Tickets to Taiwan

Spring break is an exciting week for the eighth graders of Saipan SDA Elementary. It is the week they go on a "class trip." For some of the class, it’s the first time they have ever been off the island of Saipan. At the beginning of this year our principal Mr. Berglund, and the rest of the office staff put their heads together and came up with a destination and a fundraising goal. They wanted to choose a country that is safe, culturally vibrant and relatively inexpensive to tour… and safe. After a little deliberation they decided on a location. The destination for this year: Taiwan. The fundraising goal: $400 per person. (This amount covers hotel, food, tour and travel costs while on the island itself. The airfare would be up to each individual student to raise).

For student missionaries to the CNMI and FSM, the opportunity to travel to other countries on school breaks is not only highly appealing but also quite possible financially. Being as close to Asia as we are, flights from Saipan to counties such as South Korean, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines cost a fraction of that they do in the states. When I was asked by Mr. Berglund to be an eighth grade class sponsor and assist them in fundraising I was only too happy to accept as it meant

1)      more fundraising experience

2)      the travel experience of a lifetime

We began raising money for their class by selling snacks after school. Ice Keki is a local favorite, and in my opinion it is the better version of Otter Pops. At fifty cents a popsicle, we knew that while it would help us reach our goal we would need to plan some much larger fundraisers. Next we began having hot lunch fundraisers. Local restaurants… (I laugh at my use of the word “local” because everything here is local.)… such as Spicy Thai and Eden have generously offered us a $3 dollar per lunch special. We sell the lunches for $5 and then for each lunch we sell, two dollars goes towards the class trip. Every other Wednesday we have hot lunch fundraiser. With these small but steady sources of support we have managed to earn most of the $4,000 the class needs. The rest of the money was raised by larger projects such as selling Calendars for the 2015 school year that I designed, and a bowling tournament that we held earlier this year.

At this point I will mention that as of this week we have met 75% of the fundraising goal. I will also mention that 100% of that amount was raised by the office staff. Here’s the scoop on island culture. Usually if something requires extra effort, it holds a lot less appeal. If you do not include hand making traditional Chamorro skirts, there is little exception to this rule. If it takes effort, it probably won’t happen. That being said, our group of office staff (myself included) has what we fondly call the travel bug. We want to see the world because we know how important it is to broaden your view of other cultures. We also want to make sure that our students have at least one opportunity to see something of the world… to know that the world isn’t just one island 12 miles long and 5 miles wide. When I first started helping with the fundraising my motivation was a little selfish I will admit. The longer I work with these kids, the more motivated I am for their sake. I don’t want them to miss this chance. It’s not that I feel they are missing out on “better things.” Saipan is a great place to live (once you acclimate to the heat and the high prices). I see how little ambition most of them have for their own lives beyond high school. Their dreams are limited to the world they know. When asked, some of the more aspiring students talk about joining the army or becoming teachers and doctors. I have met a few of the past elementary students who are now in high school. They are still working towards their ambitions… and you know what, those students are the ones who got to travel. Their experiences abroad were something that had an impact on their lives. It’s exciting to think that this is what a ticket to Taiwan could give them.

On a Spiritual Note

 While going through my neglected inbox the other day I came across an email from Walla Walla University's student missions department. The email was a survey about my experience so far, and a way to give feedback regarding how I thought the SM department had helped me through the whole application process. (They get 10 out of 10 from me.) One of the questions was in regards to my spiritual life. What have you learned about God this year? I thought for a while and finally typed in a very brief response to sum things up. "He's got the whole world in His hands."

Up until this year I had only visited some of the western states and had never stepped a foot out of the U.S. mainland. I had planned to visit Canada and maybe venture down to South America one day but I never imagined crossing an ocean… or living on a small island in the middle of one. Then the Spirit began to speak my freshman year of college and I made the decision to commit one year of my life to doing missionary work abroad. I don’t recall ever being as excited as I was the day I walked into the missions department and sat down to speak with Jeanne Vories (one of the student mission coordinators). I had given it a lot of thought, but I still wasn’t sure where I wanted to go. Doors seemed to keep closing in South America so I turned to the islands to see where I could serve. God had impressed me to go, and I knew He would impress me again as to where. Jeanne asked me questions and challenged me to think about all the reasons I wanted to go and which factors were the most important. At the end of our discussion I had decided to do some research on Palau, when out of the corner of my eye I saw a colorful brochure sitting on Jeanne’s desk. The flame trees were the first thing that caught my attention. I had never heard of Saipan before, and other than the island of Guam, I wasn’t sure what made up the Northern Marianas. The brochure was brief but told me all I needed to know. Saipan was where God wanted me to go. What sealed the deal was learning that the position was for a Public Relations assistant. (Oh heyyy, that's my major!)

Somewhere around five months later there I was, sitting "criss cross applesauce" on a big green rug with seventeen 3-year-olds singing all about how "brown and yellow, black and white, we are precious in His sight," and how "He's got the whole world in His hands." While we sang I looked around the room and counted five different nationalities. After getting plenty of photos for the yearbook (in retrospect, I probably didn’t need 170 photos) I quietly exited the classroom and headed back to my desk the office to edit photos and contemplate just how amazing God is to have led me to this job and this place.

