BERLIN, Ohio (Mennonite Mission Network) — Emily Schaeffer has a loving family in Selestat, France. But a Youth Venture experience that took her to New Paris, Indiana, gave her a second family, lasting friendships, direction for her future, and a new hobby.
Youth Venture is a Mennonite Mission Network program for high school and college youth to serve and learn in another culture. Sometimes, youth from the United States are sent in groups to international locations; other times, the cross-cultural visit happens in the United States. In Schaeffer’s experience, she joined a trip co-sponsored by Youth Venture and Joie et Vie, a French Mennonite organization that provides summer activities to help youth develop physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Lasting friendships
When Schaeffer visited northern Indiana in 2011 with Youth Venture, she was hosted by Becky and Todd Helmuth, who had traveled to France many times and had hosted French Youth Venture participants before. From his own cross-cultural experience, Todd remembered the word pomme, or apple. In the beginning, they had lots of conversations about apples, said Schaeffer, joking. Becky and Todd Helmuth and Schaeffer hit it off and have kept in touch ever since.
In the summer of 2012, the Helmuths led a Youth Venture group from the United States to France. Their daughter, Jordan, was a Youth Venture participant that year and was hosted by Schaeffer. Together, they made friends with French Mennonites as they visited churches that are centuries-old as well as new, immigrant churches.
The next summer, Schaeffer returned to visit the Helmuths. During her visit, Schaeffer spent three weeks in Wisconsin. She remembers thinking, “When will I come home?” and at that moment, knew that home, for Schaeffer, was northern Indiana.
Direction for her future
Unlike many of her peers, Schaeffer’s college decision was an easy one. She chose Goshen (Indiana) College. “I felt at home there,” she said. And if Schaeffer ever gets homesick, she wanders down the hall of her dorm to see a familiar face: a friend who visited France (and Schaeffer) with Youth Venture!
Schaeffer feels confident that God wanted her to come to Goshen College “to improve my faith,” she said, “by being around lots of people who share the same [values].”
Schaeffer isn’t sure what God wants for her life yet, so she’s pursuing what she loves: math. With a double major in math and physics, Schaeffer also hopes to add a minor in American Sign Language. Schaeffer does not slack. “I knew if I went to Goshen College, I had to work hard,” she said.
Even with this busy schedule, Becky Helmuth and Schaeffer still find time to meet for lunch once a month. Schaeffer spends some weekends with the Helmuths—including worship at North Goshen (Indiana) Mennonite Church.
A new hobby
Before Schaeffer came to the United States, she wasn’t sure she wanted to come. Schaeffer went on previous service and learning trips with Joie et Vie, but it took a friend’s prodding for her to think, “Why not?” This sparked a new hobby for Schaeffer—traveling!
Becky and Todd Helmuth share this passion with Schaeffer. Traveling helps expand our outlook on the world, said Becky Helmuth, and saw this to be true in the Youth Venture participants she and Todd Helmuth led to France. “And it’s nice to know people beyond [our own] community,” Becky Helmuth said.
But for now, the traveling will have to wait until school is out. Although Schaeffer spent Christmas away from her family, she was not alone. Schaeffer was at her second home, with Becky and Todd Helmuth.
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact news@mennonitemission.net.
