Meeting With the President: A Meaningful Week in Palau

Big news on Palau this week!

We had a very successful meeting with the President of the Republic of Palau, President Whipps. Joining us were Elder Kim from the Area Presidency, along with Brett Child and Jun Ochaia from the Church’s Area Humanitarian Department. Together, we had a thoughtful and productive conversation about the history of the Church in Palau—nearly 50 years strong, dating back to 1978—the humanitarian efforts already in place, and ways we might help support and further President Whipps’ vision for the people of Palau.






This type of meeting was right up J.D.’s alley, and he truly knocked it out of the park. In the days following, we’ve already begun meeting with schools to prepare donations and are exploring additional humanitarian projects focused on social services in Palau, including a women’s shelter and prison ministry.  Here is a link to the story we wrote about the visit.  We got exciting news that it will be syndicated on the Headquarters Newsroom on Tuesday! 



President Whipps is a devout Seventh-day Adventist, a faith with a strong presence on the island, and we felt a shared commitment to the importance of including Christ in our lives and leadership. Elder Kim presented President Whipps with a Christus statue, which he placed prominently at the front of his desk—a meaningful moment that reflected the spirit of unity and faith felt throughout the meeting.


Many positive things came from this visit, and we are excited about the opportunity to help initiate some of these humanitarian projects before we leave the island.

After the meeting, we were privileged to spend the rest of the day with Elder Kim. We visited the National History Museum and learned more about Palau’s rich history, stopped by the missionaries’ District Council meeting, and enjoyed lunch with the missionaries. That evening, we wrapped up the day with dinner at The Taj (Indian food) with the group who had visited the president. It was a full and wonderful day.




In other exciting news this week, we received a surprise package in the mail from our friends, the Quinns! They sent us some wonderful goodies from Wyoming, and we especially loved the “Surf Wyoming” swag—a perfect blend of our home state and our current island life. Thank you, Tim and Ruth! It truly made our day and brought a little piece of home to Palau.




To finish off this week’s blog, here are a few sunrise and sunset pictures. The beauty of this island truly never gets old and we are grateful for the time we have to spend here. 





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