A Call to Care Well

Greetings, students,

We’ve been journeying with students experiencing questions, concerns and stress related to several executive actions relating to immigration status (at the end of this letter, there are resources) that may impact their families and communities. You may be one of the students experiencing this kind of stress. If this is you, please know that we’ve been praying and claiming God’s promise,

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

If you are a student feeling overwhelmed for any reason, please know that the chaplains are available and have a legal obligation to exercise privileged confidentiality, which means they can’t share anything you share in confidence with anyone.

As the president noted in an email earlier this week, Andrews University is a global campus. This is the one place on this planet that gives you the most complete picture of what it means to be part of a church as inclusive as the Seventh-day Adventist Church with over 20 million members.

God assures us that until he returns, the Holy Spirit is with us to comfort and guide us, and in fact, God also calls us to be vessels of care for others, in and outside of the Adventist family:

Romans 12:13: “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Galatians 6:2: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, consider others more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests but rather to the interests of others."

As you encounter friends or strangers, prayerfully ask God to show you how your interaction can encourage and comfort them.

You may be wondering what is expected of us, specifically as a student of Andrews University. And what can you expect from Andrews University with the various changes being announced?

These are reasonable questions to have. I understand that the University administration is working on Andrews University guidelines and protocols on what to do if a federal agent approaches you or an employee.

Additionally, review current expectations for student conduct in the handbook here.

Here are a few resources:

1. You can anonymously share your questions and concerns about the potential impact of the executive orders on the immigration and deportation process to your University experience or any other issue impacting your University experience here. The University administration may not know what is important for you to know, so let them know.
2. According to the Student Handbook, you can request to refuse to permit the dissemination of your directory information, and that link shares how.
3. If you have questions related to your VISA status, please visit the International Student Services office or email them at iss@andrews.edu. Here’s a message they recently shared: international student visas.
4. Contact the chaplains or the Counseling & Testing Center if you feel overwhelmed and stressed; they are legally obligated to keep it confidential.
5. If you want to learn skills about how to navigate life, especially when working through trauma, there’s a practical workshop happening soon, titled “Thriving Through Trauma.” More information can be found here.
6. Remember, you have various student associations and student clubs that you can ask to help communicate questions and concerns to the University administration.
7. Get informed: several credible resources exist about what to do if an Immigration and Customs Officer approaches you online.

I know this doesn’t answer all of your questions, and I’m sure you have questions we may not even know. So please submit your questions and concerns in the form I shared above so the University can help respond to them.

Jesus told us that we will face many troubles in this world. And in the same breath, He said to fear not because He has overcome the world. Until the day he comes again in the clouds, let’s make sure that the fellowship of Christ’s followers embodies the heart of God in all we do. May our love for one another and God expel fear from our midst.

Love is Life—John 3:16

José Bourget
Assistant Vice President for Faith Engagement
University Chaplain