Volume 29, No. 2 May 1, 2016

MennoExpressions A publication of First Mennonite Church of Indianapolis, Indiana

In the Midst of In the Midst of Pursuing Harmony: A Conversation with Karen West Marj Rush Hovde

In a time when many people, especially women, pursue “work/life balance,” Karen West prefers the term “harmony,” and as the first female pediatric surgeon at the IU School of Medicine, she has pursued and still is pursuing this state. For her, harmony involves considering spouse, children, academics, and medicine while perceiving that none is being slighted. “Balance,” on the other hand, implies that everything will be equally apportioned and that everyone will be happy. She has found that harmony is preferable. Raised on a family dairy farm near Bourbon, Indiana, Karen observed the challenges faced by her grandmother who experienced several health issues. Although her grandmother did not complain, Karen resolved that she wanted to go into medicine to alleviate suffering. On the farm, her parents also made clear that expectations for farm and housework applied equally to girls and boys. Karen also credits her success to having inherited “stubbornness” from her father and grandmother. After earning her undergraduate degree at Purdue, she pursued medical school. She states, “Interviewing for admission in 1973, one of the questions was whether I was going to have children during medical school. The assumption was that I would then quit and would have taken a spot in medical school for a deserving male. Certainly, this is an illegal query now.” After completing medical education and training at the IU School of Medicine, she applied for a surgical residency, one of the first women to do so at the IU School of Medicine. She noted, “One of the senior faculty asked me how I would feel as a house officer when I would be disliked by more than half of the patients and distrusted by the others because I was female.” Later, however, “He came to trust me implicitly with his complicated patients and to enjoy our talks on rounds about matters outside of the residency.”

During the third year of the residency, she states, “I had our first child, and the assumption from many faculty was that I would not come back. The assumption was that being a mother would win out over being a surgeon. I was the initial woman to have children while a resident. I had already worked it out with my chair, and he allowed me to use vacation time that I had built up.

My research mentor asked me to come back to write an abstract the following week, and so with my daughter in hand, I was in the office composing the abstract, doing statistics, and getting it submitted. Although not operating, I was in the research lab daily for the next three weeks until I resumed my resident duties. Because I was the first woman to do so, it had to work out or the pressures on any subsequent female resident would have been onerous. My chair eventually gave me the best compliment that he could for his era when he wrote on a picture, ‘You can do it with the best of the men.’ Of course, now maternal leave is guaranteed to residents.” And 40% of all pediatric surgeons are women. After she joined the IUSM faculty, she continued to pursue harmony. As a pediatric surgeon, her interaction with patients and families extended beyond the operating room. She remained involved in processes of healing, making difficult decisions, and grieving losses. Patients and families frequently returned to visit her and the staff. At times, families who had lost a child were enlisted to support other grieving parents. As she noted, “We walk many journeys with our patients.”

Continued on page 12

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MennoExpressions 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent from the editor.

Editorial Board: Kenda Resler Friend, Laura Friesen, Bethany Habegger, Lisa Habegger, J. Daniel Hess, Abri Hochstetler, Marj Rush Hovde, Mary Liechty, Carol Mullet, Becky Oberg. Editor: Alison Schumacher

MennoExpressions is published four times a year by First Mennonite Church, on the first Sunday in February, May, August, and November, with a special graduation insert in May. Any correspondence should be sent to the editor at 4601 Knollton Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46228; email: MennoExpressions@indymenno.org.

In the midst of an anxious crowd, a man

picks up his son. The boy’s sweatshirt says

“Happy Birthday to Me.”

His mother wipes his cheek with the edge

of her hijab. And they begin to walk.

That morning they waded from a dingy

in the midst of cries and wails

to throw their inner tubes on the rocky shore.

Someone gave them bread, and the mother

pinched a corner for the boy. He reached for it

with tear-driven hiccups. Their old life lay

firebombed beyond the water, the family garden

suffocating in ash, aunts and nieces gone.

And their new life was born at sea.

Tomorrow will bring the early signs:

razor wire, a gate. From a gathering stream

of travelers will come: Please open, please

Macedonia, please Sweden. We are in the midst—

Please soldiers. Please God.

And their voices will interrupt the buying

and selling of the world. Their footsteps

will echo in the midst of a gale, not quite

a thunder but a purpose, the undying

will to live.

Catherine Swanson is a poet, social activist, and a caregiver for her mother. She is in the midst of trying to simplify her life.

