Life on an island

Over 3 weeks have past since we arrived here in Santo. I can now understand alot more of a conversation and each day we get a little better with the language.  We have become proficient at washing our clothes by hand and getting use to the fact we cant afford to go buy chocolates at the local supermarket.  Starting to find our way around the market and often walk to the one near by  to get fresh fruit and vegetables.  You can only buy fruit in season and some look completely different to what we get in Australia. The cabbage looks and tastes like silverbeet. The grapefuit ( pumplemouse) is much sweeter and makes a delicious drink. The bananas are green but they taste ripe and are delicious.  

There are many geckos and they squeal,  a bit disconcerting at first but getting use to the noise now, was glad the droppings all around are from them and not mice..........Lots of very skinny puppies and dogs, sorry all dog lovers, most are not treated well, very malnourished and dont think they know what desexing is!!!!!!! Many skinny chooks and heaps of fluffy cute chicks. They call ducks , dukduk, how cute....

The children love to say hello to us, many look with there huge brown eyes and plead with them for a hand shake. They are polite and quiet and a little shy. But they seem intrigued with us white people. I went into a shop the other day and a little (5-7) disabled girl was walking in holding her dads hands . She kept pulling back so she could touch me, she grabbed my hand and smiled the biggest smiled, then she drew it to her mouth and kissed it. She was then happy!! I stepped out side as her dad put her in the car, she saw me, her face lit up and she beckoned me over. She again grabbed my hand , squeezed it, kissed it and smiled. I asked her name and she told me and asked mine. As she drove off she waved and beamed from ear to ear. What a darling. And to think she could make me feel so special and make my day was awesome.  Moments like that are hard to put into words! 

If we wanted anominity, we came to the wrong town. Many already recognize us and greet us like locals. Today a Mormon couple introduced themseves and asked if Royce was the new Jehovahs Witness pastor. They had seen us out in our ministry work. They are here for a year from America,  Cheryl & Sherman, they had some words of advice and wished us well. Trying to get a bank account has taken 3 weeks, what a drama and tried to transfer money into it and apparently the BSB doesnt work... They just say come back tomorrow.  Immigration is even worse, sending us back and forth to get photo copies, go to another place to pay fee, back again only to be told we need to get more photocopies.  And thats after you finally get them working, closed for an hour and half at lunch. Closed tuesday because a plane lands Tuesday.  Only open half day friday. Also closed Wednesday,  but who knows why, suppose to be open. Sometimes they are there with door closed and they callout the window, " come back later " or they are sitting down at the water talking. That's life, Santo style...... a lot frustrating.  Anyway we paid for and got a 4 month visa but have to go back every month to get it stamped. To get 12 month up front need to send to Port Vila, but we are guessing that that would be worse at present. Many local businesses rely on PortVila so the cyclone has  had a flow on effect here. 

We shower in cold water which is quite refreshing,  we have town water (hot) but apparently water is contaminated due to cyclone, so probably just as well we have tank water. Safer. We were working up around the hospital emergency the other day, it was so busy with everyone but many families, we spenta bit of time with them and they seemed to appreciate our efforts. The preaching work is so rewarding and all are so happy to see you and want you to spend time, young old, men and womens. The cart work is exceptional. The local brothers and sisters so interested in finding everyone, and when you are in an area you pass people walking , reading what they have been left. They have so so little but all have the biggest smile and want to share what they do have. Today I came home with juice and a pumplemouse.  

Last Saturday we were working a little french community they live on the banks of a azure blue stream,  you could see right through the waist deep water, then at the edge of the village was a blue hole, not a tourist attraction, just sitting there for all to enjoy!!! The people work on a cophra plantation and live off the food they grow. There huts are made  from trees around them, many sitting repairing there roofs with banana leaves they had woven. They are very resourceful. Sadly there are many kava bars in most settlements and that is a big socil problem here.

We are busy preparing for the memorial of Jesus death, the 100 odd congregation expect 800 to attend this year plus numerous isolted groups. Some groups have built special house kingdom huts just for the memorial. They preach with an urgency to get all to come along. Today it was bucketting down , so up with umbrellas and off we headed, the sister with me just put her arm around me and huddled under the cover of the umbrella with me. We trudged merrily through puddles and long grass, smiling all the way. When the rain finally stopped she said, " we have been blessed"Got to love their spirit!!!!

The C.O. Just got back from Vila this week and said the situation is bad there, they have cleaned up and now just starting to rebuild. Our cong of poor brothers donated fruit and vegetables ( a truck full ) to Port Vila. When they went to the wharf to take the truck  there were many trucks waiting in line to biard the ferry, one by one the trucks were being turned away, eventually they got to the brothers truck and he was waved on board!!!!!!! HOW ABOUT THAT.  So all are being cared for. Many volunteers flying in daily from Australia we are told. 

