Back on Guam

I'm safely back on Guam -- after a boat trip from Tol to Weno this morning and then the flight to Guam this afternoon. It went well.

Chuuk is such an interesting place and I really like the people so much -- but it is as case -- another illustration of how impoverished many of the islands are. We Americans tend to think of tropical islands as romantic pockets of paradise but for so many complicated reasons they are anything but. Chuuk makes Guam in all of its dysfunction look like Disneyland. Yet, Chuuk is incredibly beautiful. And I deeply admire the leaders who stay there for the sake of their people -- and our PIBC students who are preparing themselves to go back and help with the upgrades that are going on.

More later -- time to catch up on some sleep. The emails and the Google Reader will have to wait yet another day.