Return to Vanuatu

Greetings,

We have been a little quiet lately as we have just had one month rest
with our families in Australia for Christmas. Glen has now returned to
Vanuatu and Rachael will return with the family on 27th January.

Over the next three weeks Glen will mainly be working on College
finances and lesson preparation (when he finds out which classes he
will be teaching). Rachael will continue to spend time with her
parents, and the girls will go to swimming lessons.

We are still not sure which courses will go ahead this year. Please
pray for those who are making decisions. There are a lot of big
changes taking place.

Thanks again for your prayers, and we will try to give you more
guidance in your prayers as we learn more about what the year will
look like.

Yours in Christ,
Glen & Rachael and family

Feasting Time

Greetings,

This prayer email is a little longer, but after this the emails will
become a little less regular as things wind down a lot and we have a
holiday over Christmas. If you just want prayer points, look at the
bold parts.

We are now in the season of FEASTING!

MENTORING FEAST
Last Wednesday we had a our final mentoring get together and feast.
This involved all the students Glen mentors and their families (Peter,
Songie, Kasai, Jilifi, John and Kalangai). The night went well and was
an encouraging time together. Because it was the final night there were
a lot of formalities and speeches. Glen explained the importance of
what we have done in mentoring and of faithfully teaching people about
Christ whenever we can, especially as the students go on field
experience next year.

Please pray for these students and the other 2nd year diploma students
going on field experience for one year. They will face many pressures
next year and will find it hard to be faithful in their own personal
godliness and in their pastoral work. Many students in the past have
fallen into serious sin during their time on field and have been
suspended. Pray especially for the single students going on field
(Thomas, Martin, Sheila) and for the married students and staff who
have come to Talua without their families. These students face
especially strong temptations.

So please pray that God would strengthen these students and their
families as they go for field experience, that he would help them to
keep focused on their task of proclaiming Christ, and that he would
work to produce holiness in their lives.

OTHER FEASTS
On Thursday we had a feast for the families living in our corner of
Talua and said farewell to the Parkes family who are leaving at the end
of this year. Friday was the Talua community feast and farewell to
graduating students. Saturday was a community feast for the end of
"Kids Prayer Warriors", a program for the children to encourage them in
their prayer. Sunday was a final feast with our Presbyteries. Tonight
(Monday) is the single students feast. Wednesday is the final
graduation feast, which is by far the largest as it also includes many
visitors.

GRADUATING STUDENTS
Thank you for your prayers for the graduating students retreat. The
students participated in the seminar very enthusiastically and asked a
lot of good questions. The main purpose of the seminar was to
encourage students to reflect deeply on Scripture and on God and his
works and they responded positively to this message. God is working in
their lives and we ask that he will continue to do so!
Also, please pray for Jon Parkes as he speaks at graduation on
Wednesday, and for the graduating students as they begin their work in
local churches.

CHANGES FOR 2008
A lot of changes are happening in 2008 at Talua and in our lives. We
will list some here to give the bigger picture and help your prayers,
but we will not give individual prayer points:

• Regarding courses, there will be no certificate intake as this course
is being cancelled, there may be no diploma intake as the applicants
were not suitable, and the degree course has been postponed until 2009.
• The Santo Presbytery is trying to begin a lay training course based
at the farm up the road, with help from Talua staff.
• Glen will be helping with the College accounts in 2008, doing the
books but not the other jobs that normally go along with this.
• The 'Bookroom' has grown substantially. Next year it will probably be
officially licensed and begin operating as an online bookstore to
supply Vanuatu and other South Pacific islands (and Australia if people
want cheap books!).
• Sophie will begin school next year. Rachael will home school and not
do any official Talua teaching.
• One of Glen's main goals for next year is to be more involved in
ministry in surrounding villages. We have spoken about ministry a lot
in classes and mentoring, but it would be good to go out and teach and
preach and encourage people around us. The plan is for this to link
with mentoring, so we train and encourage our students by working with
them to teach and pastor in surrounding villages. This has not been
possible so far because of class preparation time and language
barriers, but after three years we pray that God will enable us now to
take this step.

Please pray for God's guidance and provision during these changes for
next year.

Feast, feasts and more feasts

Exams are now all finished. Thank you for your prayers for us and the
students.

There are now two weeks before graduation, which takes place on
Wednesday 28th November. During this time preparations will be made for
graduation, but there are also a lot of feasts to celebrate the closing
of different College groups or activities, sort of like our end of year
Christmas parties. On Thursday night Glen went to the mission
students' feast, last night was a feast with our Presbytery group etc.
Each feast takes a lot of preparation so everyone is still busy, but in
a social way as people enjoy working together at a gentle pace getting
things ready.

