Joy Bible Institute – Page 4 – Vision for Vanuatu

March 20, 2013March 21, 2013

Married Dorm Almost Finished

The married dorm at JBI is almost finished and it is looking really nice. Two student couples are waiting to move in as soon as it is ready. Our pace has slowed in the last couple weeks because we have run out of funds but the workers are pressing on with the materials on hand.

Photo above left: Looking through the window into the studio room. Photo above right: Studio room almost finished.

Photo above left: Doorway into the bathroom. Photo above right: Bathroom tile and view into the shower area.

Any size gift to help complete these 3 studio apartments would be so appreciated. We need to purchase six doors, windows, remaining plumbing and electrical fixtures, septic tank PVC pipes and exterior primer & paint.

March 7, 2013March 21, 2013

Chapel Roof Repairs

A big THANK YOU to friends at Bendigo AOG church for financing the repairs on the JBI chapel verandah roof. The metal roofing, the ceiling plywood and water damaged beams have all been replaced. The repairs should be finished tomorrow. Thank you so much for your help!

February 22, 2013February 22, 2013

Do You See What I See?

Do you see what I see?

I see a building which has sprung up since November and seems like a mirage on campus…but it is really a marvelous testimony to God’s Provision. Little by little we keep progressing and praying. Generous friends have sent gifts and together they have enabled us to get this far. We have totally run out of funds but…

Soon I see married students who will be in these rooms. Wives who have never been to JBI before, now living, working, studying, and worshipping with us. It’s going to be wonderful!

Thank you.

February 15, 2013February 22, 2013

Married Dorm Progress

I have borrowed a camera as my “less than a year old” camera has gone back to the manufacturer as it is not working properly. A month ago, I talked to the guys on Friday and told them to pray because we would have to shut down the project in a couple of days if we did not receive any money.

We were so blessed to receive a couple of offerings which really helped us to continue. I am happy to report that the metal roof is now completely on and some of the plumbing and electrical wiring is being installed. Peter is also putting tile in the bathrooms.

Pastor Mendar (below) who is helping us out for a couple more weeks, is recouping leftover lumber and building 3 bed frames and built-in closets for each room. Which leaves us just having to buy mattresses. He has been such a blessing!

We are out of funds (again) but have made great progress. We basically need windows, 6 doors, plumbing fixtures and money for workers wages.

The new JBI school term starts March 4th and if funds are available, we hope to have this building finished very soon. All gifts welcome.

January 18, 2013February 22, 2013

Married Dorm Wish List

You know how when people are going to get married they go and look at lovely things in a store and sign up on the gift registry?

Well, I have a married dorm building which is not yet finished and looking quite undone at this moment. Classes start on March 8th and I need the rooms ready by then for married students. The leap of faith to finish this building started in November and has been moving along until the bottom of the building fund account has now appeared!

So I thought I would put out my Married Dorm Wish List and if anyone would like to gift us any of these things items, well, that would be just wonderful!!

Married Dorm Wish List

3 toilets @ $200 each ($600)

3 sinks @ $120 each ($360)

1 Cement laundry sink @ $150

3 double mattresses @ $150 each ($450)

6 chairs @ $20 each ($120)

3 small tables @ $50 each ($150)

Plumbing fixtures @ $500 total

Bathroom tile – not priced at this time but we have to tile cement walls.

You can make an online donation here or send a check to our US account labeled project 5619.

January 18, 2013February 22, 2013

Showdown in the Library

In Vanuatu, we have voracious termites, frequent cyclones and earthquakes which damage property. There are some tropical pests which are almost impossible to eradicate. A multitude of invisible wood bores moved into our plywood library shelves a few years ago and began to devour them. A professional fumigator came in and the wood bores still thrived. We fought back by injecting poison into the wood cracks with a syringe. We tried several poisons over a period of time and still they continued to destroy our shelves. Last year the shelves began to sag and the bugs finally won!

Pastor Mendar (a JBI grad) is in town for a few months and has built new library bookshelves out of treated pine. The library is now ready for another school year and we are so grateful for his skills and assistance.

January 18, 2013February 22, 2013

Married Dorm Update

Within a few days the married dorm building may stop for a while as we have run out of funds. I wanted to show you what has happened recently and how much progress has been made. Students arrive for classes March 8th and we really want to have this finished for 3 married couples. We have no other campus housing for married students.

