Building relationships:

Ministry, wherever and whenever involves relationships.  You just can't reach people without reaching out to people.
We are getting close to being 3/4 of the way through this semester and our time in Palau,  We begin the journey back on April 29.
Just recently some new opportunities are beginning to appear.  We are getting better acquainted with our neighbors here in the apartment building/hotel on Malakal Island, Koror, Palau.  We were glad to welcome Vivianna, the wife/mom of the family, who just became an American citizen.  New openings are beginning to open up in our relationship with the Palauan Evangelical Church.  I'll be preaching in the English Fellowship at the Koror church this Sunday, Easter.  The two young ladies who are our students are leading a program a Emmaus High School, the boys school PEC operates.  Kathy is helping them with some music.  I'll tell the students about the opportunities at Pacific Islands University.  I'll also be sharing with the boys this Thursday in their last chapel service before their Easter break. One of the leaders in the church asked me about working with the church deacons.  These guys, most of whom have not had formal training, do a lot of the preaching, especially in the smaller churches.  We'll probably get together before we leave so we can make a plan for when I'm here in 2017.  The goal is to help them with communicate the Word of God more effectively.  Also, I'll probably be doing sort of a Theology-o-thon--a several hour overview of basic Theology--with a group of missionary trainees.

We knew that this term of service would be a building time.  Pray that we can find ways to bridge the gap during the eight months we are gone.  A short trip is not out of the question.  We are seeking to establish lines of communication that will continue.  We need prayer.

We are well.
Like the Apostle Paul, we can say "At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent."  (Philippians 4:18, NLT). Thanks much to our partners.

Privileged to be in His Service,
Howard & Kathy

PS:  I was going to upload some pictures, but the internet tonight is even slower than usual.

Spring Break, & some other news:

Last week was Spring Break here at PIU-Palau.  Since Howard serves as a volunteer, as far as Pacific Island University is concerned--thank you, partners--he is still able to serve as the chairman of the board of PIU.  Last week was our annual board meeting.  This year's meeting was scheduled in conjunction with the school's 40th/25th anniversary celebration.  The school began in 1976 and moved to Guam 25 years ago.  A week ago we were part of a fund-raising dinner, held at one of Guam's loveliest places, Two Lovers Point.  It along with the whole week were great.
Just before leaving Palau, I (hm) had given my students their midterm exams.  Everybody passed.  :)

We are well.
We just addressed thank-you cards to our partners.  Thanks to all of you who pray for us.

April 29 we'll be leaving Palau.  We'll stop in Guam for the PIU graduation.  May 2 we'll fly to the

US mainland.  We'll land in NE Louisiana, where we'll attend our granddaughter, Carrington's graduation.  We'll also make a trip over to Texas to see Chris & his family.  We are hoping to be home around May 15.

Here are a couple of praises & prayer requests:

• We are both healthy.  HM's cold or flu or whatever only lasted a couple of days.
• Kathy has a couple of possibilities for ministry.  Pray that opportunities materialize.
• HM is preaching on Easter Sunday at the English Fellowship of Koror Evangelical Church.
• We are working on building some long-term stability into our program here in Palau.  Several people and organizations have to come together.
• Shamira Ldesel (pronounced kind of like a french truck engine) is our office manager and one of the students in the classes HM is teaching.  Her little boy has asthma and has spent several days in the hospital.  Pray for Dillon.
• We praise the Lord that one of PIU's infrastructure projects is working well.  A couple of we board members and VP for Adminstration, Nino Pate' had our picture taken at the conclusion of a field trip to see the solar array on the roof of the library/dormitory building.  Our savings on electricity are enough to pay the loan for the project + leave us with a small surplus.

Thanks, all & thank the Lord,

H&K