This week has been the longest break we have had since coming, and it has been amazing! We took a land tour, kayaked through mangroves, snorkeled several times, and went to the beach. Though I miss all the students, it has been nice to have a little break. I learned a lot about the stone money, I wish I could upload a picture! I will just have to stick with descriptions though.
A long long time ago, before any foreigners came to Yap, one of the Chiefs decided they needed a new form of money. They wanted something big and visible that the villages could display. They didn't have any stone big enough here to make it so they put together a group of men to go find some. These men set off in canoes into the open ocean. They sailed for several hundred miles before running in to Palau. The Palauans had never seen these people before and they figured they could mean only harm so they killed all of them. The Yapese were wondering why the men had been gone so long so they sent another group out to find them. When this new group came to Palau they made known they came in peace and the Palauans let them live. They had a lot of huge rocks on Palau so they said they could take what they wanted. The Yapese men carved out huge pieces of money with holes in the middle so they could mount them on the boat. They made the treacherous journey back to Yap, a few of the stones fell out into the ocean never to be seen again. This started a new tradition. It was very treacherous to get the stone money though, a lot of lives were lost with every journey. One year a foreigner,one of the first to come, named O'Keefe came to Yap and offered to give them a small ship in exchange for several materials he wanted. With this ship they could easily make the journey to Palau to find the stone for their money.
The stone money comes in all different sizes, from a foot tall to 7 feet tall. I assumed it was valued based on size, but it isn't. It's value is based on what it went through to get here, it's location, and the lives lost in acquiring it. It's not valued on it's size but on what it's been through. The stones acquired before O'Keefe brought the ship are the most valuable because of how hard they were to get. The one's that dropped to the bottom of the ocean are the most valuable of all. Many of the stones you see around the island are newer and came on a ship, you can tell by their perfectly carved centers. These are ranked by how many storms they went through to get here. A small one that went through two typhoons is more valuable then a huge one that had a peaceful journey here. The money is owned by different villages and chiefs. The biggest collections, or banks, are usually displayed by a men's house in the village.
I thought it was really interesting how they based the value of them. Maybe a little cliche, but I think it is a good reminder to me. I shouldn't value people based on outward appearance but on what they have been through; because that is what's really important. It's the trials in life that God uses to mold us and change us. I hope you have all enjoyed your vacation as much as we have. 2011 has been a great year and I can't wait to see what 2012 will bring. HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)
Friday, December 30, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
Maap
Christmas was pretty uneventful. We started our day at the prison. I don't know exactly what I was expecting.. but what we saw wasn't it. I was surprised to find the only jail on the island was just a chain link fence with the men inside. They had lockers and koyengs (structures made of coconut leaves for the roof and no walls) and a little grill. Their were a couple guards in there with them. We were a little nervous to go, mainly because we knew Justin, Kirsten's murderer, would be there. It made me kind of uneasy to think about meeting him. But it wasn't that bad. We went and sang Christmas songs, prayed with them, and left them food for Christmas. Justin had chains around his feet and he kept his head down mostly. They said he comes to all the meetings the church puts on in the prison. I hope we made their Christmas a little better.
Skipping ahead a day, really nothing else happened on Christmas, we went to Maap! Not all of us, just Sabrina and I with a few of the freshmen. One of the freshmen is related to one of the great chiefs of Maap so she got permission for us to all go to the beach there. The water was really choppy but we started the day with a swim. Then they offered to take us through the village of Maap. I learned so much! They showed us the branch we needed to carry with us. You might remember a couple months ago when I talked about the peace branch. Whenever you walk though a village you must hold a branch to show that you mean no harm. I thought you could us just any branch but they showed us the specific plant we should take it from. The people who belong to the village use a different kind of branch. They also said girls always had to make sure their hair was up before they walked through a village. Pony tail, bun, or braid; really anything as long as it wasn't loose on your shoulders. I had never heard that one before! They showed us the grave yard and the women and mens houses, sort of town meeting places. Men can go to a womens house but women cannot go to the mens house. In fact we have to make sure we don't stop walking as we go by a mens house. Some of the houses were so close to the water. I didn't even realize they were houses, they were completely open. Almost just a roof with no walls. They told us more about the stone money too. I will tell you more about the stone money another time. They took us to small bridge we all jumped off, then they knocked down some coconuts and opened them on a rock for us to drink. When we got back to the beach they wanted to play in the sand so we buried them! The reef looked like it was really close! So even though the water was choppy two of the students wanted to swim towards it so we went with them. Turned out just to be a sand bar though, the reef was still a ways out. It also turns out that the freshmen boy who wanted to go out there knew that the whole time, "Ms. I knew their was no coral, but you were so excited, I didn't want to say anything, and I really wanted to come out here". I didn't get to play in the snow this Christmas or go for a walk with my scarf and hat but I did play on a white sand beach with coconut trees and clear 80 degree water. Not my usual Christmas, but I really can't complain about Christmas in the tropics :).
