25 Noted Differences--Uh, Make That 26

Having to constantly remind ourselves to speed UP so we won't get a ticket!! (Guam: 45 mph max, California: 75 mph max)

 

A Typical Market

Gazillion choices in food—especially fresh produce and affordable meat. 

Style in clothing is much more important (and intimidating!).


Shorts are MUCH shorter! (Katie has to wear those super short spandex shorts for her volleyball uniform on her high school team.)


You will most likely eat inside the house when invited to a home for a meal. On the island, eating most often takes place outside under a canopy.

Under the canopy

The incredible joy of fresh, cool air!  Wonderful being able to open the windows while driving or sitting in the house--way too hot to do this on Guam at any time--24/7, 365 days a year! 

On Guam, the older you are, the more respected you are. Here, it seems like the older you are, the more marginalized you are.  

“People aren’t as friendly in CA. Like, if you accidentally bump into them in the store and you say, ‘Sorry’ they barely acknowledge it, but on Guam, they’ll say, ‘Oh, that’s okay’ and they may continue to carry on a conversation with you.” (Noelle, 11 years old)


The beautiful sound of birds chirping and the great varieties all around us. Because of the invasive brown tree snake, the bird population on Guam has been nearly annihilated. (It is hysterical to watch the cat we brought with us from Guam. She has never seen birds hopping and flying all around and is clearly fascinated and perplexed!) 

Invasive brown tree snake
found near PIU's men's dorm

Lots of different colored people.  On Guam, it's essentially one color--brown.

On Guam, it is assumed that kids will be included in EVERY event.  It is the opposite in CA--assume kids are not invited unless otherwise stated.

Sales tax--yuck!

No boonie dogs to give household scraps to.  There are 40,000 boonie dogs on the island, yes, I said 40,000!  These are stray dogs:  20% belong to someone but run free, 40% are fed by someone even though the dog is not their pet, and 40% just roam around. 



Boonie Dogs

LOTS of Spanish being spoken—especially in schools and in stores. We never heard Spanish on Guam, even though the Spanish ruled Guam for 300 years! 

The pleasure of sitting outside without being munched on by mosquitoes.

Being cold on the beach (and even colder in the water) compared to being too hot on the beach and barely cool enough in Guam's warm ocean (86 degrees).

It's no longer easy to spot our girls in a crowd--there are plenty of other blond "haoles."


It used to be easy . . .

 Having a million forms to fill out and liability waivers to sign in order to do anything (e.g. enter school, play a sport, transported in a vehicle, etc.). This is probably a result of the high liability risk in CA. Good luck suing an institution on Guam, therefore, little fear of being sued!

Seemingly everyone (from middle schoolers to adults) has a Smart Phone, and quite often not just a Smart phone but an Iphone.
 
Not “giving grace” before eating at ALL events. On Guam, even at government sponsored events and public sporting events, if a meal is served, a prayer will be offered. (This also connects back to the Spanish/Catholic influence.)
 
Having street lights and sidewalks!


Typical Island Street


Activities are EXPENSIVE in CA. Cost for high school volleyball on Guam: $0, Cost for high school volleyball in CA: $300 plus additional fees for transportation, sports banquet, coaches fees, etc. About $500 total. Cost for Club Volleyball on Guam: $25.00, in Santa Barbara: $4500-$6000

Recycling

It hasn't rained since we've moved! Being a rain forest, Guam has rain nearly every day, and activities (e.g. soccer games) continue, rain (even monsoon rain!) or shine.


End of season soccer game and family party

 No balutan! In Guam, any time food is served, the leftovers are divvied up, and sent home with the guests.

Feeling like a VERY small fish in a VERY large pond!
 
Yipee!  No more monstrous, gargantuan, practically man-eating cockroaches!!  

Need I say more?

Riding the Camel

“For I am doing a work in your days that you

would not believe if told.”

Habakkuk 1.5

The Parsonage

This is the sentence that began the letter we sent to our supporters, alerting them to the big changes coming soon. Well, soon did indeed come quickly, and we found ourselves rushing from our furlough in CA back to Guam to pack our possessions into a twenty-foot cargo container. That cargo container is presently on a ship being transported across the Pacific Ocean. We sincerely hope it will make it to us with no further delays (yes, they’ve already delayed delivery by a week). In the meantime, we are living in a beautiful 1800’s era parsonage that has been deemed a historical landmark in Santa Barbara County. We are grateful for the loaned air mattresses and table with chairs so we can sit down and sleep on something besides hardwood floors! We are anxious to have our school supplies, kitchen goods, books, bedding (and beds!), toiletries and furniture so we are ready for the pending school year. Our girls will be transitioning from being home schooled to attending the local public schools. I will be transitioning from being my kids’ teacher to formally teaching only students at Pacific Islands University! I am excited to more fully devote myself to this, and I’m currently preparing for the counseling class I will be teaching via Skype in a week. I am also excited to continue my role as mentor for PIU staff and to provide counseling via chat and Skype. I marvel at the amazing windows that modern technology opens. Too bad there isn’t a way to coach a volleyball team using technology! I am saddened that I will not be able to continue coaching weekly practices with the PIU women; I guess I’ll have to schedule intensive practices during the weeks I am at PIU each semester. In the meantime, I’m contacting some companies to see if I can get donated balls and equipment, and I’m hoping that a Guam friend may be willing to take my place as head coach.

