August 2011
Dear Friends, Brethren and Family
Bula Vinaka
Kathy suggested that you find a comfortable place to sit down, get some water to stay hydrated, hang on to your hat and catch up on what we have been doing the past month.
The following is not a complaint but a accurate
summary of truth.
While still in Fiji:
Steve (the chief magistrate in Vanuatu who is helping get our visas) called last night (July 14th). So we delayed our trip to Vanuatu until July 30th. He got the runaround again yesterday from every immigration officer he talked with so we bought a return ticket to Nadi for Aug 23rd. He said the last person he talked with was a Principal Immigration Officer who lived next door. He thinks we should be coming in as volunteers (dah!) So we have a meeting Monday with him to spell out our options (and the official to clarify some points of immigration up with his staff). Most of them end with leaving Vila and coming back in to get our proper resident visa. Aug 23rd was the first flight with seats back to Nadi.
It seems we are now required to have a letter from a local Vanuatu bank of assured income (even though we have one from our church back in the USA). One of the immigration officials told Steve we had to have a letter from the Vanuatu Council of Churches saying it was alright for us to come in. Steve said he put his foot down on that one. Of course this is the same VCC that tried to get me kicked out in 1999. It seemed to him that none of the immigration people have a real clue on all the regulations (especially the compliance officer). Seems to me they are just little Neros! All part of the little games we play here.
July 30th is Independence day in Vanuatu so Steve is leaving the truck for us at the airport.
We did not sell the car so we left it with a friend and when she sells
it we plan to give half to the Cancer society to the Breast cancer section for
awareness programs. (It might still be there when we come back in Aug, who knows!)
As Fiji dollars are only worth .45¢ in vatu those funds will go a lot further
We checked in, 4 bags, 40 # over weight but they did not blink an eye. In the
lounge (we joined the Tabua club which gives us some extra weight, priority
luggage and priority check-in plus a lounge with FOOD!) we enjoyed a time of
food and solace.
My rash is clearing up, the itching is minimal, now I look like one of those Chinese dogs with folds of skins around my eyes. This too should clear up and the skin tighten up (hopefully so I don't have squinty eyes). On a series of steroids pills again! So much for the Olympics.
The containers should be in Vanuatu on Monday but I am not sure how we will get them cleared since we don't have a proper resident permit yet. We'll see!
Yesterday the small claims court could not make a decision about our
case and since we are leaving today I withdrew the case. The landlords sat there
and lied about everything, most of which we could refute but they took over
the proceedings. The judge knew they were lying but only had 1 hour and people
in Melanesia do not make decisions in one hour. They did not have the right
(we were the claimant in this case) but they were trying to claim over $2400
damages. (They said," we would have brought more pictures of damages but
each picture cost us $2".) I almost got the violin out! After I withdrew
the case the judge made a judgement that we would not claim the bond anymore
and that they had no right to any further claims against us. I still had the
keys to the house (since they didn't give back the bond) so I took them back
to the Vuda marina and donated them to the water. The policeman at Vuda asked
how the court went and when he heard the lies they had told (Malika had gone
with us and told him in Fijian) he said I should stay and continue the lawsuit
and he would go and tell the truth. I told him too late and the judge didn't
have time to hear the whole truth. Good riddance to bad people! (She has since
returned to Australia and has sent me two email ranting and raving about this
and that. I hope she gets some mental health help, she has gone wacko!)
My speeding hearing did not go so well either on Wednesday. The judge did not
want any word from me except for me to say "I'm sorry". (I could see
he had made up his mind when I said I was representing myself.) So he fined
me $100 and gave me 28 days to pay. (The original fine was $25). If I don't
pay they might come looking for me in a year or so. They set the other part
of the ticket, "failing to stop for an officer" for a Sept 28th hearing.
I didn't bother to tell them,"don't come looking for me I'm leaving your
country tomorrow". I may be a fugitive yet. No wonder the magistrate court
clerk told me not to even show up for the initial hearing.
These are the times when I wonder why I am not sitting in some rocking chair on a porch somewhere watching my grandchildren playing.
We left Fiji Saturday July 30th and are now in Vanuatu.
