Spending time in Port Vila acquiring the Bislama language and Melanesian culture thus far has been well worth it. During this time, we have also been blessed to make acquaintances with other missionaries working on various projects both here in Vila and on the other islands. One thing we have come to realize is the amount of work there is to be done here. One of the relationships we have come to cherish is that of two Wycliffe translators doing work on the island of Tanna. One of the families stationed there has served here in Vanuatu for a full term of four years and only recently returned from a one-year furlough in the States. Upon returning, with much needed supplies and funding from his supporters for a sorely needed new truck, he and his family were unfortunately met with one major problem. The ONLY ship capable of transporting his supplies to the island was broke! Ultimately, they wound up stuck in Port Vila for over six months waiting for repairs on the ship to be completed. We wound up using this time to become better acquainted.
After months of being told the ship would be fixed “tomorrow”, by the men working on the ship, the day finally came for them to ship out. (Melanesian cultural insight: When asked a direct question, a Melanesian will often answer with what he/she feels you WANT to hear – rather than “disappoint” you with the truth. This is sometimes hard to gauge and deal with, sometimes resulting in what we would consider a “bold faced lie”, but is simply an aspect of their culture that we are continuing to familiarize ourselves with. In an attempt to circumvent this we have learned how to better ask questions they can easily answer on their terms without having to disappoint us or bring shame on them.) We, Houghton, Brad, and myself, assisted this family by traveling to their island station on Tanna to help prepare the house for the wife and children, who would arrive a few days after us. Imagine how much work had to be done after 18 months away.
Upon arrival, we began a quick clean up of floors, counters, chairs, and bedding. The village women had already come through and done a general cleaning of the cobwebs, windows, and floors, so our work was made much easier by this kindness. That night we all sat on his front porch in the darkness of the island (no lights or electricity here) and reveled at the stars in the Southern sky and the persistent rumbling of the Mt. Yasur volcano in the distance. Occasionally the mountain would send up a shower of molten lava visible in the clear night sky followed six seconds later by a deep rumbling as the sound waves from the eruption made their way to their expectant audience.
The following day we spent our time digging holes, mixing cement, and various other chores necessary to bring the house into better repair. During the family’s time away, there had been a relatively large earthquake (4.0-6.0 earthquakes are a weekly occurrence here) that collapsed the septic tank and broke panes of window glass. Once our work for the day was completed, Ken took us to see the volcano up close. This is an experience I will never forget - the smell of sulfur, the constant spewing of molten lava from one
of the four vents in the crater, the charred and decimated landscape with scattered steam vents hissing out poisonous gases from deep within the earth. It was absolutely amazing. At one point, the volcano erupted sending chunks of molten hot lava careening over our heads landing behind us. That was when we decided to head home for the evening…quickly.
(It takes a long time to load video, however, sometime over the next week or so I hope to load a video clip so you can see what I am talking about.)
Our time with Ken and Eric, the two translators for Wycliffe (SIL) on Tanna, was mutually beneficial. We assisted them with chores that would be too much for just them, and they assisted us by allowing us to document their homes, living conditions, habits, and interaction with the locals. What an opportunity to peer into our future lives. We were able to document first-hand the roads, the way they set up water recovery systems, toilets, electrical systems, and what materials were used to build their houses. Among the many valuable insights we gained was the need for woven mats to cover any concrete walls. These are
not just decorative, bu
t essential to protect the concrete from being destroyed by flying coconuts during the oft experienced hurricanes!
Also during our time there, we were also able to spend time with local men just hanging out in their
Nakamal’s. On Tanna,
kastom runs very deep and is very much a part of their religious makeup as it affects Christianity through both outright rejection and, at best, syncretism. The colorful stories they share give excellent insight into their worldview. I must work diligently not to make assumptions or rash decisions regarding their culture and the way they see the world, because the more I learn, the more I am able to understand them and the deeper the connections become, laying the groundwork for the future and earning the right to be heard. How exciting it is to be learning! Our trip to Tanna solidified my observation that each island is a culture unto itself, and even within an island, the tribes and villages can exhibit this same tendency
.
The opportunities we explored during the short time we spent on Tanna were twofold, 1) assess the viability of a new work in the “Middle Bush” area of central Tanna and 2) assess the
viability of continuing the ministry using the translations now being done by the resident translators. We are not disregarding north Ambrym, on the contrary, the opportunity for work there is very promising. Our intention, again, is to spend this three months in information gathering mode – recon, if you will. Our families and supporters are making a huge investment in this work in terms of lives, labor, finances, and prayer. Please continue to pray with us for the Lord’s clear leading to where we are most needed, and can be the most effective.
> > >.
We are ready and excited to be heading into this next phase - school. Fellow BMW missionary family, the Gibbs, are from Australia. So they hosted all of us, the bush team, at their house this week for an 'Introduction to Australia' night. They shared with us some of Australia's songs, food, and vocabulary. In the picture to the right the kids are coloring pictures after talking about Australia's flag. As we learn about Australia we have come to realize that although Australians speak English it is not nearly as close to 'American English' as we thought. It is another language. And I am sure that we are bound to be the brunt of many jokes as we familiarize ourselves with this new language.
