FEATURES

Exploring La Sierra University’s Recent Mission Trips

By: Yvonne Agriam

La Sierra University, founded on service and compassion, facilitates these values through global mission trips. Recently, La Sierra organized and sent groups of students to Hawaii and Mexico, where they had unforgettable experiences while working hard to leave lasting impacts on the communities visited.

Last summer, twelve students joined La Sierra’s Spiritual Life team for a mission trip to O’ahu. From June 26 to July 3, they helped local farmers maintain their farmland. From replanting taro patches to assisting with the fish pond’s upkeep, students witnessed the impact of their efforts and were able to experience the farmers’ livelihood firsthand. Larissa Suarez, who is a fourth-year student, explained her time in Hawaii and her first mission trip: “This trip impacted me greatly by having the opportunity to work in the nature God created for us.” Suarez described how some farmers did not have the financial resources to hire more workers to help in their farms. Thus, by helping the farmers replant their taro and assist in other farm tasks, Suarez felt that she was contributing to the livelihoods of these farmers. “Knowing how important the taro farms are to the Hawaiian community, I was also given the opportunity to lend a helping hand to those who are not fortunate enough to receive the help they may need,” said Suarez.

La Sierra participated in its second mission trip of the year to Ensenada, Mexico from Jan. 19 to Jan. 22. The trip was organized by Loma Linda University’s Students for International Missions Service (LLU SIMS) and coordinated by by the Pre-Health Adventist Missions program (PHAM), which La Sierra University’s Office of Academic and Career Services (OACS) Pre-Health Office started this year. Ten students from La Sierra and approximately 25 students from Loma Linda handed out food, hygiene products and toy bags to the surrounding towns of Ensenada.

The PHAM student missionaries also volunteered at two shelters in the area. The first shelter was dedicated to housing mothers and children who have experienced domestic abuse. Here, students split into two groups, with one group dedicated to socializing with the mothers while the other group devoted time to playing with the children. The second shelter was a children’s orphanage; in both places, the student missionaries played games, such as musical chairs, tag and card games. Caleb Kim, a third-year student who aided the Mexico PHAM mission trip, was greatly impacted by this experience. "It really showed me that, at my young age, I can literally change someone's life," he said. Kim realized that his presence offered more than mere companionship to the children seeking asylum from their abusive fathers. He was also demonstrating a positive male figure in their lives. “When we went to the first shelter, the host there mentioned that to all the male figures present, we were giving the children another masculine figure to look up to. That meant a lot to me because sometimes I don't think about my actions or what I say, but that can impact someone’s life,” said Kim.

Palau native and third-year student, Nobuyuki Yano, offered his perspective on the receiving end of mission work. Yano worked alongside student missionaries and teachers from the beginning of first grade through high school. Reflecting on his experience, Yano most remembers the educational and moral support he received from these missionaries. “They motivated me to go to school outside of Palau. They helped me with college applications and prepared me for what the United States would be like,” said Yano. Beyond academic assistance, Yano created meaningful connections with the student missionaries, maintaining contact with them to this day. “I still keep in touch with them and even attend church with them sometimes now that I am here at La Sierra University,” he added.

Another student whose life has been influenced by missionary aid is Elva Garcia, a third-year student hailing from Mexico. Garcia recalls Christian missionaries who would consistently visit her church, Bethel Elohim Evangelical Church. Garcia recalls the missionaries’ dedication to serving her community, from coordinating activities with the youth to assisting in construction work for other church members. “The kids loved having activities and snacks while the older women of the church loved cooking for them. Others did construction work and fixed or built houses,” said Garcia. These frequent missionary visits not only provided practical assistance but also fostered deep connections with Garcia’s family. “Some of them are friends with my family. Whenever they come, they stay at our house,” added Garcia.

