A Rose By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet

PIBC will be changing it's name as of this summer to Pacific Islands University. This is being done to better reflect our new direction and the addition of the Master's program. For more details read the following post taken from our school's website.

PIBC to PIU

[3-March-09] A letter arrived in the mail this morning from Dr Russell Fitzgerald, the executive director of TRACS (our accrediting agency) informing PIBC that an institutional name change has been approved. Pacific Islands Bible College will become Pacific Islands University effective July 1st.

PIBC president, Dr Dave Owen, (pictured with the letter), quoting from the school's mission statement, explains that the new name is a part of an "expanded vision to be a leader throughout Micronesia and the Pacific Region in providing accessible, transformational, and quality Christian higher education. Our mission is to prepare men and women with a biblical worldview for leadership and service in life, work, and ministry in the global community, the churches of the Pacific region and 'to the ends of the earth.'"

"We've come to realize, that it is not enough to simply train people in how to read the Bible, as important as that is."adds Dr Brad Boydston, the vice president of academic affairs. "We need to help our students understand the increasingly complex world in which they are applying the Bible."

There will be three schools within the new university structure.

Pacific Islands Bible College will continue to be the home of the current programs, including the certificate, diploma, AA, and BA degrees in biblical studies.

Pacific Islands Christian College will be home for a new Certificate in Basic English (CBE) and eventually a BA in liberal studies.

Pacific Islands Evangelical Seminary will be the home for the MAR program which was launched last fall. There are plans to add an MDiv degree in the future.

PIBC is accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), which is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE), the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE).

The school was founded in 1976 as Micronesian Institute of Biblical Studies and was located on Tol, in Chuuk. In 1991 the main campus moved to Guam in an effort to extend the ministry of the school to all Islanders. MIBS became PIBC -- Pacific Islands Bible College -- at that time.

This semester there are 222 students studying on the Guam campus or through classes at the PIBC sites in Chuuk and Palau.

Thailand Trip

For the third summer in a row, we are sending another mission team to Thailand to partner with Campus Crusade for Christ. Today they held a car was on campus to help raise some of the funds for the trip. If you want to keep up on the information about the trip, check out our blog which will have updates and prayer requests posted regularly. THAI MISSION TEAM BLOG

Guam - Land of the 5K

Apparently the Guam 5k circuit is a very social and common aspect of Guam. On any weekend there are probably 2 or 3 different 5K's in which you can compete. The other day I walked a 5K with my friends Terri Atkinson and Judy Albin. Although Terri could have looped us several times running, she walked instead with us enjoying the conversation and the fellowship. This 5K was called the "Fight the Fat 5K" sponsored by Payless Markets.
Carrying your HUGE handbag actually burns more calories.
Everyone is ready to go at 6AM..... All 2500 of us.
Judy and I wait for the race to start.
None of us won any rewards or raffles but we got a bunch of freebies. We finished in under 56 minutes. I hope to be ready to run one before this summer.

Airport Re-decoration and a bunch of "Ham"

After saying goodbye to Hollie, we found that they had re-decorated a section of the airport. So of course we had to stop and pose for some pictures. The shelf around the top included many decorated sea turtle sculptures. Sea Turtles are a favorite food of many Micronesians. Unfortunately they are endangered and are illegal to eat in most places these days.
Jayleen and Meyou pose with a carabao statue.
A local boat.
Jaynee, Jayleen, Maymay, Chelsea and Meyou.
Here you can see a wide shot of more of the turtles. This area used to have pictures of all of the Micronesian members of the U.S. Military who died in Iraq.

Good Bye Hollie

As is the tradition at the school is to try and go to the airport to say goodbye to our co-workers when they are leaving for a long time. Unfortunately most of these flights are in the middle of the night, and Hollie's flight was no exception. At least this time she had a commerical flight and did not have to fly standby on a military flight. Saying goodbye is not easy and usually includes many hugs and tears.
Here is group posing for one last picture.
And what send off would be complete without a song or two. That is of course our Micronesian way.
We will not be the same without her. We already miss you bunches Hollie!

Silly Island Girls

You can always count on Jayleen and Meyou for a good laugh. Not only are they beautiful, they have a tremendous sense of humor.

The Student Life Class of 2006

Ned, Hiob, Hollie and I all started at PIBC during the Fall of 2006. We have now worked together for close to 3 years. However, as all other good things, they must come to an end. Hollie left Guam several weeks ago. She decided that she would join her husband as he was re-assigned to Corpus Christi, Texas. We also just found out that Hiob and his family will be leaving at the end of this semester. Hiob was on loan to us from the Palau Evangelical Church. However, due to some changes in the church, they need Hiob to return to Palau to work there. So following this semester, only Ned and I will remain. We are very sad to lose our co-workers and our good friends.

Thailand Trip

This summer will be the third summer in a row we plan to send a mission team to Thailand to work with the campus crusade staff there. Thailand has only a small population of Christians and our students have great potential to share God's love with the people of Thailand because their cultures are more similar to the Thai culture than the American culture. Since many people have never seen a Micronesian in Thailand, they are sometimes mistaken for Thai people. Either way we have seen amazing transformation in the students who have went and come back. This time I am praying about going with them. Please join me in praying for the team and finalizing the details of dates and activities. If you would like to support the work God is doing in Thailand through PIBC, Please email and I will give you further information of how you can do so.

International Prayer Night

Once a month on campus we have a prayer night. Originally it started out as an international prayer night where we just prayed for other countries and for persecuted believers all over the world using reports from Voice of the Martyrs. However we have also started praying for the church in Micronesia. Last week a group of about 10 staff and students gathered to pray for Lebanon, the UK, and Micronesia.

Creativity

If there is one thing that our students are, it is creative. The other day I saw Meyou with her new purse made by Lucy. (Both pictured here.) If you can read it because it is upside down, it is an empty bag from their favorite "Diamond G" Calrose rice. The handles are bandannas. Apparently they made it for a skit for their youth ministry class.

The Store of Choice

This is one of the many "Mom and Pop" grocery stores that can be found on island. They are on every corner even though we do have some of the bigger more modern grocery stores as well. This store is around the corner from our school. Many of our students wander over here for snacks and drinks. Occasionally I wander over here for a missing ingredient for a particular recipe.

Spring Break

It is now time when many colleges are in the middle of their Spring break.... if in fact they haven't already completed it. Here at Pacific Islands Bible College, our Spring break has traditionally lined up with Easter week. Unfortunately with Easter being as late as it can possibly be, we will not get our Spring Break until 12 weeks into the semester. After Spring break, there will only be 3 weeks left to go. As of now there are 4 weeks until Spring Break. God Bless us every one. ;)

Midterms.....

This Monday 3/9 is the midterm exam for my class on Personality development. I realize that there is a lot of material for the students to cover for the exam so I am praying that they will do well. The first part of the class is mostly theories. The second half of the semester I include a few of the more fun applications including the Love Languages by Gary Chapman.

If you were taking my test on Monday.... you would most likely be asked to answer the following question:

According to Psychoanalytic theory, what is the definition of a defense mechanism? Give the name of one specific defense mechanism. Define the term. Give an example of a situation of someone using that particular defense mechanism. (2pt).