Born at Sea Catherine Swanson

Paige Longenecker What do you love about your life? Being able to experiment and try new things

What are you really good at? Being nice to other people

What are you passionate about? Playing the piano and dancing

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Summer!!

Cindy Mast I’m in the midst of…. Enjoying nature What do you love about your life? The variety of experiences I can take part in What are you really good at? Being around children What are you passionate about? Nature What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Being involved with more activities with our grandson

Marty Miller What do you love about your life? The freedom to do what I want when I want.

What are you really good at? Remembering everything!

What are you passionate about? Improving the environment for human health.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? How my occupation will face major changes as we figure out how to work more with nature and protect the environment while facing labor and financial shortages.

Priya Roberts What do you love about your life? My family.

What are you really good at? Sports, soccer.

What are you passionate about? Graduating from high school.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Summer!

Ph

oto: Gay

nel B

ryan

Take a Walk with Me Martha Yoder Maust

May 1, 2016 MennoExpressions 3

We’ll go out the front gate and start down Alabama. At 7:00 on a Thursday morning, there’s not much traffic, and we can hear the crickets. The sun has not come up yet, and the newspaper delivery man is wearing a hoodie and a bright white headlamp. There’s a new house coming up here. The lot has been vacant for as long as I have been here. Now they have framed the first floor and have started to put on plywood sheeting, with a green coating. This brick building used to be the Ashaanti Ballroom. Now it’s condos. One day shortly after it was converted, my husband and I were walking here when he noticed that the recently planted lavender plant had been uprooted. He replanted it, and it is still growing. Someone has started painting designs on the supports under I-65. At this intersection it’s vertical stripes of many colors: lime green, robin’s egg blue, rusty orange, dull pink, hunter green, and a number of in-between colors that I do not know how to name. A table behind the fence holds paint cans and buckets of liquid with paintbrushes floating in them. We’ll turn on to Fort Wayne, which angles toward our destination. I have never been in this hair salon, but I have often noticed the doggie hitching post in front of it, and during open hours a bowl of water for the dogs. Across the street is Central Christian Church, in whose basement is a storage area for our local fair trade store, Global Gifts. Here’s the Saffron Café. There used to be a low wall in front of it covered with Middle Eastern-looking ceramic tiles, but that has been taken down to make more room for outdoor dining. I was sad to see the tiles go. A lot of public events are held in this park. A few weeks ago there was an interfaith festival. Once they stopped here with an I-beam from the World Trade Center Towers that was eventually integrated into a 9/11 memorial near the canal. This is also where I heard Barack Obama speak, when he was running for president the first time.

This is Monument Circle. We held vigils here when the US was moving toward war in Iraq. Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders spoke, as well as our congresswoman Julia Carson and a member of Veterans for Peace. Last winter I heard some von Trapp grandchildren warming up their voices here in preparation for an open-air concert. We have arrived at my destination, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where I plan to listen to a lecture. I’ll be done in two hours, and if you want to meet me we can walk back and stop at the Central Library to see the Peace Dove sculpted from confiscated guns.

Martha works as a family physician in a community health center. “I'm in the midst of learning how to be a grandparent.”

Maggie Girard I’m in the midst of….transitioning to new work, moving to private practice and doing part-time things. Being a new mom.

What do you love about your life? Family

What are you really good at? Listening– being present, but not all the time

What are you passionate about? Wanting the people around me to know their worth and that they are loved.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Wanting to be with Ian, my son, each day. He is growing so fast and learning so much; watching the world through his eyes.

Don Mink I’m in the midst of…. Working with small communities, consulting engineers, and the Indiana Dept of Environmental Management.

What do you love about your life? Challenging opportunities that bring peace and understanding.

What are you really good at? Relating with people.

What are you passionate about? Justice.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Continuing my life!