After landing and clearing immigration and customs with NO hassles we thought we would have breakfast at Jill's Cafe - not so! Independence Day and they were closed. A cruise ship was also there and the tourists were walking through town in the rain looking for someplace to eat. We finally stopped at Cafe Deli (?) down the street from Jill's. They advertised fluffy pancakes and I am going to suggest to the council (which has been suspended) that they use those pancakes to fill up the multitude of gapping potholes that are on all the streets in Vila. We will NEVER eat there again! But then again it is Jill's fault because her shop was not open.
The immigration officer we were supposed to see Monday morning never
showed up. We tried to open a bank account and that will not be final until
tomorrow. We are only opening a savings account to save from having to pay all
the charges on checking accounts here. So if a store or company does not do
ATM withdrawals then we have to deal in cash. We tried to get a Post office
box (as that is the only way to get posted mail here) but the ONLY person who
knows what PO boxes are available called in sick this morning. (Vanuatu just
celebrated their 31st year of Independence with 4 days of celebrations.)
Went down to start the process of importing the two containers we shipped over
here from Fiji with all our worldly goods and stuff to help build the school.
They arrived Friday but we have to have a letter from immigration saying that
our resident visa is being worked on before they can even begin to clear them.
They will have to fumigate them (maybe depending on who and what day they are
looked at) because we brought a lot of Fiji mahogany over to make furniture
with. We also brought a three wheeled motorcycle with a back tray to use with
the school and around town. Might have to pay duty on it as it is new and over
our allowed free limit. If we had brought the car we had in Fiji we would have
had nothing but headaches (would have had to change the steering over to left
hand drive and other things).
We looked at housing this morning and saw a two bedroom house which would suit us which is 85,000 vatu ($1,000 US) per month. Cheapest we found and a whole lot more expensive than $275 a month we were paying in Fiji. We are thinking of trying to build a simple two room house out on the property for us to live in until we can raise the funds to build a proper house then that could be for staff. But we will still have to have something to live in until that gets build. With all the deposits for house, gas, water, electricity, customs and clearance of containers we will have to see how much we have left to build with. Might be enough for a pup tent!
August 2nd: Tuesday
Went to the Post Office, the lady is still not back at work. (What a wonderful
life) Went to the bank in the morning and was told to come back after 1200.
Did so and waited until 2:00 only to find we had a new account and that Kathy
got an access card but I didn't - mine will be ready tomorrow after 1200. It
took me another 10 minutes to make a deposit and it was not even that busy.
I asked them for a letter of assured income to give to immigration and they
gave me some letter I don't think will work. The chief magistrate, Stephen,
who is a good friend of ours has been trying to get this sorted out even before
we got here. He is to take the letter to the PIO who is supposed to sort out
the resident permit (48,000 vt each <$980 US> per year) without a work
permit (20,000 vt x 2 per year) and get our passports re-stamped without us
having to go back out of the country. If the letter needs to be redone he is
going to call and talk to the bank manager personally as to what the letter
has to say. All of this is on Island time.
Then perhaps we can get the containers cleared before they start charging wharf charges. The people clearing the containers hope they can get them through without too much trouble. It depends on who is in charge on the day. It seems if you own the container then they charge an import duty as well. (They didn't 13 years ago!)
Talked with Island Property and they had contacted the landlord of
the house we are looking at and he said we could park our containers on the
property by the house. Now all we have to do is get our resident permits, money
from the USA into our new account to pay first and last, our containers released
and we can set up home again. We are renting the house unfurnished as we have
everything to make a house a home in the containers. We will cross the bridge
about having to leave the country when we get to it. I was thinking all we should
do is go through departing immigration and then go back through incoming immigration.
We hare hoping common sense prevails on the day and we don't have to go and
come back.
Not only is everything expense here but their money is stronger than the US$
(.84 on the dollar). It is almost on par with the Australian dollar. I am glad
I bought a few extra grass cutters, mist blowers etc. Really miss the cheap
shopping we enjoyed in Fiji. I figure we have lost 25% of our buying power as
compared with Fiji.
August 3rd: Wednesday
Went to the Post Office - wha-la, the lady was there and we have a PO box.
