The journey........

        Where to begin, and what to say. God never ceases to amaze me with the blessings, and lessons that He allows me receive. I am looking back over this week, and am realizing that the only reason I got through it, was because God lead and gave me the strength to make it through. This weekend was busy, but it had it really good moments in it as well. I feel that God is really trying to stretch and grow me. Friday’s are always a pretty good day, but this last Friday was really good. First, the 5th grade teacher, Zoe and I were discussing big foreheads, and we were debating who had the bigger forehead. So we decided to measure. The result: I was blessed with a big forehead. But that is beside the point.
           School ended for the day, and as I was beginning to get my room ready for the next week, Mr. George, (A really nice man that works here at the mission, and has gone the extra mile to make us feel welcome), stopped by and told us that he was leaving to go get sand from the beach. Now, in order for all 4 of us girls to go we had to ride in the bed of the truck to go get sand, and so there we were, going down the road at 30 mph, hanging on to the truck as we stood up. It was probably one of the most fun things I have ever done. The view of the ocean as we were going up and down the rolling hills, was breath-taking. I don’t know how people could live in a beautiful paradise like this without believing that there was a God. I absolutely love it here. The roosters in the morning, the blazing sun, the lizards everywhere, (and students dismembering their tails), the dogs barking at night, and the friendly faces all around. I am blessed. God knew what He was doing when He called me here. When we came back from the beach with a bed full of sand (We still sat in the back on the way back too in the sand.), we were all sandy, and decided to have a water fight… what better way to get all clean?
      Then I had the privilege to go to a vespers put on by a local elder of the church, at a Fishing/ Navigation college, just down the road from the school. Those people can sing. Elder Ben, the elder that led out, can play the guitar and sing like no one else I have ever heard. I was thoroughly blessed. The singing reminded me of home, and it felt like I was back in my living room singing with my family.
         I presented for Sabbath school for the High-School aged kids, and this week’s talk was about relationships. We had been warned that these kids culturally don’t talk about relationships, but I still felt that I was being called to talk about how a Godly relationship works. And so I did. And God blessed. They seemed interested, even though they didn’t participate as much as I would have liked them to, I knew that they were listening, and that they were taking it all in. I just pray that they study it out for themselves.
        Sabbath Afternoon, we got to go out into the villages to sing and pray with people. The first house we went to was a house of a dying man, and his wife. We walked up the path to the house, and there he lay on the porch of their house, on a mat, thin and gaunt, and I became overwhelmed that I was in the presence of a dying man, and I was here to give him hope. We later found out this man has cancer, some kind of cancer that effects his voice, he couldn’t talk very well, and he looked very weak. I don’t even know how to put into words how I was feeling. But it was a sobering experience to know that here I am, healthy and well, and am in the presence of a man that could die any day. And here I can complain about the stupidest things. But here was this man grateful for what we had done for him. It took everything I had to choke back the tears.             So I have been gone for almost a month. Actually tomorrow marks a month. Where has the time gone? God is absolutely good. I love these kids, this place, and I pray that I will make an impact in their lives.
          I was chatting with my parents for a couple minutes before I had to go to staff worship and they where sharing with me about the Pathfinder Scarves and Sashes that are being donated from the Michigan Conference Pathfinder Clubs. This weekend they had a staff workshop at Camp Au Sable, and were asking for donations to get 90 of each of these items. My parents iterated that while they were talking about it, that some of the Pathfinder Leadership from the clubs statewide were taking off their own scarves to put in the box to send to us. When I read that, tears welled up in my eyes, as again I realized how unworthy I am, and how absolutely good God is. I know God says he would provide, but the willingness of God’s people to give to those that are not as blessed, warms my heart. So thank you, Michigan Pathfinder’s. I told my class about the miracle of the sashes and scarves today and they thanked God for that. They were amazed that people would want to help them. So know that you are making a difference in these young lives, Pathfinder’s of Michigan. God will reward you.
         So my third week of school is underway, and I am praising God for His grace, and patience with me. If I could, I want to ask that you be praying for.
 • My class, Marisha, Tyler, Tony, Zoe, Yuka, Joshua, Patricia, Emma, Kyle, Absalom, Alex, and Jaydon.
 • Pray for me. That I can have wisdom to know how and what to teach them.
 • Pray for my Fellow SM’s – Carolita, Lauren, Raffie, Delphina, Van Larry, Zoe, Lorraine, Miss Angie,      Becky, Aaron, Zech, and Sarah. Also the Principal Mr. Raian, Mr. George, and their families.
 • Pray for God’s Holy Spirit to be ever present in this place and that we will see a harvest for His kingdom. • Also be praying for the evangelistic series starting up here in October, that God will win the island of Yap. 

Love you all and thank you for all the support.
 My Address just in case you want to send me anything (wink, wink) is:
 Andrea Szynkowski
 c/o Yap SDA School
 P.O. Box 700
 Colonia, Yap 96943
 F.S.M

Much Love to All, and God bless!

