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).