Just a quick hello...

We just wanted to let you know we haven't forgotten about you. We have been up to our necks in studies so haven't had much time to work on blog updates. For those of you that have been praying for us as we get settled in - thank you. We have been able to get organized and a schedule is developing. Unfortunately, that schedule includes frequent late nights working on homework. We probably need to do better about making a point of taking a break. Hopefully we will figure out how to do that -and- stay ahead. The hard work is worth it. We have learned so much good stuff that we can already see will be directly applicable to future cross-cultural ministry - and it has only been two weeks!

Until next time...
Love,
The Kenners


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Welcome to Australia

We are here and finally up on the internet! We do not have email worked out yet. That will be a few more days. But at least we can get a message to you here. I am going to keep this brief because our monthly update is ready to send out as soon as we are able to get email working. In the mean time we have some pictures to share. First, check out this video...

We were most excited to see the kangaroos so we thought you might be too.
Jim and I have been trying to get into an exercise routine before classes start so we have been going out in the early mornings with Houghton and Laura for a walk/jog/workout. The kangaroos are frequently out early in the morning so we usually see quite a few. Here are some of them...

Heading out for the morning...


See the joey's head popped out of momma's pouch?


You would think that they would jump over the fences, but they go under.

Here is the albino we were told about...


We don't have a car here and are quite a ways out in the country. So we used some of the first week just figuring out the best way to get around. Equip has a car available for student use. The mileage rate is a little steep though so we tried out the public transportation system to see if that might be a better way to get around. Here are some of us at the rain station.


and on the train...


Gracie loves to give a hand with little Addy...


To use public transport we take a bus to the train, then the train into the city, and then back again. There is a bus stop about a kilometer away from the school. The walk is really nice in the morning, but after a day of walking around getting shopping and errands done we are pretty tired for the walk home.

The alternative...

What is wrong with this picture?



Everything is backwards! This is going to take a little getting used to. The cars are on the 'wrong' side of the road ...or on the left side - depending on who you ask. I go to the wrong side of the car every time I go to get in, and flinch every time another car comes around the corner. I have decided not to drive. I am going to leave that up to Jim.


Here are Laura (middle), Sophia (right), and I...


Sophia is from Vanuatu. She is here for the six week summer course. Also here from Vanuatu for the summer course is Peter, a pastor from the island of Tanna. We are blessed to have them here with us. We met them both while in Vanuatu and look forward to spending more time getting to know them while they are here. Plus we get to continue our Bislama practice and they have a few people they don't have to speak English with.

One of the things we are here to learn are skills and strategies to learn a language once we move into a village situation. And it just so happens that Peter is one of the language helpers. Our whole team is in his group so for the first six weeks we will be practicing with his langauge 'White Sands'. What a blessing, huh? We wont be ministering in that language in the long run, but we think it is pretty cool that we get to practice with one of the languages of Vanuatu. Anyway, back to pictures...

We went out for a nice walk and picnic with Peter and Sophia yesterday. Here is she and Laura on the trail.


Well there are the pictures I have for now. We hope to have our email functioning pretty soon. It is just a matter of getting things to work on EQUIP's network (firewalls and such). Skype isn't working yet either but we hope to also have that fixed soon. In the meantime, if you do email us we will get it once the email thing is fixed.

Here is our new address and phone number...

Jim & Tania Kenner c/o EQUIP
70 Graham Road
Kangaroo Ground, VIC 3097

the number directly to our rooms...
61 (03) 9712-2645

We pray for God's grace and peace for all of you.
Tania (for the crew)


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Packing Up, and Heading Out... Temporarily

Today is Christmas day. Merry Christmas everyone! Just now we are watching 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Today's relaxation is sandwiched in between days filled with packing, cleaning, and saying to good-bye to new friends. Day after tomorrow we will fly out to Australia. I don't know how soon, or how much access we will have to the internet. We just wanted to let you know in case it is a couple weeks before you hear from us.

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.

We have updated our contact information on this blog with our address in Australia. For now the school will be receiving mail for us. We will find out when we get there if we will be getting a personal address, but for now the school's is the one to use.

