Mission Vanuatu 2011 Conference on Evangelism

Twenty-five representatives from 5 Nazarene Churches and 4 preaching points located on 3 different islands in the country of Vanuatu met March 3-5 for the purpose of "igniting our passion for making Christlike disciples."  We sensed God's presence as we gathered for worship on the first evening led by Pastor David Tasso of the Malapoa Church. 

  Sylvia began by sharing about our theme and purpose borrowed from the recent M11 Conference in Kentucky, USA.  She explained what it meant for something to "ignite" and then further described the word "passion."  David and Sylvia both shared from the Great Commission passage in Matthew 28:18-20 and encouraged each representative to take seriously Christ's call to make disciples.     

We broke into small groups to study from the Bible what it means to be a disciple.  We learned that a disciple is - a BELIEVER, a FOLLOWER, a LEARNER, a WITNESS, BAPTIZED, and a MULTIPLIER.  Sylvia shared about the web of friends and family and work relationships (oikos relationships) that make witnessing a natural part of our lives.  We all took time to write down as many names of people in each of our "webs" who are currently not in a relationship with Jesus Christ.  We were challenged to pray for each of them and make the most of our opportunities together to be disciples of Jesus.

On Friday evening we learned about how we carry out the Great Commission.  It must be our lifestyle, just like it was for Jesus, as we live the life of Christ before others, invest our lives in making disciples by giving of our time, participating in Bible study, enabling others in ministry, all done in and through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Sylvia shared about the strategy of Sunday School and small groups as our foundation.  She further explained this in the Saturday morning session with those who will be serving as Sunday School teachers in their local churches.  Sunday School for adults is a new concept for many of them, but they agreed that it is needed in order for us to grow in our relationship with Christ.

Lay pastor Morrison (L) receiving the offering from William

It was a blessing that Morrison, the lay pastor from the island of Tanna, was able to be with us for the conference.  He is overseeing 3 different preaching points that were the result of an outreach effort last June.  In the last 2 months they have experienced two devastating cyclones that wiped out their gardens.  Nazarene Compassionate Ministries has been able to assist with some food relief during this time for the communities that were hit.  The local Nazarene churches in Port Vila also wanted to take part in  compassionate ministry and presented Morrison with a cash gift of over $100 while we were together Friday night.  

We want to thank all of you who have been praying for us during the conference.  God is working in the lives of our leaders as a result of your prayers.  One young man from the Black Sand Church has been struggling spiritually for the last 4-5 months.  We encouraged him to take part in the conference and he came!  When he returned Friday evening, it was obvious just from the look on his face that something had changed in his heart.  This morning he eagerly led the morning worship service at his church where David is the pastor.  William, the interim pastor for Ohlen Church while the Isaac's are on home assignment, stood Friday evening and shared his personal goal of being an example for Christ in every area of his life.  Sylvia will continue to meet two more times this month with the Sunday School teachers to prepare and equip them for their ministry.  On Sunday, March 27, the churches in Port Vila will gather at Vila North School where the Ohlen Church is currently meeting for our Sunday School Launching Event where the Sunday School teachers will be commissioned for service and pastors and church leaders will commit their support.  Pastors Peter and Jenny will continue the work of equipping these leaders after we leave for home assignment on March 29th!  

"Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge:

'God authorized and commanded me to commission you: 

Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, 

marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you.  

I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.'"

Matthew 28:18-20, The Message

Cast-Off Day!

Sylvia Irena is cast free!  Hip Hip Hooray!

Sylvia standing in her cast

No, we didn't throw away any old clothes and we didn't set sail for Tanna either!  Today was the day that Sylvia Irena "cast-off" her body cast that she has been wearing for the last 4 months!  She is free to crawl and stand and walk now.  When she first had the cast put on we prayed that the Lord would give her and her parents grace to endure this time of "confinement."  God has answered our prayers in abundance!  She learned to roll over in her cast and crawl, and lately she was even standing in her cast!  She is a determined little girl!  In a few days the girls will celebrate their first birthday.  We praise God for his hand of protection in their lives and for his grace that has been more than evident in Joel and Bekah's lives as well as our sweet grandgirls.

Dora (left) and Sylvia (right)

  Luke 5:24-25 - Jesus to the paralyzed man:

"I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home." Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on,

and went home glorifying God!