Sure enough the letter did not work for immigration so Stephen went with us to the bank and they drafted another letter. They had my access card even thought my name was misspelled on it (I don't figure it matters to the ATM as long as the number is right). Went to immigration - opps, they are not open Wednesday afternoon.
August 4th: Thursday
Stephen took the letter to immigration, the PIO said no problem that he should
come back this afternoon. He said we still might have to go back out but Stephen
said they can get around that if they want to and he is going to try and talk
them into stamping the visa without us leaving. Stephen was also supposed to
get a letter from them saying the visas were approved and we could start processing
our container clearance.
Celebrated by having a late lunch at Jill's and afterwards fixed the door into
the kitchen.
This is Saturday morning and still have not heard what happened with Stephen and Immigration yesterday.
All fun and games
Sunday August 7
I was asked to preach Sunday at Port Vila. Afterwards we had fellowship meal
at the building.
Sunday night we went down the outside Sea front cafe, had pizza and watched Transformers 3. It was a pirated copy. Though the picture quality was good you could hear people coughing and laughing in the background on the sound track (Russian).
Monday August 8
I took the paper from Immigration to the people who are clearing our containers
so they can start the process of clearing them. We then took Morris on his first
wheelchair trip around town since his amputation two years ago. I told him I
was going to take him to one of the new French grocery stores and a large hardware
store and push him around in his chair. At first he didn't want to but I told
him it was this or jail. plus I promised him lunch down at Jill's Cafe (American
style food). We all had a great time. He was able to see and talk with people
who he knew but didn't come by and see him at his house. (The local daily paper
printed my letter about potholes which are terrible here.)
We spent the morning in and out of the truck wheeling to stores. After lunch we went looking for cement blocks to use to level the containers whenever they are released by customs. We also decided to go look up Shem who had the past months been out of fellowship with the brethren. He and I had worked together when we were here in 1998-2001. He and his wife Rose attended Melanesian Bible College and returned to Vanuatu to work. He had conflict with some overseas workers and had not been in services of late. We renewed our fellowship and he said they would back in service Sunday. We found the cement block factory but all the blocks were spoken for than day so we have to come back tomorrow to get 10 blocks.
Tuesday: August 9
Signed the contract on the house we intend to rent. We are supposed to move
in Wednesday if the funds get here to pay the first and last. We also hope the
containers will be released sometime this week so we can have some furnishings
in the house. We dropped by the bank and changed our mailing address as we now
have resident status.
Vila house: half the center building is our storage and laundry, the main highway is just on the other side of the cement wall.
We went to the electric/water company and had to pay 61,100 vt ($737 US) deposit and bond. I tried to use the debit card but the lines were not working so I had to walk back to the bank and get cash and come back and pay.
We took more paperwork to the container clearing people. Left them
the keys for the locks on our container because the people who fumigate the
containers are known to just cut the locks off the containers. While there I
got a call from the shipping company of the containers so we went down there.
At first they had a bill of 55,000 vatu ($654 US) for handing our containers.
I had paid for dock to dock and told them so, so they dropped the 50,000 vt
and only charged me the 5,000 vt for handling. I found out later that I should
have paid 25,000 vt ($300 US) which was deposit on one container. However I
obviously frightened her so she didn't charge us any deposit. Since coming back
to Vanuatu it seems that everyone has their hand in our pocket for some deposit
or something, something just snapped. In fact, Kathy had to leave the office
before she said something we would all regret, she was boiling.
We then took a leap to get our Vanuatu driver's license. We accomplished it
in one day but had to go to 6 different places to achieve this. First we were
told it was down opposite the market in the Finance building - wrong. Second
we were told it was in the customs/tax building 6 blocks back in town - partially
right. (Oh, had to stop off at an ATM to get more cash. There seems to be a
hole in my pocket which is only there because so many people are putting their
hands in it.) Third they sent us downstairs to the excise counter - wrong. Fourth
- to the police station (down the block) - partially right. Fifth to the traffic
section where they took our US license and filled out a lengthy form called
"Certificate of authorized driving" then took 5,000 vatu ($60 US)
from each of us. Sixth - sent us back to Customs when they took another 5,000
vatu ($60 US) each, took our picture and issued us a new Vanuatu license good
for three years. At least it was accomplished in one morning.
