Greetings!
     What a great service on Sunday! Sunday evening at Nicholson Baptist Church the message was about prayer...individual, church, and outward. The end of the service ended with the church praying around my parents and me. It was a very special time. Thank you Nicholson Baptist Church for all your support. I am so grateful to be apart of the body of Christ with you all. Thank you Missions Support team...Darlene, Stephanie, and Larry for all your help! Thank you to the anonymous person who called the church to "give the girl going on a mission trip" a monthly donation! God is Great! After the prayer service last night, we went to the fellowship hall for a reception in my honor! I'm not used to all this attention. Thank you everyone who stayed to help celebrate...and I enjoyed talking with everyone that was there. I will be sending a monthly or quarterly newsletter of what is going on while I am in Majuro to Nicholson Baptist...in addition to this blog. Once I get into the routine of school and get settled, I will be posting more regularly here. Thank you for everyone's interest in this new adventure!

     Right now I am waiting to hear back from Verizon Wireless. I talked to them in April and they told me that I would be able to waive the early termination fee since I was going to Marshall Islands where there is not any service. I call today to set up a time for the termination...and I am told, that won't happen. So, I called back and now someone is going to be checking with his supervisor, who was in a meeting, to see if there was not something they could do to help with the fee or something. I may be suspending my service until I get back...$15 for each 90 days of suspension. We shall see after I get a call back...or maybe I should just pay $90 for the early termination fee and not worry about having to pick up the service when I return...job or not.
     I can't believe it. My mom told me yesterday...she counted...as of yesterday I leave in 16 days, now I guess it is 15 days...It is here! Still working on packing up the last few items and clothing to ship. Most everything else should already be there when I get there, is the hope anyway. :) I will arrive Aug. 16 in Majuro...and the students begin that next Wednesday...Aug. 22. When I get there...there will be lots to do!!!
     Some of you have asked about the government in Marshall Island. Here is what I found out... In 1983, the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US, which went into effect in 1886. Under the compact, the country is fully sovereign in domestic and foreign affairs, but gives responsibility for defense to the US.

The government of the Marshall Islands operates under a mixed parliamentary- presidential system, which includes a head of state—the President, who is also the head of government—and a bicameral parliament—the Council of Iroij (the upper house) and Nitijela (the elected lower house).

Executive: Executive power lies with the President, who is elected by the NitijelaNitijela.

Legislative: Legislative power resides in the Nitijela, which consists of 33 senators elected by 24 electoral districts by universal suffrage of all citizens above 18 years of age. The electoral districts correspond roughly to each atoll of the Marshall Islands. Although no legal restrictions exist against the formation of political parties, no formal parties exist. Two ad hoc parties have existed since the mid 1990s.

Council of Iroij: The Council of Iroij is comprised of 12 tribal chiefs who advise the Presidential Cabinet and review legislation affecting customary law or any traditional practice, including land tenure. I will be learning more about this I am sure, just wanted to put it in here for everyone that was interested. I got this info from rmiembassyus.org

Happy Reading! Have a great week!