Several people have expressed confusion as to what exactly this physical move means in regards to my work in Micronesia. I will continue to serve PIU and the people of Micronesia with the same commitment as when I was physically living in Guam. The difference will be in HOW I go about my work. To accomplish this, I will rely heavily on modern technology, travel, and I am now blessed to have access to resources that will enable me to do the research necessary to develop strategies to address the tragically high rates of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and suicide throughout Micronesia. Eric will be working full-time as the pastor for adult ministries at Community Covenant Church of Goleta (part of his job description is coordinating the North Park Seminary Extension classes that utilize the church’s classrooms, so it’s similar to what he’s been doing). As his schedule allows, he will continue to provide pastoral training to remote island pastors (currently, we are planning to be in Yap in February), and he looks forward to cultivating ministry among Micronesians who have relocated here to the states. He will also be providing the lectures for the fall class he was slotted to teach at PIU prior to us knowing we would be in a new location!


Certainly, we are surprised by many of the changes that have come our way, but we remain confident that God is directing our course. I had a dream just last night that I think symbolizes this concept well. I was riding a camel (no I have NEVER ridden a camel) and the camel didn’t even have a bridal in its mouth by which to control it! I knew I was supposed to keep the camel moving up a twisting and turning path with many caves and rock formations and hundreds of path tributaries. I wasn’t exactly sure which route to take to get to the top. Was one a short-cut? Was one riddled with danger? Add to this that my camel wasn’t particularly cooperative. The dromedary especially wanted to stop and eat any grass it saw and it often acted ornery. I had to be creative to keep it moving and I wished I had a clearly marked map. As I reflected on this dream, I realized that one thing was certain, I KNEW I was suppose to keep heading up the mountain. And so it is, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24).


Addendum: Since we wrote this, our cargo container arrived and all the contents were transferred into the parsonage where we are living. So, as we type this, there are unpacked boxes throughout the house, and a lot of chaos. We are extremely grateful to God that our belongings have arrived safely, and we'll be even more grateful when they are all put away so that we can devote ourselves more fully to our work.

In Case You Didn't Know . . . .

You may have noticed a lull in our communication recently. There's actually a good reason for this. Within about a month after arriving in California, we did a 180, went back to Guam for three weeks, and began a mad-cap adventure packing up our whole household to be shipped to Santa Barbara (besides trying to deal with two cats and two cars). That's right, after four years of incredible ministry living in Guam, we have now made the transition back stateside for a new adventure. Eric just began work on the staff of Community Covenant Church in Goleta, CA. It seems long ago and far away now, but before we left for Guam in 2007, Eric was serving as a regular pastor at a regular California church when the invitation came to begin a seminary at Pacific Islands University (PIU). After her initial reluctance, Karyn grew to welcome the challenge, and we signed on to a three-to-five year contract to work among Micronesians in Guam. The irony is that while Eric feels satisfied with the fulfilment of his obligation, Karyn feels like her work is on a roll. Thankfully, in an unprecedented move, the Evangelical Covenant Church granted Karyn permission to continue her work from 6000 miles away, our new home in Santa Barbara. So, while Eric strolls next door to his new office, Karyn parks in a chair at the parsonage and takes every advantage of the marvels of modern technology. Via Skype, phone, the Internet, and Continental Airlines, Karyn pursues her work as mentor, teacher, and counselor to students and staff at PIU. Of course, it's going to be a lot easier when our 20-foot long cargo container arrives with all of our earthly belongings! Stay tuned as within the next day or two we share more about the changes. For now, enjoy a few pictures from our crazy summer.


Inside the Cavernous Container





Mo, student with a servant's heart







"I get by with a little help from friends."





Shutting the door at last!

Sparing the Sparrows

 In the quiet moments that punctuate the busyness of life on Karyn's parents' ranch, someone wandered out the front door only to become the hapless victim of a dive-bombing sparrow.  After the nearly successful Kamikaze attack, he took a glance at the wreath adorning the adjoined door and beheld a tiny nest, complete with eggs.  Some creative flying fiend had determined that this innocuous looking decoration would be a good hideout, but little did she know the earthquakes she would have to put up with as the door is continuously opened and shut.  Nevertheless, the little mama has persevered and her chicks have hatched.  There's no place like home!    

"Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young" (Psalm 84.3).  Of course, the nest is a metaphor:  The best home for us is in God's immediate presence.  The Psalm begins, "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!"  Like Mama Sparrow, who longs for her nest and protects it with her life, I hope we can each say, "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord . . . .  Blessed are those who dwell in your house" (verse 4).  Despite the earthquakes of life, I hope the metaphor and following pictures remind you to nest in the Lord. 

