The end of another week

This week was really awesome. We were challenged at the start of the week to look for the small things and see how they touched us. Well this week I did see the small things. Monday was really cool. When was the last time you got in front of 60 yelling 1-2nd graders and telling a kids story. If that doesn't start your engine, you need a replacement. There is nothing you can say that would be wrong. I was being cheered for every word I said, which at the start seemed really frustrating, but if I could get my High schoolers to have even half that much energy when I taught about anything I'm supposed to teach them about it would be amazing.

I got this from my coligue's blog, Emily who is in Ebeye.

1. Power is a privilege, NOT a right.
2. Fresh water (and drinking water) is a luxury.
3. You can kill big roaches with flip-flops.
4. When it rains it pours, literally.
5. Little geckos on the wall are “cute”.
6. Pizza, or what they call pizza and what we think pizza is are totally different.
7. Teachers talk about their students with other teachers. (Who knew?)
8. It’s hard to teach students who don’t really care if they pass high school, much less go to college.
9. Fresh fruits and vegetables are like gold!
10. Food costs twice as much here.
11. Rain can come through the ceiling during a rainstorm, even if there is a floor above you.
12. Rain makes everyone antsy.
13. “I want to go back to Union again…” (I miss it SOOO much!)
14. Most students at the school can sing and harmonize very well—they sound amazing!!
15. Sending emails and MySpace messages between people just isn’t the same as seeing them. L
16. Air Conditioning is a HUGE blessing, but so is a good ocean breeze on a really hot day.
17. To have a textbook for a class: good. To have a teacher’s manual: great. To have enough textbooks for students: amazing. To have a teacher’s manual and enough books for students: priceless. (Appreciate what you have!)
18. The taxis (small trucks) that drive around and are sometimes safe, sometimes not.
19. Kids that live a few blocks away from school will take a taxi to school. (Now that’s lazy.)
20. Cold showers are somewhat refreshing.
21. I REALLY miss my family and friends at home.

I changed it slightly for how it is in Majuro not ebeye, but the jist is still the same. For all of you who I'm sure want to send me an actual letter or note, you don't have a clue as to how to do that, but you won't have that excuse for long.

My address is:
Stephen baker
P.O. Box I SDA Mission
Majuro, Marshall Islands 96960

Well, I should probably get offline, its nearly sabbath. So with that, I wish all of you guys back stateside a happy sabbath and a good weekend.

The end of week two

Hi all,

I've come to the conclusion that I'm only going to be updating this about every week. I can only sporadically get onto this site. Its kind of frustrating, but alas what can be done.

My week went fairly well, I have no big complaints except for the fact that my family is all heading up to Yellowstone for our annual family reunion. I don't get to go this year, just like I haven't gotten to go for the past 3 years, its kind of frustrating, but oh well, thats ok. I don't know what the plans for tomorrow are yet, SS, church, and lunch are always good guesses though. Other than that though.........its up to what is going on tomorrow.

Today the High Schoolers picked faculty sponsors, I was told by 2 of my senior classes that they were going to vote for me. I told them I would do it if they wanted me to, but it seems like just one more thing that I have on my plate. I'm already teaching and preparing for 5 classes that have students of varying levels of English able to be spoken. Any teacher that thinks they are really good at teaching should come to a place where they don't know the native language and see how they do. Its not that I have just one foreign language either. I have like 7 in any class period. I have a rule in class that says that they can't speak in any other language than english, but its really hard to enforce, seeings as though some are translating for me.

I hope that the weeks continue to go the way they have been. If they do, I'll continue to love teaching. I know I'll have ups and downs throughout this year, but I also know that with God's help I'll make it through them unscathed for the most part. So far I am, and I have no scars from swimming either. Our vice-principle on the other hand got bounced off the very sharp reef yesterday while surfing, I'm glad I had better fortune than he did. I nearly did get bounced off the reef. I was snorkeling and I looked up into the face of a 8 foot wave about 10 feet off of me, about to break, I dove as fast as I could and missed it, when I came up for air, there was another 8 foot wave about 5 feet away from me, I nearly didn't get to breathe, but I made it through that too.

Well, I'm coming to the end of my time on the computer. Its almost the Sabbath here, so I hope I have a great sabbath, and I hope you all do as well. I miss all of you guys.

SB

Its been a while

Ok, so it’s been quite a while since I’ve updated this blog, sorry about that. While I was in Hawaii, they had this site blocked, so I couldn’t update it. The last few weeks have been very hard and very frustrating. I haven’t started classes yet, but I’m getting there, we start classes in 2 days. I’ve gotten part of my lesson plans done, and it wasn’t to hard to do, the harder part will be doing the weekly lesson plans.

