke's car. It was very interesting seeing the cattle guards, signs and scenery that we passed by in the dark the night before. We discovered that we had walked 26.7 miles in 9 hours. After no luck starting the car, we had to get Luke's car towed with all that we had: 50 ft. of very thin plastic rope and a roll of duct tape. Thirty miles later, the rope creaking and groaning the entire way, we were in Magdalena with Bobby, the owner, operator, and resident of the local gas station and towing service. He confirmed that the problem was electrical and showed us how to hotwire the car. The only way to shut off the car was to kill it with the clutch and disconnect the wire nut to prevent a dead battery. This is how we traveled the last 1000 or so miles of the trip.

After thanking David, Allison and Bobby profusely we continued our trip in Mexico. After being searched by the border patrol, visiting Roswell (ask us about our UFO pictures) and driving all night we made it back safe and sound to Kansas. Next year...the Arctic Circle.

Anti-freeze cookies and Californian road trips

By Erin Gingrich-Gaylord

Who knew California would be so dangerous? With dubious strawberries alone, I'm surprised we made it out alive.

Before I begin our Spring Break story, though, I'd like to accuse Emily Suter of attempted murder: she knowingly watched me eat a cookie that she had marinated in anti-freeze...thanks, Emily.

Our journey began at 9:30 p.m., waiting for Robbie Bolton to haul his ginormous bags of raisins to the now-functioning car so we could hit the road. The trip to the West Coast was pretty uneventful, except for almost dying because Dave Hasegawa can't drive and throw his gum out of the window at the same time. Jon's car smoked a lot on the way there, but that became a pretty typical occurrence.

Ah! California!-but not just California: Fresno-ah but not really Fresno-Sanger! Ah, California! The first day we just farted around Dave's house (literally, eh, Em?), then came the real reason we went to Cali-to see the Bethel College Concert Choir. After the concert, we went to Chris Janzen's house for a rousing swimming party. The icy waters of the Yosemite falls seemed scalding hot compared to the polar bear habitat at the Janzen household. Jon Wiebe and David Unruh felt it necessary to put on wet suits. Doug Penner appeared to enjoy the rush.

Next, the ocean. While Jon, David and Jared Smith squeezed into their wetsuits and inched into the ocean, Dave, wearing only his trunks jumped in the water-a braver man than I. After a satisfactory lay in the sun, Emily and I decide it's time for us to plunge in ourselves. The stench of dead fish was in the air. So we're jumping waves and trying not to pee in the wet suits when all of a sudden we can't feel the ocean floor. To make a long story short, those wetsuits got a little wetter and Jon saved our lives. My mom thanks you, Jon.

The next day was jam packed with San Francisco fun: we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, saw the crookedest street in the world where I was pick- pocketed and taunted by scallywags, and Jared screwed up ordering food in Chinatown (typical). At Yosemite we hiked the brutal snow-covered trails. Doug kept slipping and holding us all back, but he made up for it by buying us ice cream after the hike.

Tired and stinky (really stinky, eh, Em?) we headed out Saturday to pick up Robbie at McDonalds, where he had been staying all week. This is where the story gets funny...Jon's car overheats in the middle of the Mojave Desert. We go to a gas station to see if anything else is wrong with the car, and of course, there is. A little oil leak...oh no, not little, GINORMOUS! The car gets us as far as Topoc, Ariz., so we decide to all pile into Emily's car and head to the nearest town. Picture this: 7 people crammed into a car, Ohio tags, going 63 in a 45 zone...The officer was helpful though in the sense that he didn't give us a ticket and he informed us of the dangers of Ol' Bullhead: gang shootings and bad crack deals. So we find a motel and Robbie and Jon go to work on trying to find a way out of Arizona. At midnight, the U-Haul is our only hope.

So Sunday morning, we hook up Jon's car to a U-Haul to tow back to Newton. After a long trip we finally got home. Boy did we stink! Doug thinks he left his beach towel in California...tough anti-freeze cookies, Doug.