Even though our time in Vanuatu is up, for now, there is still a lot we haven't shared with you yet. So, over the next few months, as we get time in between our studies, we will continue to post stories, pictures, and videos for you to see. We have learned so much during our time here. We certainly have more insight than we came here with, however, we are far from understanding. There is so much to learn and we are just getting started!

Please continue to pray with us for the salvation of the people to Lord is sending us to, and that this ministry will bear much fruit for His glory, in the years to come. Thank you for praying with us.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,
From all of us, to all of you


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A Vanuatu Christmas Tradition

*There is a link to a video clip at the bottom of the page*

I wonder what thought would cross your mind if on Christmas Eve, or any day for that matter, you looked out your bedroom window and saw two club wielding men burst through your hedge and begin to run wildly through your yard. If you are anything like me, you might be a tad startled. What it was turned out to be a great opportunity to learn a little more about the culture of Vanuatu. Read on...

Yes, Christmas here in Vanuatu has taken a bit of adjusting for our family. We are having fun with it... we are starting new family traditions, like beach towels instead of stockings. And we are holding on to some traditions, like brunch on Christmas morning. We don't bake Christmas cookies. None of us could bring ourselves to do it in the heat.

Christmas is celebrated by the locals here in Port Vila.There are similarities and differences. It is a time for family to come together and for giving of gifts. The big store in town has been having a special event for the last week. Part of the parking lot has been set aside for selling and wrapping 'Christmas Floaties' (inflatable inner tubes, whales, and other toys for playing in the water). And, of course, there is a feast. As it turned out, we got to witness a little of what takes place before the feast... the running of the pig.

At the sight of the men in the back yard, I ran to get Jim. These guys were chasing something. I thought at first it was a dog... maybe someone's rubbish can got raided and they weren't too happy and were seeking to teach the culprit a lesson. Who knew? I got a better glimpse of the 'dog' and it turned out not to be a dog at all. It was a pig. By this time the pig, with the men in hot pursuit, had made a few laps around the house desperately looking for some escape. There were probably 12 or 15 guys in the chase, all shouting in their mother tongue (no Bislama this time), and trying to get the pig cornered.

I wasn't expecting what we saw next. I dont know, up to this point I thought maybe the pig had just got away and they were trying to catch it. But then, what were the clubs for? Let's just say they put the clubs to use. After the excitement was over and they were hauling off their kill, they told us the pig was for a feast. We wished them a Merry Christmas and they went on their way.

Later we asked a friend about it. He told Jim that in the Bush, the young men run pig through the forest for the hunt. But here in Vila they cant do that. They have to purchase a pig and then intentionally let it go so they can hunt it. And since there is no forest for it to run through, it runs through people's yards and they chase it. It is a tradition.

We dont have still pictures, but we did get a short video. I am not going to post it here because it is a tad graphic. But here is the link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJzfC2y4TPY


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Pictures of the Port Vila and the Vila Market...

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Ministry and Ministry Opportunity on Tanna

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, but 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.


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Making Simboro, the poll, and other stuff...

Hello there,
I was going to write a post about the day we spent with friends playing cards and making 'simboro', however, Laura beat me to it and she did a great job at it so, here is the link...
http://psalm96three.blogspot.com/2008/11/simboro.html

More news...
Jim and the guys arrived home from Tanna today. I just wanted to let you know that he is back, safe and sound. You will have to wait for his news about the trip until he writes it up for you.

And... it had been a while wince we updated some of the other pages on this blog so I spent some time the other day getting them freshened up. So, if you are one that likes to look at the other stuff but haven't checked it in a while because there was nothing new, feel free to explore. There is nothing ground shaking, but there is the new address for us in Australia, and prayer updates, etc.

Take a minute to vote on the poll to the right. It takes a good chunk of time to keep this blog updated, and we love keeping you guys 'posted', so we want to figure out the ideal posting frequency. How often is often enough? And how often is too often? Also if there is other stuff you would like to see here, or if you have anything you are wondering about, leave a comment or drop us an email. Everyone loves to get mail!

We will catch you later,
Tania


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