WWU Student Missions Blog: November 2012

Cynthia and a student

Cynthia is currently serving as an SM in Majuro, Marshall Islands as an elementary teacher.

What has surprised you most about being an SM?

I was pretty surprised to find out how TRUE some warning we were given in training were...and also the amount of workload that is expected from us SMs

What was the first thing that happened to you when you

arrived? Did everyone stare at you? What were the first few days like?

When we arrived in Majuro at the airport, there were some locals to receive us, we met everyone, then lined up with all of our bags to take a picture. Well, I was being waited on to get in the picture, and as I hurried over to where everyone was, I tripped over my long dress and knocked over a good amount of luggage… first impression, not good. The first few days after that were followed by school preparation, shopping for home necessities that we really wouldn’t need, and just trying to figure everything out.

Did you feel lonely/homesick at first? What has helped you

overcome negative feelings?

I was surprised that I didn’t really feel lonely.. the beauty of the people and the island just made me feel at home right away, and though as time passed, I missed my family and friends, I realized this is my home now, and it will be for the next ten months. I was happy knowing that!

Any cool God/miracle experiences? Where have you seen God

working in your life while you have been there?

There has been plenty of little events where you just know it had to be God. This is a cute one. Everyone wears flip flops here, and with only 2 pairs of sandals, mine were starting to wear off quickly. With the stipend that we get, it is hard to buy anything else that is not food, but I separated some off to buy more flip flops. We went to the store, and I tried a red pair, which fit fine, put them in my cart and went to check out. When I got home to try my new flip flops, I discovered they were a size or two too small. They hadn’t been too expensive, but I was frustrated that I had made an useless buy. Besides that, I had no idea how I had grabbed a kid’s size! I was so sure it had been my fit! I threw the sandals under my bed and forgot about it. A few days later, one of the kids in my classroom came in from recess with his sandals in his hand, one of which was ripped and despite my attempts to fix them, nothing worked. I remembered then my pair of useless flip flops, happy that I may had found an use to them. I ran to my apartment and got them for my student, and found out they fit him perfectly. It’s been a month and a half since the incident, and I still see little Johnsay wear those flip flops every single day. It still makes me very glad that for some reason, I got a wrong size J

What is the culture like? What do the people look like? What

language? Any odd customs or traditions that you are trying to get used to?

The culture is beautiful, in a nutshell. I would have to write an essay trying to describe it, but I am accustomed very well. It was different at first, but I am so glad I am still getting to know this culture J

What do you miss the most about the USA? Do you wish you

could come home right now? Or are you wishing you could spend a lot longer there?

I think if someone told me it was time to go home right now I would cry and hold on to a pole so they wouldn’t take me. Other than missing family and friends, I love it here and can’t bear to even think of the day I have to leave… I do miss a few stuff from the USA, mostly how cheap food is, and some of the resources for school too.

Any scary experiences yet? Times when you thought you might

be in serious trouble/danger?

This one time, we were all walking to the store when a student met me on the street and said hi. I fell a little behind the other SMs, and when I looked up there was a man who walked towards me, and then behind me TOO closely, I panicked, screamed my friend’s name, and the man walked away. I pray that God be with us everywhere we go, I would be so scared if anything happened to anyone, but I know He takes care of us all!

Any people you have grown close to? What are their names?

Personalities? Yes! I get along with all of the student missionaries, but the girls from my apartment and some of the boys from downstairs have become more than friends, a family to me. When you spend pretty much all of your day with a certain group of people, eat, cook, clean and work with together, you become very close. It’s funny because we are from all over the place and have VERY different personalities. We are a brady bunch, but a family in Christ indeed J Names: Damaris Gonzales (southern), Talmia Ebenezer (Walla Walla), Natalie Espinoza, (La sierra), Andrew Felix (La Sierra), Leroy Manning (Walla Walla), Kyle Rice (Walla Walla J)

Conditions of the classrooms

What is your day-to-day job? What are your duties? Do you like it?

Well, on weekly basis we must be present daily at 7:30 a.m. for staff worship before school starts. From 8:00 to 3:00 pm, its being on your feet, in front of a class of 24 loving but crazy children, teaching them science, math, reading, writing, bible, and social studies, You are their teacher but also a counselor, many times a nurse, and always their friend. After school there is almost always grading, detention, or tutoring, or a consultation with a parent. Then there is some lesson planning on the weekends, and church attendance consists of Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, both in the morning and Adventist Youth (AY). You must always be in check of all the calendars because you don’t know what day you will have to preach, do song service, staff worship, or be in charge of AY or any other church service. Besides teaching all week and participating in church events, I am a Sabbath school primary teacher. It gets pretty heavy, but God makes sure never leaves you alone, and I know every single day, that as hard as it is, it is worth it, so much. I wouldn’t have it any other way.