Antoinette and Peter (SA) celebrate 40 years

Antoinette and Peter are serving in Tonga as Volunteers in Mission. This last week Antoinette celebrated a birthday and on Sunday she and Peter celebrated their wedding anniversary.


Sunday 27th August – an auspicious date!! Yes, 40 years ago we made our wedding vows. What life-changing experiences we have survived since then! And where did forty years go??

Church was very thin of numbers, as yesterday was officially the start of the mid-semester break, so most of the single students have gone home. Some of the married ones have also left for the week, so the children enjoy sitting in the pews instead of on the mats on the floor on these occasions. Birthdays were called out so I stood for the prayers. Got quite a few hugs and cheek-presses after, as well as anniversary congratulations.

We have been having a variety of weather – four seasons in a day sometimes. I would prefer the cooler weather to hang on for a while, but so far we haven’t had too many warm days in a row.

The mango trees are in full flowering mode, so we hope they will set this year before the rains or winds demolish them. Not that we’ll taste any of the mangoes as they will only ripen after Christmas. We have several pawpaws on our trees, but doubt that any will be ready to eat before we leave here.

We are seeing more of Tongatapu than ever before – simply by driving into town. The roadside ‘bush” has been cut down and ploughed up, with new crops of taro, cassava and yams planted. Because they rest the paddocks, we haven’t seen these bare before. It makes for different scenery.

* Antoinette and Peter have been serving as volunteers at Sia'atoutai Theological College, assisting students with English, and sharing in community life. Expressions of interest for a PIM placement in Tonga to Kathy Periera, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au, Ph 02 8267 4230.

Bev and Trevor (SA) in Sri Lanka

(photo: boys from House of Hope, with cow to provide milk for the residents)

Bev and Trevor have been serving as volunteers in northern Sri Lanka for several years. Amongst other things they have offered vital support for relief work after the tsunami, medical care for people in outlying villages, accommodation and support for aged people as well as for children and young people with disabilities. They write:

'We continue with the hospital renovation and to care for the Elders and the children of House of Hope (young people with physical and intellectual disabilities). We have power when the curfew is lifted for several hours a day. The vocational training program we began a few months ago for some of our boys provides us with some supplies, so we are hoping to keep everyone in our care healthy for as long as we can'.

Let us give birth to the unexpected
So hope for a great sea-change
On the far side of revenge
Believe that a farther shore
Is reachable from here.
Believe in miracles and cures and healing wells.
From Seamus Heaney Cure of Troy

For more information about the People in Mission program, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au

Tanya (Qld) in Bali - God's surprising ways

Life is good. I'm having a great time, meeting so many people from Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Germany and America. It is so amazing being surrounded by people who care, not because they have to, or because the bible tells them so, but because they look around and see people suffering, and the only thing they can do is respond. It is so refreshing to be challenged, to give everything, to trust in a God who will provide.
The group of young adults I'm working with are just amazing and so talented. The best Christian music I have heard in a long time. Sunday nights they all come to the hotel for a swim, but it is too cold, so they don't actually swim, very funny!!
Last Thursday we went to a rural village, a Hindu village. We were expecting maybe 30. We walked across a rice field and into a village, where two hundred people were sitting. They had been sitting waiting for us for three hours. Why were they there? They wanted to hear about God and they wanted us to pray for them. They have a faith that this God will come and save them, that God will protect them, and love them!!! And we were the special guests because we brought food, clothes, and lollies for the kids. Most of all, we came and prayed with them. We sang songs for hours, and laughed, prayed, talked, and ate with two hundred Hindu people.
On Monday I went to an orphanage, and heard their story. There is one lady looking after 27 children. She lives in a simple house. She is supported by a church in America, but still it is not enough for all the schools fees, clothes, shoes, and food. She has some helpers who come and go. The government has just cut all funding to orphanages. Before the cut, they gave 30% of funding in basic food. Now this funding is gone. One of the orphanages had cows, but after the cut of funding they had no food for 126 children. So they had to kill two of the cows and hope it was enough until they could get more food. One cow was left, to live, and the next day it gave birth to twins. Now that is God working!!

For more information about the People in Mission program, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au, Ph 02 8267 4230.

Fiona (SA)in Mwandi - new clothes for kids

Dear Friends,
I hope that you are well. Here are a few photos of the bakery and children receiving clothes. The carpenters have put the roof on this week and the ceiling boards are going up tomorrow. We have started to sell our tomatoes in the village as we have spare after using them for the feeding program. The days are warming up and it wont be long that we are all complaining its too hot. The children are loving showering each Saturday and are very proud to do so. We have lovely books that arrived in the container and the Sesheke students have spent time reading while they are on holidays.
I hope that you continue to pray for the children of Mwandi and all over Africa.

M&M's adventures continue (and now for the next exciting instalment!)

