Cockroach tooth... :/

Today during worship we talked about how no matter how hard your life is someone always has it worse, but that despite all of that we should still look for the blessings in life. So we went around the room and my students said something that they were thankful for, among the responses were, “I’m thankful for my family.” “I’m thankful for God taking care of me.” But a lot of them also said that they were thankful for me. I am so blessed to have this class. I look around at all the other classes and thank God for mine, not because the other classes are bad, but because these kids are a perfect fit for my personality.

God does still take care of us, and care about what happens to us. That has been made so obvious to me in the 2 and a half months that I have been serving Him. I resolve to learn to trust fully, and that I don’t underestimate His power, or what He can do. I am thankful for so much. I am thankful for my family that has come behind me and been supporting me in prayer, and love. I am thankful for my friends that have chosen to encourage and uplift me. I am thankful for my students who never cease to amaze me and are always teaching me something. I am thankful for the life God has given me, and I hope and pray that I can always bring honor and glory to Him. I am thankful for my SM family, which care about me, and love me.

I have realized that if someone can love you in the mission field then it’s true love, because they most definitely don’t love you for how you look, or even sometimes how you act. I have learned also this year that complaining about your circumstances don’t change them. Complaining about things only make them worse for you and have the potential to bring others down around you. I am convinced that I will never be the same because of this experience.  

I am learning so much about myself, and the mission field points out the things that need to change in your life. I am going through a lot right now, simply because I see so much that I want God to change in me. I know I’m here for a reason. I just hope I can learn all the lessons that God wants me to learn.

I am trying to teach my students decimals and I have now realized why it isn’t easy being a teacher. I try and teach them the concepts every way I know how, and they still don’t get it. I am learning that I have to go back to more basic concepts in order for them to grasp what should be their grade level, and heavily lean on God for leading and wisdom.

I love it here. I don’t think anyone will really understand unless they have been here, these kids, and how they are so encouraging, and how much I want them to learn. I only pray that I can be the best teacher for them, and frankly right now, I feel like I am not being the best teacher.

They are taking a test now, and of course I pray for them before the test begins, but I also realized that while they are taking it, I can sit at my desk and pray for them individually. Especially my struggling students.

So I woke up Friday morning with a weird bump on my leg, throughout the day it began to look more like a blister and began to get really red around the sore. It sent shooting pain up through my leg, and so I went to our local Doctor, Mr. George’s wife, who is a better doctor then the ones employed at the hospital, she put some natural leaves on it, and it started to draw out the pain. But for some reason it wasn’t healing. So she came back today and looked at it, and asked if she could pick at it. Later I found out that the reason why she wanted to pick at it was because she was taking out what happened to be a cockroach tooth. L Nasty! So I guess we found out what it was from. It is starting to heal and I am thankful for the wonderful people that God has placed here to take care of us.

I hope you all are doing well, and that nothing is going horribly wrong. I pray for you guys and hope that God will lead in your life, like He has been leading mine.

If you could still keep our school in your prayers, for financial reason, that would be much appreciated. I know that God knows the end from the beginning and I know that He will take care of everything.

Anyways much love to all and God bless.

God's working.... And Science Class

I just had a wonderful discussion with my kids about Jesus and what He did for us. We were talking about Jesus and how He was temped. We had a wonderful discussion about why memorizing scripture is good. I am so excited about how God is using me to reach these kids. The Bible verse in Esther keeps coming back to me over and over again, “for such a time as this, I was placed upon the earth…” God has me here for a purpose and I am convinced that the teacher’s before have done a wonderful job of showing the love of God, and now they really want to follow God. I know that I am here so I can talk about God, and my love for Him. These kids are getting there, they have a desire to follow God. Which I find so exciting. I am praising God for all that He is doing. I can’t get over it.

Everything is going pretty well, I am learning so much. I think I am actually more excited to learn about the different things then my students are. I feel at least in Science and Social Studies that I am learning so much, since science was never really my strong suite, but I feel that now that I am required to teach it I am learning about things that I didn’t understand and know. And of course the kids are teaching me so much about their culture and how things are done here, that I am just learning so much, but I love it. I have learned more here than I have in the 3 years of college I have taken. That is sad, but this is real life, and I can’t contain my excitement.

During Science Class yesterday we were talking about Wind Erosion and the different ways the wind effects the sand, the different ways the wind erodes. Anyways we were talking about abrasion, the rocks rubbing together and it wears at each other until smaller rocks break off. So my class clown pipes up and says, “So abrasion is like mating, they rub together and make small rocks.” I feel like this was a moment that I should have been professional and try and stifle my laugh, but It took me by surprise and it was so funny that I couldn’t help but laugh. I didn’t respond, I just kept moving on, but it was still an interesting way to look at it, and if it helps them remember what it is, goodness, I don’t mind.

Also, during Science class (Science Class was very educational yesterday) they began to read about sand dunes and how the wind forms them. But every time they read the word ‘dune’ the whole class would irrupt in laughter. I knew that this word must mean something in Yapese, so I asked them what it means.

