Learning Center in T-5 days!

Talofa friends and family!
I am now closing in on three months of being in Samoa. It has been better and different than I expected. I will start with the biggest news first..

Sunrise over the base

BIG Learning Center News:We plan to start the Learning Center on April 22, the Tuesday after Easter. Less than a week now! The last few days the team of us working at the Learning Center have been cleaning out bedrooms and converting them into classrooms, painting, clearing the land for a playground, and repainting the old playground equipment that we have. The next two days will be spent planning for the first few days of school, prepping the staff, and giving a teaching workshop for the staff to teach them good principles and teaching strategies. I am very excited since I have been getting a bit stir crazy not getting to do the things that I really love. We have had numerous families stopping us in town and on the street asking when we are going to start. We plan to start small with the children who have attended in the past and let it grow by word of mouth. We already have at least 20 who have signed up to come and I am sure more will show up. We won’t really know what to expect until it starts.

Putting up posters in the classrooms

Classroom for the oldest students

Teaching Workshop for the LC teachers

Critiquing the practice teaching

Teaching Workshop-Practicing teaching a mini-lesson

Teaching a practice math lesson

Painting the walls

Our Library/resources

Building the Blackboards

Painting the Blackboards

Our staff team is really bonding well and working hard together to get everything ready. I am really pleased and proud of them. We have a team of seven-two from American Samoa, one Fijian, one Solomon Islander, myself, and two Samoans. We are planning on having three classes based on academic levels with two staff in each class. I will be hopping from class to class supporting the teachers, helping them plan lessons, teach, and maintain order-doing more the administrative role-as well as teaching English. This is going to be very different for me as I love being in the classroom, but I think that right now (not speaking Samoan) the way that I can best serve is by teaching the teachers how to teach as only one of them has any ounce of teaching experience. If I can give them the skills to teach and empower them, then I will have fulfilled my purpose here. I have really had to hold things loosely though as even the way that they set up a classroom is very different from how I would do it-aesthetically pleasing vs. practical and useful. God has given me a lot of grace and patience and I have just had to let go. These are their classrooms not mine.  

Repainting our playground

Prepping the ground for the playground

Final product (for now)

Getting the area ready for our playground

Painting the swing set

Roommate News Flash!:One big piece of news is that I have a new roommate...Tiffany decided to move out of her family’s fale and in with me! She is absolutely wonderful although we stay up way too late talking most nights.  I am so grateful for her; I am not sure what I would do without her. God truly knew what He was doing in putting the two of us together again. God is just blessing our relationship and it is growing deeper and deeper by the day. Not only that but she challenges me spiritually and continually points me back to God. She’s been an encouragement, shoulder to cry on, escape when I need it, and a cultural bridge. God has been revealing more and more my purpose in coming here specifically relating to my time with Tiffany. We are a really good team especially when praying for people because our gifts compliment each other, and we know each other so well that it just flows and we can read where the other person is going. I think that us being together is as much for her as it is for me.

Tiff and I :)

What God is doing on the base/Bible Study and Mentoring:
God has been showing me His heart for this place and what He is doing and is going to do.  I am so excited to be a part of it!  I/we keep feeling that God wants to restore people’s identities, self-worth, and for the girls to show them what it truly means to be a woman and walk in beauty. Most of them have been told their entire lives what to believe and think and who they are that their true God-given identities have been lost, crushed, or buried. He is already beginning to transform some of their thinking. Tiffany, Ema, Mei Su and I have been praying over each other (basically doing deep inner healing) and seeing God breakthrough strongholds, lies, and fear bringing freedom and restoration.  We really feel that this is just the beginning and God wants this to sweep over the base starting with us. We have been sensing that God wants to tear things down to the foundations with hurricane force and rebuild it from the base up-not patch jobs.

