Violent winds and major flooding destroyed power lines and cut off electricity to many homes. The school was closed for a week and provided an opportunity for several dorm kids to be involved in a relief effort.

"The kids were having fun playing in the rain and the stairs became waterfalls in our own backyard," missionary dorm parent Russ Holeman wrote. "Some of the kids went out to explore during the rain and ended up helping people cross strong flowing rivers with their children and rescuing people from their cars that were getting carried away by the water that rose very quickly."

Many of their friends lost some or all of their possessions in the flood and the kids made several trips to help flood victims clean mud and debris from their homes.

Russ and his wife, Kelly, were able to offer their home to several who were left homeless by the devastation and flooding. The flooding also caused traffic to be at a standstill for several days. Russ and his youngest daughter, Janaya, left to go to a volleyball game on a Saturday morning and were not able to make it home until Monday afternoon.

Cleaning the mud filled homes and rebuilding the homes that were destroyed continues. Pray for those who lost loved ones, especially those who were swept away by the flood waters. Pray also for dorm parents Russ and Kelly as they help the students in their outreach to the neighborhoods most severely hit by the typhoon and subsequent flooding.

"Over the past four years," Deena wrote, "I have worn many hats. I usually teach language arts, sometimes math, and this year I have added elementary music. I am in the process of learning to be the elementary librarian. It is an adventure to see what God will have for me each year to fill in the gaps in our staff."

Deena delights in being involved in the lives of the students. She says that is the best part about teaching in Papua New Guinea.

The classes are generally small. Some students live in the dorms because their parents work in remote tribal locations. The rest are children of missionaries living at the mission center.

"[This] is a wonderful place to teach, wrote Deena. "I am 59 years old, so don't let age stop you from considering teaching in a mission school. Experience and wisdom are always valued. It has been a wonderful experience and I would never have dreamed I would be teaching so far from home."

Pray for Deena and her husband Buzz as they serve the Lord at the mission center in Papua New Guinea.