What is Natal Homing?

Everybody knows that many animals have an incredible ability to return to their home after migrating in some cases hundreds of miles and up to several years! I had no idea how sophisticated their GPS wiring must be! Here are excerpts from Wikipedia on Natal Homing:

“Natal homing is the process by which some adult animals that have migrated away from their juvenile habitats return to their birthplace…. This process is primarily used by aquatic animals such as sea turtles and salmon, although some migratory birds and mammals also practice similar behavior. Scientists believe that the main cues used by the animals are geomagnetic imprinting and olfactory cues. The benefits of returning to the precise location of an animal’s birth may be largely associated with its safety and suitability as a breeding ground. When seabirds like the Atlantic puffin return to their natal breeding colony, which are mostly on islands, they are assured of a suitable climate and a sufficient lack of land-based predators.”

SPAPH students are like… salmon (or puffins)!

Third-year SPAHP (School of Pharmacy and Health Professions) students set off on a sort of migratory journey. They are doing their field work assignments in places like Minneapolis, Rochester, Chicago or Kansas City. Here in the last month of their final year their “geomagnetic imprinting and olfactory cues” kick-in and back to Omaha they come! Graduating Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Pharmacy students make the trek about a week before commencement to present their Capstone project, welcome parents and other family members to campus and complete their academic life-cycle with that last walk to the podium collecting their diplomas. This year there are 7 special SPAPH-salmon I’m eager to see end their long journey. Mara Juffer (OT), Emma Wright (OT), Hannah Wright (OT), Grant Solley (PT), Karis Choy (Pharmacy), Abby Knutson (OT), and Katlyn Sims. These seven and other graduates from past classes are scattered throughout the pic galleries below.

Mind the GAP!

I’ve really enjoyed this year’s graduating class. When I first met them all in August 2022, I was thrilled with the energy they gave our group! In addition to these seven, we also started attracting students from other programs as well as grad students from other schools. They have been a solid community for one another as they’ve done their training. The constant aim on InterVarsity’s part has been to coach and mentor them in the connection between their love for Jesus and their passion for their discipline. “Mind the gap” for lovers of things British is a saying similar to “watch your step” in the American dialect. Those of us with graduating students in InterVarsity talk about GAPS differently.

GAPS stands for GIVE, ADVOCATE, PRAY and SERVE. These are four invitations we give every graduating grad and professional student in GFM. These incredible “SPAHP-Puffins” won’t be in Omaha very long before they head out again (maybe NEVER to return?) to the birthplace of their training. They’re off to career jobs sometimes back in their home state, sometimes to far away places in other countries! Our invitation for them is to:

1. Consider GIVING to the work at their alma-mater once they get situated with their new job and location.
2. Be open to ADVOCATING for GFM ministry in their new setting. Things like connecting with other InterVarsity Alumni or helping GFM network its ministry in new places.
3. PRAY for the Grad Student Fellowship they have just left and the staff members remaining in that community.
4. SERVE a local InterVarsity staff member or student chapter by volunteering to help with events or speaking to active student groups.

Pray for graduating students everywhere in GFM. Pray for their job search and transition to new living situations. Pray for them as they figure out the complexity of working, paying off school debt, relationships and family, and on top of all that, MORE testing and exams related to their professional certifications! Pray for me as I hope to welcome all seven of these students and more for a simple reception at our home on May 15th. It’s a chaotic few days with events on campus for the graduates, family visiting in town, etc. It will be hard to see all of them at the same time, but I do want to make a connection with each one. They have each been a real treasure to have in GFM. InterVarsity and I want to bless them as they move on.

Fourth Quarter Finances.

May and June wrap up our fiscal year in InterVarsity. As I conclude this post I want to you know I could use your prayers for finishing out the year in good shape. Quite a few of my ministry partners are fiscal 4th Quarter givers. I’ll be reaching out to see about their support in the next few weeks. At this point I’m watching for about $18K in annual gifts to arrive before June 30 (on top of what my monthly givers are doing).

Tim’s donation page at InterVarsity.org

Ask the Lord to help me connect. Ask the Lord to help my entire budget to come in full. If you happen to be one of those May/June givers, here’s a link to my donation page at InterVarsity. Email me or reply this post if you have any questions about giving to my account.

Thanks so much!