April 7, 2011

Dear Friends, Brethren and Family

Bula Vinaka

This report is late. I am sorry for that but we have been waiting on some news and requests and wanted to be able to tell you what is going on and what we pray will be going on.

March and April
The latter part of March after getting back to Fiji we had another cyclone develop East of Fiji but it did not make landfall here in the West. Kathy and I both had blood tests to make sure we had not contracted malaria on our Vanuatu trip and we both had negative results. I also had a PSA test done as I was supposed to have another prostrate biopsy in December but didn't. It was 3.4 - very good.

Then April started with water cuts from the municipal pipes. Since we do not have water tanks to catch roof water we used the water that was coming out of the air conditioner to flush the toilets for a couple of days. That tells you how much humidity we had. We only used the a/c at night when the temperature was still in the high 80's. We were having lots of rain and the local drainage board finally cleaned out the drain that goes through our yard, through the cane fields under the road and into the ocean. We have not had the same amount of flooding in the yard since.

A Fiji church giant goes home
Anna Conivanua's father, Paula Tera died this month. He has been sick for some time. He translated and had printed the first songbook used by the Fijian churches. It was his words that Josua and I used when we put together the Fiji songbook with notes. He was 84 years young. He was baptized in 1975 and he was a tireless worker for the church while working at a government day job and even more after he retired. Anna is one of 7 children, her mother is living with one of her sisters just North of Lautoka in Ba. Anna is married to Josua, a co-worker. Janet, the eldest daughter of Josh and Anna, spoke at the funeral which was held at the Lautoka church of Christ, on behalf of the grandchildren.

Janet speaking at the funeral of Paula Tera

House church at Sabeto
Since we arrived in 2007 we had been worshipping and working with a house church on the main highway at Sabeto junction. However the family that were living in the house left for school holidays in December and never came back. We have tried to talk with them and they are having family problems and living in Lautoka but not meeting with the brethren. So we started and have been meeting in another house church which is off the main road but still in Sabeto. When Joshua and Anna come out they usually get off the bus stop at Sabeto junction and get a truck to bring them in along with some other members that live closer to Sabeto junction.

House church at Sabeto and our car coming and going on the back road

Medical adventures: (how we do hospital here in Fiji)
Here is what we have done the past few days:

Last Thursday night (4/28) Kathy woke up with sharp back/chest pains. It went away. Sunday morning while we were at a house church (it was very hot and humid with no wind) she drank from a cold bottle of water she carries with her. She went down for the count. She had the sharp back pains, shortness of breath etc. We got home but it lasted over 8 hours.

I immediately put her on aspirin thinking she might be having a pulmonary embolism (clot in the lung). We could not get into the GP until Monday morning (May 2). Our GP, Dr Brown, referred Kathy to a Cardiologist who could not see her until the afternoon of May 3rd. We had a 1 1/2 hour visit with him and got home at 7:15 pm May 3rd)

Dr May, the Cardiologist, saw Kathy: did an EKG and an echo cardiogram. Both came back normal (pregnancy was ruled out) but he wants to do other tests. He has ruled out a heart attack but said it could be angina. So tomorrow morning Kathy will be admitted to the Lautoka hospital for further tests (chest x-rays, etc). We will see what we will see!

So far it has cost us FJ$245 or US$141. She will be in the paying ward at the hospital as compared to the free ward which................I imagine you can think what the differences would be.

Dairy -------
Tis 5:20 pm Weds May 4th. We have been at the hospital since 9:00 am this morning. First we had to check in then we had to prepay at the finance office on the second floor. They have a sign that says "exact change only". We were told at admissions it would be $11.00 for the consultation fee. Finance said it was going to cost $11.50 fee and $60.00 deposit for the paying room. I had no exact change but the cashier left the room after I explained that HE WAS A BUSINESS AND SHOULD HAVE CHANGE. He came back a while later with the change. He did however make an Indian man go get correct change which I thought was not right!

