D E S T IN AT IO N:
Elizabeth Butikofer
MAJURO, MARSHALL ISLANDS
Age: 21 Occupation:
1st grade teacher., Junior Mechanical engineering student at Walla Walla University
Church family:
MY TESTIMONY
Palmer Seventh-day Adventist church in Palmer, AK
WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY FIRST GRADERS
From the moment I stepped off the plane, I knew that this new culture would take some adjusting to. Coming from Alaska where the temperatures are cold and the air dry, the hot and humid air in Majuro was drastically different. I teach 1st grade, and daily I am reminded of the Bible verse that says: “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3) When it comes to religion, children generally have it figured out. By simplifying religion for my 1st graders, I have been challenged in my own faith. Often times we complicate our faith because we can’t understand why Jesus would die on the cross for our sins, when in reality it is just as simple as it seems. Even a child can understand it! The effects from sin is death, but Jesus died on the cross so that we can have everlasting life. A lesson that I’ve learned since being here is that being a Christian means giving up control.
During the first couple of weeks of school I would get frustrated and feel like I wasn’t good enough and wonder why God brought me here. My mindset changed completely when I realized that God doesn’t want me to try to be in control. God is powerful enough, He simply needs me to surrender to Him. Majuro has been a wonderful place to be a missionary. Sabbaths are filled with outreach programs, like playing music, telling stories to underprivileged children, or bringing the music team to the local hospital to pray over and play for patients. During our free time, the SM [student missionary] team has a great time spearfishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and enjoying each other’s company. I am still amazed at how 40,000 people can live on only four square miles of land! Something I’ve noticed since being here is that the people seem very happy. Although many of them have far from ideal living conditions – with many sleeping outside – they are so
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SUMMER 2020
What was your most powerful experience? The most powerful thing was really how welcoming the kids were. A local family invited me to a nearby church. On the day that I went, everyone was so friendly! They even announced my name at church, saying how happy they were that I was there. There were two adorable kids at the church that I had never seen before, yet they came over to the pew where I was sitting and sat on my lap for the full service. They never talked to me, they didn’t even speak English, but their trust and openness to me, a stranger, was incredible. At a time when I felt so far from home, the locals didn’t just treat me like family, I was their family. Sabbath and midweek services were my favorite times of the week when all of the kids would come over by the missionaries and fall asleep in our laps. My heart still hurts when I think about saying goodbye to them. The faith and trust the children had in us made a big impact on me. What advice would you give someone interested in Mission work? If you’re wondering if you should be a missionary, with zero hesitation I would say go for it. It doesn’t matter where you go, you will make a big difference and learn to trust God more. God will never leave us, He will never put us in a situation that is harder for us to bear. If things are difficult, sometimes God has to break you in order to build you. It’s when we give up all control that God can use us the most. God made you for a special purpose. He will use you in ways you never imagined possible.
