-Frustration-

"To educate Christians who will make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19-20" -- Corban College's mission statement, taken from the Corban website.

Matthew 28:19-20 reads, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

I am getting ready to leave (in 5 days) for a Spring Break mission trip that is organized through Corban and Saint's Equipped to Evangelize. We have been working since October to prepare for this mission trip. Our team mission is based off of two verses in the New Testament. In the book of Matthew. In chapter 28. Ironically enough, these are the same two verses as exist in Corban's mission statement.

We are going forth to make disciples. We are following Christ's command to go. Shouldn't my Christian school, which exists to "educate Christians who will make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ", support our team? One would think.

Only that's not the case.

I have fought tooth and nail with the academic council this year. They have denied some of my fundraisers and have been adament about not allowing us to be excused for the 3 days of classes we will be missing while in Italy. My team members have all saved up their three allotted "excused" absences for every one of their classes. They have not skipped a class yet so that they can use those allotted absences for the days of classes we will miss next week.

And yet I hear things like this from the professors:
"If you miss the exam because of a mission trip, you will not be allowed to make it up. You will have to take a zero on the exam. Mission trips do not count as excused absences."
"You cannot expect me to be okay with you missing two days in a row of this class."
"Mission trips should not happen over Spring Break. It is not a worthy reason to miss class."
"These trips could just as easily happen in May, after school is out, when students wouldn't be missing class."
"It is disrespectful for you to miss my class for a trip that you want to go on."
"Students missing the days before Spring Break is uncalled for. Things will be very different next year."

It makes me sick.

These professors condemn the mission trips out of one side of their mouth and encourage the athletes out of the other side. Most athletes miss class at least once a week to travel to games, and every one of their sports absences are excused. If they miss a test, they have several days after returning from their absence to complete the test. They still receive points for doing the reading for class, even if they're gone when the prof records the reading.

And, no, I am not exaggerating on the athlete information. I have talked to multiple athletes about what happens when they miss classes for games and the same thing is true across the board.

I have heard the argument that, because the school is paying the athletes to be here, they need to excuse their athletic absences. My question is this: shouldn't those of us who are paying to be here be allowed to use our three allotted absences however we wish? Or, better yet, shouldn't a school who exists to "educate Christians who will make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ" support the school sponsored mission trips and excuse students for missing two days of class?

It makes me sick. We are going halfway across the world to Satan's backyard, and we're not even being supported by the professors at our CHRISTIAN school.

Now, this does not reflect the view of every professor at Corban. I have come across plenty of professors who whole-heartedly support the teams. These professors have blessed and encouraged my heart an incredible amount over the past three years that I've gone to Italy. I am so thankful for them.

It just hurts my heart that the rest of the school can't get behind us and support the fact that we are going to share a life-changing truth with these people who may not hear it otherwise. I just want things to go back to my freshman year, where almost half of the school went on missions trips, and everyone was excused.

Corban is changing a lot....and I don't think it's always for the better. It hurts my heart.

-Exhausted-

In the past 60 hours, I've had 4.5 hours of sleep.

sick. why do college profs schedule half your tests and make almost every paper due in the same week? theology mid-term, LD test, CAC paper, LD paper, another LD paper, HJC test...all in one week. plus trying to do everything that I'll miss next week.

MISERY.

-"Nakiva, how did you tear your pants?"-

Yesterday was a snow day. Beautiful, wonderful, restful snow day. I think I was praising the Lord all day for it.

Despite the bliss of cancelled classes, I still had to present myself at work at 7:15am. So much for sleeping in.

I arrived at work precisely 1 minute late. 7:16. No sooner had I grabbed my keys, inventory sheet, and cart, that I found myself being cornered by an Aramark cook.

"Are you opening the coffee shop this morning?"
"Yeah."
"Aren't you late?"
"By 1 minute."
"Bethany's looking for you."
"Where?"
"She's up at the coffee shop opening for you."

oh, heaven's perfect bliss! Bethany, the head honcho of Aramark, is upset with me. NOT a pretty picture. I gathered my needed supplies and began the trek over to the coffee shop. Let me just say, pushing a massively heavy cart up an ice and snow coated hill is NOT quite my idea of fun. Alas, it pays well. Not well actually, but a mere $7.95 an hour. Alas.

As I'm carrying the crate of milk into the coffee shop, I am again accosted, this time by the Honcho herself.

"Are you okay?"
"Yeah..."
"Why are you late then?"
"I don't have to open for another 20 minutes."
"No, you open now."
"No, I open in 20 minutes. At 7:45."
"It's 7:55 right now."
"No, it's 7:25."
"Damn! I forgot I set my watch 30 minutes fast!"

Joyus.

I proceeded to take my inventory in and prepare to unlock the gate so my caffiene-loving customers could further their addictions. As I am going to open my till, I realize that the till bag is not upstairs hwere it should be. Funny, if Honcho was opening for me, why did she not bring money? Alas. I had another 14 minutes to spare (since I was 20 minutes early) so I walked out the door to head downstairs and get my till. I shut the automatic locking door behind me.

FRICK.

My keys are sitting on the counter. Pure bliss! I scoped out my situation and decided it was far more important to have the coffee shop open than to have money in the till. I eyed the ominous accordion gate that keeps the customers out. Yes. I can fit through that 12" space between the top of the gate and the ceiling!

For some reason this sounded like a good idea. I proceeded to climb the wobbling gate, get stuck on the top, tear my pants, gash out my leg, and fall to my near death. What a way to start the morning! Within a few minutes, someone was there to deliver my till. I hadn't even needed to go through that pain!

Noel, my wonderful boss, showed up shortly after 9am to take over. The first thing he said to me when he walked in?

"Nakiva, how did you tear your pants?"

There you have it, my friends. One of my many moments of crowning glory.