Christmas 2008

This year started at the Boydstons on Christmas eve. Their daughter Betsy is missing from this photo since her plane got delayed to weather. We went to the airport after dinner to greet her. Her plane came in slightly late, then the airline lost her luggage which delayed her entry into the pick up area. We were all going to go to church but due to the delay, we all decided to just call it a night.

Christmas morning I opened the packages from my Mother and siblings. I got a handful of movies that I wanted. The students love to watch movie and are always looking for DVD's to borrow so it is a fun present for me and the students will enjoy it as well. There are also delicious candies and a very cool folding Navity set in a box. Afterward I went to the Farnsworths for a Christmas lunch with Ned and his family and the Scherers. It was delicious and good company.

The day after Christmas all the staff that lives (or did live recently) on campus and the students living on campus to help with maintenance over break had a Christmas Bar-B-Que organized by Hiob and his wife. Hiob and the guys did all the Bar-B-Que and we added a bunch of side dishes. It was a yummy and fun time of fellowship.

Before we ate we spent some time giving Thanks to God and sang some praise choruses led by Sonny.

Baby Jireh with her mommy is checking everyone out patiently waiting for the food. After dinner we played a couple games of volleyball. Finally we ended the night with some group games. Really ---- what party would be complete without musical chairs?

Meluat plays while Daisy and Hiob look on. I am taking pictures because I was the first eliminated.

Although I missed my family especially as I miss my Dad, I was again blessed this holiday season which such an amazing group of friends. I pray that you found joy in your holiday season.

Office Party

When you are in Guam nothing is business as usual - or very little. This year our office party was no exception. This year instead of a lunch, we rented a "dolphin watching" boat and brought our own snacks or "snakes" as some are in the habit of saying.

This is the captain. He was sharing with some of us that he feels sorry for the dolphins since there hearing is so sensitive and there are often 4 or 5 boats in the water chasing them around. We did see dolphins on our voyage. I even believe I saw some with babies. However my camera zoom was not strong enough to produce any identfiable images.

Myumi who is staying at Dave and Joyce's house got to join us due to some last minute drop outs.

Cheryl and Suzanne must be enjoying a good story.

This is the western most point of the US. We drove by it on our trip. It is actually part of the Navy Base on Island.

Joyce and Dave are chillin as we are looking for the dolphins.

Karyn, Hollie, and Eric chatting together after a refreshing swim off the back of the boat.

On the way back to port we got to take turns riding the banana boat. Even Ned's mom took a turn. She is in the back of the boat. See Mom - you can do it!

The whole gang including some family members in for the holidays.....Not my family.... maybe next year. Hint. Hint.

Christmas Cheer

On the Sunday before Christmas, Agana Heights Baptist Church hosted a Christmas Cantata. Choir music is not my favorite but with six of my friends from PIBC in the choir, I decided to join in the celebration. Here Laura, her friend Hessie, Jayleen, and Meyou pose after enjoying the concert.

Myumi went with me to the concert where we met Noelle Sorenson and her friend. Noelle's Dad preachs as an interim pastor at the church and he also teaches and runs the seminary classes at PIBC.

The choir sang about the Christmas story for about one hour. One of the numbers also included the children of the church.

Karyn Sorenson even had a solo part during one of the numbers. You can see Cheryl Boydston and Marylou Curruthers in the background.

Don't you just love a man in a bow tie????

Semester's over - Time to Hang Out

Although most of the students either go home over break or stay with relatives on island, occassionally there are some which need a place to stay. This year Joyce and Dave and Laura Peters both decided to house two girls each. After all the students left we all gathered at the Owens house for food and games. Erin Plaxton who is here on break from teaching in Palau also joined us.

Laura and Myu are happy to be done.

Meeyou, Daisy and Jayleen just chillin.

She's Not A Baby Anymore - She's a Princess.

Here is Miss Amelia sporting her new jewelry that she got for her birthday. Since she was a baby I often called Amelia "Babycakes". Well she now informs me that she is no longer a baby.

Here she waits patiently for the photographers as she anticipates blowing out her candles.

Abby Caddaby is the new character on Sesame Street.

Grandma, Grandpa, Daddy and Ned and Marisol's friend from Panama were happy to help her celebrate.

Just hanging Out with the Ladies

The other night I was in the Women's dorm hanging out with a group of the ladies most of which will not be back next semester. Since they are some of the first students that I had when I got here it is hard to imagine life without them at PIBC. Here I am with Sharon who was an RA for me this semester.

Myumi was worried about having 5 classes but it seems as if she had passed all of them. Daisy will miss her.

Verlyn is sad about leaving. She will stay on the island of Guam for now. Alicia will remain for at least one more semester. Maybe two.

Johanna, Joe Eram, and Mohammed will have completed their requirements for our BA program at the end of this semester. Please pray for wisdom for all these students as they make their future plans. I believe Mohammed will continue in the Master's program.

Who cares about Finals..... Here at PIBC it is all about the party.... Or so it sometimes seems

On Sunday night December 14th, the student council hosted their annual Christmas party with the Angel/Mortal gift exchange. Elilai and Stella were in the Christmas spirit.

The Woods and Aaron Schaub were some of the staff who came to enjoy the festivities.

Meyou was so excited to receive her gift from her angel, she really celebrated.

Joe not only gave his mortal a gift. He helped her put it on. This was especially funny since this student is usually very quiet.

Some of the students performed a skit. It was supposed to represent those seniors who were finishing this semester but unfortunately for the most part we could not tell who was whom. Even though that is true - it was very funny.

Jeremiah bought his mortal a cute teddy bear.

Doug and Sonny led us in some music.

Here are some ladies just waiting to find out who their angels are.

Men's Night

Men's night was another lesson in "Nothing ever goes as planned." Unfortunately there were a lot of different scheduling conflicts with community groups and individual plans. This meant at least half of the male students did not attend and all the remaining women on campus were also invited. At least it was planned by all Men so hence the name is still valid I guess. Anyway - that said.... It was a nice night with good bar-b-que, singing, and games. Here Meluat and Leman lead us in some singing before our meal.

Jireh-Lyn, who loves to clap and dance along to music, is pictured here with her Mommy and Stella.

Jessy, Kalvin and Judson entertain us after our meal.

Ned and Urte sing a song of scripture. This is a popular game. Certain scriptures are picked from the bible. Contestants are called upon to make the scripture into a song. This is usually very funny but sometimes the songs are actually quite good.

And what party is complete without a game of musical hats. In the end, it was a fun night for those who attended even though it did not go quite as planned.

Christmas at the University of Guam

This year for Christmas, our team of students who do outreach at the University of Guam (AKA UOG) is giving out Christmas cookies. Kalvin volunteered that our students would make so many of those cookies so Daisy and Ginny made them last night at my apartment.

Ginny also helped by taking pictures for us.

Over two hundred cookies were made to pass out.

While Daisy and Ginny were baking cookies I continued my fly hunt.

A Real Fly Girl

This is where my window used to be. This week all of a sudden I had hundreds of flys in my apartment. When I found a bunch behind my curtain where they could not see me as well, I started smacking them. I didn't think I was hitting the window too hard but the next thing I knew I stuck my hand through the window. Now I have a typhoon shutter.

I got a bunch of fly traps and spent a couple hours last night smacking the flies down with the help of Daisy. Now there are a lot less flies, but I still need to work on thinning the population. I didn't have enough to do.