Sunday, February 17, 2013

Forty Years Later...


This is Esdakio and Kopina. We met them a little by accident. We've been looking for a student that moved right before we went to Pohnpei and we haven't been able to find her new home. A sister told us to try a certain home. No one was home there, but there was a man walking by that we thought might be Ponapean. He was. His sister-in-law knows generally where our other student lives. While we were talking to her, Kopina asked through the window if we were Sounkadehden Siowa kan (Jehovah's Witnesses--and I understood what she said!!!). She came right out and we started talking to her. Then everyone decided we needed chairs. As we got settled, she got right back to reading. When she finished, her husband was outside too. He joined in. By the time it was all said and done, there were, John, me, the young brother with us, the older couple, the young woman and her three kids and her brother-in-law all talking together using the questions about Satan on the back of the February Watchtower.
The above photos were taken on their third study. We've known them a week and a half. They remember the first missionaries in Pohnpei, Bill and Adela Yap. Many of their friends became Witnesses, but they didn't. Now, it seems they are making up for lost time. They have prepared ahead and have questions for us. (This is quite a challenge for new language learners!) Esdakio asked why the Bible Teach book says that God has feelings. After discussing the scriptures in that subheading of chapter one and the paragraphs, he was happy to accept that God really does have feelings. 
We'll try to take a picture of them properly so you can see their faces.

Thursday Nights


Some in these photos may look very familiar. We have been trying to study together for quite sometime, but with our little knowledge of Ponapean and their little knowledge of English, it has been very tedious. Now, we can communicate and it is so wonderful! We're studying the Rong Koht (Listen to God) brochure together. This is about how many study together. There are six in the family, but there are always neighbors and friends that drop in while we're there. 

No One Gets Lost!



A brother in our congregation introduced us to Augusta and Johnston last Saturday. They both used to live in Pohnpei, but he is really from Kosrae. As it turns out, Augusta used to study with our good friends in Pohnpei, Alan and Tamara. They will be studying in English as that is the language common to both. The brother that has been cultivating this interest had been praying for a study. He is quite happy that they want to study in English and not Ponapean! 


Surprise! We can talk to you now! We'll, a little bit.

John and Cherrol having a good laugh while Cherrol is trying to help John pronounce 'ngehi.' The 'ng' part of this word is pronounced from the back of the palate and somewhere in your nose and sinuses. Cherrol makes this sound so simply and, well, for us it's not so much!



Since we've been back in Guam, we've been able to spend a few days in service with some that speak Ponapean and others that are also learning. 


Personal Portraits

We had these portraits drawn when we got back to Guam. They were done by one of our favorite artists.