5 Months Later...

5 months ago I was filled with questions.  What would Yap be like?  Would I be a good teacher?  Would the students listen to me?  Would I like it?  Why did God send me here?  Now halfway through my time here, I’m filled with different questions.  Am I doing enough?  How can I be the best teacher for my students, and the hardest question of all; how on earth will I be able to say good bye to my students and this island in another 5 months?  A year ago I couldn’t really explain to you why I chose Yap.  I just had a feeling, out of all the places I could go, that God wanted me in Yap.  I am so glad I listened! These last five months have been amazing.  They have included some of the hardest tasks I have ever faced.  God has been working on me and changing me.  I feel like I’m learning more then I’m teaching.  My students are teaching me patience.  I think it is a lesson that you can never really finish.  It’s on going, just when I think I’ve finally got it down my pride gets in the way and I find myself starting over.  I’m learning to be flexible.  Things rarely go as expected.  I have to change an entire class at the last minute because they still don’t understand yesterday’s lesson, the person who was supposed to be the pianist is gone, or the children story is needed with 5 minutes notice.  To say things don’t always go as planned is an understatement!  I’ve seen these last few months that God is here, even for the tiniest things.  My priorities in life have changed.  The things I want in life and my goals are slowly coming together.  I don’t know what God has in store for us here on Yap for the next 5 months, but I couldn’t be more excited to find out.  I’m sure it will involve new challenges for us and some hard lessons.  I have so many things I want to do for my students.  So many school events to plan, and ways I want to make a difference.  My prayer is that this island would use me up.  When I return in June I don’t want to think “What else could I have done?”.  I want to know that I gave everything I had.  Please keep us in your prayers! It is so encouraging to know we have family and friends supporting us.  Pam will be returning tonight; hopefully with good health for the rest of the year!  Another blessing to be thankful forJ. 


Highlight of the week… When I came in to teach sophomore music on Friday I found them ready to surprise one of the girls for her birthday.  I had to go talk to a disgruntled parent for a little while; when I came back they were all covered in cake! Frosting covered their faces and cake was in their hair.  I was laughing at them and saying, “What happened when I left?!” when they attacked me!  Frosting completely coated my face, they rubbed it through my hair and it dripped down on to my shirt!  Needless to say the music lesson didn’t happen, but we had a little fun before the school day endedJ.