1983_10 The Daily Collegian October 1983

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l1Psm<B<&    Oct. 21,1983"
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Nigerian's play benefits foreign students
Fgbuniwe John Nwoko found him¬
self in a precarious financial position.
He was expecting to receive money
Irom his name Nigeria so that he could
continue his education at CSUF. But
ihe money didn't arrive, although his
Nwoko's troubles cleared up when he
received two scholarships. Now, he is
Irving to raise money for other foreign
students who are in similar predica¬
ments. His play. "The White Goal." will
he read Saturday at 8:15 p.m. in the
John Wright Theatre. Proceeds from
the performance will go toa scholarship
fund for foreign students. Tickets are
$4
Carol Munshower, coordinator of
ihe International Student Counseling
Office, said foreign students often face
difficult financial
"lfthereisa(p<
problem in Ihe <
will feel n first." I
is cannot always send out the
Munshower said. Iranian. Sri
and Lebanese students are hav-
hardest   lime  right   now.  she
<o wouldn't speculate on how
noney might be raised by the
. but Munshower said she knows
money goes a long way
"We received S200 fi
Wives organization, an
helped maybe 15 studen
that $200 has
."Munshower
John Nwoko discusses 'The White Goat.'
student, said Munshower.
"We don't want to not help a student
just because he wouldn't be able to
reimburse us," Munshower said.
"What we need is $100,000 in an
endowment, and we could live off the
interest," Munshower said.
o Fresno for
l is a small town, and people
o financial problems, Nwoko
la/Tba Daily ( oU««|Ua
help. I don't know if this would be very
possible if we were all in Los Angeles,"
Nwoko said.
"The White Goat" takes place in a
Nigerian village in the 1940s. Since
Nigeria gained its independence in I960,
•See Nwoko, Page 8
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So, order your kind of good taste in Dos
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Oct. 21,1983
Religious groups gain support
B*
" ible study groups meeting on the lawn at lunch, a
religious group singing under the trees and the four
religious club booths in the free speech area are all
signs of increased religious activity at CSUF.
One sign that best indicates the increase in religious
groups on campus is the number of booths in the
free speech area. Although the Inter-Varsity booth has
been there for 35 years, the other booths are relatively
Focus, which is affiliated with the Campus Baptist
Church, has had a booth only since the beginning of
the semester, and the Newman Catholic Student Asso¬
ciation's booth has been up less than two years. Cam¬
pus Advance, affiliated with the Campus Church of
Christ, has been up since the beginning of the semester.
Mike Bell has made himself especially evident on
campus. Bell speaks every Wednesday from the plat¬
form in the free speech area. Using a microphone, the
26-year-old industrial technology major speaks out,
partially because this is his last semester at CSUF and
he wants to take advantage of the free speech area and
availability of the microphone.
"There needs to be someone speaking out." Bell
said. "I don't want to be critical, but a lot of times the
evangelical movement has been music or skits, and a
lot of times people just want to talk. And it gives
people a chance lo ask questions."
The red-haired.-slight-staturcd speaker is often the
only one in the area when most students are in class or
gone home, but he speaks on:
"Jesus Christ gives me the strength to gel up here
and say this. 1 think the greatest thing is that I'm a
student like you."
"You don't know God. 1 want to make an invitation
to you to come to know him. You'll always be looking
for more. True love comes when we give ourselves
away. The greatest example we have is Christ. Hedied
for us. God says 'You give your life to me. and 111 give
jU ell is one of the most vocal proponents of religion
on campus, but other groups are trying to get their
message across, using other methods. Doug Baker, an
intern student minister al the College Church of
Christ, works with the Campus Advance group.
"Our primary function, I feel, is we try and provide a
chance for Christians to get together on campus, and
study the Bible and to provide an atmosphere where it
can be done casually with no one pushing their opin¬
ions on you," Baker said.
Baker said that religious groups meet a specific
need, which explains the apparent increase in organ¬
ized religious groups at CSUF over the past year.
"The physical needs are met by sports, social needs
are met by fraternities and clubs, intellectual needs are
met by the educational system, but for a long time our
spiritual needs have been neglected," Baker said. "1
think that is the reason for the increase in Christian
VJ rowth in the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship
has forced the group to split in two more manageable
groups, said Randy White, an Inter-Varsity staff
worker who has been with the organization for seven
years. White said membership in the club has
increased from 110 members a year-and-a-half ago to
2.10 students. There are 35 bible study groups now, as
compared to 13 less than two years ago.
White explained the growth in)Inter-Vanity as a
result of more dedicated leadership and a greater
desire of Christians to be more active in their
community.
