Sarah Unger

Sarah Unger's providential path to Fairhaven Baptist College began nearly a century ago in the World War I era. Her great grandfather, a German, was living and farming in Russia. At the onset of "the war to end all wars," the Russian government put tremendous pressure on him to enlist. Being a Mennonite, his religious belief of pacifism precluded his involvement, resulting in his moving to Canada. Here, he began farming "in peace."
Soon, Sarah's grandfather was born, and though he was saved as a younger man, he observed firsthand the numerous doctrinal fallacies and ecumenical drift of the Mennonite denomination. It was not long before he found truth at a Bible-believing Baptist church. As a result of this, Sarah's father, Kevin, was reared in a Baptist church. He and his brothers were deliberately kept from worldly influences. They worked on their father's farm and ran a very successful produce market.
Sarah's grandfather taught her dad to work, and her dad passed that same trait along to Sarah. Her parents provided many "opportunities" for her and her siblings. He rented land for a family garden and purchased chickens so Sarah "could have something worthwhile to do." There wasn't much time for video games in the Unger household! Sarah appreciates parents who cared enough about her to teach her the benefits of physical labor. She has applied this teaching to her campus job as a library assistant.
Sarah's grandfather is Pastor Wilbert Unger, who started Bethel Baptist Church of London, Ontario, 25 years ago. One day, while going door-to-door, he "happened upon" a family with a daughter. This daughter was the lady who would eventually marry Pastor Unger's son Kevin. Sarah would be their first child. Sarah looks again to the providential hand of God in bringing her parents together.
Sarah's church knew little of Fairhaven Baptist College until Pastor Unger attended a spring Preaching Conference. Soon after, Sarah's entire family and several others from her church took several days to visit the college for themselves. Though feeling slightly out of place as a result of visiting on an "I Love America" Sunday, the group from Canada nonetheless saw a college with beliefs compatible to their own, even if none of the flags that were flying that day displayed the red maple leaf! Since then, six young people from Ontario (including Sarah) have chosen Fairhaven Baptist College for their college education.
When asked to delineate the key traits she has gained from her 2½ years at Fairhaven, Sarah noted first, that there is joy in serving. "A person can either get discouraged or jump in and serve," she said. She also spoke of the theme of the college as being the desire of her life - to find God's will and do it.
Seeing the godly examples of her pastor/grandfather and her parents challenges Sarah that "to whom much has been given, much more shall be required." We thank the Lord for students like Sarah who are striving to serve, to please God, and to find His will and do it.