Working with attitude

 

Since we arrived there has been building going on over the road from our house. Up to 3 concrete mixers are working all at the same time for most of the day, it is noisy. Buildings here are made of concrete as they need to be strong enough to withstand earthquakes and tremors.  At various times throughout the day, all the workers from the two sites start singing their island songs as they work. They sing loud and in parts. The sound of their singing drifts into our house. They may not be paid much but they certainly enjoy their work.

The wages offered from the job section in the Daily Post, our local paper, I have changed them  to Aussie dollars. A house cleaner gets $2.40 an hour, a shop assistant $5,000 per year, a secretary $8,800 per year, tradesman $12,000 per year, and a fully qualified engineer around $21,000 per year.

Easter Sunday

Resurrection Sunday started early for us. Up at 3 am, picked up by the church bus at 3.30am sharp. The bus did a milk run through the suburbs picking up women for the Sunrise Service. Our last pickup was up high on a plateau over looking the city and the harbour. The morning was still dark, quiet, warm, the view a million dollar one. The lights on the city reflecting on the water, the moon tracing a path on  the bay. Picture perfect. One problem………………..we were bogged, and the speaker was on the bus.

The women generously helped the men push the bus out of the bog, Robyn was made to stay on the bus as she was the speaker and they wanted her to stay clean. She couldn’t resist hoping out for a photo. We arrived 10 minutes late. The service went for 2 hrs, and it was great, afterwards some of the mumma’s let loose, singing and dancing. We love this Vanuatu life.

Easter Craft at Evangel

Robyn ran a craft session for the Easter Camp at Evangel today.

Here are some of the results. The bigger girls had a lot of fun with the finger puppets but as soon as the camera came out they disappeared. The younger ones made Easter cards and bookmarks. Another group painted small  plaster fridge magnets. A really fun day.

  

Women’s Ministry Opening

The Women’s Ministry opening was held on 12th March at Ifira Island. The speaker was from Fiji and her talk was timely. The most moving time of the evening was when a lady from Epao (middle in blue) shared her story of domestic violence in her home. Her husband ended up in Jail where he became a Christian. On his return home he was a changed man and now her home is peaceful.

When she finished talking a man walked down the island and said,”I am that man” and proceeded to lead the choir from Epao in song. A very moving time. (you can see him on the right).

The way home was hilarious. Can you imagine about 200 plus women, 20 at a time crammed into a small motor launch, scary, pitch black (no moon), the boat overloaded so a bit too close to the waterline for comfort. Nervous laughter accompanied the whole trip as we thought we may end up in the sea. We travelled across the shortest route to land. As we don’t have a car to access this shorter crossing we use the longer route from town which is a 20 minute  sea crossing. We waited in total darkness for the boat. Some people had small torches, it was only the flash from the camera that allowed this boat to be seen.

Good Friday

 

We were sitting in our lounge this afternoon, after attending our own Good Friday service at Evangel Temple. We heard singing coming down the road.  Five groups of at least 200 people if not more in each group were walking down the road, singing praise to God, for sending His Son Jesus to earth. We were impressed. Robyn grabbed the camera and went to the hole in our hibiscus hedge for these photos. These people are from the Catholic Cathedral some distance away. Good on them!