Skipping ahead a day, really nothing else happened on Christmas, we went to Maap! Not all of us, just Sabrina and I with a few of the freshmen. One of the freshmen is related to one of the great chiefs of Maap so she got permission for us to all go to the beach there. The water was really choppy but we started the day with a swim. Then they offered to take us through the village of Maap. I learned so much! They showed us the branch we needed to carry with us. You might remember a couple months ago when I talked about the peace branch. Whenever you walk though a village you must hold a branch to show that you mean no harm. I thought you could us just any branch but they showed us the specific plant we should take it from. The people who belong to the village use a different kind of branch. They also said girls always had to make sure their hair was up before they walked through a village. Pony tail, bun, or braid; really anything as long as it wasn't loose on your shoulders. I had never heard that one before! They showed us the grave yard and the women and mens houses, sort of town meeting places. Men can go to a womens house but women cannot go to the mens house. In fact we have to make sure we don't stop walking as we go by a mens house. Some of the houses were so close to the water. I didn't even realize they were houses, they were completely open. Almost just a roof with no walls. They told us more about the stone money too. I will tell you more about the stone money another time. They took us to small bridge we all jumped off, then they knocked down some coconuts and opened them on a rock for us to drink. When we got back to the beach they wanted to play in the sand so we buried them! The reef looked like it was really close! So even though the water was choppy two of the students wanted to swim towards it so we went with them. Turned out just to be a sand bar though, the reef was still a ways out. It also turns out that the freshmen boy who wanted to go out there knew that the whole time, "Ms. I knew their was no coral, but you were so excited, I didn't want to say anything, and I really wanted to come out here". I didn't get to play in the snow this Christmas or go for a walk with my scarf and hat but I did play on a white sand beach with coconut trees and clear 80 degree water. Not my usual Christmas, but I really can't complain about Christmas in the tropics :).
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas!
I think it is safe to say this has been one of the busiest weeks for me thus far. From catching up on grading, and baking everyday, to organizing and running the k-12 Christmas program. This week has been amazing at some points and terrible at others. We had to say goodbye to Natalie, putting us back to three in our apartment. We took Natalie and Jesse to the airport Tuesday night, so we weren't back to the school until 2am. Providing four hours of sleep before an all day Christmas party with the students. No one wants to read a sob story though so I'll stick to the good parts of the week!
Everyday I was busy preparing something for the Charity Program and baking. I sang with the Juniors and Seniors. On Tuesday they all sat around the keyboard with me and begged to learn new Christmas songs. Considering they didn't even know "The Christmas Song" it wasn't a hard task! The freshmen and sophomore girls helped me wrap gifts for the program. I made Christmas cookies for all the high schoolers and I was shocked to find out they had never had them before! They said "Ms. we've only seen them in the movies!". I almost lost my voice on Tuesday trying to arrange all grades for the Nativity practiced. The simplest thing I could think of to involve the whole school was a nativity. A couple students from each grade were involved and the rest sang carols. It was chaotic! But it paid off, the program went wonderfully! It had awkward pauses, off key singing, and microphones that wouldn't work right; but those aren't exactly the things that make a school program good. I'd say from the beaming smiles from the kids and parents, it was a success :). After the program my senior girls came running to me begging me to come to pizza with them and convince one of the girls moms to let her go. Lots of these girls have made mistakes, who hasn't? The thing is, in Yap, one slip up and they are locked down until they graduate. This girl made a mistake two years ago, but they still don't trust anything she says and they won't let her go and do anything. "Ms. we just want a girls night with pizza can you please convince my mom?!" So I did, her mom was quite intimidating, but after promising Sophie, Sabrina, and I would be there with them and we would give her a ride home, we headed to the Manta Ray with my senior girls. It was a little weird at first, I don't think they knew what to think about their teachers outside of school. It turned out to be really fun! They found out teachers can just be normal people and we had lots of fun just talking with them.
