The New Team

First Photo in Hawaii: (From L to R), Eva Abelado our 1/2 Teacher from Spain; Jessica Lee our Bible, P.E., and ESL teacher from California; Veronica Perez our Kindergarten teacher from Miami, Florida by way of Southern Adventist University; Amy Foote, our preschool director from Washington state: and Riki Untersherer, our preschool teacher from California by way of Walla Walla College.

In Saipan, on the island tour last Sabbath, August 11, 2007

Well, I feel like this is a little late. All the "other" blogs. . .Mai, Bev, the Pierson's etc have already covered this ground, so this entry seems a bit redundant. But, what can I say, I too want to welcome the new team to Saipan!

They've been here for just over two weeks now and they are settling into their new home on Saipan and adjusting to the rigors of their new jobs. These young women are serious but fun, hard workers with kind and gentle souls. The works seems a bit daunting, almost overwhelming at first, but they press on gamely anyway, determined to give their best. I have a feeling we are in for another amazing year.


First Friday night, August 3, 2007 (my birthday!): Riki, Eva, Amy, and Mai at our house for dinner and worship together.

Roommates Jessica and Veronica: They both live in the "Girl's Apartment" where Brit and the gang lived last year. Mai still has her space in the loft and these two have the big bedroom to themselves. Jessica and I work closely since we share teaching responsiblities in the upper grades. She's way cool and we've had lots of fun trading music and talking. Veronica, I am also working closely with as she and Mai are both co-directors with me for REAL Christian Theater. Veronica is full of positive energy and beaming with love for the Lord.

"Batwoman" (seated) & "Robyn": My nicknames for the Dynamic Duo that keep this ship afloat, Babs, the principal, and her right-hand woman, the amazing, the unstoppable, the multi-facted,multi-talented, Virleshay!

Mai and Kimo: I feel a special bond with Mai this year. It's funny because, though we went to the gym with Graves a couple times a week and generally hung out a lot, it's only this year that I feel like our friendship has taken on an added depth. Last year she (and I) had the others--Grant, Brit, Layla, Missy. They were off adventuring, doing the tank swim, playing volleyball and so on, and I cheered them on from the sidelines. Also, both Mai and I were particularly close to Grant, though generally those friendships were largely seperate. She hung out with Grant. I hung out with Grant. But beyond the gym we rarely hung out just the three of us together (though I do remember one Saturday night when the two of them hung out with Babs and I at our house). Now Grant is gone and we both miss him. Now Mai and I share memories of our friends that have moved on, and together welcome the new team members. We relate to each other because of those shared memories and experiences. I'm really glad she's here with us again this year!

The Pre-School Veterans: Kathleen, Shirley, & Janelle. These women are the backbone of the preschool!

First Sabbath: The new teachers introduce themselves at church on Sabbath, August 4 as Babs looks on.

Rosana, we barely knew ye! Rosana, what a woman! She came when everyone else was leaving, left when everyone else was arriving and yet managed to have a blast and even develop a reputation as a teacher who meant business and made summer school run like a well-oiled machine. I really didn't get to know Rosana well, but I'm grateful for all that she gave to our school this summer. A lot of her former students ended up enrolling in our school for the full year. If that's not a testament to the difference she made, I'm not sure what is!

Last Sabbath, August 11, we took the teachers on the traditional Island Tour. We weren't able to do it the first weekend as it was pouring rain, and plus the Pierson's were gone so we didn't have the requisite Pierson's Truck, which, as we all know, as a necessary part of all Island Tours. Some pictures:


Mai with the new gang at Last Command Post

The Veterans: Crystal, Bev, & Mai. They've been there and done that, but are more than willing do go there and do it again for the benefit of the newbies on the team!

Riki at her battle station. I hardly ever see Riki, sadly. She works down at the preschool and lives over in the Herjoy's apartments, so it seems I'll only see her on Sabbath. I hope she's doing well!

This is the Grotto as viewed from the overlook. It's hard to tell from this picture, but you are not looking into the mouth of a cave. You are looking down into a cove we call the Grotto, one of the premier swimming and diving spots on Saipan. To reach the Grotto you have to descend a long stairway.