This is also a good time for reflection. We have grown a lot through
the year and have seen new areas that we need to work at. We have also
been able to see growth in the students, both academically and
spiritually. This real growth is an answer to prayer and we give thanks
for the many good things we have seen God do through the year. We are
also thankful for his continuing protection and care.

Next week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is the final year students
retreat. They will remain on the College site, but spend a lot of time
together reflecting on their time at College and preparing to leave. On
Wednesday Glen will lead the devotions and a time together on
"meditation". Please pray for this time together and that all the
discussion times will be helpful for the students.

Glen will also hold his final night with his mentoring students next
week. He was sick on the official night and so postponed it. This is a
highlight that he is really looking forward to, but please pray that a
time to meet can be found and that there be no interuptions.

There are many issues for prayer regarding next year as a lot of
changes will take place and many decisions are being made about what
will happen at Talua. We will list some of these next week and would
appreciate your prayer.

God has kept peace

Thank you for remembering us in your prayers.
There was tension yesterday but God restrained those who were
threatening violence and the day passed peacefully.

The local province officials and the police are continuing to work on
the problem and there are meetings organised over the next few days
between representatives from the two villages involved.

At the heart of the issue is a land dispute, a huge issue in Vanuatu.
Land is a very important part of identity and security, but earlier
British/French occupation has made traditional land ownership very
difficult to determine and there is now the added problem of many
villages selling their land. Almost every staff/student at Talua that
we have asked is involved in a land dispute of some sort and the
disputes can easily end up with slander or violence. This is an ongoing
matter for prayer in Vanuatu.

Trouble Nearby

There has been a little unrest in the nearby village and threats have
been made of violence tomorrow. The police have been notified to help
ensure that there is no trouble, but please pray that this matter will
be resolved peacefully.

Two teaching weeks left

There are now two weeks of lectures left in this term and then exams.

We will both continue to meet individually with the students we are
mentoring and then we will meet in our groups on Friday 9th November.
Please pray for the students during these final weeks of mentoring,
especially that there be no interruptions to our time together, that
Rachael will be able to have good conversations reflecting on the year,
and that Glen would be able to encourage his students as they prepare
to go for one year of field experience.

Over the next two weeks Glen will be teaching Revelation to the 2nd and
4th year diploma students. He would greatly appreciate prayer for this!

Over the next few weeks the College will be reviewing applications for
next year. Please pray for wisdom in the selection process, that the
students chosen will be godly men and women who know and love Jesus.
Pray also for wisdom as we decide whether there are enough applications
for the degree course to begin next year.

Please pray that God may provide us with a bursar for next year. If no
one suitable is found then this work will probably be taken by Glen.

A bad flu has been going around the College. It is beginning to pass,
but many are not yet in full health. It affected all of our family,
but especially Glen and Matthew who are still trying to shake it off.
Please pray that God would restore us to full health, and give thanks
for the reminder that we are longing for our resurrection bodies and
our eternal home in which there will be no more sickness and pain. Give
thanks that God has blessed us with very good health through this year.

Assembly Week

This week most of the teaching staff from Talua are at General
Assembly. The students have been left work to do, but it is still a
good chance for them to catch their breath a little. Glen decided not
to go to Assembly this year because it is during teaching time and
there are already several representatives from Australia attending.

Glen has been continuing to meet individually with three students:
John, Kasai & Jilifi. We are now talking about how to write Bible
studies, as they are keen to learn this before they leave for their one
year field experience next year. Each week we read through a Bible
passage together, try to work out the main ideas and applications, and
then write a study together. This is working very well and they are
learning a lot, but it would be better if they were actually leading
studies! Next year I may try to organise for the students to lead Bible
studies in nearby villages. Please pray for the spiritual growth of
these students, and that they will grow in their understanding of God's
Word, their ability to teach it to others and their trust in God to
work powerfully when his Word is taught.

Glen would also appreciate prayer as he is teaching 1 & 2 Samuel to
Diploma 1 over the next few weeks. He is finding this more difficult
than normal because it is not an area he has studied a lot and he was
not given a lot of preparation time before the course started.

Rachael has been finding teaching a real challenge. It is a constant
struggle to teach at the right level and she has had to alter her
course a number of times this term. Nevertheless, Rachael is encouraged
that some of the women are really keen to learn to write Bible studies
and are working hard at understanding Bible passages and writing
questions that will help other women to understand too. Please continue
to pray for Rachael and the women doing this course.

All three children have a cough at the moment and consequently nights
are disturbed. Please pray for patience for Rachael and a quick return
to health for the children.

Talua has a large debt which it is difficult to pay. It is important
for us to pay this, but even more important for us to make sure
responsible systems of financial management are in place to make sure
we are being faithful with what we are given. Please pray that God
would provide us with a capable bursar for next year and the other
staff needed at the College.