Distributing goods (comments for yacht Alacrity)

Greetings Wayne and Josene,

I’m glad you got some help from our webpage.  That’s what it is there for!!

We have just returned to Bundaberg from the Louisiades – it was a short season for us this year as we have to go to a conference in Adelaide at the end of September.  Also, our three year visa has to be renewed.

Regarding distributing goods – it is a difficult thing to do it fairly as many of the councillors/leaders/ elders/ pastors are not always impartial in their distributing.  Most yachts only go as far east as Nimoa so the islands west of there, especially around Bagaman, Motorina, etc get the majority of the largess.  Sudest and Rossel usually miss out.

The south coast of Sudest, which has few decent anchorages, is very isolated.  Last year we took, among other things, some small soaps that you get at motels, etc.  The response was. “Soap.  We haven’t seen that for years.”  There is no-one on the north coast of Sudest that we could recommend.

Also, Rossel, especially the east point and south coast receive very little.  However, at Tryon Bay there is a Pastor Sigi (everyone knows him) who is probably the most generous, humble and giving man you would ever meet.  If you leave stuff with him he will see that it goes to those in need.  He never keeps anything for himself or his family.  He even takes it on the three day walk to the east end of the island to give to the people there who are very poor.  We have been there with him and have seen just how bad things are at that end.  An example of what he is like – last year he built shelters (houses) for 17 students from other parts of the island who were schooling at Damunu.  Then he fed them, sometimes clothed them and generally fathered them for the year.  None of them was related to him.

At Yonga Bay on Rossel the principal of the small Bible College, Pastor Sai loa is honest.

At Pana Pom Pom I would recommend  Pastor Mila and wife Julie on the Nivani side.  If you get to Panaeati then either Pastors Pete Joe or Steven are honest men.

At Misima Pastor Kingsford at Bwagaoia or on the north coast elder Ganta at Siagara or Councillor /elder Arnold at Liak.  At Kimuta Pastor Palaimo is honest.

These are all people that we are happy to leave goods with to see that they are distributed fairly and not just to their “onetok”.  Some have lived on board with us for  several months at a time and we know their integrity.

However, if you go to Rossel and Sudest I suggest you keep most of the goods for them as they need them most.

Unfortunately many of the yacht get totally conned by many of the leader and pastors and the gear doesn’t go any further than their onetok.

Regarding school books etc.  If you give them to the school direct they usually get distributed fairly.  Again, the school at Damunu on Rossel is “the end of the line” as far as resources from the government goes.

I trust this has been of some use to you.  Have a great time over there.  It certainly is a top spot.  Rossel is our favourite island – we usually spend 6-8 weeks there each year.  Sorry we won’t see you there as we could have shown you some of the lesser seen places.

God bless,

Phil and Pam

This email published for the benefit of other yachties if they want to do something similar .. Administrator

Read Full Post »

Admiral’s Update No 12 of 2009

Greetings Everyone,

HELP!!  We seem to be sinking under a weight of preparations that are taxing our resourcefulness.

We’ve moved around a few headlands to Yonga Bay where I have spent the week teaching the students an Outline of the Bible course.  It’s a joy to see this small Bible college functioning again with its thirteen students as last year it was closed due to a land dispute.  Phil did a great job sorting out the issue but we were relieved when we arrived at Rossel to hear it is now completely settled.

That’s not the problem.  It’s what is coming up.  After we leave here early next week, we go to Walanga Bay — a new church waiting for leaders to come — don’t know why they haven’t — and we are to encourage them and maybe do some teaching — all undefined as yet.  The following week we are to organise and carry out the whole programme for the opening and dedication of a new church building on the south side of the island — with all the prayers, sermons and whatever for this major event.  We will know more when we get there the day before the opening.  Then we will live in the village for two more days and participate in a Youth Conference in what ever way they have programmed, which we won’t find out until we get there.

We then return to Tryon Bay to organise the week long Music Workshop for Youth and the day after it finishes we return to Kimuta Island (about 100 mile trip) picking up people on the way for a Leaders’ Meeting.  Our task there is to instruct the leaders on the techniques of letter writing, plus what ever else they’ve decided to put us down for on the programme in the meantime.

As I said, we’re feeling a little overwhelmed and would appreciate prayer for wisdom and direction.

The weather this week has been foul with continuous forty plus knot bullets of wind funnelling down the bay and constant showers.  The anchor chain is obviously catching on coral at times as we swing wildly around with lots of jerks, making an uncomfortable nights sleep.  Low tides in the daytime are also making the dinghy rides ashore interesting to say the least, as we maneuver through the bombies.

We don’t want you to think the Baileys always have it easy, sunbaking under palm trees drinking coconut juice!!

God bless

Pam and Phil

Read Full Post »