Last few hours

Goodbye, Palau

Me + Taro Patch

Old Japanese ruin

Things have been busy even after the end of school, what with everyone leaving in the middle of the night, and with packing and cleaning.  Then everyone wants to spend time with us before we leave, so we've been going out a lot with various people to enjoy our last days and hours together.

At any rate, the time is coming to a close, and I'm writing this about 19 hours before we're scheduled to fly home.  I don't have much time for getting really reflective since we plan on taking a last little trip to sight-see, and then we have to get ready.  But I just wanted to give a thank you to all the people who all the people who have helped me out...the people at church who prayed and supported me; the friends and family who paid for me to come; the people at Southern who coordinated things and prayed for us all and sent little care packages; for the people at the churches here--especially Koror Church--who were so generous and kind; for the teachers and staff at the schools here who were helpful and friendly even though we were just some short-term SMs who didn't know what we were doing; for our Palauan families (especially my "mom," Bilung) who gave us a place to sit at church and spent time with us and showered us with gifts; and of course, a really big thank you to my parents who always wanted to talk, who listened to my ramblings about was going on here, and who sent lots of care packages.  :)  Everything helped, and I really appreciate it.

Goodbye, Rock Islands

It's weird to think I'll be leaving Palau in less than 24 hours, and that I won't see a lot of these people again for an indefinite amount of time.  They all keep asking us to come back and visit, or come back (with a husband or wife!) and stay.  I don't know what will happen in the future, but with God all things are possible...

Yet another rainbow

Anyway, I just wanted to write one last little post for closure, and to ask for prayers for the flight.  There are 4 of us headed back to America, and we all have different challenges and different futures to come back to.  The transition won't be easy, and there are a lot of things to deal with after our year of living in Palau.  Things don't end here...it's just another chapter in each of our lives.  I just want to make sure God is leading in the chapters to come.

Credit for painting goes to Jaucelyn Carter, SM artist of the year

Now to get started on our last day here.  By this time tomorrow I should be in Hawaii...and I'll have gone back in time!  God willing, I'll see everyone back home within a couple of days.  Thanks again everyone!