"Who Are Our Role Models Today?"

Written by senior student, Kiah Roufs

At the Academy, students are encouraged to learn about people of faith throughout history in order to have role models in their own walk with the Lord. Young people have so many voices coming at them through culture, social media, and celebrities. Our prayer is that they give their attention to God’s word and find encouragement from those who have lived lives of faith.

In our fast-paced world, the craving of genuine role models remains crucial for young people. Where are our role models today? Learning about the life of Richard Wurmbrand sheds light on authentic and holy leadership. Wurmbrand endured persecution, yet with relentless faith he showed his resilience and courage. His faith amidst adversity serves as the type of role model we desperately need in our society. Even though modern ideas can be popular and tempting to follow, we shouldn't forget about the important values that God’s word teaches and historical figures like Wurmbrand represent. I think it’s valuable that we pay more attention to people like Wurmbrand and the lasting impact they’ve made on history. His story teaches us valuable lessons and though it may be separated from our current situations, there are still the values and characteristics that he stood for that can help us today.

Wurmbrand didn't walk away with his experiences with just a story. He instead used his experiences to be an advocate and serve others. This is the main thing that makes him a hero of faith to me: he's putting his experiences and lessons learned into practice. He was a laborer for the production of God's kingdom. In 1967 he started an organization called, "Voice of the Martyrs". Through this, he was able to become an even bigger advocate for people suffering from religious persecution. He provided support practically for people in need. For me, this is a sign of God at work.

On a summer mission trip with the Academy for GOD to El Salvador, Kiah facilitates a children’s program for a local neighborhood. Participating in cross-cultural ministry is an impactful experience we hope to give all Academy students as a way to connect with others who may lack access or opportunity.

"Faith is pragmatic." This is something that Mr. Garner taught us in class and that has stuck with me in observing heroes of the faith. Faith has to be put into action to mean something. Wurmbrand displayed incredible faith during his years in prison, but until he chose to do something with it, it couldn’t make a lasting impact on others. He stood up for those in need and wasn't quiet about it. Fruit came from his actions, he was able to raise awareness for what he went through and others who went through similar things. He contributed to the development and the building of people who are God's ultimate possessions. These are the type of role models who set holy examples of how to be. So I challenge you to consider: who are your role models? How are they encouraging you to be a child of God and bring change and hope into this world?

"Do You See this Woman?"

By Esther Bargatze, Junior

An original artwork created by Esther to reflect her poem.

For my Historical Biographies class, taught by Ms. Mathews, last semester we all read a book about a different hero of faith. At the beginning of this semester we created a verbal expression based on what we learned from our books. I chose Cathrine Hamlin and read her autobiography. She was an obstetrician from Australia who went to Ethiopia to work at a hospital for three years, she ended up spending the rest of her life there and founded the first fistula hospital in Ethiopia. Her ministry became healing women who suffered from fistula’s which was an injury that occurred during childbirth. In first world countries fistulas were (and still are) very rare and quickly treatable, but in Ethiopia they were a tragic commonality. Cathrine Hamlin gave her life to treating women in Ethiopia who had been suffering from a fistula, these women were often neglected and ostracized because they were seen as unclean. 

The piece I wrote is about the experience of these fistula patients in Ethiopia and their journey, including being treated. I wanted my piece to challenge people to consider if they let cultural norms and what they feel is normal effect how they perceive a person. I also created an art piece to go along with what I wrote.

She labors for days

Lacking medical aid results in mysterious complications.

She’s left ashamed of an unknown ailment, incurable.

If she's not ostracized by her community she isolates because of humiliation.

Her vulnerability leaves her susceptible to being trampled

but what was forced upon her left calluses.

What was a giver of life gave birth to death.

She is either forced to embrace motherhood alone

or forced to embrace the loss of a child alone.

Forced to embrace the medical repercussions of childbirth, alone.

Forced to navigate the disgust, disgrace and dishonor of being an unclean woman who is facing alone

the result of a reality that takes advantage of her vulnerability then declares her impure, repulsive,

and untouchable.

“Untreatable,” at the risk of having to face the personal discomfort of seeing someone so broken

so hurt in a part of the body that makes you uncomfortable to even think about.

So she is seen but disregarded.

It wasn’t until a hospital by the river that she heard, “daughter, your faith has made you well.”

There she was told, “child, arise.”

“Do not weep,” she was comforted,

healed from her wounds and freed from her societal “sins”.

The love of those who committed themselves to healing ushered in a calm voice that spoke

peacefully, “woman, you are freed from your disability.”

She had traveled weeks to receive a procedure that took fifteen minutes.

Those fifteen minutes cured her of a life lived neglected.

Before she had been downcast and miserable; now she was reborn as a beautiful, smiling woman,

with a look of joy in her eyes.

Do you see this woman?

Or do you only smell filth?

Do you only see her injuries?

Does it make you uncomfortable to see another human being so completely drenched in discomfort?

Or do you have the eyes to see this woman?

Can you strip away every cultural and personal concept for what you believe is normal…

Dr. Cathrine Hamlin with one of her cured fistula patients in Ethiopia.

or will you live blinded by a veil you’ve unknowingly accepted and accustomed yourself to?

Look up and let the veil fall off your face

your eyes will be redirected downwards to unexpected places,

to unexpected people.

But you will truly see them.

And you will see them as precious.

You will see them as God does.