All the interior and exterior walls are being plastered.

This is one of the studio rooms. Private bath through door on the left.

The sky was really this blue today!! Gorgeous! NEED MONEY FOR METAL ROOF!

Photo (left) is the front porch of the building and on the right is the rearview.

The married dorm sits behind the JBI Chapel. Pray with us that funds will come in to finish it quickly!

Thank you for making your tax deductible contribution here.

December 20, 2012February 22, 2013

Construction Update

Well, tomorrow is the last day the guys are going to work (and hence myself) until after January 1st. The work is progressing nicely. This photo was taken a couple of days ago and all the rafters and purlings are in. The bonding beam around the verandah will be poured tomorrow. I think the married students better get their names on the waiting list…only three apartments available!

December 14, 2012February 22, 2013

The Difference a Month Can Make

On November 5, 2012, Pastor Peter (‘07 JBI Grad) and David started working with me to make something useful out of a small half-finished room attached to a larger unfinished foundation. This building was started before we came to JBI in 2007 and had never been finished. The original purpose of the building had been debated but one thing was certain, it needed to be finished. The topsoil in the foundation area had even been used for a couple of years as a vegetable garden. I found this photo of Jeremy standing among the cabbages planted in the unfinished foundation in 2008!

One difficulty we have seen over and over again with our married JBI students, is a spouse having to come alone to Port Vila to study. This separation is especially hard on the wife and children left on outer islands having to subsist alone while the husband is away for 9 months at a time. But renting a room in the city or bunking in with relatives is rarely an option for our married students. On campus we provide dorms for both single men and women but no married accommodations.

A special offering of $5000 towards married housing earlier this year caused us to look for a solution and focus again on this unfinished building…the only one on campus. So recently a decision was made to finish this building and make 3 studio apartments for married couples before school starts again in 2013.

So the past month has made an amazing difference in transforming an unfinished foundation into three studio apartments!

We have spent the $5000 gift and now need more funds to finish the rest. The next costly item will be the purchasing of metal roofing. Then we will need money for bathroom fixtures, 3 double beds, tables, chairs and closets for each apartment.

This building is a continuation of Project 5619 construction at Joy Bible Institute. If you would like to make a donation towards this project you may do so here. Thank you so much for your continued support of the school!

November 9, 2012February 22, 2013

Married Students Housing Under Construction

A few years ago this unfinished building foundation was full of cabbages, peanuts and tomato plants. The guesthouse project started by our predecessor has remained unfinished for quite some time. We have desired to slightly alter the plans and make three studio apartments for married couples with it. Married couples’ accommodation is really what the school needs. Renting a room in town is rarely an option for our married students because they come to JBI without guaranteed funds. So often, wives have to remain back on home islands while husbands come to Bible school for three years of study.

This past Monday, November 5th, we hired a work crew and they cleaned out the weeds and cut down the papaya tree growing in the middle of the floor (photo above). Since then, the guys have continued working and I have been purchasing cement blocks, bags of cement, sand, coral and rebar. An unexpected offering has allowed us to begin the completion of this building but we have a long way to go.

As of today, Friday, November 9th, this photo shows our progress, plumbing pipes set, and additional foundation footings. Everything is ready for the floor to be poured on Monday! We are so excited to be on our way to providing rooms next year for three married couples. If you would like to help us with this building, please send all gifts to our account, labeled project 5619.

November 6, 2012February 22, 2013

Sailing to Santo

Twenty JBI students have headed to Santo today for a two week mission trip. Yesterday, they were all ready to set sail but a severe weather front kept the ship at port. This morning it was still very stormy but by afternoon the sun was shining as the “Santo Queen” left port with 18 happy students, spouses, six puppets, boxes of literature, and a whole lot of baggage!

The students have been preparing all year for this trip. They raised all the money to cover their costs, fasted once a week as a student body, prepared a children’s program, and so much more. As graduation approached, the teary graduates have been happy to prolong their time with classmates by a couple more weeks of joint ministry and adventure…this kind of endeavor in Vanuatu is always a bit of an adventure. They are on the high seas tonight, 24 hours of travel time, stopping to unload passengers at several islands and then arriving on Santo later tomorrow afternoon. Once on the island of Santo they will start trekking to churches and villages in bush areas.