Max and Margaret (Tas) are in Zambia. Their placement finishes at the end of August.
The campaign to re-elect the President has hit town, complete with sirens, rallies, loud music and messages emanating from big brassy four wheel drives. The day was nicely rounded off when a petrol tanker dedicated to holding beer started to distribute its bounty. Each person brings a 20 litre drum and it is serviced by a hose, like petrol. At some time during the day, t- shirts are provided for the worthy, bearing the president’s features on a blue background, very fetching.
The work goes well. Prepare to be dazzled, sit, and breathe deeply remembering that I have not yet mentioned the OVEN (the saga continues). I have completed:
Two 3mx2m 6 shelf library type structures; Two 2MX2M 6 shelf storeroom structures; one desk; one bakery sales counter; two platforms totaling 1.5 x 3m, for storing flour in the bakery; one stand for dough mixing; six security doors complete with latch fittings and hinges; one rebar foundation for the oven which was truly a work of art (strong men cried as it was swallowed by concrete!); seven 1M X 7OOmm security windows with fittings to be concreted into wall; two door repairs at the house; one security gate hinge replacement; one notice board.
Aaaaaannnnnnnnnndddddddddd....THE BREAD OVEN!!
In the last episode you will recall Patrick had vanished, hopefully to find the cavalry. Manfully we struggled on in the desert to lay the foundation. Flushed with success the troops flung themselves into construction of the hip high suspended slab walls. I returned to my steel work promising to return to admire their progress, which I eventually did. My gaze fell first on the wall, then to the horizon where surely dust clouds would herald the arrival of Patrick and the cavalry. You see the opening was in the wrong wall! Demolition followed. Finally work proceeded to the suspended slab with the instruction that two layers of insulation were to go under the slab and not cover the wall bricks. Not rocket science. Again I lifted my eyes to the hills, discovering that only1 sheet had been used, the other becoming builders bounty. C’est, la vie! I have now made a full size wooden frame for them to build the oven walls and arch, it only requires the fire bricks to be laid around it and over it. Nothing could go wrong iwth that, could it? Tune in next time to find out more! The next and final episode answers all your questions and brings this riveting series to an end. Regards to all, M@M

Fiona (SA) latest news

It's warm here today in Mwandi, a real difference compared to the past few weeks. A few weeks ago a wonderful gift arrived for the OVC project, Mission School and Mission Hospital and I am still overwhelmed by its contents. Many wonderful people around South Australia worked very hard to send us a 40ft container full of hundreds of books - new and secondhand, arts and crafts, sporting goods, stationery, tools, hospital beds, toys, plenty of clothes, blankets for the vulnerable of the village, and many other items. It has been a wonderful gift of love. I can see us sorting through boxes for the next few months trying to organise all the items that are in them and sorting through the books. There are books for the school and our OVC library. Bevan (a volunteer from SA) built another library shelf before he left so now we are able to fill it.
We have already started to hand out clothes to those children most in need in the village. The children were very happy to receive new clothes. We are also going to give the children in the feeding program an outfit, as most of them wear rags. We gave out 300 pieces last weekend and we are now reaching other villages outside of Mwandi as they are in need of support for their orphans.
There have been many visitors from all over the world working at the mission over the past few months and it's been wonderful the work they have done. It's been great for the children to see new faces to spend time with and meet. The love that has been shown to our feeding children has just been awesome. Thank you to all the visitors and volunteers who come to work here in Mwandi. I am just so glad that visitors are able to come to the Mission and work on the different projects that the United Church of Zambia has in place. There is always work to be done at the Mission Hospital, Mwandi UCZ OVC project, the Mwandi Mission School, and Mwandi Agricultural Project. It would be good to hear from anyone interested in coming to serve for short/long term placements in any of our projects here in Mwandi.
Dr Kaonga and Dr Nambao and their family have left Mwandi. They are sadly missed. We are now searching for doctors to come to Mwandi. We hope and pray that God sends a Doctor our way. I know the hospital is way understaffed and frustrated that we have no doctor.
Our feeding program is now feeding 120+ children, Monday to Saturday. They are all putting on weight and have so much energy these days. We are hoping that we are able to build a counselling room so that we can start to deal with the children's behavioural problems. We need to spend time talking with the children about grieving for thier parents and how they are feeling about being an orphan. It will be tough for the children, but very importnat.
In the last few weeks, we have started showering the children. What a treat for the children to be able to shower once per week with soap. Most of the children do not use soap as the guardians are not able to afford it. So each Saturday the children will come and shower at OVC and use soap. In the container we had many hygiene bags that many ladies from the Port Lincoln area made for our children. Each child has his/her bag that contains soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, nailbrush, face washer and towel. You should have seen their faces and heard the laughter. It was a very special moment. As the towels were drying on the line, the children would come outside from feeding and check if their towel was still there and drying. I was so happy for them.
For more information on the People in Mission program, contact Kathy Periera, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au, Ph 02 8267 4230

Lyn (Vic) in Mwandi (Zambia)