Growing Pains Laura Friesen

“We’re having issues of power and connectivity,” Steve explained as the projector blinked on and off. Finally a picture of a weathered tree on stony ground appeared on the sanctuary wall in front of us. The tree looked to have grown around rocks and was clearly missing some of its limbs, but it had found places to flourish and grow into as well. In fact, it had a unique beauty, born of living in an exposed place on a cliff and getting a lot of weather. That Sunday struck me because it was an image that tells what I want to share about Steve’s time with us at FMC. Like so many of you, Steve came to our house for supper one night last fall and we had a wide ranging conversation, and lots of laughs. I noticed that Steve was observant and connected to all members of my family, and they were all present that night. Our conversation went on after dinner and he asked deeper questions about our relationship with the church. When he left, I was surprised how much I’d had to say that I hadn’t completely resolved. As the past year has been a time of physical healing for me after major surgery, I was thinking about healing a lot, both physical and emotional. I wanted to be involved in healing our congregation, because we were having issues of power and connectivity. Power, in the sense that we were not fully recognizing how power had been used in harmful ways, and connectivity in that the harm that was perpetrated left behind some damaged spiritual connections. For the first time I felt someone took seriously the places where I had been hurt, and was proposing a healing process in which I was invited to take part. If healing was on the agenda, I was going to be a part of it, because if there was one thing I understood, it was what it was like to be sidelined by hurt both physically, emotionally and of course spiritually. I also understood that it was going to involve work that I had to be willing to do regarding myself. I became part of the group of people involved in healing some of the hurts that Ryan had left behind. It was an eye-opening process, and I learned a lot from my involvement. My main point here is to express how grateful I am to have had someone to walk alongside me and tell me that my experience in this congregation, while it was not the most dramatic, matters enough to have a careful look at it and see

how it connects with others and what could be done to prevent the same kind of thing happening in the future. That is what Steve did for me and for other people in our congregation. And there was weather. The winds of change bore negativity generated against him as the bringer of change, the one who was implementing this careful look. It made a lot of people angry that our experiences were not just going to be quietly swept under the rug. I didn’t understand that anger, which came out Steve at times in disrespectful ways. It’s hard to go against popular opinion, well-reasoned arguments and the familiar flow. It takes a lot of guts and it also takes some discernment to be able to wade through a flood of emotion and keep an eye on the larger goal: healing for the congregation, sweeping out some of the shadowy corners and making a fresh start. There was so much work involved just writing reports of our process and keeping the lines of communication open, but that’s what was required of the leadership in this process and Steve took this process in stride, even through some major events in his personal life. I have to ask myself, just how much guts do I have to stand up for what I believe? Who am I to ask for healing and receive it? I am a child of God. This process did show me that healing is possible after honest sharing happens. For all this, I am grateful to have had Steve to work with this year. He provided me with a new model for leadership in my own work and life.

Byron Guyse I’m in the midst of…. Trying to figure out what comes next.

What do you love about your life? The people around me. The stuff that matters to me the most, my love for my friends and what I want to do in life.

What are you really good at? Working really hard.

What are you passionate about? Dogs. All dogs.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Possibly going back to school, maybe something in law.

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Mary & Ed Liechty Mostly we just really enjoyed talking through various issues of the world with him. He was with us first, so he was really busy and gone most evenings as he did his interviews with everyone. As with everyone, he took us on a tree tour of our property and gave us info on them all. He enjoyed using our Eagle Creek Park entry to go walk there, but was disappointed that there was really no old growth (big tree) section of the park. We just enjoyed that we could be ourselves with him - no pretense. I believe he began talking with our daughter, Addie, by email on some of the things she’s written about that impact the church. Marie Harnish I am really going to miss Steve and his gifts at FMC! He has been a blessing and brought us through some deep hurt. He has a gift for encouraging people to talk together and is not afraid to deal with conflict, although it may be hard to take when it is directed at him. At the church retreat last February, he had a group activity on holding your ground, power differential exercises. He had us say loudly that “I am a child of God!” To say it like that was a bit awkward and uncomfortable, but the phrase has resonated throughout the past year in many different ways! Steve had us say it in church in answer to his question. I heard it in the women’s Bible Study on Friday mornings. I heard this phrase at the women’s retreat in the fall. I now appreciate hearing this phrase often this past year. A timely reminder for all of us at FMC. We are all children of God!

Steve Comes to Stay: Anecdotes from His Hosts Compiled by Laura Friesen

Kenda & Brian Friend We really enjoyed having Steve here. It was last May and a totally crazy month with Kaden finishing elementary school, etc. and Steve fit right in! Several stories come to mind: When Steve first came to our house, he right away did a walk about to look at our trees. After doing so, he said, “You can kiss your Ash goodbye” – as we had an ash tree that had been infected by the emerald ash borer. One day Steve was totally distraught as he could not find his wallet – he looked everywhere, at church, in his car, etc. – come to find out, it had fallen into his cowboy boot as he carried it in the house! The ultimate compliment came from Kaden. After Steve stayed here, Kaden commented, “that was pretty cool.” My (Kenda) observation was that Steve was very intentional about talking to Kaden and did so in a way that made Kaden feel included. Erv and Priscilla Boschmann Steve stayed with us for several months and often came for Monday night dinner during the 20 months he was in Indianapolis. Priscilla loved cooking for him as he has a healthy appetite and appreciated what was served. We enjoyed the conversations before, during and after dinner (breakfast as well). He shared about his siblings, his children and their doings, about the fun he had at Hesston College and his extensive travels. He talked passionately of the work that he and his wife, Linda, have going at Pathways Retreat.

