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Geosciences
in Global Ministry
March
30th-April 1st, 2005
The Symposium,
Geoscience in Global Ministry concluded on April 1st after
several “mini-events”. This 3 day conference explored
the application of geoscience technologies to holistic global
ministry. Topics covered included: groundwater development,
energy, wastewater management, and other sustainable development
topics. The conference included lectures, demonstrations (well
drilling, handheld GPS units, resistivity,), a field trip
to a wastewater recycling facility, and meals for participants
and speakers to mingle at.
On March 30th,
Dr. Chris Walley from Wales offered a chapel presentation
on the theology of Creation and our responsibility as caretakers.
Later that day, Walley gave a retrospective on his experience
in Lebanon as geology professor (American University of Beirut),
and missionary conservationist (Aammiq wetland). War and religion/politics
have been a major threat to the only remaining flyway “oasis”
for birds migrating between Africa and east-central Europe.
The second presentation by Walley was preceded
by an analysis of the past, present and future of energy economics
and the relationship to world politics, geology and opportunities
for Christian influence. The presenter was Alex Kulpecz, former
executive and geologist for Shell Oil and now energy consultant/entrepreneur.
Kulpecz indicated certain misunderstandings concerning the
relationship between petroleum prices, supplies and government-versus-industry
regulation. For example, rampant consumption, demand and shrinking
supplies are mainly responsible for our concerns, as opposed
to the common feeling that OPEC, energy companies and governments
conspire to over price petroleum. In addition to the implied
call for greater conservation, Kulpecz outlined ways that
Christian professionals can serve to improve conditions and
effectively convey the love of Christ for people of all cultures.
Professor B.E. Vijayam, distinguished geologist
from Hyderabad India provided a comprehensive overview of
his holistic development ministries, TENT (Christian NGO-None
Government Organization) and PROGRESS (scientific/technical
support for development organization). Vijayam emphasized
how integral geology is to many aspects of meeting human needs
and caring for God's good Creation. In particular, he demonstrated
the importance of enabling women at risk in many cultures
through education, organization and financial counseling.
In one visual representation, he showed the small-scale exploitation
of a very silica-rich rock by a women's cooperative. They
mine the rock with simple tools and receive a good price for
the optical-grade material. Other examples of ministry included
hydrogeologic projects designed to provide abundant clean
water for villages, to filter contaminants and avoid disease,
and to redirect storm flow and avoid flooding. The multitude
of given examples generated a great deal of questions and
comments from the listeners. Most recently, Vijayam's ministries
have focused attention on the massive rebuilding necessary
around the Indian Ocean in the literal wake of the horrible
Dec. 26, 2004 tsunami. The opportunities for
missionary practitioners are tremendous.
Thursday, March 31 featured two main presentations.
The first was by Dr. Jack Sheaffer, on his recent water-recycling
project in Morocco. Sheaffer is well known as technical advisor
to U.S. presidents, for co-authoring portions of the Clean
Water Act, for his publications and projects on flood proofing,
and as the foremost proponent of the aerated-lagoon system
of water recycling. His description of the engineered system
for cities, towns and suburbs is most convincing in opposition
to most conventional sewerage systems. Typical sewers and
waste-water treatment are quite expensive and they return
water to the environment by way of unnatural pathways, thus
creating various problems. Sheaffer's systems use only natural
methods to treat contaminated water and use the dissolved
"pollutants" as resource through reintroduction
on crops, lawns and back safely into the groundwater. On Friday
afternoon, students, faculty and others interested visited
two sites utilizing the Sheaffer system.
After dinner on Thursday, a panel on water
resource ministry was convened with our Dr. Jim Clark as moderator.
Panelists included, Patricia Klever, project manager for LIFEWATER
INTERNATIONAL, an evangelical NGO that drills water wells
and trains local people to drill and maintain their own water
sources. Their work is especially strong in dryer regions
of Africa. Dean Ekberg, Wheaton College Geology alum, quarry
owner, and doctoral student at Northern Illinois University
contributed his stories of missionary water-well drilling
in Africa (Liberia and Zimbabwe) to the panel. Dean began
his geological career as a petroleum geologist and was later
called via faith into missionary work. Dr. Milovan Beljian,
a private hydrogeology consultant completed the panel with
his presentation of work in Jamaica. Beljian described the
many sad environmental degradations, including mining, deforestation,
poor community sanitation, and various other sources of contamination
that plague an island of such tropical beauty. The Jamaican
capitol of Kingston represents a whole set of terrible conditions
that beg improvement. Beljian serves the Jamaican people by
sharing his expertise at different levels. He teaches Jamaican
and other Caribbean professionals how to analyze conditions
and plan the implementation of projects to repair the damaged
environment. It is hoped that the training will multiply and
eventually show a significant benefit to the natural systems
and the humans that depend upon them. The panel's audience
asked several questions that allowed the diverse perspectives
to complement each other.
At 1pm on Wednesday and Thursday, demonstrations
were offered to see how technology is employed by geoscientists
in service. The Geology Department now has a drill rig as
used by Lifewater in their work. The motorized rig and a hand-operated
apparatus were on display in front of the science building.
Jim Clark and students also demonstrated the use of simple
geophysical instruments (of Clark's own fabrication) in exploration
for groundwater. The seismometer and resistivity units were
built for under $250 each and could be used by NGOs instead
of commercial units costing several thousands of dollars.
Thursday afternoon, GIS (Geographic Information System; map-based
spatial analysis) and GPS (Global Positioning System) technologies
were demonstrated during a major poster/display session held
at the Beamer Student Center. Map data were shown on both
PC and hand-held computer platforms. Tremendous potential
exists in GIS to study problems and help derive achievable
solutions. The remainder of the display session featured over
fifty posters illustrating faculty-student research and student
internship projects, as well as displays by professional organizations.
Some of the posters represented completed studies and outreach
via the college's HNGR (Human Needs and Global Resources)
Program and the student-run Honduras water project. Others
exhibited progress in water work in Chad and Tanzania. One
poster indicated a project to come in summer 2005 to help
a poor, AIDS-devastated township in South Africa with their
sanitation problems.
Because the main theme and intent of this
symposium was student opportunities for ministry through their
major, meal times over the three days were devoted to discussion
with the experts. Students from Olivet Nazarene, Hope, and
Calvin Colleges took part as guests along with the host students
from Wheaton. It was mutually agreed that accessibility of
practical information, along with inspiration was
abundant during the symposium.
Speakers'
Bios
Photo
Gallery
For more information,
contact: Geology@wheaton.edu
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