Biola University

Yesterday our ride visited two schools on the same day, Biola and Cal Baptist. We split up into two groups and I arrived on Biola’s campus with 15 other equality riders in a white rental van. It was actually quite humorous because of course they were expecting our huge bus, and we completely slipped under their radar as we pulled into the lot, searched for parking, and began unloading before the police officer and administration finally realized that we were already there as they continued to search for us in traffic! To our pleasant surprise we were greeted with handshakes and hugs and shown towards a professor’s classroom where name tags and breakfast awaited us. Students and staff expressed their excitement for us being there and we engaged in “get to know you” talk while everyone ate. Quickly after 8am the class began and Prof. Tim Muehlhoff handed his entire period over to the equality riders; we presented “Letters to Mel,” a presenation in which we read selected letters which people have written to Dr. Rev. Mel White in response to his autobiography “Stranger at the Gate: To be Gay and Christian in America.” The letters range from straight persons sharing how deeply his story has touched their hearts and beliefs, to suicide notes which gay people have mailed before ending their life, to hate mail, and to thank-you letters claiming that his witness has saved their life. After our short presentation we engaged in meaningful conversation with students, allowing them to ask of us any question; it was quite a productive format.

Following that class most riders went to chapel with students; I was interviewed by school media about my personal story and perspective as a Christian and youth minister. Next we met with administrators for over two hours; the room got very tense and heated as we challenged them concerning school policy. The amazing thing was that these administrators WANTED to learn from us; Prof. Pete Menjares actually urged us saying, “Make us uncomfortable; put us in a position to think.” The result was honest communication about what we hoped for and what they needed education about, namely which words are better than others to discuss LGBT issues. (Ex: sexual identity is preferable to homosexual lifestyle; a millionaire has a lifestyle, a professional athlete has a lifestyle, a gay person’s lifestyle is very often identical with a heterosexual person’s lifestyle including grocery shopping, television watching, going to work or school, etc.)

Next we were served lunch with Prof. Gary Strauss’s graduate psychology class; in the first 30 minutes his students presented research they had organized concerning attitudes towards gay men and lesbians on Biola’s campus. The initiative of these students to educate themselves concerning this issue greatly impressed us; we followed their presentation with one of our own; 3 riders including myself shared our coming out stories; we believe putting a face and narrative with abstract issues brings them out of the air and onto the table in a real form. Questions and answers were encouraged after our stories and discussion was fruitful and important.

At 3:15pm our group of 16 split into two and I went with 4 other riders into Prof. Craig Detweiler’s film class. We sat at the front of the room facing students and opened up the entire hour to questions and dialogue. At the end of the day we presented “A History of Violence” to Prof. Pete Menjare’s classroom which included Biola students who were elementary, middle school, and high school teachers. We discussed the climate in America’s schools and talked about the reality of bullying, name calling, and violence which LGBT students face everyday.

The 12 hour day was overwhelming on a number of levels. Students continued to express gratitude for our presence and interest in knowing what they could do individually to create safe places on their own campus. The openness of faculty and administrators to the importance and validity of our message by arranging and facilitating a full day of access to their students was beautiful.

Being on the road 24/7, including Sundays, has been tough on me as a person of faith. I have sorely missed a regular Sunday service or Tuesday chapel time during which to replenish my spirit. At one point in the day I asked a Biola security guard if he would show me to their chapel. I slipped away from the group and found solace in Biola’s Rose of Sharon chapel. I have never in my life been so exhausted physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I feel that as riders, for the sake of necessity, we keep a lot inside us, unprocessed. Waking up at 5am to 14 hour work days during which we constantly unveil our life stories and confront the hurt of students on these campuses is more than I can fully process when I am needed to remain professional, available, and on-call day after day, week after week. Tears flowed freely for the reality which I was facing. All I could say to God was “Thank you.” This sending out of 33 people, ordinary young adults, with no spectacular training or special skills to come up against the ugly injustice of our world seems like an impossible feat, a ridiculous plan, and yet here we were, on the campus of Biola, making a noticeable difference right before our very eyes. God’s greatness, power, and unfathomable heart was visible before me. In my moments of weakness and fatigue I have felt God’s strength and ability. In only a few hours time my e-mail inbox was filled with messages from Biola students, reaching out in love and thanksgiving, adding momentum to God’s desire for compassion and justice. Thanks be to God.