Term 3, week 4

• Rachael's health is continuing to improve. She stills feels very
tired but has picked up a lot.

• We are in week 4 of term. Classes are going well. This week Glen is
looking at providence with 1st year diploma students and Hebrews 4-6
with 2nd & 3rd year diploma students. The Bible studies are continuing
each Sunday afternoon at Sarete.

• There has been confusion over some college dates and our programs
for the term. This is quite normal, but please pray that the program
will be sorted out and that students will be trained well.

• Glen is still doing the bursar's work until a full-time bursar is
found. Over the next two months he will be cutting back the bursar's
work to a minimum and being more restrictive on the hours people can
come to his office concerning financial matters. This is already
causing tension and many people will probably become angry at him.
Traditionally it has been understood that you can go and see the
bursar anytime about anything and he should do it straight away (for
those of you who know Talua, think about Ps Frank's old job!). This
perception has changed a little, but it will have to change a lot more
over the next two months and there may be anger and frustration.
Please pray that people will be understanding of why Glen needs to set
aside time for teaching and preparation and cannot do financial work
during these times.

• Our college accreditation expired last year and their may be a re-
accreditation visit in October. Please pray that this will go well and
that the college will be accredited.

Start of term 3

Term 3 begins tomorrow and students have been arriving back at College
yesterday and today.
• Please pray for safe travel for returning students and staff,
especially those coming by ship.
• Please pray for staff as they prepare and teach classes, and for
students to work hard at their studies and grow in knowledge, ministry
skills and godliness.

Rachael has been back from Australia one week. She still feels very
tired and is resting a lot, but is recovering well now.
• Please continue to pray for Rachael's improving health and that the
rest of the family will be helpful and cooperative during this time.

This term Glen will be teaching "Humanity and Sin" to 1st year
diploma, "Hebrews to Revelation" to 2nd & 4th year diploma, and Greek
to the BMin foundation year students.
• Please pray for all of Glen's preparation and teaching.
• Please also continue to pray for the Bible's studies at Sarete which
will recommence next Sunday.

Assembly was a great chance to meet up with many former students and
other pastors in the church and to find out what is happening in the
wider church. While there were many encouragements, it was also
difficult seeing the acceptance of liberalism in the church and the
almost total absence of the Good News of Jesus from the programs and
planning of the church.
• Please continue to pray that pastors throughout the the PCV will
read the Bible and understand clearly who Christ is and what he has
done, and that they will faithfully teach these things to people
throughout Vanuatu.
• Please pray that staff and students at Talua will be able to produce
more resources to help pastors in this work.

Finally, please pray for us as a family. The last two months have been
difficult because we haven't been able to follow our regular routines.
Glen's mother was with us for most of August and helped greatly and
the children have been very helpful and understanding. But we now need
to return to some regular patterns of life!

Rachael going back to Australia

Rachael has been unwell lately and is going to Sydney today (monday)
for treatment. It is not serious or long term, but we would appreciate
your prayers for safe travel, for good health, and for the family
while she is away. She is looking forward to the trip as it is always
encouraging meeting family & Christian friends in Australia. Glen's
mother is still here in Vanuatu and is helping with the children.

Glen will travel to Vila on Friday (21st) for Assembly. Rachael will
probably fly back from Sydney and join him in Vila, and then we will
return to Talua on 28th August.

Thank you for your prayers for the work in Sarete. We have been doing
Bible Studies on Galatians and are now half way through chapter 3.
There are about 10-15 who come along and they have clearly learnt a
lot from from the studies and are thinking carefully about what it
means for themselves and others in the village to believe in Christ
for salvation. Please keep praying for the people of Sarete and for
Glen and the students. (We will have a break for the next two weeks
for school holidays.)

No water!

It has been a quieter week this week. Students are preparing for exams
and we are catching up on marking, administration, tidying etc. Glen's
mother is visiting for 5 weeks and will look after the children when
Glen and Rachael go to Assembly later this month.

Some points for prayer:
• Glen will preach tomorrow at Talua and then lead a Bible Study in
the afternoon at Sarete.
• Students will sit their exams next week.
• The coop store had a break in two weeks ago and cash was stolen, and
this week someone cut the main water pipes bringing water to Talua so
we had no water (rainwater for drinking was unaffected). Please pray
for peace in the community and a resolution of problems if people are
upset with Talua.

Approaching the end of term 2

We are now approaching the end of term 2. Next week is the last week
of lectures, followed by study week and exams. The students are
feeling weary after a long term and quite a few visitors during July.
(Yes, we are feeling weary too, although we had a little more rest
over the last week.) Please pray that students will have the strength
and discipline to continue studying over the next few weeks.

Thank you for your prayers for Open Day. Two of the volleyball teams
from Sarete stayed at our house for 3 nights during Open Day and it
was a great chance to get to know them a lot better. A lot of barriers
have been broken down and our visits to the village have become easier.

Students will go on field experience again this weekend. Rachael and
Lignes will be leading a women's Bible study on Saturday afternoon and
Glen will probably be leading a Bible study on Sunday afternoon. The
students will be involved in various other activities. Please pray for
the whole college field experience program as there are many problems.
The college is till trying to work out what to do with the program.

There was trouble in Luganville last week because of a murder and
about 50-100 people were forced to leave town by the police. It has
been resolved, but please pray for peace during Independence Day
celebrations this week.

Sarete and Open Day

We are going to Sarete for field experience this weekend. Please pray
for all the activities, but especially:
- Saturday morning devotions and training with the elders & deacons
(Glen leading)
- Saturday afternoon women's Bible study (Rachael) and children's
Bible story time (John)
- Sunday afternoon Bible study.
Please also pray for our conversations and visitation.

On Sunday there is a combined communion service for the surrounding
villages and so the students will not lead or preach.

Talua is now preparing for "Open Day" which is a four day soccer &
volleyball competition followed by one day music festival, to be held
from 1st-5th July. It is a big event and a lot of work for the
students. In the past we have been concerned that there is no
teaching, evangelism etc during the whole of the soccer & football
competition. It takes all of our energy for quite a few weeks and many
people come, but we don't give them anything except entertainment and
food. Some students are concerned about this and are trying to do
more. Please pray that the event will be run in a way that brings
glory to Christ and that there will be many opportunities to tell of
who he is and what he has done.

Sarete field experience

We have just finished the fourth week of term and life is in a more
regular pattern now. Schooling with the girls is going well even
though it is very tiring, and Glen is enjoying his classes this term.

The students went to Sarete last weekend for field experience and Glen
has continued to go each Sunday to lead a Bible Study. There is a
small core who are very committed and we are now beginning to think
about how that group and the students can start to reach out to others
in the village. The students will go again for field experience next
weekend (19th-21st June). Billy will be preaching on Sunday morning
and we will also hold separate devotions or Bible Studies for the
women, children, church leaders, and the whole community.

There has been some serious tension with one staff member and the
issue will be dealt with by the Church executive during the coming
week. The tension is quite serious and we would appreciate your prayers.

We have been waiting quite a number of months for different equipment
to arrive at Talua, including the new college truck, a satellite
internet dish and solar panels for the English' teachers house. None
of these are essential, but they make life a lot simpler and we would
appreciate your prayers for the logistics.

Thanks again for your prayers. Above all else please continue to pray
that Christ will be the centre of our College life at Talua and of all
that we say and do personally. It is still very rare that we hear a
sermon or devotion proclaiming clearly what Christ has done for us,
and when that is missing then something else always takes its place as
the focus.