Introducing...

...Claude Kevin Kalsakau

We were all deeply saddened at the news of Claude's (senior) death back in March. But there is now a sense in which he lives on through his newborn son, Claude junior.

As a reminder, a fund has been set up by our elders, for anyone wishing to contribute funds to assist newly-widowed Rosemary and her three children: Tari, Liz and Claude. A full 100% of the funds will go help the family, primarily assisting them with ongoing school fees as the children grow up. Contributions may be sent to:

Perkins Church of Christ
PO Box 128
Perkins, OK 74059

Marking the funds as "Widow Fund" will insure they are properly applied. Please be praying for the family as they adjust to all the changes they are facing.

Others teaching others: Anna

[Note: This is part 3 in the series. You can read part 1 and part 2 as well.]

Shawnda, here. I am so proud! Yesterday was one of those days that you sit back, observe what’s happening, and just smile. 

Here’s a bit of backstory to set the scene: You may remember Jack and Anna. They are young Christians from Tanna who are in Port Vila because their infant son rolled into a cooking fire back in November. Well, Jack has been studying as often as possible with Eric (sometimes daily, sometimes weekly depending on a temporary job schedule). Jack has been taking those studies home and sharing them with Anna every time. In addition to that, Anna and I have been having our own Bible studies once a week. Leimawa (a Christian lady from Etas), Anna and I have had some great discussions during these studies. I really see God working in all of our hearts as we read, discuss, and share about what the text says and how it applies to our lives. I’ve started taking a more “discussion-based” approach to Bible studies these days, and I really feel like it’s effective. It’s so encouraging and empowering to realize that we can read, understand, and apply the text all by ourselves. Both Leimawa and Anna have shared great insights & I am so proud of them. 

A few weeks ago Leimawa asked if we could start going through some of the studies we’d been doing together with the ladies in Etas village. We started those studies this past Tuesday afternoon. Since we would be doing the same studies that we have already done with Anna and Leimawa, I asked if it was okay…did they still want to join in? They both answered with a hearty “Yes - we’ll still learn something.” So, I ventured a little further and asked if they would be willing to help me lead some of the discussions. They both said, “Yes, no problem.” 

Last week, I lead the first study in Etas. Being their first time in a discussion-based study, the ladies did a pretty good job participating. It helped that Anna and Leimawa were used to the format and not afraid to share their thoughts/insights. 

Then on Monday after our regular study at Anna’s I casually said, “Okay, who is going to help me lead the study in Etas tomorrow?” Anna said, “Okay, I will.” So I told her the scripture that I would like her to share as an intro to the study. I reminded her what we had talked about and some questions she could ask to get a discussion going, and then we left. I have to admit, I thought, “Okay, at least it will be a start. I’m not expecting much. Maybe a minute.” 

The next day, on the way to Etas she said, “Last night in the middle of the night, I woke up and was so scared about today. I told Jack that he needed to wake up with me and listen to what I wanted to share to make sure it was okay.” I was so proud of her right then. She was scared, but didn’t allow that fear to keep her from doing what she wanted to do. 

When we arrived in Etas, none of the women were there yet (not completely surprising considering it’s Vanuatu and we were right on time). We sat there for about 30 minutes talking and waiting with no sign of anyone coming. I was starting to get a bit disappointed & I’m sure Anna had mixed emotions about it all. Then an hour after our “starting time” three ladies showed up and we started. We sat down and I purposely sat with my eyes down waiting for Anna to start the study by welcoming everyone and calling on one of the women to pray. Once they finished praying Anna jumped right in and started the study. She was awesome! I could tell she had spent a lot of time preparing. She not only read the text, she went back and phrase for phrase asked questions and shared her thoughts about each part. Then she pulled it all back together to maker her point. I hadn’t told her to do any of that…I was literally expecting a minute of regurgitated learning…but she blew me away! She had learned and processed it to the point that she was able to draw her own conclusions and share them in a clear way. 

We continued on with our study and had a great discussion, but it was that introduction by Anna that had the most impact. I could see in the ladies’ faces their pride in “one of their own” leading a study like she did. I could see their wheels turning as they thought, “I wonder if I could do that too?” 

This is what it’s about y’all! These ladies are not only learning and growing in their faith through the content of these studies…they are learning that they have something valuable to add to the group. That they are capable of learning, processing and sharing what God’s word says. And that it is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. So that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 

It may not sound like much, a 5-10 minute Bible discussion led by a fairly new Christian, but as I sat with a group of ladies in Etas village, my heart was full. It was one of those moments where God just confirms that you are exactly where you need to be, doing exactly what you need to be doing. 

Others teaching others: Atison

[Note: This is part two of a series started a few days ago. Click here to read part one. The first three paragraphs below are repeated from that entry.]

