Ministry in Micronesia

Leyla Watt

2011-07-21T08:08:00.003-04:00

June 9th. Istanbul, Turkey. A six-minute ceremony. A lifetime to build a marriage and home.

The day was warm and sunny, as thirty-some friends stole away from work to attend the 1:45PM civil ceremony whereby Leyla and I were wed.

I am a man truly blessed.

2011 PIU Graduates!

2011-05-16T20:59:00.003-04:00

Rain or shine, we held our 2011 graduation ceremony outside at the Guam campus this year. And rain or shine it did, along with an island-wide power outage, which always makes life even more interesting.

Six students graduated with their Associates of Arts in Biblical Studies, ten graduated with their Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, and one (our very first) graduated with her Master of Arts in Religion. PIU's seventeen graduates represent the very tangible fruit of God's kingdom advancing here in the community of the Western Pacific.

Upgrades on Campus

2011-02-04T14:31:00.005-05:00

There is always work to do on PIU's main campus on Guam. This month we are blessed to have a great team of skilled workers from Santa Cruz , CA to tackle some of our maintenance projects. Before and after pics are fun! I hope to have a series of these to help show the progress of campus life.

The biggest of our projects was to put in a 135' section of our main entrance drive. Going from dirt and coral to concrete took us a few more days than expected. More pics to come!

Holidays Island Style

2010-12-10T07:16:00.004-05:00

There are many things I've become comfortable with which are part of the package of change that comes with being a cross-cultural missionary...I've not had fresh milk since I was in the States this summer...drivers on small islands in the Pacific do very strange things with their cars and trucks...the coldest night on Guam was a few years ago, it reached 69. December is just as hot as July is here in Micronesia; no need for wool or warm hats or hot coco. What is needed is clarity of heart, generosity of spirit, a celebration of the people God has placed in our lives, and a deep sense of the immanence of Jesus and of his Incarnation...that he really is close and really does understand.

Surrounded by green and warmth and an enjoyable array of neighborhood Christmas lighting that Chevy Chase would be proud of, I find myself finally becoming comfortable in this place's style and feel of Christmas.

Lord willing, I will be celebrating this 2010 holiday in a land far from both Pennsylvania and Micronesia. The warm brown eyes and dynamite smile of a woman has motivated me to fly across 7000 miles of ocean and earth. Stay tuned.

RRW

The Journey East

2010-07-09T13:31:00.004-04:00

San Diego Wedding Bells...

2010-07-08T09:51:00.007-04:00

On a gray afternoon overlooking the downtown section of San Diego Jenny Spencer and Marcus Rodriquez vowed the solemn but joyful vows of marriage.

Congratulations to you both and may the grace of our Lord Jesus be upon you both in your new life together!

Faces of Higher Ground Fellowship (Onnuri Church)

2010-06-12T06:01:00.005-04:00

Palauan Pix

2010-06-06T21:21:00.004-04:00

Palau: Rainbow's End, as they say...

2010-06-06T21:06:00.003-04:00

My six days in Palau was very refreshing as one of the most beautiful (and quiet) places on Earth gave me time and space to recharge my batteries.

Heading Back to Palau

2010-05-26T08:32:00.002-04:00

Monday I will board a Continental flight that carries me 800 miles SW. It still amazes me that through the dark and distance, a relatively short strip of blacktop on a small tropical hilltop can be located and plotted in as our destination. It has been ten months since I've been on Palauan soil. I look forward to reconnecting with dear friends "er a Belau" as well as disconnecting from the challenges of life and mission for a week. My plan is to return to Guam early on Sunday morning, June 6.

Friday Night Fellowship...

2010-05-21T17:59:00.004-04:00

About a dozen of us from Higher Ground Fellowship, the English-Speaking congregation of Guam Onnuri Church, took a couple of hours to look at ourselves and our fellowship in light of Acts 2:40ff...

Friday nights are well spent in the presence of the Lord and in fellowship with one another. In good Korean-hospitality, the evening starts with a meal!

Summer Travel

2010-05-14T07:07:00.003-04:00

I have scheduled about five weeks this Summer to spend time with friends and family Stateside. I land in LA on July 1st...a wedding needs my attention on July 5th in San Diego. Then I fly from LAX into Philly on July 7th.

I'll be spending most of my time in Pennsylvania with some time spent with my family down in North Carolina. Reconnecting with my faithful support team which is spread out over the East Coast is the primary reason for my Stateside visit. I will also be endeavoring to share the vision for what is happening with PIU with new folks.