One of the huge needs on base is mentoring the staff.  The culture of Samoa is steeped in religion and Christianity, but it is surface level. Most of the DTS students become Christians and begin to have a relationship with God on their DTS. Post-DTS there is a huge need for discipleship as most of them are baby Christians. Because of this, Mei Su (a Taiwanese lady) and I have started a small group once a week for the girls on base staff. As I said in my last update, people are really lonely but have so many walls up and don’t share their hearts with others. The group is going pretty well, but is slow going as there is so much resistance towards being open and vulnerable and so many layers or walls. A few of them have shared a little piece of what’s on their hearts; a few others have at least started sharing that they are struggling although they still don’t feel comfortable sharing what or why. At least they can say that they aren’t doing well which is a start. It is frustrating sometimes because I am impatient and want to see growth and openness now, but I know it is a process and a very slow moving one and that I can’t push or rush things. This is new and scary for them, but they want it. They desire it. They continue to come and say that they are lonely and want to have community and openness. Everyday there is a little bit more that they share.

I also have two girls that I am discipling once a week. I have seen huge growth in them. God is really moving. As I am one of the most mature Christians on base, many of the staff have started seeking me out to ask questions about God, the Bible, and a multitude of other related questions. I have been able to speak into people’s identities, about God’s anointing and favor, spiritual warfare, and so much more. I have also started leading worship and intercession twice a week which has given me the opportunity to speak into/teach about both of those topics and what true worship and intercession look like. It has been so amazing to see God answer prayer directly. There have been several times that we have prayed for something and the next day see it answered.

Mobile Team:
I am continuing to get better and better as well as less self-conscious at learning and performing our island dances in our Mobile Team. We have had huge opportunities to speak and perform in churches and are “booked” almost every weekend. Last week we had the privilege of leading a service at a church that has broken relationship with YWAM-they have even stopped supporting the three staff who come from their church. Because of our willingness to go and the things we did and said, they not only have reconciled with the base, but are now supporting the staff again! They have even asked us to come and train some of their youth. We have also been asked to come to different churches and help lead some Bible studies specifically with the youth. We have broken our Mobile Team into four different groups so that we can divide and conquer. We also have had some financial blessings from the churches and have been measured for team uniforms :).

Random Jobs and News:
I am still working in the office several afternoons a week doing all of the email correspondence, updating our YWAM Samoa facebook page, working on writing grant proposals, and more. I am currently working on designing a playground and trying to obtain funds to build it. I have been talking to a man who owns a company designing playgrounds in underprivileged areas and we have some fun ideas. For a sneak peak of what we are thinking check out this website:
http://kaboom.org/blog/cool_playgrounds_wood_tires_thailand.

In June (just before I come home) I have the opportunity to go to PNG, Papua New Guinea for a gathering of YWAM staff from all around the Pacific. I am praying about whether or not I am supposed to go-leaning towards yes, but I have to make sure that it will not interfere with the Learning Center and my coming home.

Workbee at 6am

Yes I know how to wield a machete

Our piggery (with 5 batches of new pigglets)

Building an extension to our piggery because of the copious amounts of piglets

Me Personally:
God is definitely moving here in Samoa. It is definitely not easy, but God is so faithful. The days that I am struggling most, He lavishes me with the presence of a Westerner who takes me hiking somewhere on the island or buys me a hamburger, an incredible conversation with one of the staff, someone bringing me chocolate, a letter in the mail or just a phenomenal sunrise. He just fulfills my every need. Every few weeks there has been a “white person” who has come to the base to visit and just lavished me or even just talked to me for a while and it is like a breath of fresh air. We take for granted such little things like being able to have an easy conversation not straining to understand or being aware of my actions and how I might be perceived culturally or use sarcasm or just the way westerners preach. Haha. God is so good.

Sea turtles

Feeding papaya to a sea turtle-Yes, I moved my fingers fast

Rochelle, the amazing Australian woman who took me around the island, to see the Samoan cultural center, fed me chocolate, hamburgers, and fries, and took me to feed the turtles

The first few weeks and months that I have been here, I felt like I really needed to be careful about what I said and really respect others, but I feel like now I have been here long enough and am at a place where I can speak into things that need speaking into-places where there is disunity or disrespect-calling people out in love. I have seen a lot of change and fruit come out of this and am modeling good forms of confrontation.

Relationship with the girls has been better but is still probably the hardest part of being here (although I am starting to get a bit sick of the food and craving things like pizza and spaghetti and pancakes...). There has definitely been breakthrough but there isn’t openness and trust-which is also partially due to the language barrier.