I think the highlight of my week came from one of the junior girls. She has been talking to me a lot lately about all sorts of things. She came in during the Christmas party on Wednesday as i was struggling to stay awake and exhausted from constantly turning down the music. She said "Ms. are you OK?" and sat down and talked for the next 2 hours. She told me about her life, it hasn't been an easy one. I taught her a couple games and then school was out. She is a great leader in her class and she loves music. I spent a while working on the song "What Child is This" with her so she could sing the first verse as a solo at the program. She was so excited and she just loved singing at the program. I told her good job after the program and she ran up and gave me a big hug. That hug easily was the best part of my week. :)
This Christmas isn't like any other I've experienced. It's void of family, cold weather, and every tradition I'm used to. The post office closed early so I didn't get my boxes from home. So it's also void of gifts and notes from close friends and family. Their is no fireplace to read next to and it's generally too hot to drink hot chocolate. All of these things made me a little depressed yesterday. It just didn't seem like Christmas, my favorite holiday! But now it's Christmas eve, I realized this morning I have a lot to be thankful for so I should stop moping. We went caroling at the hospital after church today, now we are going to enjoy a group dinner, watch "It's a Wonderful Life", and exchange presents for each other. First thing Christmas morning we will be singing at the prison. It may not be my ideal Christmas with all my traditions and cold weather; but that doesn't mean it has to be a bad Christmas. I hope you all have a blessed Christmas wherever you are. Merry Christmas!
Everyday I was busy preparing something for the Charity Program and baking. I sang with the Juniors and Seniors. On Tuesday they all sat around the keyboard with me and begged to learn new Christmas songs. Considering they didn't even know "The Christmas Song" it wasn't a hard task! The freshmen and sophomore girls helped me wrap gifts for the program. I made Christmas cookies for all the high schoolers and I was shocked to find out they had never had them before! They said "Ms. we've only seen them in the movies!". I almost lost my voice on Tuesday trying to arrange all grades for the Nativity practiced. The simplest thing I could think of to involve the whole school was a nativity. A couple students from each grade were involved and the rest sang carols. It was chaotic! But it paid off, the program went wonderfully! It had awkward pauses, off key singing, and microphones that wouldn't work right; but those aren't exactly the things that make a school program good. I'd say from the beaming smiles from the kids and parents, it was a success :). After the program my senior girls came running to me begging me to come to pizza with them and convince one of the girls moms to let her go. Lots of these girls have made mistakes, who hasn't? The thing is, in Yap, one slip up and they are locked down until they graduate. This girl made a mistake two years ago, but they still don't trust anything she says and they won't let her go and do anything. "Ms. we just want a girls night with pizza can you please convince my mom?!" So I did, her mom was quite intimidating, but after promising Sophie, Sabrina, and I would be there with them and we would give her a ride home, we headed to the Manta Ray with my senior girls. It was a little weird at first, I don't think they knew what to think about their teachers outside of school. It turned out to be really fun! They found out teachers can just be normal people and we had lots of fun just talking with them.