More on that later.

Graduation and Beyond

2010-05-13T21:56:00.004-04:00

Mid May brings tremendous change to the campus of PIU. The graduation exercises for our 2010 Graduates concluded this Monday afternoon. Nineteen young (and semi-young) people were awarded their diplomas, and as the pictures show, received layers of affirmation around their necks.

Early the following morning our Traveling Team, "Voices of Micronesia," comprised of fifteen students and six staff, departed Guam International Airport on a nine-week trip that will take them through CA, AZ, TX and all the states in between. Armed with guitars, keyboard, literature and the energy of youth the team will tell the story of what God is doing at and through PIU.

Wednesday

2010-03-10T17:51:00.002-05:00

This normally is my day off. I'll cut grass and do laundry, rent a movie, play guitar, wash my truck.

Tuesday

2010-03-09T19:51:00.003-05:00

My morning is free to either work around the house or office work on campus...up until our 11 AM chapel time. By early afternoon I am meeting with a couple of students for counseling. Administrative tasks and class preparation usually take up the afternoon. The dorm students meet Monday-Thursday nights for Dorm Fellowships, normally guys with guys and ladies with ladies. I lead the Tuesday and Thursday night times which are over around 10:30. These are good days to take time with both students and staff to find out how things are going. Our campus is rather small and our facilities still very limited.

Monday

2010-03-08T16:28:00.004-05:00

As the V.P. of Student Life, I participate in the steering aspect of the school. At 8:30 AM, on Mondays, our Administrative Council meets to discuss the present and future challenges we face. Usually by 10:30 we are free to tackle our to-do-lists for the week. Mondays are scheduled free of classes. PIU has historically done this to free students from the pressure of using Sundays as a study day. Since no classes are scheduled (at least in the daytime) it is a prime slot for Staff Meetings, Faculty Meetings, and other meetings. Our Student Counsel (STUCO) meets after lunch where I serve as their Faculty Advisor. At 3 PM, the resident students are required to give us two hours of campus work. Grass is cut, classrooms scrubbed, flowerbeds weeded, and vans washed. At 5 PM our Worship Team practices until dinnertime for Tuesday's chapel time. As the Dean of Men I then meet with our Resident Assistants (students from the dorms who help oversee dorm life) at 6:30 PM for an hour or two to discuss present challenges and pray for students. Usually by 9 PM I'm home sweet home.

Sunday

2010-03-07T06:19:00.005-05:00

Sunday

Since September I've been serving as the teaching pastor at Higher Ground Fellowship. This congregation is small but very energetic. It is an outreach ministry of the larger Onnuri English Ministry based in Seoul, Korea. http://www.onnurienglish.org/ They are awaiting visa processing for their pastor from Korea; meanwhile, I preach there on Sunday afternoons.

Every other week our PIU family meets either at a staff home or on campus at 6PM for a time of prayer and fellowship. Because our PIU team has grown and will continue to welcome new members the campus' largest classroom is used more and more.

2010-01-09T18:00:00.002-05:00

In a week's time our students, who have enjoyed a month away, return to campus. During our evening dorm fellowship time, our men's staff will begin a series of studies on manhood.

What is the measure of a man?

I'm sure every generation in every culture has had answers for this question. Here at PIU we have a great opportunity to speak to these issues from a biblical perspective. In this conversation we see how our own respective histories and formative factors have defined students and staff alike.

So, your prayers are much appreciated as we deal with issues like integrity, discipline, courage, work, headship, and spirituality.

Holiday Musings

2009-12-25T09:03:00.002-05:00

Creatures great and small...all reveal the glory of God. No, I haven't "named" all the critters around my house and yard, but I know that they share a place and purpose in God's kingdom, which includes barns and bushes, courts and classrooms.

I pray that these holidays bring you and yours a sense of clarity as to what matters most.

Merry Christmas!

RRW

Jeff's Pirate Cove

2009-12-22T05:48:00.001-05:00

December brings cake and singing to my door. It was way cool to head down to Jeff's Pirate Cove for a birthday lunch with our Student Life team.

Thanks, gang!

Uh Oh!! The Last One Fizzled. This One Won't!

2009-10-01T05:13:00.002-04:00

Guam On Alert

2009-09-29T18:20:00.003-04:00

"Banana Storm" is now in my vocabulary. That's what they are calling our present weather condition, a storm that evidently is strong enough to bring down the banana trees only. It should be upon us in full force in about six hours. We've got Spam! (Yes, the food...not the junk mail!)