One balmy Sunday 20th August under a tree, overlooking the river. How good is that?
Well I’m at the end of my second week in Mwandi and everything just keeps getting better. The experience of living in a third world community is an eye-opener. We all know that poverty exists and that some communities find it very difficult to find a meal each day – but here we actually live with these people and really feel their anxieties. Fiona’s vision and progress has been truly outstanding. (Fiona from SA has been a Volunteer in Mission in Mwandi for 4+ years).
It has been my pleasure to work through the clothes in one of the containers and to sort them into children, adults, babies and toddlers. There have been a lot of people helping, which has made the job a lot easier, and it was great to see the clothes being distributed to the local village children and the Sesheki Secondary students on the support programs.
The remainder of my weeks have been filled with painting, painting and painting; bookwork with Innocent (Fiona’s Store Officer), shopping for food and other things at Katima, Namibia, recording the heights of the children in the feeding program and sorting the arts and crafts in the second container. Apparently we are to start an asset register next week, so I think Heather (another ViM from SA) and I will be busy.
Max and Margaret (also ViMs from Tasmania) and Carol have been great fun and wonderful companions. We all start work early, meet again for lunch and share the meal preparations at dinner time. I’m usually off to bed at 8.30pm, along with everyone else.
I’ve never been to bed so early in my adult life but I’m ready for sleep by then. The noises through the night are interesting – not to the calibre of Livingstone’s train horns and church bells at all hours though.
Life in Africa is great! I’ve started to make a few friends and they are the epitome of gentleness. They speak quietly and respectfully and listen to what you have to say. The break from the children in my class in Berwick has been welcomed. I love teaching but needed some time out. The little children here are delightful and I intend taking some time out to spend more time with them next week. I’m looking forward to reading stories to them in small groups and learning some more words.
My impressions of Mwandi – the people are its focus. Everyone is extremely polite and greets you with affection and warmth every time you meet. Carol, my room mate, is a midwife at the hospital here and she says that the new shift of staff taking over escort her to the door when she is leaving. What a wonderful courtesy! We can certainly learn from that! The respect paid to colleagues and elders is paramount.
My inner strength is growing by the day. How could we not enjoy an experience like this? My part is to help where I’m needed and to look for opportunities to do so. And like all cultures there is always inequity.
Love to all, Lyn.

For more information on the People in Mission program, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au

Greg (NSW) - reflections on trip to Rarongo, PNG

A work party to Rarongo Theological College in 2005 completed a great deal of practical work. Greg joined John C, John and Rae for an 'advance party' to assess priorities and plan logistics for the 2007 work party. Greg writes:
'I did not know what to expect on my first visit to PNG. I had heard from members of last year's work party that their visit was fantastic, but you never know until you go! Upon arrival in New Britain, it did not matter where we went or what we were doing, we would always feel at home. The welcome at Rarongo was very special. Firstly, it was great catching up with Cliff and Marion (from NSW, serving as PIM volunteers at Rarongo) and seeing first hand how their time at Rarongo has touched many lives. Their input and dedication to the college will remain a precious legacy for a long time to come.
The greetings and pure joy shown by all the children and adults of the Rarongo community was fantastic. The bond that developed with the students, staff and their families in such a short time period was amazing. These are special memories that will never be forgotten.
In all the meetings held with the various representative committees and senior United Church representatives, the enthusiasm shown for the proposed work program was extraordinary. They are genuinely enthused and appreciative that another work party is being organised for next year.
We have now surveyed the relevant areas of the Rarongo site and visited the various building suppliers in Rabaul and Kokopo. There is a significant amount of work needed at Rarongo, especially with the electricity and sewer infrastructure along with accommodation and other facility upgrades.
The trip has now enabled the scope for the next work party at Rarongo to take final shape, and with the financial and prayerful support of the Uniting Church community in Australia, this work party will be able to make a big contribution to the continuing work of the United Church in Papua New Guinea.

Val (WA) - initial experiences in her placement in Bangkok

I feel like I have never left Thailand - apart from the fact I have forgotten a lot of the language I knew! As I stood in line at Immigration, there were flashing notices announcing "We love the King", and I knew I was back in Thailand. It is the 60th year of the King's reign, and it seems about a third of the population are wearing bright yellow t-shirts in honour of the king - and wear orange bracelets with the words "long live the king" inscribed. It was Mother's Day on Saturday (the Queen's birthday) and so another third were wearing light blue t-shirts in honour of the day.

My new home is Sai Mai, 20 minutes drive from the airport. Sai Mai is a newish suburb, with a mixture of poor housing and mansions - as well as "ordinary" homes. I was delighted that there are quite a few paddy fields near where I live, planted out with new rice, so they are a brilliant green. The main road is tree lined, and there are lots of canals. I live in a lane off one of the main roads. It is a 4 storied "shop front". The ground floor is used for church and English classes, the second floor is a family room, the third floor is mine, and the fourth floor is for the pastor and his family, two girls who are at boarding school during the week, and a boy who goes to day school. My floor has a bedroom with a king sized bed in it and a desk which runs along one of the walls. This room is actually used for sleeping, eating, and as a study. BUT, it has an air-conditioner!

I have been surprised at how pleasant the weather is. It is the wet season, so it doesn't get too hot - though is muggy at times. There is a small room next to mine where a young theological student comes for the weekend to help with the church work. There is a tiny kitchenette, a bathroom, and a little balcony overlooking a rice paddy. There are 38 potted orchids hanging around the balcony, where birds love to rest.


As soon as I had unpacked, I walked to the market to buy supplies - and bananas. Those of you living in Australia will understand why I was delighted that I could buy bananas for about 40cents a large hand! Living in Sai Mai does not feel like living in Bangkok at all - more like living in a Thai town.

The following day, the pastor and his wife took me to a school where I will teach English 2 mornings a week. I met a couple of the English teachers, neither of whom could speak English!! We then went to enormous shopping centre where I bought a printer, power board, and Thai SIM card So I am all set to go. My programme is this:
- teaching English at the church for 2hours, six days a week
- teaching English at the school for 2 hours, two mornings a week
- teaching English to the Pastor and his wife for two hours, 4 mornings a week.