Timothy, as what we might term a missionary to Ephesus, was discouraged. He had been urged to stay there by Paul (1Tim 1:3), and had already received one instructive and encouraging letter (1 Timothy) from his father in the faith. Nonetheless, it is apparent that Timothy was having a hard time, and thus Paul sent him a second letter (2 Timothy) in an attempt strengthen his resolve.

I think I understand how Timothy felt. I am amazed at how often (and easily) I become discouraged in our work in Vanuatu. I am encouraged, though, as I read about the frustrations that Jesus, Paul, Timothy and others experienced in their labors.

One of the principle goals Paul gave to Timothy in his letter of encouragement, was that he should “entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2Tim 2:2). That’s a good recipe for success, and thus for encouragement even in the midst of discouraging times.

I have been greatly encouraged recently, as I see fruit being born along those lines. Atison came to Vila from Malekula Island a few years ago. His uncle, Flexon, studied with him originally and he was baptized into Christ, but as “life” got in the way their studies eventually subsided. Now that we are based in Vila again, he and I have been meeting together on Friday evenings to study. Unbeknownst to me, almost since the beginning he has been sharing the things he was learning with an interested co-worker during their lunch break. When another coworker overheard them, he asked Atison to begin going through studies with him as well. It has been really neat to his excitement with learning, applying and sharing God’s word. 

Furthermore, Atison is the oldest member of the youth group meetings being held in Etas Village, and so I asked him if he would be willing to begin leading the teaching portion of those meetings. He and I study through a portion of an 11-point outline of the story of the Bible during our Friday times together, and then he is presenting one of those points to the youth group each week. Lord willing, over the next 11 weeks, he will have prepared and presented the material to 12-15 young people, and all of them will have a good foundation for understanding what God has done and is doing in His creation, as communicated in the Bible. We pray that the chain will not be broken with them, but that they will all in turn begin sharing this knowledge with others as well, eventually reaching more people than we foreign-missionaries ever could! Please join us in those prayers.

Atison teaching at Etas youth group meeting

Others teaching others: Jack

Timothy, as what we might term a missionary to Ephesus, was discouraged. He had been urged to stay there by Paul (1Tim 1:3), and had already received one instructive and encouraging letter (1 Timothy) from his father in the faith. Nonetheless, it is apparent that Timothy was having a hard time, and thus Paul sent him a second letter (2 Timothy) in an attempt strengthen his resolve.

I think I understand how Timothy felt. I am embarrassed at how often (and easily) I become discouraged in our work in Vanuatu. I am encouraged, though, as I read about the frustrations that Jesus, Paul, Timothy and others experienced in their own labors.

One of the principle goals Paul gave to Timothy in his letter of encouragement, was that he should “entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2Tim 2:2). That’s a good recipe for success, and thus for encouragement even in the midst of discouraging times.

I have been greatly encouraged recently, as I see fruit being born along those lines. Jack and Anna are in town for an extended visit due to some medical needs of their young son, Ralph. They are Christians from Tanna Island (in southern Vanuatu), and have become very involved in the church here in Vila since arriving late last year. Jack’s great desire to study the Bible is evident in the fact that comes to our house 4-5 times per week to study, often times walking over an hour one-way. He is a good Bible student, and it has been my pleasure to see his interests grow as we have proceeded through some 25 studies together. We are currently going through an overview of the OT, book by book, building a foundation upon which I expect he will build for years to come. I have also seen evidences of a changed life in response to the teachings of Jesus we've studies together.

What is perhaps most encouraging though, is that every night Jack goes home and shares what he’s learning from God’s word with Anna. And I know it’s not just a cursory presentation of facts, but rather a considerate discussion, because he regularly comes the next day with questions from Anna regarding the topics. What’s more, Jack and Anna plan to eventually return to Tanna and teach God’s word to their family and friends there. I get chills thinking about the potential that is in these two young Christians, and look forward to seeing all that God will do with and through them in the coming years. Join me praying that they will bear much fruit for the Lord.

Oh My Vanuatu: Anatomy of a Name

During our recent trip to Southwest Bay, Malekula, I was reminded of an interesting story regarding a nearby off-shore island, pictured here:

The story is told that, during World War 2 when the US had hundreds of thousands of troops stationed in Vanuatu (then known as the New Hebrides), Malekula mainlanders who lived close to this small land mass were paid by the soldiers to leave the general vicinity for the day, so that their pilots could test and practice in their aircraft, using the small island for target practice. Of course, the Americans didn't expect the locals to abide by their request without renumeration. Their offer? Ten cigarettes ("sticks" in Bislama) per adult male who took their family away from the village for the day. Thus, the target island became known as Ten-Stick Island and the associated village on the mainland is also referred to as Ten-Stick Village.


