October 2011

Dear Friends, Brethren and Family

I thought it would be good if Kathy wrote some this month so you will know that she is really here with me.

Knote from Kathy
Well folks we have been in our little house for over two months and seem to be settling in nicely. Tobey has been busy building things for us/me as in shelving in the kitchen and this week two screen doors to keep out flies and mosquitoes. Of course the bug that was out on the porch last night was the biggest I've seen here in town. We do have the cockroachs that a couple of inches long and that fly and huge spiders, but this bug was the largest I've encountered. Tobey took the bug spray out and gave it a lethal dose. (Proof below!)


We live on the corner of the main "highway" (that goes around the island) on the way out of town and there is a dirt road on two sides of us as well. Since this has been the dry season here, the dust is so bad that I wipe everything down with a wet cloth and within the hour you can see a dust film on everything again. A losing battle. That means all the dishes and clothes are dusty again before we ever use or wear them again. I am looking forward to the rainy season, at least for now. And at least this house is not in a flood area like the one in Fiji was.

The church here has a luncheon on the first Sunday of the month. It is always good to sit around and talk and get to know each other. I believe the church would be even more of a family if we met together and ate as often as we could. Too many times we "go to church" and then leave as soon as we have fulfulled our time. This is not what the church did in Paul's time. Is it any wonder we don't know what is going on in our sisters and brothers lives? We only see them a couple hours a week and then just to nod and say hello. Anyway the more we know of each other the more we love each other. It seems to me Jesus said something along that line.

I have been able to make banana bread the last few days. Stephen Felix gave us a "hand" of bananas last week. They were so good on cereal for breakfast but way too many for that only. So shared the banana bread with them and the family and had Tobey take out a loaf to the village yesterday when he went with Morris and Tau to work on the electrical lines for the village butchery that had been hit by lightning earlier this year. Janet or Flora usually gives us a loaf of homemade bread to bring home when we come back from Eton.

A couple of Sundays ago, Stephen and Rose Hannah's youngest daughter (14 months) had a seizure during worship. She brought her up to Tobey (Stephen was leading singing), Tobey made sure she was breathing and her tongue was clear and then we sent them to the hospital. We followed shortly after. She had been sick and had not eaten much for a couple of days but is just fine now. She likes sitting in the back of the motorcycle tray when we go over.
Tobey had been going everywhere on the motorbike but I had no seat to go with him. I either went on a bus (and they go all over the place before it is your turn if others are on with you) or we had to borrow Stephen's truck. (That was not a problem for Stephen, but it is nice to just go and sometimes he did need to use his truck.) So a couple of weeks ago, Tobey built me a seat just back of him. Now we go everywhere around town. But remember me saying that rainy season is coming soon? It's going to get really wet then. We have been looking for a small car like we had in Fiji (could not bring it as they drive on the wrong side of the road there). The hair is short again because of the "helmet hair". Much easier to take care of here also.

 
(above) Kathy and Me on the bike with the new seating accommodation for her (Stephen's truck and house behind us).*

Anyway, we pray that this finds you all well and busy in the Lord. Please continue to hold us in prayer as we continue to thank our God for you.

Kathy
*Footnotes on pictures
I did indeed spray the bug on the porch because I don't think I have a shoe big enough to kill it. I could just see it opening the screen door and coming in.

Someone said I looked like ZZ Top when I have my sunglasses on. (and yes I do wear a helmet when I am driving on the road)

Please note that Kathy is not wearing any shoes on the bike - you can't take the country out of the girl! Actually we had just come back from Sunday services and the shoes she was wearing fell apart from rot that morning after being in Fiji for 4 years. You KNOW she has more shoes!
**************************

Out to the Village
I drove my motorcycle out to the village the other day to take pictures and measurements on possible refurbishing projects while Kathy was making banana bread. I drove 70 kph (max speed is 80 kph/ 50 mph on the road and for the bike) and it took 35 minutes to get there and 35 minutes to get back. The road is in great shape, it was a sunny day and the bike only used about 1.5 liters of fuel so I am quite happy with the fuel economy. Next time I will take my earphones as the noise level was quite high. Again most of the people along the road stood and stared when I went by because most of them have never seen a three-wheeled motorcycle with a tray driven by ZZ Top look-a-like.