I am still waiting for my VISA. I applied, but they changed some regulations and the type of VISA I needed to get. I redid some paperwork and am now waiting to hear their decision. If it is granted, I will have a 3 year temporary residency VISA-not that I necessarily will be here that long, but it is the same price as one year and better than applying every year. Please continue praying. (Oh and no problems with Denghi Fever-only an outbreak of pink eye which I thankfully didn’t get).

Firsts:
I ate raw sea cucumber guts-not too bad just ridiculously chewy. Experienced my first earthquake-just a little one. I’m starting a school next week! :O

Cooking- Alexa one of the DTS students

Prayer Requests:
1. Learning Center starts next week!
        -The students who are coming
        -Grace, patience, and wisdom for me (and the other teachers)
        -That the staff would be teachable and willing to listen and learn and that I would also learn       from them and be humble
        -Finances for both the school and the playground we are trying to build
2. Mobile Team
       -More opportunities to speak and perform in churches, youth groups, prisons, etc.
       -That God would really use us mightily, that we would be led by the Spirit, and unity would  pervade our team.
       -We are believing God for a van to transport us to and from locations.
3. Clarity as to whether or not I am supposed to attend the conference in Papua New Guinea.
4. Pray that I get my VISA and soon.
5. Me
       -Continued boldness and a willingness to be obedient in whatever the Lord asks of me. To keep Him and His opinion of me first and foremost.
       -An unoffendable heart and love towards others. No judgment.
6. Relationships with the other base staff, locals, and students that will be coming to the Learning Center.  *Specifically relationships with the girls on base, and that those relationships would go deep and not just be surface level.
7. Girls Small Group- wisdom and discernment for how to run it and start it, but that also the girls would be willing to be vulnerable and open. Bond of sisterhood.

Sneak peak of Samoa

Traditional Samoan fale (this was a meeting house for the village elders and matai)

Making a traditional Samoan food

At the cultural center- demonstrating how to open and get the coconut cream from a coconut

The ocean-it was raining over that one spot

The buses from Apia into the villages

Natural harbor with a Giant Clam Conservatory-Got to swim here-the water was freezing on top and hot on the bottom because of the natural springs flowing out from the lava rocks

Laundry day in the pool fed from the natural springs

Happy Easter! Jesus is risen!
Fa’afetai Lava!

For more pictures check out my facebook Jennifer Wendt or YWAM Samoa facebook page

I am falling in love with...SAMOA!

Talofa family and friends,

I have now been in Samoa for over a month and a half! I can hardly believe that it has already been that long! God is giving me His heart for this country and I am quickly falling in love with it, its culture, and its people. Things have been very busy in the last few weeks as the Discipleship Training School (DTS) that started last September graduated, the new DTS started, one of our own, Liaina, left the base after 6 years to head to the next place God has called him to, as well as starting up our mobile team, and so, so much more.

Mobile Team: 

We have just created a mobile team in the last 3 weeks, which I am a part of, which goes around to different churches, ceremonies, and prisons doing dramas, dances, and leading worship. Almost every night during the week, we have dance practice, and I am quickly trying to learn Samoan, Fijian, Cook Island, Tongan, and Hawaiian dancing. My thighs, calfs, and hips are sore, but I’m getting in really good shape.  
We have performed at three different churches, four ceremonies, and at a prison. I am improving each time. It is very fun to be involved in this because dancing is so much a part of the Samoan culture; they just come alive when they dance. The first church we performed in, I received a standing ovation when I did my 5 second solo section; apparently they were just blessed that I have even attempted to learn a piece of their culture, but also my movements are slightly different than theirs and they find that amusing. It is quite daunting at the same time because all of the islanders can dance and have been dancing since before they could walk. I am learning to let go of my pride and walk in humility big time.

Dancing for Liaina's Farewell party

One of the leaders on the base was one of the founders of Island Breeze, a YWAM dance troupe that travels the world doing Island dances. He has been giving me some private lessons and tips which has been SO helpful as many times the girls show me the actions but basic things like posture and hand and feet positions they forget to teach me since it is second nature for them.