Most places here close down from 11:30-1:30, so after lunch, we went back to the container clearing people and gave them the additional paperwork for clearing the containers. They said it would take 2-3 days because the customs people took their own sweet time and didn't care if we started getting charged wharf charges.
We drove by and talked with the telephone/internet people to see how much more money we would have to produce for their product (about $200). Their monthly usage rate is twice what is was in Fiji. We have not even looked at deposit on gas bottles which we will have to get to have cooking gas and gas for the hot water (about $150). To make matters worse the value of the US $ took a dive and we will be getting less local currency when we convert US$ here. 19% difference in spending power from Fiji just dove to 25% difference. Oh well, the Lord has provided and He will continue to do so!
We then went by and picked up 10 cement blocks and then went over and spent a couple of hours in conversation with Morris. Afterwards we stopped off for some takeaway Chicken fried rice which we took home and ate.
Wednesday August 10
Checked the bank - the funds had not arrived yet.
Went over to the house. We were met by the real estate agent who gave us the keys and did an inventory of the property. Kaye, a good friend who works at Island Property, said we would be good for the first and last when the funds came in. A plumber showed up to fix a leak in the toilet and replace the shower head. The papaya trees are loaded with fruit so we knocked down the ones we could reach and took them over to Steve's house (we don't eat them). Got a call from the container people that the custom's people wanted to ask me some questions about the containers and the contents. We had to wait until after lunch to go see them.
Checked the bank again around 11:30 no funds yet. Went inside and asked if the funds were there but not showing up on our balance. THEY SAID it just got there and would be available around 1:00. We walked to the market looking for the daily paper.
After lunch, checked the balance, no funds yet, so we went up to customs but the one who asked to see me did not get there until 1:45. I had a good chat with him and he was very open to the school and why we were there. He just asked that I write a letter explaining that and get a copy of the Eton invitation so he could put it in the file. He could not see how one couple could have so much "personal effects" but understood that we had more because of the school and all my tools. He even asked to be notified if I ever did any Bible courses via the internet.
Checked the balance again no funds! I sent Kathy into the bank to check and she was told to wait 5 minutes, she was told after 20 minutes it was there so she did a withdrawal slip and took a number to be waited on. I had gone down to wrote the letter at Jill's Cafe. After I wrote the letter and saved it I went to the bank (Kathy was waiting in line) and then down to the real estate place and asked them to print the two letters I needed to get signed and take back to customs. They did and then I went back to the bank where Kathy was standing at the teller window and the teller was off talking on the phone. He could not understand that our account works with either/or signature. The person who opened our account was not there so he didn't know what to do. Good thing I came in. I flagged him back over to the window and told him he didn't know what he was doing (you know how tactful I can be) and signed the withdrawal slip anyway just to get the funds so we could go pay the first and last on the house. Which we did! (250,000 vt in 5,000 vt notes)
I then took one of the letters up and got Morris to sign then went to the courthouse and got Stephen's signature. I signed my letter and took both of them back downtown to customs and gave them to Taman the customs man. He said that he would have the documents prepared and we could pick them up tomorrow morning. There will still be duty or customs to pay on the new items but not the personal effects.
After that we went by and got fuel for the truck and a full bottle of propane for the house (only $50 for 25#). To celebrate I went by Stephen's house and washed the truck.
Things are progressing!
Thursday August 11
Kathy had worked herself up to a need for pancakes and since we have no cooking
pots and pans we had breakfast at Jill's Cafe. Afterwards we went back to the
house and then down to Stephen's house to wash sheets and towels only to remember
that there was a power cut in their area today. The fact that the washing machine
would not start was that reminder. So we took the washing down to a laundry
where it will be ready after 3:00 pm. Went to the rented house so Kathy could
clean up the baseboards which were filthy. While there we got a call that the
paperwork was ready to pick up at customs. I had to go down sign for it and
take it to the container clearing people. There I was told I would have to pay
duty on the mahogany, grass cutter and motorcycle. They had already lodged the
import permit for the containers (another 8500 vt ($100 US). They would now
take the paperwork to the customs people at the wharf where (hopefully): 1)
agriculture will fumigate the containers and it will take 24 hours; 2) Customs
will allow the containers to be moved to our house.; 3) Customs will then come
and inspect the contents after we open the containers. Sometimes they want to
check EVERYTHING something just a token look. #2 Might happen as soon as tomorrow
afternoon and because it is Friday customs might come and release them after
the inspection Friday or since they do not work Saturday and Monday is some
sort of holiday and they will not work we might get the containers by Tuesday.
