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.

Holiday at Turtle Bay

Greetings,

We have just returned from a five day break on the east coast of Santo
and are feeling very refreshed. During this next week Talua is still
on holidays and Glen will work on preparation for term 2 (teaching
"John's Gospel," "the last things" and Greek). Rachael will have
school with the girls.

Glen will be preaching tomorrow morning at Talua on 1 John 1:1-4 and
lead a Bible Study at Sarete in the afternoon, but otherwise there is
very little planned for this week.

Thanks for your prayers,
Glen, Rachael, Sophie, Bethany & Matthew

Teaching in Sarete

Hello everyone,

Field experience went well last weekend, although Rachael and the
children weren't able to go because Rachael sprained her ankle on
Wednesday night.

Even though there has been very little bible teaching in the village
and many people are struggling spiritually, they are still keen to
learn from the Bible. Most weekends this year there was no sunday
service in Sarete itself and none was planned for last weekend, but
the elders were keen to meet when we suggested it as they are aware
that the lack of time together for community worship and teaching is a
problem. Also, the elders have agreed for us to come each Sunday
afternoon to teach the Bible. This Sunday we will begin to read and
discuss 1 John with anyone who wants to come. Sunday School also had
not been planned, but on Saturday night and Sunday morning Joel led a
time of singing and Bible stories with the children.

The students had opportunity to speak with people around the village
and are focusing on helping people clearly understand the Gospel and
respond appropriately. We also met someone from the Praise & Worship
church who has a DVD player and shows religious movies or singing or
teaching almost every night. We gave him a DVD of John's Gospel and
about 40 or 50 people watched chapters 1-14 on Friday night. He asked
us to bring more material that he can show people.

Please pray:
• that there will be more regular services on Sundays, with faithful
Bible teaching.
• that people will come to the Bible Study on Sunday, and that we will
learn from God's Word and grow together.
• that we will have more opportunities to teach the children in the
village, and to encourage parents and others in the village to teach
them, and that these children will grow up to know and trust our Lord
Jesus Christ.
• that as students share the Gospel around the village, God will work
by his Spirit to bring more people to know him.
• giving thanks for the man from the Praise & Worship church who is
using his DVD player to help and encourage people in the village.
• that we will be able to encourage and support him in this ministry
and that it will bring the message of Christ and good Bible teaching
to many people in the village.
• that the tension between the villages of Hasavaea and Vimele, and
that the field experience group in Hasavaea will be able to continue
their work.
• for students doing their exams next week

Trip to Sarete

We're just heading out to Sarete for field experience for the weekend.
(Glen, Billy & John with our familes, and Joel and Kalmara who are
single.)
We will visit different people and meet with the church leaders and
people involved in different ministries.

On Sunday there is a very large combined service for all the villages
in the local area. Joel will be preaching on the judgment of God from
the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.

There is also a Langham preaching conference on next week. This will
be held in Vila and includes pastors from all over Vanuatu.

Please pray for us and these events.

End of the first week of classes

We are all well and enjoying the many blessings of life at Talua.

Philip attended his Father's funeral in Ambrym and has now returned to
Talua to continue the BTh program. Thank you for your prayers for him.
There are some students in the Diploma and Mission program who haven't
arrived yet. Transport is difficult here and some people are waiting
on ships. Please pray that everyone will be able to arrive quickly and
safely.

This week fourth year diploma students will be looking at the death of
Christ with Glen over 8 class hours. Please pray that we will also see
more clearly God's love and mercy and justice and just how much he has
done for us. Pray also that we will respond to this teaching with
renewed trust in God and thankfulness to him and desire to share with
others how wonderful our God is.

Some other events coming up:
20th Feb - Rachael is leading devotions on John 4:7-42
27th Feb - First field experience weekend with Billy, John, Joel &
Kalmara, at a nearby village called Sarete.
1st March - Glen will be leading a prayer night with the College
community