November??

 I can’t believe it’s November already! I’ve been here for 3 months now. I feel like it’s gone by really fast, but slow at the same time. There hasn’t been anything major happening around here. The biggest event that happened this week was probably Halloween night. Apparently people like to come trick-or-treating at the SM apartments. So the girls apartments bought a pretty large bag of Dum-Dums and decorated our porch with a fall garlands and orange lights. We all ran around trying to figure out quick costumes with the things we had in the house. Karyn, Jen, and Ellie were cats, Kim a fox, Denise a fairy, Brooke an African Princess, and Kaylie and I were Greeks. Simple white sheet and a headband did the trick! We had thought that the trick-or-treaters would just be some of our students. My word. There were SO many kids!! They were literally coming by the truck full!

 

We ran out of candy within the first hour and a half. We had lollipops and lots of candy corn that we had to add to the tub, Tony was handing out candy and so was Danny, but we STILL ran out super fast. We started getting kids at about 7:00pm and had to ask Franky to shut the gate at 9:00 so no more people would come in. Kim, Denise, and I had even made a huge batch of cookies to give out to kids once the candy ran out. The cookies seemed to go even faster than the candy. We would have bought more candy at the stores, but when each bag costs $20, you don’t really want to.

Our little Lentil is quickly growing into a full sized cat. He loves to chase his own tail around the house! One thing that we are thankful for is the fact that he chases cockroaches. Often times, he chases them, I kill them with my flip flop, and then he eats them. Really gross, but it gets the roaches gone!

On Tuesday, my TA didn’t come into school. She usually does lunch stuff for me so when she didn’t show up, I was trying to take lunch orders and teach phonics at the same time. I went to the office later to ask where Mrs. Jano was. Apparently her doctor told her to stay at home and rest for 3 days. She is very anemic and was very weak. She had been pale and tired at school so I was not surprised. Despite her absence, I got along fine without her.

Yuree, a Kindergarten student of mine who I have to constantly reprimand and help her with her work because she won’t focus or she doesn’t understand the English, loves to give me hugs. Today after school, she held up her arms to me to be picked up. I picked her up and she wrapped her arms around me neck, her legs around me waist, laid down her head on my shoulder and said in her limited English, “I like you.” My heart melted and I hugged her even tighter and said, “I like you too Yuree.” Words can’t even describe the emotions I felt right then. I love these children SO much and I can’t even imagine leaving them at the end of this mission trip. I’m really glad I’m going to be a social worker. I don’t think I could ever be a teacher, but as a social worker I’ll get to work with kids who really need help.

Ryan Johnson, who is a former student of the school here in Pohnpei, is at Walla Walla University now, going into his 3^rd year. He posted a video made by WWU on kids who were taught by student missionaries and how they were affected by them. I had no idea what the kids thought of us and now I know that they really love and appreciate us. Who cares if it’s hot here and that we’re constantly sweating? We’re making a difference in some kids’ lives and that’s what matters. If you would like to see the video, and I encourage you to all watch it, it’s on my Facebook.

People are still getting sick over here. I’m still untouched by the sickness going around thank goodness. Keep praying for all of us as we go through homesickness, stress, and physical sickness.