The weekend was a long weekend because of Mother's Day, and the Sai Mai church joined with it's mother church, Zion in Bangkok. We went to Rayong province ( it took us over 5 hours in a bus) to a Retreat Centre, set in huge fruit orchards, for a camp. My bedroom looked over a lake and mountains. It was a fun time, where I was immersed in the Thai language! They had a guest preacher - his longest sermon was 1 3/4 hours long!! That taxed my brain. But I met lots of lovely people. The music group was a group of very enthusiastic young people, and there were some great times of singings and worship.

Until next time – blessings, Val.

For information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au

Alan and Sharyn - Sunday worship in Samoa

Sunday 13th August
This is the big day. There is a worship service at 7.30am and then the main service at 8.30am. The President of the Methodist Conference of Samoa, the Rev. Samuelu and his wife, are special guests. He led the prayers and preached. All worshippers are dressed in white, the women with white hats. The singing is inspirational. Afterwards there was a feast to welcome the President and present him with gifts. The cooking had begun at 4.00am on the heated umus (hot stones). It provided much good food and a unique experience of a blend of church and traditional Samoan culture. This includes generous and formalised gift giving.
At 5.00pm the annual Sunday School prize giving was held. It was reminiscent of our experience of such events in our childhood. The children performed an upbeat song with actions accompanied very well by an electric keyboard. We were then invited to another communal meal which consisted of delicious desserts.
Tomorrow the semester commences. Sharyn will be teaching classes on Mondays and Tuesdays. Alan is timetabled for Wednesdays and Thursdays. We’ve met with the teaching staff in our subject areas and feel very appreciated and supported. Alan will teach the first six weeks of “Christian moral formation in a changing society” with Rev. Iakopo Taituave taking the six weeks remaining. Sharyn had been asked by Rev. Matatia, the lecturer she is working with (her course is in “Study and library skills” which includes academic writing) to lead the prayers at the early morning devotions for the college tomorrow. We discovered tonight that this will now be delayed as tomorrow is a public holiday following Samoan Father’s Day which was celebrated today. Piula celebrates Father’s Day in September in line with Australia.

For more news, check out Sharyn and Alan's blogsite, http://alanandsharyn.blogspot.com

For more information about the People in Mission program, contact Kathy Periera, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au, 02 8267 4230.

Tamara (SA) - first posting from Malaysia

I've been in Malaysia over a week now and I'm trying to adjust to the hot and humid weather. The land is so beautiful here with green jungle vegetation and palm trees everywhere where there are no buildings. The people are really lovely and open, and I am enjoying the mix of cultures and religions.

After a long day of travelling last Saturday I stayed in KL with an Indian family that night. The next morning I experienced a Tamil church service that went for more than four hours. The city was so busy and overwhelming so I was grateful for their help in finding the bus to get to Bethany Home, a school for children with intellectual and physical disabilities.

I am gradually adjusting to the different food and language...I will have to improve my Malay but it is so useful to know some simple words with the children. I am helping in classrooms, with swimming lessons and with work skills. I have been lucky to visit the homes of some friends I have met here already for birthday parties, and done some shopping in the nearby town Teluk Intan. The night market is also great - pasar malam - full of food, smells and people.

For more information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au

Two visitors from South India

(photos - on left, Mercy at her graduation in Adelaide; on right, Phil Chapple and Rev Danny in December 05 in India).
Mercy Dorai, daughter of Rt Rev Dr Dorai,Bishop in Coimbature (Church of South India), arrived on Saturday. She has returned to Australia after a visit home to Coimbature, and will seek employment opportunities in Australia after completing her Masters in Engineering (I.T.). She will be based in Adelaide.
Rev Danny Paulraj, a pastor in Diocese of Madras (Church of South India) arrived on Saturday night. He will commence his Masters study at United Theological College (UTC) in Sydney. His accommodation will be provided by Phil Chapple, a Volunteer in Mission in India in 2004. Phil's volunteer placement was at Chengalpattu, where Danny was the pastor. Phil also led a short term exposure trip to India in 2005.

Max and Margaret (Tas) - hippos, arrivals and the bakery

The heat is on...16 days working time left. Still to be constructed are a 5m tank stand, further stands to aerate mealy meal bags and store bread making ingredients and lest we forget………THE BREAD OVEN! This could well be my WATERLOO! I have never been motivated to be greatly interested in preparing the daily bread. Now I am finding eyes turning to me in expectancy, to lead the charge. There is only one chance for rescue… PATRICK...a very old guy who ambulates with the aid of a copper hot water pipe complete with compression joint for attaching a short handle, and used as a walking stick. Patrick talks of making ovens in 1970, and through an interpreter said he would help. I haven’t seen him since and a search failed to find him. I am going to pour the foundation today and trust that he will materialize before the actual oven section is undertaken. It is hard to imagine Patrick as the cavalry galloping into the rescue, or the fresh faced American students who pass through being able to help. I do have remnants of a plan from the internet if all else fails. A sight to behold is the “reo” that Max had to construct for the slab. Rebar arrived bent in half to fit the truck. Great, says Max!!! How to straighten that! Instead he constructed quite a work of art. Pity it will be immersed in the concrete, said Fiona, it would be a good sweet-pea trellis.
An exciting afternoon when Rury sent a message to say there were hippos near the houseboat. He came up in the speedboat and collected us and off we went to view two huge hippos wallowing in the middle of the river. They seemed quite unperturbed by our presence but keenly followed the progress of a fisherman in his dugout paddling into their escape path. A few days earlier I went down river in the boat and saw a large civet on the bank. The riverbanks abound with waterbirds of all kinds including skimmers which are amazing to watch as they skim across the top of the water catching fish. We also have an otter in the river near the house, a very curious little fellow. e pops his head up regularly for a little look around.
Yesterday, trucks - belching diesel - pulled up alongside the container I was working in and within minutes dozens of people appeared from the bush and proceeded to unload 50kg sacks of grain donated by CARE INTERNATIONAL. Another group of young people from Ireland and other places arrived to work for a few weeks. There are also 15 young nurses working for 1 week at the hospital. So at present Mwandi is flush with volunteers and a few more arrive here next week plus a family from UK here over the weekend on the verandah. We currently have 9 people in the house !!!

