Trip Calendar

William Joel

Pastor Joel heard the gospel for the first time at a Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) in 8th grade and received Christ as his personal savior in 1969. He graduated from Bob Jones University in 1977. He returned to Pohnpei to serve under Pastor Isamo Welles and had the privilege of serving short-term in Guam, Marshall Islands, Yap, and Pohnpei. He has been serving as the senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church since 1999. He is part of Nukuoro ministry which is a network of churches who work together to reach the outer islands. His church also has a radio ministry and Christian school, Calvary Christian Academy. 

The people of Pohnpei most commonly suffer from diabetes and kidney disease. While they have multiple hospitals and village dispensaries, there isn’t sufficient healthcare to care for the many suffering in their region. Pastor Joel said he prays this outreach opportunity will open the door for his church to reach their community with the gospel and meet their spiritual needs through the local church. 

Pohnpei has a unique melting pot of different ethnicities that speak very different dialects but can communicate together through English and Pohnpeian languages. One of the many great things about the Micronesian culture is that it is very family integrated. Please pray for this ministry and consider traveling to a secluded, largely unreached part of the world.  

Connect with them:
Please feel free to reach out to us through Messenger: William Joel and Koden Lebehn

Pohnpei State is one of the islands of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM or simply Micronesia). The FSM are a cluster of 607 islands spread out across the western Pacific Ocean, located approximately midway between Honolulu and Manila. There are four states in the FSM, and Pohnpei is the largest island of the country at 130 square miles.

Pohnpei fits the picturesque South Sea island image with lush vegetation, tumbling waterfalls, and abundant rainfall – averaging over 350 inches each year! It has tropical jungles, mist-covered mountains, and coral reefs. The diversity of landscape and scenery found in Pohnpei has earned it the title “The Garden Island of Micronesia”.

The name “Pohnpei” comes from the Pohnpeian language, literally meaning "upon a stone altar." It is home to the megaliths and the ruined city of Nan Madol, a city constructed on a lagoon with small artificial islands linked by a network of canals from the 8th or 9th century.

European explorers—first the Portuguese and then the Spanish—reached the Islands in the sixteenth century. The Spanish incorporated the archipelago to the Spanish East Indies, and in the 19th century established a number of outposts and missions. Following defeat in the Spanish–American War, the Spanish sold the archipelago to Germany in 1899.

During World War I, Pohnpei was captured by Japan. During World War II, a significant portion of the Japanese fleet was based in the FSM. Following World War II, the island was part of the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In 1979, four of the Trust Territory districts ratified a new constitution to become the Federated States of Micronesia. The FSM is now a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the United States of America, which is wholly responsible for its defense.

As far as cuisine, tuna is very popular, and prepared in many ways, including Pohnpeian Sashimi. Pohnpei yields a wide variety of produce, including banana, breadfruit, taro, yam, coconut, pepper, and cacao. For their regular sustenance, Pohnpieians grow rice, raise pigs and poultry, and catch fish.

For more country information, click here https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/micronesia-federated-states-of/

Our plan is to offer medical and optical care to this community. Every patient who receives care will hear the gospel from a member of this local church.

Note: At this time we are only considering applications for medical professionals and health science students.

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