Anatomy of Holiday Youth Camp (Part 2): Why camp?

We had been meeting weekly for almost a year, and while the kids remained diligent in their attendance and participation, it was evident that we needed to add something fresh to the mix. Ni-Vanuatu youth love opportunities to get away from the house, away from everyday responsibilities, to spend some time in fun and recreation. They also genuinely enjoy relevant Bible study. It’s really no different than any other country/culture, I assume. Since students are out of school in January, I thought it would be a good time to get away with the youth for a few days (this post not withstanding!). 

I had seen pics on a friend’s Facebook feed of a campsite south of town, and went to inquire. It was a pretty classic low-key summer camp type setting, just a few meters from the beach. It had running water and generator-supplied electricity in the evenings. I took Atison and Sam (a leader in the Etas church and father of three youth group members) to view the property and share my vision, and they too were excited about the idea. We prayed that afternoon God would open a door for us to have a successful camp there in the not too distant future, and began making preparations. The youth too, when presented with the idea, were very keen.

To be continued…

Anatomy of Holiday Youth Camp (Part 1): Forming the group

The congregation in Etas Village was our team’s first new church plant in Vanuatu, primarily a result of the efforts of Aaron and Cindy beginning in late 2005. Most of the new Christians were young couples, and so naturally much of our efforts were focused on their young children. Ministries included Children’s Bible Club, Bible Hour, and Cindy’s Reading School (for kids whose parents couldn't afford to send them to public school). Fast forward almost 10 years, and those kids that were introduced to Jesus and His word are now in their teens. Shawnda and I have attempted to pick up where the Bakers left off, and continue to minister to these youth and their families. We began formal youth group meetings early last year, coming together in Etas each Sunday afternoon.

I am especially grateful that Atison, the eldest member of the youth group, is gifted to be a leader and teacher amongst them. We’ve seen a lot of growth in Atison and the rest of the group. I floated the idea of a youth camp to Atison last year and he was very excited. After talking with a few leaders in the Etas congregation, we began making preparations to conduct our first youth camp in January.

To be continued…

Aaron taking the confession of Sam and Pbles, two of our first contacts in Etas Village, before their baptisms back in January 2006

Leimawa assisting in Cindy's reading school - Etas 2007. Several current youth group members were students.

Future youth group members Jimmy, Michael, Elginy and Martino at PBK in 2009

Early youth group meeting in Etas in 2014

Counseling and Consulting

One thing we’ve learned about Vanuatu culture is the value placed on mediated communication, to perhaps coin a phrase ;). While in the West we value the ability to confront a situation head-on, grabbing the bull by the horns, and “manning up”, these are quit undesirable characteristics in group-centric cultures such as Vanuatu. Here they prefer a more beat-around-the-bush, indirect approach, always eager to invoke the services of a mediator. With that in mind, our most recent trip to Northwest Malekula saw Shawnda and me taking the role of counselor and consultant.

I continue to be hesitant about putting details in such a public forum, but our counseling was an effort to mediate between a married couple that has been facing some significant problems in their relationship, including all manner of hatefulness and selfishness … a vicious scenario. In fact, it’s my opinion that the only reason they’ve stayed together is because, ironically, it is the easiest option available to them. Had either one been presented with a “reasonable” option to leave, they would have taken it. The situation has caused a lot of consternation for the church as well, both internally and within the community as the members have become the recipient of much gossip and scorn because of this situation. We spent time talking to the couple individually, and also with congregational leaders. The whole process is somewhat counterintuitive to me personally, because I would just assume the locals handle it themselves, but they value an outsider’s mediation, and so we did our best. By no means have all the problems been solved, but I do believe that a plan has been put into place that can have positive results. It’s going to be a long and arduous road.

We put on our consulting hats as well during the visit. Many of the churches here get into a rut of “we believe the right things and do the right things on Sunday” and never allow Christ to influence them much beyond that. I’ll be the first to admit that the mindset is largely the fault of missionaries such as myself, but it’s a mistake we are endeavoring to rectify. During the week, Shawnda met individually with the women and I with the men. We had asked them beforehand to think specifically about one “internal” ministry idea, one “external” ministry idea, and what changes/improvements could be done to the children’s and youth Bible classes (which had obviously both become quite stagnant). Beyond those three items, they were invited to share anything else that was on their minds. While we heard our fair share of complaints and blame-gaming, it turned out to be a positive and beneficial experience. Having compared notes with Shawnda throughout the week, I used our assembly time on Sunday to share some of the ideas that we had been presented, using Matthew 25:31-46 as our study text. Hopefully and prayerfully, 2015 will see the church in Tulwei Village take a more active approach to ministry and service within the congregation, in the community, and beyond.

As always, your prayers are appreciated...

Note to self

I’ve made this note several times before, but apparently it’s necessary to do so again: don’t schedule things in December or January. Things just don’t tend to work out during those months. It’s a lesson I’ve learned over and over, but we made a reporting trip to New Zealand in December 2012, and we were finishing up our Visiting Missionary role at OC in December 2013, and so I’d forgotten.

