Projects – Page 2 – Vision for Vanuatu

December 15, 2014April 18, 2015

Update: Married Student Land

JBI is so blessed to now own not one lot, but two house lots to build married student housing on. We presented this need to you in August. A big THANK YOU to Randy Hurst and my father Ron Killingbeck for contacting friends and raising the funds for this.

Before the end of the school term in November the property was all paid for. Together with JBI staff and students, we were able to go and look over the land and discuss our future vision of small family cottages on the property. The location is no more than a 10 minute walk to the main JBI campus so it is ideal! We are so thankful for the unexpected opportunity to purchase land in such a great location.

We are currently discussing the types of buildings needed to adequately accommodate families. Thank you for praying with us and considering how you may help us further develop this land.

October 27, 2014April 18, 2015

Growing JBI Family

I did not expect to start any new construction projects this late in the year but several things including the soon arrival of a new baby made this project a bit more urgent. So we launched into a partial renovation of the old teacher’s house today. It is late at night and I (Lori) just found some more termite mud in my hair. The work crew took out some ceiling panels this morning and found…yes, unfortunately, it was termites…so I was up on the ladder poking my head through some tight purlings to evaluate the sad condition of things.

Anyway, this lovely family, Kiel and Faith Maimai, have a sweet little boy Harry Joshua and he is soon to have a baby brother or sister. They have been living in a guest apartment for several years and need a regular house. We are happy to have a campus house for them, but it has not been lived in for about 4 years because it needs repair. Pastor Kiel is the JBI Dean of Students and full-time teacher.

The house has obviously been added on to over the years but nothing was ever quite finished. I’ll spare you the photos but we ripped out the only bathroom today. The house will also need to be rewired as the electrical wires were a real rat’s nest in the attic.

Would you please consider a gift towards the renovation of this campus house. We have about 5 weeks of work ahead of us and I need about $5000. The JBI campus project number is 5619. Thank you.

August 28, 2014April 18, 2015

Married Couples, A Land Opportunity

Several of our married students leave their wives behind on distant islands for as long as nine months each year while they are in Bible school. The married quarters that we finished last year have enabled us to house three married couples. The studios have been a tremendous blessing, but we do not have enough room to accommodate all our married students. Last year we had 8 couples on a waiting list for 3 apartments available on campus. We can only expand our married housing by moving it off campus.

We have been looking for several years for a piece of land within a quick walk of JBI to build inexpensive married student studios on…we have found it!

Will you please help us?

US$25,000 will purchase this flat 1/3 acre lot which is a mile from the JBI campus. Click the link below to give to this project. Thank you!

Project 5619 – Land

December 23, 2013April 18, 2015

The New House

I thought it was time to update the progress on the missionary house being built on the JBI campus. Lori has been overseeing this project all year from the building permits, the site excavation, to the day to day purchasing and construction progress. It has been a physically demanding project for her as it follows two other construction projects (JBI classroom and married dorm) she coordinated.

We had several weeks of rainy weather in November which really delayed the roofing stage. The metal roof is now on and the roof structure is well-strapped due to frequent hurricanes.

This month we set the water pipes and electrical conduit before the inside walls could be plastered. The plastering has taken a couple of weeks but only doorways and window frames remain to be finished after the Christmas break. The guys have really worked hard.

The list of things to finish still seems very long at this point.

In all this progress, we found out that our landlord wants us to move out before the end of January. The new house will not be ready by then. Staying longer in our rental is not an option as the landlord plans to live in the house himself. So it looks like we will be moving to the school apartment and camping out for a while. As soon as we can get the house livable, we need to move in!

Secondly, all the financing for the house so far, has come from a mission housing loan and a donation from ActioNow but it is becoming apparent that we do not have enough funds to complete it. We need windows, utility hookup, septic tank, light fixtures, closets, kitchen cabinets and worker’s wages.

This house is very important to us in so many ways. We have served at JBI since 2007 but have been unable to live on campus. Living elsewhere requires a lot of commuting and distances us from the JBI community. Secondly, rental houses are very expensive here and as our monthly support decreases the need for cheaper housing has increased.

Would you be able to help us with a special offering to complete this house? The project number is 5677. Thank you so much for your help!

December 12, 2013April 18, 2015

Digging

In order to connect the new JBI house with city power and water, we have to dig a 721 feet (220 meters) trench all the way down to the main road. Then lay that length of electrical cable and water pipes down the hill. When everything is finished the utility company will install the new utility meter. Several people have put their shoulders to the shovel and worked long hours on it. There are a couple of places where we will have to rent a jackhammer to break up the hard coral rock but the work is coming along nicely.