(I told the container agent we were praying and aiming for Friday and she said,
"you never know."
Kathy and I are learning to be content with or without container contents. However we would be more content WITH container contents.
Friday August 12th
First thing was a call from the owner of the house to come down so he could
work on a few things. We also have a bad odor coming out of the drain from under
the kitchen sink which he will address. (Better to fix it before we move in!)
Then we got a call from the container clearing people that we had a customs bill and a wharf bill to pay before anything else could be done with the containers. We had to pay duty of the mahogany, the grass cutter and the motorcycle as they are all new. (103,003 vt = US$878); wharf charges (172,000 vt = US$1462) The container clearing people charged 37,750 vt (US$321). If they have to fumigate it will be another 28,000 vt each container (US$459) We are now looking at possible delivery Tuesday as customs does not work on Saturday and there is a Catholic holiday Monday (ascension day). What they might do is deliver the containers to the house Tuesday/Wednesday and then customs will look in them as they are opened to see if they want to do an exhaustive inspection or not. (Depends on the man of the day!) (300,000 vt in 5,000 vt notes)
Tomorrow is another day - one in which God will provide for all our needs and will indeed provide sufficient funding for whatever work He has put before us! Like the mountain climber who does it one step at a time we are getting through this one day at a time.
Everywhere we have gone and talked with the local people they have commented on our Bislama and want to know how long we have been here. This is opening doors of opportunity. Most non-locals do not take the time to learn proper Bislama and it is obvious when you hear them talk.
Saturday August 13th
We took Morris, Rebecca and Lucy out Eton village. Morris and Rebecca decided
to spend the weekend since Monday was a holiday so Kathy and I returned to town
later in the afternoon.
Sunday August 14th
Worshipped with the brethren in Port Vila.
Monday August 15th
Holiday! After breakfast and an email check we went out in the morning to Eton
village, eat lunch with them and brought Morris and Rebecca back to Vila mid
afternoon.
Tuesday August 16th
Awoke with expectation (soon to be dashed). After breakfast we had to go downtown
and talk with the mobile phone people we use. Someone started sending me texts
and when I texted back that they have the wrong number they began sending rude
texts. I talked with the manage and she said she would call the number and have
them to quit and if they don't then we will take it to the police. Then we checked
emails. I then went down to get a phone line active for the house and an internet
connection. I went ahead and bought a sim card from their mobile phone plan
because theirs works better in town and the other works better out of town,
go figure. I just happen to have an extra phone.
I called the container people since they had not called me and was told their boy was at the wharf checking to see if the containers had been fumigated like they should have been Friday (after we paid customs). She said she would call me right back. It was about 11:00 when I called.
We found out the landlord had not fixed anything over the long weekend and he was suppose to be at the house at 1:30. We arrived at 1:30 he showed up at 2:11! We left him to pump out the water in the drain hole for the kitchen sink (it does not flow to the septic tank). I called the container people again (remember she was going to call ME back?) and she told me the quarantine people were not at the wharf and could not be found but obviously they have NOT fumigated the containers as she still had the keys and the locks were still on the containers. So I went down and talked with the customs people at the wharf and over a span of 45 minutes: they asked who was supposed to have brought the paperwork on Friday, what was the customs lodgment number etc, I called the container people (heaherforth known as CP) she said, she said; I talked again to the customs people and finally called the CP and gave the phone to customs who then talked with CP and got the facts. After all that they could not find the paperwork even though it was lodged on the computer. Customs cannot do anything else until quarantine does their job. He took me around to the quarantine people whose door was locked and NOBODY was there. So the customs man said that they would find the paperwork before tomorrow morning and he had sympathy that we were waiting for the container so we could move in the house. I should go back to town and call quarantine and find out why they were not at work.