His knowledge and passion, almost a reverent one, for trees, their type, woods, preserving then and making useful items from the trees when they need to be taken down, is a legacy to be remembered. Steve’s transition work and insight into FMC were always forefront in meal time conversations. It was a most pleasant experience to have him stay with us. Alison Schumacher & Sam Carpenter While we all enjoyed having Steve with us for a month, our kids REALLY enjoyed having Steve there. His busy schedule meant that we often didn't see him in the evenings, but he usually joined us for the breakfast mayhem while getting ready for school, work, etc. Simon and Theo were always very focused on where Steve was, had he woken up yet, when would he come up for breakfast, etc, and liked having conversations with him over cereal. And I got a preview of what I hear life will be like once our kids are older and have technology, when I found myself texting Steve to find out whether he'd be coming upstairs to dinner. Once our month of hosting ended, I think Theo thought Steve had moved away for good, even though we explained he had just moved on to the next family's home. The following Sunday, I went up with Theo to children's time. As he turned to go back to our seats, he saw Steve sitting in the front row and got terribly excited, pointing and exclaiming in his own way that L O OK , M OM , T HE R E IS STEVE!!!!! Such excitement and pure joy, so sweet to have seen. Steve's time at our home was fun for all of us.

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Watching our grandson move through each developmental stage has been a real joy. Since we live close enough, we get to observe each new stage of growth as we visit and interact with him. The process of learning to walk on his own two feet passed through numerous stages as his legs were strengthened with kicking, crawling, cruising and finally taking off on his own for those first steps. As I have observed this growth and development, it has given me the chance to reflect on how my life has been impacted in the midst of walking. Walking awakens my spirit as I take in the beauty of the changing seasons. In springtime, I enjoy seeing the fresh burst of green in the undergrowth and the developing buds and flowering trees of the wild. Summer brings warm sunshine that allows me to take in the full beauty of all plants and trees and to observe the animals that live off the land. As the light of the days shorten, temperatures fall, and I feel and hear the rustle of the dying leaves under my feet, I am reminded that winter is coming. Taking a walk during or after a light snowfall or feeling the cold wind blow against my face shows me again that seasonal beauty shines in many ways year round. Friendships have developed and relationships are strengthened in the midst of walking. The easiest way for me to connect with someone is during a walk. Regular walks with friends at Eagle Creek and on the downtown canal allows us to share the joys and struggles of our hearts while getting some needed exercise for our bodies. Catching up with my husband after a long day with a walk around the neighborhood or at a local park is an easier way to reconnect, focus and make plans without other distractions at home. Walking while pushing a stroller with the young life of a grandson and all the newness he sees around him gives me the opportunity to see the world through his eyes. When other family members join a spontaneous walk, it feels comfortable as we talk and laugh together. Group walks add the benefit of meeting a new acquaintance, supporting a given cause, and feeling a sense of camaraderie. Regular solo walking strengthens my body and mind in different ways. I choose to walk without music to

take in all that is happening around me. Instead, there are times that a song pops into my head and I start singing with gusto or prayerful gratitude, depending on my thought process. I often find myself thinking about others as I move, and pray little breath prayers to God for their strength and guidance. My body is energized as I plant one foot in front of the other and push onward. My mind becomes more clear and refreshed, and my spirit is renewed. All in the midst of walking. Pattie is a part time surgical liaison for families in the St. Vincent's surgery waiting room and caregiver to her 19 month old grandson one day a week. She seeks out

opportunities to view as many sunrises and sunsets as she can. “I'm in the midst of participating as a member of the ‘sandwich’ generation: keeping in touch with family and ag ing par ent s who l iv e in Pennsylvania and loving every moment of being a grandmother here at home.”

In the Midst of… Walking Pattie Mishler

Becky Maubach What do you love about your life? The thing I love most about my life is the achievement of having my real life dreams come true, through perseverance, faith, support of friends and family, and hard work.

What are you really good at? I am really good at solving problems.

What are you passionate about? I am passionate about making sure children understand that no matter where they come from or what they do or don’t have, no matter what they have been through, they can be whatever they choose. They really can do anything.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? I am really looking forward to living my new life in the country. Raising my son with nature surrounding him, and teaching him about the gifts of our earth.