...Which reminds me of another "oh my Vanuatu" moment from several years ago. In our travels, we are constantly presented with various Bible questions, often by people who are "sizing us up" with regard to our teachings. I distinctly remember being thrown off by a questioner who inquired "wanem nao Baebol i talem long saed blong lepstik?" (i.e. what does the Bible say about 'lipstick'). Seeing my initial look of confusion, some quickly assisted my understanding by explaining that "lepstik" is a stick that one puts between their lips, i.e. cigarettes!

Live and learn. Oh my Vanuatu ;)

All Mixed Up 4 - Finance

This post will be the last (I think) in a series on cultural issues in Vanuatu. In the previous three posts we’ve looked at some of the ways in which mix-ups are occurring due to the introduction of outside customs, namely physical adornments, language and marriage. In this post, I want to consider some of the financial confusion that is now being experienced.

In the old custom economy of Vanuatu, the “currency” consisted of pigs, pig tusks, woven mats and kava, among other similar items. As you will note, all of these can be made or grown (kava is a local root crop that is chopped, chewed, hydrated, strained and consumed … having an intoxicating effect). Then, along came pieces of paper and little bits of metal called “money” that supposedly had value. Initially, it would have been French, British or Australian currency, but with independence came the Vanuatu Vatu.

In 2014, there are economies within Vanuatu that are still basically “custom”, while others are purely western. The problem, of course, comes when these two diametrically opposed systems collide. They say that the Vanuatu populace is 80% sustenance farming, which basically means that the large majority of people who live outside the capital city live off of their land - food, housing materials, and in some cases even clothing, are all provided naturally. Contrast that to the “bustling metropolis” (comparatively speaking) of Port Vila, which has internet cafes, public transportation, wireless internet, large grocery stores, rent houses, minimum wage laws, etc.

There are a couple of ways in particular that we see local Christians struggling in this mixed up system. First there is the dowry. Customarily, the groom and his family are required to pay a bride price before the marriage ceremony can take place. This is done because the bride’s family is effectively losing a member of their family (she is seen as leaving her family and joining the husband’s family) and therefore some compensation is expected. Historically this done via the custom economy items mentioned above. Therefore, regardless of how “expensive” the woman was, the price could be paid fairly easily with a little planning and preparation. Fast forward to today, where the bride price is still exacted, but now more often than not in terms of vatu. While the government has set a limit of 80,000 vatu, we have heard of some prices exceeding 200,000 vatu (over US$2,000). Such a sum of money is practically impossible for many villagers to amass, and therefore confusion ensues, usually in the form of the couple starting their life together without being officially “joined in marriage” since the bride-price has not yet been paid. Further confusion stems from the fact that children born under this scenario technically belong to the woman’s parents, since she has not been “paid for” by her would-be husband. Many children are therefore raised by their grandparents. You can read my Part 3 post for more insight into the marriage confusion.

Another area of confusion that stems from financial changes is in regard to school fees. Historically, boys were “schooled” by their fathers/brothers/uncles in the finer arts of gardening, fishing and building, and girls were “schooled” by their mothers/sisters/aunts in gathering, washing and childrearing. However, with the introduction of the western-type lifestyle came the need for western-type education. I am not saying that either one is necessarily right or wrong, but things are certainly all mixed up currently. I believe that the first schools were mission schools brought in by European missionaries in the 19th and 20th centuries, and from there western education systems spread fairly rapidly. There are now government schools in every region of the country. The problem is that these schools require teachers, buildings and materials, which cost money. Therefore, school fees are imposed on the families … families that have basically no means of income (especially for those fairly common families who have 7 or even 10 children to send to school). All this means that at the beginning of every term (Vanuatu has three school terms per year), families are frantically searching for ways to acquire money to pay their upcoming school fees. We get numerous calls each time, and I really struggle with how to deal the requests (that’s probably a-whole-nother blog post!). A Christian (yes, a Christian) recently asked Shawnda if it would be okay for her to prostitute herself to raise school-fee money if her husband approved of the transaction. The writing on the wall is clear - Vanuatu is headed towards a cultural environment wherein only those with a proper education will be able to thrive, and so it is understandable that families want their children to have a proper education… but at what cost?!? 

In both of these and other instances, we find it difficult to ascertain the right answer to these types of scenarios, all brought on because the country finds itself in the middle of transitionary financial times. We pray for wisdom daily, and invite you to join us in that!

And for a closer look at Vanuatu's custom economy in motion, check out this video...

OMV: All Mixed Up

This pic is fitting because it goes along with both my "Oh My Vanuatu" series (things that could only happen in Vanuatu) as well as my "All Mixed Up" series (old-world meets new-world and confusion ensues).

When all you know is the use of an outhouse (most all village settings in Vanuatu), you might be a bit confused as to how to use this new-fangled contraption marked "toilet" in town. I saw this sign posted at a restaurant in Vila a few months ago...

Oh, my Vanuatu ;)