Office of the Chaplain

Religious Life Newsletter: Volume 7, Fall 2004, Issue 1
Namibian Chaplain

SU Welcomes Pastor Haitula

Although each school year brings a sea of new faces to the Susquehanna Campus, this fall we are fortunate to welcome a special visitor, Pastor Tylvas Haitula. Pastor Haitula will serve the campus community this semester in his new role as the International Pastor-in-Residence. His presence on campus is made possible by the efforts of Lynn Askew '57 and the existing tie between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia and the New Jersey Synod ELCA.

Pastor Haitula has come to Susquehanna from Namibia where he currently serves twelve high schools in the capital city of Windhoek. He typically works with students between the ages of 12 and 19 and organizes bible studies, prayer groups, and church choirs while teaching confirmation classes.

Pastor Haitula is particularly interested in listening to people with problems and helping them find solutions. He would like to take the knowledge he gains here and apply it to his work at home when he returns. Pastor Haitula's presence here on campus is an excellent opportunity for us all to learn how Christianity and God are experienced in a different part of the world. His compassion and willingness to be an active participant at SU is already evident, (and greatly appreciated!), through his participation in several on-campus ministries. If you would like to meet and talk to Pastor Haitula, you can contact him by e-mail.