Saipan is the most culturally diverse place I have ever lived in. The island “where America’s day begins” is home to Chamorro’s, Carolinians, Filipinos, Koreans, Japanese, Chinese and Russians. It is a melting pot of people, and it’s always changing. Changing them and changing those who visit this place. From eating with chopsticks to using local greetings, this place has saturated my world with the color of other cultures. I had only ever briefly studied about the people I have met. Most of my life I have spent learning about my own American history. Now here I am, in a mini orient so to speak, and I am in awe with the many kinds of people groups God created. I am humbled by their kindness, blessed by their friendship, and inspired by their customs…

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Just the other day I was tutoring at Dream Academy. My ride home was delayed an hour and a half, but I didn’t mind because I spent that rainy evening sitting with Grace, the wife of the Korean pastor who runs the tutoring center. Grace saw me there standing outside at a loss and invited me into her office to share a snack of bread and cola and talk about mission trips. Between her translator app and my skills at charades we had many laughs. I will never forget her kindness.

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Becky, the music and art teacher at the school has become one of my good friends. Whenever I have free time on my hands, I head to classroom 11 to spend time planning special music, designing posters and teaching her how to use her new pinterest account. Whenever I am sad, frustrated, lonely or bored, a trip to visit Becky always makes the day better.

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Several weeks ago my roommate and I were helping to lead out the Adventist Youth program. At the end of the afternoon’s activities we gathered in a circle to pray and head back to our cars to drive everyone home. Just as we were about to all say goodbye, Kuya Frank, one of the elders in the church, spoke up and informed the group that he and his family had prepared food for everyone at their house. Delighted, we loaded up our cars to the max and carpooled to his family’s house to enjoy a feast of pancit and spring rolls, fresh fruit and sticky rice. Kuya Franks dining room is furnished so as to allow as many as possible to share a meal with them. At Kuya Franks table there is always enough to eat and time to enjoy everyone's company.

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It was quite the journey traveling here, and has been quite the adventure living here. It hasn't been easy. There are days where I stare at pictures of my family on the wall of my bedroom and cling to my pillow wishing it were the arms of my family. I dream about the day I will meet them at the airport. These are tough moments, but they don't last long. With God all things are possible. He has supplied the strength, energy, and joy I need to make this year one of the greatest in my life. In addition to that closer personal walk, I have learned one thing about God that has inspired me. No matter where I travel on this earth, I can feel God’s love through the people around me. In every corner He is demonstrating His love through the kindness, the friendship and the customs of others.

Documenting Saipan

Faith and Patience

In the month prior to Christmas vacation the office staff began to schedule the hours for the daycare staff. The Child Development Center is open the full 12 months in a year. Recently several of the teachers went on vacation and so the daycare has been under-staffed. I volunteered to work during break to make sure the preschool classroom would have enough teachers. Carolyn, my roommate, would work in the Pre-Kindergarten room. During those three weeks of break we arrived at the school around 7:45am. At 8:15am Ms. Shirley, the head Pre-School teacher and I would begin working on worksheets with the kids. Some of the three-year-olds were surprisingly good at coloring within the lines. Others decided that their coloring page would look much better if it was covered entirely in purple crayon. Whoever the person was who designed clay crayons that stain hands, shirts, pants, and everything in the vicinity... ... ... Around 9am we led the kids in a single file line outside to the play ground. In the best interest of Ms. Shirley and I, my goal every day was to get the kids as worn out as possible. I assumed the role of the tickle monster and chased the kids around the playground for the full 45 minutes. Whether it made a difference, we could never tell. I had no idea how much energy it takes to keep up with a three year old. After play time, we take them back inside to change, drink water and then gather in a circle for songs, stories, counting and going over the alphabet. If you have never heard Perry Como's version of the alphabet song, you need to look it up.

The stories and songs are for the most part from cradle roll and Sabbath school. When we sing "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" we adapt the verses to include the students names in groups of two, and when we sing their names, those two students give each other a big hug. It's fun to watch them light up when their name is called and then give their friend a big squeeze. Shirley was talking with me one day about how much the students learn and share with their parents at home. She told me how one day a parent was sharing how her son had informed her "Mom, you shouldn't worship idols! They can't hear you. Teacher Shirley says so!" (This was just after she had read them the story about the Baal worshipers.) Another student informed their parents that "Saturday is the Sabbath and that pork isn't good for eating." The good-natured Moms laughed it off as some "church" thing, and after Shirley shared these stories with me I grew hopeful that the little bit of the bible these kids are getting to hear is sinking in and making a difference. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6. 

After we have circle time, we eat lunch. Then comes the part of the day where I exercise my patience. Helping 16 kids wash their face and hands, brush their teeth and settle down for a nap none of them are eager to take requires a good deal of grit and saintly behavior. Who but a saint would react calmly to a child who smears toothpaste and liquid hand soap all over the bathroom? I am afraid that wasn't one of my better days, but over time I have learned to accept that there will be messes, there will be spills, and there will be tantrums. The best thing I can do is bear it patiently. These children are learning by example, and I want mine to be a good one.

I suppose the biggest reward is walking into the pre-school room every now and being greeted by a whole group of kids hugging my legs and trying to show me their newest lego creation. It doesn't matter how many times I had to put them in time-out, these kids bear no grudges. While delivering after school schedules today I passed the playground as the pre-schoolers were busy patting down the finishing touches on their sand sandwiches. From the fence several called to me, pleading "be the monsturr, teacher!" I happily obliged.