A Great Day

Our month back in Vila was scheduled around the Pacific Islands Bible College (PIBC) classes that were to be taught in Port Vila and Epau Village.  We always enjoy being a part of the PIBC classes because of the fellowship and excitement that they bring.  This year, I also wanted some of the brethren from Malekula to take part in the classes.  Williamson and Jean Claude from the northwest and Aiel from the southwest were all willing and able to come take part in the courses.

The Epau congregation has been wanting/needing new benches in their assembly house for a long time.  Since they were to be hosting the PIBC courses this year, they really wanted them ready by the start of classes.  They ordered the timber from a local sawmill, and I volunteered to bring the Malekula brethren with me one Saturday to help assemble the stools.  

Even though they placed and paid for their order two months in advance, the timber still wasn’t ready in September, so I went ahead and bought the timber from a lumber yard in Vila.  Claude in Vila heard about our plan and wanted to come along, as did Sam in Etas (Williamson and Jean Claude were staying with him while in town).  Claude and Sam each brought their sons as well.  When we arrived in Epau, Bob, Arthur and Samson were ready to work.

We made a prototype bench first, and then formed a sort of assembly line to complete the rest.  There were brethren measuring, marking, cutting, hammering, sanding and painting - all the while everyone was laughing and visiting.  There is just something about working together that is fulfilling.

When the benches were complete, the Epau congregation “paid” us in the customary way - by providing lunch.  As we were eating I sat there and looked around the room at the brethren “fellowshipping” in the truest sense of the word. They were sharing stories about their families, their conversions, their congregations, etc.  It was heartwarming to see these men, many of whom were total strangers to each other only a few hours prior, now getting along as if they were family.  And really, that’s just what they are - God’s family.  Sometimes the pessimist in me gets down about the work and I begin to wonder if anything is really being accomplished in Vanuatu, but then I am shocked back to reality by a great day such as this one.  God and His gospel are awesome.

L to R: Williamson, Claude, Bob, Samson, Arthur, Sam, Aiel, Martino, me, Jean Claude
Kids: Titus, Tari, Thomas