Grotto Blue: This is a photo of the Grotto looking straight into the water.

The Grotto

Jessica is debating whether to jump into the Grotto. After all she didn't bring a swimsuit. Check out the video below of her decision.

Views from Suicide Cliff, on the far northern part of Saipan

Guess Who I Ran Into?

This past summer seemed to be marked by coincidental meetings. We ran into so many old friends, just by accident. Herewith, a few of the friends who crossed our path--some planned reunions, and some happy surprises. . .

Yeneer Merino, former Saipan Teacher.

We ran into Yeneer at Barbara's parents home church while we were still in Ohio. Yeneer was our 1st/2nd grade teacher, Barbara's first full year as principal in Saipan back in 2002/2003. She was also co-director, with me, of REAL Christian Theater. She'd just taken a job teaching first grade at Bab's high school alma mater, Spring Valley Academy. We were so happy to see Yeneer! A week or so later we took her out for Ohio's finest pizza and ice cream--LaRosa's and Graeters. It was fun getting caught up and reminiscing old times. She misses Saipan a lot and hopes to return someday soon. We hope she comes back too. Yeneer is a gem!


Liane, Babs, and the oldest Farris daughter, whom I nicknamed "Lenzeeno" when she was my student in Saipan.

At church in Kailua, we ran into the Farris family. We last saw them at their home in Singapore when we were there with the 8th graders in March. Well, they came back to Hawaii, where Liane is from, for the summer, and it just so happened that their last weekend of their summer in Hawaii, was our one weekend there. The whole family was there except for Terry. We were sorry to miss him, but it was great to see Liane and the kids again. The Kailua church is Liane's home church since she was a little girl, so she and her kids were active participants all throughout the service.



Tyce Mister, friend and fellow teacher from Saipan.
Tyce, a long-time Saipan resident and teacher at Marianas High School, who we befriended (along with his wife Angie) through Marriage Encounter, was flying back from States via Maui where he spent a few days with his mom. We both happened to be on the same flight out of Honolulu , and I spotted him a few rows ahead of me soon after we boarded. He decided to join our new preschool director Amy Foote (who was also on my flight) and I on our excursion into Narita during our layover in Japan. The picture above was taken at one of the temples on the grounds of the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple complex. The three of us had a lot of fun hiking the grounds of the temple and feasting on ice cream cones and fresh juicy peaches on our walk back through the city to the train station. I even managed to find a nice Japanese teapot for Babs!


A video of Tyce, Amy, and I adventuring in Narita.



Behold! Bab's hotel, the Narita Mercure!

Just outside the train station in Narita I spotted the hotel where Babs would be staying that night. She, also, was winging her way to Japan on a different flight from us and her connecting flight required her to overnight in Japan. We arrived a few hours ahead of her. It was about that time I realized that I might be able to arrange another surprise encounter. It occured to me that Babs would be landing in Japan before my flight left for Saipan. Wouldn't it be great to surprise her at the gate? Unfortunately, welcoming someone at the gate of an international flight turned out to be far more complicated than I'd thought, and I ended up unable to "run into" her.


The Rankin Family in Japan

As I was seeing Amy and Tyce off on their flight to Saipan (I was on yet another flight that would leave a few hours later and route through Guam), someone called my name. I turned around and it was Gina Rankin! She, along with her husband Ricardo, and their three children were on their way back home to Rota, via Saipan after a long vacation in the States. They chatted for a few minutes before boarding Tyce & Amy's flight.

Unfortunately for them, (but fortunately for us!), their long journey would turn out to be a little longer. They missed their connecting flight to Rota and ended up stranded in Saipan. Gina and the girls were eventually able to get on a flight Friday morning, August 3, a few hours after I landed in Saipan, but Ricardo and his son were stuck until Sabbath morning. So they came home with me and stayed with us until then. Though the circumstances were frustrating for him, it was nice for us to spend some time with Ricardo.

Church in Paradise

Some readers may recall my effusive post last summer about our experience at the Kailua Seventh-day Adventist Church. Having had a little taste of heaven last year, we weren't about to miss another opportunity.

When we walked in, this is what welcomed us.