"Right now we feel a lot of momentum," White said.
White said that not only does a group such as Inter-
Varsity help spread the message of their faith, it helps
students mature.
"We teach students how to think," White said, "how
to stand on their own two feet. We teach them to assess
the evidence and make a decision as to how they're
Mike Bell speaks out on religion in the free speech
said that spreading the word of their faith is a primary
function of his group, and is often difficult to
accomplish.
"It is our duty to other Muslims to let them know
about the Islamic," Batarfi said. "They're supposed to
be active, but they don't always do it. People are kind
of busy with their school."
Batarfi. who was president of the association last
year, said the association was forrfled about eight years
ago. It meets on Fridays from 1 to 2 p.m. in the mosque
across from CS U F on Shaw.
"We believe religion is very important." he said.
"The Islam is the last message, the last guidance from
God to mankind."
Read Queah is not pan of the Muslim Student
Association, and has strayed from the religion, but still
recognizes its importance.
"Of course it's very important," Queah said. "I'm
not into the religion too much, but if someone says
something against the Koran I would fight for it."The
Koran is a book composed of sacred writings that
Muslims believe are revelations made to Muhammed
by Allah through the angel Gabriel.
Religion has a special meaning to students, Queah
said. "In our book (the Koran) they tell us tostudy,"he
said. "In our religion, studying or taking a degree is
very important."
Still. Queah has chosen a life that is not that of a
strict Muslim. "You either go to the mosque or you go
to the disco, and I chose the disco," Queah said.
"(According to strict Islamic rules) you can't touch a
girl unless you marry her. You can't look at a girl
unless you plan to marry her."
gathered in Steve Grisez's room in Homan Hall for
fellowship and Bible study. The room was more fitted
than many dorm rooms to accommodate eight people
because Grisez has constructed a loft to sleep on,
leaving the floor space open.
The students grouped together with prayer partners,
and beneath a suspended bicycle, numerous posters
and a paper Burger King crown they asked each other
what had been going on in their lives and discussed
"How're your classes going?"
"Ohy they're OK. How "bout yours?"
"They're OK. It's just a lot of work."
And later the students broke from their pairings to
come together and pray, and then began their Bible
\J roups meet for spiritual support, and the groups
provide some socializing as well.
The Newman Catholic Student Association holds a
/free supper every Wednesday night as part of its out-
I reach. Following the supper is a program especially
tuned to college students.
Ron Meyers, president of the Newman Catholic
Student Association, also recognized the growth in
religious groups at CSUF.
"It's a growth in college students' participation in
religious activities," Meyers said, "and it's an outreach
to college students. As you get older you start to
going
White said the purpose of Inter-Varsity is twofold;
One objective is to train students in discipleship —
"Training students how to encourage other students.".
The second purpose is to train students in evangelism,
and "how to do thar with integrity. We dont want to
be hitting people over the head with Bibles."
./V. bdulla Batarfi of the Moslem Students Association
JJJL   ressure to stray from the teachings of your religion
is a problem. White said.
"There are a lot of pressures put on college stu¬
dents," White said. "Professors and peers present pres¬
sures to conform. The Christian faith is in opposition
to many of those pressures."
Many students try to combat pressure from the
outside world by meeting with others of similar faith.
Tammie Banks, who belongs to Impact, a campus
organization of the Valley Christian Church, said she
has grown in her faith since she started attending
CSUF four years ago.
"IVe-raally gotten a chance to grow with my walk
with the Lord," Banks said. "It's-(Impact) really a
support when your're going to school."
Many of the study groups, which are a main facet of
most religious clubs, are made up of dorm students.
Inter-Varsity sponsors one every Wednesday night.
Eight students — six men and two women —
Eis
lbert Hoffman, director of the Univeristji Reli¬
gious Center, isnt sure if the increase in study groups
and booths in the free speech area is permanent.
"I don't see this as a resurgence of religious activi¬
ties," Hoffman said. "It comes and goes. In terms of
going to church, it* difficult to appraise. There's no
way of knowing how many of these students go to
church. It's my guess many do not."
There is no doubt there is faith of many kinds at
CS U F however. Sometimes spreading the word of faith
may not always be easy.
"Ill kind of difficult (manning a booth)," said
Melinda Mclntyre, who is in charge of the Inter-
Varsity's booth. "You're exposing yourself, and say¬
ing, 'Hey world, Im a Christian.'"
Nevertheless, to many students at CSUF, religion is
important.
"I think people are realizing that they want some
meaning in their life," Baker said. "Just the one-sided
life, whether it* intellectual or social, isnt enough.
People need a balance."