Meet the Voices of Micronesia #12 - Meyou Marar

With the semester coming to an end tomorrow, the students are trying to get everything done (probably at least a few things they should have done weeks ago, but I suppose procrastination is a universal phenomenon). I just got home from a Voices of Micronesia Team practice a few minutes ago. The students were working on learning songs in each others' languages. One thing that makes PIU unique is the mixture of island cultures we have on Guam and we are looking forward to introducing them to the friends we will be making when the tour starts next week. So let me introduce you to another member of the team....

Miury "Meyou" Marar
Home: Satawan and Moch in the Mortlock Islands, of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia  
Age: 22; Meyou is a 5th year student in the BA program in Biblical Studies with a minor in education. She will be marching in the graduation ceremony this coming Monday.

Meyou grew up in Pohnpei (another FSM State) and spent much of early childhood moving back and forth between Satawan and Pohnpei. Her mom was Protestant and her father Roman Catholic. He worked as a hospital administrator. She went to public and Catholic elementary schools in Pohnpei. When she was little she liked to play basketball and hang around with the boys until her mother told her to "act like a girl." As a teen she moved to Chuuk to live with her grandparents to attend Chuuk High School from which she graduated in 2005. Since Miury grew up in Pohnpei, she had to learn Chuukese culture later in life so she could "be Chuukese instead of Pohnpeian." She especially likes to learn to cook local Chuukese food.

Meyou went to church only rarely as a child. She started going to the Catholic church as a teen when she moved to Chuuk. When she was in high school she went to a youth retreat, Easter rally on Kuttu island sponsored by the evangelical church. She went only because "I wanted to see the island." She was introduced to Christ by a pastor from Moch but she didn't "fully understand" the gospel message. Then she "saw some Pacific Islands Bible College students" and was impressed by their example. She began to think of going to PIBC/PIU and her dad encouraged her to do so. At PIU she began to grow spiritually and learn more about the Christian life.

When Meyou was presented with the opportunity to be part of this team she doubted that she would be able to go because of finances. But she read in a story that "where God leads, He will provide" so she "put it into His hands" and He provided all her needs for the trip. She is very nervous about speaking in front of people but her goal is to overcome her fears and be able to stand and speak. She has never been to the US Mainland before and is looking forward to trying new things. Last year she went on a mission trip to Thailand and experienced the culture there and now is looking forward to seeing American culture.

After graduation Meyou plans to go to nursing school and hopes to become a missionary nurse somewhere outside of Micronesia.