Mobile Team Girls heading to Church

Learning Center News:

Things have not progressed much as far as the learning center goes. We cannot start until the construction workshop finishes because they are storing all of their building materials in the learning center and as they build, it is dangerous for kids and very noisy. They have had to put the library fale on hold while they have been feverishly trying to update and do construction on the fales for the DTS students. Although we were hoping to have the school start sometime in March, realistically it will not be until April. This is ok with me as it gives me more time to acclimate to the culture and to learn the language, although I am really missing having kids around and being in my niche. There is a small team from Canada in Samoa for a few weeks and one of them is a English as a Second Language Teacher/Instructor. We are hoping to get some time together next week or two so that I can pick his brain and get materials from him!

Construction Workshop Boys building the Library Fale

 My Role:

As the Learning Center isn’t yet functional, I have been doing the things that no one else has been able to do, time to do, or don’t have the skills to do. Mostly office work. I have become the “techy” on base-who would have thought?! It is by far not my favorite, but it is a need the base has and I am good at it. I have been typing up electronic copies of things that they only have hard copies of- Rewriting applications, syllabuses, and debrief curriculum. I have also been put in charge of international communications (which has been sorely lacking at the base)-emails, outreach teams that want to come, short term mission builders, etc. I have also become the official photographer on base as well as the one who updates the YWAM Samoa facebook page. (Find us YWAM Samoa). I would much rather be outside working with my hands and with people, but at least I am out of the sun and have a fan. I have still been working on the grounds weeding and hacking with machetes most mornings, and of course on the kitchen cooking and clean-up rota.

Kitchen Clean-up Crew

I have also been nominated official cake baker for special occasions-however, Samoans somehow make many things special occasions-I think they just are in love with my cakes-so I have been baking at least two or three times a week.  I feel like a true missionary woman now as Friday I baked a banana cake with bananas straight from the tree, made my own buttermilk as a substitute for sour cream with lemons from the tree. And for my coconut buttercream frosting, I used fresh coconut cream which I rung from the coconut meat with my bare hands. :)

Cake for Liana's Farewell Party

Base News:

Liaina just left the base for Brazil via Hawaii. Our March DTS just started two weeks ago with 13 students and 6 staff. Seven out of ten of the September DTS that we graduated last week have come back on staff as well as two other new staff members. So the base is hopping with people. The two DTS fales have been refurbished and enclosed. The roof is on the library fale-the only two story fale in all of Samoa! Our YWAM soccer team won their first elimination game in the tournament 3-0 and unfortunately lost in the second game 3-1 in a very hard-fought game in torrential rain.

DTS Graduation

Ava Ceremony

Me Personally:

I have been told that I have a black (African) heart, a Samoan soul, Latin hips, and white skin-a woman of the nations :).

Two weeks ago the honeymoon stage wore off/ I was exhausted and didn’t have my personal time with God, and therefore, it was a rough week. Amazingly, similar things were happening in the life of one of the staff named Ema. As we hid in my room to eat guacamole (which I made from the avocados on our tree) so that we didn’t have to share, God moved. We ended up spending more than two hours on our knees, sobbing, repenting, and crying out to God. It was such a sweet time. It was like a spiritual weight and darkness was lifted. I feel like Satan is really attacking me using the fear of man- caring more about other people’s thoughts and opinions of me than God’s- against me. This has been specifically prevalent in dancing (in the mobile team and also in worship). God has been speaking to me and asking me to be obedient, and I have been hesitant and resisting in some areas. I was sick for a few days with a sore, scratchy throat. I woke up that Friday morning feeling pretty miserable and bummed that I would not be able to sing during our base worship time, and God said, “It’s ok. You can dance instead.”, forcing me to step out in obedience. And His presence fell and many people were blessed by it.

Tiff and I relaxing at Coconut Resort the day Uncle John and Uncle Don took us snorkling. 

Tiff and I

Snorkling

I am still progressing with my language skills. I have been able to speak some sentences and have very, very basic conversations with people. I am pretty perceptive so I am able to discern what people are saying even if I don’t understand the words which helps. I am enjoying learning, and the Samoans are enjoying teaching me. Although I need to be careful who I ask as some of the boys think it is funny to teach me the wrong words now. Sunday I learned the alphabet and the words that correlate with each letter (like A apple but A ato). I feel very accomplished :).

