The gift of being with old friends, Anna Yamada, special education teacher on Saipan for over 30 years.

Together we worked to develop programs and resources for children with special needs. When Anna speaks in sign language it is beautiful to watch. She developed courses in sign language at Northern Marianas College. We also worked together to offer education courses so local students at the college could receive a full bachelor’s degree in education and become teachers on the island.

These next two weeks, I am part of the guest faculty to offer an educational symposium to teachers to increase the awareness of the effects of war on these islands in the western Pacific. Few Americans are aware that these islands are part of the United States.