Prayer Update, A Change of Assignment

Dear, Friend, As I have aged, my body has become less flexible.  Kathy and I are trying to remain spiritually supple. My Pastor, who spent most of his adult life in missionary service, has often said that one of the greatest abilities missionaries need is flexibility. Kathy and I feel like we have been doing spiritual yoga. I need to give you some background so you can understand what is going on in our lives.  As you know, our involvement in Palau is working in the Pacific Islands University extension there.  We were planning to return to this lovely nation next week.  Several events have alligned themselves to bring us to a change of plan.  Last semester PIU's main campus on Guam was full of challenge for students, faculty, and staff. The difficulties to overcome included the absence of a couple of instructors.  It is good that Michael and Samantha Owen are in the US mainland while Mike does his PhD work. Good, but it causes an extra load for others.  Toward the end of the semester a key administrator and teacher decided to resign.  He leaves as a friend, but his absence will be keenly felt as we begin the spring semester.  Then, just a short time ago, we received word that our good friend, Dave Owen, President of PIU has a potentially serious blood disorder.  He had come to the mainland after the semester was finished to visit family and attend a wedding.  His legs were swollen so he visited a physician.  He is being referred to a specialist, will undergo a battery of tests, and has been told that his return to Guam is delayed. With all of this, several people asked  me to consider a change of plan, to go to Guam instead of Palau for this semester. After prayer and counsel we have decided to accept this emergency assignment.  With the low number of students in Palau, we have known that such a change was a possibility.  We certainly didn't expect it to come this way. We have spent a lot of time on the phone, reading and sending emails, and getting things figured out for this change.  After I finish writing this email I'll be calling United. I need to make some changes in insurance. A friend from Guam is visiting Palau. She is willing to pick  up some stuff that is stored there and bring it to Guam. Some of our associates on Guam are working out housing and transportation.  Our focus of training leaders for the church in Micronesia remains unchanged.  We'll be doing it in a different place. Just to clarify, I will not be President, or even Acting President.  As far as title, I'll probably be referred to as Chairman of the Board, a position I have held for the last couple of years.  My goal will be to work with. I'll pick up some tasks that would otherwise not get done.  Kathy and I hope to have a pastoral role on campus. I'll be teaching a class. You can decipher some prayer requests from the above narrative.  Here are some in bullet-point form: Pray for Dave Owen.  We are praying that he will be able to see a specialist soon. We praise the Lord that he and Joyce are at his parents' home.  Joyce has decisions to make about when to return to Guam, etc.  Wisdom and healing are high on the list of what they need. The staff at PIU functions under a cloud--I didn't mention that school finances have been extremely tight (Thanks to partners like you, our personal needs are being well-cared for. Thank you.)--so pray for unity and a good spirit among those who work at PIU.  Pray that Kathy and I can be a good influence. Pray that we will be able to get everything done to make this change as smooth as possible.  Pray that we will be able to quickly settle in, get over jetlag, and get to work. I'll be teaching a class--one I have never taught before--and Kathy will be seeking opportunity to have input into the lives of the students, especially the women. I'll be working closely with Nino Pate', the only administrator still on site.  I'll be involved in various meetings and conversations to see how to help, assist, and encourage. I'm asking for wisdom. Pray for the situation in Palau. We regret that we won't be with our friends and colleagues there.  We were looking forward to teaching both in a couple of formal classes and with some church workers in a nonacademic setting.  Both are sorely needed. Our program in Palau was already struggling. Pray that we can find a way to get traction there. Guam is the largest island in Micronesia.  It is a US territory, with a large military presence, Airforce and Navy.  The native people of Guam are Chomorros, but it is currently home to people from all over Micronesia, including Palau, many Asian countries, and "Haoles," White people like us.  PIU's campus is roughly in the middle of the Island. As always we are thankful and humbled to be able to partner with you in these endeavors. We pray that you have a blessed New Year. Howard for both K & H We will continue to post information about our mission venture at http://micronesianadventure.blogspot.com/.   Our Prayer card is copied at the top of this email.  If you don't have one, and would like to have one, let us know. We'll likely have a Guam cellphone number.  We'll let you know, when we know.  We'll be able to receive postal mail at the University address. Howard and Kathy Merrell c/o PIU 172 Kinney’s Road Mangilao, GU 96913 Our email and Skype remain the same.