We went back to admissions they said go up to floor 4 to the paying ward, the chart would be sent up later. The ward nurse found us a room. Sometime between 9:30 and 3:00 pm (I say sometime because as you will see it was so frantic and I lost track of time) Kathy had blood drawn, she took a nap, I took a nap in the chair, she had a curry for lunch, I took another nap after reading some of a book, I did some proof reading of several of the courses I recently finished, Kathy took a nap, a young doctor came up about 1:15 and ask more questions about Kathy's health. She was told they were going to do a chest x-ray so we waited some more, napped some more..... 

After our doctor's visit last night I had used up all my cash and the ATM at our bank was out of service so I needed to get some cash before the bank closed at 3:00 pm. I had to make sure I had correct change for any charges here at the hospital. Kathy tried to get a faster speed out of the ceiling fan other than the 10 rpm it was going, that was the fast speed, I went to the bank she laid down for another cat nap. I got back about 2:45 and she was down getting her x-ray and got back in a couple of minutes of me returning. They brought her afternoon food (rice and beef suey or something) but before she could eat Dr May showed up. He teaches classes and doesn't get out until after 4 pm. He said they had found some abnormalities in her blood. Her liver is showing signs of having been damaged and her gallbladder might also be suspect.

He wanted to do a sonogram and a CT scan. But because the radiologist were not there these tests would have to be scheduled for tomorrow. So I talked them into letting her come home tonight and we are to be back there (to our reserved room) by noon tomorrow.

Before we could leave we had to settle up the bill for our day at the hospital. The finance officer was waiting at the nurse's station. Another Fj$112.50/ US$65. This included the blood tests, the room and the meal.
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Tis 5:30 pm Thursday May 5th. We got to the hospital by 11:30am. We settled back into the room that we had left yesterday. Same tired overhead fan but there was a nice breeze from all the open doors and windows!

We had stopped by the bakery and Kathy had picked up a meat pie for lunch. However they brought her lunch - she only ate the banana. She wasn't sure what the rest of it was but for sure it had curry in it.

We sat around - napped - read - talked - sat. (Did I say that there is no radio or TV in the rooms!) Finally they came and took her for a sonogram about 2:30. She was back by 3:15. They had found a goodly number of gallstones. They could not do a CT scan (as they said they would yesterday) because the only person who can operate it did not show up for work.

About 3:45 another doctor came in and told us about the sonogram. Kathy has quite a number of stones the biggest being 1/2 inch. They are however not blocking her bile duct (at the moment). This doctor said our doctor would come in tomorrow and talk with her as well as a surgeon as to when they would schedule surgery. I immediately called Dr May and told him and he explained that he did not want them to do any surgery until we knew why she was having this problem. I told the doctor in the room what Dr May said. Both doctors said that the pains she is having are not indicative of/nor limited to gallstones per se so until we can get a CAT scan no surgery will be performed. We are to go in next Tuesday morning (May 10) and hope the CAT scan operator is back at work. The finance official was again waiting at the door (they collect fees on the paying ward every afternoon in case the patients tries to run away at night). Another Fj$92/ US$53 for the sonogram, room and meal (which they brought just before we checked out and she didn't touch).

Whoa! Another day in paradise!

I would hate to think what this would be costing us in the States (we don't have insurance). So far we have paid about $Fj521/US$300 and the CAT scan will cost US$175. Cheap at twice the price if we can find out what the problem is.
End dairy-------------

So with the gallstones comes biliary colic and cholecystitis which should go away once surgery removes the stones, if that is the only problem. Her liver still shows signs of damage and we don't know where that came from. We are probably getting the stone movements blocking and unblocking the bile vents from the terrible roads we have right now here in Fiji. She said she had the same problem on a smaller scale when we were driving on the Port Vila roads earlier this year.

Dreams for an Island School
We have been pushing for an Island based school since 1986. That was the main reason we moved from Papua New Guinea to New Zealand because SPBC was making a move to get a school going here in Fiji. It never happened in 10 years due to various factors and that was why we moved back to PNG in 1995 to work with the Melanesian Bible School in Lae, PNG and then to Vanuatu to help the Church there in July 1998.

