Steve Stetler loved the HIM missionary team! As our Member Care Director, Steve was always looking for ways the mission could come alongside our missionaries to support them in any way possible. In the year leading up to his death, Steve and I held several conversations about the fact that many of our missionary families had children either at or rapidly approaching college age. Steve and I had worked together and developed a plan to begin raising funds to help our missionaries offset some of the expenses related to sending their children to college. In fact before his illness the last meeting I held with Steve was focused on this topic. His plan was to write the text for a fundraising letter. But before he could write that letter, God had other plans and promoted him to heaven.
Daryl Housman, who began serving as HIM Director of Member Care on January 1, 2022, shares Steve’s passion for our missionary children. We are picking this project back up and plan to call it the Steve Stetler Memorial College Fund. Following are some thoughts from Daryl.
Harold Martin
President, FEA Ministries
I am deeply honored to follow in the footsteps of our dear brother, Steve Stetler, and continue his passion for our missionary kids. “MKs” are extremely important to the kingdom, both now and for eternity. We at HIM are working hard to provide assistance to our MKs.
Many college students face the daunting task of transitioning from a structured academic and home life to one with more freedom to make their own decisions. Another great challenge they face is how to pay for college. The MK has these obstacles plus the huge factor of acclimating to a different culture.
My previous experience in working with at-risk and international college students at a US university alerted me to the diverse needs students bring to the college experience. Because many MKs go to the field early in life, they may face culture shock for the first time, while other MKs will face reverse culture shock. Regardless of their situation, their adjustments are exponentially greater than the typical college student. For many, their country of service has become home. One HIM MK whom I have had the privilege of assisting in the transition process said, “The biggest culture shock challenge I faced when we came back was transitioning from a community-based mindset to the American individualist mindset. After living in such an emphasis on community, coming back and living as an individual has been very different.” Personally speaking, one of the great joys I have is meeting with our MKs and listening to their thoughts as they transition back to the US.
The importance of our MKs continuing to trust God for all their needs is paramount in their personal development. However, we also desire to assist in their transition and raise enough funds to offer a generous scholarship for our HIM MK’s college tuition needs. This will enable each student to focus on the transition from high school to college and cultural adjustments without having concerns about their school bill. We have a committee in place overseeing guidelines on how funds will be administered. Based on available funds and student needs, we will process subsequent MK college needs on a year-by-year basis. Our eventual goal is to build a $100,000 endowed scholarship, thereby enabling a long term educational legacy.
Another school year has just come to a close, and the summer months stretch before us. Before long students will be returning to college for continued preparation and training. This year, several more of our MKs will be joining them. Please consider giving generously to the Steve Stetler Memorial College Fund to help alleviate their financial needs. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of these worthy young people!
In Christ,
Daryl Hausman
Director of Member Care