Cyclone Season is Here!

Image accessed at www.news.com.au on 3 February 2011

This is how large Cyclone Yasi was when it hit the coast of northern Australia!  Interesting perspective.  Have you wondered how cyclones get started?  I have, especially since we've faced 2 fairly large and devastating ones within the last 2 weeks - Cyclone Vania and Cyclone Yasi.  Here's an interesting story that explains how they get started as well as other interesting information.  Click here to go to the story.

Please be in prayer for all those who are suffering as a result of these violent storms.  Pray also for wisdom for the leaders in the Church of the Nazarene as they reach out in compassion to help the victims.

Homeward Bound

Christmas with Wesley 2010

It has been 3 1/2 years since the last time Wesley lived in our home.  We had seen him during those years when we were in the States for home assignment or vacation, but had only been together for a week or so at a time.  These last six weeks together have been such a gift to us as we were able to experience the person that he has become during his years at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.  E-mail and Skype are great blessings for those of us who spend a lot of our time separated from those we love, but they don't take the place of actually "being" together.  Really knowing a person takes spending time with them in a variety of situations.  You know someone as you talk over various things that are important to each of you or as you pray about the things that deeply concern you.  The chance we had to share life together these few weeks, was a precious gift!

It has been exciting to hear about Wes' plans for the future!  He is almost finished with his degree in literature and philosophy from MVNU, but he is thinking about beginning a carpentry apprenticeship in the fall.  He has discovered during his years of academics that he loves to work with his hands.  He has a wonderful God given ability to express his thoughts in writing and he will continue to find avenues for using that gift.  He loves literature of many kinds and will continue to utilize what he has learned about analyzing and critiquing what he reads.  We are glad that he is looking for and recognizing God's leading.  In and through all of it we sense a deep passion to be and do what God desires!

We will meet up with Wesley again in a few months, Lord willing, to celebrate his graduation from college.  Yesterday, he began the long journey back to his other "home" in Mount Vernon, Ohio, to find an apartment and job while he completes his final class for his college degree.  Thanks for praying for him throughout these next few months of transition.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

3 John 4

Cyclone Vania Devastates the Island of Tanna

On Monday and Tuesday of this week we watched as a tropical depression quickly turned into a raging cyclone that moved at a snail's pace directly over the islands of Erromango and Tanna.  These 2 islands are located in the center of the satellite picture above.  While we were at Bible study Wednesday evening at Black Sand Nazarene Church in Port Vila, we began to feel the strong winds start to hit us as well.  The winds continued through Thursday, and finally began to subside on Friday.  We didn't receive the full force of the winds here in Port Vila, but still many of the fruit trees in our yard were broken off.  All around town large trees were snapped off and flung to the ground.

We rang Morrison on his mobile phone for a report of how things looked on Tanna.  He told us that all the gardens are ruined.  Houses were ravaged by the strong winds and heavy rains. Sylvia spoke with the Tafea Provincial Disaster Management officer who shared that trees were blocking the main road so that people are not able to travel. The Public Works department is working to open the roads, but it will take quite a few days. 

The people will repair their homes with bush materials like coconut leaves and wild cane.  They will replant their gardens, but the crops won't be ready for harvest for another 4-6 months.  Please pray with us that God will guide us as we partner with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and the Nazarene Churches in Port Vila to offer support and aid to those who have been devastated by this cyclone.

God's Plan of Redemption for the People of Tanna

The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;

Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting;

Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalm 138:8

We are so thankful for all that God accomplished in our recent trip to Lawangi on the island of Tanna!  We flew from Port Vila on January 3rd, and were met by the lay pastor, Morrison, at White Grass Airport just outside of the provincial capital of Lenakel.  We were transported to Lenakel and together with Morrison's wife and little boy, Abraham, we journeyed on to Lawangi.

 Abraham had grown so much since we saw him last June!

We had a smooth ride to Lawangi in the back of the pick-up.  This was Wes' first trip to Tanna.

The road had obviously been quite muddy in the not too distant past.

We stopped briefly at the Enapuas market for some island cabbage and 

for some of Abraham's "aunties" to love on him before continuing on to Lawangi.

We were delivered a short distance off the main road and walked the last couple kilometers, 

down, 

down, 

down 

to Lawangi village.

We were greeted by a slight rainbow over the ocean as soon as we got there.

