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My Palau Experience

Mission work was never something I thought I was called to do.  God gives each of us spiritual gifts that He asks us to go and provide to others in service, but becoming a missionary was an idea that never really blossomed into a realistic scenario in my life.  Whether it was due to an excuse to not get involved or through an honest evaluation, I never saw myself becoming a missionary.  But now, I can’t imagine where my life would be if I were not a missionary. 

Palau is a small island in the Micronesia area that is located in the South Pacific.  It’s compiled of many different islands and is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.  From its large range of corral reefs to its beautiful array of sea life, you really get a sense of the beauty in God’s creation.  But no matter how beautiful an island may be, the people are what make the experience meaningful. 

For 10 months, I taught 4 classes of 7th and 8th-graders at a Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School in Koror, Palau.  I taught mainly Social Studies, but I also taught classes in Math, Spelling, Health and of course, the Bible. 

Right away, I knew this experience was going to be insane.  Meeting all these Palauans, going on weekend trips to different islands, and getting to teach and get involved in these students’ lives, I knew this was unchartered territory for me.  This was the first year in my 22 years of life that I really felt like I had a real relationship with God, and so I felt untested, unprepared and unable to do everything I could do to make a difference.  As a missionary, you always have high expectations and goals, but in my head, I knew some of my weaknesses and I knew it would be tough to really have a positive influence without getting over some personal issues and problems. 

But God doesn’t call on the qualified.  He qualifies the called.  God did so much over the span of those 10 months, from helping me to start a Bible study/Baptism group in my homeroom to just being able to sit down with students and have them share their life stories with me.  The greatest thing we can do as Christians is reflect the character and love of Jesus.  And the greatest aspect of His ministry wasn’t necessarily the miracles he provided like turning water into wine or resurrecting the dead (even though that’s pretty awesome).  The greatest part of Christ’s ministry was that He was willing to talk and listen to anyone.  He spent so much time with people, whether young, old, or outcasts.  Jesus knew the power in fellowship, and with it, He knew He could help and influence someone towards a godly life. 

I truly understood this message when I was able to talk and discuss with all of my students their family lives and the struggles they go through everyday.  This was with not just my 15 students in my homeroom but with all 60 students in the entire junior high.  They each had a story to tell, but no one was willing to listen.  It was a moment for them where they could actually let go of the burdens and chains that were holding them back from allowing each of them to move forward.  Coming from a broken home, I know what it was like to attend school everyday with a heavy heart but act like everything was normal back home.  What I didn’t know, however, was how many students experienced this during this past school year.  I like to consider myself a talker, but in those moments, I was speechless. 

God gave me so many of these kinds of experiences in Palau.  He showed and taught me so much about myself, about people and the importance of life.  Being in a position to constantly serve others was a tiring task, but it showed me how much joy there is in serving others.  When you are not the center of your own motivation, life is so fulfilling.  I realized that being in the mission field is an experience all Christians should go through, and service and outreach are not something we just do on the side, but are the basis of our faith and Christianity.  My students will always be one of the biggest impacts in my life, and I will never forget any of them.  The moments I had in Palau will stick with my forever and with that, God has given me a small glimpse of what life can be like when we dedicate our lives to His work.  

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Jason is currently a senior at Andrews University studying Religion and Secondary Education with an emphasis in Social Studies and History.  He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and just came back from serving a 10-month term in the island of Palau.  

 


Comments

jason, thanks 4 sharing the blessings of ur experience in palau.  it seems ur students had a huge impact on u, and that God taught u to serve w/ joy.  i’m excited to see what God will continue to do thru ur kids in Palau, and thru u as u re-enter the domestic mission field =)

Chris Choi (#1) – August 02, 2011

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