Voices of Micronesia aka PIU Traveling Team

This year PIU will send a team of 15 students and 6 staff on a 9 week tour in the US. Dave Owen, PIU's president and V.O.M. team member, has interviewed each student member of the team so that you can get to know them a bit and be praying for them during this time. This is a huge undertaking and for many of them it is the first time they will be on the US Mainland (or Stateside as we call it out here in the Pacific). With Dave's permission, we are re-posting his interviews here on our blog also. This has truly been an all campus event this year as we have worked together to make this possible. These have been chosen to represent us all. It has been a joy to watch God at work in each student's life. Each is very special to us. Thank you for being a part of their lives too as you support us and the ministry of Pacific Islands University. P.S. That's Dave Owen enjoying a snack with Jayleen in the last picture.

Meet the Voices of Micronesia #1 - Jayleen Nakamura

Today I am beginning a new series on my blog introducing you to the members of our Voices of Micronesia team that will be touring the US mainland (mostly California this time) from May 12th until July 17th. Each post will introduce you to a new member of the team....

Jayleen Nakamura
Home: Weno and Satawan, Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia
Age: 20, 3rd Year Student

Jayleen spent her pre-school years living on the island of Satawan with her grandparents. Her earliest memories were of working in the taro patch and going fishing with her grandfather. When she was in elementary school she moved back in with her parents in the district center on the island of Weno. Her parents were "very religious" but her father's family is Catholic and her mother's is Protestant, so Jayleen was very confused about what the Bible said and what it meant to be a Christian. When she finished elementary school her family sent her to Palau to attend Bethania Christian High School. It was at Bethania where her confusion about what it meant to be a Christian was cleared up and Jayleen began a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jayleen says that the experience of preparing for this summer trip has helped her learn to trust God and be patient to listen and wait for God's direction in her life. She is looking forward to the experience of doing ministry in a culture different than her own, eating food that is different from the rice and spam that she is used to and seeing things she never thought that she would get to see. She is excited to see how her life can impact American Christians.

Jayleen's goal after graduation is to be a missionary to unreached people groups, perhaps in Africa. She plans to get additional training as either a teacher or in the medical field after she gets her BA in biblical studies.