Adventist education is a core component of our ministry efforts here in the Northwest. That includes our mentoring partnership in Palau where the Partners for Palau program is active and strong.
In March, the North Pacific Union Conference Board of Education welcomed Abner Sanchez, Palau Mission Academy (PMA) principal, as a guest attendee. Sanchez was stateside recruiting for 16–20 college students to serve as student missionaries next year on Palau. In his report, he expressed his gratitude for the strong partnership between Palau and the NPUC.
Sanchez also took time to thank Adventist educators from across the Northwest for the role they played in providing critical supplies for the school in 2019. In December, Northwest educators loaded an entire shipping container with 150 student desks, 20 new whiteboards with supplies, and more than 60 boxes of textbooks and teacher resources.
Dennis Plubell, NPUC vice president for education, presented Sanchez with a special gift of $3,000 for PMA to help purchase video projectors to better equip each academy classroom. The gift was made possible by a partnership between the NPUC and each of its six conferences.
It is a privilege to help a partner school in ministry. It encourages and extends our own commitment to educate God’s kids with all that we have.
The partnership with PMA began in 2018 when the North American Division extended to include the Guam-Micronesia Mission. To help with this expanded territory, the division asked the nine unions in North America to take a specific area of responsibility within the mission. The NPUC is building a strong and growing relationship with PMA to strengthen the school through mentorship and resources and by providing new opportunities for Palauan youth.
Sixth graders at Palau Mission Academy enjoying their new desks.
Desks loaded into the shipping container.
Students from Auburn Adventist Academy help load up the desks to be shipped to Palau.
Palau Mission Academy seniors help the donated desks.
Palau Mission Academy students utilizing the donated desks.
Keith Waters (left), NPUC secondary education director, and Abner Sanchez, Palau Mission Academy principal.
NPUC staff gather items for care packages to send to Palau.
Rob Lang, NPUC youth and young adult director, writes a note to include in the care package to be sent to Palau.
Robert Sundin, NPUC under treasurer, writes a note to include in the package.
