Sumantha and some other updates

Water pump is not fixed. We have to plug it in when we want to use it, and then go unplug it, so that it doesn’t overheat.

The school hired two new men to replace Ben. A young guy and an older guy to be a driver.

We received an SAT practice book from Mom, and I’m putting it to use in my AP English class. I figured that even if the vocabulary is very hard, it is helping them with their reasoning skills. Making predictions. Eliminating impossible answer choices.

The girl that wrote the note on her test is Sumantha. I wrote her back:

Dear Sumantha,

Thank you for your note. I wondered what was taking you so long to finish the test. J I am glad that you know that only Jesus Christ can give you true happiness. It took me many, many years to really understand that. I thought to be happy I needed Jesus AND a perfect life! Now, I know I can be happy with Jesus even if my life is hard.

You’re right that with Christ we don’t need to worry, but this doesn’t mean that our life will always be easy. It means we can trust God to take care of us even when we feel lonely, sad or like our problems are too big.

I am so happy that you are trying to read the Bible. I have the same problem as you! Sometimes when I read the Bible it is very hard to understand, and I get bored. Even though I was a Christian for a long time, I never read the Bible all the way through until last year!!!! Last year my whole church in the U.S.A. read the entire Bible together. It took three months for us to read the whole thing. It was so exciting though! It took a lot of prayer for God to help me keep going. Sometimes it was very hard, but I felt so happy to read all of God’s word to me!

Now I find it helpful to read a devotional book like “Daily Bread.” It shows me a Bible verse or a part of the Bible to read, and then tells me something to think about. It’s very good. Maybe you could try something like that? Miss Katie is always more excited about reading the Bible than I am. She told me that she just knows that it is the way to know God better. Also, whenever she reads the Bible she asks herself, “What will I do differently now that I’ve read this?” I just keep praying that God will make me more and more excited about reading His word. The Bible is like God’s own special letter to me.

Sumantha, I want you to know that I have been praying for you, especially the last few days. I have been praying that you will come to school every day. I think you are a very smart girl. If you came to school every day, I think you would have very good grades in my classes. Also, I want to encourage you about college. Where are you thinking about going? Will you apply to any colleges in the Unites States? I think you have a lot of potential. Trust God to use you and to provide everything you need. Just ask Him! I will be praying for you, and if you want to write any more notes that is fine and I will answer you. Also, if you want to come up to the house and hang out with me and Miss Katie that is good!t

She was absent for about a week after that, and just returned this Monday. She is a very, very quiet girl and I don’t see the other students talking to her much. Before this year, Sumantha had been in the running for valedictorian. She had also gone to Phonpei as a representative for the school, we don’t know what’s happening in her life now. We know that her father left the family. Also, she had a cousin at Mizpah last year who quit high school and got married, but her husband divorced her very quickly. This cousin had also been pregnant. There are lots of things going on in Sumantha’s home I’m sure, and, of course, her heart. Continue to pray for her.

Pray for me as I continue to consider whether I will come back next year or what else I will do (though honestly I don’t think about it much).

Mom, there are no swings in Chuuk! (Not that I know of…) Though I told Katie yesterday, “If I come back, I’m definitely bringing my hammock.”