Russell flew to Lamap on Malekula island for the annual Malampa Province Pastor’s Retreat. A rewarding and blessed time of ministry for all who attended. The theme of the retreat was “Leadership”. 19 pastors attended the morning sessions, and over 100 people came to the evening meetings. Altogether Russell presented 9 sessions on Leadership. Russell was treated to the very best of Vanuatu cooking by the mumma’s. A whole bullock was consumed during the week, expertly butchered under a tree.
The Assembly of God Church in this village was the first AoG church to open on the island of Tanna many years ago. It was planted by a missionary from Fiji. Lounapiktuan is a village very high up on a mountain ridge on the western side of Tanna.
The village is very picturesque with Bamboo and Palm thatched houses and very productive vegetable gardens set on a narrow ridge. The road ends at this village. The views are just spectacular.
Robyn ran an open Sunday School for 40 children, and Russell preached at the morning service. There were mostly women as the men had gone to overseas to pick apples. We were given a very tasty lunch cooked by the church ladies, and served by Salome the pastors wife. Taro, Manioc in coconut cream, soup (stew) made from chicken, and other island vegetables. We have grown to love the variety of Island Dishes that these women cook over small fires on the ground.
After lunch we had a guided tour of the pastor’s prolific food garden, this garden is on a sloping hill and has very rich black volcanic soil. Our drive took us past many small villages with houses made of bamboo and thatch. This village depends on rain water , when the tanks empty in the dry season, the women walk 2 hrs to the sea to wash their clothes. The children walk 2hrs each way to the nearest school in all types of weather.
Royal Rangers was launched on Tanna island last Saturday 16th May. A full day of training for 8 leaders from 5 different churches, a trial run of the program with a few boys who had come along to watch, and everything was ready for our first night the following Monday.
On Monday afternoon 34 excited boys came after school to New Life church in Lenakel for the first outpost meeting. This meeting gave the new leaders a chance to put into practice what they learned on the Saturday.
It was 5.45 pm when Rangers finished, and some of the boys had a 2 hour walk home in the dark, without a torch back to their villages in the mountains. The leaders are thinking of running Royal Rangers on Saturday morning each week. The plan is to consolidate this group first, then key leaders will take some of the boys and plant outposts out in the villages.
This group of leaders worked really well together as a team, each leader playing a part in the program.
Pre Meeting Activity, was run by Jimmy. He had the boys racing to various places around the church in search of lollies he had hidden.
Opening Parade, Tom confidently taught the boys the Royal Ranger Pledge.
Games, Daniel had the boys rolling around on the ground with laughter, they had so much fun.
Meeting Feature, Joe taught the boys about their unique fingerprints. They all recorded their thumb print and compared them.
Devotion, Johna gave an excellent devotion using a tube of Colgate toothpaste. One boy emptied the toothpaste out onto a plate, then tried to put it back into the tube. He couldn’t. Our words are like that, they come out easily, but do not go back in. He talked about watching what we say.
Closing Parade, Tom finished off the outpost meeting with prayer.
34 very excited boys went home looking forward to the next outpost meeting.
This photo was taken in a small island village we visited recently. Most mumma’s in Vanuatu wash their clothes this way. A big dish, wooden board, scrubbing brush, and a bar of BLU soap. This has to be the best soap ever. Our washing machine does not wash clothes as clean as these mumma’s do. Lines of snowy white nappies on the village clothes lines are testament to the effectiveness of the BLU bar of soap.
