Tank is finished!

Hi all,

Yes, we completed the tank today. We poured the concrete roof, by hand. This meant boxing up the roof with timber from underneath supported by poles, then a plastic sheet before we mixed the concrete and lifted it onto the roof in buckets. Hard work, but satisfying to see the finished product. We have had a lot to do with the chief of the village, who is very progressive and seems to have the best at heart for his village. Even though the tank is at the school, it is for all the village. Many will still need to walk a kilometre to come and get the water. There is certainly a lot of need in the rural communities and we can see other projects that we could be involved with in the future. We are all well with only minor tummy bugs every now and then.

Tomorrow we will go out to the village for the last time and do the finishing touches, as well as participate in the opening of the tank ceremony.

Raymond spent the day at the YWAM base assisting with the teaching programme. It has been great to have him free to help at the base with the students who have just started their DTS. The students come mainly from Vanuatu and Fiji to learn more about God and their part in his plan.

We have all been challenged in our thinking and our direction in life. It has been an awesome experience and God has taught us a great deal.  I am sure we will get the opportunity to share this when we return home.

Saturday will be a rest day and we are all heading up to Hideaway Island where the coral and tropical fish are supposed to be amazing. We are even going to get John U onto a boat! The journey is very short and we have reassured him we'll jump in and save him if he falls out.

Tanaka has begun to eat 'mature' meals. The other day he had a croissant. The meals have been wonderful. The village 'mammas' have been very kind and made us a banquet everyday of rice, fish, taro, kumera and a vegetable and meat dish.

The finished tank - it will hold about 9,500 Litres

Inside a classroom

The head teacher talking with Robin.

The chief, Harry, and his grandson, with John U.

Our team leader from the YWAM base, Ricky

Looking forward to seeing you all again and sharing with you our experiences and hopefully helping you 'catch the vision' for Vanuatu.

This will most likely be the last blog before our return.

Blessings to all and thank you for your continued prayers.

Saturday - a day to relax

We are in the area of Efate called Eretap where the river meets the sea (if you are looking at the map), and staying on Pango Road.

Yesterday (Friday) we finished off the top four layers of the tank with the help of some of the local Ni-Van people. The 'jif' (chief) of the area has been very welcoming and he gets stuck in as well at times. One of his sons is a large, strong man, who has been most helpful and works extremely hard. We don't last long in the heat and have to take a number of rests to recouperate, drink and generally chat with others. We have begun to make in-roads with the children and the school. Language is difficult because the children have little English, being a French-speaking school. The head teacher is making an effort to get to know us and at break times is usually out chatting with those standing in the shade. John Utete has a very good understanding of the cultural system because it is similar to that which he grew up with.

We managed to finish a little earlier than normal and were picked up at 2pm at the school so we didn't have to walk the 2 km to the our normal pick-up point. After showering, Geoff and Amanda picked us up in their ute (5 on the back - highly illegal in NZ, but here they fit as many as they can on the back. For example, today we saw a little 2 tonne truck with about 20 or more! Some hanging off the back, most standing). Geoff and Amanda took us into town for some Western luxury - a coffee and muffin, or hot chips and coke for Tanaka (John is not feeding Tanaka properly). Bernice indulged in a creme brulee and ended up with a big smile on her face.

Tomorrow we are off to the local church that our foreman attends. Raymond has been given permission to preach, so if you get this before Sunday morning (10 am our time) please pray for him. Sunday is a rest day here, very little is open, just like NZ in the 70's. We are not sure what the rest of the day will entail, but there won't be anything energetic.

Next week we are hoping to do more with the children and some of the adults in the community, including games, songs and talking about faith. We have been invited into the classrooms as well.

 Our foreman, Sam, and Alice from the YWAM base

 Saki, Alice and one of the local Ni-Vans from the village.

 John and his new found friends

 The main school building (2 classrooms)- water tank is on the right.

Until next time

A good, but hot and tiring, start

28 September
"Olsem wanem. I gud?", "Mi glad tumus". Travel to Vanuatu went well. It was great to meet up with Steve, Lyn and Sophie at Auckland airport to chat and pray together. The flight was good, except for a few bumps.

Arriving in Vanuatu and stepping out of the plane we were hit with the hot, humid blast of the tropics. The airport, like many things here, was simple, but adequate. We were entertained by the local 'boy band'.

Ricky, our Ni-Van team leader, met us there along with Amanda Ogilvie and other team members who presented us with leis.

Once settled into our accommodation, the Efalfal Bay Inn, we sat with Ricky down by the waterfront for our orientation, mainly on the history of Vanuatu and some of the customs.

A second group is also here mainly from two Wellington churches, and Dawn Withers, they are also building a water tank near where we are.

After a lovely dinner of fish, rice, salad, potato and other vegetables, most of us were ready for an early night.

29 September

The night was hot and most of us slept some, but woke early, still on NZ time.

We were picked up at 8:30 to head out to our project. Ricky's cousin is taking us out in his van. The last part of the road is very rough, so it is good it is not wet!

We are building the water tank at a French speaking Catholic school. It takes about 45 minutes to drive out there each day, or 1/2 an hour walk and 1/2 hour drive. The school has 104 children from around the area. Some walk more than 4 km each day, a long way for a 5 year old. They start at 7:30 in the morning and finish at 2:30. The classrooms are very basic, with the original building having a floor of coral and thatched roof. There are 4 teachers.

Our blocks for the water tank had already been made and the foundation had been marked out. We completed the foundation, mixing concrete by hand. Some of the Ni-Van people joined us to help.

Please pray that we will continue to make connections with the children and adults alike and that we would know how best to meet their needs.

God is teaching us as we work in this community. We are challenged by the simpleness of life here and yet the joy that so many display. Pray that we would see each other through God's eyes.

"Lukim yu" (See you later).

Accommodation

We will be staying at the Efalfal Bay Inn, which is a backpackers accommodation 10 minutes walk from the YWAM base, on the Pango Peninsula.

What will we be doing?

Date	Tasks and Ministry
Tue 28 Sep	Leave New Plymouth and arrive Port Vila at 3:25pm
Wed 29 Sep	Village welcome and begin water tank
Thu 30 Sep	Block making, ministry, YWAM community night
Fri 01 Oct	Finish block making, ministry
Sat 02 Oct	Day off
Sun 03 Oct	Church and rest
Mon 04 Oct	Block laying and ministry
Tue 05 Oct	Block laying and ministry
Wed 06 Oct	Plaster inside tank and ministry
Thu 07 Oct	Plaster outside tank and ministry
Fri 08 Oct	Seal tank and paint, village farewell
Sat 09 Oct	Day off
Sun 10 Oct	Depart Port Vila 9:25am, Arrive New Plymouth 7:50pm