Dave and Joyce Owen Prayer Requests for April

I am sitting inside on a Saturday morning avoiding our unseasonable (for Guam this is the “dry” or “less wet” season) rainy weather. We are three weeks from the end of the semester and everyone here is in “busy” mode. With so much going on here, it seems like God is leading me to take a little extra time each day to pray and I wanted to share with you some of the issues that have been dominating my prayer list lately….

1. Steve Stinnette: Steve recently has had to resign from his position as VP of Advancement at PIU because of illness. Steve explains, “It has been discovered that the stress-coping systems in my body are struggling in their ability to successfully handle stress. This is due specifically to the cortisol levels (the stress-handling hormone) in his body not being at adequate levels for years, so they have robbed it from other sources. I have been experiencing symptoms that leave me weak, weary, and unable to work. We are grateful for this knowledge as it has finally pinpointed the source of my headaches and bone problems. We will be leaving for the States next week for extensive medical testing which must be done to determine how to restore the hormonal balance to get my body back on track. Please pray with us as we seek the Lord and His provision in every way.” Please join the entire PIU staff, faculty and students as we pray for Steve’s healing and to grant Anne and Steve’s desire to return to Guam to continue the work here.
2. Personnel: With the unexpected loss of Steve, and of Melody Plaxton our Academic VP, we have two large sets of shoes to fill. Please pray that God directs the right people to us. We are already talking with some candidates. Here are our present critical needs

1. VP of Academics: Melody will be leaving this summer. We need a person with academic administrative experience in higher education ASAP. We are also trying to raise the money for salary within the school, instead of relying on mission agencies to supply for the need.
2. VP of Advancement: See above.
3. Maintenance Director: Along with Melody, we will be losing Tim Plaxton this summer. We love to get missionary couples to fill needs at PIU but when they leave they leave two critical positions to be filled instead of just one. We would like to fill this position with someone that has the necessary skills and can supervise our student maintenance workers.
3. Finances: As usual money is tight at PIU. It will become even more tight as we need to replace the Plaxtons and Stinnettes, who are Liebenzell missionaries, with staff that we will pay out of our PIU revenues. However, we serve a big God who can supply the needs of the school. When I see the amazing  Kingdom opportunities, quality staff and faculty, and  great students God has brought our way, I am also confident that God will meet our financial needs through people He has blessed.
4. Mission Trips: Our staff and students are going out on various mission trips into the surrounding islands and far away countries this summer. I will be blogging in more detail about each of the trips and their participants in much more detail in the very near future. Please be in prayer for their preparation.
5. PIU Family: Please pray for all the PIU staff, faculty and students as we try to finish the semester well. We are very excited about an amazing year of seeing God work in all our lives. We have 18 graduates who will receive their degrees on May 9th, people all over the world interested in becoming new students at PIU and lots to do to get ready for the 2011-12 school year. With all this going on please pray that Jesus will be clearly seen in our lives, and that all of Guam and the surrounding islands of the Pacific will know that Jesus is alive and working on our campus.

Joyce and I are so thankful that so many of you are praying for us. God has given us a great year with our physical health and we are privileged to be able to continue to serve Him here in the islands.