The Ranch House



The Front Doors



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The Wreath



No Place Like Home



Catching up in California

I now remember the same scenario last year.  We got to California and got so caught up catching up with our sons and other family members, that we neglected our blog for a few weeks. Oops - our bad. So, in an attempt to make up for lost time, here is a summary and a few pictures. Just emerging from the fog of jetlag our first Sunday, we decided to pay a visit to a nearby church, East Bay Fellowship. When a friend told the pastor's wife we would be there, she proclaimed it quite a "God-incidence." Last year, we brought the Voices of Micronesia (VoM) to minister at the same church's childrens' day camp, and it turned out that this very morning they were showing video clips from last year, featuring VoM! We were introduced, and an immediate connection was made in peoples' minds due to the wildly popular VoM. 
   

After a couple of days laying low, we headed south to preach for the first time at Community Covenant Church of Goleta (Goleta is Santa Barbara's northerly neighbor). There we met some new friends, spent some quality time with Teyler and Christian, and relaxed a couple of days with Eric's brother and family. In the process, we took a hike to Santa Barbara's popular Seven Falls (see pictures), rode bikes to the beach, and tried to hear each other over the screams of four girl cousins running in and out of Eric's brother's house. On Thursday, we drove further south and gawked at the variety and amazingly low prices of the Camarillo outlet stores. If one even finds such items in Guam, they are four times the cost (at least we don't pay sales tax in Guam)! Fortunately escaping with only a few small bags of merchandise, we then reversed direction and camped out a couple of days at Eric's parents' place in San Luis Obispo where we mowed the lawn (okay, Noelle mowed the lawn), trimmed bushes, did some crafts, and watched a couple of DVDs.  Last night we headed back to our summer headquarters in Castro Valley. Enjoy the pictures; we'll try to keep in touch more consistently!

Dance, Music, Volleyball--What's the Connection?

When I was a little girl, I would dreamily watch my brothers play sports. I would listen attentively as my father would instruct my brothers on the proper way to hold their bat, stand on the pitcher’s mound, slide into a base, etc. During batting practice, sometimes I was even given the privilege of throwing the ball to my brothers as my father patiently provided them with advanced batting instruction. Mesmerized, I would listen to the admonishments and advice my brothers received from their soccer and basketball coaches. But never once did I personally participate on a sport’s team. I, like all my other girl friends, participated in dance lessons: ballet, tap, and gymnastics. In middle school, my family moved to a new town which meant leaving the small school I knew and loved and attending a large, rather tough public school. It was here that I discovered such a thing as sports teams for girls. Unfortunately, if I thought the girls in this school were mean, they were nothing compared to the type of girls who played on the sports teams! No thanks. As much as the idea of playing sports appealed to me, the idea of surrounding myself with brutal Amazon girls appealed far less. Hearing that cheerleaders competed with other squads, I pursued cheerleading, where I erroneously assumed the girls would be less vicious. I stuck with cheerleading as my “sport” through my sophomore year in college. During that year, a friend convinced me to play intramural volleyball. I had never played volleyball before, but I definitely wasn’t going to turn down an opportunity to play a sport. I had a blast, and to my surprise, the women from the college volleyball team insisted I try-out for the college volleyball team. The rest is history. Although not an easy transition to go from a decade of dance to college-level volleyball, making the switch was, nonetheless, a highlight of my life. I LOVE volleyball! Additionally, almost as much as I relish playing volleyball, I love coaching volleyball. I love working in tandem with an individual and being part of the shaping process that helps them “to be all that they can be.”



Some of the PIU women's volleyball team players that I coach



And so it is that I chuckle as a type this blog. I look at the blessings I have received in my life: music lessons, voice lessons, dance lessons, sports instruction, drama/performance, and an incredible education, and I marvel at how each of those blessings has enabled me to invest in the lives of others. Whether it’s directing the Voices of Micronesia 2010 tour, providing counseling, teaching at the college, or developing and coaching a women’s volleyball team at Pacific Islands University, I so see God’s hand guiding and directing my life that I might invest in people “such as these.” I wonder what blessings you've received in your life? Don't underestimate your unique ability to make a lasting difference in the lives of others.



The PIU Women's Volleyball Team
*  These pictures and video were taken at the PIU Women's Volleyball Tournament held at the Agana Heights Gym.  PIU sponsored two ten-hour tournaments with up to ten island teams participating.



Yapese Dancers

The Internet was extremely slow on Yap, so while we were on the island, we were unable to upload this video, showing this beautiful Yapese dance.  If you go a few posts back (post dated 3/15/11), you can read about how we were able to attend this ceremony.  Also, I thought it was interesting that the men put a yellow-colored oil all over their bodies, giving them a yellow glow.  Furthermore, the light greenish/yellow "things" hanging from their arms and skirts, are fresh leaves.  Other than their red and blue "thus" (pronounced thooz), everything on their bodies is made with local flora.