We were honored to stay in Morrison and Rehab's home.  Their coconut leaf roof had sprung some leaks so we brought along a tarp to help keep us dry inside.  

It was only a short time before the rains began!  It rained so hard that small rivers formed and ran past our front door. We were so thankful for this dry place of refuge as the rain continued for the next 3 days.

It was so fun to meet up with our friends again!  Selah had a new baby sister since the last time we were here.

This is Tom.  His son George is taking SPNTC classes in Port Vila and being discipled by Pastor Gideon.  Tom was so proud of what his son is doing.  We were glad for the time we had getting to know Tom while we were at the village.  God is working in his life and family.

These are 2 sweet little friends that share the same name - Selah and Selah!

We started teaching the Bible Overview course on Tuesday morning.  We taught several hours each morning and evening for 3 days.  We were really glad to see the same people returning each time.  It surprised us that no one had ever been told about God's plan of redemption from Genesis to Revelation.

The house that we had used in June for our meals and meetings was our classroom.  We were able to post our biblical historical timeline along with the visual aids to teach how God had worked throughout history to accomplish his plan.

David is teaching here with the 12 sons of Israel acting out part of the story.

George's brother Andrew became Judah, and Wesley became the tribe of Reuben.  We didn't have enough men so John's mother, Wesese, played the part of Gad and Serah was the tribe of Benjamin.  The stories of God's love for his chosen people came to life through drama.

The rain continued most of the time.  This pot was strategically placed to catch the water as it ran down the tree.  It was full most of the time!

Wesley made a hike down to the waterfall one day for a swim, but discovered that the river had become very dirty with all the run-off.

The moments of sunshine were enjoyed by people and chickens alike.  We also scrambled to get our "sola laet" (solar lights) out in the sunshine to charge them for the evening class.  We were glad that we fully charged the lights before we left Vila.  It gave us about 6 - 8 hours of light. 

The Port Vila churches had given an offering that made it possible to purchase these solar lights to give to the 3 Tanna congregations so that they can meet in the evenings for worship and Bible study.

 On our third day at the village, Sam told us that his garden had literally fallen off into the river.  And, his was not the only one that had slid off into the river.  By the next day, he reported to us that he had re-planted the place where his garden had been.  This week Cyclone Vania passed over Tanna and devastated the gardens that survived last week.  Banana trees were blown down and taro leaves were whipped in the wind and ruined.

On our way to class one morning, we found this hen protecting her chicks from the rain.  If you look closely you can see one little chick peeking out from behind her wing.

Once the rain stopped, all 8 chicks emerged from the safe shelter.

 Louise and her husband, Aleck, are the shepherds of the Enapuas "flock."  We were glad that she was able to come on Wednesday for the second half of the classes.  Patrick the lay leader from Imarapu also came, so every congregation was represented. In the final meeting together on Thursday, many of the class members prayed to receive Christ into their lives and many also prayed for God's Spirit to fill and empower them.  Praise God!

All our meals were lovingly cooked over this fire and in these pots by Rehab and Morrison.  On Friday, Sylvia took time to teach them how to make bread in those cooking pots.  She had made a cake in a pot before but not bread.

Sylvia and Rehab made 3 batches of rolls and they all turned out quite nice!

The volcano on Tanna, Mt. Yasur, was quite active during our stay, making a large ash cloud that could be seen from Lawangi.  We started to notice that when we would feel an earthquake, the volcano would rumble and spit!

 Because of all the rain throughout the week, the bush road that the truck drove down on Monday was completely washed out, so on Saturday, we hiked out all the way to the main road.  This was complicated by the fact that Wesley and Sylvia had spent the night with very sick stomachs.  But, we took it very slowly and with the Lord's help we made it to the top.  Morrison and Tom helped to carry our gear.  When we reached the main road, Wes and David went up to Lonialu Lookout to view the volcano. It put on an impressive show for them.

Our truck driver decided to take the road through the "Middle Bush" to take us to the airport and ended up getting stuck in the mud for about an hour.  At one point the truck was tipped so far forward and to the right that the left rear tire was not even touching the ground.  David and Wesley joined the helpers that literally came out of the "bushes" to give us a hand.  There were so many ideas being thrown around that we wondered if we would ever get to the airport.  Finally, with some pushing in the front and the rest pulling on a rope from behind, the truck was able to get out of the deep hole and re-directed to the left. 