In 2000 I made a trip to Suva and appointed 5 men to serve as board members of the proposed school in Fiji and left them to get the school registered with the government (even gave them the funds) and asked them to get us visas to come live in Fiji. We were living in Vanuatu at the time and after we returned to Vanuatu we made a decision to move from there to Fiji in September 2001 because we felt the Vanuatu brethren were at a point they needed to stretch their wings in their own work after our helping them for three years. However in June when I called Fiji to ask how things were going in regard to the school registration and our visas for Fiji we got the shock of our lives. We were told that some of the board members in Suva had meet and decided that they did indeed want a Bible school but they thought it would be best if I was not a member of the board and that it would not be necessary for us to have visas to come live in Fiji BUT they would appreciate it if I would go ahead and raise the funds (Fj$250,000) for the school and send the funds to them and they would take care of the school. After trying to talk some sense into this reasoning and since they were not going to apply for our Fiji visas that left us in a lurch. We had not renewed our visas in Vanuatu thinking that we would be moving to Fiji so we had to leave Vanuatu and returned to the USA where we lived until 2007. All the time the school was still on our hearts. We visited Fiji and Vanuatu in 2005 and Josua and some of the men here in the West applied for our visas in 2006 and we were able to come to Fiji in 2007 under their permission. Before if a missionary wanted to come work here in Fiji they had to go through the "mother church" in Suva to get a visa. Kathy and I were able to come in with the signature of three members here in the West. Since the letter was signed one has died (Semisi), one has been unfaithful since Dec last year and the other is Joshua, who we work with. I have been asked only four times (in four years) to talk outside the local house church we work with: once at a youth rally in Raiwaqa, twice at Nadera and once in Lautoka. Other than some Fijians (very few of the Christians), nobody even cares that we are here.

We have sent letters at different times to every congregation and Kathy talked with the women at a women's retreat about why we were here, the school and that we would be more than happy to come and speak and teach classes on any Bible subject they wanted us to, they only had to ask. As I mentioned above, we have only been asked 4 times in 4 years. It looks to us like they don't want us or need us here. Josh and Anna have talked with various brethren about why we are here and our availability to come and hold classes but to no avail. The established church of Christ here in Fiji is fossilized. They have a attitude that they have arrived and they are the only true church and know all they need to know about the Bible. (Not all but most who have buildings!) Unfortunately the feedback we get through Josh and Anna and others is most of the brethren are religious (do all the acts of worship on Sunday) but not very righteous (living a Christ-like life on a daily basis).

We did not come to Fiji to take over and run any existing congregation. (As stated in our application for a work visa.) One of positive aspects we thought Fiji had was that the church had been here since the 1960's and SHOULD be grounded and not need outside forces dictating it's direction. We thought (wrongly I guess) that there should be maturity here with the Fijian Christians.

We get feedback from people that we have been marked as false brethren by overseas brethren and the local brethren don't want to have anything to do with us because it might endanger their chance of getting overseas funding.

We have now been in Fiji four years and have nothing to show for an established school. Yes, we have a Bible correspondence school going (I have been able to develop 20+ courses for the school) but it too has shown signs of slowing down even though we advertise weekly in the local papers for students. Since our return in Dec I have spent F$1800 to advertise and have no new students. It seems the desire of Fijians to study and know the Bible is not here. Many of the students we do have are of Indian decent and many only take the course for the diploma and hope that they can use that paper to immigrate overseas from Fiji. Some Indo-Fijian have been baptized but when we tried to introduce them to the established congregations they were not welcomed in and have fallen away. The local churches of Christ here in the West have shown a lack of care and evangelism. They just seem to be "keeping house" with outside money. The only time they seem to stir is when overseas people come through for 2 weeks and all the Christians they can find are bused to Nadi for "Bible Classes".

When I was talking with Josua the other day he commented that every denominational group here in Fiji has a Bible training facility but the church of Christ. He observed that the Christians here are not motivated to think past their own needs and thus even though they could probably contribute toward a Bible School like all the denominations they do not. He has a valid point I think! The Christians (as a whole but not all) here are very selfish and I don't know what it will take to motivate them to think outside their own comfort area or even their own located church building. They seem to like keeping house.

