April 21, 2003

Military deployments impact BGCT institutions
___By John Hall
___Texas Baptist Communications
___Texas Baptist institutions have been scrambling to cover for and minister to more than 500 students and personnel recently activated for military duty.
___Universities affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas have been the hardest hit by the military deployments, particularly Wayland Baptist University, where more than 400 students have been activated from the campuses.
___The calls to duty have prevented the university from growing as hoped, but the losses have been offset by increased military scholarships that enabled more people to enroll, according to Bill Hardage, executive vice president.
___Fourteen people have been called up from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and many more have friends or family who have been deployed from nearby Fort Hood.
___Seven people have been activated from both Baylor University and Hardin-Simmons University. Another person was deployed from Houston Baptist University.
___The universities' staffs looked at each student's situation independently and refunded the tuition in many cases. Some Wayland students are completing courses via the Internet from the Middle East. None of the students were penalized for leaving the schools.
___Staff have posted pictures of the activated military on walls at each campus, and prayer services frequently occur. Several campuses have tied yellow ribbons around trees in remembrance of the troops.
___Lt. Col. Jeff Bowles of Baylor ROTC has tried to stay in contact with Baylor students and alumni who are in the Middle East. ROTC students also are collecting items to send to the troops.
___"They're part of the Baylor University family," Bowles said. "We don't want them to feel like they've been cut off and forgotten."
___Hundreds of Mary Hardin-Baylor students gathered for a recent rally remembering the military. Tears streamed down faces as the colors were posted and a Fort Hood chaplain spoke of the need to pray for the military. As the crowd dispersed, small groups of students gathered in prayer.
___Baptist hospital departments also are covering shifts and helping each other after losing key people. Baptist St. Anthony's Health System, Baylor Health System, Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospitals, Hendrick Health System and Valley Baptist Health System each have lost personnel to military duty.
___Despite losing several doctors to deployment, the hospitals largely have continued functioning as they did before, administrators report. Department staff have adopted the families of the deployed troops and have taken on longer shifts and more duties to make up for the activated personnel.
___Several hospitals are collecting items for care packages that will be sent to hospital personnel and friends of hospital staff who have been activated.
___"So many people want to give, but don't know how," said Doris Sandberg, who is working to send care packages from Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Wco. "This is a way to show support for our troops and the Hillcrest family."

The Baptist Standard



News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

---

Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook