Inspire, Summer 2005

Inspire 23 I first met Carol Gorthey Hinkle ’64 when we were freshmen in the fall of 1960. I was 18; Carol was 20. She had completed approximately a year and a half of nurse’s training in New York state, deciding to change her major and look for a Christian college. That year we had zoology together, a study for which I had no background and found very difficult! Her tutoring helped me pass the course. I was attracted not only by her willingness to help, but by her personality, which was practical, down-to-earth, warm, and wise. We would sit on the grass in front of Faith Hall and share family histories and observations. Carol’s sense of humor always provided occasions for laughter and enjoyment. She was forthright and creative. Her family in New York was not supportive of her choices or her Christian commitment, and Carol was pretty much on her own financially and in other ways. With the help of the Lord, she had to find her own path. I admired her courage and determination and was always encouraged by her presence. I believe the bedrocks of our relationship, then and now, were acceptance of one another, love for the Lord, a strong need to base our friendship in His presence and fellowship, and prayer for one another. Neither of us came from Christian homes. I felt a sense of kinship and trust with Carol, as one would with a sister, which allowed us to reconnect so many years later and pick up the thread of our friendship despite loss of contact, family crises, and multiple moves. Although we both lived in Faith Hall during our sophomore year, our paths diverged after that. She eventually lived off campus, and we didn’t have classes together. However, the qualities I had seen in her remained very much a model for me. After graduation, she and I continued to move in separate directions, crisscrossing the country. In 1991, my family moved from Iowa back to Ohio. In the summer of 1992, I had emergency surgery, and that fall, my son was diagnosed with a serious illness. I believe that God prompted me to remember that Carol and her husband, Chester, were living in Massillon, Ohio, so I decided to try to locate her and ask her to pray with me. We reconnected then with phone calls and visits, learning more about each others’ lives. (There would be many years of stress for my family, during which Carol’s friendship was a strong support.) Carol has faithfully taught elementary school for many years, the last 25 as a first grade teacher at Massillon Baptist Temple Christian School. Through the years, she has sent me many handwritten notes and letters filled with personal reflections and observations, tales of schoolteaching, Scripture, anecdotes, and prayer requests. The tone of these letters has always reflected a reverence for and dependence upon the Lord, along with optimism and gratitude. Since we reconnected, we have visited each other in Ohio, New Mexico, and, most recently, Florida, where my family now lives. In New Mexico, our special adventure was traveling from Santa Fe to Thoreau (near Gallup) to visit missionaries on a Navajo Indian reservation and to be of help to them in practical ways. In 1995, we traveled to upstate New York to visit Carol’s family and see her old “home place.” In 1996, we visited Cedarville, the first time we had been back on campus together since graduation. We walked through Faith Hall, marveled at the computers in every room, noticed the attractive decor, rejoiced at the prayer meeting signs on the doors, reveled in the new library with its abundant choices in materials and subjects, ate in the dining hall, again noting the wide variety of food choices, and shot baskets in the huge gymnasium. As a side note: When we first began at Cedarville, I believe there were only approximately 400 students. Choices were limited; the school was not accredited. In 41 years, there have been enormous changes, including the fact that back then segregation was still an issue; we were a small, sequestered campus; and we were more conservative and possibly parochial in outlook. Through the years, there has been the kind of ongoing spiritual, intellectual, and visionary development that has allowed Cedarville graduates of many races and nationalities to reach every corner of the globe and numerous professions and mission-based outreaches. It is hard to say what creates the “chemistry” of friendship between people. A deep friendship involves more than shared interests. It has a spiritual base and, in my case, involves trust and admiration as well as enjoyment. Carol is truly a friend for all seasons. Her testimony concerning the Lord’s faithfulness is strong; she continues to be an encourager and prayer partner in my life. She is still teaching, seeking God’s guidance, and sharing herself and the abilities He has given her. A Friend for All Seasons N a n c y S h i m i t s M o o r e ’ 6 4 Carol Gorthey Hinkle ‘64 and Nancy Shimits Moore ‘64 It is hard to say what creates the “chemistry” of friendship between people ... It has a spiritual base and, in my case, involves trust and admiration as well as enjoyment.