October 2009
Dear Friends, Brethren and Family
Greetings from a dry and windy Fiji
We are in the dry and cool season leading up to the cyclone season which runs
from Nov 1 - April 30. It is very dry here now with us getting less than 4 1/2
inches of rain the whole month. We have already been warned by the weather office
that we can expect weather. Specifically 8 cyclones this season with the first
one due before the end of December. "They said" they are not expecting
any large cyclones but "they" have been wrong in the past. So I plan
on getting a load of sand, buying a bale of bags and making some sandbags to
use around the house "in case" a large cyclone comes. I don't mind
a large swimming pool out and around the house we are just not to happy with
an in-house pool. Keep in mind we did not have any cyclones last year but had
the worse flooding in 150 years in January due to a low pressure system.
Housing News
The end of last month I finished my work on Josh and Anna's house. I put up
trim, painted, grouted the tile and the likes. As of today they are supposed
to have moved in. They finally got their electricity hooked up yesterday. STOP
PRESS STOP PRESS!!!!!! I thought I would call Josh and check and wha-la
- no electricity yet. They did get a call from Customer service that they were
in the computer and that they would call them sometime today or Monday for Josh
to come down, pay the connection fee and then the line crews would come out
and connect the house to the mains. COULD BE MONDAY! We will keep you posted.
Dental Woes and Tsunami Panic
Many of you know that I have both an upper and lower plate of dental work
due to bad generic dental genes. Early this month the front two teeth broke
off the upper plate resulting in a jack-o-lantern look I was not pleased with.
All I could think of was the song "All I want for Christmas are my two
front teeth." The dental plates are metal based and the metal holding the
teeth had corroded through. I Araldited (two part bond) them back on and even
without biting using the front teeth they came loose again in less than a day.
I re-Araldited them and off to the local dentist. He is of Indian decent but
a Fijian citizen. He took an impression and told me to come back in three days.
The day I was to go back and get my new plate was the day the earthquake hit
north of Vanuatu and a Tsunami warning was issued for all of Fiji. Lautoka (where
my dentist is) is located on the Northwest side of the island and would have
been in a direct line IF a Tsunami had been generated by the earthquake. The
whole town was being evacuated (with much panic I am told) and was still being
evacuated when the "all-clear" came through at 1:30 pm. My appointment
was at 3:00 pm and I was planning to go in when the dentist office called to
make sure I was planning to come. I said yes, did and now have a new upper plate
made of enforced plastic which cost me just under $106 US$. I did have to do
some minor adjusting with the Dremal when I got home because the lower plate
was hitting the new upper plate and not making a proper bite. Okay now! I had
to go by the bank for cash before going to the dentist and they had shut down
all the computers for the Tsunami and they were not back on line so I could
not use my cash card and had to write a counter check. The cashier kept asking
if I had my check book with me so I would know my account number. I assured
her I did not carry a check book around anymore because that was what a cash
card was suppose to replace.
Back to the Tsunami alert: it was issued countrywide even to areas where there
was no earthly way a Tsunami generated North of Vanuatu could affect them. The
Tsunami warning is generated from the USA but the various countries (still reeling
from sights of the deadly Tsunami in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga) just broadcast
a general Tsunami warning. Port Moresby in PNG was evacuated. Suva and towns
on the Southern shores of Fiji were evacuated as well. The major problem was
there was not enough transport to get people out of the low-laying areas and
if a wave had come they would have all been washed out. As it was everyone left
work and school around noon and very few returned when the all clear was given
at 1:30 pm, especially the government workers.
There have been over 50 aftershocks north of Vanuatu since the 6.9 magnitude
earthquake on October 8th. If you are interested you can keep up on ALL worldwide
earthquakes. (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_big.php)
This country, Fiji, is indeed a holiday delight (if you don't live here).
Due to the diverse cultures of the people here the government makes an effort
for unification by accommodating all of them by having a multitude (or gaggle)
of government declared holiday. A bit like Athens in Paul's day which had temples
for all the different deities that people worshipped. We have the Hindi days,
we have the Muslim days, we have the National days (Fiji Day), we have the Queen's
Birthday and we have all the supposed Christian Holidays. And they wonder why
nothing gets done around here.
Kathy has recently gotten involved with the local women here in Vuda Point
with the Cancer Awareness program (see her report below). During a recent fund
raising morning tea they decided a new hutch type cabinet needed to be build
in the Oncology treatment room at the Lautoka hospital. The old one was in pretty
bad shape. I was volunteered. I was able to complete it in 6 days (not full
8 hours days but more like 4-6 hour Fiji days). On the 24th several of the ladies
(and I) gathered at the Oncology room and they cleaned and painted the room
(oil based paint which potent fumes spread throughout the men's ward). They
had to use oil based paint because that was "Hospital Policy" even
though new latex paints are washable and less potent. The Hospital administration
has no idea on how to think outside the box. While the ladies and helpers were
painting I put the hutch together and left and then they had it moved into the
room after they cleaned up and before they left. The ward nurse told them that
she appreciated the new "bought" hutch and when told it was custom
made said she ought to take it home as it was too good for the hospital. I have
heard that many people were surprised how it was constructed as it is not like
anything build here. Maybe I should start a company and call it "out of
this world construction".