The Wisdom of Age!

2009-09-29T08:52:00.005-04:00

From our dedicated instructors to our administrators and talented staff, PIU is blessed with a great team of seasoned servants of God.

I "go to school" watching them handle the challenges that come with cross-cultural ministry. Some have been here in the Islands for almost 3o years. So, I find my place at their feet and just "sits and listens."

Seen here, Jeff Johnson, our local Lutheran shepherd :), connects so well with our students. He is one of a great team of supporting church leaders who enjoy investing in our students' lives as well.

The Energy of Youthfulness!

2009-09-29T08:44:00.002-04:00

Basketball, Sportsdays, Shopping trips to K-Mart, Volleyball, Workdays...

Life on campus is never boring; God has blessed us with 112 college students and 7 in the Master's program which all means that our small campus is a busy place.

Fall Semester 2009!

2009-09-10T14:25:00.003-04:00

Six weeks ago I arrived on Guam to find a quiet campus at PIU. A few of the staff were still on hand, a few students surfaced in the late morning hours to carry out summer work tasks.

A week and a half ago all that changed.

I now have to "hunt" for a parking spot as the campus is full of cars and people, all sharing the same experience of going from downpours to full-on sunshine several times a day. With around 112 undergrad students and 7 in the seminary program our parking lot is full. With 27 men and 33 women as resident students our dorms are VERY full. The basketball team had its first game this past Saturday, losing to a strong team with a good effort for our first court appearance.

I enjoy the change immensely.

RRW

I Live On Guam!

2009-08-07T20:47:00.003-04:00

St. Louis is the gateway to the West in the great U.S. of A. Guam is the gateway to Micronesia. There are no great arches here to catch the eye, just the hustle and bustle of a diverse society comprised of many smaller communities.

I was given a package from a mother in my congregation in Palau to give to her daughter who is here on Guam. After calling the contact person and getting the street address for where to bring it, I arrived only to find no less than 3 homes attached to the single address; the homes were very small, all connected structurally, but disconnected relationally. The first two doors I knocked on had no idea who I was asking about. That situation of proximate strangers was ironic.

In a few weeks PIU will begin classes. It is our prayer and plan to move us from being a campus to being a community. Pray with us that our young men and women will see and feel what Christian Community is supposed to be.

RRW

Packing Bags and Boxes

2009-07-16T20:11:00.003-04:00

Some of you know me well enough to know that when it comes to moving I have, at times, underestimated the feat before me. There are crowns awaiting those of you who smile at the previous confession...yes, crowns of precious metals and dazzling gemstones of such beauty!

We all learn (hopefully) from such past experiences, making needed changes along the way. The two main grocery stores in Koror smile now when I come in to collect those certain size boxes, just right for...books! I have many of these boxes now filled to capacity.

This past Wednesday night Koror Evangelical Church held a Farewell-Welcome dinner for Pastor Hiob, his family, and for yours truly. They come with energy and excitement as I will go with the same. It was a nice night with a steady summer breeze. These transitions are such a common piece of Island life; these dinners are regular and frequent. After five years as a pastor and sensei here in Koror it will be sad to close doors behind me, hand over keys, and head to the airport in a couple of weeks.

Like the Apostle Paul, I look forward already to return visits to a place where roots have grown deep and friends have grown close.

PIBC to Become PIU in a week or two...

2009-06-21T04:34:00.003-04:00

PIBC is to become Pacific Islands University in a week or two...but the soul and heart of the school remains a focused ministry to introduce our students to definitions and demonstrations of God's kingdom. This will happen as people pray for all aspects of PIU's ministry.

Please pray:

For the staff and faculty returning from their short break in the States
For their ongoing refreshment from being with family and friends
For their consistent support as most are "missionary" teachers/administrators
For their specialized roles here on campus in the lives of our students and one another

For our new staff and faculty members transitioning into Island culture and the PIU team
For those planning on coming as they continue to make connections and establish support partners
For Gods' leading in the lives of those He will be calling in the near future to join this critical ministry

For the returning students as they focus on the Fall semester beginning in August
For the Thailand Team as they have dedication the majority of the summer to reaching the Thai people for Christ
For the hearts of the Thai people whom God is reaching through the partnership of Campus Crusade for Christ and our team this summer
http://pibcthaiteam.blogspot.com/

For my need for housing here on Guam
For my month in Palau (July) as I pack and prepare the Teaching Facility there for the smooth transition as I move to Guam
For my financial needs

RRW

Guam on the Globe

2009-06-10T17:16:00.003-04:00

Guam is a U.S. Trust Territory with a population of around 170,000.