I’m in a weird place where I am feeling accepted and a part but also very separate and alone all at the same time. Building relationship with the girls has still been difficult and sometimes seems like it is two steps forwards and one step back, but every time I feel discouraged, God rocks my world again with an amazing one-on-one time with one of the girls or one of them asks me to pray with them or confides in me. I have a room to myself currently which is nice for sleeping and having downtime, but is unhelpful for building relationships as at night time I can hear all the other girls giggling or talking together in their rooms. The language difference can also make things lonely as they don’t always think to include me or translate. The feelings of loneliness have been much better in the last week as they are seeing me as a permanent fixture and I have been stepping out more. God has been providing opportunities for fun and adventure and relationship. He is so good! Uncle John and Uncle Don took Tiffany and I snorkeling on the other side of the island; Saturday, Uncle Don, a few of the guys and I went hiking, jumping off waterfalls, and exploring caves across the island as well. Random dance parties are daily occurrences as we clean up the kitchen or cook.

Hiking and playing in the waterfall

The natives have gone wild while cooking Sunday lunch

Hiking to the Ma Tree

What God is Doing:

In the last week specifically, God has been expanding my heart for Samoa, giving me such a love for this culture and people, showing me the broken places that break His heart, and how He wants to heal and change it. It has been an incredible week! Such a week of surprises. Mei Shu (Taiwan), Auntie Vicki (New Zealand), and I had an incredible prayer and intercession time in the new fales-declaring it a place of God’s presence, safety, sisterhood, honesty, and so much more. We had a surprise visit from a couple from Washington State who not only mentored but also married my mentor and dear friend, Jessica, from YWAM Harpenden. In the short 48 hours they were here, they spoke into my life in such profound ways, confirmed the things that God was showing to me about Samoa and the base, and encouraged me personally and in the things that I feel God has asked me to step out in.

One of the things that God has heavily placed on my heart and on Tiffany and Ema’s hearts is to have a small group for the girls on base staff. I have noticed that there seems to be a lot of loneliness here as people have put up barricades around their hearts and placed a facade of strength and being “ok”  around themselves guarding very vulnerable and broken hearts. Many of the relationship are just surface level. The people are crying out for someone to see them but terrified of letting someone in as there have been so many hurts in the past; there is also a problem with gossip here in Samoa which makes people not want to share their hearts for fear everyone will know. I think this is why one of the strongholds/ prevalent problems in Samoa is in sexual sins like lust, sex outside of marriage, pornography especially in the youth. God wants to restore people’s identities, self-worth, and for the girls to know what it truly means to be a woman and walk in beauty. Most of them have been told their entire lives what to believe and think and who they are that their true God-given identities have been lost, crushed, or buried.

God has already begun this. The last three nights Tiffany, Ema, Uncle John and I have been up until between 1 and 3am praying over each other and seeing God breakthrough strongholds, lies, and fear bringing freedom and restoration. I am exhausted but so content and at peace. We really feel that this is just the beginning and God wants this to sweep over the base starting with us. We have been sensing that God wants to tear things down to the foundations with hurricane force and rebuild it from the base up-not patch jobs. I have started mentoring two younger girls and already God is working in that. We are going to start our girls’ group probably this week and just see what God does.

International Table-American Samoa, Taiwan, Solomon Islands, New Zealand, Fiji, USA, Samoa

Fun and Funny Firsts:

Mei Shu (Taiwan) loves to eat fresh wasp larvae-it is apparently a delicacy and full of protein. Of course, I tried it. Not a fan, although it is not terrible. I also spent one evening collecting snails by flashlight in order to make them for lunch a few days later. I had the privilege of helping Tiff de-slime them. Those were actually quite tasty since she is a fabulous cook. I also had a funny experience where a quite large centipede almost ran across my foot while I was going to the bathroom. I sat there with my legs and bare feet in the air until he crawled through a crack in the wall so I didn’t get bit. I also walked into the kitchen one day to the sight of two pig heads thawing on the counter next to the sink. As I was on for lunch prep that day I was a bit nervous as to what exactly it was we were having for dinner. It ended up being a special treat for the boys that they prepared themselves so I never had to cook it or eat it.

Prayer Requests:

1. Me
 a. Continued boldness and a willingness to be obedient in whatever the Lord asks of me. To keep
Him and His opinion of me first and foremost.
b. An unoffendable heart and love towards others. No judgment.