Why is work so difficult? It hinges on the fact that Vanuatu’s school year follows the calendar year, and since our summer months are January-March here in the southern hemisphere, schools are on holiday in December and January. Anytime school is out, the rest of the community tends to check out a bit too. Some businesses even close for entire weeks or even a month during the holiday season. 

With all the closures and resulting free time, you’d think it would be a perfect time to schedule something extra: a workshop, a study series, a campaign effort or a church picnic. But to the contrary, it means that everyone scatters, many going to visit family in other villages or islands. It’s only reasonable, really, as it’s the only time of year they are free to do so. It actually makes perfect sense when you think about it.

Live and learn, Eric, live and learn ;)

Two interesting questions

We always offer a time of Q&A whenever we are teaching publicly, and two questions really stood out during our recent trip to Tanna Island...

1. "What does 'b@*tard' mean?" (writing it in the blog was almost as shocking as hearing it live). This one came in the context of our Biblical Parenting studies. The woman who asked it (following a session on ineffective parenting methods...yelling, berating, etc.), said "I call my daughter that all the time when she doesn't obey, but it dawned on me just now that I don't even know what it means ... I just heard it on a movie once." For starters, I suggested that we not use words that we don't know the meaning of. Secondly, I explained the meaning of the word. Finally, I encouraged us all to refrain from using expletives at all, especially when irritated with our children, suggesting some healthier alternatives. Whew, that was a first!
2. During a casual conversation with a Christian and another man who's been visiting the assemblies recently, they began asking about Sabbath-keeping (always a go-to Q&A topic in Vanuatu). That discussion led to a very interesting question along the lines of "what about people who respect Sunday but don't go to church or even call themselves Christians ... will they go to heaven?" It took me a while to understand where they were coming from, but I eventually realized that they were coming at God's judgment from a very legalistic standpoint. It was as if they thought if you do this set of things (e.g. respect Sundays) in the prescribed way and subscribe to the right side of a series of belief-questions, then you've successfully appeased God to the point that he will be willing to save you... actually very pagan, really. It was a great avenue to talk about the true meaning and effectiveness of faith in Christ, and that while the first day of the week has special significance and assembling has great value, it really has little (or nothing) to do with one's salvation, per se. 

I continue to see a significant cultural-disconnect between the Christian faith (as generally taught/acted out here) and ni-Vanuatu reality. We continue to strive to find a way to be able to seamlessly blend the two, as Jesus would have it. It's a learning process, but one that we are committed to.

Interestingly, this was the site of my discussion where question #2 was asked - the village nakamal (or "meeting place"). The houses were built for the boys to live in during their recent month-long circumcision festivities.

Oh my Vanuatu: Police Report

During our recent court proceedings for Grayson's adoption, the judge required Shawnda and me to get local Police Clearance as part of her vetting process. Sounds easy enough, right? Oh, and she wanted it by close of business the same day ;)

The procedure serves as an exemplary model of how these sorts of things are done in Vanuatu. Here's what I did...

1. Go to the Police Station general inquiry counter (I mean, you would think you would get a *Police* Clearance at the *Police Station*, right?). The officer on duty said that I needed to go and get an application form at the VANSEC House up the road.
2. Go to the VANSEC House and retrieve an application form.
3. Return home to fill out form and gather necessary documents (Passports, Birth Certificates)
4. Go to town to get copies made of relevant documents.
5. Go to the Government Finance Building and pay the fee ("Urgent" fee for same day processing available for twice the cost).
6. Take receipt and application form back to Police Station, for them to run us through their system.
7. Take signed application back to VANSEC House for them to print out official Police Clearance forms.
8. Come back in a few hours to retrieve the forms.
9. Submit to the Supreme Court clerk

Whew, made it! Oh, my Vanuatu ;)

A new approach

It's taken me awhile, but I'm continuing to grow as a Bible teacher in the Vanuatu culture, praying daily that God's Spirit will gift me with the ability to teach well, and relying heavily on my most faithful (constructive) critic, Shawnda ;).

Most notably, I've recently implemented a more discussion-based approach to my lessons. I've noticed that this keeps my students much more engaged, and seems to increase retention and effectiveness as well.

For instance, I recently led the Vila congregation through a study on the Sermon on the Mount after a meal on Wednesday nights, but instead of teaching through the material, I prepared to actually *lead a study* on the material. The results were quite amazing, as people really got into answering questions, sharing thoughts, and suggesting applications.

The brethren in Tanna Island had requested that I focus on Biblical Parenting as a topic for my most recent trip there. Once again, instead of teaching through my material (something I had done twice previously in other locales), I led a study through my material, taking time to really delve into the passages and asking them questions about the texts. This was an especially helpful approach for this topic, as they were able to supply lots of actual child rearing experiences and frustrations, which we all then discussed.

The change has had such a gratifying effect, and I pray that God will continue to use us to share his word and wisdom in effective ways.

Inside the church building in Loun Village