Mission trips, which some have coined as “volunteerism,” have often been criticized as inefficient resources or as travel experiences that are mainly for the visitors rather than for the communities they aim to assist. While these criticisms may hold validity for some trips and should be considered by mission trip organizers, La Sierra's stories from both student missionaries and locals from mission fields reflect positively on La Sierra's mission work thus far. La Sierra continues to uphold its commitment to service, dedicating efforts to making a positive difference in the world.

Wildlife Conservation Efforts at La Sierra University

By: Eddie Nguyen

In the past few decades, public awareness of climate change has increased. Paralleling this has been a growing sense of urgency to mitigate the effects of climate change before they cause further permanent damage to the global ecosystem. One resulting effort has been in the field of wildlife conservation. At La Sierra University, the Grismer and Trueblood research labs lead these conservation efforts. 

The Grismer research lab, under Jesse and Lee Grismer, is at the frontier of amphibian and reptile research. Their lab is responsible for the discovery of hundreds of new Southeast Asian amphibian and reptile species. Undergraduate students in their lab have had the opportunity to travel internationally to take part in the discovery of new species, work alongside renowned international conservation institutions, lead conservation efforts taking place at La Sierra and author their own publications in peer-reviewed journals. Last summer, members of the Grismer Lab took part in an exchange-study program at the Vietnamese National University of Forestry. Undergraduate students taught and trained alongside Vietnamese students at the university and explored remote jungle regions to collect rare species.

Currently, the Grismer research lab is partaking in a modern “ark” project, which includes 50 different specimens of endangered Vietnamese Tiger Geckos from the Cologne Zoo in Germany. These are being cared for at La Sierra until their release back into their natural habitat. Led by Sarah Goymer, a fourth-year student, the “ark” project is the culmination of years of behind-the-scenes work. Although tiny, these geckos play an important role in the proper maintenance of their ecosystem. They regulate the local insect and plant population and are important sources of food for other animals higher up in the food chain. The loss of any one of these crucial species could result in a domino effect that could lead to the collapse of their entire ecosystem, creating serious implications for the human populations that rely on the ecosystem for food, water and shelter. 

The repopulation of these geckos serves to not only preserve an ecosystem but also inspire more undergraduate students to pursue conservation studies. The project has already received recognition from a news outlet and has stirred positive interest among students within the La Sierra Biology department. The professors of the Grismer Lab want to make it clear that all are welcome and that one does not need a doctorate to make meaningful contributions to wildlife conservation. “I don’t care if you’re working in the hottest, most arid place on the planet or you’re stuck in some dank, dreary rainforest on top of some mountain in Malaysia, my message is: go out there, make your tracks … and do not be a bystander in this age of discovery, be a participant!" said Lee Grismer in his 2021 "Geckos, Guns, and Gurus" TEDxLaSierraUniversity speech (link).

Dr. Trueblood’s primary interest is in studying the effects of changing environments on marine animals. The discoveries made through this research will be crucial in contributing to the understanding of climate change. With this knowledge, policymakers and private individuals alike can make better, more environmentally conscious choices that will add up over time. Like the endangered geckos studied in the Grismer lab, Octopuses also play an important role in regulating marine ecosystems. Octopuses control the population size of other marine animals by feeding on them, and also act as sources of food for larger predators. Interestingly, Trueblood’s research has shown that octopuses tend to be resistant to ocean acidification, but for unknown reasons. Trueblood plans to survey more octopuses in the future to better understand this phenomenon.

Trueblood also does important research on oceanic salp populations. This marine species plays an important role in managing oceanic CO2 levels. Recently, Trueblood made a breakthrough when he became the first person to measure the metabolic rate of salps at different temperatures. He plans to take a trip to Bermuda next summer to collect more salps and get a better understanding of how oceanic warming and acidification are affecting their metabolic rate and migration patterns. In turn, these have a direct effect on the level of CO2 that can be absorbed by the ocean. Incorrect salp modeling data has led to gigaton discrepancies in previous oceanic CO2 sequestration estimates, highlighting the need for a clearer picture. The data obtained through Trueblood’s research may be used to better predict the level of carbon that can be sequestered within the ocean, ultimately giving policymakers and the general public a more accurate prediction of the effects of climate change. 