We did not plan for the expense of this new trench, the 220m electric cable nor the 220m of water pipes in our building budget. A donation has been made from friends in Michigan but it looks like we will still need about $2300 to finish. Any help is appreciated!

Project 5677

August 25, 2013December 23, 2013

Mission House Update

The weather has been great and we have made much progress on the mission house. I thought I should post some pictures to give you a look. The foundation was very time-consuming and labor intensive and the rainy weather did not help. The weather cleared and on the 5th of August the ready mix cement trucks were able to get up the hill and we poured the floor slab. Since then we have doing the block work and the electrical conduits. It is really starting to look like a house and the kids have already claimed their bedrooms! We have about 4 more months of hard work before we can move in.

The carport (below) is really coming along. There is no other garage on campus so we will not only have a place for our car but also for the old campus pick-up truck. The room in the back will be of dual purpose as a workshop and a storage for the literature we produce & distribute. The corrugated metal roofing has been ordered and should be installed this next week.

July 18, 2013December 23, 2013

Married Dorm Dedicated

The Assemblies of God Executive Committee are on campus for their bi-annual meeting this week. So we had a dedication prayer and ribbon cutting for the new married dorm followed by a nice dinner in the school cafeteria. The new building was complete except for the exterior paint. We are so grateful to all those who contributed to the completion of this project. It would never have been completed without the very generous donations from many missionary friends, including retired and short term. Thank you to everyone!

June 10, 2013December 23, 2013

JBI Missionary Residence Construction

On April 12, we broke ground for the missionary house on the JBI campus. This was a very exciting event as we are building a house which we will actually live in. Living in community on campus has always been our desire.

As soon as I had the building permit in hand, the guys started to clear the site. We are building at the top of the hill on a site which was excavated years ago for a mission house but never built. A big thank you to Graeme, an engineer, who answered my SOS over his lunch hour and gave me some expert advice and reassurance on the site elevations. Due to the varying elevations the site needed further excavation work. Then the guys spent 2 weeks with a jackhammer breaking through the solid coral stone to make foundation trenches. That was not a pleasant job and everyone was glad to get it done!

Finally, on Friday, May 30, the ready mix cement trucks started coming up the hill and dumping cement into the trenches. The first cement truck got up the hill without a hitch but then it started to pour rain and we spent most of the next 7 hours trying to get the next four cement trucks up and down the hill! The last cement truck had to be unloaded by the wheelbarrow full, with the guys racing up the hill with wheelbarrows and dumping the wet cement into the trenches. It was a grueling day and there are still scars on the school flower beds and lawns as a reminder as to how dangerous a sliding cement truck, with bald tires on wet grass can be!

We are now building the foundation walls and getting ready to pour the floor. Hoping for a week of sunshine so we can get a lot done!

We are not fundraising for the house as we currently have funding from AGWM and ActioNow for the main construction. We may need help with finances for the utility hookups and some inside finishing work. We are very thankful to be moving ahead with this project and look forward to moving into the house around the end of the year.

June 3, 2013June 10, 2013

Fresh Wind Church

This past Sunday we were invited to Fres Win Assembly of God church, pastored by Rev. Joshua Malakai. The church is located in a heavily populated suburb of Port Vila called Fres Win (Fresh Wind). It is a growing residential part of the city, with people coming from many islands to the capital city looking for work.

The church is meeting in a temporary structure beside a large half-finished concrete building. Gary preached and after service Lori was asked to encourage the church about their building program. The church members are wanting to finish the building so they can reach more people in their community. They have raised money for materials and worked very hard over the last couple of years and now need some assistance to finish the job. A few tons of cement to finish pouring posts and beams, timber for trusses, and then a metal roof are needed.

After service there was a lovely church potluck and special cakes to celebrate Mother’s Day. Everyone had a lovely time of fellowship.

Jasmine had fun walking around with someone’s tame parrot on her shoulder and made many new friends.

Let us know if you would like to help the Fres Win church.

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 28, 2013February 28, 2013

Bislama New Testaments Coming…

In 2009, when we printed the Gospel of John in Bislama, we immediately began seeking permission to print a new edition of the New Testament in Bislama. Neither one had been available for many years, though Bislama is the language of choice for the majority of rural people in Vanuatu. This project has been a series of unforeseen obstacles and unexpected delays. There have been days when I have wondered if I would ever see these Scriptures in my hand!

You can imagine my excitement when this photo arrived today showing the container finally being packed in Asia with the new edition of the New Testament in Bislama! 5000 copies are for us! The container was shipped on February 21 and is on its way. Thank you LFTL partners because you provided the funds for these New Testaments to be printed! Can hardly wait for them to arrive…will keep you posted!

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.