2. VISA- I will be applying for my 1 year VISA in the next week. Please pray that it is granted with no  problems or hassles and no extra fees.

3. Relationships with the other base staff, locals, and students that will be coming to the Learning       Center.  *Specifically relationships with the girls on base, and that those relationships would go deep and not just be surface level.

4. Mobile Team
a. That God would really use us mightily, that we would be led by the Spirit, and unity would  pervade our team.
b. We are believing God for a van to transport us to and from locations and for uniform poletasis (Samoan traditional dress).

5.  Girls Small Group- wisdom and discernment for how to run it and start it, but that also the girls    would be willing to be vulnerable and open. Bond of sisterhood.

6. Samoa (specifically the base)
a. That God would break the strongholds over Samoa- sexual perversions and lust, isolation and loneliness, gossip...and be replaced with unity, family, respect, and love

7. Health
a. Protection from sickness.
b. Mental and physical strength.
c. Denghi Fever is coming to Samoa. It has already affected Fiji. They have put out a national advisory. There is no immunization, but just be smart and take preventative measures like not leave standing water. I'm very peaceful about it and God is so much bigger, but I will always take the prayers.

First Weeks in Samoa

I made it to the very hot and humid island of Samoa. I have now been here for almost 2 weeks which seems crazy.  

Weather:

I have never been in heat like this before even in Africa.  The humidity is so high. I rarely sweat, but here it doesn’t matter. Everyone sweats. When the Samoans say that it is hot, you know it is hot; and they have been bemoaning the heat daily.  I think I have been in over a 100 degree heat differential since I left.  Sunday after church, my friend, Tiffany, and Kiwi (New Zealander) Don, and I decided to hike to the top of Mount Vaea on the island of Upolo to Robert Louis Stevenson’s grave.  I wasn’t sure I was going to make it for a while because the heat and humidity zapped away every bit of energy I had and breathing even became difficult. Thankfully when we reached the top, the clouds came and with it some much needed rain to rid us of the humidity. From then on I was fine and able to enjoy the rest of the hike around the mountain.  The best part was the waterfall and small pool at the bottom which I definitely jumped in to cool off. It has been quite dry for the rainy season. They all are telling me that I brought a reprieve in the rain. The last two days though have been quite wet. There are nice breaks between the deluges to get things done.  

Housing:

I live above the Learning Center in a small room with a Fijian girl named Leba.  She has very good English and is in charge of hospitality on the base so it works well.  The Learning Center itself is an open Fale with a few tables and benches in it as well as a chalk board and white board. Most of the Fales on the base have the open living area which can be closed off with tarps or woven palm leaves and then living quarters attached behind.  There are also a few buildings (where the boys live) that are made of shipping containers made into housing. They work well in this climate because they are cool, dry and won’t get blown over by cyclones.  We live in community and therefore share bathrooms which have cold running water for showers.  

                                          Typical Samoan Fale- Open in front as a living space and bedrooms in the back

 DTS girls live in this Fale

 The view of the base (or the left side of it) from the front entrance.  The Learning Center is the first Fale on the left.

 These are what the Male base staff live in. Converted shipping containers.

Daily Life:

Breakfast lasts from 7-8 which can be pankake (a fried dough ball), cocoa rice, fruit, or oatmeal.  From 8-9 we have either worship or intercession times. The rest of the day with the exception of an hour break for lunch is reserved for work duties.  This could be working in the piggery or fishery, construction, working the plantation, cooking, etc.  My jobs have consisted of going through and organizing all of the materials for the Learning Center.  Things have just been boxed up and placed willy-nilly depending on space.  Every time I thought I was finished I found more. I have also been helping with communication for other Palagis (or non-islanders) and writing grant proposals to redo our field. It is currently rocky and uneven. The volleyball court is even worse and semi-dangerous especially if barefoot (I always wear my shoes mom don’t worry ;) ).  We hope to have a space where the community and also the children from the Learning Center can come to engage in rugby, basketball, soccer, ping-pong, and volleyball. Ideally we would like to run sports camps and host tournaments.  I am also in the cooking rotation and have been weeding on the plantation.  After 6, is free time; most of the base staff play volleyball or soccer in the field.  Jam sessions happen quite frequently as Samoans are incredibly musical.  I have somehow gotten myself roped into being on one of the worship teams as well.  Dinner is between 7 and 8 and usually consists of some sort of chicken, fish, or pork with some sort of vegetable (carrots, cassava, Samoan spinach) and either taro or boiled green bananas.  

