Choose this day whom you will serve….

It’s week of worship here in Pohnpei. For this quarter, five teachers were asked to give a talk for each day. Our theme was “chosen” by Carl Dupper (a fellow SM from Colorado who teaches PE, Computers, and Government). The theme is: Choices. “God’s ways and the choices we make.”

It’s been really fun to see the teachers step up and try to speak to these kids about choosing God everyday, in every part of our lives. Chapel is not really my favorite part of the week. It’s usually only on Monday, and it lasts from 11-12pm. To be quite honest, it feels like torture. Chapel felt like torture every Tuesday when I went to Walla Walla, too. Why? Well, you’ve just had about four classes, and its right before lunch. All you want to do is grab a sandwich, relax your brain, chat casually with your friends – but NO, you have to sit quietly while your stomach growls and all your social instincts are clawing at you to chit-chat with everyone around you.

The boys here agree with me, apparently. The boys sit on the left, and the girls sit on the right. Let’s just say, the girls aren’t really the noise makers… the boys do the weirdest things in chapel!! One student (yes, his name is actually MacGyver), likes to occasionally jump around the pews and climb over people. Other students like to sprawl out their whole bodies and take a full-out nap. Others enjoy sneaking around on their phones, or reading various books. In general, it’s mayhem. It’s really hard, too! Especially for us lady teachers! Because you’re supposed to sit next to the girls, but the entire time you look over at all these crazy boys! My face is SORE after chapel after sending so many disapproving glares over to my left!

One of my new roommates, the lovely Ms. Kristina Kyle from Southern, gave the first talk on Monday. She did a wonderful job, lightheartedly introducing the kids to the idea that the choices you make, every day, affect who you become in the future. My “assignment” for Tuesday was to address some of the biggest, and more damaging, choices a lot of these kids deal with here in Pohnpei. All those…..(close your eyes professors!!)… ridiculously boring health promotion classes I took in college came in handy as I was preparing my medical statistics and visual aids! The big issues? Well, of course the addiction trinity: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana.

The FSM in general has a big problem with alcohol. Most of the violent crimes and suicides are all related to drinking alcohol. I’ve had a few kids come to class hungover (I’ve developed entertaining ways of punishing them – like making loud noises, applauding, and pounding on their desks for encouragement!! They just LOVE that). But the last thing I discussed is an issue common here around the pacific: betel nut. It’s this seed that they find around palm trees, pop into their mouths, and chew chew chew. You’ll see locals walking around with this big nut floating around their mouth. It has all kinds of acids and alkaloids which basically poison you. It stains their teeth and gums red, causes all kinds of mouth ulcers, and increases their risk of a whole mess of cancers. Many of the high school students have reddish stains on their teeth. About… 5-6 of my students have been suspended/expelled/disciplined for chewing betel nut so far this year. We don’t allow it on the campus. Another really disgusting thing about betel nut is that while they are chewing it, they spit out the juices. Those juices stain everything. All around the corners of the halls, classrooms, outside the windows – betel nut juice. Our principal says it’s not too bad this year as it has been in the past, but we still notice is around the school.

Sadly, I have smelled alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette smoke on some of my absolute favorite students (I have favorites!? Whoops...). It’s so frustrating, because most of them have so much potential! They are smart, funny kids who just don’t understand that they aren’t invincible. The choices they are making now can screw up their future, even their relationship to God. So I spoke to them about all of that, and told them how much God wants us to honor Him with our bodies. I asked them the questions, “whom will you serve? What will you devote yourself to? Where will invest your time, effort, and labor?” It went pretty well. But I’m sure some kids still fell asleep or lost themselves in their cell phones.

I realized today why I felt so passionate about talking to them about all of this stuff. This entire year I have devoted myself, invested my time, and put all my labor into helping these kids. I have chosen to serve God, and serve them. I want so much for them to learn, enrich their minds, and grow closer to God! But I can only do so much. They have to choose each day whether or not they will listen, respect, and value me. Many of them have, and it lifts me up so much to see them learning, understanding, and enjoying it!

But it’s okay that some of them haven’t yet, because I’m still here – working, waiting, and praying for them every single day.

(13 more weeks to go) Please pray for me so I can be an effective witness to these kids in the little time that I have left!

Kasalel,

Kelsey

“ But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua 24:15 NIV

Still here. 16 more weeks!

Yes, I'm still here. Out on my tiny island. Why haven't I written anything in such a long time you ask? Or maybe you don't ask, but I'll answer anyways. I've been so incredibly, overwhelmingly, and monstrously busy!!! This quarter started and BAM: Ms. Kellar was BACK and there was a stack of papers to grade taller than Sokehs rock.

Hawaii was indescribable. I fell in love with Kauai! What a beautiful island. I was spoiled beyond belief by being able to walk across the street to safeway, starbucks, and eat fresh swiss cheese!! I got to change dozens of diapers and kiss booboos and little foreheads. Auntie Kelsey mashed up veggies and pealed oranges with glee. I was able to talk to my brother. It's silly but even typing that brought tiny tears to my eyes. He's my best friend. You don't get to pick your siblings but I got one of the best. There's no one else in the world that has my same parents, grew up in the same home, with the same experiences. Hundreds of mornings spent eating breakfast, reading with mom, and watching star trek. I would bet a lot of money on the fact that there's no one else in the world who has made me cry more- haha! From whiny little girl tears all the way to big girl homesick tears. My brother also gave me the best gift ever - a beautiful, kind, loving sister in law who is a strong Godly women and mother to my two baby nephews. I am blessed. Blessed with two amazing parents who know how much I love my brother and his family, and gave me the opportunity to spend time with them this Christmas. I am giddy with anticipation of next Christmas - the entire clan all reunited!!

Leaving Kauai was immensely painful. But I never had any desires or thoughts about not returning to Pohnpei. I know that I'm supposed to be here. Just last night we had our Wednesday prayer meeting, and as I was praying I felt compelled to thank God for His gift of extra strength. Honestly, for the past 2-3 weeks I've felt like there was a strong wind behind my back pushing me along. Yes, I've been tired. But I have enjoyed each day, and keep trying to find new, creative ways of teaching my students. I dressed up like the Pope for World History (a funny story indeed!), I created a new gold-mining town in California with my US History students, and my Geography class engaged in peace negotiations between Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. I know I'm not the most amazing teacher, and there's still so much more I could be doing, but I feel this sudden responsibility. Not the kind of responsibility that makes you feel tired, heavy, or burdened. No! Responsibility that makes me feel kind of empowered, and excited. My students are learning SO much! Sometimes I forget how little they knew at the beginning of the year. Now they know about Muhammad, DaVinci, John Adams, Christopher Columbus, The geography of USA, Canada, South America, Europe, Russia and I could go on and on and on!

Our expectations are so funny. I never came here thinking what would get me most excited was to see my kids learn and start to understand the "USSR and how it affected the politics/geography of Eurasia" or other random things. But it does excite me!! To see them struggle, complain, procrastinate, but slowly (sometimes very slowly) figure things out and learn!! God put me here in Pohnpei for lots of reasons. I think one of them is that He knows my weird (others call is "lame, nerdy, etc.") excitement and joy about learning and teaching this stuff. I just keep praying each day that I'm not only teaching them but showing them love in how I teach. It' s a day-by-day adventure here on Pohnpei! It really is a constant roller coaster of emotions.

I love you family! I love you friends! :)