The washing machine which came with the house would not drain water the other
morning. So I had to syphon the water out of the tub then looked under the washer
(thinking here we go, we will have to buy our own washer now) only to find that
a wire going to the water pump had broken due to wild out of balance shaking
earlier. It broke once more before I was able to finally fix it properly. We
will probably still have to buy a washing machine but we hope to wait until
we see if our visas are renewed next year.
Without a full printshop like we had in other places if we wish to print something
we have to do it other ways. When printing the various song books we have compiled
we use a Brother Laser printer which uses cartridges which now cost over $80
here. I have tried to find someone here who re-charges the toner cartridges
with new toner but nobody does. The original cartridges are supposed to (the
noted figure on their box) give 2400 copies per cartridge. However I have found
that to be closer to 1400 copies. To print 30 copies of the 134 page Fiji song
book it takes up to four cartridges. I thought there has to be a better way
- so I rounded up all the empty cartridges I had, emptied out the remaining
toner out of the cartridges and put this toner back into an empty cartridge.
Goodness me - I have so far make over 5,000 copies with this "newly"
filled cartridge and it is still going. That tells me original cartridges don't
come fully filled. I went on the web and found a company there in the USA which
will supply me refill toner for $19.95 enough to refill a cartridge twice and
they are mailing a box lot to me as you read. Just one more way to keep the
printing cost down. We are reprinting the Fiji songbook because of several new
house churches which Josh has been working with and their need for help.
This month saw our second BCC student finish the 41 lesson "Studies in
the Scripture". She is now doing the first course of our Diploma series.
Both she and her daughter are Hindi by faith and when Anna went by to delivery
the certificate of completion and the new course materials they said they had
learned a lot and had much to think about. We have also sent out reminder notes
to over 45 students who have not sent a lesson back in over 4 months. Many times
they get busy and forget and so we are just reminding them.
I am continuing my Sunday morning teaching with the Sabeto group on "The
Reign of Christ". This is an answer to increased local attention of a Premillennial
reign of Jesus on this earth. Most of the "Christian" religious groups
are holding meetings stressing this erroneous doctrine and stirring up fears
in their hearers. I am trying to help people understand that the prophesies
about Jesus in the Old Testament have indeed been fulfilled and that Jesus is
in fact NOW reigning seated at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:32-36) as
King of King and Lord of Lords (1 Tim 6:15). There is no reason (nor Scriptural
evidence) that Jesus needs nor will come back and reign on earth. Of course
the recent earthquakes and Tsunami warnings have given these preachers of doom
ammunition for their end-time prophecies.
Last week a Christian brother wrote, "Reading your newsletters I marvel
at how you seem to keep going despite the seemingly never-ending trials and
difficulties.". My reply to him was, "When things get tough I just
remember, "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me."
It is not I but Christ living in me! I don't know any other way but to keep
going. Unending trails and difficulties are called LIFE! What doesn't kill me
makes me stronger. I always have my health, (cough, cough)."
We are no different than you all are, we are just doing it in a different culture.
As Tobey wrote above, I have been helping with the cancer awareness here in
Vuda Pt. Mili, Millka , Ana and I went into Lautoka for Morning Tea that was
a fund raiser for the Lautoka hospital to get started with cancer awareness.
Nadi had started a cancer ward and hospice plan six months ago and they too
were there to lend support. Most people here wait until they have stage 3 or
4 cancers before they go see a doctor. Hospitals are still the place you go
to die. It is culturally hard to talk of so private issues, especially for women.
Men leave their wives here just like they do anywhere if it gets too hard for
them, so the wives tend not to tell them if they are sick. "If I ignore
it, it will go away" mentality.
We had our own Morning Tea here at Vuda and raised over $470. With that, paint
for the walls, material for curtains was bought. So that the rooms were freshened
up. Tobey as usual is such a help getting things done. The cabinet was needed
as most things were stored in boxes stacked up in the corner.
Last night, the 29th, we hosted a dinner here at the Yacht Club and raised
$1200 as all the food was donated. Mili is giving half to the Nadi Hospice and
half will go to Lautoka Hospital. We will get a list of things needed and go
from there to help.
I can not stress enough the lack of medicine and properly equipped hospitals
here in the South Pacific. It is in all the islands and it breaks my heart to
see so many unnecessary pain. But ignorance is such a big part of it. Please
pray that I can share with those I meet and interact with the need to take care
of themselves both physically and spiritually.
May The God of All bless you in all that you do.
Kathy
Bula (greetings) from Fiji land.
Thank you for your prayers.
Your seed sowing workers in the Kingdom.