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Emilie Walson I’m in the midst of….trying to motivate myself for purging at our house!

What do you love about your life? Watching my grandchildren grow and thrive.

What are you really good at? I love being involved with visuals for church and Global Gifts, too.

What are you passionate about? Recycling. Have been doing it since 1971!

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Another visit to Little Eden Camp in Onekama, Michigan (and the surrounding area to the camp for sure).

Marj Rush Hovde I’m in the midst of….…with Karla and Lars out of the house, it’s a time of transition; discovering where we go next and what our directions are (not that we still aren’t involved in their lives); focusing on things that we couldn’t do when we had kid schedules to consider, but also giving them guidance for their next part of their lives, young adulthood. New directions and goals for ourselves.

What do you love about your life? Love this spring – better weather puts me in a better mood. Making stuff, piecing a quilt, knitting, learning more about weaving. I love my job, I think it’s meaningful.

What are you really good at? Sewing, knitting; I like figuring things out, like a new knitting patterns, trial and error. Teaching, but you would have to ask my students. They usually seem to have learned more when they leave the classroom than when they started.

What are you passionate about? Making stuff.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? I’m looking forward to the kids coming home for a while. I’m looking forward to warmer weather.

Ron Gerbrandt I’m in the midst of…. Helping kids get through school. My own kids, and others!

What do you love about your life? My happy, healthy family and a cup of coffee every morning.

What are you really good at? That’s hard. I think I’m really good at helping kids learn to read and write. I don’t know. Playing games and having fun.

What are you passionate about? It goes to the same thing. Literacy. Helping kids learn about themselves. Especially I get passionate about racial injustice and the civil rights movement, going all the way back to pre-slavery. I enjoy when our literacy and our history intersect.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Spring. Summer! I love summer vacation, the change of pace. Getting to travel even though we don’t go to exotic places.

Brittany Bither I’m in the midst of…. Work. I’m an OB/GYN resident. What do you love about your life? My family: husband Brian, daughter Lexie, 11 mos. What are you really good at? I play piano. What are you passionate about? Right now I am passionate about helping young pregnant women, especially teenagers. I really enjoy working with them. What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? A vacation, in six weeks!

Mary Miller What do you love about your life? Enjoying Gerald’s and my retirement years by having a great relationship with our adult children and five grandchildren. Also making new friends because of moving to another community and attending a different church.

What are you really good at? Decorating for holidays, flower arranging, making food taste good. In the past, organizing Markle's festivals, church dramas, musicals and editor of “Markle Times” (a monthly newspaper).

What are you passionate about? Planting the best flowers to attract hummingbirds to our backyard patio.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Granddaughter Vienna and Adrian's wedding in May. Also looking forward to the next two years traveling around Indiana at times as [daughter Shari] performs her duties as Indiana's Poet Laureate. We also enjoy our summers at our cottage on Oliver Lake with friends and family.

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Looking out the airplane window as we were about to land, I felt confident and excited to start my semester abroad in Strasbourg, France. However, that feeling quickly passed as I lugged my huge, 52-pound suitcase up a large flight of stairs by myself. Who knew that the escalator actually contained a motion sensor and wasn’t truly broken? Like discovering this new kind of escalator the hard way, being in France these past few months has been a BIG adventure. Never have I known the feeling of true independence, whether that be cooking for myself or being my own shoulder to cry on when I get homesick. Life in Strasbourg is definitely filled with its ups and downs. At the moment, I am an intern at a CSC (Cultural/Social Center) that is located in a quartier dur or “rough neighborhood” to the south of the city. The building I work at provides music lessons, concerts, and school music programs at a reduced price so the children and adults from the area can afford it. It’s such a joy to hear all the talent of various ages and levels each day. Whether it’s exploring a different city in Europe over the weekend, trying a jelly-filled beignet for the first time, or meeting new friends from across the world, studying abroad has been a dream that has finally come true. Every day I am challenged to get out of my comfort zone and become immersed in a new culture and language. Each day is a mystery, unfamiliar, and unknown. But with the strength of prayer and God’s undying love and reassurance, I know I am where I need to be. You can find Marie watching "Modern Family," running outside, or exploring. If you’d like to follow Marie’s experience on Instagram, find her at @a_blissful_moment.

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In the Midst of… the Unknown Marie Schloneger

David French I’m in the midst of…. Learning to serve. What do you love about your life? Not much. What are you really good at? Carpentry, gardening, blues, cooking. What are you passionate about? God kid. What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? ?