At the very least a local Bible School needs the support of local church leaders and local congregations to train upcoming leaders. Fiji Christians are not providing any encouragement or support at this time.

After our trip to Vanuatu in March we were given new options for the Bible School here in the Islands.

I wrote a previous report that we were looking at 10 acres just outside of Vuda Point in Fiji where we currently live. Unfortunately the owner does not seem to understand that there is not 10 acres available because the Indian tenants have spread out over about 3 acres even though they were only given 1 acre. The owner wanted to do all the leasing under the table and I told him it all had to go through Native Land board. I have not seen the owner since we came back.

Even though the Fiji government said "good will" money is no longer legal the landowners here see our skin color and immediately want some type of payment for land that is vacant. They don't seem to understand that we are not rich Americans with a yacht and a million dollar bank book. "Good will" money is given on top of the yearly lease money to enable one to secure land for development. So we would have had to give $10,000 + lease money + development. We could have covered the first two but then we would have had land with no money for development.

However back in Vanuatu: Stephen Felix is giving and registering land (24 acres) for a Bible school. We talked with the brethren while there and they are more supportive of the school, they will support the school (have expressed the idea that they will help plant gardens and even donate garden stuff to the school as needed until we can get crops growing - even fresh fish), there is a strong possibility that I can start a government backed counseling centre in conjunction with the municipal courts (Steve is chief magistrate and he has heard 149 cases of domestic abuse this year and there is no counseling program available to stop the cycle of abuse), I have been offered free radio time for a weekly call back for counseling, the great need for technical training: carpentry, small engine repair, sewing, agriculture, etc to help train local unemployed youth in the village. So we are thinking of Bible classes in the mornings with tech classes in the afternoons.

We will need to file for visas for Vanuatu. After that we are looking to move back to Vanuatu before September maybe as early as July. It will depend on the visas and how quick we can get our containers packed and shipped over to Port Vila. We would probably not start full school classes until after we get back from our furlough May-July 2012. However the possibility is there to travel and hold short term school with village congregations. Kathy and I have been asked to teach a class at Pepperdine Lectureship May 2012. So much more then sitting around like we have been here in Fiji. By getting to Vanuatu this July that will give us almost a year to get the land cleared and start building. Start getting some dreams and plans built!

Just a plan that the Lord seems to be unveiling right now. Even if we were to put out $10,000 for land here in Fiji we would not have any additional funds to build anything right now. 

Change is in order
There comes a time in all plans that they have to be changed in order to achieve the desired goal. The need for proper training of church workers to help the local congregations in the many hundreds of islands scattered throughout the islands in the South Pacific has always been very needed. Since 1986 we have had a plan we thought would meet the needs for this Bible training. Somehow along the plan I became side-railed to the concept of a located Bible Training facility when in fact my history was with Short Term Schools we called Leadership Training Schools. Perhaps it is because we are getting older and less suitable for traveling all over and roughing it from place to place as is needed with some leadership training. Perhaps I have just gotten lazy and don't understand the meaning of sacrifice anymore. If that is the case, I repent because I want to see the kingdom of God strengthened and enlarged irrespective of my comfort level.

In the past there have been several attempts to establish Bible schools in Fiji: (1) The 20 year plan by Addy Cantrel, in 1970s which included the setting up of a bible school; (2) A proposed extension of South Pacific Bible College overseen by SPBC in Fiji; (3) The one started by Allan Wright and Bimlesh and now; (4) The Institute of Biblical Studies. However none have accomplished that goal for various reasons.

Kathy and I have been in Fiji now for 4 years. We have advertised BCCs of which we have numerous students but they are scattered throughout Fiji and not in any one main area for face to face teaching. We have looked for land to lease or purchase to no avail. We have offered ourselves to the Fijian congregations for Bible classes and specialized seminars with very limited success. We even at one time rented a hall in the middle of a housing area in Lautoka and held evening generic Bible classes which were very poorly attended even with all the advertising we did. In fact the two closest established congregations to us (Lautoka and Nadi) have shown that they really don't want us to even worship with them. This has given me time to re-think the concept of a located two-year school and to come to the following point in my thinking:(How to keep Bible Training from being seen as training professional church workers but to provide needed Bible and leadership training to the local churches scattered throughout Oceania.)

