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| Seniors: Annette, Sharlyn, and Minako |
Although my days as a
student missionary in Chuuk are winding down, these last few days have felt
like anything but that. The list of details for graduation that Russell (the 8th
grade advisor) and I have to make sure are in place keeps getting longer, and
every other hour my emotions swing from being confident that this graduation
will go off without a hitch, to the other extreme – that one too many things
will go wrong and I’ll just end up being embarrassed. There are certificates to
be printed, gowns to be ironed, and reception tickets to be finalized by the
parents. Communication in Chuuk has something to be desired; when I call a
student’s house I rarely get an answer, and I wonder if a few of the parents
have even received one letter that I've sent home this year. Ergo, my frazzled emotions…
recently I've felt like I’m not good enough for the job – and that I’m not
doing enough.
His power is made perfect in
weakness – 2 Corinthians 12:9
I have that verse
written in the front of my Bible, a constant reminder that I’m just a prayer
away from Someone who can work through my weaknesses and shortcomings. I’m a
firm believer that God has his hand in
everything we do, and so many times He has worked despite my lack of
qualifications; He’s helped a program or class run smoothly, brought a
surprising answer to a prayer, and given me strength to face each new day.
There've been times
this year when things have been bleak. I've been lonely, frustrated, and more
lost then I’d like to admit. But He’s been there, helping me along the way and
exposing me to the flaws in my character. From that, I've been able to grow in
my faith, make ‘adjustments as needed,’ and learned to trust in His plans.
More and more my
thoughts are turning to home. Excited doesn't even begin to cover how I feel
about being back in Washington again in a couple weeks! I can’t wait to…
be
reunited with friends and family
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| I'll miss seeing neat ocean critters, like this cute puffer fish |
eat
fresh raspberries, cherries, and strawberries
exchange
stories late into the night
have a
destination when I go running
hear
my favorite pastors preach
drive
on smooth roads
eat
pie at midnight at Sheri’s
have
movie nights
take
hot showers
smell
sagebrush and pine trees
eat
vegetables. lots of veggies
be
back on the other side of the desk
go on
dates
hear
new music
go
backpacking
Chuuk has been… in a
word, different. An adventure for sure – this island’s culture and this school
are vastly unlike anything else I've experienced, and so many times we have just
had to glance at each other and say: “This is
Chuuk.” I know that this year has shaped me, and though many times I've
questioned the wisdom of God calling me from Kosrae to Chuuk, I know that I've
been blessed by taking that leap of faith and trusting Him to catch me.
The days on the
calendar are being crossed off and as our commencement ceremony on May 26th
gets closer and closer, I’m looking forward to calling out my senior’s names as
they walk across the stage and receive their diplomas, and I just hope that
I’ll be able to keep my emotions in check. They just look so good in their caps and gowns! I’m proud of
my seniors for the things that they have accomplished in the last 12 years, and
for the goals and dreams that I pray they’ll achieve. My time with these ten
teenagers and the rest of the students here has been brief, but I know I’ll
soon miss them and their diverse personalities: Minako's steadiness, Defitson's
quirky humor, and Sheila’s loyalty.
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| Defitson, Jake, Madision, Alberton, Praise, and Motoky |
The people I've met
here are lovely, and I’m going to miss…
the
giving nature of the Chuukese
island
sunsets
my
sweet Filipino roommates
having
a beach right down the street
the
fourth graders
massages
with my roommate
fresh
coconuts
the
hormonal weather
hearing
“What’s happeninggg? What are you doinggg?”
I won’t miss those huge
brown spiders. They’re scary. And fast. That’s a terrible combination.
Through all the good
days, and despite the exhausting days, spending a year as an SM was one of the
best decisions I've made, and I’d encourage those of you who are thinking about
it to just do it! Go!
It’s going to be a
shock to jump back into my busy American life, but I’ll be bringing home my
ukulele, probably some stowaway cockroaches and ants, and a lifetimes worth of
stories and memories from these ten short months to tide me over. I know that when
things get hectic and I long for the slow lifestyle of these islands, I’ll be
able to close my eyes and smell the salt of the ocean, feel the sand between my
toes, hear my students singing, and recall my time in the tropics as the chorus
of my mind sings “You did it, well done.”
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| I'll treasure every memory I have with these wonderful girls! |
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| I had three spiders that lived inches away from my head as I slept for most of the year, but this guy freaks me out... |
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| Making pyramids during Bible Retreat. |