Lara Vallely I’m in the midst of…. Finishing a tough year at Fox Hill, sorting out family health troubles, and coaching Toby's t-ball team. What do you love about your life? This spring's (2nd?) arrival, Saturday morning pancakes with Jeremy and Toby. Sharing a coffee and phone conversation with my sister, or an impromptu walk to the park with a neighbor. What are you really good at? Cooking curry dishes, enjoying time off, finding the gray. What are you passionate about? Recently I've been feeling passionate about the students I work with, the disparity within public education, and the election. What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Starting occupational therapy school this summer!

Barbara Longoria I’m in the midst of….Thinking about gardening.

What do you love about your life? I like being near to my family here. It was hard to leave Iowa (in 2001), but I like being close to family.

What are you really good at? Working in the garden and taking care of the grass. (Gardening is on the mind!)

What are you passionate about? Immigrants not finding place to accept them. I wish we could here. In the 70's we sponsored a Cambodian family and I've stayed connected with her and her family.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Seeing grandkids growing up.

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My time in Perú has been a roller coaster ride with steep slopes diving into dark voids, loops, sharp curves, and breathtaking peaks. The same types of phenomena occur in my daily life in Indiana as well, but for some reason every moment, action, or feeling here weighs so much more. Valuing each moment—seeing it as a lesson, a blessing or an acceptable moment of peace and tranquility—happens naturally in this peculiar country. I can feel the changes that each moment makes in me. I have been transformed in subtle ways by a range of occurrences and observations, and I plan to continue this practice of evaluating every situation and validating every emotion when I return to the “normal,” “boring,” “everyday” life that I left behind in Indiana. I had expected to come back with a pit in my stomach, carved with hatred of my excessively luxurious ways and the unearned privilege my culture enjoys mindlessly. Perhaps that pit will still be carved and take me by surprise. Regardless, my service has often made me long for my North American culture. I treasure the assurance of soap in hospital bathrooms. I need reliable information. My professors at Goshen College care about me on a personal level and have the education to teach the helpful information effectively, which is something I will never take for granted. I will not miss the frustrating phrases ahorita (which supposedly means “right now”) or préstame (“give me” or “loan me”), but I will miss daily interactions with friendly moto-taxi drivers and the greetings buenos días, buenas tardes, and buenas noches from everyone I pass on the street. I could put all of the pros and cons, cravings and annoyances in nicely divided lists, but there is a category of unknowns as well. For example, I will soon be leaving behind the potential of making a huge difference in the lives of my first grade children. Changing a boy’s grade from a zero to an A+ is extremely easy for me to do and instantly rewarding for the student and me. But that is no more than one assignment and one brilliant smile. In a week, he will forget all of my motivational prompting. He will get no personal attention and no positive feedback, and I will be working on my own homework assignments and my own well-being.

I do not know how to feel about entering a culture, judging its norms, deciding what is good and bad, unmasking layer after layer of whys and hows before leaving it after only three months, three long months of understanding it and disagreeing with it. Does it help anybody to be a floater, constantly comparing cultures, but fitting in with whichever one surrounds you?

Perhaps it will help my personal outlook. Each culture highlights different cultural aspects in a different light and I can now begin to see my everyday life through a kaleidoscope constructed by my privileged travels and weighted thoughts. I wrote this piece in my last week in Peru. I was in Lima for the first six weeks and Tarma for the second six weeks. Lima was my "study" portion. I lived with a host family and went to school from 9am to 5pm. The lectures were about Peruvian history, culture, and government along with daily Spanish classes. In Tarma for my "service" portion, I lived with a different

host family and worked at a Catholic school named Fe y Alegria for children from low-income families or troubled backgrounds. In the evenings I would play soccer, do homework or hang out with friends and family.

Last Week in Peru Lena Charles

Lisa Habegger

I’m in the midst of….trying to find a new job; reevaluating my skills and experiences to think outside of the box about job possibilities.

What do you love about your life? Being a mom and an artist

What are you really good at? The creative process; attention to details

What are you passionate about? My family and my art; helping others

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? The stability and challenge of a new job (I hope).

