Altar calls and flying banana leaves

Greetings from Vanuatu! We are missing all of our dear family and friends!

Our days have been filled with numerous adventures but the lifestyle here is very laid back, so we are mainly "hanging out" with the natives. We have had multiple church services here on the island of Tanna at this point and also were able to share our drama three times. Each of the services have included altar calls. It seems like just about everyone responds to them!! We also did a seminar on marriage...well, actually many of us just listened. :) We are invited to attend a double wedding ceremony tonight so that will be an interesting experience. Dave and Warren both have a part in officiating it.

Soon after we arrived here, we were invited to visit the Chief to show respect for his brother who died last week. It was an interesting cultural experience to see their customs concerning mourning. There were multiple villages represented. It was at this meeting that we noticed a sign advertising "Custom Magic". When we asked them what that was all about, they told us that for tourists and others they would set them on banana leaves and levitate the people and fly them around. Obviously we didn't volunteer, but it shows us the high level of witchcraft operating here. Please pray for wisdom and protection for the team in this regard.

Tomorrow we are scheduled to go to see the volcano that many of us saw on the TV show "Survivor-Vanuatu". This promises to be a great adventure and we will likely be out of range to communicate. We are also scheduled to meet with a cult leader whose son has become a Christian and would like us to talk with his father. This man is very influential on the islands and we would appreciate prayer for wisdom and grace in speaking with him.

We will be flying on small planes-(no banana leaves for us!) between islands again on Friday(Pango) and Saturday (Malekula Island) (Thursday and Friday your time). Please keep us in prayer for safe travels. Thanks so much for standing with us, we really appreciate it!

Praise report: Warren is feeling better and the rest of the team is staying healthy. Please continue to pray that illness stays at bay. Thanks!!

From your very own SURVIVORS: We love you!
SOLD Out '09

Setting up camp in Tanna

The team had a wonderful time at Cookie's church in Pango village with a celebratory send off and presentation of our plane tickets. Of course we had paid for these tickets so it was a bit humorous to us! Six people from that church have also joined us for this first mission to Tanna.

We have set up camp in the jungle. The weather is pleasant, around 75 degrees, which is an answer to prayer. The locals are very intrigued with our white skin since most of them have never seen any whites! They tend to sit chewing their sugar cane, spitting, pointing and staring at us. Pray that we could be culturally sensitive to them.

Shopping is in a small open air market. We have bought some very interesting vegetables that we have never seen before that will be our main diet the next few days. They are some cross between cucumbers and squash. We're thankful that we don't have to figure out what to do with them. God has blessed us with a cook. :)

The plan for the next few days is to do our drama and have evening meetings and prayer for the people here. They have asked us to teach on family and spiritual warfare. We have also been asked to help preform a wedding ceremony, so that should be a fun cultural experience!

Thanks so much for standing with us in prayer. God is faithful to meet our needs. Warren has been battling flu symptoms and we would appreciate prayer that those symptoms would stop and go no further in the group!

We love you!

SOLD OUT '09

YAHOO!! We're here in Vanuatu!

We have arrived without a problem today after a long flight...thanks for all your prayers!
We will be doing our drama at a church this evening. They have also asked for time to pray for our mission here in Vanuatu. We appreciate all the prayers we can get!

Tomorrow we will fly in two groups to the island of Tanna because we can't all fit on one of their little planes.
Presently the plan is to do nightly meetings and some teaching and evangelism.
Please continue to pray for travel safety and health for the team and that we can be effective to reach this island nation for Jesus!

Itinerary in Vanuatu

Once we arrive in Vanuatu, here is our day to day itinerary. Of course, as always when in foreign cultures and when being blown by the wind of the spirit, things are always subject to change. If you want to know what time it is in Vanuatu, subtract five hours from the current time here (PDT) and then think a day ahead. So if it is noon on Wednesday here, then it is seven am Thursday in Vanuatu. Of course from midnight to 5 am here it is the same day there but most people won't be calculating during those hours.