I especially love how everyone, young and old, is part of the worship group: half a dozen ukeleles and guitars, two saxophones, and many voices raised in praise. Beautiful.

Our Tenth Anniversary: Marriage Milestones

Traveling Companions

On our first Valentine's Day as a couple, Babs gave me my favorite greeting card that I've ever received. On the cover was a watercolor print of a couple in a red convertible driving on a winding road that ran from the front cover through the trifold inside. The road was lined with signs that said things like Lovetown, West Fork of the River of Love, and Sweet Nothings. Babs had written in on the signs names of places that were meaningful to us--where we were living at the time (Berrien Springs), places we'd come from (Centerville, Florida), and places we hoped to go together (Africa, Bali). She'd written in the road the words "Finding God" and the last sign on the inside of the card read "Highway 2 Heaven." Underneath that she wrote "Yeah!" The text of the card read "Valentine, we could go places together." The card utterly charmed me. It was so joyous, so hopeful, and captured so much of Barbara's sweet spirit. I liked the idea of being on a journey with her, finding adventure, being led by God.

Well, we've been on that journey for ten years now and I'm still feel lucky and blessed to be traveling with the woman who mapped the trip out for us in that card.

On Friday, July 27, 2007, Babs and I celebrated ten years of marriage. I've been with Babs for about a third of my life now, and I can't imagine living without her. Simply put she is my best friend.

The road has been a winding one, full of scenic vistas of unimaginable romantic beauty; straightaways where we floored it, and let the wind blow through our hair, racing on joy; surprising twists and turns. It's been bumpy at times--moments where we disappeared into dark tunnels, not sure when or if we'd emerge. But, so far, it's been an amazing ride, and I can't wait to see what the next 10 years on the road of life hold for us.

Some milestones from our journey:

Year 1: The Little House on Walnut Street. Our first year of marriage we lived in a tiny two bedroom apartment on the second floor of an eighty-year old house on Walnut Street, just a stones throw from the Andrews University campus. It had been Barbara's apartment, and I simply moved in. It was in that cozy little place with it's wood floors, antique furniture, and clawfoot bathtub, that we learned to live together. The house is gone now--the entire block bulldozed by the university to make room for the new Howard Performing Arts Center. Somebody probably plays cello over the very place where we used to sleep. But the most important thing--the love that lived there-remains.

Year 2: Saipan--A Whole New World. The first of the big adventures, Babs and I crossed the world to find ourselves on this tiny little patch of green in the great blue Pacific. . .Saipan. We moved into the apartment now known as the "Girl's Apartment" back when that pink carpet was still bright new and extra flamboyant. We dove into our work as first year teachers and missionaries.

Years 3 & 4: The Amway Years. Yeah, we "did Amway"--or Quixtar, as it is now known, for a few years. Friend of ours drew us in and for awhile we were "fired up!", buying the visions of "achieving our dream" and "going diamond!" Ain't it great! Well, not exactly. In the end, it just wasn't for us. But while we never did get unbelievably rich in two to five years, we did make some nice friends as a result, and we had something that we could work on together for awhile. Those nights coming back from "showing the plan" felt like little dates. That was wealth enough for me.

Year 5: The Breakthrough. Halfway through our first decade was a turning point for us in our marriage on many different levels. That year was definitely one of our hardest, but it ended up also being one of our most rewarding as well.

Year 6: Babs Takes Charge. As we approached our sixth Christmas as a married couple, the principal of the Saipan SDA School quit suddenly. In short order, Barbara was the new principal of the school. It was a year of great change as we adjusted to her new role. From here on it, she would not only be my wife, she'd be my boss as well!

Year 7: Marriage Encounter. Probably the decision that has had the single greatest impact on our married life, was the one to go to a Marriage Encounter weekend. M.E., as we call it, completely changed the way we approached our marriage. We've stayed involved with the M.E. community ever since, encouraging other married couples to do the weekend, so they can too can experience the immeasurable benefits we gained.

Year 8: Puttin' on the Ritz. One thing that really stands out about our 8th anniversary was our splurge at the Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena, California. Every couple of years, we try to pull out all the stops for our anniversary at places like the La Valencia in La Jolla, California and the Windward in Guam. But our two days in the lap of luxury at the Ritz beat them all. A lot of the time it's easy to take your marriage for granted, to let the humdrum of everyday life take over. It's good to have those "Ritz" moments where you are reminded again of the priceless value of what you have together.