For more information about People in Mission contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au, Ph. 02 8267 4230.

Judy and Alan (Qld) in Tonga

Judy and Alan are teaching at Sia'atoutai Theological College in Tonga. They write:

I am using this letter to tell you about the funeral of the King's nephew, Prince Tu'i Pelehake and his wife, Princess Kaimanawhich, made the news all over the world. Funerals are big here, and students seem to disappear frequently to sing at a wake during the night!
What an amazing experience this state funeral of the prince and princess was - and what a privilege to be able to observe first hand such a rich traditional ceremony.
The observances spanned two full days and the connecting night. There was a beautifully printed program which officials in town received early in the week. We acquired a copy at the burial.
It all began when the bodies were flown in from the USA. They arrived onThursday morning and were then processed from the airport along 20 kms of roads lined with school children to the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa (the capital). The children all sat, cross-legged and heads bowed, as the procession passed as a sign of respect. Their uniforms are all tunics in bright colours (red, blue depending on the school) and make a wonderful splash of colour in the bright sunlight. People in the town also sat along the roads - they must always be below the level of royalty as they pass. Businesses and many houses along the way are swathed in black and purple bunting.
When the coffins were installed at the palace, the stream of local dignitaries began to come to pay their respects and sign the condolence book. Then came the turn of the local churches , which each had a time slot for singing and prayers at the wake right through the night. After each contribution, the people were fed and moved on to make way for another group - all highly organised.
The next morning, when the final church group had finished their singing and praying, the bell of the Centenary Church, the Nuku’alofa Free Weselyan Church of Tonga (the King’s church quite near the palace) began to toll. The Funeral Cortege assembled at the Palace and made its way slowly towards the church where thousands of people had gathered. (It holds about 2000 normally). The Royal Party which comprised the Queen (the King is currently too ill to attend public functions - he is 88 and spends a lot of time in NZ under medical supervision), the Crown Prince and the Princess.
The service was long and moving - lots of singing, readings, biographical accounts of their lives, and sermon. Then began the procession to the cemetery. There is a special graveyard for the current Royal Family in town, but this burial was at the village of Mua which was the site of the early capital of Tonga, where there are huge, old pyramid-like tombs where the ancient royals were buried. Stories differ, but we gather that this was a place where both the Prince and Princess could be buried together - the Princess is descended from one of the lines of kings, but not the one from which the Royal Family come.
And this is where we were able to be. Students from the College were invited to be pall bearers and so the European men on the College staff went with them. Everyone was dressed in black, and the Tongans wore formal woven mats belted around the waist, with an apron of loose leaves on top of that as a special sign of respect.
The funeral cortege went by truck and car from the church in town to the village of Lapoho and there they assembled for the walk to the final resting place. A huge construction like a full beach shelter had been prepared in black to carry both bodies together to the tombs down the road. It must have weighed a ton! They had a couple of hundred pall bearers and the idea was to keep changing on the way because of the weight. Alan saw them practising how to lift and turn - they drilled the men for half an hour before the cortege arrived and then they set off, led again by the Royal Party and dignitaries. The coffins were covered with Tongan flags and the Prince’s had his military symbols on top. When Alan and the other European men had seen the procession depart from Lapaha, Koloti (the Acting Head Tutor) took them round via a back route and they were able to have a good view of the proceedings at the tombs.
Meanwhile, the ‘palangi’ women had gone with the women students and we had been taken direct to the old tombs. We weren’t sure where to sit and most of the good vantage points had been taken by local people who had obviously been there for hours. Eventually the students negotiated not only places but seats for us at the back of one of the official tents - it was a good view of most of it but not easy to take pictures because of the tarpaulin shelters erected for shade.
The ceremony was fascinating.
The army band played music (hymns) the whole time that things were happening. The actual ceremony was short on the program, but took a long time to complete some of the components! The feat of taking the coffins from the bier and negotiating them up a flight of steps to the top of the tomb was a marvel in itself. They were placed formally under another shelter, brighter colours this time. A number of Tongans had traditional roles and there were lots of men up there to attend to various duties.
There was a hymn, a prayer, and then began the formal rites. Dignitaries from various contries filed up individually to present huge wreaths of artificial flowers, to pause before the coffins and then to acknowledge royalty seated under a canopy across on the top of an adjacent ‘pyramid’.
A number of women apeared to place the wreaths and keep order around the coffins. Then began traditional rites which we did not follow but which Mohonoa, the Principal (sitting next to me) explained were to ask the spirits for permission to access their territory. There was much movement backwards and forwards - the flags were removed from the coffins, the coffins lifted to the graves which had been dug alongside the shelter, the band played the Last Post and Reveille, the lids were put in place and finally huge slabs of cement were placed over the top of the coffins. The last rite was to empty hundreds of bags of sand over the top to create the mound which is common to all Tongan graves, then a representative of the Royal Family thanked everyone for coming and we were all free to go home.
That is, we were all free to join the thousands of people leaving together! But is was an orderly exit - people streamed along the sides of the roads and traffic crawled along the centre. But we did get home by about 6.30 pm (we had left the College about midday) - a long but fascinating day. An amazing exercise in organisation and in a blending of Christian and Tongan traditional practices - an experience which will stay with us!
If you've managed to wade through all this - congratulations! It's hard to share the feeling of the event but I hope I've conveyed some of the drama and atmosphere of love, respect, deep sorrow underlying all the ritual.
Love, Judy and Alan