Mennonite symposium leads to a Publication

By Jenny Estrada

Last June, the Franzen Family Mennonite Foundation sponsored a symposium at Bethel, bringing many Mennonite issues to light.

Dale Schrag, director of church relations, played a key role in the organization of the symposium. Schrag said the reason for the gathering was simply, "a love for the Mennonite church." Recently the symposium presentations were compiled and published as "Anabaptist Visions for the New Millennium: A search for Identity." Schrag and history professor James Juhnke edited the collection.

The symposium was organized in a unique way. It included a variety of people from within the Mennonite community. Along side the presentations of various Mennonite scholars were academic professors, students, and pastors. Each presentation was limited to 15 minutes and allowed each person to share their story.

"Our sense was that this worked very well. We felt these people would be speaking from the heart," Schrag said.

The symposium's time limitation led to a variety of topics, 28 presentations in all, ranging from church mission work to gender equality. Worship services were held before each series of presentations, called manifestos, and were varied in their various in their content and style. Juhnke felt that the services "reflected the variety in the conference itself."

Schrag noted that the symposium was intended to showcase the diversity within the church.

"There are more persons of color and ethnic background within the church... this forces all of us to focus on the distinctive theology, not on the ethnicity and various styles, which are numerous," said Schrag.

He said the response to the symposium was that of tears and elation, not the typical response of conference-goers. At one point, Mennonite pastor Brenda Martin Hurst "stood and tearfully declared that she had truly been heard," he said.

The conference concluded with an overall feeling of success. Juhnke noted that because "the quality of the manuscripts was quite high, people wanted this material available."

Although prior to the conference, there had been no intentions to create a book, the enthusiasm for the conference infected quite a few. C. Arnold S. Snyder, a representative of Pandora Press Publishing, and Warner Franzen of the Franzen Family Mennonite Foundation helped to make the book happen. Their encouragement motivated Schrag and Juhnke to combine their efforts in the collection and organization of the 28 essays.

"We'd like for this book to inspire leaders and congregation of the Mennonite church," said Juhnke. "It should inspire hope."

College Debt: It can be overcome : Success stories from the Bethel community

By Kate Becker

"Don't get in it."

While this may be the most sound advice on how to deal with college debt, it isn't always realistic. There are many ways that Bethel students, faculty and staff have found to either steer clear of debt or get out of it creatively.

John Sheriff, academic dean, and Shirley King, dean of enrollment services, both had national defense student loans to pay off after college. Sheriff had some of that debt forgiven because of his teaching position at Bethel College, and King had some of hers paid off by MCC while she worked for them.

King and Bev Mayer, head volleyball coach, both said that although they were fairly deep in debt, they were able to get good positions out of college, which helped them greatly in paying off their loans.

Other Bethel community members had more creative ways of paying off debt.

"I'm not in debt thanks to the love of my father who gave me a steer for free, which I sold for money for college," said Diana Stout, Plainville.

Ken and Amy Regier, resident directors, helped pay off their loans with money they received when they got married. They paid off the loans with the highest interest rates first. Amy said she just finished paying hers off last month.

"We just paid the minimum amount each month, which was all we could afford with three children," she said.

Associate Dean for Student Development Bill Born said his solution was made because "I married right."

Born's wife was given a bucket calf at age seven, which she in turn sold and bought two more, which she sold and bought four more until she had sixteen calves when she was a junior. She put the money from selling those into a CD. This had gained enough interest by the time they were married to pay off both their college loan debts.

Megan Goering, Moundridge, has tentative plans to work at Americorp this summer. "It's a lot like doing voluntary service, but the pay goes toward paying off student loans or toward future schooling," Goering said. If she takes this job, she expects to get between $4000 and $5000 of her debts paid.

Kendall Johnson, Clay Center, probably had the most practical advice for fellow college students-"I took loans out from the very beginning. I'm kind of worried about it, but there are many others who are in debt, so I know it can be done."