First Day of School

I don't know who was more nervous, me or my students. But I have a notion it was me that was the most nervous. It was seriously deja vu, I felt like it was my first day of school, but I was on the other side of the desk, and it was scary. But I have learned that no matter how incapable I feel, that God can make me capable. Somehow I felt like I had been doing this all my life. I whispered a prayer to God, took a deep breath, and did what I had to do. The kids are great. They do not lack energy though. I think that will be my greatest challenge, keeping up with them. But they really want to know God, and that was one thing that warmed my heart. I am realizing that God just wants me to share His love. This is why total reliance on God is important. My students also wanted to know me. They asked so many questions about my life, and I wanted to encourage them that school is important. When we went over the rules for the classroom, I asked them what they thought each one meant, and surprisingly they came up with a lot of things that each one meant. I will post pictures of my classroom later. I cannot explain what happened in my classroom today, except a miracle from God. I can't even begin to describe the joy that everything worked out. Miracles still do happen! One happened today. It seemed that I connected with the students right away. The comments at the end of the day were, "Wait, school is over? That was the shortest day of school." "I had so much fun at school today." "I don't want it to be over." And all I did was go over procedures. Some One must have been making them exciting. All Praise to God. Also, one of the other SM's and I are starting up the Pathfinder club,and we really wanted to get scarfs and sashes for them. Since, we are both from Michigan, we asked if they would be willing to provide some, and thanks to my parents, the news got to conference level, and they are trying to find enough for us. Don't tell me God isn't alive, that He doesn't work in the lives that are truely committed to Him. Don't tell me miracle don't happen, because two big miracles happened in my life just today. I can't imagine what the rest of the year holds. Through all these blessings, I am praising God, but it also brings me to my knees in repentance for the times that I doubted Him. And yet He still showers me with undeserved blessings. The prayer of my heart is to show my 6th grade class the love of God. I want them to see how crazy in love God is with them. If I accomplish nothing else this year, I want them to know without a shadow of a doubt that God loves them. I obviously want to teach them more. I want them to become academically successful as well, but more then anything, I want them to feel God like I have felt Him today. Trusting in God!!!

The Big Things...

As I sit in my classroom,I can't help but think what will it be like in a week. It's bare and empty now, but then hopefully full of learning and laughter. I'm also seeing all I have to do to be ready for when the students come, and I'm starting to be scared that I won't get everything done. My packages with all of my school supplies haven't come yet, and I need some of that stuff to decorate my classroom. Not everything is falling into place like I would like it too. But then I am also reminded that all these things that seem big to me, are minor to God. He knows what needs to happen before my students come and start learning. He knows where my packages are, and when I am going to find the time to get everything done. I am reminded of the text in Isaiah 65: 24, "before they call I will answer." God knows what I need. There are no panic sessions going on in Heaven over what is going to happen. So why am I stressing? I don't know, the easiest answer is, "because I am human", but that is no excuse for my lack of faith. Yap, you are teaching me so much, and I hope that I am not only a better person as a result of being here, but I hope that whoever I come in contact with will also be changed. I hope that everyone I met, sees something different in me. I hope they know that I am in love with God. Faith is a hard thing, when you are outside of your comfort zone. And this whole trip is why out of my comfort zone, but I feel strangely at peace about what is to come. Now that may change in a week, but for now, I know that God has my back, and He hasn't failed me yet. I can't believe that I actually have my own classroom. I'm already loving being, Miss Andrea! It somehow warms my heart. So Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief.

First week

This is so weird that I haven't even been away from home for a week yet, but somehow it feels like months. I started my time out in Hawaii, where 40 other student missionaries going out to varies pacific Islands. It was a good time bonding, and super busy. We had a lot of information given to us, and it was hard to try and remember everything, but it was a good experience. It was my first time in Hawaii, and I was so blessed to be in a place with young people that had the same ambition and were headed in the same direction spiritually. After Hawaii, we flew to Guam and had a two day layover there. We got to got jet-skiing, and para-sailing.It was so much fun. An Adventist family owns a tourist water recreation place. And He was so kind to us. He was such a blessing to us. Sabbath in Guam was busy as well. Went to church had a great potluck with guacamole. Which was delicious. We went on a hike through some mountains, and it was so hot, but when we got to the end it was a beautiful ocean view. We boarded our plane to Yap at at 10:10pm and arrived on Yap at 11:45 pm. I finally went to bed at 1:45 am, and that was wonderful. It really down poured here. And I love the sound of the rain. Our apartment is huge, and we have made it home. I saw my classroom! And I am super excited!!! The room is nice and I can't wait to actually go into it and make it my own. Super excited about the school year. God has been good, and so often I forget that He has led me before and He will lead me again. There is nothing that is impossible with God. And all I need to do is trust that no matter what He will lead me. So my prayer for today is that I will always follow God's will. And that He will continually guide me. These students will become so special to me, and I can't wait for all of us to learn together. God will be the main teacher in my classroom though. Please, pray for all of the other SM's as they are preparing to work for God. Pray for the people of Yap. God will provide if we are willing. I will post some more later.