I think the highlight of my week came from one of the junior girls. She has been talking to me a lot lately about all sorts of things. She came in during the Christmas party on Wednesday as i was struggling to stay awake and exhausted from constantly turning down the music. She said "Ms. are you OK?" and sat down and talked for the next 2 hours. She told me about her life, it hasn't been an easy one. I taught her a couple games and then school was out. She is a great leader in her class and she loves music. I spent a while working on the song "What Child is This" with her so she could sing the first verse as a solo at the program. She was so excited and she just loved singing at the program. I told her good job after the program and she ran up and gave me a big hug. That hug easily was the best part of my week. :)
This Christmas isn't like any other I've experienced. It's void of family, cold weather, and every tradition I'm used to. The post office closed early so I didn't get my boxes from home. So it's also void of gifts and notes from close friends and family. Their is no fireplace to read next to and it's generally too hot to drink hot chocolate. All of these things made me a little depressed yesterday. It just didn't seem like Christmas, my favorite holiday! But now it's Christmas eve, I realized this morning I have a lot to be thankful for so I should stop moping. We went caroling at the hospital after church today, now we are going to enjoy a group dinner, watch "It's a Wonderful Life", and exchange presents for each other. First thing Christmas morning we will be singing at the prison. It may not be my ideal Christmas with all my traditions and cold weather; but that doesn't mean it has to be a bad Christmas. I hope you all have a blessed Christmas wherever you are. Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Busy Days
When you are preparing to go as a student missionary they tell you a lot of things. They say you will not like it at first and it might take a while to adjust, you will have a hard time keeping order in the classroom, you won't be able to drink the water from the tap, and you will have to learn to cook rice. The list goes on and on, some of them are true some not so much. One thing I wasn't told was that I would be expected to do everything. I had some returned SM's tell me they got bored after a few months. I can't imagine how that could happen! We have all been given a million job titles: teacher, maid, cook, vespers coordinators, sabbath school teachers, church pianist (4 weeks in a row), sabbath school superintenent, youth leader, class adviser, worship leader, and song leader just to name a few. It can be really exhausting sometimes, and I am really looking forward to our short break coming up. Even though some weeks can become really stressfull, I am thankful for all these jobs. I hate boredom more then anything, and I know I will never have a problem with that here! It's good to know they have a need for us here! Anyhow, this was one of those weeks where we did everything. I felt like I was in a race everyday to finish everything on my to do list. It didn't all work out, after arranging everything for the class christmas party and sending home permission slips I was told I had to cancel it. I was very discouraged, I worked a long time with the students and the office arranging it, it was frustrating to have to change everything after all that work. But God is teaching me to be flexible this year! That same day I had a students collapse in class and show signs of a seizure, it was really scary. That night while I was trying to arrange things for the Christmas program, the power went out! It was out for so long we just gave up and played some card games with our flash lights for a while. Which actually turned out to be a blessing, I think we all needed a break! By the end of the week things were looking up a bit. My plans for the Christmas program were approved and everything seems to be going well! I practiced with my seniors on Friday. The first song we chose wasn't going very well, but then I just sat down at the keyboard with 4 of my senior girls and started playing the songs they wanted to hear. When we sang Silent Night they started trying some harmonies. I helped them with it a bit and by the end of the hour we were singing "O Holy Night" and "Silent Night" in three part harmony! They sounded so great and I really enjoyed working on it with them! It made a great ending to the week, as well as a few of my students thoroughly cleaning my room for me without even asking :). The highlight of my week was today. After church we headed to the water for some baptisms. These baptisms were particularly special to me, two of my seniors were among the group! It was so exciting to see them give their lives to God. I'm getting to know my students better every day and they are talking to me more and more. I was so excited to see a couple of them make such a huge decision, I pray for wisdom as they continue to ask me for questions and advice. I don't always know the right things to say! I had a student talk to me this week about eating problems she was having, all I could think to do was pray as I was talking with her. Sometimes I feel so inadaquate to help them, I just pray for the right words. I am really excited for this week. We have two days of school, a day for a class party, the Christmas program, and then break! Merry Christmas :).
Friday, December 9, 2011
Week of Prayer
Merry Christmas! I think I am finally starting to feel like it might really be Christmas time. My seniors are decorating the classroom, I've made a few snow flakes with them. I found snow spray for the windows, one of the girls proceeded to spray me with it claiming "Ms. you said you wanted it to snow!". The stores in town are filled with lights, fake trees, and some of the strangest Christmas music I have ever heard. Sometimes I see a random house with lights on, it seems so misfit with the coconut and banana trees everywhere... but they are trying! Last Sabbath a group of us from the church gathered Sabbath evening and sang carols. It was so nice, I think that is when I finally felt like it might just be Christmas time. We were practicing for our caroling in a couple weeks. We will be going to the hospital and a couple villages!
This week has kept all of us very busy. It was week of prayer, which meant two chapels a day and 20 to 35 minute classes as well as a 20 min lunch. The whole week felt like we had no time to breathe! It came with many problems too... the longer we are here and the more we settle in; the more we are beginning to have problems with some of the administration. We come from different cultures, different ideals, and different backgrounds; it can make things really difficult sometimes! Sophie and I talked about it for a long time driving home from vespers. We feel like we are learning way more then we are teaching, even though we are teachers. Learning patience mostly, and learning how to let go of ourselves. Some days, well most days actually, things don't go as planned. They change something last minute, or get upset we forgot something we were never told. It doesn't matter, God is changing us. I pray that we would learn how to relate and how to resolve problems in a peaceful manner. The week brought lots of stresses, looking back at my journal the days were kind of rough. A funny thing happens though. At the end of the week, when I look back thinking about what to share with you all, I don't remember those parts. I don't remember why Monday was such a bad day, or what had me so frustrated on Thursday. What I do remember is one of my students putting my string back on and fixing my guitar for me. I remember a couple of my senior girls staying in at lunch just to talk with me and have me show them new Christmas songs. I remember the day the seniors cleaned the classroom perfectly while I was gone without me even asking, and I remember my last class on Thursday when the sophomores asked me just about every question that came to their heads; quite scary really. This week had lots of problems, but I don't remember them anymore.