The indigenous people here are the Chamorro who speak Chamorro. By population Guam is diverse: Chamorro 37%; Filipino 26%; other Pacific Islanders 11%; Whites 7%; other Asians 6%. (2000 census)

By religion: Roman Catholic 85%; other 15%.
(1999 census)

Overlooking Asan Point

2009-06-09T20:31:00.003-04:00

As I enjoy teaching THEO 302 Christian Doctrine 4 to a small class of PIBC students, I have the privilege of house-sitting for friends who are behaving like tourists in Germany and Great Britain. This is my "blessing package" for the month of June.

In class we discuss the glorious realities about the Church of Jesus Christ: her beauty, her wisdom, her character. During the last two weeks of the class we will have fun discussing and studying the facts regarding Jesus' return to planet Earth.

St. Thomas, Zaccheus, and Tamar all look for me as I return home each night after class. Cats and dogs do this, you know.

Time Out In Guam

2009-06-03T20:34:00.004-04:00

The month of June has me living in Piti, Guam. I have about a 25 minute drive to campus as I teach a theology class that will run for 4 weeks.

Guam is a half-way house of sorts for Micronesia. Folks going both directions, entering and exiting, have the opportunity to experience a "little bit of Micronesian culture" on this historic island. That is what makes Guam the "environment of choice" for Pacific Islands Bible College (soon to become Pacific Islands University) to train young men and women from the various Island and Asian cultures.

Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T18:57:00.003-05:00

Guam: A few days of administrative meetings really can do a heart good! This past week I enjoyed the fellowship and hard work that resulted from gathering to discuss some of PIBC's challenges. I enjoy watching how saints from Germany, Chuuk, and America push towards being of one mind and one mission.

One of the main topics of discussion was the wise management of our campuses and Teaching Facilities. The Tol campuses was a main focus.

We also addressed significant issues between the sites. PIBC is still in a real time of transition; Mircornesia is changing rapidly because of globalization and we need to be wisely one step ahead of those changes in preparedness. I'm very thankful for the wisdom our college's leadership possesses. Please continue to pray for us a college to move forward with wisdom and boldness.

I was also happy to visit Home Depot! Some things just don't exist on Palau! In my book K Mart is pretty cool too! I am now stocked up on mini DVs, vitamins and anchor bolts.

Palau: This Thanksgiving morning turkey may not be cooking somewhere close to me, but I am thankful for God's grace and the chance to see that grace at work in the lives of others as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

RRW

Lay Up For Yourselves...In Heaven

2008-10-20T05:36:00.001-04:00

Two weeks ago my apartment was broken into in the mid-afternoon by a waiting and prepared thief. He waited until my friend Taylor and I stepped out the apartment to dismantled a small window frame bordering my front door which allowed him to simply reach in and unlock the door. All he took was my personal laptop that was my primary workhorse that had grades, lessons, music, pictures, journals, and basically the information of the past two years of work here in Palau. This semester's work was about 75% backed up. No word from the police. My landlord promptly reinforced the doorway construction on ALL 4 of our apartments in the building since all were the same design.

Last night my PIBC laptop was taken from my front seat of my truck. I was loading the truck in the church parking lot and briefly left it unlocked as I closed down my upstairs office. The Dell laptop was in my briefcase that also contained my eyeglasses and bible. Police have turned it over to the detectives for further investigation.

RRW

Ah, Thank God It's Friday

2008-09-19T06:51:00.003-04:00

It's Friday night as I relax at my desk. The Palauan teens from "Shalom" are singing in the "Old Church" just below my open windows. They sing many classic Maranatha-esque tunes like "Seek Ye First" and "As the Deer" and "Majesty." The simplicity of it all is refreshing to me tonight.

My fingers are almost back to "guitar hero" status. My acoustic guitars safely rest in their places now that my 20' container is firmly planted just 100 feet from my office here at the church. So, books, tools, guitars, and SUV's are all welcome blessings that make life here a lot more efficient and hopefully much more effective.

PIBC Palau is now done with week three. New faces mixed in with the familiar ones are always nice. Three Filipinas have joined for classes while I'm disappointed that this semester only has one Deacon attending.

Friday Night's are good for relaxing in the cool night air.

RRW

Sore Fingertips!

2008-08-17T05:32:00.005-04:00

For those of us who play a stringed instrument sore fingertips tell us that our callouses are gone.

