Calvin College to Honor Missionary Couple
Two Christian Reformed World Mission missionaries, who have been working for 40 years in Nigeria, will be honored this spring with Calvin College’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
David and Janice Entingh Dykgraaf both graduated from Calvin in 1966. They are currently working among the Avadi people, a tribe of some 200,000 in the northwest part of Nigeria. Their emphasis is on literacy, health and agriculture.
In an email interview, David Dykgraaf said he and his wife were surprised to be honored. “We are puzzled because there are so many Calvin grads that surpass us in their academic achievements. Many are leaders of large numbers of people. Others have achieved success in business, in government, in producing written works and art.”
At the same time, though, he said, “we are delighted that the missionary enterprise gets a nod from the Calvin College Alumni Association.”
In 1965 Rev. Henry Evenhouse, executive secretary of CRWM at the time, tried “to sell the career missionary package to us,” says David Dykgraaf. But the couple only committed themselves to a short-term assignment that has ended up becoming their career.
“We are grateful for all the prayers, patience, and proddings that have gone on in our behalf over the years. We are especially grateful to have served in planting the church in Niger State,” says Dykgraaf.
The Dykgraaf’ speak three Nigerian languages—Tiv, Hausa and Tsuvadi—and have
worked to provide the Bible in previously unstudied languages. The Dykgraafs spent their first 20 years on the mission field among the Tiv people.
In a CRWM publication that came out in 2000 the missionary couple was described this way: “Dave and Jan Dykgraaf mingle with the people, join the rhythm of village life, pray daily with the handful of new believers there, and work with determination to see more Avadi find the Way.”
Calvin has presented the Distinguished Alumni Award annually since 1966. The awards are given to alumni who have made significant contributions to their field of endeavor and manifest a Christian commitment, thus honoring Calvin College. You can view the list of past recipients at: http://www.calvin.edu/alumni/board/daa.htm
Fritz Rottman , a chemistry major from Calvin, will also be honored. After he earned his doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Michigan and underwent training from a Nobel laureate at the National Institutes of Health, Rottman taught at Michigan State and Case Western Universities.
His research career has been devoted to the study of genetics and his many publications have had significant impact on the scientific community. Upon retirement, Rottman now serves as a trustee for the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids and is on the board of directors for the institute's graduate school.
In addition, Rottman and his wife Carol have been active in many mission-related projects, among them work to broaden the distribution of anti-retroviral medications to AIDS and HIV patients in Kenya and Uganda.
To contact the recipients: Dave and Jan Dykgraaf, email: [email protected]. Fritz Rottman, 11300 Hart St. NE, Greenville, Mich. 48838. Email: [email protected].
