https://youtu.be/lHtR8TjIuQA?feature=shared
Back in Vanuatu! 🇻🇺
The moment your feet touch the soil, ministry is “on”!
From stepping off the plane and talking with customs agents who know you work in the “jungle,” to purchasing enough supplies to last an entire month (don’t forget anything, because it’s a three-hour drive each way!), the work begins immediately.
Then come the deliveries to people for whom you’ve brought equipment from the States, since many things simply aren’t available here. Add to that picking up food, gasoline, and supplies for various work projects, including an upcoming water project that F.I.A. is beginning among the Tiale people.
Needless to say, the ability to juggle responsibilities, adjust plans, and remain flexible is essential!
And then there’s the rain!
Rain is always a lingering concern for people in Vanuatu, especially those living deep in the jungle who must cross rivers to reach their homes.
Once the rain begins, the race is on to beat the rising rivers. Sometimes, an hour makes the difference between sleeping in your own bed or spending the night in your truck beside a flooded river, waiting for the water to subside the following morning.
After ten years in this country, my heart rate still rises every time I cross those rivers! Even the Tiale people, who have crossed them their entire lives, still get nervous. You never take those crossings lightly.
But amidst the travel, supplies, projects, and challenges, the greatest joy is seeing what God continues to accomplish through His Word!
Although our Bible school students still have several weeks of lessons remaining, we kept the previously scheduled ceremony date to accommodate visiting families.
The students were excited to celebrate the completion of one season of learning, yet equally eager to continue into the next. That desire to keep learning Scripture is especially encouraging!
It was also a tremendous joy to watch the other four teachers stand before the students and offer their own words of encouragement, challenge, and warning. Seeing these men take increasing responsibility for teaching and strengthening others is one of the most rewarding aspects of this ministry.
Please continue praying for the following:
- Our Bible school students: Pray that they remain faithful to the Scriptures they have learned, not merely retaining knowledge but demonstrating obedience in their daily lives.
- Their families and communities: As these students return home, pray that they will faithfully represent Christ and become lights among their own people.
- The Tiale ministry team: We are now discussing and developing strategies for future outreaches, the continued growth and maturity of the churches, and upcoming youth programs. Pray for wisdom, unity, discernment, and faithfulness to Scripture as we make these decisions.
There is much work ahead, but it is encouraging to see the ministry increasingly carried forward by the very people we came to serve.
Thank you for your continued prayers and partnership in the work God is doing among the Tiale people!
Your feet to the Tiale people and the country of Vanuatu. Seth, Nicole & Selah Stokes.