“Miss, dune means poop in Yapese.”

“Well, I guess that would work, it creates a pile of sand instead.”

The next section was called, “The Movement of Dunes” to which everyone was laughing, but then the paragraph in the section didn’t help matters any:

“Dunes tend to move in the direction of strong winds. Different wind conditions produce dunes in various shapes and sizes. A dune usually has a gently sloped side and a steeply sloped side faces the wind…”

The whole class was dying laughing. Needless to say I was as well. I guess it is things like this that makes a teacher’s job interesting. I can’t help but love these kids, even though they are so clingy and needy sometimes, and they don’t want to leave at the end of the day, but I guess that means that they love me and that they want to be near me. I do love them too.

God is really making a way, and I am excited where he is leading me. I am so blessed to be surrounded by fellow SM’s. I seriously thank God for them everyday. I don’t know what it would be like to be surrounded by people that didn’t care about what they were doing and constantly complaining. I thank God that I am here, and I know that God lead me here. It was all part of His great plan, and even though I don’t know all His plan for me being here, I do know that I am here for a reason bigger and greater then what I even know. I am excited to see what He is planning.

This past Sabbath I also got the opportunity to experience real foot washing. I now know what it is like to have dirty water after you get done washing feet. It made the experience so much more real for me. So thankful to be able to take part in that service. In America we always make sure that are feet look good before we go and have communion, but here when you walk around you walk around with bare feet and your feet get dirty, it showed me what God did for the disciples. I really had a better look into what God did, and felt closer to God because it. I AM TRULY BLESSED.

Again, keep praying for the financial state of the school.

We are not doing so well right now. If you know anyone that wants to donate to a good cause let us know. I will sending out letters to different organizations asking if they would be willing to sponsor the school, I pray and ask you to pray that God will bless  those letters and that they will get into the right hands, and that people’s hearts will be receptive.

Also continue to pray for my students

·         Yuka

·         Marisha

·         Kyle

·         Jaydon

·         Zoe

·         Sishra

·         Alex

·         Emma

·         Absalom

·         Joshua

·         Patricia

·         Tony

·         Tyler

Also a huge praise that one of my students showed up again for church. I was so excited to see her and she sat by me. I was so happy. So be praying for her, thankfully her Grandma is willing to take her to church, so she should be able to come anytime she wants.

Keep on praying please! God is doing great things! 

The Lord Is Good!

An update on my blog has been long overdue. I am sorry for not being consistent with these posts.  First off, I have to say that I am thoroughly blessed, and am learning so much about me, and about God on this adventure.  So much has happened since I last posted, and I will try and catch you all up.

I have now been here a little over two months, and it seems like time is flying by. I have so much I want to teach my kids, but I feel like there is absolutely no time. The school day starts at 8:00 am and lets out at 2:15pm, which is nice for me as a teacher, but not conducive to long class periods, and accomplishing a lot academically.

I feel that for once in my life I am busy, but with a purpose. It is so rewarding to walk into my classroom each morning and see all of my students smiling faces. I am so blessed to have been led here, and I thank God every day for His devoted love to me.

There have been many times lately that I have had the opportunity/privilege to use my talents for God. Looking at where I am today, and comparing it with where I was 3 months ago is insane to think about.

This past week we had our first Week of Prayer. The Student Missionaries led out in this week. I had the opportunity to share my story of how God had led in my life. I have never heard the chapel more quiet then when the SM’s shared their stories. The students were intently listening and it warmed my heart to see them actually wanting to know more about Jesus. This week of Prayer was a huge blessing not only to me, but also to the students.

During this week, my students were asking me about what happens after you die. Most of my students are from a Catholic background, so they have different beliefs then me. I had the opportunity to share what the Bible said about the topic. One of my girls was writing down all the Bible texts so she could go back and look at them later. The Lord blessed the study and they were asking a lot of questions, and by the end they were understanding. One of them was very apprehensive about what I had to say, and I told him that I would be willing to give him money if he could prove me wrong using the Bible. I pray that he will study it out for himself, and see what the Lord has to say.

This week I also found out that one of my student’s parents have been asking about the SDA beliefs, and wanting to know more about us. Praise God! I don’t know why the Lord continues to bless, but I am praising Him for it. Our end of Week of Prayer was Sabbath at the Church, and we invited the kids to come and worship with us. Principal Raian spoke for the message and gave an appeal for baptism, 4 of my students responded to that appeal. I serve a powerful God, who will bless if your life is 100% dedicated to Him. I was so excited and happy for my kids! Be praying for them. (Kyle, Tyler, Tony, and Marisha) I am praising God.

I can now say that I have survived a super typhoon, and a 4.2 earthquake, which woke me up. I like having new experiences and these were just super exciting for me.

The kids here are great and so much fun to hang around. We have started a Pathfinder club, but they didn’t have many uniforms and they didn’t have a very structured, fun program for the students. So Sarah and I, one of the other SM’s from Michigan decided to try and start it up and try and make it fun for them.