Year 9: Passionate Marriage. The book by this title by Dr. David Schnarch probably had the second greatest impact on my ideas about marriage (M.E. being the first). During our ninth year together, I read this book and started trying to apply what I learned. That's the thing about marriage--what they don't tell you in the Hollywood movies and radio songs--it takes work. Anybody who thinks it's "silly" to take time to learn how to make your marriage better probably isn't married. At nine years in, Babs and I were still aware that we had plenty of growing to do as a couple.

Year 10. And here we are. We've pulled over, one of those Scenic Spots where you're supposed to stop and take a picture or two. We've looked back at that long and winding road we've traveled so far, and now it's time to go. I look at her, her green eyes, brown curls, bright smile . I take her hand, and she gives me a little squeeze. And with that we pull back on to the road, turn up Mat Kearny, and journey on.

Ten down, and a lifetime to go.


At the Hau Tree Lanai. For our 10th anniversary, we checked into the Aqua Palms and Spa near Waikiki for two nights. After getting settled in our hotel room, we headed out for dinner at the unique and romantic restaurant, the Hau Tree Lanai where we had reservations. The entire beachside restaurant is set up underneath this massive old tree, that the guidbooks tell us, Robert Louis Stevenson once ate under.


The View from our table.


The face I fell in love with.

A shot of the Hau Tree Lanai dining area, taken after dark, just as we were leaving.

Sabbath morning, July 28, 2007, the day after our anniversary we kicked back on our hotel balcony in our matching hotel robes and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast of olive bread, cheese, yogurt, and other goodies before heading off to church.

Saturday night, July 28, Waikiki Beach. Around sunset, Babs and I took a walking tour of Waikiki (having learned the hard way last year that driving in Waikiki on a Saturday night is a fools errand. Plus it's way more fun seeing Waikiki on foot, hand in hand with your favorite girl). It was really nice--the sort of thing that we haven't done in a long time. Walking together with no schedule and not a care in the world. We ended up eating at Cheeseburger in Paradise and postcard shopping in the International Market before heading back to our hotel.

Waikiki Twilight

Come on and we'll sing, like we were free
Push the pedal down watch the world around fly by us
--Mat Kearny

Hawaii Digs

Kailua Guesthouse: The View

Babs and I arrived (on seperate flights)in Hawaii on Wednesday, July 25, 2007. We would spend exactly one week on the island of Oahu and while there we would stay at three different locations.

There are worse ways to live out of a suitcase.

Hawaii Digs 1: Kailua Guesthouse
We spent our first two nights in Kailua, on the windward side of Oahu, at the home of a local church member. Barbara's principals' meetings were being held at the Adventist school in Kailua. Only a 25 minute drive over the striking mountain peaks from Waikiki, Kailua is a world away from the bustle and traffic of Oahu's leeward tourist quarter. It's quiet and beautiful, and while our accomodations were humble, our surroundings were grand.


Kailua Guesthouse

Kailua Guesthouse: The Room


The Car

I guess we get pretty lucky with our car rentals. We just rented the regular "standard" car and they gave us this flashy Dodge Magnum at no additional charge. We got one in California a few years ago as well, when they first came out.

Hawaii Digs II: Aqua Palms & Spa in Waikiki
Friday July 27, 2007 was Bab's and I's 10th wedding anniversary (More on that in another entry!) and we celebrated by booking a room for two nights at the Aqua Palms and Spa, a snappy little boutique hotel a block from the beach. I was very pleased with the deal we got--$120 a night (in an extremely expensive district like Waikiki, that was a steal!) for a very nice room and a good view of Diamond Head from our balcony. With marble detailing in the bathroom, complimentary high speed internet service, and free continental breakfast every morning, I think we lucked out! There's a reason why this hotel is one of the top-rated hotels on TripAdvisor.com! In terms of comfort, it was comparable to some of the 5 star joints we've stayed in without the 5-Star price.