Well if you have reached this point, than you for reading, I hope you weren't bored! Until next time. Ale tata

Sunny and well

Hello again from sunny Santo, the last post was delayed due to no internet. Only one provider operating here still. No phones, no tv and little radio coverage.  We know Santo escaped will little damage compaared to Effate and some of the small islands. Brothers are working hard to get homes built and get food supplies to the brothers. The weather here is back to magnificent.  Since the cyclone many butterflies have appeared, they are beautiful.  As we call on people,  they continue to clean up there homes and do the repairs as needed. The people here are so resiliant and realise how fortunate they have been, but also saddened to hear reports as they come in. The ministry still astounds me daily, today I started a study on the invitation work and go back tomorrow for next study. One girl I met Tuesday in cart work, returned the following day to bring me a coconut (now there is a first) & has invited us to her island to stay , eat and be taken around.  I think she will also study with me. It's amazing,  still pinching my self every day. Missing our family and friends but trying not to dwell on that. Goodfella day to all x x x x

Pam

Friday 13 2015

Well our visitor has arrived!! After much anticipation cyclone Pam arrived in a furry or should I say whirlwind!! As the day passes the rains increase & the winds intensify. At this point, 4.18 pm you hear the thunder of the wind roaring up the hillside.We are near the top of that hill but nestled into a convenient dip, so the gale continues on above us leaving water, leaves and debris in its wake. It so not cold, although I do have on a windcheater. (Not surprising for those who know me) 

The power went off around noon & at that time the weather still allowed for moments of playful folley & removal of debris in between bouts of storms. Now however, it would only be the brave or foolish who venture out.

I spare a thought for those we have already met this week who live beside the river or on the seafront on the various islands. There little huts could hardly stand the forces of Pammys wrath. The dear little children who had so little already, probably now not even having a dry place to sleep.

Most of the day has been spent, learning Bislama for Royce, and I have busied myself with various tasks, scrubbing the veranda,  making a cake, tea, writing in my diary,  listening to music, much of which brings happy memories flooding back. I even had a chance to have alittle dance in the rain and a shower under an overflowing water spout....... its the small things that give so much pleasure.  

Why...... I even found time to sit back and begin a novel I have long desired to read " the shifting fog" by Kate Morgan, oh how decadent & I am so enjoying it.......perhaps I may get to finish it if we are shut in for 3 days as predicted, we'll see. Silver linings as SOMEONE reminded me about.

We have no phones, so am guessing the zone talk for tomorrow will not be hooked up. We will just wait and see, that's how life is here in vanuatu, no stress man!!!!! As I put my thoughts to paper , royce sleeps, not feeling the best due to over exertion,  chopping, digginng,tieing things down at interval............I prefer choc tops!

Well my friends its ale tata from Luganville, the big wet.

Wan a bigfella storm!!

In the space of a few hours the yard has been transformed into a war scene! The sky is dark and the rain relentless.  No crevis is safe from the squalls that continue to come!

The Night Pam came for a Visit.

Amazed

Well life in Vanuatu is a real buzz. So close to Australia but so different. The people are relaxed, happy, inquisitive ( esp of white people) & poor. That being said they are rich in family life and values and are truly spiritual people. We have way too much materially compared to them. They share what little they have and a smile seems to be permanently on their faces. Our living conditions are way below what we are use to. We are trying hard to understand bislama. I think they struggle to understand us!!!!!

Here we are!

Well there are so many moments you need to pinch yourself to see you are not dreaming. At the moment it is 5.30am and I am sitting outside under the verandah , the sky is red (not a bad sign here) roosters crowing in distance properties. A gentle breeze is blowing as Luganville comes to life. The day warms very quickly but there is a need to start early so it doesn't matter.

Yesterday we started the day at a similar time as the group was 7am. We had to be on our way by 6.30. By 7.15 I was on the back of the Ute with many others heading to the boat to Marlo. Everyone you meet along the way gets a witness and everyone wants to listen. Royce sat in the Ute as still quite sore. Just as well as it was a bumpy rough ride, although they laugh and talk all the way, so so much fun. We were on the island for over 10 hours and the only time we stopped was to eat our packed lunch on the beach, where the local people brought us mats (& a chair for Royce) to sit on & then came and sat too. The children played and enjoyed every moment of our time there. They had ran ahead of us landing in our boat to tell their families we were on our way. Every hut, family commune or person we met on the track, listened intently. All invited us in to their tiny humble homes. The entire family sat in and took all we offered. Some were so happy they were thanking Jehovah as they thought they had missed out. Others who we had missed came to find us at the spot where the boat would meet us, to hear our message. I cant put into words how amazing the day was but we felt we were starring in " the best life ever " DVD.

Claudine ( the caretakers wife were we live) stated a study and many more pleaded with us to return. As the children all learn English I used all my english literature on them. They were still walking around with their treasure hours later. They have almost nothing in their homes, a piece of wood to sit on sometimes but mainly grass mats, they wash in water collected in drums outside and have cooking utensils. I took 24 Bislama magazines and came home with none! Claudine placed all 48 she carried. And all the others were much the same. 

While we waited for the other part of the group on the beach for 2 hours (island time) us sistas went swimming in our clothes, by then all the island children were swimming in the crystal clear waters too. They found it hilarious, especially the crazy white lady!!! They called our names and swam with us. The boat came with our french speaking CO sitting on top of roof with his french foreign legion hat on! He lives at the Kingdom Hall and spends one day visiting a Cong and 1 week in Luganville.  

By the way no coffee breaks no toilet stops! 

By the time we arrived back in Luganville and Jon Luke ( the CO ) dropped us all off at our varies location it was well after 7 pm, a long day but so so so rewarding.

MOST PEOPLE ON Marlo and the ones were with wanted to see our family, in particular our boo boos,( grandchildren name here) they love family.  

So bottom line is we are busy , tired but well. We do miss you all and wish you could come to experience this life.........