Yap grieves for murdered student missionary

Updated November 23, 2009 18:02:47

The residents of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia are reeling from the murder of a student missionary on the island. Kirsten Elizabeth Wolcott was stabbed to death while out jogging near the school where she was volunteering. The community has come together to offer its support to Ms Wolcott's family and to the eight other missionaries who had been working with her. Police in Yap have arrested a suspect over the murder of Kirsten Wolcott.

Presenter: Helene Hofman
Speaker: Principal, Nicholas Fonseka; Louis Torres, president of the Adventist Church's Guam-Micronesia Mission

TORRES: Kirsten was a very talented, bright and very attractive young lady. Very committed to her work. She loved the kids, the Yap kids, and so she was very active, she jogged every day and she was a harpist. She was just a very well rounded young person.

HOFMAN: That tribute from Louis Torres, president of the Adventist Church's Guam-Micronesia Mission is just one of the many that have been paid to Kirsten Wolcott over the last few days. The 20-year old from the US state of Virginia had taken a year off from her studies to go to the Federated States of Micronesia as a student missionary. She was volunteering as a teacher at the Seventh Day Adventist Church School in Yap, and had told her friends and family back home that she was loving the experience.

But last week she was found stabbed to death in woods near the school. The attack has shocked the small community on the island of Yap to the core.

Principal Nicholas Fonseca says they've been working to support the students since and have just started classes again.

FONSECA: Earlier they were a bit discouraged and disappointed and kind of afraid, but everything has settled now and therefore we are starting school. You know the representatives of Micronesia-Guam Adventist mission were here all these days and they've been talking to them, all these days and talking to them, you know, with early morning worships and evening worships and helping them, supporting them. So they're doing ok.

HOFMAN: Ms Wolcott was one of nine student missionaries working on the island. The rest of the girls have decided to stay in Yap and are being comforted by the representatives of the Guam Micronesia Mission who immediately travelled to the island to offer their support. Ms Wolcott's family in Virginia meanwhile are waiting for her body to be sent home for burial. Mr Torres says he has spoken to her parents who wanted to thank the community of Yap for their support.

TORRES: But the father said to me, he said Pastor I just want you to know that we don't have any grudges, animosity. We're thankful that our daughter could serve the people there. I shared that with the community because I wanted them to know that it would not be fair for the nation to suffer because of one person's cruelty. The community have responded in a very positive, very supporting way. There's outrage and anger that a Yap person could do something I guess to somebody who gave up their lives to serve the people here in Yap.