Aqua Palms & Spa: The View of Diamond Head, looking straight ahead from the balcony

Aqua Palms & Spa: View of Waikiki, standing on the balcony and looking to your right

The Aqua Palms & Spa

Aqua Palms & Spa: The Room

Hawaii Digs III: Hawaiian Mission Academy
Our final three nights in Hawaii, beginning on Sunday, July 29, 2007 were spent at our usual Hawaii lodging, Hawaiian Mission Academy. There we met the new student missionaries heading out to Micronesia and helped with the orientation activities for them. After living it up on the weekend, it was back to the humble dorm room!


Hawaiian Mission Academy: The View


Hawaiian Mission Academy Dormitory


Hawaiian Mission Academy: The Room

I was in the school office at Hawaiian Mission Academy on Monday, waiting to use the copy machine. While I waited, I was absently looking at the framed photos of the illustrious alumni and supporters of HMA when who should I see smiling back at me from his handsomely framed photo but my uncle, Ben Lau! Uncle Ben is married to my grandmother's sister Yvonne, so I guess that makes him my great-uncle. The last time I saw Uncle Ben & Auntie Yvonne was right here in Honolulu 13 years ago, when I was on my way to Chuuk as a student missionary. They graciously invited me and some of my friends to their home for dinner. A year later they moved to Hong Kong and are now in California, I believe. It was nice to see Uncle Ben after all these years, even if it was only a picture!


Uncle Ben!

Me and Uncle Ben

San Francisco Stopover

Golden Gate Bridge wrapped in fog; San Francisco, California, July 25, 2007

On Wednesday, July 25, our summer vacation began its conclusion. Because Babs and I did not book our flights at the same time we were routed differently all the way back home. So, I left first on Wednesday morning, with Barbara following an hour later. I was routed first to Detroit, then to San Francisco and finally on to Honolulu Hawaii.

I had a layover of about four hours in San Francisco and I decided that rather than sit at the gate area in yet another faceless airport for several hours, I was going to race out for a whirlwind tour of the city. I'd posted a request for advice on my favorite website, Intereference, and most people advised against it. The window was too narrow. I might not make it back in time to catch my flight. And even if I did, it probably I wouldn't have enough time to see or do anything worthwhile. I listened, I pondered this wise counsel. . .and then threw caution to the winds and decided to go for it. After all, I'd never been to the Bay Area and it wasn't likely I'd have a reason to visit the area again anytime soon. This might be my only chance to see, albeit briefly, one of the great American cities.

My plane landed around 11:15 A.M. and I was off the plane by 11:25. I had less than four hours before my next flight left for Honolulu. I took the BART out of SFO, leaving around noon and arriving at the Embarcedero Station in downtown San Francisco around 12:30. The day was overcast, surprisingly chilly, and swathed in that classic San Francisco fog. The hilly neighborhoods that I saw from my train window, even the run-down ones, looked quaint and charming. I can't think of too many American cities that have such a distinct character. I found the F line electric trolley, which would take me to Pier 39, the vantage point from which I'd be able to get a look at several of San Francisco's landmarks. I lost valuable time when I took the trolley in the wrong direction and had to get off and wait for the next one going towards the pier. As it was I arrived at the world-famous Pier 39 just after one o'clock with less than 30 minutes until I needed to be back at the Embarcedero Station to catch a train back to SFO. And this is what I saw:


"The Two Sister Ships: Jenny and Barbara Ann" One of the first things I saw as I trotted down to the water's edge were these two sailboats right next to each other in the marina. I had to take a picture because the boats shared the names of two women dear to me--my sister-in-law and wife! You can see the Jenny clearly, of course, in this photo, and if you look carefully, you can make out the words Barbara Ann on the next boat. (And yes Barbara's middle name is Anne--though spelled with an "e"). I thought that was pretty cool!

There's Alcatraz!

Me with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. Unfortunately there was so much fog, the bridge didn't show up very well in the photos, though you could see it pretty well through the mist in real life.

Pier 39

Sea Lions! There were tons of these sea lions basking in the fog just off Pier 39. There were a lot of tourists clustered around watching them and taking pictures and I joined in as well.

A shot of the San Francisco cityscape, looking back from Pier 39.

