Howard and Kathy Merrell serve at Pacific Islands University (PIU), an accredited Christian university serving the people of Micronesia. Howard serves as President of the school, while Kathy serves as campus host, mentor to the women students, and receptionist.
Blog Layout
Student in the Spotlight
Growing up, school was a struggle. Now she teaches a class of her own.
by Howard Merrell
MAR. 26, 2021
When Lavern Killion (now Lavern Roby) first moved from Chuuk Island to Guam, her transition was anything but smooth.
She came with limited English skills, and found high school to be very difficult — because up until 8th grade, almost all of her schooling was in Chuukese, without much English.
After a challenging four years, Lavern graduated high school in 2013 and enrolled in Pacific Islands University. Although she originally wanted to study nursing, students at PIU choose either a Bible major or a liberal arts major. For her first two years, Lavern took classes in both majors before choosing a liberal arts degree.
One major reason Lavern chose liberal arts was for the education courses. She fell in love with it when she took a class with Dr. Marjorie Raess, one of the capable volunteer teachers at PIU. It’s not an overstatement to say that Dr. Raess “rang Lavern’s bell,” creating in her an excitement for teaching that's still ringing today. Although Dr. Raess lives on the other side of the world, teaching by Skype, she made a profound impact challenging and mentoring Lavern.
Lavern In the Classroom
Although she loved her education classes, Lavern still had yet to experience being at the head of the classroom. Her student teaching internship would show her what a challenging profession teaching is.
During her last semester at PIU, “Ms. Killion” (as Lavern’s students called her) completed her student teaching internship at Ordot Chalan-Pago Elementary, one of Guam's local schools, about a 15 minute drive away from PIU.
But Lavern, like most PIU students, doesn’t drive. Kathy Merrell, President Merrell's wife, came through and often provided transportation, creating an opportunity for her to mentor Lavern. Kathy had already noticed Lavern's gift for leadership as Head RA of the girls' dorm. But over time, she saw her student blossom even more. “I saw Lavern’s creativity grow. She would always tell me about the very good ideas she came up with to help the kids review what they learned that day.”
Dr. Marjorie Raess
Education teacher & mentor at Pacific Islands University
Kathy and Howard Merrell
Liebenzell USA Missionaries to Guam
Anna Austin
2nd grade instructor for Lavern's teaching internship
It wasn't all smooth sailing, though. Kathy further reported, “Lavern found out that teaching is not easy. One must face many difficulties and challenges, but that has not dampened Lavern’s continued desire to focus on teaching."
Though running a classroom was hard work, the students made it all worth it for Lavern: "Every day, the students would ask me, Are you coming back? I could see they weren’t tired of me, and that motivated me to get up early and do the lesson plans for the next week.”
A heartfelt goodbye
On the last day of her internship, Lavern taught all the classes. At the end of the day, the children cried because they didn’t want to see their intern-teacher leave. “Two of the worst behaved students cried the loudest because it was my last day.” Lavern reported. The students shouted, “Ms. Killion,” and blocked the door so she couldn’t get out. The classroom teacher, Anna Austin, joined them in shedding tears. When she sat down in the car with Kathy, Lavern had tears, too. But she also felt the joy of realizing that her influence was greater than she had realized.
A week later, Kathy and Lavern went back to the school to give Ms. Austin a thank-you note and gift from PIU. Ms. Austin had a gift for Lavern as well: a book of letters from the students. Lavern read them to Kathy on their way back to campus. The impact of this collaboration went beyond the hearts of these precious children: Ms. Austin has extended the offer for Lavern to return as a substitute when needed.
Since then...
In the spring of 2020, COVID-19 reached the shores of Guam. Plans that were once certain seemed to be falling apart: Lavern's graduation was canceled, her engagement to her fiancé postponed, and her reunion with family from Chuuk became impossible.
"I was doubting God, questioning why He would allow such a thing as Covid to ruin my plan that I and my family planned together. The feeling of not being able to wait to reunite again with my family turned into a turning away from God. But you know what's funny? I and my husband got married and then a few days or weeks after I came across this verse in the Bible (Jeremiah 29:11) and I just sat back and laughed! I laughed because it’s true — God’s plan is always the best."
Lavern's husband, Joy Roby, comes from her home island of Chuuk. Lavern and Joy now work with a Liebenzell USA missionary, Alex Tavarez, in the Student Development Department at PIU. In particular, Lavern is involved in mentoring and encouraging the women students along with Kathy Merrell.
Lavern and Joy Roby married in fall of 2020.
Lavern and is Meleah Tavarez's "best friend!"
Meleah has grown up
as a
missionary kid on the island of Guam.
And Lavern still gets to do what she loves: teach and pour into students. This semester at PIU, she's the in-person class assistant for Samantha Owen, who teaches a class virtually from the US. She also teaches English Public Speaking.
What's Next?
As a result of her internship, Lavern is more sure about her career. “I know I want to teach. It is my gift. I don’t know where God will be leading me in the future, but I know where he is leading me now. He led me here in PIU to be a light to the ones that are struggling both spiritually and physically."
Lavern's eventual goal is to return to her home island of Chuuk, and provide the girls and boys there with a better education. "Many of the kids back home struggle with their education, because not all the teachers had a good experience in English. They have been learning or schooling in fully Chuukese. That’s what I went through and I don’t want them to go through."
She's also willing to further her education after PIU, so Dr. Raess encourages Lavern to apply to the local school system. As a gift, she sent Lavern a box of teaching material and a shirt that says, “Live Generously.”
Live generously!
What an agenda. A young lady from a tiny island nation, the wife of a retired pastor turned school administrator, and a retired teacher on the other side of the world met at PIU with the aid of a second grade instructor. All contributed with great generosity. Only eternity will reveal the fruit from this quartet’s efforts.
Actually, it’s more than just these four remarkable women. You, too, are a part of this story. Thank you for giving generously.
This article was published in the Spring 2021 issue of the Provision Press.
Share this article:
More Stories
A growing ministry goes virtual in Ecuador.
John Thompson remembers 15 years of ministry spent teaching on Manus Island in the Pacific.
How discipleship helped spread the gospel - even an ocean away from home.
About us
We are committed to bringing the gospel to the unreached people of the world.
We exist to mobilize missionaries and their supporters to "go and make disciples of all nations."
Contact us
(908) 852-3044
PO BOX 66
Schooleys Mountain, NJ 07870