This Sabbath we had church at the school and invited all the students as a close to week of prayer. We weren't sure how many would come, but a lot did! Including five of my seniors! Several of them wanted further bible study, I pray for them everyday, I was so excited to see some of them come on their own. They all stayed for a big potluck afterwords. I think it was one of my favorite Sabbaths we have had here. After the students left the four of us drove a couple minutes out to the canyon with our guitars. We sat with out feet dangling over the edge playing, singing, and talking for about two hours. Despite all the difficulties, trials, and hardships; we are extremely blessed. Even though I applied sunscreen liberally, I am now noticing a sunburn develop as a type this. I've never had a burn in December before! That is okay, it was worth it :).
We had no school Friday, the government canceled it and declared it an island wide cleanup day to stop the spread of Dengue. It is getting worse, Yap is officially in a state of emergency due to the fever. Please keep this in your prayers! I hope you all have a wonderful Sabbath and week. We will be busy as usual here! I finished the senior parent meeting last week, but their is still lots to do before break! Here it goes! I pray we would learn how to get a long with our administration this week, I know we all have the same goal.
This week has kept all of us very busy. It was week of prayer, which meant two chapels a day and 20 to 35 minute classes as well as a 20 min lunch. The whole week felt like we had no time to breathe! It came with many problems too... the longer we are here and the more we settle in; the more we are beginning to have problems with some of the administration. We come from different cultures, different ideals, and different backgrounds; it can make things really difficult sometimes! Sophie and I talked about it for a long time driving home from vespers. We feel like we are learning way more then we are teaching, even though we are teachers. Learning patience mostly, and learning how to let go of ourselves. Some days, well most days actually, things don't go as planned. They change something last minute, or get upset we forgot something we were never told. It doesn't matter, God is changing us. I pray that we would learn how to relate and how to resolve problems in a peaceful manner. The week brought lots of stresses, looking back at my journal the days were kind of rough. A funny thing happens though. At the end of the week, when I look back thinking about what to share with you all, I don't remember those parts. I don't remember why Monday was such a bad day, or what had me so frustrated on Thursday. What I do remember is one of my students putting my string back on and fixing my guitar for me. I remember a couple of my senior girls staying in at lunch just to talk with me and have me show them new Christmas songs. I remember the day the seniors cleaned the classroom perfectly while I was gone without me even asking, and I remember my last class on Thursday when the sophomores asked me just about every question that came to their heads; quite scary really. This week had lots of problems, but I don't remember them anymore.
This Sabbath we had church at the school and invited all the students as a close to week of prayer. We weren't sure how many would come, but a lot did! Including five of my seniors! Several of them wanted further bible study, I pray for them everyday, I was so excited to see some of them come on their own. They all stayed for a big potluck afterwords. I think it was one of my favorite Sabbaths we have had here. After the students left the four of us drove a couple minutes out to the canyon with our guitars. We sat with out feet dangling over the edge playing, singing, and talking for about two hours. Despite all the difficulties, trials, and hardships; we are extremely blessed. Even though I applied sunscreen liberally, I am now noticing a sunburn develop as a type this. I've never had a burn in December before! That is okay, it was worth it :).
We had no school Friday, the government canceled it and declared it an island wide cleanup day to stop the spread of Dengue. It is getting worse, Yap is officially in a state of emergency due to the fever. Please keep this in your prayers! I hope you all have a wonderful Sabbath and week. We will be busy as usual here! I finished the senior parent meeting last week, but their is still lots to do before break! Here it goes! I pray we would learn how to get a long with our administration this week, I know we all have the same goal.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Tis the Season
I have been staring at this blank screen watching the little line blink for about 30 minutes. Every time I type something I erase it a few seconds later. Where do I begin? It feels as if I have nothing to tell and yet so much at the same time. Their was nothing this week that particularly stood out or was different from past weeks blogs, and yet this week was unlike any other. I guess this is my way of saying, life here on Yap is beginning to seem normal. I'm used to every day being a completely unique day with my students, I'm used to doing twice as much as seems possible to fit in a day, and I'm used to leading and planning just about anything at the spur of the moment. Life here is anything but easy or boring, but it does have a routine that I think I've really settled in to.