Oftentimes, technological constraints force Trueblood to be resourceful and creative in his methodology, something that is evident as one steps foot in his lab. Homemade appliances and inexpensive consumer electronics are repurposed into cutting-edge technology used to study marine animals. This creates a fun and interesting environment for students, where out-of-the-box thinking is encouraged and science is made accessible for all. As part of this research lab, students gain the unique opportunity to directly care for and study these rare creatures.

Through these research labs, La Sierra contributes to continued public awareness and solution-finding for issues regarding wildlife conservation. Interest in these projects will hopefully get students involved and interested in conservation research, particularly those in the biology field who are inclined toward pre-health professions. 

The impact of conservation work extends further than preserving wildlife and habitats–it also has a direct impact on human populations. Many illnesses can be preemptively treated by improving ambient living conditions, particularly in third-world countries. And medical treatment may only be a band-aid solution because individuals will inevitably have to return to areas under environmental stresses that may have initially contributed to their condition.

While the primary goal of these research labs is to address wildlife conservation issues at hand, the larger goal is to train a new generation of wildlife scientists to carry the mantle of research, which will impact all populations of life on Earth.

Caminemos Juntos con Amor, Luz y Esperanza: A Beacon of Hope for Colima, Mexico and the Riverside Community

BY: YVONNE AGRIAM

Caminemos Juntos con Amor, Luz y Esperanza (CJAE) is a non-profit civil association in Colima, Mexico. Since its foundation on Jan. 23, 2009, it has served as a beacon of hope for the local community. The organization's name translates to “Let’s Walk Together with Love, Light and Hope,” which illustrates its mission: Improving the quality of life of children, adolescents, and low-income adults with disabilities, cancer, and terminal and chronic diseases in the Colima area. Beyond medical care, the organization supports its patients’ emotional, social, and familial development through counseling and support groups. Through the work of Dr. Rivera and Susana Gutierrez, CJAE is not only able to operate within Colima, but has the ability to extend to other communities.

Led by Dr. Maria Angeles Rivera, M.D., CJAE operates a clinic that provides a comprehensive range of services. Rivera collaborates with other volunteers, nurses, nutritionists, speech therapists, counselors, and fellow orthopedic professionals, all working towards a common goal. The services the team provides include nutrition programs, various rehabilitation therapies, psychology sessions and health education classes. In addition to medical services, CJAE’s pantry campaigns distribute essential items such as non-perishable foods, clothes, diapers, toiletries, and school supplies to their beneficiaries. 

Susana Garcia Gutierrez has been aiding CJAE by advocating for its services and bringing awareness to the clinic. Gutierrez is a La Sierra University master's degree student with a focus on behavioral science. As a social worker, Gutierrez has a drive to serve the Riverside community, with a primary focus on young adults who suffer from neglected behavioral treatment during childhood. She previously worked with children in foster care, specifically in minority communities. She is also the head of “Movimento Influential Women of Work” also known as “Movimento IWOW,” which is a program that empowers immigrant families and women to speak up about their mental health. “I provide training to our members on mental, spiritual, physical health and basic financial information to empower self-determination and education in our community,” said Gutierrez. 

With her occupational experience and involvement with the Riverside community, Gutierrez was drawn to the work of CJAE. Hailing from Colima, Mexico herself, Gutierrez had been aware of Rivera's organization since its creation. Although they had been friends since the start of the organization in 2009, Gutierrez mainly observed Rivera’s work as she kept in contact with her. Inspired by her mission, Gutierrez eventually decided to use her experience and join forces with Rivera in 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of Gutierrez’s biggest events in raising funds for CJAE was through her birthday gala. On Dec. 22, 2023, Gutierrez hosted a birthday gala dinner and requested that all of her birthday gifts be made donations to CJAE. Guiterrez continues to support CJAE through out-of-pocket donations, advocacy on social media and community events. 

