PIBC staff profiles

PETER'S STORY
In the Hafa Adai I sent out today I mentioned Peter Vaas. His is an interesting story. He's from Holland and five years ago or so the Lord encouraged him to go into missions. He was thinking that he should do something with his hands. The Liebenzell Mission sent him to PIBC to do maintenance work. But the only way to get a US visa for him, since he was "just doing maintenance," was to also enroll him as a full-time student -- which was more than acceptable to Peter. So, he's been a full-time student and the more-than-full-time maintenance supervisor.

However, two weeks ago Peter graduated from PIBC with his BA in biblical studies (valedictorian!) -- which means his student visa won't be renewed and he'll have to return to the Netherlands.

The good news is that he has enrolled in one of the seminaries associated with the prestigious Free University of Amsterdam to work on his masters degree in theology. We're hoping that in two or three years he'll sense a call to return to PIBC -- this time as a teacher.

RETURNING STAFF
I also mentioned in the Hafa Adai newsletter about all of the new staff who will be joining us. I'm just as excited, though, about those who are staying. Some of these people are staying in positions that have in the past tended to be high-turnover. (I should mention that hardly anyone has a single position -- everyone wears lots of hats around here. The positions mentioned here are their "primary" jobs.)

Melissa Heck, who has a counseling degree from Eastern University, came last year as a short-term Liebenzell missionary, serving as the dean of women. She left on Thursday to return to the States so that she can raise the additional support needed to serve here more long-term. We are expecting her back in August.

Pastor Hiob (wife Leah) Ngirachemoi, from the Palau Evangelical Church, will be back as the dean of men. Hiob is very wise and is well respected in the Micronesian community. He is a graduate of the Micronesian Institute of Biblical Studies (which is what PIBC was called before it was renamed Pacific Islands Bible College).

Ned (wife Marisol) Farnsworth will be back as the assistant dean of men and as one of the ministry coordinators. Ned is an American who served as a missionary in Ecuador. Marisol is an Ecuadorian working on establishing US residency, so they need to serve in the US for a few years. And since Guam qualifies as the US (technically) we have the benefit of their presence and expertise.

Hollie Schaub, who has been one of the ministry coordinators, will return as well. Her husband Aaron is a US Navy helicopter pilot stationed on Guam. But he is in Kuwait/Iraq for the summer flying rescue missions for the Army (Yes, the Army and Navy cooperate -- off the football field). While he's away Hollie is working on her masters degree in cross-cultural ministry from Biola. We're expecting her back on Guam before school starts on August 31st.

These are just a few of our colleagues who make this an exciting and fun place to serve.