PS:
The following is part of a book written by Roger Dickson,
director of African International Missions of South Africa, called "Authentic
Church". If you are interested in the whole book (112 pages) I can
send it as a PDF file which you can read on your computer or print out. I consider
it a must read. Roger has hit the nail on the head and we need to hammer it
on in. Where's the hammer!
"Now to my postulations concerning the future. Where do we seem to be
going with a global cultural paradigm shift that is changing everything we know?
I am a “modern”, one who was born before the birth of the postmodern
generation in 1960. I am thus one of the “transitionals”, one of
those who has had the privilege of living in the past, but now having the privilege
of experiencing the birth of a new world order. The global paradigm shift in
culture does not frighten me because I know that Jesus is the same today, yesterday,
and forever. But what excites me are the possibilities about the future in reference
to world evangelism. If the Lord does not come to finalize this chapter of world
history before its end, the postmodern generation is the first of many generations
that will be receptive fields for world evangelism. Here are some things I feel
are coming, things for which the concept of multiple-assembly churches will
prepare us to meet.
1. Single-assembly churches will always be with us.
2. The postmodern generation will continue to leave many large single-assembly
churches.
3. The postmodern religious culture will move many from the church to social
religiosity.
4. The transitional generation of moderns need to prepare for some dynamic changes.
5. Missions may be in danger of disappearing from the agenda of the local church.
6. The church is growing in global awareness.
7. Our system of teaching will have to change for the postmodern generation.
8. Multiple-assembly churches will grow.
9. The confrontation between Christianity and Islam will increase.
10. The professional missionary will linger, but possibly disappear as a relic
of the past. There are a hosts of obstacles that will challenge the church-supported,
fulltime missionary who seeks to go into all the world on a missionary visa.
One of the first obstacles against the professional missionary is the growing
tension between Christianity and Islam. Because of the polarization between
the Christian and Islamic worldviews, the professional, fully supported missionary
will be stopped at the border of many countries. The wars in the Arab countries
in the past two decades have opened up some glimmers of hope into the conclaves
of Islam domain. However, the worldwide resistance of Islam against Christianity
has been brought on stage, and thus, the confrontation will increase.
As nations become more nationalistic and self-dependent, they will no longer
see the need for the missionary of the past. Third World nations will continue
to receive “benevolent” missions, but the teaching missionary without
a helping hand to aid the poor and underprivileged, will find himself without
an entry visa. Missions, therefore, will become more social oriented with programs
that help the citizenship of nations. This is good, but many have gone before
with this mission and forgotten their message. We must have more motivation
than drilling water wells and teaching English. These tent-making works must
only be vehicles that are used to carry in the gospel of Jesus. It is for this
reason that our new mission force must be trained in ministry to the physical
needs of humanity, but with the primary purpose of ministering the gospel to
those they help. I see this as a phenomenal opportunity for world evangelism.
I see the postmodern generation as a great source of prospects to carry out
this mission. However, the postmoderns must arm themselves with the message.
What good is a missionary without a message of truth?
In order to go into hostile territory, we must train a new generation of missionaries
that are able to survive in secret. If we are going to reach those areas of
the world that are governmentally and religiously hostile to Christianity, then
we must change our tactics from developing large single-assembly churches with
buildings built on the main streets of Baghdad to the quiet meetings in homes
on the outskirts of Beijing. Missionaries must be trained to feel at home in
small numbers in homes. We must learn to sing in quietness. “Covert Christianity”
will have to be something that is learned. But it will be hard to learn by a
generation who likes shouting to the top of their voice through amplifiers and
loud speakers. The Christian behavior that will permeate like leaven throughout
a hostile world will have to take on a nature that was characteristic of the
early Christians who leavened the ancient Roman world under great persecution.
The problem is that the West has no “preacher training schools”
and university missions training programs that are attuned to the training of
“covert evangelists”. We like standing up before great crowds of
people. We like our large assemblies. We like charismatic speakers who deliver
marvelous three-point orations. We like .... We like .... But the world is not
attuned to our Western likes. The Western church may cherish dynamic speakers,
but the effective worker in a hostile world is quiet, persistent, often unnoticed
leaven going about from house to house.
We are often ineffective simply because we are not even allowed into some countries
where we can use our bombastic methods of evangelism. We do not even go there
because the nature of our Christianity dictates to us that these countries are
“closed doors”. They are closed, but closed only to our form of
Christianity. Frankly, we do not go to these nations because we do not know
how. We are not trained to be quiet, secret, permeating leaven going from one
small group of two or three believers to another. The new missionary for the
hostile world will probably have to be trained somewhere else than by the Western
urban church.
I see house churches as the hope of the future for training a new breed of missionaries
who can go into hostile regions. Those who have been born out of a small group
atmosphere know how to survive with a few. Their joy is not in how many, but
the quality of the relationships between the how few. They know how to go from
house to house, and not find their strength by going from large assembly to
large assembly. The small house assembly, therefore, will emotionally and relationally
prepare a new generation of missionaries who know how to evangelize the world
from house to house.
11. The church will continue to become the church of the poor."