Itinerary



10th -11th May = Efalfal Bay Inn accommodation (Pango Village)
- Arrive 10th May, stay at the Resort for one night including breakfast then fly VLI / TANNA.
- Briefing in the church and hand out of Air tickets upon arrival in Pango Village.


11th – 15th May = Lauiaru Village (Tanna)
- May at Lauiaru Village, teaching seminar, night crusades,
- a day tour to Yasur volcano, John Frum Village etc….

15th – 16th May = Efalfal Bay Inn accommodation (Pango Village)

16th – 4th June = Malekula Island

16th – 18th May at the main base (Worlep Village)
- 17th Sunday is our outreach mission, Official Opening
- teaching seminar, night crusades and outreach to nearby villages; community work

18th – 21st May = LAMAP (Lewis Village)
- teaching seminar, night crusades
- out reach to nearby villages in two or three different groups.

21st – 22nd May at the Base (Worlep Village)

22nd – 25th May = URBIF ISLAND
- teaching seminar, night crusades,
- outreach in three different groups.

26th May = Norsup Hospital Visitation to pray for the sick people

27th – 29th May = RANO ISLAND
- teaching seminar, night crusades, and outreach in three different groups.
- Beautiful spot for swimming, snorkeling and fishing also visit the historical sites

29th – 30th May = BENALUM VILLAGE
- teaching seminar, night crusades,
- outreach in three different groups.

31st May – 4th June = Worlep (Main Base)
- teaching seminar, night crusades, and outreach in three different groups
- 3 June is a Farewell Melanesian Feast for everyone

4th -7th June = Efalfal Bay Inn (Pango Village)
- Free days for everyone

7th June = Depart VLI / NAD: End of Mission

Getting Ready Once Again!

It's time to get ready to leave for the Class of '09 Mission Trip! This year we are heading to the islands of Vanuatu, located among the Melanesian Islands, east of Australia. We are still in the planning stages, but here are the details we know at the moment.

Flight Itinerary:

1 NZ 7L Friday May 8 LEAVES SAN FRANCISCO 9:00PM - ARRIVES AUCKLAND 5:15AM (May 10)

2 NZ 878L Sunday May 10 LEAVES AUCKLAND 7:35AM - ARRIVES VANUATU 10:00AM

3 NZ 879L Sunday June 7 LEAVES VANUATU 11:00AM - ARRIVES AUCKLAND 3:00PM

4 NZ 8L Sunday June 7 LEAVES AUCKLAND 7:30PM - ARRIVES SAN FRANCISCO 12:45PM

While we are in Vanuatu, we are planning to travel between several different islands. However, none of our plans there are definite, and we will see where the native pastors recommend we go and where God leads us!

While we are there, it will be very difficult to communicate between the US and Vanuatu. However, if there is an emergency, here are several contacts:

Phone Number of Pastor Kalpram "Cookie" Kalmet: 011-678-541-6041
Email address of Frank King, relative of Pastor Kalmet: kavatraders@vanuatu.com.vu

We're on our way home!

We are presently in the midst of a two hour boat ride back to the main island of Fiji that we will fly from. We are all anxious to come home to you, our friends and family.

Our time on Octopus Island was a lot of fun with great snorkeling and swimming and we are grateful for all the beauty of God's creation that we have experienced.

This day of travel will be interesting for us since we will live through it twice. According to our clock and calendar we should be arriving in Sacramento in about three hours! (We are scheduled to arrive on United # 6461 at 7:31 p.m. Tuesday, June 3rd.)

Thanks for praying us home. We can't wait to see you!

Sold Out '08

Heading back to Fiji!

We just wanted to check in and let you know that we are alive and well!

We had a good time of ministry yesterday in a local hospital here in Port Vila. We also did the YWAM service in the evening. We are beginning to wind down and are looking forward to our trip to Nadi today and our couple days of vacation at Octopus Resort in Fiji.

Please keep our travels and health in your prayers. Thanks!

Sold Out '08