Thursday, September 17, 2015

Vanuatu Graffiti
We see this wall every morning on the way to work
 I call it the Resurrection Wall
Gary calls it "The Writing On The" Wall
 Poor Cyclone Pam tree
We really don't see much graffiti at all


Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Arrival Dinner at President Granger's Home (9 Sisters 4 Elders)
 Erakor Branch - Miracle Chapel
 Etas Ward Relief Society
 Etas Ward New Bishopric + a Few Others
 Mele Branch Open Roof Construction - To Withstand Cyclones
 "Please Be Reverent" before Sacrament Meeting
 This Cute Family sang "High On The Mountain Top" for the Musical Number 
in the Mele Branch - The Young Boy Sang a Solo
 Elder Stevens with Elder & Sister Leban from Germany
 Siblings we met at the Erakor Branch - 
He served his Mission in Hawaii
 Young Men Class at Erakor
Primary at Black Sands Ward
 Saturday Baptism
 Great View when you can stand around All Four Sides
 There were 8 eight-year olds all from Black Sands Ward,
2 Converts and 1 teenage girl



Thursday, August 27, 2015

 Well-Tended Garden
Weeded - Fenced - Large - Big Variety
 Separate Cooking Kitchen
Luxury Barrel to Keep Wood Dry
 The Church gave the Vanuatu Government two portable sawmills
The Church can use them for 3 years and then the govt will own them outright
 Piece of Iron Roofing Stuck in Palm Tree
Too High Up to Remove (from Pam)
 Two-Bedroom House
 Another view of Kitchen
 Another View of the Best Garden
 Elder Stoddard doing assessment on rebuilding Homes
 Owner of the "Best Well-tended Garden
 Two***Flying Foxes***
 Typical Garden
 Not gonna let Grandpa get away!
 Michael - the Navigator - No Addresses Here
 This House will have to be Torn Down
 Elder Stoddard with a Man needing his home rebuilt
 Vanity & Mirror
Toothbrush Holder on Left - Chest of Drawers on Right
 Black Tubes for Water Supply -
Left tube - Shut Off method
Watermelon Patch

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Elder Jones - My Trainer with Elder Begman the day he went Home
That's why he is in a Suit - Only wore it coming and going
Missionaries in this Mission don't even need to buy suits anymore
We sent all Elder Stevens suits home before we came
 Elder Begman - Gary's Trainer from New Zealand

The Outlet to the Ocean of the Lagoon we live on
Port Vila Fire Station

 Improvised Teeter-Totter
 Erakor - The Miracle Chapel - No damage from Pam - Even Hymnbooks were Dry
 Erakor Chapel filled to overflowing last Sunday

 Beautiful Children from Etas Village


 Example of Devastation from Cyclone Pam
 
Miracle Chapel

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

We have been here in Port Vila, Vanuatu now for one week today. It is a fascinating place. Cyclone Pam  happened on Friday - March 13th and destroyed 90% of the housing and all of the vegetation here on Efate and Tanna - two of the islands of the country of Vanuatu. There is still a lot of downed wood everywhere and lots of evidence of houses being rebuilt, but it is green everywhere. At first glance you'd never know how devastated it was. The swimming pool at the mission home was empty before Pam hit and full of water and debris the next morning. People say it lasted all night. Missionaries with only one transfer left were sent home and those with 3 months or so left were sent back to their home country to serve out their missions. There is much to do. We would love to have two more office couples here. 
We'll be waiting to hear from you! I'd be glad to process your work permit and Visa!

Sunday, August 9, 2015


This is the Paonangisu Branch Bush Chapel
It was destroyed during Pam but the benches survived
They were put in just days before Pam because they had to get them out of the warehouse to make room for the emergency supplies that they knew would be coming in after the Cyclone.
Us and President Eric and Sister Stoddard
Eric is Branch President of the Paonangisu Branch
This is their recreation Field
You can see some devastation from Pam in the background but much greenery has returned. Pres. Eric described to us how they caught "Flying Foxes" (bats) for food after the Cyclone. He said they taste good.  I'm not so sure.
These men are loading sheets of corrugated iron roofing material to take to that island in the distance to help rebuild the houses destroyed by Pam. Elder Stoddard delivered water to these boats for about 3 weeks after Pam until people could repair their gutters enough to retrieve rain water themselves.
On our ride all the way around Efate we encountered several scenes like this one
Washday and Bath Day