In the Midst Jen and Nate Christophel Lichti

We were initially unclear about how to approach this topic, but it occurred to us that living “in the midst” is sort of like living in uncertainty, which is something we have been working on for the past year. In fact, we spent nine months last year developing a set of family intentions (a shared mission and values), and are now “living into” the path before us. We untethered ourselves from most aspects of FMC over a year ago, but the process really evolved over a much longer period of time. Our family felt a need to disconnect from community in order to find it (irony noted). While we love many people at FMC, we have not felt the sense of “fit” that we’d come to value in our experiences with other faith communities. FMC’s transitional process was not the reason for our movement away from the community. In fact, we appreciated the process that challenged assumptions, and brought about a healthy discomfort, encouraging growth a n d c h a n g e w i t h i n t h e community. When FMC’s transition began, we had already acknowledged a sense that our participation at FMC was no longer consistent with our family intentions. We did not join the t r a n s i t i o n a l e x e r c i s e s a s participants, but recognized our place was already outside the community, observing that process as it unfolded. Living in the midst of uncertainty about our place of belonging, our

family has received many unanticipated gifts . We experienced a new depth of closeness in our relationships with one another. We made new friends and explored possibilities outside the paths that seem prescribed by our society. It has been freeing and uncomfortable, fulfilling and lonely—and most of all, authentic. It has been the right process for us, and we trust it will continue to reveal gifts and new directions that might surprise us in the months and years ahead. At this moment, we encounter community in less scripted ways, and seek opportunities to engage with those who might be outside our typical comfort zones. We have more spaces of quiet and rest built into our weeks. Each of us value safe spaces with friends, meeting our needs for intimacy and connection. We remain ambiguous about the role of church in our lives. Our process has been parallel but separate from FMC’s journey. We do not carry the expectation that the outcome of FMC’s transition might culminate in a place of fit for us. Instead, we will celebrate the times when we meaningfully intersect...in the midst. Jen's hobbies include gardening and canning, while Nate’s include b i k i n g a n d soccer. They are in the midst of N a t e ’ s j o b change.

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Bethany Habegger I’m in the midst of….Completing the rest of this school year and starting a new season of color guard.

What do you love about your life? I love discovering new creative ideas and just getting to experience everyday things like reading or eating delicious foods.

What are you really good at? I am really good at thinking of innovative ways to see things, such as turning a regular person into a surreal drawing.

What are you passionate about? I am passionate about advocating for creativity and learning for the sake of learning, not standards.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? I am looking forward to new experiences and adventuring out into the world when I go to college.

Wade Mullet I’m in the midst of…. Spring lawn and landscape work

What do you love about your life? Living just a few blocks from two of our grandchildren—for the first time in our lives!

What are you really good at? Fixing and maintaining things around the house (and for others)

What are you passionate about? Maintaining good relationships with family and friends

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? We leave the end of May for our 50th anniversary trip to Seattle, and will have all of our children and grandchildren there with us for a week!

My oldest son, Owen Friesen, is current ly a junior a t IU Bloomington in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) in the Business Management division. For the past two years, Owen has been working with a good friend from North Central High School, Brett Watkins (also an IUB student, in the Informatics Department), to develop their own app. The app, called SoundsGood, grew out of the students’ high-powered first year experience as roommates in Reed Hall. Both were living the busy life of a freshman on a shoestring budget: trying to stay healthy and figure out how to eat well on limited and sometimes odd food supplies! Not an unusual situation for a college student, and many of us have had our own encounters with the last remaining items in the cupboard that have to tide you over to the next paycheck. Not everyone channels that experience into designing a new app but with their backgrounds in media, design and business, that is how Brett and Owen responded. Last summer they wrote a business plan and set up meetings with entrepreneurs seeking advice for their plans, with some very positive responses. But the most exciting development came last fall when they put in a last minute application for a business mentoring program sponsored by the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), called B-Start. They didn't think much more about it until they got a call and found out that they would be one of seven start-ups in the progra m! B -S tar t provides resources and mentorship for all of its finalists over a four-month

period. Other students that participated include graduate students, and all worked very hard to use the resources provided to realize their entrepreneurial visions. Participating in the B-Start program resulted in a high-powered boost for SoundsGood, which now has its own website and is collecting data for the next phase of development. The goal is to collect subscribers from interested family and friends and use the data to predict the future volume of users. The app allows users to manage their diet and health in a number of useful ways, beginning by recording user grocery purchases and recommending meals that can be prepared without having to make extra trips for ingredients. Last December, Owen and Brett competed against the other start-ups in a pitch competition to a panel of judges which included several venture capitalists. Each start-up received a stipend for their involvement in the program. Take a look at their website and subscribe at www.appsoundsgood.org.

Sounds Good Laura Friesen Angie Buller

I’m in the midst of…. Getting healthy.