When we touched down on Majuro, we were accosted by 90% humidity. The thing that made it worse was that there was no wind. The nice thing about where the school is located is there is always a breeze. It’s getting to the point that we as a group don’t even notice the humidity any more. The 12 hour days are really nice too, it allows for more sleep at night. So far for the time I’ve been here I’ve gotten no less than 9.5 hours of sleep every night. I doubt that I’ll get that much sleep while school is going, but its been nice so far.

So far the communications on this atoll are not so great, but I’m working on getting them up better. Right now I only have occasional internet and I get to use the Satellite Phone sometimes. The last few days we have been sitting through 5-7 hours of meetings everyday. It’s been kind of frustrating, for those of us that don’t do well not moving for hours upon end…….its all good I guess though, we all need to know this in the end.

Well, I should probably get back to listening to the lecture that I’m supposed to be listening to. I’ll try to keep this blog updated as much as I can.
SB

The End Of Summer LE

Well, the end of the 2 months of Summer LE has come.  Its kind of bitter sweet sorrow to see some of the people go, but its also a good thing.  God blessed this summer with more in sales than even our boss predicted, he has been right for the past 19 summers, but this summer he was 60% to low.  It was amazing to see how God worked through all the students this summer.  

Now I'm heading home for a few short days before heading to the islands for the year.  I think I'm ready most days, but then there are days that I'm pretty sure that I'm not ready.  I know that God will help me through all that I need to, but there is still some doubt.   In just a week and a half I'll know the full extent of what I'm up against, and I'm not sure whether that will be a good thing or a bad thing.  It will probably be a good thing, I think most of the apprehension has come from not knowing what to expect, I like to have plans and back-up plans in case something goes wrong with my first plan, but not knowing what to expect, has kind of thrown kinks in that.  

After some car trouble, I finally got to my sister's appartment just this afternoon, about 12 hours later than I was expecting to.  That is a long story that I don't want to get into, but I'm finally away from work, and it feels wonderful.  Today is my day off, then Tomorrow I drive home to pack for the islands and see everyone before I leave.  Well, I'm pretty tired, so I'm going to post this and take a nap.  

Two Weeks Left

Well, its been quite some time since I've done any amount of updating to this blog.  I haven't had internet for a while, so I've not been able to update.  As of now, we have had quite the summer, there has been drama and all, like usual, but its mostly been worked through.  

These towns that we are about to work are the hardest of the summer.  We are starting with Green River, and for those of you who know what the Green river ordinance is, it is a law that dictates how people can sell stuff door to door, like we are doing.  God will bless I know, but it sure seems like its going to be hard.  

Its less than a month til' I leave for the islands.  I'm kind of happy about it, and kind of sad about it.  I'm not exactly ready for it, but who is?  I think its something that you are only ready for when you come back.  

Well, its time for supper, and I'm hungry, so I'll try to update a few more times before I leave for the islands.  We shall see how many times.  

Nearly half way through summer

Wow, well, this week has been going really well. God has been blessing majorly. The first day here, sunday, I had to go back to where the books were stored to get more books, my students ran me out of books. That is a very hard thing to do. I carry 2-3 cases of all the books we sell. The rest of the week almost fell in suit. I was nearly out of books ever day before going to school and ending for the day. My boss is haveing to run down to Loveland to grab more books this weekend so that we don't run out of books before the week is out next week. We are heading to Sheridan next.

This weekend is great. I'm heading to Cody to visit family. My boss gave me the weekend off, including sunday, which most students don't get off. But, I was lucky enough to get it off too, I'm going to see my family up there, the ones that I won't see for quite some time. I'm prety psyched about it.

Everyone please keep all of the LE's in prayers, this is a ministry that all the students see the great controversy played out on a day to day basis.

Most of the way through Cheyenne

Wow, well, from the last time I've updated this alot has happened.  We have covered most of the city of Cheyenne, and probably will be heading over to Laramie tomorrow, just so that we have enough territory to last us the time we are here.  We are leaving for Casper on friday morning, I'm very excited for this move.  There is a very special place in my heart for the city of Casper. Casper is were I spend most of my growing up years.  Going back is always fun.  

I know that God will bless just as much, if not more, in Casper then he has here in Cheyenne.  He has been blessing the students left and right, with both sales and really cool experiences that you can't help but know that they were from God.  

One of our students, Natasha, was the first one to leave a whole loaf.  Now for those of you who don't know the LE terminology, a whole loaf is all the books that a student carries.  Usually a cause of great excitement and this time was no exception.  I've been surprised that there havn't been any more than that one I don't think, last summer by the end of the first two weeks we had quite a few already.  But then again, Wyoming is a totally different beast than Colorado.  

For those of you who don't keep up with Beth, she is doing well, doing the IRR training in Colorado.  She has successfully completed her Swiftwater technician and Advanced.  She also survived her solo experience in pretty good form from what I've heard.  The IRR program is just starting to come to a close, it ends on Thursday night.  She will be driving to Denver and flying out on the red-eye back home.  

Well, I think that is all the new news that is news or something from my side.  Hope you all are having a good summer.