Yap, Part I (The Paul Zimmer family)

Since I have so many picture from our trip to Yap, I decided to break up my posts based on the family we were staying with. A fellow teacher, April Briggs, and I spent from Dec. 20 to 28 with three missionary families in Yap, Micronesia. We had a fabulous time hanging out with the families (they were on vacation, too), helping out in the church services, and celebrating Christmas.

We spent the first two nights with the Paul Zimmer family. They made us feel right at home. I loved being able to talk with Sherry; she taught us much about the customs on Yap. Her testimony of trusting in God through all of the situations God has brought them through was an encouragement and help to me. I also enjoyed hanging out with the kids. Paulie and Angelina taught me some chords on the uke and by the end of the week, I could sightread songs. (I need to get a uke so I don't forget everything I learned!) I showed Angelina a little bit about playing the flute and helped Hannah sew lace to a dress she was giving her sister for Christmas. The kids were a lot of fun!

Clara at the picnic and swimming spot we went to on the first day.

Sarah at the picnic/swimming spot.

Jacob and Hannah took us for a walk down Pineapple Alley to get to the swimming spot and then showed us foxholes from the Japanese Occupation on the way back home.

Our first day in Yap was a Wednesday, so we went to Faith Baptist Church for the evening service. Paul is the pastor of the church and it is also the ministry that the Whitmores are a part of. This first picture is an "ordinary" picture of the church building. The second is a "cool" shot taken during sunset right before church started.


The ladies Bible study was held at the Whitmore's house, just up the hill from the church. April and I shared our testimonies and what God has been teaching us about prayer and faith. Then Polly taught from Cynthia Heald's book Becoming a Woman of Faith.

On Thursday, we went to a spot with awesome snorkeling. This is where I decided I really like snorkeling. The places I'd been in Guam were nothing like this! We saw blue starfish, purple-ish branch coral, and hundreds of fish. I wish I knew more about fish, so I could describe them better, but at this place, I really liked the tiny, irridescent, blue-green fish.
This is Paul Zimmer with a coconut he just cut open with his machete.

Some views of the beach.


On Thursday evening, the Zimmers and Whitmores took us out for a nice fish dinner at a restaurant on a boat. Here's a picture of me with Bob and Polly Whitmore in front of some stone money that was on the boat.

This is a picture of April and me with the Zimmer kids in front of an unusual Christmas tree in the lobby of the Manta Ray Hotel, which is where the boat was docked.

On Friday morning, we helped decorate the church for Christmas. One of the ladies showed me how to weave the leaves which were eventually used for the manger scene. I also learned how to make stars from coconut fronds. (Maybe the HBBI students will let me help decorate for banquets now . . . probably not! :-)



I have a few more pictures I'd like to add to this post, but I'll edit it later when I get the pictures from April. Hope you enjoy hearing about the first part of my trip.