May Keremwel! (Happy May!)

Hello again!


Here are some of our latest pictures from Pohnpei.
We'll also putting together a slideshow of some of our other pictures to share this summer. We're really looking forward to connecting with everyone back home in person again!
Thanks for all your prayers and support this year.

Our presentation dates are listed below:

Michigan Slideshow Presentation/Open House

Date: Friday, June 13th at 7:30 pm
Location: Salvation Army Church in Holland
104 Clover Street (zipcode 49423 for mapquest users)

Southern California Slideshow/Open Church

Date: Sunday, June 22^nd at 6 pm
Location: Rosewood Christian Reformed Church in Bellflower

Interior Alaska Slideshow Presentation

Date: Mid to late August (more specific info. to come in August)

The infamous cargo plane that almost went for a swim! :)
Pilot and crew members are fine; the landing gear and bottom of the plane didn't fare so well. Sokeh's ridge in the background is Pohnpei's most photographed landmark.

Carrie & Melina (the freshmen math teacher that just recently had a new baby) are working on editing some of the freshmen names in the yearbook. Jualyn and Welder in the background are working on the sophomore names.

Thomas' juniors enter for the Mr. & Miss competition.

Seniors Beauty (yes, that really is her name) and Brady win second place.

Freshmen Alisha and Royal (yes, that really is his name!) take first place

The royalty don their glittery, cardboard crowns and sit on their "thrones." Elementary students posed as flower girls and scattered local petals all around the cafeteria floor. The flowers were freshly picked from local gardens... beautiful! At one point the Principal misspoke and called them Mr. & Mrs. MHS. It really did feel like a wedding!


Yearbook Photography Crew Making "Their Style" For The Camera

Our yearbook team of student editors. It was great because they all come from the Mand village (close to school) so we could work long after the buses left when necesssary. All three girls in the back are currently mothers or mothers-to-be!

Oatey tries to help Carrie open a care package from the Villas.
(We think she smelled the jerky and M&Ms.)

Our most common canine visitors--Cocoa, Oatey, Rusty and Barky--are always eager for food; it's so hard to chose which one to feed first!

When storms come, Oatey tries her best to look pathetic in the hopes
that we'll let her in the house and out of the rain!

Thomas and Oatey "kaman" (enjoy) a dry Sunday afternoon.

Sylvia and Stasha arrive at the courthouse for Pohnpei's State Debate.

The Negative Team arguing that economic progress should NOT take priority over environmental responsibilities in Micronesia.

MHS Debate Team Members (2 teams of 2 debaters/2 alternates)

The recently completed MHS fish pond (about 1/4 mile from our house)

The causeway near our house that leads to the ancient fortress of Nan Madol; we do the 5 mile hike around Temwen island every Saturday.

Oatey and Thomas check for fish as the tide goes out.

A local iris-type of plant; one of Carrie's favorites.

The welcome party for the newly appointed Pohnpei Director of Education, Joseph Villazon, third from the right. We canceled school that day to prepare tables and tables of food for him.

March Madness

Hello again from Pohnpei. We hope this photographs make it easier to picture some of what we described in our e-mail. Enjoy!

Taking advantage of a beautiful day to get some laundry dried.

Sila-Rose poses for her senior portrait; the background is an air-brushed painting of Nan-Madol, the 2,000 year-old basaltic ruins found on Pohnpei.


Ettner presents a scholarly pose in an attempt (in his words) to look intelligent.

Rhonda, Lorelei, and Tricia snag Carrie to take a little less formal picture after graduation pictures are finished.

Some of the debate team girls pose with Valley Elementary's Flat Stanley during a break while researching at COM-National College during Easter Break.

Palm Sunday procession into the Catholic church near our house. It was really neat; everyone gathered about 1/4 mile from church and carried greens, singing triumphantly as they walked toward the church.

Thomas reestablishing our view of the ocean.

Carrie mowing our front yard.


Here we are posing on our freshly-macheted lawn after the Palm Sunday service.


Sawarlap and Sawartik (the twin brothers) waterfalls; we now have officially hiked to all waterfalls on the Pohnpei tourist's map!

Thomas, Ben (World Teach-Kolonia), and Flat Stanley enjoy the pool near Sawartik Falls (tallest waterfall in Pohnpei).

Carrie stands in the midst of the Japanese owned Sei Botanical and Pepper farm. This particular pepper is exported to Japan, Guam, and the States.

Carrie with Clinton, a rather mischievous freshman, but a great guide to Pahnsile Waterfall! (He did get extra credit and candy as a reward.)

Thomas relaxing at Nahlap, one of our favorite atolls.

A view of Nahlap's newly renovated boardwalks.

Carrie succumbs to Oatey's begging; Oatey jumped on Carrie's lap and promptly applied her newly learned technique, "sitting," for a piece of chocolate chip cookie.

Students eating in the cafeteria. This displays the typical food: rice with some sort of pinkish meat--SPAM, corned beef, or hot dog . We share 10 glasses (to drink rain water) among 450 students and teachers. Students (usually) enjoy the food a bit more than is expressed by the look on Larinda's face. :)

The friendly counselor, who, when present, is our greatest ally and resource!

9B General Science takes a picture for their Byron Center, Michigan penpals. (Fridays are free dress days--no uniforms needed).

The Chinese farm (actually owned and operated by PRC) is located near the high school; it's a great but sporadic place to get cucumbers, tomatoes, and green beans.

Main street, Kolonia

What the grocery store shelves look like when a boat hasn't come in for a while!

February Update

Here are the latest pictures from our work in Pohnpei. We tried to capture the students' enthusiasm for sports in the photos below, as well as include some more pictures of "life as it is in Pohnpei." Enjoy!


Carrie presents her Earthwatch talk to local teachers during the Madolenihmw Teacher's Forum.

Carrie's friend Merlain (left) serves up ice-cream and cake during our staff retreat. The freshmen math teacher, Molina, (right) had her baby the weekend after this picture was taken.

Larinda works on her planet brochure for general science. (Thanks to all of you who helped contribute paper, colored pencils, markers, and glue... the final projects turned out great!)

9 C students prepare their final drafts of their penpal letters for our letter exchange with Byron Center Christian Middle School (in Michigan); MHS students went all out this time, taking pictures around campus as well as a Pohnpei info packet of maps, brochures, and even a couple CDs of local bands.

Outside the cafeteria at lunch time.
We're amazed that students can find the correct zorries (flip-flops) back before class starts!

This is one of many banana markets in town. We purchase our bananas here (usually sold in 5-10 lb bunches) for 35 cents a pound.


Joycelinda and Sinmarlinda display some MHS spirit during the track and field championships.

Alentha passes the baton to Permaleen during the 4 x 100 relay.

Marvin leaps for length in the long-jump.

The boys complete another successful softball victory.

The start of the boys first basketball game.

Eliza (the catcher) prepares for a pitch as the girls' softball game gets underway.

Clinton ducks as Allenson spikes the ball during a volleyball practice at MHS.
MHS girls on our high school volleyball court. (The court isn't very fancy but the backdrop is spectacular!)

MHS girls' basketball practice (there's usually more talking than playing).

A gecko sneaks a few sips from Thomas' soda while we're watching a movie on the laptop!

Our favorite dog, Oatey, is waiting patiently for the next hand-out. She especially loves ripe bananas!

We're never at a loss for pets. While Carrie was catching up on the Fairbanks Daily News one Sunday afternoon, some of the neighborhood dogs and chickens decided to join her.