Gutierrez’s goal is the eventual expansion of CJAE to serve the Inland Empire area by holding a similar comprehensive clinic. She has already begun these efforts by teaming up with the community of Riverside, such as conducting outreach programs in the Latino community in hopes of bringing awareness to mental health, fostering healthy family support systems, and challenging the cultural stigmas of seeking medical and psychological help. “I want to break the stigma of immigrant children being afraid to ask for help. I know that they have to deal with two cultures: where their parents are from and their American identity. With that, it’s hard to navigate through their struggles without help,” she said. Gutierrez has also worked alongside the La Sierra University Church by conducting divorce care programs and support groups to help survivors of divorced families. Her frequent visits to Spanish churches from different denominations have also helped her receive referrals for families in need of emotional guidance, behavioral coaching and mental health assistance. 

Although CJAE has not been fully established in the Riverside area, there are many ways in which the community can support the organization’s efforts. For the CJAE clinic stationed in Colima, donations can be made to the organization through their website at https://caminemosjuntosconamor.org/. Donations can be sent through the mail via their address, with their work hours being provided below:

Reforma # 81, Centro, CP 28000 Colima, Col., Mexico

Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:03 p.m.

More information on how to contact CJAE can also be found below.

Instagram: @fundacion_caminemosjuntos 

Facebook: Caminemos Juntos Con Amor, Luz Y Esperanza A.C. 
Email: contacto@caminemosjuntosconamor.org

Phone Number: +52 312 688-4063

La Sierra University and the Riverside community as a whole can also support CJAE by helping bring the mission of the clinic to the Inland Empire. At this moment, Gutierrez requests access to a physical space so a legal process can be made to expand CJAE to California. For more information, Susana Garcia Gutierrez can be reached via her phone number: (626) 399-1780.

Black Girl Hockey Club: Finding Community Within Sports

By: Quinn mcfarland

California hosts only three of the 32 National Hockey League (NHL) teams – the Anaheim Ducks, the Los Angeles Kings, and the San Jose Sharks – often leaving hockey enthusiasts in the state struggling to find fellow fans. It can be even harder for marginalized groups to find a sports community. This is the problem that R. Renee Hess set out to remedy when she founded Black Girl Hockey Club, a non-profit organization, in 2018.

R. Renee Hess, the associate director of service learning at La Sierra University, started Black Girl Hockey Club to create a space for Black women to safely engage in hockey and build a community out of it. “I really just wanted to have some Black girls to hang out with and talk hockey with,” stated Hess. “I don’t know a lot of Black girl hockey fans in Southern California, so I wanted to do something about that.” Hess’s journey with Black Girl Hockey Club began when she sent out a message on Twitter, now X, in December 2018. Her tweet asked, “Where are all the Black girl hockey fans?” From there, she flew to Washington, D.C. from California to meet up with those who responded, which totaled forty Black men and women from ages two to 80. They attended a Washington Capitals game, which was special as the team had just won the Stanley Cup. Notably, there were two Black players on the team and two of the Washington Capitals franchise owners are also Black. “I remember kind of sitting there with the families, the hockey moms and their kids, the fans, some younger, some older,” said Hess. “I thought, this is so cool, but we could do something more, something even cooler.” From this point onward, Black Girl Hockey Club would begin to grow in its impact.

What started as small events and get-togethers to watch hockey has since grown to include a scholarship program; this program has surpassed $70,000 worth of scholarships, awarded to 40 girls from ages 9-18. The organization also has a leadership and development program, where it mentors young aspiring professionals who want to be involved with hockey without being on the ice. “We try to connect young Black folks of all genders to professionals who work in the sport to get them a leg up in that space,” commented Hess. The program includes jobs in journalism, coaching, and administration of hockey operations.

