Week 21 and counting...

School is out! Those are my favorite words to say on a Friday afternoon. The breeze is blowing briskly through our apartment and keeping the temperature bearable. It smells like fresh laundry, and the overall effect feels like summer vacation.
School has been going well. The kids haven’t changed much, but slowly and surely I am. I am starting to enjoy myself more often, and I am less stressed now that I am caught up on grading and finished with one of two independent studies. The kids can be so cute sometimes. My girls have decided they love me now, and they are constantly clinging to some part of my body. They give me notes that are misspelled but so cute, and they told me this week that they wanted me to be their teacher until they were dead. “And then we’ll stay in the ground til Jesus comes, and then we’ll see her again in heaven!” oh my. At least they were listening when we discussed the 2nd coming and resurrection in Bible class. I still haven’t figured out why they love me so much – I am still constantly disciplining my class.

I had a great birthday. The girls made me breakfast, and then three classes came in to sing happy birthday to me. After school the girls blindfolded me and led me around town and finally took me out to supper. And they made me a great cake too. So it was a good birthday. My birthday packages arrived this week, and while I wish they could’ve gotten here earlier it is kind of cool to have your birthday stretched out a little longer. =)
Last Sunday six of the SMs went diving. We went to Blue Hole and German Channel, two of the more famous dive sites, and they were amazing. We saw a manta ray at German Channel, and Blue Hole was awesome – a 80+ foot hole in the coral and tons of fish and coral, as well as my first eel.
One of the big grocery stores here is called Surangel’s and is owned by Adventists. Whenever they have a lot of expired or otherwise unusable things, they pass them on to the SMs. A few months ago, we got a huge amount of plain yogurt. It spawned a huge debate about what to do with the 23 lbs of expired yogurt. We got creative, threw some away, and still have some in the freezer. Around November we got 10 boxes each of chocolate-covered almonds. They were good, but after the fourth box or so they lost their appeal. Most recently we have acquired 4 bags of unshelled peanuts and about 8 jars of cheese whiz. We made up broccoli cheese soup on Friday, but we still have about 6 jars left.
In other news, we got hot water! We got it at the end of Christmas break, and it has been so nice not having to steel yourself for the cold water.

I am very slowly learning patience, and am also slowly being drawn closer to God. I don’t think God talks louder in Palau, but I do seem to pay more attention. Some of the SMs went out to a pier at the north end of Babeldaob (Palau’s main island) for vespers one Friday night, and it was amazing. After not singing many praise songs the past few months, the worship felt so right. God was so near that night, and many nights as I am running around the track or having devotions I can feel God’s presence. I had been missing that feeling back in the States, and it feels so amazing. I am still working on keeping that presence with me during my class, and also on showing God to each of my students. I often feel so inadequate – of all the people God could bring here to teach, why me? I struggle so much with showing my kids Jesus, and I feel like I fail almost everyday. But I know without a doubt that God brought me here, and that He will bless my efforts.

more pictures from the break

Krista holding the crocodile Nelson caught at Ngemelis. We spotted it on Sabbath afternoon while poling around the island in a wooden canoe. Nelson went and speared/caught it on Sunday. The croc went home on the boat with us. They said it was going to be a pet, but they didn't deny it when we asked if they were going to eat it. I don't know what it's fate was...

Marianne, Dinah, Krista, and me.

Almost all of us slept in hammocks at Ngemelis, since it was cooler. It also had the added bonus of no rats scurrying around under your bed. They were a pain to set up, however, since all we had was bad rope to hang them with and you can't set them up under coconut trees (for obvious reasons).

En route to Ngemelis. It looks sunny, but it was downpouring most of the way there. So much for basking in the sun on Christmas Day.

Krista's first experience with taro.

Ice pops, my favorite Palauan dessert. Krista loved them, too.

Stephi, Krista, and I at the waterfall. We had a blast. (by the way, our attire is not Palau-approved. There was no one around, so we decided to seize the opportunity).

Sunrise at North Beach.

Krista and Marianne

Krista and I at one of the few Rock Islands with a beach.

SDA staff at the Christmas program.

School is now back in session, and my kids are the same as ever, although they look a little older and taller somehow. My kids decided last week that Mexicans eat grasshoppers and honeymoons are when you get pregnant. They certainly are creative. We did a science activity on Tuesday that involved making water fountains. I asked them what they thought we were going to use all the water for, and Jerome asked if we were going to pretend to be plants and dump it on our heads.
In other news, we are not getting any more SMs as of yet. A Palauan teacher is filling in for Daniel (Mr. Snyder) and Tanner is moving from 1st to 8th grade since Mrs. Kathleen is off of maternity leave. We are still praying for a PE teacher, since we all hate teaching our kids PE.

Yesterday we all went to Airai View, a hotel with a small waterpark, for Erinn's birthday. We all had a ton of fun, and I think it is the longest amount of time we've had together as a group since the beginning of the year. After cleaning up, we went to PPR (Palau Pacific Resort) for supper. One of the well-to-do church members offered to pay for our meal, and we also got to see Polynesian dancing. It was a wonderful day.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

the break in pictures

Sunday, Jan. 3

Today marks the end of break. The time has flown by, and the two weeks have been very refreshing. Since Krista was here, the break was chronicled in pictures. I thought it would therefore be appropriate to blog through pictures. Plus, I don't feel like writing.

Krista and the kids

Aloisa and Marlynne (and Alfons). The girls are so sweet! They told me yesterday that they had been trying to tell me for three weeks that they loved me and I was the best teacher ever. =)

Jerome

Picking up Krista at the airport

2A performing in the Christmas play.

Chapel. They are supposed to be looking straight ahead and singing. =)

Our pet hamster, Jackson.

Enthralled

Having fun

The band playing...it was painful.


More pictures to come...