Admiral’s Update No 11 2017

Greetings Everyone,

SO much has happened in the past ten days. We finally got some zoom and endured the usual two hour wet trip to Wale where I did a day teaching Sunday School teachers and a three day conference on Marriage and Parenting. Phil did an hour’s walk further down the coast to liaise with a catamaran with engine trouble and came back with a coral cut that developed into a tropical ulcer which we are still trying to get to heal.

We returned to Damunu where they gave us an INCREDIBLE farewell — a major production with song, dance, drama, speeches from visiting dignitaries and tearful farewells then of course a feast. Even the school was closed so the teachers and students could attend.

The next day, just on dawn, Pastor Sigi’s wife and daughter came out in a canoe weeping uncontrollably. I thought someone had died. But NO. The whole family had been so upset at our leaving, especially Sigi, that Julie came out to express their grief. It was a VERY moving experience. In the end Sigi and Julie decided to come with us to Sudest Island while we visited the churches there. Phil installed an new HF radio in a very remote village on the eastern tip of the island. After sailing to Sudest we had another two hour very rough dinghy ride to the village. Phil took his GPS and clocked the dinghy speed — we sat on 19-20 knots when we were not dodging reef. Phil was worried that the jarring would harm the radio but all went well.

When we returned to the yacht they got Phil to check why the government radio wasn’t working. We cannot doubt that these people value the work we do with them. It is proving very hard to say goodbye.

Today we sailed to Jelewaga on the south coast of Sudest and will spend a couple of days here doing some work.

God bless you all,

Pam and Phil

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Admiral’s Update No 9 2017

Greetings Everyone,

We had a harrowing trip back from the South Coast through a narrow reef-strewn passage that had been dynamited in the past for trading boat access. It is only about nine metres wide in places. The problem was the tides. They are low almost all day. We tried to take the rising tide in late afternoon but it was impossible to navigate with the setting sun in our eyes and we had to do some difficult manoeuvring and anchor for the night. We left just after daybreak the next morning and scraped through with 0.1 metre under us. The locals are still amazed we got through.

Since then we were honoured guests at a joint school meeting to launch a new curriculum for the elementary schools. They are to teach in English instead of their own languages — a positive move. I gave a speech on the value of education and presented copies of my booklet on teaching English to each of the teachers.

On Sunday Phil, with his usual reluctance, gave an excellent sermon entitled “Where is the Joshua Generation?” challenging young men to train under their leaders now to fulfill the needs of the future. The leaders want him to give the same talk next Sunday at Morpa, six miles further north.

Never a dull moment!!

God bless,

Pam and Phil

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Admiral’s Update No 8 2017

Greetings Everyone,

We have been away from the boat for ten days staying at Pem, an isolated island village located on a lofty plateau surrounded by mountains. To get there we poled the dinghy for half an hour along the coast then paddled and poled it for nearly three hours up a windy river then a climb up a very slippery slope to the village. It rained all the time. There had been a death in the village and we had to wait a week, first for the funeral and then for the funeral (memorial) feast. I did a three day marriage and parenting seminar which was well attended. Phil painted their blackboards and showed “Fireproof” with increasing difficulty as our film equipment limped along and finally gave up the ghost.

Phil and Pastor Sigi and another man paddled a canoe for five hours to the yacht to try to fix it with no success and then paddled back again — a long day!! We intended to finish off with prayer on Sunday, however, the five year old granddaughter of one of our friends died of TB and the funeral was on Sunday. A sad end to our time there. From there we returned to the Rosma Bible college for a night then another three hour dinghy trip to Abeleti to replace the radio that had failed.

We are now back on the boat again for a rest before our next job which will probably be at Wale village about three hours in the dinghy from here.

To give you some idea of how isolated this place is, we haven’t found anyone who has even HEARD of the name Donald Trump, let alone that he is the US president!!

God bless,

Pam and Phil

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Admiral’s Update No 7 2017

Greetings Everyone,

We have had an AMAZING time at Abelete, an isolated outpost about 3 to 4 hours rough dinghy trip from where the boat is. Last year, after we left, their leader, Linus, was beaten up (the third member of his congregation to have been hospitalised) resulting in complete paralysis down the left side. It was so hard to see this vibrant young man so reduced that he had to be carried everywhere.

