Chapel Facelift

Joy Memorial Chapel has been getting a much needed facelift these last 10 days. Thanks to Australian colleagues Russell and Robyn and their visiting friends Colin and Val, who have put many hours into giving the chapel some new sparkle!  The interior has been repainted and today they were working on priming and repainting the old pews. Their next step will be to shampoo the carpet and possibly make a new simple communion table and pulpit. (We would still love to have a used communion set.) We are so grateful for their volunteer help which has enabled us to give the chapel some immediate attention.

Sunday School

I thought you might like to see the Sunday School classes from church this morning. Ten days ago, these teachers were at our house for a teacher’s refresher course. Norman (a JBI student) teaches the junior boy’s class on the porch of a house near the church. I did not want to get too close and distract them, as Norman had their full attention using an egg to explain the Trinity.

Emily teaches the primary class which Jasmine is in. They meet in the only classroom that the church has. During the week this same room is used by the ACE school which the church runs.

Jeremy attends a class taught by Sylvie and Gretel which meets on another neighbor’s porch.  The children sit on woven mats. This morning as we were on our way out the door, Jeremy told me that his class had no crayons. So we filled an ice cream container with used crayons from home for him to take to Sunday School. When he gave them to his teacher, all the children clapped. Now you know why they were all so happy to hold up their colored papers! Jeremy’s concern for his class was a timely reminder to me as some of you have asked how you could help children in this country. . . well, crayons, coloring pencils, pens, and paper are out of reach for many children and their parents here in Vanuatu. Many school children struggle to buy pens and a notebook for school and we have Sunday Schools and children’s clubs all over the city of Port Vila that do not have what many would consider basic supplies. If this is the kind of assistance which you like to give, please feel free to contact us for more information.

Needed: Used communion sets

Some have asked what small projects can they assist us with. Joy Bible Institute is in need of many smaller items like chairs, whiteboards, silverware, kitchen appliances and book shelves. But even these items can be very expensive in Vanuatu. There is something else very practical that is needed at the school and by many of our local churches and that is communion sets. We do not need brand new ones but maybe your church has an old set sitting in a cupboard that is no longer used. We would be very happy to receive them and give them out to our local churches. If you have a communion set that you would like to donate, please email us. All you need to do is, wrap it well, put it in a sturdy cardboard box and mail it to us here in Vanuatu. Be sure and write “gift” on the green customs label and designate as of no commercial value. Thank you for asking.