Having made a specific choice to
focus on family, education and work there was very little time to make friends
with people at school, but there were some.
In was in a small group of six for
an evening communications class while at Biola. I liked most of the people and
we got to know each other reasonable well. Some hung out after classes, I never
did that. That made me one of the quieter communicators. We had been in the
same small group for the semester and near the end of the semester were saddled
with an assignment that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. We were
asked to rate everyone in the group from best communicator to the worst.
Everyone reacted negatively and did
not want to do it. I suppose I had the strongest reaction. I told them I
believed the assignment would cause great damage. The top two would be very
pleased and feel better than maybe they should. The bottom four would be
crushed, maybe permanently damaged. There was strong agreement and we decided
to call the instructor in and challenge the assignment.
When he came we expressed our
position and asked that we be released from the task. He told us that to do it
or not do it was our choice, but we would receive a failing grade if we did not
comply.
After he left I said I would be happy
to receive a failing grade if that was necessary. I did not want to rate the
group. A long time was taken to convince me that we had to do it. What about
our grade point averages? What would happen if we failed the class? Etc. They
voted to proceed. I did not participate. I sat there, but did not vote. I was
rated number 5 out of six. One girl was rated worse than I and she was visibly
hurt. She left the room crying. I refrained from saying, “I told you so.”
At the next class we were told one
group refused to do the assignment and he gave them all A’s. He admitted it was
a destructive exercise. I asked why he did it then. He went on a long tangent
about the value in resisting peer pressure. Some of the class argued that it
was a directive from authority, not peer pressure. He used the Nazi example of
lambs being led by the wolves. He must have been Hitler.
I let the debate go on and said
nothing more. As I left the class of angry and frustrated students I asked him,
“Who is going to put Isabelle hack together?” There was only one more class and
I did not return. The group was no longer friends. I passed the class.
I met one C&MA pastor at
Talbot. Don Sappington was working in an area church. We became friends and
Della and I had them over to the house a couple of times. Since we were both
with the C&MA, I guess I saw it as a connection. I ultimately came to work
with Don at Salam Alliance.
I had also become friends with
Bill Higgins. He had never been in ministry but we had a number of classes
together and often continued the class discussion into our next free period.
Near the end of the semester he announced that he had received a ministry
appointment for after graduation. I was very happy for him, He went on and on
about his job description and the make up of the church. When he finally told
me it was to Hillsdale Alliance Church in Regina, Saskatchewan, I could not
believe my ears. How did he even make that connection?
There was a position opening
posted on the jobs board, he sent a resume, they called and talked with him
several times and finally he was hired. “Did you go to Regina for an
interview.” He had not. It was all done by phone. I asked what he knew about
Regina. Not much – so he began asking questions. I was a bit concerned since he
and his wife Jan were southern California people. It was going to be a big
change. Della and I began to pray for them and what we knew would be a big
adjustment. Could they handle the winter? It didn’t matter, as they were moving
north. We began to make plans to travel to Regina together. One rental truck
would be better than two.
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