When we left Vanuatu in 2001 we felt we had spent three years building and grounding the local brethren to the point where they could function and operate for the best of the kingdom there, so we left on a good note. We have always felt a fondness for the brethren in Vanuatu and consider them close family. It is always like a family reunion when we go back there.

Vanuatu vs Fiji
In 2007 when we visited Vanuatu on a teaching trip (they had asked me to come teach a special topic) we were told that they would be willing to donate land for the establishment of a Bible School if we wanted to build it there. In 2000 we had evaluated the plus and minuses of Fiji vs Vanuatu and decided that Fiji was more centrally located, we had established congregations there with many men who had trained in New Zealand at SPBC, the cost of living was cheaper, etc. It is now 2011 and some of these factors still remain but as I mentioned we have not received much support from the local brethren in Fiji in the achievement of a located school nor have they availed themselves to specialized classes that to me they need very much. Just because it is cheaper to live here does not mean it is the best place to be. My way of teaching is not to force myself and tell them what I know they need but to try to get them to see what they need and then to have them ask if we can help with our teaching toward that need. We told them what we have to offer - showed them we were here to help - they have not asked - we do not push! After all, ultimately it is their country and their work!

We want to be somewhere we can help a local work but not to have the brethren depend on me to be the only teacher and only worker. But we also want to be available to other brethren to help them in their kingdom growth whether it be in that country or other island nations. With this in mind we are looking to locate back to Vanuatu. 

We don't know yet how we will move toward getting the school started because even if we move we still need additional funding. Vanuatu is a definite plus because many many more people are supportive of the school and the land will not be a huge financial cost.
Kathy and I believe that such a school is needed in the islands. We thought Fiji but maybe not, maybe Vanuatu. We believe that God is able and HE will provide if it is His will.

Challenges in a move back to Vanuatu
Challenges: Eton, Vanuatu (35 km from Port Vila where the land is) is a hot spot of cerebral malaria right now, no electrical grid, no phone grid, no internet grid. (They do have mobile phone service through which internet connects slooooooooooooow) We will have to have solar hot water, power/solar & or diesel generator. All of which are available in Port Vila at a price. Sounds so much like camping out again!

We would build a house out there because initially I might be the only Bible teacher for the school. Even though the road out to the village is paved now and very, very good the commute 35 km (25 miles) might be unpractical from town where housing is expensive and petrol even more expensive. Land in town is not affordable or suitable to build a school with gardens. Also beggars can be choosers and free land is free land. (I hesitate to mention that it includes beach access to a beautiful secluded white sand beach.)

Not starting the school full-time until late 2012 or early 2013 would give us time to get some land cleared, the house build, gardens planted (right now it is all bush), the school registered so we can get exemption for overseas students (immigration fees wavered) and advertise to overseas island congregations so they can raise the airfares they will have to pay for their students to come to the school.

With this move in mind I repeat from last month some of the needs we will have if you are prepared to help.
Well, here are some specific needs: guttering, water tanks and pumps ($1,800), a solar hot water unit ($1,800), a generator ($5,000), a solar/wind power unit ($2,500), 220 volt tools for the carpentry school (lathe $2,200, planer $2,300, table saw $2,100), septic system ($1,200), headmaster house ($35,000), a classroom ($12,000), a student duplex ($15,000), another vehicle/small truck ($10-15,000) (our car is not suitable and only worth maybe $2,000), a door ($80 x 4), a window ($75 x 12), a roofing panel ($45 x 40). Can you help?

We are praying to this end.

Please continue your prayers for us as we consider the future.

Again we appreciate and thank all of you who make it possible for us to be here and assist in the workings of the Kingdom of God here in the South Pacific. Your prayers and support are a God-send in times we feel we are but spinning our wheels.

Your seed sowing workers in the Kingdom.

Tobey & Kathy