Saturday's Worship Team's practice and this morning's offering of songs was a joy mingled with pain. Next week will be better! I praise the Maker of song and the Designer of callouses.

Being back in Koror brings such a mixture of hearty stuff. I've become strangely aware of just how far Palau is from Pennsylvania; traveling that route has done that. I feel the distance between my family and friends and myself. On the other side of things, knowing where one should be in this world is a huge blessing. I know that God has placed me in this town, in this day, in these lives. So, I spend time resuming friendships with Caryl and Hayes. I enjoy meeting the new Chinese students of Emmaus experiencing the tropics for the first time. Sisters from my congregation come and give me pies. Yes, I'm blessed to be back in Palau.

My office has finally been moved from my home to the church. I spend time now in my corner perch on the second floor. My windows catch the cross breezes the bring the chatter of neighbors living on the outside of their homes. Rain has been in surplus today; that kept the English Service cool. Tonight it's fairly quiet. Tuesday I'll pick up Taylor Hollingsworth at the airport, a fifteen minute drive north. He'll begin a four-month internship under yours truly. He says he plays the drums. I hope he does!

Sore fingers toughen up. Callouses have their divine role to play. Beware of the calloused heart, though. Amen?

RRW

Seeing Light In the Dark

2008-08-09T16:50:00.008-04:00

Blogging can be a lot like fishing...Dave Owen took my bait!

We both enjoyed the Saturday afternoon showing of "The Dark Knight" at the Micronesia Mall yesterday.

We discussed afterwards the movie's messianic themes, the development of good and evil and how reality should show through all art, whether popular or otherwise.

Being more than a hero...now there's a thought.

So much of our cultural best, be it immediate and local or be it the wider culture, focuses on what maybe can be called a medium virtue. A medium virtue is most certainly higher than a base virtue. Example: pleasure is a base virtue, a good gift from God, but character development will supersede the pursuit of pleasure. But character development is not higher than charity and appears in the middle tier of virtues.

"Being more than a hero" is a good one-liner to remind us that not all virtues are equally virtuous.

I like the movie. I enjoy friendships where virtues, be they base or great, are pursued and enjoyed as God designed.

RRW

Terra Firma

2008-08-07T16:43:00.004-04:00

Flying across the planet still amazes me!

You pay some people money...well, a chunk of money...and they let you get on this huge tin can with wings full of kerosene and they fly you thousands of miles to a remote landing strip that even Google Earth has trouble finding. Amazing.

My friends Brad and Cheryl Boydston met me outside the International Flights zone at Guam Inter. Airport last evening. We lugged my luggage through the throng of folks (3 flights arrived within about an hour and a half of each other, I learned) crowding the reception area and the adjoining sidewalks. To my surprise, Dave and Joyce Owen pull up to the curb just to say "hello" and to give me a hug. Yeah, that's an Island welcome! (either that or Dave and Joyce are just really bored since school is still out!)

So, I'm awake at 3:30AM this morning. I walked the 1/2 mile to the local Winchell's donut place about an hour ago. Their coffee is REALLY strong.

Catching up on email is always good and I'll continue to finish up preparing my two new classes as I arrange my final flight to Koror in a few days.

I meet with other colleagues in the next few days to discuss the various aspects of running the Palau TF (Teaching Facility). With Hollie I'll discuss ideas for our student internship program. With Jens we'll discuss money! With Dave and Brad, vision for the future always is the place we go...Hawaii Theological Seminary and the additional TFs that are in the plans.

I hope to see the new Batman flick while here. Somehow that didn't get done in Pennsylvania...and Palau, of course, offers no such commodity.

I hope your weekend is full of a blend of rest and relationships that fuel your passion for God. If not, make some changes.

Shalom.

RRW

Rob's Perspective on Stuff...

2008-08-03T09:05:00.000-04:00

I've begun a secondary blog.

http://rrwattsperspective.blogspot.com/

July 27th

2008-07-27T20:47:00.005-04:00

Japanese steakhouses are made for enjoying people. Food is provided as a context, but the real meal is the company that you find sitting around you. Hopefully you bring your tribe; if not one will be supplied for you.

Today is Betsy, my sister's, birthday. We won't discuss age. We will discuss the gift of life...what birthdays are all about in the first place. We will discuss the blessing of family and time spent with one another.

Sometimes we benefit by having the presence of strangers around as you celebrate one another. We found this with our Japanese chef, the young man that twirled knives, spatulas and other sharp tools of his trade before our faces. We enjoyed the chance to explain what brought us to this place and moment. Family.