Last Sabbath evening we decided it was time to attempt to make it feel like Christmas in the tropics. Not an easy task at all. We turned on our christmas musc, pulled out all the decorations we were shipped, and decorated our apartment. It felt weird to decorate our little fake tree in shorts and tank tops with coconut trees outside our window but we tried to ignore it. We watched a christmas movie and cut out a whole bunch of snow flakes to adorn our windows and walls. Despite all our efforts it just felt, weird. I had a moment where all I wanted was to curl up in front of the fire at home, wear all my warm clothes, drink hot cocoa, cut down a tree, decorate with all our old decorations, and at least have hope of snow. I was a little bummed thinking about it, but I had a realization this week. As I was sitting in my classroom after school with students wandering in and out of my room asking for help with math, playing my guitar, or just talking to me about all sorts of random things I realized even if someone handed me an all expenses paid ticket home, I wouldn't take it. I'm sorry Mom and Dad it's not that I don't miss you, I do a lot, but this is where I am supposed to be right now, this is the only place I want to be right now. This may seem like a silly realization, but it really helped me with my attitude towards this whole Christmas season. Yes I miss home, yes Christmas will be hard away from home, cold weather, and all the traditions I know and love; but I don't want to leave. I am content right where I am.
This post is somehow becoming long.. I never know how that happens! So I will just tell you a few of the weeks highlights. The seniors did wonderfully with the modernized Good Samaratin skit I wrote for them. The chapel went wonderfully and everyone thought it was really funny. I spent hours preparing a lecture on world war 2 for Micronesia History. I just love history so much! I have been so excited to teach them about world war 2 because it is the only part of micronesia history I actually know really well. I was amazed at how little they knew, especially since they live in the pacific. They had never even heard about the battle on Peleliu, Palau just about 300 miles from them. I wish I had more resources to pull from, but I can make do with what we have. They were really interested, it is really fun to teach to kids something they WANT to learn as opposed to my math classes which they don't generally have quite as much interest in. They asked so many questions and I was so excited to actually know the answer to most of them! I tried some new ways to make math class more fun, including math jeopardy and more activities with side walk chalk. They loved math jeopardy! They all got into the game and when they missed one they were begging me to show them the right way to do it, yes! We started decorating the classroom for christmas, and they beat me in dutch blitz again. We had a spelling bee and skits for english week, and one of my guitar strings broke. One of my students came in looking very pale and said "ummm ms.. I am SO sorry, but... we broke the guitar string on accident! We will pay for it!". I thought they had broken the guitar in half or something the way they were acting, they were relieved to see I wasn't upset at all. Guitar strings break all the time! Sadly though the string they broke is the only string the island it out of, go figure. So they have been leading worship with a five string guitar. I have organized a parent meeting for graduation plans, I'm working on planning a class christmas party at the beach, working on a christmas performance for the seniors, and I am officially in charge of the entire k - 12 christmas program held in town. Sometimes, at the end of the day, after teaching, planning, grading, excercising, cooking dinner, etc.. it just seems.. impossible! How can I do all of this?!
I was reminded how while reading Matt. 14:22-33 this week. The disciples were on a boat when they see Jesus walking toward them, on the water! They aren't really sure it is Him so Petere says "if it is you tell me to come". Jesus tells Peter to come, and Peter walks on the water! I've always thought that was a HUGE step of faith, to just step out on the water. Then, however, Peter loses focus and begins to fall so he calls out to Jesus. Of course He reaches out for Peter and helps him up, then He says "Oh you of little faith". What? Peter just stepped out into the open ocean and his faith is little! This made me realize, faith is more then the first couple of steps. It is more then just getting on the plane to come to Yap and starting school, I need to trust and keep my eyes on Him the whole time. "Why did you doubt?" Jesus asks Peter; and I have to ask myself the same thing. God brought me here, gave me my class, and all these responsibilities; I need to keep relying on Him, not just for my first couple steps but the whole time.
