Shark's Hole

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6/22/10

I (Mike) have just begun my second week of class. It’s been a ton of work, but it has been even more rewarding. We just finished the book of Hebrews on Monday (after a total of 10 hours of lecture and discussion), so we’ve covered a lot of great material, as well as some of the most difficult passages in the New Testament. Somehow we got through it, and hopefully made some sense out of it! My students continue to impress me with their insight, thoughtful questions, and an overriding passion for learning Scripture. It’s an amazing experience to see the “lights come on” when the students grasp a new truth or idea. Seeing them take a lesson learned from class, and apply it to their future ministries is incredible. I have 8 students in my class, who represent 5 different cultures! So for those of you who have supported us through giving and/or prayer, be assured God is using you to help these students learn and apply God’s Word, thus increasing their effectiveness in future ministries to the people of Guam, Chuuk, Palau, the Martial Islands, and China. And that's just my class.

It’s been an honor to serve here at Pacific Islands University. Getting to know the administration, faculty, and staff these past weeks, it’s clear that God is really doing something special here. They’re truly providing an excellent, biblical education to students of so many nations and cultures, providing opportunities for them that otherwise would not be available. They have a vision for the future, looking ahead to a growing student body, more programs, and a greater impact worldwide, so it’s a privilege to be a small part in what’s going on here.

Please keep me and my students in prayer. Tomorrow we begin the book of James, so we face many practical issues, and some very challenging. Please pray that I would be effective in teaching Scripture in a way that meets the needs of my students, especially in light of the challenges of doing all this in a cross-cultural environment.

God is good.

Hebrews 13:20-21

Gun Beach

A Morning Full of Snorkeling and Hiking - never have we seen such amazing sites in our lives - the beautiful colors of coral and fish. I wish all my family and friends could have been there to see it. Huge hermit-crabs walking along the path in the jungle - coconut, banana, and mango trees everywhere.

Libby's First Three Days of Teaching

I have just finished my 3rd day of teaching and I love it!

I have five students; three of which are college-age and desire to start at the Bible College in the fall but do not have high enough English scores for acceptance. The other two are in their mid-40's and are new on Guam and speak very little English - they desire to improve their English so they can get a job on the island. Two of my students are from China, two are from Chuuk (a neighboring Micronesian island), and the other is from Taiwan. Hence, three speak Mandarin and two speak Chuukese (I never knew the island had their own language) as their native language.

The program I am teaching in has four sections and many outside activities. The students are busy from 8:30a - 9p, with some breaks. On Fridays, the teachers take the students on field trips around the island to practice their English and sight see. The four class sections include: grammar and writing, academic and workplace expectations, basic Bible knowledge and western culture, and my class which is "reading." My class focus is on improving reading comprehension and listening skills, developing reading strategies, improving pronunciation (reading aloud skills), and building vocabulary.

Going into my first day of teaching I was intimidated, but once I started teaching I was put at ease by my students' great questions and eagerness to learn. I found it a bit of a challenge working with the two vastly different groups; one group needing very basic skills and the other needing college prep skills. After the first day, however, I am learning to adjust. The students are so much fun. XuaYung, who speaks very little English, has such a funny personality. So far I have taught lessons on pronunciation, including sentence stress and the basic rhythm of English. You should hear them now - they sound beautiful :)

Thank you so much for your prayers! It is a great blessing to be involved with such a wonderful ministry this summer. Please continue to pray for my teaching as well as my students.

Love and miss you. Libby

*Photo: Lynn Lin, student from Taiwan

Mangilao Trail

300 Steps Through the Jungle



















Less than a five minute drive from campus is a trail-head that leads through the jungle down to a beautiful oasis. A group of us from PIU hiked this on our 2nd day on Guam. It was breathtaking to say the least. Even though the humidity was at about 100% and banana spiders were everywhere, it was well worth it :) To see more photos, CLICK HERE.

Chamorro Village

  

The first night of being on Guam, some people from PIU took us to Chamorro Village. It gave us a glimpse into the island's culture, lifestyle, and cuisine. We saw local dancing and ate local food.

To view photos CLICK HERE. 

Narita, Japan Photos

Click HERE to view our photos on Picasa of Japan, where you can comment and rate them.

Layover in Tokyo

    

We opted for a 7 hour layover in Japan, after the 14 hour flight from Newark Airport. We were exhausted from the flight, and had to lug around our carry-on bags, but we’re so glad we did it. After going through customs and buying a train ticket, we got off in Narita, and spent the day sight-seeing. First we walked up and down the city streets, looking in some of the shops that sold local wares and souvenirs. The people were incredibly gracious and friendly. Everything seemed a little slower and relaxed compared to the crazy fast paced city life we’re used to. Next, we made our way down to the Narita Temple, which was truly one of the most impressive things we’ve ever seen. Vast temple buildings surrounded by acres of monuments, streams, and pathways. It was so peaceful it was hard to imagine having to get back to the airport. On our way back, we stopped at a Japanese noodle shop and the food was amazing. Back to the airport to sleep on chairs for an hour until the 3-hour flight to Guam…

 

We are here!!

We arrived safely in Guam about 2 hours ago. It is currently Wed, June 9 at 3:30 am. After about 30 hours of travel, we made it. We were greeted at the airport by 8 people from Pacific Islands University, including 3 students, who made us a welcome poster. Thank you for your prayers for safe travel. We are exhausted... so we will write more after getting some rest.