For more information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au

Tanya (Qld) - bigtang and rice

Tanya (Qld) has recently arrived in Bali:

After two years I have made it back to Bali, and I'm loving it!! Everything is as I remember, the sound of tut tut, beep beep and still going strong!!

So far I have spent time at the school and had a great time with the kids. I met some people from Oz at the Dhyana Pura hotel, and some old friends. It has been great seeing people again!! I'm teaching English at the hotel for the staff.

We met the Legian church people (English speaking congregation) and they are all great. We heard some of their stories. It hits home how easy we have it in Australia when you hear about people who can't tell that they are Christian because they fear they may be killed. Man, that is huge!!

I'm having a great time and drinking lots of Bigtang and eating lots of rice!!

For more information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au

Sharyn and Alan (NSW) in Samoa

Sharyn and Alan (NSW)arrived this week in Samoa. They write:
We arrived safe and well at Piula colege at about 2.30am on Tuesday morning. The College day starts with a bell at 5.30am so there wasn't much sleep that night. We have been warmly welcomed. Our housing is spacious and comfortable.
The library is a hive of activity. The new college year commences next week. There is much preparation for it. The President of the Methodist Conference will preach at services on Sunday. This will launch the College's year. We've met with the faculty members that we'll be working with and now have a timetable and we're looking forward to the next 6 weeks.

(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au

Doug and Lyn (Qld) in PNG (Salamo)

Doug and Lyn (Qld) have been serving with the United Church in PNG in the Papuan Islands region since 2004, setting up a company to provide a service to the island communities, to provide some training in practical skills and generate some income for the Lord's work. The company involves 16 different sections and 30 or more employees.
Lyn writes:
To those 'angels' who are contributing to Shem and Ham's Lactogen - a huge 'kagutoki sinabwana' [thank you] from the twins, and thanks from us too. We have been looking after the boys at present as the grandma had to return to the village to attend to the garden, because her husband is blind and what he can do is limited. Not sure how long we will have them, but let me assure you - it makes life interesting! They are beautiful and thriving, and we have introduced pawpaw, sweet potato and pumpkin to their diet. We've re-discovered that we can survive on less than 8 hours sleep - even at our age.

At the commencement of the holidays, one of the little local boats [M.V. Kaihea]capsized not long after leaving Salamo [at night!] to go to Alotau with 100 plus of our High School students on board going home for the holidays. Fortunately everyone was able to swim ashore and although 3 of the children were injured, the injuries were not serious. The boat was grossly overloaded - should only take about 50 passengers at the most, and of course had no life-saving equipment. Some days later one of the HS teachers commented on how encouraged he had been to hear that while the students were in the water swimming, some of them got together and prayed for themselves and the safety of their friends.

Friends made available 'The Price Tag of Sex' DVD for teachers at Wesley HS. They have been incorporating it into their classes. STD's and AIDS are a serious concern here and the church is addressing it seriously in an attempt to educate people and challenge them to live their lives according to God's way - the way of life - not death.

Our apologies for commenting on the weather - especially those who are suffering drought, but for most of this year we have been deluged from heaven with meters of rain! Haven't measured it, but surely we must have had our annual 3 meters by now. While this may sound wonderful, although we still enjoy the sound of rain on the roof at night, there are problems involved with squishing around on muddy tracks and back yards - not to mention the mildewed clothing, linen, videos, shoes and practically anything you can mention - even cooking utensils not constantly used! Today is sunny and everyone has mats and clothes outside soaking up the welcome rays.

Our Mini Library continues to be very popular with teachers and staff visiting and borrowing books several days a week. The people here are starved for reading material and even read the newspaper wrappings that sometimes come on grocery orders - that is before the smokers in the community use it to roll their tobacco in!

A comment regarding the shipment of Bibles - they were readily received. Probably the Good News version is the easiest for them to understand. They all want an English translation as well one in their own language. The sale of the clothing, remnants and wool has purchased a sewing machine for the nursing school. This was an item that the Principal said was needed so that the new students can sew their own uniforms.

In our work, there are times when we feel like giving up in frustration, and there are times when we are encouraged beyond all of our expectations. Life is certainly an interesting journey. We hope you are enjoying yours. If not - try risking something for Jesus.