This has become very long, and I'm not really sure if it makes sense, I apologize. This week one of my students told me "Ms. you are losing it! I think we are making you go crazy!" :). Maybe that is why this post is long and possibly quite confusing!
Last Sabbath evening we decided it was time to attempt to make it feel like Christmas in the tropics. Not an easy task at all. We turned on our christmas musc, pulled out all the decorations we were shipped, and decorated our apartment. It felt weird to decorate our little fake tree in shorts and tank tops with coconut trees outside our window but we tried to ignore it. We watched a christmas movie and cut out a whole bunch of snow flakes to adorn our windows and walls. Despite all our efforts it just felt, weird. I had a moment where all I wanted was to curl up in front of the fire at home, wear all my warm clothes, drink hot cocoa, cut down a tree, decorate with all our old decorations, and at least have hope of snow. I was a little bummed thinking about it, but I had a realization this week. As I was sitting in my classroom after school with students wandering in and out of my room asking for help with math, playing my guitar, or just talking to me about all sorts of random things I realized even if someone handed me an all expenses paid ticket home, I wouldn't take it. I'm sorry Mom and Dad it's not that I don't miss you, I do a lot, but this is where I am supposed to be right now, this is the only place I want to be right now. This may seem like a silly realization, but it really helped me with my attitude towards this whole Christmas season. Yes I miss home, yes Christmas will be hard away from home, cold weather, and all the traditions I know and love; but I don't want to leave. I am content right where I am.
This post is somehow becoming long.. I never know how that happens! So I will just tell you a few of the weeks highlights. The seniors did wonderfully with the modernized Good Samaratin skit I wrote for them. The chapel went wonderfully and everyone thought it was really funny. I spent hours preparing a lecture on world war 2 for Micronesia History. I just love history so much! I have been so excited to teach them about world war 2 because it is the only part of micronesia history I actually know really well. I was amazed at how little they knew, especially since they live in the pacific. They had never even heard about the battle on Peleliu, Palau just about 300 miles from them. I wish I had more resources to pull from, but I can make do with what we have. They were really interested, it is really fun to teach to kids something they WANT to learn as opposed to my math classes which they don't generally have quite as much interest in. They asked so many questions and I was so excited to actually know the answer to most of them! I tried some new ways to make math class more fun, including math jeopardy and more activities with side walk chalk. They loved math jeopardy! They all got into the game and when they missed one they were begging me to show them the right way to do it, yes! We started decorating the classroom for christmas, and they beat me in dutch blitz again. We had a spelling bee and skits for english week, and one of my guitar strings broke. One of my students came in looking very pale and said "ummm ms.. I am SO sorry, but... we broke the guitar string on accident! We will pay for it!". I thought they had broken the guitar in half or something the way they were acting, they were relieved to see I wasn't upset at all. Guitar strings break all the time! Sadly though the string they broke is the only string the island it out of, go figure. So they have been leading worship with a five string guitar. I have organized a parent meeting for graduation plans, I'm working on planning a class christmas party at the beach, working on a christmas performance for the seniors, and I am officially in charge of the entire k - 12 christmas program held in town. Sometimes, at the end of the day, after teaching, planning, grading, excercising, cooking dinner, etc.. it just seems.. impossible! How can I do all of this?!
I was reminded how while reading Matt. 14:22-33 this week. The disciples were on a boat when they see Jesus walking toward them, on the water! They aren't really sure it is Him so Petere says "if it is you tell me to come". Jesus tells Peter to come, and Peter walks on the water! I've always thought that was a HUGE step of faith, to just step out on the water. Then, however, Peter loses focus and begins to fall so he calls out to Jesus. Of course He reaches out for Peter and helps him up, then He says "Oh you of little faith". What? Peter just stepped out into the open ocean and his faith is little! This made me realize, faith is more then the first couple of steps. It is more then just getting on the plane to come to Yap and starting school, I need to trust and keep my eyes on Him the whole time. "Why did you doubt?" Jesus asks Peter; and I have to ask myself the same thing. God brought me here, gave me my class, and all these responsibilities; I need to keep relying on Him, not just for my first couple steps but the whole time.
This has become very long, and I'm not really sure if it makes sense, I apologize. This week one of my students told me "Ms. you are losing it! I think we are making you go crazy!" :). Maybe that is why this post is long and possibly quite confusing!
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