My mother finally got her teriyake chicken as she enjoyed herself in the middle of her children. North Carolina has been good for her. Sleep is long. The days filled with Rummy Cube and fresh bing cherries tend to stretch a little bit longer than those filled with normal life. We are enjoying the laughter that comes from remembering past drama of our family's history. She has the best memory of any of us, me thinks.

A few more days in balmy Pamlico County, NC and then the eleven-hour drive north will return us all to normal life. My sister will resume her summertime routine before returning to teaching young people. My mom will return to NJ and break-in a new hospice-care nurse; pray for both her and her newbie nurse! :)

On August 6th, sometime after 5:30 AM, I'll depart for points west and south of the familiar feel of Pennsylvania. With the re-entry into island life, with all its pain and pleasures, I will look back on this summer with deep gratitude for my Father's grace, my friend's prayers, and for my family's love. I hope you all can do the same.

RRW

Oriental, North Carolina

2008-07-25T09:33:00.002-04:00

I sent off some documents from the corner of Broad & North Streets in Oriental, North Carolina this morning. The Fed-Ex sign in the front window told me that this was the place to do business. With that errand run I can now relax and enjoy some down time with my mom and sister, Betsy, at their future-retirement home nestled right next to Pierce Creek that eventually runs into the Pamlico Sound that separates the Inner Banks of NC from the Outer Banks of NC. Life is quiet and slow in these parts. Peep frogs and mosquitoes rule the night; humidity and mosquitoes rule the day. A few days down here will do us all good. I hope you have a place you can go to slow down when the doctor orders that.
RRW

Working Through Jet-lag

2008-07-07T17:40:00.003-04:00

Pennsylvania is green; New Jersey gray. Time with my family has been great.

As some of you know, my mother has advanced lymphoma. I've enjoyed the past several days with her and my aunts in New Jersey where we've made the most of the ripe Jersey produce. Indiana Jones was also a "hit" as we took advantage of a Saturday matinée. Harrison Ford is getting old. Aren't we all!

This morning I was on the Boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ at 7am. Jet-lag has its advantages.

The Big Party is Over

2008-07-04T04:10:00.003-04:00

Clean up...something you always have to do after even the best of parties.

Koror Evangelical Church was the place of a really well-thrown party last week! Hundreds of man-hours went into making the 2008 Gospel Day Celebration the success that it was. From the teams that served in the villages to the teams that places leis of welcome around the necks of arriving guests, the dozens of folks involved in making this month-long endeavor can be proud of a job-well-done.

The Main Event that went from last Thursday to Sunday featured good preaching and teaching from our guest speakers. We as a church were challenged to look ahead to the next season of what God desires to do in and through the Palauan believers. Continue to pray with us that God will continue what He began this month in the lives of the saints in Palau.

It's 3:58 AM

2008-07-04T03:57:00.002-04:00

My mom's condo in South Jersey is quiet at the moment. Jetlag.

My nephew, Spencer, took the day off work to get me down here to spend the weekend catching up with my mother and aunts. A 1 1/2 hour train ride from Philadelphia International Airport to my sister's home in Bucks County was actually somewhat refreshing after 24 hours of air travel through Houston, Honolulu, and Guam. It still amazes me that in 31 total hours, door-to-door, I can go from Palau to Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

I'll be splitting my time between NJ, Bucks County, and Chester County. I'm looking forward to continuing my summer projects (building 2 new classes for PIBC's Fall Semester, and drafting my next preaching series) while spending time with family and friends.

I hope none of you read this until much later than my posting time!!

See you soon. RRW

Wedding Bells in Koror

2008-06-16T00:53:00.003-04:00

June 14th will be the anniversary date that Caryl and Annabelle Selorio will celebrate for hopefully many wonderful years to come. It was my privilege to officiate their traditionally Filipino wedding this past Saturday. About one hundred friends from church and community joined us for the celebration. God's blessing to you both, Caryl and Annabelle!

2008-06-08T04:54:00.002-04:00

Ok. so now we have a dozen or so new faces on our small island of Palau. They hail from Germany, Guam, Yap, and Chuuk. They have come to be instruments of grace and truth in God's powerful hand. If you're the prayin' kind, please lift these students and their leaders before the throne of God as they serve the folks here in Palau.
Ned & Marisol
Dave & Anette
Chris
Moni
Sarah
Jonathan
Nico
Lee
Stella
Percia
Manuel
Elilai
Tanja

Kmal mesaul
RRW

Why Is Carp Island Named Carp Island?