When I say the lack of supplies, I began to wonder who I could ask to help donate money, or any type of Pathfinder supplies. I asked my Dad, who is a Pastor in the Michigan Conf, to see if maybe the local Pathfinder club could donate some, or even asking the Pathfinder Director of the Conf, to see if there was any possibility that they could donate what we needed. What we were really looking for was Sashes and Scarves. They had a Pathfinder staff training which they solicited to have some of the staff bring extra sashes and scarves to donate for the Yap Pathfinders. I don’t know how many they got for that, but not enough for our 90 student Pathfinder Club.

So Pathfinder Camporee was a couple week after this and the Pathfinder Director of the MI Conf, told all the Directors of clubs to ask their Pathfinders to bring extra Sashes and Scarves. So at the Offering at Church on Sabbath they collected money and scarves for the Yap Pathfinders, they raised about $500.00, which was enough to cover the expenses of the sashes. Then after the service a random guy came up and asked if $1000.00 dollars would help! What a powerful guy I serve! I am so in awe of how my God works. He gave what we needed and more. It goes to show that the God I serve is a God that loves to do the things we think are impossible to prove to us that nothing is impossible with God.

So Michigan Pathfinders, know that you have made an impact, I want you to know that you have your own mission field, and that you helped people that are in need. I want to thank you for your selfless giving, and your willing heart. You have blessed 90 young people, and through your gift, you have shown me and my fellow SM’s a better look into who Jesus is. I pray that for this God will put a few extra gems in your crowns! Thank you!

I serve a mighty God. Who is proving over and over to me that He is in control and that He does care about this little Island?

If you know anyone that could donate, or would want to sponsor this school, we are going through some financial difficulties right now, but let me know so that we can get this school back up on its feet.

Prayer Requests

~ Financial state of our school

~ For my students

~ For our Pathfinder Club

~ For my Fellow Sm’s

~ For patience with the internet situation here

~ For me

I love all of you guys so much, and I pray that you will challenge God, and step out in faith and do something that seems impossible. Don’t settle down in your comfort zone, you will never grow while you sit idly on your butt and do nothing. Get up and Go!!!!! Get out and share what God has done for you, because He has done mighty things in my life, just in the past 2 months. I am excited to see what else he has in store for me in the future.

Little Victories ! :)

August 29, 2013

Today has been a day of small victories, but I feel like they are huge, and all I can do is thank God. After getting super sick last night, and waking up this morning still not feeling good, I knew that God would have to be the teacher in my classroom today. I surrendered my day to God, and asked him to be present, and to speak through me. And He has been answering my prayers all day today.

I was discouraged, that everything I teach I have to teach two or three times for them to get it, and so while I was grading a Language Arts Paper on finding the simple subject of a sentence, and no one got above a 70%, I didn’t know what to do, and so again I had to rearrange my lesson plans, and reteach, and give them another lesson on how it is done. So I gave them another worksheet and I just got done grading it, and most of them got 100%. Thank you, God.

I have also learned that playing music is calming, and their behavior has drastically changed. For which I am thankful. They were quiet and working.

Also, I have had to learn quickly, how to teach some of these kids. They are very smart, but some of them lack the ability of motivation. I am learning how to motivate the students. They all got A’s on their memory verse quiz today as well.

I have learned how to teach math in a more effective way. And today, I decided to try a different way, and they got it. And they are so excited. And all of them stayed in from Lunch to complete their assignments, and I finally feel like I walked away knowing that I taught them something. God is so good.

This morning, I was greeted by one of my adorable, girl students with a beautiful rose. It made my day. This is the same girl, which while we were sharing how God had answered a prayer had said, “I prayed, and asked Jesus to send me a nice girl teacher. He answered my prayer.” How little things like that warm your heart.

Daily, I have to remind myself why I am here, and it is for these students, my students, God’s students. I love them all dearly, and am praising God, that most of them are loving to learn. Comments such as, “Teacher, school is fun!” “Teacher, is it already the end of the day?” “Miss, I don’t want to go home.” I love them.

Right now they are at lunch, and there are a couple students that decided to stay in and now are drawing on the board. I will post a picture later.

Later on today, the SM’s are going to town. I love our town trips. I bought a dress that was made locally, and I am going to be buying more.

After we went to town for our weekly shopping trip, we came back and I played basketball with Van Larry and Carolita. (Both are SM’s) It was good to relieve some of the stress that has been building up. It was dark when we got done playing. And the stars were amazing. So Van and Carolita and I went up to the roof of the high school building, and sat and talked about God, and things that we were scared of about going back to our home. It was nice to talk about things, and just have quality people here to talk to about almost anything. We also saw a couple shooting stars. The stars back home don’t compare to here. You could see the milky way, and it was absolutely beautiful.

I was such a good day.  So I am praising God. He always supplies what we need when we need it the most. 

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.