(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au)

Sheila (SA) - Bethany Home news

Sheila (SA) is enjoying her placement at Bethany Home in Malaysia. She writes:
Although I am still working at Bethany Home, my sleeping accommodation has changed. I now live in one of the Independant Living Houses which is empty at the moment. Next to me are 2 volunteers and on the other side of them are five boys all from Bethany Home. They have been taught to look after themselves. A teacher looks after them through the night. Three of them work at the Lighthouse (vocational training for young adults), the other two at Bethany Home doing various odd jobs,ie maintenance of ground etc. Apart from looking after their own house, cleaning, washing floors,and doing their own personal washing, they also cook tea. Every boy has his own duties. The teacher is their to oversee and make sure boys don't get unruly. These boys are also responsible for cleaning my house each day and washing down the patio because it gets very dirty, like soot which looks terrible when wet.
The first night when they offered, I said, I would do my own cleaning, they were sad. They wanted to clean Auntie's house also. Well! what could I do, so I let them do it. Tonight I will cook tea for everyone, good old fashioned stew and toast. It will be interesting to see their reaction on the flavour, compared to what they have been used to!
I have started painting one of the group homes. The teacher would like a theme of some kind. I have chosen colour blue. I will then paint a rainbow, representing God's House, a tree, representing life, with an Australian outback. The children will then hang their favourite photo of themselves on the branches of the tree. Really exciting challenge.I will then start on my place. Sheila (my adopted name is Shelalah).

(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au)

Neil's reflections (WA)

(Photo is of Neil - centre, back row, dark shirt, with friends from Australia and the Bishop in Madras, Rt Rev Dr V. Devasahayam and Professor Cornelius, Ecumenical Relations, Diocese of Madras)
Neil (WA) served as a Volunteer in Mission in South India in 2005. He reflects:
Last year I had the honour of spending four and a half months in a town called Chenglapattu in South India. It is a satellite of Chennai, two hours south on the main highway. As a volunteer, I taught English at two schools in the early mornings and some evenings at a boy's hostel. I lived with a pastor who redefined for me the meaning of 'fired up' and 'passionate disciple'. I met people who reshaped my Christian walk. India was by far the best and most challenging experience of my life so far. I returned to Australia exhausted about six months ago. I arrived shattered by my wrestle with being in India - the daily heart-aching yet strangely dignified poverty, swirling crowds, clashing smells, the assault of colours, the spices and the smorgasbord of spirituality. Still I can taste my anger at my inability to communicate effectively, the shock of loneliness and the uncomfortableness of feeling profoundly out of place.
I have discovered, months later, that a piece of India had survived through customs - a tiny sliver of it has been lodged in my soul. Like a storm, it has lifted my soul and swirled it all around while I rediscovered how to live in the lucky country.
I have found the last six months of readjustment difficult. Which is not to say I have not had support. UIM has been fantastic and I have received a lot of support from some key people; some very patient people who have been a crutch when I have needed one, and a spur when I needed that too.

First printed by WA Synod August 2006
(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au)

Val's in Thailand (WA)

Val (WA) has recently arrived in Thailand. She writes:
Two years ago, I went as a Volunteer in Mission to Malaysia for seven months. In August I'll set off on another adventure, this time in Bangkok, Thailand, and for just 11 weeks. I'm going to teach English as part of an outreach program of the new Sai Mai Zion Church, with our partner church, the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT). I am really excited. Some 36 years ago I went to Chiang Mai in Thailand and worked as a nurse with the Leprosy Mission for 13 years. This trip feels a bit like going home. Even though I spent so long in Thailand, I ahve forgotten most of the language and so part of my preparation has been to do some brushing up.
Volunteers in Mission are expected to help with the work of the church whenever possible. I am a Uniting Church Minister so, apart from teaching English every evening, I expect I will preach the occasional sermon - with translation! Past volunteers have also taught two mornings a week at the local government school, so maybe I will end up doing this too. I am finding the thought of classroom teaching a bit scary. For the past six years I have been home tutoring refugees. I ahve also done a 'Teaching English as a Foreign Language' course over the internet. Although the content was good, I didn't get the classroom experience I would have had if I'd studied on campus. I go confident that the God who guided my path to Bangkok will not desert me!

First published by WA Synod August 2006
(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au)

Church and witchdoctors (TAS)

(photo - Mwandi village church and visitors)

Max and Margaret (Tasmania) are in Zambia. Their story continues…

We went to church Sunday and it was packed. The seats were very hard after an hour and a half but the music was spell-binding. The choir sang movingly and danced while they sang .It was great. The dancing was staccato-like, but still had a sense of rhythm and flow.
I met the witchdoctor. It came about while we were being given a tour of the hospital. We were asked, ”Would we like to see traditional medicine?” (Do ducks swim!). A short cross country four wheel drive excursion took us to a group of mud huts where people were beginning to gather - 3 old men, maybe a dozen old women and the rest were young and babies. They were all colourfully decked out and warmly welcomed us and the American students who are visiting the hospital. The witch doctor appeared in T shirt and western trousers and with exquisite timing organized the crowd and his little combination locked case. He set about explaining the deep mysteries within, and produced a stick. We were told that, with one touch of the wand, instant diagnosis of illness was possible. Next came three circles of string to which were attached zebra tail hair arranged like a fan. He was later to dance with these adornments around his neck and arm pits. Then he produced a talon, a claw of a mighty eagle, which we were told lets the demons out. We asked, ‘How do you control them etc, only to learn that the power comes from within, from god. Which god remains unanswered. Finally, to put our minds at rest and assure us of his veracity he produced a certificate from the Witch Doctor Association valid for twelve months at a subscription of 550 kwatche.