2008-06-03T18:03:00.003-04:00

Monday morning Andrew and I boarded the awaiting 30ft. tourist boat loaded with folks from Korea, Japan, and(America--us). Ron was our pilot, a true Palauan who happened to be a dive instructor as well. The fifty minute trip South took us over the smoothest water I've yet experienced here in Palau. Calm seas makes for an easy time on the aging back. Our destination? Carp Island. This is a small (maybe 1 km. across) star-shaped island very close to the historical island of Peliliu, where the major WWII battle of Palau was fought. The attraction: Pristine tropical setting, silence, simplicity, and...great snorkeling! An hour's walk at low tide across the tidal flats brought us to a "drop off" called "Turtle Cove." At low tide one can almost sit on the reef and dangle their feet and fins off the edge of the cliff that extends for who-knows-how-deep of a drop into the dark blue Pacific.

We saw thousands of tropical fish ranging from the smallest and most brilliantly colored to the meter-long white-tip reef shark that shadowed us for almost an hour. We also saw a really husky barracuda that paid its respects as it passed by. Andrew encountered an entire school of squid while I happened to spot a huge Napoleon Ras.

The overnight trip was a much needed break from the noise and craziness that Koror seems to relentlessly offer. So, with sunburned skin and recharged batteries, we made our way back North with the same group of Asian shipmates the following day.

If you come to visit, I promise a trip to Turtle Cove!

Why is Carp Island named Carp Island? I have no idea.

June Cometh!

2008-05-29T06:54:00.002-04:00

The Palau Evangelical Church (PEC), the denomination here in the Republic of Palau which I serve as a missionary-pastor and a leadership consultant, is celebrating the 79th year of being entrusted with the Good News of Jesus Christ, the "Gospel."

The month of June will bring in three seperate international teams to do ministry within Palau that will culminate in the three day celebration in Koror at Koror Evangelical Church from the 26th to the 29th. 1500 adults are expected during the evening services that will run from Thursday through Saturday, and more on Sunday morning.

I will coordinate the three teams as they serve in rural Babeldaob as well as participate in running the youth camp and children's ministries in Koror. The teams coming are from PIBC in Guam, Liebenzell Mission International in Germany, and from Susanville, CA.

It is our vision to see Palauans reached, refreshed, refocused, and reinvested in the calling of the local church: to enjoy the calling of God upon their lives, invididual and corporate. Please pray to this end.

Koror Evangelical Church's English Fellowship

2008-05-26T04:54:00.002-04:00

Up to a dozen nationalities will gather in unity Sunday mornings at our English Fellowship. We continue to grow in attendance despite the discomfort of a hot auditorium under the Micronesian morning sun. Diversity finding Unity. It's a very cool component of God's Kingdom.

Bethania High School, "Satisfaction is the Key to Faithfulness"

2008-05-26T03:36:00.004-04:00

On a warm, but not hot, Friday afternoon Bethania High School celebrated its 45th Commencement Exercises. Yours Truly was given the honor as the morning's main speaker. So, with thirteen young ladies on the cusp of freedom and life away from Bethania, I chose to speak on why we remain faithful...faithful to spouses, to employers, on why we remain faithful to God and his call upon our lives.

Satisfaction.

I then offered this:

10 Habits of those who find that walking with God their deepest satisfaction:

1. Buy a good Bible and becomes best friends with it!
This is how you learn to love God’s WORD

2. Become good at asking questions about all things!
This is how you delight in God with your MIND

3. Try new things and find the few things that you are gifted to do!
This is how you delight in God with all your MIGHT

4. Learn to Recognize the Image of God in the ugliest people you meet!
This is how you learn to love and serve the UNLOVELY.

5. Travel when you have the opportunity!
This is how you get to see God in another culture.

6. Find a group of people who want to know and love God even more than you do!
This is how you grow to love God with all your HEART

7. Walk everyday as much as life will let you!
This will keep your pace of life manageable.

8. Protect your sexual purity!
Beyond the obvious, this will help you distinguish the sacred from the secular.

9. Become the kind of virtuous person you, yourself, would want to marry!
This is how you will bring the best “you” to your marriage.

