Category: Events

This afternoon we gathered with believers from around the island of Efate for the first Shefa Province combined service of the year. Hundreds gathered at Pango Assembly of God and braved the blistering hot sunshine. Choirs from several different Assemblies offered special music and Rev. Edgell Iolopua, the AG General Supt. of Vanuatu was the main speaker.

Hurricane Gene is taking its time moving through the southern islands of Vanuatu. We live on the island of Efate, which is on the southern edge of the central islands and just off the hurricane’s path. We have gotten periodic downpours of rain and gusting winds but nothing severe. Small inter-island ships are to remain at port and the sea is very rough. We are getting reports that the southern Vanuatu islands of Futuna and Aneityum have been directly hit. Houses have been destroyed by high winds and there is much flooding. The storm has not completely left our area so we are not sure what the final damage report will be. Hurricane Gene is a category 3 storm and seven people died when it passed through the Fiji islands several days ago. Please pray for the people living in the path of this storm. We have Assemblies of God works on Futuna and Aneityum.

Twelve days ago, Hurricane Funa passed through the northern islands of Vanuatu, heading east towards Fiji. There was some damage in the northern islands but the government has not been able to fully assess all the damages due to limited communication with some of the villages. Assemblies of God Relief sent medical supplies right after the storm anticipating that there would be an increase of malaria and other sicknesses after so much rain.

Tomorrow, Hurricane Gene is arriving from Fiji and is currently heading towards the southern islands of Vanuatu. I guess that is only fair, since we recently sent them a storm, they are sending us one back. The water bottles are filled and we will take all the necessary precautions again. This storm has been upgraded to a category 3 Tropical cyclone so it could do much damage on the southern islands of Tanna and Aneityum, although here on Efate we will not be directly in its path. There is a map on our “About Vanuatu” page.

Normally in Vanuatu, the hurricane/cyclone season lasts from November to May. This storm season started in October 2007 and has been forecasted to stay active until October 2008! So we will have a full twelve month hurricane season, this due to weather pattern changes in the Pacific and global warming!

This afternoon we were at the airport to say good-bye to Julie Atnelo and Ron Ayasali, two 2006 Joy Bible Institute graduates. They are on their way to the South Pacific Bible College (AG) in Fiji for a year in order to obtain their B.A. degrees in Bible. Gary and I served as interim directors of SPBC in 2002.

Pictured (left to right): Pastor Youen Atnelo, Ron, Julie, Mrs. Roz Iolopua and myself.

Julie Atnelo is the daughter of Rev. Youen and Rose Atnelo. Her parents pastor Evangel Temple AG church in Port Vila and her father serves as Assistant Superintendent for the Assemblies of God of Vanuatu. Julie’s father graduated from SPBC in Fiji some years ago, so Julie is following in his footsteps. Please pray for her that God will meet her financial needs and give her a wonderful year at SPBC! Pray for her parents too as they are missing her already!

Ron Ayasali is a member of Sarabetu Church of Christ. After completing three years of study at Joy Bible and graduating in 2006, he is also going to Fiji to complete his B.A. in Bible.

We are delighted to see two JBI grads pursuing their studies in Fiji and we extend our congratulations to them!

It was a windy night with torrential rains but Hurricane Funa did not come south to Efate, the island we live on. The hurricane passed over the northern islands of Vanuatu, and continued in an easterly direction towards the islands of Fiji. By late afternoon today, the skies were clearing and we even had a pretty sunset! Thank you for praying for us.

There has been a tropical depression blowing north of here for several days. The distant storm has brought us torrential rains and welcomed cooler temperatures. This morning I ran into the grocery store and immediately I was struck by how quiet the store was, no blaring music and no customer chitchat. Suddenly, I realized that everyone was attentively listening to a man’s radio voice over the intercom giving the weather news – and then he said it, our province was under a hurricane warning and the full storm should hit us tonight. As Gary and I drove home, the signs of people preparing for a big storm became evident. One obvious sign was the small inter-island cargo ships had already left the wharf and were anchored in the shelter of Iriki island in the Vila bay.

At this point, all we can do is stock up on batteries for the radio, drinking water and canned foods. We do not have to put up any storm windows because our house has automatic roll-down storm blinds. Vanuatu is situated in “hurricane alley” and during this season, we can expect several hurricanes. We will keep you posted as Hurricane Funa is set to hit us this evening!

This past Sunday we got in a small motor boat and crossed the Port Vila harbor to Ifira Island. This small island is the home of some one thousand people. It is a quiet, clean, well-kept place with no cars, sitting in a busy harbor and only accessible by small motor boat. Pastor Karl was waiting for us at the beach to walk us up to the church because this was our first visit there.

It was a special Sunday morning as the new church board and various ministry department leaders were being installed. Gary was the guest speaker. I wish I had more photos to show you but I did not have the right memory chip in the digital camera and then the camera was not working right either! The church was packed out and we had a wonderful service. Afterwards, a delicious dinner was served. When I was a teenager, the Assemblies of God did not have a church on Ifira yet. The Ifira believers would boat over to a mainland point and have services. Pray for Pastor Karl and his wife as they reach out to the people of Ifira!

We live on the island of Efate, in the Shefa Province of Vanuatu. Throughout the year the Assemblies of God churches of the province get together for special Women’s Ministry, Men’s Fellowship and Youth services. At the end of the year, there is a combined closing service before the Christmas holidays. This year it was held at Bethany Church in the village of Saama, North Efate. Christians from around the island of Efate, gathered on Sunday afternoon, November 18th to worship the Lord together. The service is held outside and people sit on mats. After the service a meal is served.

The day’s theme was “Go, Time Is Running Out” from Matthew 28:18,19. Gary preached from Matthew 24:14.

On September 11, 2007 we went out to Pango village to attend the dedication service of their new sanctuary. It is a lovely building and the prettiest Assembly of God church in the country! The photo on the left shows Gary posing with the pastors and important guests. Lori is posing with Rev. Tom Ierongen from Tanna and Rev. Berry Kalotrip of Pango AG. Pastor Tom was saved under Lori’s parent’s ministry in New Caledonia in the late 1960’s and she has known Pastor Berry’s family for many years too!