Warm Welcome

July 2016 was the start of our time in Guam. After finishing up our stay in Chuuk we arrived to Guam and we were warmly greeted by the Chuukese Congregation. We arrived on a late Tuesday afternoon just in time to make the meeting with the Circuit Overseer. We surprised many with our arrival, but were very excited to see us.

Shortly after our arrival we were invited for a welcome diner party and other invites to enjoy the beach.

With plenty of support in the ministry we got right back to the field. We have many out all week with some enjoying early morning witnessing at the local flea market and conducting Bible Studies to late in the evening. With all the time being spent in the ministry and with so much support it was very difficult for us to even look for an apartment. Our apartment hunting was another story for another post. But we are very happy to be with our new congregation here in Guam. The congregation is made up of 34 publishers, 4 elders and 10 pioneers. On average we have about 70 attending each of our meetings with many families attending together.

Up to this point the ministry is very good and much different from our time in Chuuk due to the fact that  there is less family and clan pressure being away from their country.

Public Witnessing at the flea market.

Beautiful night for a welcome dinner party.

Kathleen, Mia & Jeff photo bombing.

Mayboline & Mia with Kathleen

The view of the outside theater for a

Local history show and performance.

Jeff & Kayla Head, (Newly weds)

Joining us at the local show.

Pictures from the show.

Now official Guamanians.

Some members of the congregation.

Front and Center - Teriann

Congregation picnic.

Westin Pool Side,

Branch Visit 2016 Second Addition

In April 0f 2016 the islands of Chuuk and Ponphei were invited to attend the Branch visit to Guam with Brother Ralph Walls. (See earlier post.) These are special occasions for many reasons, but now more so with only being invited to attend every 3 years. During this time there would also be a week long school for elders. 

It was a great time being able to see our friends from the different islands and receiving the spiritual encouragement from being with so many brothers and sisters. Before to Guam arriving we had been in contact with the branch office about a possible move or change in our assignment. There  was some thought that we may have been moved to Majuro, in the Marshall islands. However, at the end of the week long school we were informed that we would be moved to Guam to assist with the Chuukese congregation. 

What exciting news!

Yet we had to keep this news to ourselves since we were still in Guam for another week and did not wan the brothers and sisters in Chuuk to hear the news other than from ourselves. But we managed to do so…. We had a great time exploring Guam and spending time with our friends, now knowing we would return soon and would say goodbye to Chuuk.

Ready for school.

During the branch visit.

Our our way to Ague Cove.

Our crew.

Overlooking Ague Cove.

Amazing!

Ague Cove

The return hike.

A little R&R at just one of the many resorts.

Where to Begin

As you know it has been sometime since we posted anything. A lot has happened before and since our Pizza night in Chuuk. We have been to Guam, Korea, Pennsylvania, back to Korea and now in Guam. Back in January of 2016 leaving the states after spending time with our families, in Florida and Pennsylvania, we arrived safely back in Chuuk after a 2 day delay because of United airlines. We landed in Guam on a Tuesday evening for our flight out early Wednesday morning. However arriving at the airport around 6:00 a.m. we found out that they were overbooked on their flight. So we took the chance for some vouchers and were promised a relief flight later sometime Wednesday evening. As promised we left Guam later that day, but it was scheduled to stop at Ponphei to pick up stranded passengers from Tuesday. Yes we flew over Chuuk and straight to Ponphei. It was a very rough landing as the plane landed very hard because of some strong winds. 

They were able to load the stranded passengers including our Circuit Overseer who was on his way to Chuuk for the upcoming Circuit Assembly. It was to be a short 1 and some flight to Chuuk. However as we approached Chuuk and toward the runway the plane began to fly upwards, we were thinking that it just overflew the runway and would turn around, but we just returned to Guam. What a fun 6 hour field trip! We are still not sure what happened, but we had many theories about the condition of the plane and so forth. The airline attendant even offered to buy us drinks. We were a little nervous watching all of them figure out what to do. We still do not have the whole story but it was a long night non the less. We were not put into a hotel, but stayed at the airport all night until our flight out early Thursday morning arriving in Chuuk just in time for our rehearsals for the Circuit Assembly. 

The reason we are mentioning this event is because there was a series of events that changed our life here in Micronesia. However before the changes began we were able to enjoy one last outing in Chuuk after our Circuit Assembly and the very exhausting return to Chuuk. More details to come.

The island of Fonomu is just one of the many picnic island of Chuuk.

Looking back to Moen.

Fonomu

Our crew for the day.