We finally made it home to Port Vila by the evening very thankful for indoor plumbing and comfortable beds!  We praise the Lord for the opportunity we had to build up the body of Christ in Tanna.  Please continue to pray with us for these new believers that God's plan of redemption will be shared over and over again with others in their villages.  Thank you to all who were praying!

Dogs, Distractions, and the devil

A not so great picture of the Bible study taken at Prima a few weeks ago

This blog is long overdue for a bit of news!  I (Sylvia) have a mark from a red ink pen on my right forearm as a reminder of the interesting time I had this afternoon at one of our new preaching points here in Port Vila.  As I was driving to the other side of town after lunch to meet with the ladies at Prima, I heard someone yell from the other side of the road.  That's not uncommon and most of the time I ignore it, but today I glanced that way and caught a glimpse of Pastor Gideon.  I pulled over to the side of the road and saw him, his wife, Aline, and Baby John along with Pastor Gideon's disciple, George, making their way toward the truck. Prima is Gideon's first pastorate.  Everyone piled into the truck and we drove the short distance further to Prima. 

I was not surprised that no other ladies were ready or even in view since Pastor Gideon and Aline had not been there to remind them about the Bible study.  I had made the announcement on Sunday about the ladies' Bible study, but no one lives by a calendar or a clock here.  It was nice to sit and chat with Aline while we waited.  The congregation has built a small shelter in an area of the village that has been designated for the future church building.  It is basically some posts that support a framework that has some sheets of corrugated tin resting on it.  They have constructed some low benches using some large bamboo and planks of wood.  Aline and I chose the more comfortable woven mats on the ground.  As we were sitting and chatting together, a large German shepherd type dog named Blackie came and nestled up next to me, wanting me to pet him.  I was told that he is always quite aggressive toward strangers, which made me wonder what to expect.  He wanted to be as close to me as possible even putting his large head in my lap!  I am not generally afraid of dogs, but do have a healthy respect for them especially if they do not know me.  Pastor Gideon was able to coax him away and we decided to start our study with the few children that had gathered.

As we sang some songs, two young teenage girls joined us.  Then, just as we started reading the scripture for our Bible study, a couple mothers and their small children arrived.  I have been going through a study book that looks at the lives of 13 different women in the Bible.  Today, we were looking at Priscilla from Acts 18.  A man from Australia came several weeks ago to Prima, showed the Jesus Film, and then handed out several cartons of Bislama Bibles to anyone who wanted them.  We are very thankful for this man whoever he is!  As a result of his generosity, many of the people who came this afternoon had their Bibles, but only two ladies could read!  (Please join us in praying about this problem.)  While Mary was reading a portion of our text, her little child Alfin decided to wail very loudly.  About that same time, Blackie decided to return and cozy up next to me again.  Aline tried to lure him away and I began to hear some of the women whispering, "Satan."  It sure seemed like Satan was doing his best to distract and disturb our study, so we stopped and prayed for God to put a "fence" of his peace around us so that we could learn from his Word!  Even though there were still some children playing and wandering in and out of the shelter, after we prayed, we all sensed that God had brought his peace.

Two more dogs came to check me out before I was finished with our lesson and prayer time.  They didn't linger, but it made me wonder what made me so attractive to them!  The red ink mark on my right arm came during the prayer time.  The ladies all shared their prayer requests, and as I was making note of them in my little notepad I noticed that a little guy seated next to me was decorating his body with a red ink pen.  It surprised me a little that while I was praying, his ink pen wandered over to my arm!  Apparently, someone else noticed as I heard a quiet gasp!  What a privilege to be able to share the love of Jesus and God's Word with this group of mothers, young girls, children and pets! 

After we were all finished and ready to leave, one of the mothers named Eka, asked me if I remembered the young mother that we had prayed for about a month ago.  Her husband had left her, so we prayed for their relationship to be healed.  Eka proudly reported to me that God had answered our prayer and this young mother was with her husband again.  Then, who should come up but this very lady!  She was beaming and smiling so big!  God is doing some incredible things at Prima!  Please join us in praying for Pastor Gideon and Aline and this growing congregation that the light of Christ will shine brightly in Prima.

It was funny that when I got home and was relating the afternoon's events to David, he commented on the fact that I smelled a bit like a dog.