The Black Girl Hockey Club strives to create a safe space for young Black girls to feel supported and celebrated in their sport, while also addressing social issues within the sports realm. “Sports is a microcosm of society,” comments Hess. “We see the issues that we have in society, and you’re going to also find them in sports, so combating that is really an uphill battle.” While the NHL has openly celebrated LGBTQ+ pride and other cultures within the last decade, some critics claim it has become too divisive. Regardless, many teams are hiring members of the LGBTQ+ and Black community in various roles within hockey. Although it may not be across the entire national hockey league, there are individuals within clubs, cities, and offices, who continue to disrupt the status quo. “What we do with Black Girl Hockey Club is try to address the issues within the spaces that we occupy,” says Hess.

One way that Hess and the club have targeted issues within hockey is through their “Get Uncomfortable” campaign. This advocacy campaign and pledge encouraged non-Black women allies to think about how to make hockey safer and more inclusive. When it started in 2020, it quickly went viral throughout social media. National hockey league teams and various other levels of hockey leagues signed up with their club to promote the cause. “By signing up, you have to be down with the cause,” stated Hess. “You have to show that you are willing to have conversations about equity in sports, and women in sports, and racism, homophobia, islamophobia in sports, and how that affects you and your club, your constituents, and your audience.” This will be the fourth year since the pledge was created, and Black Girl Hockey Club continues to celebrate the partnership that has been created between the club and teams across the country.

As Black Girl Hockey Club continues to grow, it continues to create spaces for marginalized folks in hockey. It has recently expanded into Toronto, Canada, which has come with the challenge of navigating a different administrative structure while still maintaining the same mission and goals. They continue to give cash scholarships to young Black girls worldwide, and they hope to further provide to all different parts of North America and internationally. “There are Black girl players and fans all around the world. I’m not a unicorn like I thought I was,” commented Hess. “I thought I was the only one for such a long time, but creating a community like this keeps me and everyone connected to one another.” If you would like to learn more about Black Girl Hockey Club and sign the “Get Uncomfortable” pledge for yourself, see these links below:

Website: https://blackgirlhockeyclub.org/

Pledge: https://blackgirlhockeyclub.org/take-the-pledge-get-uncomfortable/

Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/25f9f20e14ea/bghcnewsletter

Instagram: @blackgirlhockeyclub

X: @BlackGirlHockey

current affairs special features: israel-palestine conflict

By: David Gonzalez

There is much ongoing protest throughout the world in response to the events that occurred on Oct. 7 in Israel, where HAMAS militants from the Gaza Strip entered Israeli settlements, killed 1,400 people and took hundreds of hostages. The country of Israel has responded with a military campaign aimed at "destroying HAMAS." In the last month, the number of Palestinians killed in the fighting and drone strikes, including civilians, has risen to 10,000, leaving many in the international community calling on Israel for a ceasefire. In the United States this event has caused division, most notably in universities nationwide. Many student organizations have released statements denouncing the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. In multiple instances, alumni and affiliated firms of prestigious universities have opposed the student organizations, denouncing these accusations as anti-Semitic. On Capitol Hill, protesters repeatedly interrupted a hearing by the House Judiciary Committee on free speech on college campuses. 

President Biden has continued to support the Israeli government and has not called on a ceasefire in Palestine, instead giving his full support for any Israeli action taken in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. Israel has been a long time ally of the United States and historically has always been supported by it militarily; it is just unknown of how much and when. As of this writing, the U.S. legislature has not authorized any emergency aid to Israel due to ongoing and multifaceted division in Congress. Despite this, legislation has been passed by the House and is pending approval by the Senate. Some aid has managed to make its way to Israel using alternative legal measures, but it's only a fraction of what the U.S. usually has been known to give. 