Getting started/ School ground
Morris and Stephen are still working on getting the ground for the school surveyed (it takes lots of time here). The boundary stakes are supposed to be driven in this weekend.

Since we do not have sufficient funds to just launch out and start building what we will need for the school we are looking at ways to use the funds we are receiving to at least start building something we can use. We have been trying to keep expenses to a minimum and the funds we save will be applied to on-going building.

The Eton congregation has a cement slab out behind the building that they had plans for building a small house for visitors and or a full-time worker someday. It is 6 meter x 8.3 meters.

Slab at Eton

I had done the math and with help from the local brethren we can build a house on this foundation for under US$10,000.

Right now we are looking at (and leaning toward) a 1 meter high concrete block wall on the slab with the rest being wood/siding construction or we might just have all cement block walls (cheaper and cyclone proof). Morris and Stephen have said they will provide the wood we will need from trees up on the farm and that would save from US$3000-4000. We would have to hire a sawmill to do the cutting. Then we will have to come up with funding for the metal roof, a water well pump and tank, toilet, sinks, cabinets, tile for bathroom/toilet, louvers windows & glass....... not real fancy but livable! Kathy wants a verandah out the front as well.

There is another option we are looking at (will make a decision by Friday). There is a building across the road from the Eton building in front of Morris Felix's property that belongs to one of his brothers (pictures below). It was used for a few years as a village cooperative store but then everybody took things on credit and when it came time to restock there was no money so the store closed. It has been vacant for over 19 years and has fallen victim to the climate and cyclones. I have talked with the owner and we are waiting to see if we can buy it real cheap. The cement walls are all still okay but everything else would have to be rebuild. It too can be refurbished for less than US$10,000 and is much larger in size. I know for a fact that Morris and Rebecca would appreciate the eyesore either being fixed up or torn down as they have had to keep the grounds cleaned up around it.

As an answer to prayer the brethren at Campbell Road in British Columbia, Canada are sending $500 that we plan to use for the 350 cement blocks and cement mortar we will need for the meter high walls on the slab building if we choose that option. This is a congregation where Jim and Bessie McGeachy, former missionaries we knew in Papua New Guinea, worship.

Whichever building we build/refurbish right now will be used for school purposes even when we get the school property developed a mile up the road. Once we get something built out at the village we can move out there and save $900+ a month we are paying for the dusty house we are currently renting. We won't save all the $900 because we will have to have to pay for fuel for a generator since there is no electricity out to the village yet, but there will be a savings we can apply toward more building.

Keep tuned for progress reports.

Needs
As you have read moving here has been expensive and living here will be expensive. We really need to increase our monthly support $500-1,000. If you can or know of someone who can help this need please pray about it and let us know.

A more urgent need is a vehicle that we can both ride in as well as provide transport for Morris when Stephen's truck is not available. We have seen several vehicles from 300-800,000 vt ($3500-8500) but still lack the funds to purchase them.

I repeat some of the needs we have as we move forward: house ($35,000), guttering, water tanks and pumps ($1,800), a solar hot water unit ($2,800), a generator ($5,000), a solar/wind power unit ($2,500), septic system ($1,200), a classroom ($12,000), a student duplex ($15,000), another vehicle/small truck ($3-10,000).

Thank you so much for all of you who are supporting us and have contributed to our needs. God bless you!

Your seed sowing workers in the Kingdom.

Tobey & Kathy

Contributions for Huffs and building the Bible school, vehicle and house can be sent to:

Huffs/Bible School
c/ Mt Hope church of Christ
2830 Mt Hope Rd
Webb City MO 64870

or

Mailing Address:
PO Box 3239
Port Vila, Vanuatu
South Pacific

Residence:
Tassiriki Park
Lot 168
Port Vila

Ph:
(678) 710-1617
(678) 594-7248