By Amberly Potter
As I sit here in the air conditioned room in a piece of normalcy away from the devastating developing country of Majuro I look out the window and my eyes go directly to the beautiful blue ocean. Bright green pandanas, coconut, and banana trees frame this vacation dream spot… but between me and the crashing waves I look down just below the perfect view and see rusted tin roofs held down by cement cinder blocks. Walls made of mostly cement and wood, painted with brightly colored paint to form this 18 by 18 ft building that an entire family lives in. Most have no running water, electricity, or even rooms…that is the average house here on Majuro.
I've been more then blessed to be staying with Capts. Joel and Rhonda Harmon in their four bedrooms, two baths, apartment on the Rita Crops compound here on the island of Majuro. Living just a stair case above a basketball court I constantly hear children playing and doing whatever they can to have fun. The other day I looked out the window and saw a group of kids playing, I went outside and stood on the balcony overlooking the basketball court to get a better view. They all saw me right away and waved hello… and said "Yokwe" to this person that looked so different from them. With smiling faces they went back to their game. They were all standing in a circle saying "ready, set, go" in Marshallese and then they would all flip their feet into the air and do hand stands. Whoever stayed up the longest won. I got a huge smile on my face and thought of what Rhonda had told me earlier that week that they will make a game out of anything.
The Kids flock to The Salvation Army property knowing that there might be something fun to do. Just yesterday Rhonda and I took a handful of coloring books, crayons, puzzles, and side walk chalk outside. We were not surprised to find a large group of beautiful kids both boys and girls wanting to play! Here there is so little to do so even something so small as coloring is a real treat for them. They all went for the coloring books but Rhonda and I grabbed a piece of chalk and kneeled down in our skirts and started to draw. They older boys that had been playing basketball began to hover over us and we drew. They just watched us for a few minutes and then I offered them the small box of chalk. They soon swarmed in and each had a messy piece of chalk in their hands and they too were on their knees making a creation of their own.
A few nights ago I attended the Home League here at Rita Crops. The women here are usually very reserved and quiet but when they are all together with no men around its another story. This was definitely unlike any other Home League I had been to before. It started like a normal service with songs and prayer but then it was game time… and not bingo. Everyone was suppose to get in two lines, hop on one foot to the end of the pews, touch the wall, and hop back. Ester, one of the ladies here, said that if anyone is pregnant they cant play, so of course everyone said they were pregnant. A large majority of us stayed in our seats to watch the show. As the eight that went up started to go all of the ladies including the older ladies sitting behind me started to laugh so loud and hard. It was hysterical to watch. My cheeks and stomach hurt from laughing so much. It ended with devotions and fellowship over a delicious snack.
I have also been helping Capt. Rhonda with the preparation needed to open a library here on the compound. Sorting books and tapes, building books shelves and 3-D puzzles to decorate the area. This is a huge dream of hers to be able to provide English reading material for the community. Today we will hopefully be opening it up to the public for in library reading.
Another dream of Rhonda's is to start an ESL program here on Majuro for young adults to receive their GED. For the next four weeks I will be living on the other side of the island in Laura, with Lts. Hittai and Mary Rose Silk. There I will be teaching English to whomever wants to learn, reading books after school to the children, and doing pretty much anything else I can do to help the Corps and the community. Hopefully I will be able to start the process to get the GED program started. Tonight I'm leading devotion with the Young Peoples League.
These are just a few of the amazing experience that I've had so far. Just being here in a different world living amongst the people is an experience in itself. I'm here to touch the lives of the people but I know that they will touch me even more. I cant wait to see what God does with me while I'm here!
As I sit here in the air conditioned room in a piece of normalcy away from the devastating developing country of Majuro I look out the window and my eyes go directly to the beautiful blue ocean. Bright green pandanas, coconut, and banana trees frame this vacation dream spot… but between me and the crashing waves I look down just below the perfect view and see rusted tin roofs held down by cement cinder blocks. Walls made of mostly cement and wood, painted with brightly colored paint to form this 18 by 18 ft building that an entire family lives in. Most have no running water, electricity, or even rooms…that is the average house here on Majuro.
I've been more then blessed to be staying with Capts. Joel and Rhonda Harmon in their four bedrooms, two baths, apartment on the Rita Crops compound here on the island of Majuro. Living just a stair case above a basketball court I constantly hear children playing and doing whatever they can to have fun. The other day I looked out the window and saw a group of kids playing, I went outside and stood on the balcony overlooking the basketball court to get a better view. They all saw me right away and waved hello… and said "Yokwe" to this person that looked so different from them. With smiling faces they went back to their game. They were all standing in a circle saying "ready, set, go" in Marshallese and then they would all flip their feet into the air and do hand stands. Whoever stayed up the longest won. I got a huge smile on my face and thought of what Rhonda had told me earlier that week that they will make a game out of anything.
The Kids flock to The Salvation Army property knowing that there might be something fun to do. Just yesterday Rhonda and I took a handful of coloring books, crayons, puzzles, and side walk chalk outside. We were not surprised to find a large group of beautiful kids both boys and girls wanting to play! Here there is so little to do so even something so small as coloring is a real treat for them. They all went for the coloring books but Rhonda and I grabbed a piece of chalk and kneeled down in our skirts and started to draw. They older boys that had been playing basketball began to hover over us and we drew. They just watched us for a few minutes and then I offered them the small box of chalk. They soon swarmed in and each had a messy piece of chalk in their hands and they too were on their knees making a creation of their own.
A few nights ago I attended the Home League here at Rita Crops. The women here are usually very reserved and quiet but when they are all together with no men around its another story. This was definitely unlike any other Home League I had been to before. It started like a normal service with songs and prayer but then it was game time… and not bingo. Everyone was suppose to get in two lines, hop on one foot to the end of the pews, touch the wall, and hop back. Ester, one of the ladies here, said that if anyone is pregnant they cant play, so of course everyone said they were pregnant. A large majority of us stayed in our seats to watch the show. As the eight that went up started to go all of the ladies including the older ladies sitting behind me started to laugh so loud and hard. It was hysterical to watch. My cheeks and stomach hurt from laughing so much. It ended with devotions and fellowship over a delicious snack.
I have also been helping Capt. Rhonda with the preparation needed to open a library here on the compound. Sorting books and tapes, building books shelves and 3-D puzzles to decorate the area. This is a huge dream of hers to be able to provide English reading material for the community. Today we will hopefully be opening it up to the public for in library reading.
Another dream of Rhonda's is to start an ESL program here on Majuro for young adults to receive their GED. For the next four weeks I will be living on the other side of the island in Laura, with Lts. Hittai and Mary Rose Silk. There I will be teaching English to whomever wants to learn, reading books after school to the children, and doing pretty much anything else I can do to help the Corps and the community. Hopefully I will be able to start the process to get the GED program started. Tonight I'm leading devotion with the Young Peoples League.
These are just a few of the amazing experience that I've had so far. Just being here in a different world living amongst the people is an experience in itself. I'm here to touch the lives of the people but I know that they will touch me even more. I cant wait to see what God does with me while I'm here!
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