OIT Chi Alpha Leads Bible Study Over Spring Break in Cambodia

Over Spring Break, Chi Alpha ministries from the Pacific Northwest are involved around the world helping others. Chi Alpha at Oregon Institute f Technology from Klamath Falls is currently in Cambodia serving refugees, orphans and local ministries. Here is their latest journal excerpt.  –Vic Varis

Sorry for the sparse postings so far. We’re getting up at 5am every morning and not done till 8pm, in 100+ degree weather. Everybody’s been ready to crash at night ;)
Here is a journal entry and a few pictures:

The people here greet us with honor everywhere we go. This is simply because we are foreigners. Almost all of them defer to us in a slightly uncomfortable way – reminiscent of a slave to master relationship. The society is entrenched in an uncomplicated caste system: rice farmers (the poor country people) and people with money.

Status and money is HUGE here. People that drive Lexus’s have the word LEXUS emblazoned in bold letters on the side of their cars. They drive wherever and however they want, because it is their privilege.

~Billy Redd
Chi Alpha Pastor, Oregon Institute of Technology

Cambodia Blog & Video

Marion Ravan as Pastor at Medford First Assembly of God 1986

October 8, 2009

Dear Friends,

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.  (Psalms 116:15)

Reverend Marion Ravan, an ordained minister, went home to be with the Lord.  Marion passed away on Thursday, October 8, 2009.

His memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 17 at 1:00 p.m. at  Peoples Church, 4500 Lancaster Drive NE, in Salem. 

The Ravan’s pastored churches in Estacada, Willamina, Ontario, Medford and McMinnville.  Marion also served the Network as “D-Cap” (youth and children’s ministries) and presbyter.  He served at the General Council in the Christian Education department.  Marion and Margie have been married 61 years.  The Ravan’s many years of ministry in the Oregon Ministry Network have been deeply appreciated.

Please remember his wife, Margie, and their children Tim, Connie, Darla and Sherrie (Harvey) in prayer during this time of bereavement.

Sincerely,

Bill Wilson
Superintendent

P.S.  If you would like to contribute to the Burial Benevolence Assistance fund that was established for credentialed ministers when the Ministers Death Benefit was discontinued, please send your contribution to the Oregon Ministry Network marked Burial Benevolence Assistance.

Marion Ravan with a class at New Dimenstion Christian School

Over the past two years the center was in limbo due to a disputed property easement.  During that time, the facility was renovated but the City of Corvallis could not grant occupancy until the litigation was resolved.

The answer came earlier this summer when the Linn County court ruled in favor of OSU Chi Alpha, accepted and filed the findings of law in the matter. 

Receiving the occupancy certificate finalized the future of The Pillar which had been in doubt until that moment.

Currently The Pillar is being used as a center where international and American students can receive counsel, mentoring and personal coaching. Each week dozens of students meet one-on-one and in larger groups. The top two floors house up to fifteen OSU students and internationals.

“Sharing not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.”

Summer marks a transitional time for our house ministry with students moving in and out.

In 1992 we set up house in our 4 floor, 9 bedroom, 4500 sf Portland Craftsman. Our plan from day 1 was to open our home to internationals, American students and young adults growing in their lives and ministry.

As a partner you make ”living the Good News” a reality through your intercession, encouragement and sacrificial support of our ministry.

READ OUR ENTIRE NEWSLETTER:

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I arrived at church and discussed my plan with the Middle School Pastor and we agreed on the times for girls first and then guys. He told me which room he reserved for us. One of the girls from last week ran up to me and said, “I’ve been so excited all week for drama class!” It really started the day out right for me.

I went upstairs to join Vic for the singing part of the church service. Half way through, I realized that I hadn’t run copies of the scripts, so I went to the education office and ran the girl’s script and started on the boys when the machine jammed in three places. I cleared two of the three but the girls were arriving right at that minute and I couldn’t stay and finish.

All the girls arrived plus one new one and they were definitely excited to be there. That always makes a teacher feel good. Instead of trying to win them over, they were already with me and wanted to work. We did a couple of warm up exercises and talked about voice and diction. Then we read through the script twice. Each time they took a different part. It’s a multi-character script that has only been performed as a drama solo. The soloist did all six parts, with ethnic voices. This time the six parts will be done by the girls giving it a whole new life.

What surprised me is that two of the girls really nailed a couple of the accents. Now if two others can manage the other two accents, it will be downright exciting. I told them to take the script home and practice reading all the parts and next week, I’ll decide who gets what part. However, I had six speaking parts and seven girls.

Today, I reworked the script, so there are more speaking parts and figured out how all the girls will be used in various ways. It should be good.

When the girls went back downstairs, I ran to see if the boy’s script had gotten run off by a good Samaritan. No luck there. I went back to the room and the boys were a no show. I checked downstairs and one of the guys told me, “We talked and we decided that we have too many other activities, so we’re not going to do it.”

Later, the youth pastor’s wife told me they were mostly excited about getting out of Sunday School and really didn’t want to work on anything. So, I didn’t need the guy’s script anyway. I wish they would’ve told me at the beginning of the hour, because the girls could’ve stayed for the whole hour then.

I did talk to the high school pastor to see if I can get a helper from the high school group and he’s working on that for me. So thus ends my second week at Middle School Drama. Seeing how excited the girls are made it a ton of fun for me.

Last week, I did a Drama Bootcamp for about 30 teens who wanted to learn basic drama skills. We started with body language, facial expressions, stage space, imaginary props, then moved on to speaking skills with a partner, drama solo, brainstorming ideas for skits and then an intro to human video. The kids from my church did not attend.

Yesterday, I met them all for the first time. I had never met any of them before and didn’t recognize their last names. There were nine of them from age 11-14, six girls and three boys. They all volunteered so I’m assuming they wanted to learn something. After brief introductions, I started with a warm-up of “Freeze” – a very popular game to help people loosen up a little and get them used to being in front of others and doing funny antics. They got right into it but were surprisingly unimaginative and stiff at first until I jumped in and started doing ridiculous and over-the-top things. Then they seemed to understand that they were also supposed to follow suit. They informed me, “This is fun!” Phew–I managed to do something right.

Next I had them work on some of the exercises from the Drama Bootcamp. Pantomime making a salad with three ingredients and make it so the audience can see what your invisible props are by using your hands, face and body. They took five minutes to prepare–much quicker than I imagined. I think I need a couple of “coaches” to help.

We played another game then I told them that next week we would begin working on scripts. They boys informed me that they wanted their own script because the girls had cooties. I laughed to myself and thought, “In two or three years, you won’t be thinking that.” For now, I think I may get better results if they are separate.

We played another round of “Freeze” to end the session and they were much more animated and engaged for the most part. The boys and girls were exchanging insults a little more freely than I remembered and using words I would never use in church. A couple of the girls were almost withdrawn.

It was a rather interesting experience. When I went upstairs to find Vic, the students came by and weren’t ashamed to acknowledge that they knew me, so I take that as a plus. Thus, I begin another adventure with kids.