Cedars, November 2019

November 2019 5 CAMPUS Kora Ostrowski Freshman Ostrowski expressed her thankfulness for how her grandparents continue to impact her life with their love and kindness even while she is away at Cedarville. “My grandpa has written to me at least once a week during my first two months here at Cedarville,” she said. “I have been so encouraged by the words and pieces of Scripture that he has sent to me.” Similarly, she said, her grandmother has been a constant source of Scrip- ture-filled advice and wisdom as she has navigated these first few months of college. “My grandma has always been the clos- est person to me in my life,” Ostrowski said. “I can go to her about anything and everything, and know that the ad- vice I will receive will be based on what the Bible says.” Julia Sadik Freshman Sadik’s Jiddo, or grandfather, came to the United States from Lebanon in his late teens. “He loves his country so much and shared so much of it with me,” Sadik said. Sadik remembered going to her grand- parents’ house to make Lebanese food, hear Jiddo’s stories of Lebanon, and learn Dabke, a traditional Lebanese folk dance. Jiddo also loved the ocean; Sadik described how he used to pretend he was a crab to amuse his grand- children, pinching their toes as they laughed together. “Jiddo had such unique laughter,” Sa- dik said. “I wish so badly just to receive one last scruffy kiss.” Abigail Adams Freshman Watching both her grandmothers battle and overcome breast cancer multiple times was an inspiration to Adams. After seeing them go through chemo- therapy, she began to grow out her hair to donate to cancer patients. So far, she has donated twice, a length of 22 inches overall. Adams is currently growing her hair out to donate again. “It is such a simple act, yet so mean- ingful,” Adams said. “Something Nana tells me every time I hug her goodbye is, ‘Walk with the King and be a bless- ing,’” Adams said. “I remember those eight words daily.” Adams said her grandparents’ hospital- ity and joy in the Lord have shaped her own care for others. Watching her ma- ternal grandfather care for her grand- mother as she goes through the stages of Alzheimer’s has taught Adams what it really means to love someone well. “He is probably the kindest person I know,” Adams said. Photo provided by Kora Ostrowski Kora Ostrowski with her grandmother in 2016. Photo provided by Kora Ostrowski Kora Ostrowski with her grandfather in 2018. Photo provided by Julia Sadik Julia Sadik with her grandparents, Betty and Fuad Sadik in 2019. Breanna Beers is a junior Molecular and Cellular Biology major and the campus news editor for Cedars . She loves exercising curiosity, hiking new trails, and quoting “The Princess Bride” whether it’s relevant or not. JoAnn Su Senior Su’s grandfather fled communist China in his early 20s to Taiwan where he worked hard to build a better life for his family. Despite having only a kinder- garten-level education, he became a successful journalist. Su said his brav- ery in leaving his entire family to start over in Taiwan was passed down to Su’s mother and to Su herself. “I think I would love people very differ- ently had I not experienced the love of my grandparents,” Su said. Photo provided by JoAnn Su JoAnn Su with her grandfather, Zhi Cheng Tang in 2018. Abbey Salomon Sophomore Salomon has grown up with the exam- ple of her grandparents’ faithful love for one another and service to the Lord. Through her grandfather’s service in Vietnam, his cancer contracted as a result of exposure to Agent Orange while abroad, and his later battle with Parkinson’s disease, Salomon said she never saw her grandmother’s devotion to him falter. In October 2019, Salomon’s grandfa- ther died. Her grandmother’s care for him in his final years, Salomon said, demonstrated what it looks like to choose joy in the face of frustration, difficulties and grief. “Something that I learned from my grandparents was pure, genuine joy,” Salomon said. “My grandmother holds true to this even to this day. Even now, she is ... still choosing joy over fear.” Photo provided by Abigail Adams Abigail Adams with her maternal grandparents, William and Patricia Thomas, and her brother Zach.