We showed War Room on Saturday evening and then on Sunday I preached on prayer and Phil on James 5. He anointed Linus with oil and Sigi and the elders laid hands on Linus and prayed for healing. After the service Phil took his camera and asked Linus to try to move his leg. When we come home you will see on the video how he raised his leg almost vertical and waved it from side to side.

Please pray for the following things for us:

– That Linus will continue to be healed and be able to walk again. Due to lack of use the past nine months his right leg is very weak as well.
– That his brother, Vincent, will grow in confidence as he takes over some of the leadership.
– For the surrounding catholic area, still trying to close down the CRC church. Phil had a long talk with a leading Catholic catechist who wants to rein in his people and to see peace and who is impressed with Linus’s faith and ability to forgive. Usually there is BIG payback.
– For the film equipment to keep going. It blew up and Phil has done a temporary fix-it that he hopes will see the distance.

Thanks for your support.

God bless,

Pam and Phil

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Admiral’s Update No 6 2017

Greetings Everyone,

Sorry not to have been in touch. We have been off the boat up until today. I have done a weeks teaching at the Bible College and a course on using flannelgraph with the Sunday School teachers while Phil has fixed and fine tuned their HF radio, installed a bigger solar panel, repaired the controller and shown films. War Room was really well received. They are committed to prayer. We have daily prayer meetings, 5 am to 6 am every morning and a good roll-up, too. I told them it wouldn’t work at home!!

When we first arrived, while we were waiting for the dinghy to arrive (it was a couple of days), we decided to walk along the beach to church — about a two hour walk. That went well and when we got there they told us we were preaching — that’s the way it goes here!! Coming home the tide was up and we had to go up over a small cliff. The track was very slippery (Phil reckons Rossel Island mud makes Teflon look like glue) with a sheer drop on the seaward side. I found it quite nerve-racking and have put it on my “Not – to – do – again” list.

We are back on the boat loading up with supplies for three more churches on the south coast of Rossel, I’m doing a three day Marriage and Parenting Seminar at two of them and Phil is installing a new HF radio, solar, etc at the third and most isolated one. It’s hard to imagine the difference being able to communicate between islands with the radios makes. We should be away from the boat for a week or more.

Never a dull moment!

God bless,

Pam and Phil

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Admiral’s Update Christmas 2016

Greetings and a Happy and Holy Christmas to Everyone,

A BIG THANK YOU for those of you who have cared, prayed, supported us during the year.

We are settled back in Brunswick Heads for a few months and getting involved in activities. Phil did his first Gideon church presentation in eighteen years. It was his first attempt at a Power Point presentation and the pastor said it was one of the best Gideon reports he had seen. Phil says he still wants to improve it but the Pastor’s comments were an encouragement. Meanwhile I am co-ordinating three Gideon groups on the Gold Coast for the ladies and will be doing a bit of travelling and liaising and have learnt to do “GO2” meetings by computer. Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

Phil has joined the local VMR (Volunteer Marine Rescue) — pay back for some of the service we have had from them over the years. He also wants to join the local gym which has an indoor heated pool where he can do some laps for excurse. I’m content to walk and swim on the beach and enjoy the beauty of Brunswick Heads.

We have a spare bedroom if you are ever passing this way.

We wish you a happy and holy Christmas and God’s blessing in the year ahead.

Pam and Phil

Admiral’s Update Christmas 2016

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Admiral’s Update No 12 2016

Greetings Everyone,

Today we are packing the boat up and getting ready to set off in the morning for Australia. The weather report is encouraging and our aim is to head for Gladstone if possible.

We’ve had a fruitful week at Rehuwa (after Phil got bitten by a dog as soon as we arrived) with me teaching in the daytime and Phil repairing their LED lights and then showing films in the evening. They have really worked us hard but their responsiveness makes it all worthwhile.

The anchorage is very exposed and even with 10-12 knot winds we have had to wear wet weather gear going back in the dinghy against the chop.

We were saddened to hear that one of the Rossel elders — Linus — was set upon by two men and is now in hospital in a serious condition. Please pray for him. This is the third bashing that CRC Church members have received from the local mainline church people. Also please pray for a safe passage for us across the Coral Sea. I’m looking forward to carrots and snow peas and Phil his chocolate and ice cream.

See you in Aus.

God bless,

Pam and Phil

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