A bit of video news about PIU, where we are right now:

If you go to 12:55 on this video, you'll see Kathy almost immediately.  The chapel service is being put on by Dr. Bill Wood and his class on Psalms.

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/livestream

Kathy meets with the ladies

I just got back from my first session with the girls at PIU....we meet at 9:30pm on Monday evenings.
I have not gotten to spend a lot of time with them yet...but that should change in the next few days
as we get on campus and are closer to where they live and hang out.  Tonight I shared my testimony
and a little how Coffee Break began and what God has done in many of the girl's lives.  It was
fun and they listened well with a couple of questions at the end.  Only 2 1/2 weeks left....hard to believe!  Thank you for your prayers!  

Under the heading of "Well-fed"

Friday night the Owen's neighbors, folk from one of the outer islands of Chuuk, had a major celebration in honor of their granddaughters first birthday.  They asked the Owens if they could use their "driveway" and part of their yard for parking.  Of course, as good neighbors, they agreed.  Likewise as good neighbors and in gratitude, we were invited to the feast.  Various kinds of grilled

meats & fish, rice, taro, fruit, this delicious cooked coconut stuff,  and things I don't recognize but that I enjoyed greatly, were provided in grat abundance.  It was good.  Hopefully we didn't offend our hosts.  The proper thing to do is to not only eat your fill, but to take some home.  It was late, and we knew what was coming the next day, so we didn't go through the serving line again.
The next day we were the hosts.  Pacific Islands University held a promotional barbecue.  Ribs, chicken, a shredded chicken dish--which Kathy liked a lot-- rice--there is always rice--and this delicious Chomorro seasoning called, finadene.  I can't vouch for the accuracy of this wiki-description, but this will give you an idea what the stuff is like.  Trust me.  It's good.
Kathy and worked to help set up, welcome guests, and tear down.  TEENWEEK & Discovery Night were good training.
Yesterday we did bring leftovers home.  Supper in a little while.  Yep, we are being well-fed.

(You can see some more pictures at my friend's blog, http://guamdaveo.blogspot.com/2015/04/piu-annual-barbecue.html?spref=fb,

Friday Chapel.

PIU typically has two chapel services a week.  The largest of our classrooms is quickly converted into space for the service.  It reminds me of the old days at Appalachian Bible Institute.  There one room doubled for dining hall and chapel.  A crew of guys took down tables, arranged chairs for chapel and then put it all back for the noon meal.  I remember hearing life-impacting messages in chapel.  I am a better man because I was there.  As I prepared for this morning's chapel service I was reminded of those good times.  Speaking to a group of young adults, some of whom are training for professional ministry is a great opportunity.  I didn't want to blow it.  I hope I didn't.  It'll take fifty years or so to know.  If you are a good bit younger than me, let me know when we meet in heaven.
Especially since it's the week after Easter I decided to do a message I presented at Covington Bible Church on Easter 2014.  Kathy was here to help me, so that made it better.
It was a privilege to share.  The students seemed to be tuned in.
We'll see.

Open homes and poured-out water:

As I write, Kathy and I are "guests" in the home of our friends, Dave and Joyce Owen.  I've stayed here so many times that I think of their home as my home on Guam, a tiny American outpost on the other side of the world.  "Where America's day begins," as the locals like to say.  I put quotation-marks around the word guest because I don't feel like a guest, here.  When I arrived here a few weeks ago, the Owens weren't even home.  The previous house guest gave me the keys to their home and their car, along with an inventory of what was edible, and I settled in, which for a guy traveling alone doesn't involve much.  I picked Dave up at the airport a week later.  He'd been traveling for ministry, then week after that our wives arrived--you readers of the feminine sort will be glad to know that we had a couple of girls from the college where we are working clean up before the ladies arrived.
It has been my privilege to stay in the homes of missionaries all over the world--Ecuador, New Zealand, Ukraine, Italy, Honduras, Virginia, Palau, West Virginia, Kazakhstan, Guam, and I'm probably missing someplace.  I've stayed in homes where the kids were paid a nickel each to kill cock-roaches before I arrived, where the hosts made sure I had a flashlight so I wouldn't stumble on the path to the facilities in the middle of the night, and in pink rooms with stuffed-animals piled in the corner.  I've gone to bed a few feet from a cock fighting arena, surrounded by neighbors displaced by nuclear disaster, and within walking distance of some of the world's greatest art-treasures.  I've been cautioned about going out, because of possible landslides, pickpockets, drivers who have no regard for pedestrians, and dogs who regard walkers as a potential meal.
I'm sure there are missionaries, somewhere, who live extravagance, but I haven't met them. The only extravagance I've experienced in the homes of these who have responded to the great commission is extravagance of hospitality.
I'm sure that the reasons for this open-home policy are as varied as are those who have been my hosts.  For most of the folk I've stayed with--though not all--I represent an element of "back home."  I speak American English, I have at least a passing knowledge of the US sport/news/culture scene, I like hot-dogs and pizza.  Often I have represented institutions that provide support to these missionary families.  As a pastor of church it could be said that I'm kinda-sorta in the same business as my hosts.  I don't think that fully explains it, however.  
I'll probably embarrass my hosts with my speculation, but the hospitality of missionary families reminds me of one of my favorite Old-Testament stories.

David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!” So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord; and he said, “Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. (2 Samuel 23:15–17, NASB95)  

Having left the home that they love, these folk have a greater appreciation for the treasure that a home is--not primarily financial.  They have such an appreciation that they regard their home in a new land to be a treasure that ought to be used in God's service--poured out, if you will, in worship to Him.

Lord, teach me.  Amen.

VERY GLAD, KATHY IS HERE!

Kathy arrived here, on Guam, Friday night.  She had to run in Chicago in order to make her connection.  The plane was delayed in Roanoke because of reports of bad weather in Chicago.  Fortunately the Chicago to Narita, Japan was a bit late.  She was the last one to get on.

Thanks to the connections and kindness of a friend we were given an overnight at the Hyatt Regency resort on Tumon Bay.  Not slouchy at all.  Some girls at PIU prepared some flowers for Kathy, She was surprised and pleased.

After checking out of the Hotel we spent the afternoon doing some touristy things.  We made a stop at Chomorro Village. One of the food vendors there had an item on the menu that caught Kathy's attention.  She really doesn't have a bucket-list, but if she did, she'd cross off, "Eat a deep-fried Twinkie."

We went to a Chuukese Easter Service, this morning.  More on that later.  Pray for us as we move into the future.  We'll mostly leave the deep-fried Twinkies alone.  They tend to shorten one's future.

Holy Week chapels:

The two chapels leading up to Easter were taken up with songs about the Lord--especially about His sacrifice, today, the day before Good Friday--and stories about Jesus.  Instructor Michael Owen (Narrator), and students Scott (Jesus) and Melvin (everybody else) read from the The Jesus Storybook.

You can find out about the book by clicking the link above.
A number of the stories appear online in video form.
Here is one for Easter:

It was a good illustration that "higher education" has to include the basics.
On this Holy Week The schedule for my class, Theo. 200 Called For Me To Teach About the Wonderful Salvation that we have In Christ.  What a Privilege to teach, and moreso to experience.

Have a Blessed Easter.
I'm looking forward to spending Easter with Kathy.  :)