10. Create a “prayer closet” in every place you call “home!”
This is how you learn to not avoid God.

Blueberry Muffins & The Kingdom

2008-04-16T01:18:00.005-04:00

Being surrounded by palm, betel-nut, and coconut trees leaves me wanting the old familiar flavors of apple pie, hot-wings, and blueberry muffins. This past week brought me two out of three of these delicacies to my palate. Dave Owen, Hedrick Kual and I enjoyed the simple pleasure of catching up as friends and the taste of apple pie and ice cream. Being up at Bethania High School yesterday to talk to the senior girls about the advantages of attending PIBC also brought us the hospitality of Erin, Jenny, Vilma, and Ruth. These blueberry muffins are just one demonstration of Jenny's growing savvy-ness in the kitchen. Somehow I got to take the leftovers home.

I hope to hunger for the flavors of the Kingdom like I hunger for that of my Pennsylvanian "home". Honesty. Honor of the least of these. Humor that makes your ribs ache. Humility that welcomes the light of inquiry. Holiness that is more attractive than profane substitutes.

Some of you who read this blog from time to time (as if I'm actually a regular blogman!) have consistently demonstrated these aspects of the Kingdom. For that I thank you.

Fried Bananas

2008-03-16T02:15:00.000-04:00

Tonight's preaching class held upstairs in the big white Koror Church went VERY late. One of the reasons was because two of my students were determined to successfully teach me how to pronounce the Palauan word for "fried." Someone brought in a bowl of fried bananas for a snack to be enjoyed by all--a common occurrence in our classes. Tonight I asked how you say "fried" since I already knew how to say "Tuu", the word for banana. Meluat (pronounced Mel-wat) proceeded to repeat the word several times, none of which was a help in getting me any closer to being able to repeat the elusive term. "Dude, spell it for me!" Yeah, I can call him "dude" since he's only 25. "Cherreduked." The next 5 minutes had them all ROFL. :) Finally, I managed the full saying: Cherreduked el tuu! Call me and I'll pronounce it for you.

Language. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." Sometimes we just need to "see it" spelled out...

2007-12-14T15:07:00.000-05:00

December has always been a cold month for me. Of my forty-some years on this planet the majority of them have been spent in Pennsylvania. The past three have been balmy and strange. Tropical Christmases take a while to get used to, I believe.

This year I'm enjoying the scraping of ice, the need to zip-up, the motivation to check the weather. Feeling the cold reminds me that heat is a blessing. Feeling the chill of living alone, relatively speaking, reminds me of the nature of how it is supposed to be, maybe even of Edenesque life. We all hunger for heaven regardless of how we've become aware of that hunger. We all thirst for the ultimate Restoration even if we have never formulated that concrete imagery in our minds. A Child born and a Son given is our primmer on all reality; He was, He is, and He will be.

Let's celebrate this December surrounded by those dear to us and let us talk of the Hope that warms the coldest of hearts if they just let Him in. Let's look beyond whatever elements of this non-Eden landscape we must and see a Kingdom that will one day emerge preeminent.

RR

Glory Refracted for Our Eyes to See

2007-11-24T15:34:00.000-05:00

My brother-in-law, John, has a beauty of a catboat which he keeps at their home in North Carolina. A few hours on the water of the Sound reminded me how sailing is so much like working in God's field, the world. From the most essential principles of seamanship to the simple enjoyment of the fullness of sail, I see such parallels to how the Spirit, invisible to the "untrained eye" (kudos to Mark Heard) but who causes the earth to yield every moment of the day. God echoes His permeating mastery over all of creation. Watch for the Kingdom in the smile of an infant, the struggle of the aged, or the rush within romance. It is all around you and I. For him who has eyes to see and ears to hear.

RR

2007-11-21T20:17:00.000-05:00

This Christian walk is at times so obviously sublime. God continues to do what He always has done: maneuvering His creation around Himself in order to reveal Himself in a needed way. These last weeks He has with word and deed shown me that He is Father. And I am son.

This Thanksgiving I will lower my voice, calm my heart, and hopefully find in the cooler and quieter moments of the rush a Father who delights to sing over all who would call on Him as Father.

This holiday is structured for us. The thanks is for Him.

Happy Thanksgiving!

RR

2007-11-21T19:39:00.000-05:00

Sensing that the blog-train was pulling away without me, I have submitted to the pressure of my peers, seeing that they are now blogger-savvy beyond my most elevated hopes. So, Dave, thanks for making your way to the caboose and posting your plethora of pics that beckon me on.

It is my heart's deep hope that your visit to this page brings you at least a veneer of connection with yours truly and that it may prompt you to keep me in your loop as well!

See ya soon!

RRW