What do you love about your life? The newfound energy for becoming healthier; purchasing new clothes; sharing the gift of health with anyone who wants to learn!

What are you really good at? Organizational stuff. For example, I love planning the Guess Who's Coming to Dinner at Shalom. I like to coordinate the details of the schedule, pairing new combos of people and hosts; it's like solving a puzzle.

What are you passionate about? My current passion is all about getting healthy. I had a bout with cancer a couple years ago and about nine months ago I made these healthy changes and it's changed my life in so many ways.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Celebrating our 25-year wedding anniversary in May. I'm also going to a conference in Des Moines for Better Body System (the program I've been using) to help others learn about making healthier choices. My parents are going too.

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Melanie Schmucker I’m in the midst of….laundry! What do you love about your life? That I get to spend my days at home with my little ones (which, incidentally, is sometimes the thing I like least about my life). What are you really good at? Pretending to sleep through the sounds of my child crying in the middle of the night so that my husband has to get up and check on her (sorry Jason!). What are you passionate about? Reading and eating chocolate. What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? Summertime! I'm excited about upcoming family vacations, planting our vegetable garden, and spending as much time as possible outside in the sunshine.

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physicians face pressure to complete these records so that procedures can be reimbursed. Another experience that gave her greater understanding of patients’ families came in 2004 when her grandson, Andrew, was in an automobile accident and sustained severe brain damage. Despite the medical staff’s contention that there was no hope for recovery, one distant family member influenced the parents’ decision making during this crucial time. Karen notes that this experience made her more aware of how much one person could influence the making of decisions when parents may not be at the same place in the process. Her decision to retire from full-time work recently was prompted by many factors but was characterized by harmony. She and Keith discussed options and plans with their children, letting them know what could be expected. Karen, Keith, and Pris moved to Bourbon to live on the family farm (in fact, the footprint of the new house extends to the footprint of the home where Karen’s parents raised their family), but she did not leave medicine entirely. She travels regularly to Fargo, North Dakota for a part-time position where she practices, teaches, and collaborates with colleagues. She also remains a member of a few IUSM committees and attends national professional conferences. Although she characterizes retirement as “wonderful,” she is aware that Keith’s and her roles will change as they age. She states, “We’re waiting for our next calling.” Living in and pursuing harmony continues.

Continued from page 1 She eventually gave birth to four children and found ways to integrate them into her work while they were growing up. For instance, when the hospital allowed it, her children accompanied her on Saturday rounds where they learned to understand ill or disabled children as complex human beings. She believes that these experiences taught her children empathy. Another experience that developed her children’s empathy came when Karen was considering adopting a patient with several health issues whose mother could not care for her and who was having difficulty being fostered or adopted. A single mother at the time, Karen asked her children what they thought, noting that the child might not live long. One of her children responded, “Even if she doesn’t live long, at least she will be happy with us.” Karen adopted Prescilla (Pris), and the other children assisted with her care, learning to complete simple medical procedures. Pris will soon celebrate her 30th birthday. Karen also noted that taking care of Pris at home taught her a great deal about the experiences and anxieties of families of the patients, especially after discharge. She was no longer critical of families who did not follow discharge orders because she came to understand more about the intensity of the care-giving process at home. Instead of criticizing, she sought ways to find help for families that would enable them to provide appropriate in-home care. In 1988 she was the first pediatric surgeon at IUSM to c o m p l e t e a n “ e x t ra c o r p o r ea l m e m b r a n e oxygenation” (ECMO) procedure that allows newborns with heart and lung disease to have a better outcomes. Many of these procedures have been completed in subsequent years, and she authored several professional research articles on this topic. In addition, she participated in team-based care that allows specialists in many disciplines to work collaboratively for a patient with multiple health issues. One recent change in medicine is increasing limitations on the time that physicians can spend with patients. Karen views this trend as counter to providing holistic health care. She argues that neonatal and pediatric intensive care physicians need to spend a great deal of time with families; people who are concerned mainly with limiting time spent often do not have a rich sense of the complexities of offering holistic care. She also notes that electronic medical records software that is not designed with an understanding of how physicians think and access information can make the practice of medicine more difficult rather than easier. Additionally,

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Evonne Swartzendruber I’m in the midst of…. deciding what to do with the rest of my life.

What do you love about your life? I love that post-retirement is relaxing and virtually stress free.

What are you really good at? I’m good at puttering around (the house/yard) with my husband.

What are you passionate about? I’m passionate about my family.

What’s coming up in your life that you’re looking forward to? I’m looking forward to more traveling.