To many, however, the conflict feels distant and confusing. Why is the United States so invested in this event? Why is it becoming one of the most divisive points in current global affairs? For many, the daily preoccupations of life keep staying informed about current affairs low on the list of priorities, understandably so. Nevertheless, for students and the next generation of civic citizens, it remains critical to have the clearest context possible.

Why does Israel have a state within a state? The region that is now recognized as the country of Israel includes the city of Jerusalem, which holds religious significance for many beliefs; this region has been under the rule of various powers throughout history. In more recent centuries, the region was under Ottoman rule until the British Empire took control from them. It remained under British control until the Holocaust occurred in World War II. In 1947, shortly after the war was won, the UN voted to create two states in the region, giving a large section to those of Jewish ancestry who had suffered under Nazi persecution. Regardless of the various nations controlling this region, the same ethnic and religious groups have lived there for centuries as a result of all the activity that has historically taken place in the region. Consequently, relations between groups in the region have been unstable.

Dr. Ken Crane, an associate professor of sociology at La Sierra's HPS department, has conducted research on migrants in the Middle East. His work focused on the aftermath of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq by U.S. coalition forces. Crane provided insights into the current regional context to gain a better understanding of the Middle East and the factors that divide HAMAS and Israel. Since the creation of the Israeli state in 1947, multiple Arab nations have rejected the idea of an Israeli state in what they consider to be Palestinian territory. While other Middle Eastern nations have generally shown solidarity with Palestine, it has “historically not been their top priority” said Crane. Iran, the biggest supporter of HAMAS, supports a network of anti-Israeli militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon. Egypt, which shares a border with Israeli territory, has made substantial diplomatic progress since the Camp David Accords of 1979 in its relations with the state of Israel and has established one of the few border checkpoints with the Gaza Strip, though the Palestinian matter was not addressed. In the present, leading up to the attacks, the Saudi Arabian government was in talks to sign a security agreement with Israel, although it is unclear what the status of Palestine would be in this agreement. Even among the Palestinians and Israelis, there is a great disagreement on the matter, with some believing that the other side should not exist, while others support a fully representative democracy that includes both groups. Despite support for the Palestinian cause among other Arab nations, other conflicting interests have resulted in the repeated neglect of Palestinian questions. The ongoing attacks since October are a firm reminder that the situation will only continue deteriorating if a resolution is not found.

Professor Mary Shin, who teaches the course War Crimes and International Policy, shared some context from an international law perspective in regard to the situation. Shin’s students this quarter have been learning about the laws that exist to regulate warfare and the meticulous legal framework behind complex treaties and codes of conduct. International humanitarian law (IHL) is a set of conventions, treaties and war crimes tribunal rulings that form a body of law. Israel has not signed on to several of the laws by the IHL, specifically the one regarding collective punishment. It is a breach of IHL to inflict punishment on a group for actions done by the individual, which is what Israeli forces have been doing in Palestine in response to the terrorist attacks. Both sides have breached the laws of IHL since the outbreak of conflict, with HAMAS still holding hundreds of hostages taken from the initial attacks, a clearly defined war crime in Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. After continued global pressure a ceasefire was issued beginning Nov. 24 and lasted a total of four days, however fighting has since continued. Many of the hostages have been released following a temporary ceasefire, but fighting has once more continued. As the death toll in Gaza rises due to Israeli airstrikes it becomes clear that they are in clear breach of Article 33, which specifies that military action on civilians because of terrorism in violation of IHL.

For now, it appears unlikely that the UN or any other international organization will intervene due to the potential for an escalation in conflict that drags in other nations. At this moment, most nations are calling for a complete ceasefire, urging both Palestine and Israel to return to negotiations and for more aid to make its way into Gaza. As students, it is possible to support those in dire need right now by donating to organizations that, despite the blockades, continue to do what they can in the region to help those in need. These include UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, and the Red Cross. Staying informed on the issue and being aware of the historical context can also cut through the confusion and misinformation and educate others on what's really going on.