Spiritual Emphasis Retreat

Every Fall we have a Spiritual Emphasis Retreat at Pacific Islands University. Traditionally it was the weekend before Thanksgiving. However, this year we moved it to a Thursday and Friday in mid-October. It was the perfect time for a mid semester break and the students didn't mind not having to go to classes for 2 days.

We made many plans before the event occurred but had to quickly revise them due to rain and an impending tropical storm. So instead of going to Bayview Baptist Church we moved our games and lunch inside on campus. Finally after lunch things looked clear enough to move.
Subway and Spam and rice.... a little something for everybody.
Ceci and Jayleen are ready to have fun.
Melody Plaxton enjoyed getting to spend some quality time with Giftleen.
Gladness and Merlyn get ready for the games while Jonie and Sophie wait their turn.
It is a race to find the gummy candies in the flour.
Moving to our final destination.
Due to the weather most everything was moved into the sanctuary area.
Jake and Justin trying to see if their pictures fit together to form a story.
KeKe, Giftleen, her cousin, and Me. (That's her name.... It is not really me. )
Marisol and Amelia are having fun.
Ned catches up with Erik...
Everyone is hanging out as the students are doing other activities.
The speaker used a head of cabbage to illustrate all the layers that we have in our lives that cover up our heart....just like the cabbage. Too bad Bunny was not with us. She would have eaten that application up.
Everyone really listened well and learned a lot.
Because we believe every thing we do should be done for the glory of God and all things in life have a spiritual component. We all enjoyed our team's effort and win at the weekly basketball game.
Everyone was so excited and the cheering was deafening.
Charles on the foul line.... Nothin' but net.
A sun rise service to start the second day.
Bayviews beautiful ampitheather was the perfect place to have it except the sun rose from behind us.
Rob Watt led us in worship.
Merlyn along with others as they finished up their quiet time were helping to prepare breakfast.
The students also enjoyed Foose Ball and Ping Pong in the Bayview Center.
Erten has a huge smile. Wait no.... just a banana in his mouth.
Scrambled eggs! A Micronesian favorite.
Some people never like to get up..... Those are the students I relate most too. Unfortunately my job doesn't let me sleep too long.
Matt Augee gave the students many activities which demonstrated biblical principles. These activities really helped the students remember his different points. Many felt this was one of the best Spiritual Emphasis retreats that they experienced.
During free time Jayleen and Jaynee had fun with some spontaneous worship.
Of course it is important to thank your guests. Dan Fields shows his painting from a local artist.
In the end..... I think most people had a great time but were very tired.... Good thing we had the weekend to recover.

Two New Friends of PIU

Matt Augee worked with Steve Stinnette in 1985 as part of Campus Crusade for Christ. Apparently when he was here then he was a young punk. Recently Steve and Matt regained communication and God has been doing great work in Matt's life. He has an amazing gift for speaking to young adults in a way that is fun and really brings the point across. He came here to speak at our Spiritual Emphasis Retreat, and also spoke in Chapel. He also introduced us to his friend Dan Fields.
Dan, runs a management consulting company, but serves God in his free time helping non-profits with different things. He also uses his passion for photography to do so. He will be using the pictures he took in the last week to help us develop a marketing plan. He also was able to share his testimony about how he came to know Jesus. We were blessed by their presences among us.

Really check out his amazing pictures on his photo blog..... link

Famous Bunny

This week we have two guests on campus. One is Matt Augee, who will be our speaker at our Spiritual Emphasis Retreat later this week. The other is Dan Fields, who is a professional photographer. Last night they arrived and attended our prayer meeting. After prayer meeting I went and got Bougie to show to some of the people.

Check out Dan's Blog to see some of his pictures at PIU including one of Bougie. I am guessing there will be other pictures to come.

Dan will be helping us to create brochures for school publicity.

Pictures of our two new friends will be posted later in the week.

The above image used by permission from Dan Fields.

Bouganvilla Elizabeth Bunny

The other day I went to the store for a printer cartridge. As I was checking out I noticed the bunnies sitting in front of the pet store next door. I have never had one....nor can I say I ever really wanted one. All my life I have wanted a dog. So far my life has not been one where dogs really fit.
So anyway back to the bunny..... I saw this bunny and I immediately fell in love. Before I knew it I thought I want this bunny. There were two but the one kind of reminded me of the wild bunnies that used to come into our yard back in Pennsylvania.
I quickly went through the pros and cons (which of course means some may have been left out).... and I decided that I would indeed get the bunny. Since I was in the middle of a grocery shopping trip with the students, they were really excited. In fact many of them have never seen a bunny in person before. They are not local to Micronesia.

Joel and Amelia came to see my bunny. Joel is giving Bougie (Short for Bouganvilla) one of her favorite snacks, lettuce.
Bougie likes to explore when given the chance. Here she is posing in one of my favorite boxes.
Although the students seem to like the bunny, Doralyn is not sure she wants it on her head.
K.K. and Tyleen are enjoying playing with Bougie.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

This week two of our ladies had their birthdays on October 8th. Some of the ladies baked cakes and one of the families provided a bakery cake. Doralyn on the left was one of the birthday girls, pictured here with her roommate Maymay.
Sophie, back center, is the other birthday girl.
Icing..... Not just for cakes any more.

Resident Assistant Training

On Saturday mornings after the basketball game, the Resident assistants, Daisy, Kalvin, and I head up the road to Rob's house (VP of Student Life, Dean of Men) for training.

Rob is trying to get to know the students and help the understand their strengths and how that will make them good at what they do.
Daisy, although not an official RA often helps students with their problems so we are hoping she learns how to be a better help to them.

I on the other hand like to go for the coffee. ;o)

Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again Some Other Day!

This week Guam was blessed. Twice. On Wednesday a predicted Tropical Storm was supposed to hit our island but it changed directions and we barely got any rain. It seemed silly then that most of the island closed down in preparation for the storm.

Today we were waiting for Typhoon "Melor".... even though we were not supposed to be hit by the eye of the storm we were supposed to be smacked by at least tropical storm strength winds in the fingers. So far nothing more than a couple showers and wind. We could still get some additional rain and wind. However it we did not need to board up our windows or anything either time.

My friend Joyce Owen who has been here for quite a few years and has been through many typhoons says that if they are coming this close, this frequently at the beginning of the season we are likely to get hit this year. It has been almost 7 years since Typhoon Pung Son Wah (I don't know how to spell?).

If you want to know what a super typhoon is like this is a video re-enactment of Joyce and Dave Owen and their family when the roof blew off their house in Typhoon Paka....

PIU Keeps Trophey

The Lutheran Church of Guam challenged PIU to sports challenge of Basketball, Volleyball, and Tug-of-War. Maymay, Jen, and Jayleen pose together before the volleyball challenge.
Eric, Katie, and Noelle enjoy watching the basketball game.
Mason, the great dane, was one of the highlights of the day. Meluat made a new friend.
Lucy and Sophie hang out and wait for the food to be done.
Rommel worked hard to grill as much meet as possible.
The Trophy waits for the results.
Kalvin keeps score for the game as Dave watches on. It was a close game with LCG won by a few points in the end.
Styling a pose.
Jake shows off his new hair cut.
Lisa Collins, our new librarian and also a member of LCG was the only girl brave enough to play Basketball with the men.
Dave and Doug contemplate who will get the trophy..
Jen loves on baby Ethan.

Welcome Jen

Jen is one of the newest members of the PIBC family. She arrived this fall to help teach study skills and remedial English. She also has the desire to really work with the students so she has joined the student life team with me as we plan events and services for the students. We also have had fun walking and "sight seeing" together.