Some Things Change, Some Stay the Same

We’ve arrived safely and have been very warmly welcomed by all the staff at Korvan and PCV. Our favourite receptionist/PA Yvonne with Martyn.

Also our hosts, Pastor Dave and Julie Wood of the International Christian Church, are making us feel at home at their house.

It’s pretty hot and humid as expected so we are taking things slowly on our first day here. It was lovely having a swim at Dave and Julie’s yesterday afternoon to recover a bit.

The Village Health Worker Course started last Monday and there is great local team running it this time around. Judy is back again but she is only doing part of the teaching. Ben Taura, Iou Pusin and Kepoue Andrew make up the rest of the teaching team plus others teaching various modules. They all have a lot of experience between them. 

(L-R) Judy, Cyrilline, Nicola, me, Ben, Iou, Kepoue

Elder Cyrilline is the course administrator (my role in 2018). She did not know that I had prepared some resources for several activities last time, so we hunted those out and the students started using the one that fitted their class today straight away.

Elder Jara does an excellent job making sure eveything is provided for the course to run smoothly.

Some of the women's groups of Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu are providing all the catering this time - here is part of one team preparing lunch.

We had a meeting and prayer with Ps Allan, who is very happy to see the three of us back again. He wants to orgainse a building committee meeting for the new administration office while I am here.

Changes at the fruit and veg marketplace with the craft section emptied out, presumably to the newer Handicraft market further along the waterfront, the rest of the market is just the same. 

Watermelons obviously in season.

Our favourite French café has closed! Apparently a new one has opened but not within walkable distance.

We were delighted to find our friends Kolika, Ps Lorna, Rosita, Micah and baby Caleb staying at Sutherland House. They are getting ready to go back to do more missionary study at East West College at Gordonton, just north of Hamilton. But the big mango tree has been cut down in front of Sutherland house to make way for a fence to keep people out who come to steal the water from Korvan’s big tanks.

Korvan has some improvements - some nice outdoor tables built by other NZ mission participants, and a nice new awning to provide some much needed shade in the mornings.