The base is currently running a construction workshop for the base staff.  The guys are building a new fale for a library and while waiting for the building permits, learning to build canoes. (This is in the Learning Center)

Learning Center:

As generally happens on the mission field, our plans are not always God’s plans and what we think might happen often doesn’t or happens differently.  The plan currently is to have the Learning Center up and running in MARCH! As in next month March! This is a little bit daunting honestly.  I thought I might have a little bit longer to prepare and learn the language, but I guess we will all learn as we go.  I am a bit terrified by the thought, and yet so excited as this is why I came here and what God has been preparing me for.  I am excited to start doing what I was called here for. I was a bit taken aback when I went to a church and was introduced by one of the staff as the new “principal of the Learning Center.”  There are two others, John and Leba, who really love kids and teaching who along with me will make up the core team. Several others on the base are wanting to help out as well in a smaller capacity.  School will run from 9-12:30 Monday-Friday.  We are hoping to break them up into smaller groups according to age and capability.  We have some supplies here. There is not tons in terms of curriculum, but enough to get started with. Towards the end of February we will go around looking for the children who are not in school and speak to their parents about enrolling them in the Learning Center. When it was running a year ago, they had approximately 50 children.    

The Learning Center- you can see my window on the 2nd floor.

Culture:

The Samoans are a wonderful people who are incredibly loyal, loving, and giving.  They are fiercely protective especially of the women and their families. Whenever they have guests the number one rule is to feed them. They don’t understand that I am not as big as most of them and therefore cannot eat as much.  Dinner time is always fun and interesting as it is first come first serve and food tends to jump from one plate to another as people become full and dump their leftovers on others’ plates. They love to sing and dance, and you can always find someone somewhere singing and dancing.  Most constantly have a smile on their face. Samoans love to laugh about anything and everything and teasing is constant. Now that I have been here a while, the teasing towards me has started which means I’m one of them.  They laugh at my attempts at learning the Samoan language as many words are so similar and I either can’t hear the difference, say the difference, or mix them up.  for example foot is va’i and water is vae.  I should be fine as long as I don’t have to say my foot is in the water.  I am learning quite quickly although not as fast as I would like, but the Samoans are quite impressed. One said that it took a palagi 3 months to learn to count and I mastered it in a little over a day. 

Me Personally:

I have been doing well.  God is so faithful and doesn’t give us anything that we can’t bear.  The hardest thing has been the heat as it wears me down. I have to be smart and restrain myself at times because I know that it is not good for my body-and hydrate! Being one of two palangi staff is challenging at times (especially since the other has been married to a Samoan for over 35 years). There is a language barrier and although the Samoans are doing pretty well including me, it can still be lonely as I miss out on many of the jokes, laughter, and just don’t know what is going on half the time.  Being alert and engaged all the time while trying to remember names and information about everyone and understanding broken English gets very exhausting after awhile.  Thankfully I have Tiffany here who understands and just lets me escape to her bedroom or take walks together without having to talk or think.  I have fallen asleep on her floor at least 2 or 3 times.  It has been so wonderful seeing her and getting to rekindle that relationship after 2 years! There has been a lot of laughter and stories.  

Tiffany and I hiking the mountain!

Prayer Requests:

1. Learning Center
1. Wisdom as to how to run it, what to teach, how to divide responsibilities, humility to learn from each other
2. Children to come to the Learning Center
2. Health

     a. Protection from sickness.

1. I had a funny allergy thing after our hike in which my eyes got incredibly itchy, goopy, and puffy.  Thank God for Benedryl. 
2. Mental and physical strength.
1. Relationships with the other base staff, locals, and students that will be coming to the Learning Center

     

Sunrise over the base

I’m sorry that this update was exceptionally long. As the first one since being here I thought I would fill you in.  I will try to make the next ones more concise.  Miss you all. Hugs and blessings!