Here I am at the entrance to Pier 39, on my way back to the BART station.

I walked around Pier 39 exactly once, stopping long enough to enjoy the view for a few moments and snap a few keepsake photos. Closing in on 1:30 I arrived back at the entrance to the pier. I needed to catch the 1:43 train back to SFO and it was clear that taking the F line back wasn't going to do it. I hailed a cab and paid $10 for him to drive me the few minutes to the station. I would have made the train too if I hadn't wasted a valuable couple minutes trying to find the entrance to underground station and then feeding individual dollar bills into the ticket machine to buy my ticket since the machines didn't take credit cards like they did at the airport. By the time I reached the platform, my train had just pulled away.

It wouldn't be San Francisco without those iconic trolley cars right? I took a split second to take a picture of one outside the Embarcedero BART station before hustling downstairs to catch my train.

I would be cutting it close now, I knew, but I was still pretty sure I could make my flight. I picked up the next train to the airport at 1:58 and arrived back at SFO at about 2:30. I took the shuttle back to the terminal, zipped through security, and sauntered up to the gate at 2:45 with still enough time to buy some postcards and an overpriced caesar salad and tomato & mozzerella sandwhich before boarding my flight to Honolulu.

A misty view of San Francisco from the train window on the way back to the airport.

So was it worth it?

Absolutely. Seeing a glimpse of this lovely city even if only for a few moments was far better than sitting at the gate. I wish I'd had more time, of course, but what little I saw whet my appetite for more, and I do hope I'll be able to return to San Francisco someday when I can truly see and experience all that this scenic city has to offer.

Old Friends in Ohio

Barbara's childhood home in Cincinnati,Ohio
This quaint little Tudor-style home in a tony Hyde Park neighborhood is where Babs spent the first years of her life. Just about every time we go to Ohio, we drive by this little place. (I wasn't here for this photo though. Babs snapped this pic while she and her dad were in town to visit the Cincinnati Art Museum--another summer tradition for the two of them.)


Breakfast on the Patio: Babs and her parents

One of my favorite things during our summer in Ohio is our meals on the patio. The temperatures are usually mild, the food is delicious, and the view of the Leen's great green backyard are all wonderful, but the best part is just being together as a family.

Our last week and a half in Ohio went by far too quickly, but we managed to make the most of it, spending precious time with Barbara's parents and meeting up with some old friends of the Leen family.


"Sweet Survivor" and Babs

Our last weekend Ohio, two of Dad Leen's old friends from Cincinnati First Church, Marvin and Delmar, came up to Dayton to visit. They brought with them Marvin's grandaughter who I will call "Sweet Survivor." "Sweet" because she was a charming, remarkably mature, and good-natured young lady, and "Survivor" because she's a cancer survivor. Our students at the Saipan SDA School were among many kids all over the world who wrote to her while she was battling her illness last year. Well, I'm happy to report she's doing much better these days! I wish I'd had a picture of her and me, because the two of us had a great time making blueberry pie together. She's quite a chef!


Babs & Tracy

That same Sabbath, we were joined for lunch by one of Barbara's childhood friends, Tracy and her family.

Babs with Tracy, Tracy's husband Kevin and their two boys


Dad Leen, "Sweet Survivor", Marvin, and Delmar

We also reconnected with Barbara's best friend from elementary school Robyn Bernard. We met Robyn and her husband for dinner on Monday evening, July 23. The last time we saw them was right before we moved to Saipan so it was nice to get together again. If Robyn looks a little familiar to you it could be because she's developed a new career as a model and actress and has appeared in several commercials and network TV shows including Desperate Housewives!

Robyn & Babs


Joe

Joe is an old friend of the Leen family. He worked for Dad Leen many years ago in Dad's art supply store. He's staying with the Leen's for a little while so I had a chance to get to know this fascinating and friendly guy. He and I bonded while helping set up for Jenny's wedding reception the first weekend I was in Ohio. From then on we shared a kind of camraderie through the rest of the summer, talking theology and watching Jeopoardy together. Joe's a hard worker, a fervent Seventh-day Adventist Christian, and a generous soul. I'm glad I got to know him.