December 2007 – Vision for Vanuatu

December 23, 2007March 21, 2013

Laundry improvements

The veranda outside the boy’s bathroom is currently getting a facelift. This is where the male students hand wash their clothes. On the right, is a photo of Jimmy, a first year JBI student, working on the new partial wall which is going up on the veranda to accommodate two new washtubs and counters.

The photo below shows the two original washtub sinks which sit parallel to the new wall. I missed getting a good “before” photo of the sagging plywood shelves which the students used as counters. The guys were so eager to get started that everything was torn out in record time! When this project is finished there will be a total of four sinks for washing clothes, new tiled counters and the unfinished walls will be plastered.

Thank you for your support in financing these projects. We have several more urgent renovation projects which need to be completed before school starts the beginning of February. Your gifts are very much appreciated.

December 23, 2007March 21, 2013

We’re in print!

The last two days we have been getting email messages from many friends who have already received the January 6, 2008 issue of Today’s Pentecostal Evangel about Vanuatu. It includes a small article about ourselves and the ministry of Joy Bible Institute. Thank you so much for your words of encouragement and interest in the work here. We hope to see many of you in Vanuatu helping us to rebuild the JBI campus or up north assisting in the medical or Christian school outreaches! If you cannot come to us, we thank you for your prayers and financial support towards the work here.

UPDATE: You can read the above article here, or as a PDF file with photos here.

December 17, 2007March 21, 2013

‘Tis the season of gift-giving

Yesterday, we ministered at Ekoftau Assembly of God and witnessed a colorful Christmas gift-giving custom. The Women’s Ministry ladies of the church filed by the pastoral staff draping a four yard length of cloth around each neck and piling household gifts at their feet. Leis of flowers and leaves were added and baby powder was generously sprinkled around each neck and over clothes! A true celebration here always includes a generous sprinkle of talcum powder and a spray of cologne. By the time it was finished the pastoral staff was dwarfed by the lengths of cloth and colors! Gary and I were not forgotten in the event as the ladies draped material and powdered our necks too!

December 16, 2007March 21, 2013

Preparing for Christmas

It has been extremely hot and humid the last few days and everyone agrees that summer has come to Vanuatu! Though for some of us “dreaming of a white Christmas” may mean dreaming of a couple of hours in air conditioning, the 25th will soon be here and the time has come to put up the artificial tree and play the Christmas carols!

Our living room is not going to be in perfect condition this year as we still have an assortment of moving boxes cluttering the house. We have squeezed ourselves in to a small rental house while we wait for our campus house to be renovated. Most of our things have gone to storage for the next year but the Christmas tree and trimmings were kept out. Friday we started decorating the tree with the help of Nicole, a Peace Corps volunteer who came for lunch, and yesterday we finished it. Jasmine and Jeremy are proudly sitting in front of it in their pajamas to see the lights turned on.

In reminiscing, we realized that this Christmas tree has been with us for many years now and that we have trimmed it in Togo, West Africa, Belgium and French Polynesia. We thank the Lord for his faithfulness to us through the years and the doors of ministry he has opened to us. We pray God’s blessing on you and your family as you prepare your heart and home for Christmas.

December 16, 2007March 21, 2013

It’s been 30 years!

The visit was really long overdue but it was hard to believe that it had actually been 30 years since we had last seen each other! Pastor Tony and Eunice Hallo, are dear family friends from Australia. What a wonderful surprise for them to cruise right in to Port Vila harbor on a big ship and spend the day with us! Their church had given them a lovely retirement trip and we are so glad they came our way.

Tony and Eunice were friends of Lori’s parents and supported their early missionary work in Vanuatu. Thirty years ago, Lori’s family last visited them and their church in Melbourne, Australia.

December 16, 2007March 21, 2013

Project #5619

We are delighted to inform you that on December 11th the AGWM Executive approved our request to raise $200,000 to build a new library and classroom building and renovate several existing buildings on the Joy Bible Institute campus. Now all donations can be specifically and easily designated for this endeavor by using the special project number 5619. Thank you for your support in this major campus transformation!

December 10, 2007March 21, 2013

Bathroom progress

The renovation work on the men’s bathroom is just looking great! Here is Gary inspecting the newly laid wall tile and sinks! Compare the before photos (previously posted campus renovations) with today’s … and you can see how much progress we are making. Thank you for your continued support to renovating the JBI campus!

Gary and Job (JBI student and talented renovator) posing in front of the men’s bathroom building. The front wall of this building had never been plastered so Job has plastered it and it will be painted too.