(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au)

Sharyn and Alan (NSW)

Sharyn and Alan (NSW) will be teaching at Piula Theological College. Students are given opportunity to develop their spiritual, academic, and physical skills through the various college community activities. Upon graduation from the college, men and women are equipped to take up roles of active service within the churches in Samoa and amongst Samoan communities overseas.

While classroom lectures are delivered both in English and Samoan, all written assignments, research papers, theses and exams are done in English only. Students are also encouraged to appreciate the excellence of their own Samoan culture and to take part in a proper manner in Samoan custom and society.

Alan will teach Christian Moral Formation in the Changing Society which has three main themes: Social Ethics, Social Issues and Global Systems (Capitalism, Communism, etc Economic Exploitation). Sharyn will teach Study and Library Skills, which aims to equip students with appropriate library and writing skills.

(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au, Ph 02 8267 4230)

Rason Children's Home officially open (Vic Volunteers)

Mr and Mrs Hong (Vic) are volunteers involved in a children's orphanage. They celebrate the opening of the Rason Children's Home:

The Rason Children's Home officially opened on 17th May and we are caring for the children with all of our hearts. We will do our very best to pass on to them the love you have poured out to us.

Over that time, the children have improved significantly in their emotional and mental wellbeing.

As the orphans moved into their new home, they also had to move in to a new school environment. Thankfully, they have not been ostracised or taunted by the local children as I feared might happen, but rather they have been welcomed and even looked up to in a positive atmosphere.

As they met their new classmates, the orphans boasted so much about 'our home' (the orphanage) - a 3-storey building including a music room with a piano, accordions, drums and guitars, as well as a computer room - that all of the students in classes with orphans went on a field trip to visit the orphanage. Though the other students wanted to play on the instruments and try the computers their teachers prevented them from touching anything, and so now they look up to the orphans even more and have been making extra effort to treat them nicely.

As a result, our children's self-esteem and self-confidence has improved considerably and they have been making strong efforts to learn and practise their musical instruments and computer skills. This has been such an encouragement that even the orphanage staff have been shedding tears out of heartfelt thanksgiving.

On the other hand, many children have been so sick that upon examination we discovered that almost all of them have TB (tuberculosis). Many of them also suffer from a range of illnesses affecting their respiratory system, digestive system and other organs. One child has had a fever that jumps up to 40.5 degrees, yet he would come out and simply stand in the corridor silently, hoping for someone to at least hold his hand and comfort him. This child's need for affection (especially physical touch from someone older) instinctively drives him to do this. Tearfully this reminds me of just how unfortunate and vulnerable orphans are.

Children who are this sick usually can't even eat properly. This week a 6 year-old boy named Kwon Kwang-Hwi became severely ill and we looked after him and fed him medicine. He showed no sign of improvement so I embraced him and asked him several times what he wanted to eat. He said that he wanted pear, so I bought some for him but he couldn't eat more than a single slice. On Friday I admitted him into hospital.

In order to alleviate this recurring wave of suffering, we have made "eliminating TB" the most urgent task at hand for the Rason Children's Home after discussing the issue with the local government representatives. We are planning that all of the children and orphanage carers and staff will go through medical examinations with individual health record cards, and they will be treated and cared for according to each diagnosis.

(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au)

Preaching in Tonga (SA)

Peter preached at the evening service on Sunday. We had a crowd of about 30 from an Evangelism Explosion group here from Sydney. Since it was a supper evening, someone dashed out and bought some buns from the bakers, and someone else raced home and brought some passionfruit cordial. It was a great time of chatting and making contact, and Peter got lots of warm fuzzies about his sermon.

(Photo of Antoinette and friend enjoying a swim)

Peter & Antoinette (SA)(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au)

Tanya's (Qld) in Bali

Tanya (Qld) arrived in Bali last night. She will spend 6 months in Bali serving as a volunteer with GKPB.

Tanya arrived on August 2nd and is already writing about her experience:

Just a small note to let you all know that I got here fine. The sound of tut, tut, and beep, beep everywhere, and well I remember the traffic. Will write more soon. I was awake at 5am this morning and already busy!!

(Also, from her blogsite rosetiger77.blogspot.com):

Well it has been two years since I was last in Bali, and it has been a long two years, full of study!! But finally, I'm on my way to Bali. I can't wait!!

So what am I doing? I will be working with Domestic Violence and Women's Rights, I will be preaching every Sunday, running a weekly bible study, and Chaplaincy with the School. I will be living at the Hotel I visited when I was there last time, but staying in one of the Guest Houses. So that will be fun, living in a Hotel for 6 months!! I will return to Australia in January next year, so I will be having my Birthday and Christmas in Bali!!

(for information about People in Mission, contact Kathy Periera, People in Mission Coordinator, Ph 02 8267 4230, kathyp@nat.uca.org.au)