Pastor Philip and ourselves will be flying to Santo shortly to join the students. Please pray for us all as we go, taking the Gospel to those who have yet to hear or understand that this Good News is for them.

November 5, 2012February 22, 2013

2012 JBI Graduation

Sunday, November 4th, was a very special day for the JBI family as we celebrated the graduation of seven students.

2012 Graduates (left to right): Jack Jessie from Solomon Islands, Hosea Katipa from Tanna, Micknie Natu from Maewo, Maturine Kaltakel from Efate, Abel Rete from Santo, Gino Bule from Santo and Freddie Bani from Santo. The five students wearing red sashes were awarded diplomas and the two others received certificates.

JBI Graduation was held at Evangel Temple in the afternoon as the campus chapel is too small for such an event. Hundreds of people, friends and family, gathered for the service. AOG Vanuatu General Superintendent Rev. Youen Atnelo is the senior pastor at Evangel Temple and a long time supporter and former teacher of the school.

We were so blessed to have Pastor Russell and Robyn Harbour from Australia with us. The Harbours spent 3 years as AOG Australia missionaries in Vanuatu assisting with Royal Rangers and then teaching at JBI. We have missed them since they left in 2010 and enjoyed having them visit. The students were so excited to have “mom & dad” back on campus! Pastor Russell was our graduation speaker.

Another overseas guest was Rev. Kenneth Mamali, from Honiara, Solomon Islands, who came to witness Jack Jessie’s graduation. We have been privileged to have a small part in training students from the Solomon Islands in recent years. Jack was also surprised to have his sponsor, Norm, from Australia arrive in time for graduation weekend.

Hosea Katipa, (photo above left) was the class speaker. He served as Student Body President this year. Hosea is married with five children and is from SW Tanna.

What a special moment for Gary (Rev. J. Gary Ellison, JBI Principal), to present the graduates with their diplomas and certificates. We thank the Lord for a wonderful school year and the commitment of these young men and women. Pray for them as they return to their home islands for ministry.

November 4, 2012February 22, 2013

Graduation

JOY BIBLE INSTITUTE

2012 Graduation

took place on

Sunday, November 4, 2012

at Evangel Temple, Tebakor.

November 2, 2012November 3, 2012

JBI 2012 Banquet

It was a lovely moonlit evening as friends and family of the JBI graduates gathered for an outside banquet on campus. First and second year students are responsible for organizing the whole evening, from decorating to cooking the meal. All I can say is, they really did a wonderful job and it was a fun and delightful evening!

We had lots of laughs, a few tears, much gift giving and baby powder sprinkling…no Vanuatu party is complete without the special guests being generously sprinkled with baby powder which of course, glows nicely in the dark!

Here are some photo highlights:

Students Nicole and Vaily greeting and giving flower leis to the graduates as they arrive. Grads Hosea and Freddie already sprinkled with baby powder for the occasion!

2012 Graduates: Micknie Natu, Hosea Katipa, Maturine Kaltakel, Freddie Bani, Abel Rete, Jask Jessie, Gino Bule, cutting the graduation cakes.

Photo above: Friends and family enjoying the evening’s food and program.

Left photo above: 2nd year student, Jonah Ravo; Mrs. Faith Maimai, faculty spouse; and Michel Moli, first year student serving food. Right photo above: Mrs. Serah Naias, faculty spouse.

Left to right above: Kiel Maimai, JBI Dean of Students; Philip Naias, JBI faculty and Russell Harbour, former JBI faculty member. Decked out with gifts of shirts, material, baskets, mats and leis. Photo above right: Graduate Gino Bule presenting gifts of thanks to Roger and Cindy Sutter for their generous support to him while at JBI.

Left to right: Rev. Kenneth Mamali from Solomon Islands; former JBI faculty, Pastor Russell and Robyn Harbour from Australia; Hosea and his sponsor, Pastor Willie David Saul, (the rooster is alive).

Three of our graduates are from the village of Sara, on the northern island of Espiritu Santo. Abel, Freddie and Gino posing with family.

And a wonderful time was had by all!

November 1, 2012November 3, 2012

School Year Ending…

This week has been a flurry of activity…the students have been sitting final exams and teachers have been grading stacks of papers and exams. The school year at JBI is coming to an end. It has been a wonderful year and now we are ready to graduate seven students.

Front left to right: Gino, Jack, Maturine. Back row left to right: Abel, Hosea, Micknie and Freddie.