We drive back to the house I called the number for quarantine. After a series of other number for those who were supposed to work at the wharf (and I was told they could fumigate the container tonight) NOBODY answered their phones. By then I was out of talk minutes - we only have prepaid mobile phones here.
I thought (bad move) since we have a gas bottle for the hot water in
the rental house I might as well go take a hot shower there. First thing when
I get to the house I noticed there is no electricity. I thought (again bad move)
perhaps the landlord had turned the power off since they changed out two outdoor
light fixtures. However when I tried the breakers still no power. I did note
that the landlord had left the top off the drain hole and obviously he had not
been able to pump out the junk with his wet/dry vacuum. I still had a bit of
daylight so I ran to attach the gas bottle to the heater. Nobody told me they
had two different fittings on the gas bottles here in Vanuatu, one male and
the other female. With the male fitting from the heater to a male fitting on
the bottle I had no chance of it working. I locked the house up put the gas
bottle in the truck and went back to the service station where I had bought
the bottle of gas. As chance would have it, they had 40 empty bottles and only
one full bottle and it was a male fitting also. So tomorrow morning I get to
go to the gas depot and change out the bottle and go to the power company to
find out WHY we have no power. (I did pay 61,100 vt ($737 US) deposit and bond
on August 9th.)
I came back to Stephen's house took a coooooold shower. Just about the matching
emotion for how the whole day went. My rash is back and I have hives on my face
also.
Wednesday August 17
Kathy washed clothes at Stephen's house since we don't have a washing machine
yet. She dried one load there and dried two at the new house. She used the neighbor's
clothes line (nobody living in the house right now) because the papaya trees
shadow over our lines. Called the landlord and he gave me permission to cut
the papaya tress down. No container so with what?????
While she was washing clothes I tried to go to the wharf and talk to quarantine
but there was a Princess cruise ship from Australia at the wharf and I could
not get there. What a mad house, 1800 tourists and busses everywhere. So I called
quarantine and was told the containers would be fumigated at 1:00 and they would
be able to be moved at 1:00 Thursday. (I fell for that!) I went down and talked
with Morris for a couple of hours and then back to the house to get the dry
washing off the lines. I was also able to change the gas bottle for one with
the right fitting. (A small hope of positive movement!)
Thursday August 18
Got to the wharf in the morning to only be told by customs - goodnews: found
our paperwork, bad news: we had to declare the container for duty as we owned
it. This meant writing a letter stating that we had owned the container for
over 3 years and that we had paid $$$ for it. More running around/more paperwork!
Then - he wanted to wait for 12 hours after the containers were opened to dispel
the gas before unloading anything (normally only about 15 minutes but this guy
was clutching at any straw to be in control).
I questioned the duty on the container as we had owned it for over 4 years. He was talking to his immediate boss about it and he was finally told we did not have to declare the container. Next he asked "why do you have two containers". I tried to explain the school, etc but that didn't satisfy him. We has already been given a green light for both containers by one of his superiors. Then he said they would not be able to move the containers to our house today because customs had a staff meeting at 2:30 and all the offices would be closed the rest of the afternoon. They have to be there when the containers are opened. He then said I should get a crew of boys there tomorrow morning because he was going to check all of both containers. I told him there would be me and Moses (Goman's son). I have found that little Nero here does this act quite often so tomorrow I will take my time and we will see who blinks first. He did give me a clearance release so the container can be moved tomorrow after quarantine releases them. It was lunch time so we waited. After lunch we took the container release to the clearing agents and paid the bill for the fumigation (57,120 vt = $600US). They would not have released them until that was paid. The container inspector told me to have the quarantine people bring him the keys to the container after they had removed their equipment and relocked the container. I did and the quarantine people thought that was funny! (I have the extra set!)
I went to the customs head office downtown and tried to talk with the wharf custom man's boss. (the one who initially the approval of two containers with minimum duty) He was not in but the second in command was . I explained the actions of the man at the wharf and he said the guy was sure showing his backside. He said he would talk with the boss (during the staff meeting that afternoon) about having a word with the container inspector and he hoped that the inspector showed better restraint tomorrow (Me too!).
Up to the house and found that all the repairs had been finished. I then found out that I could not of hooked up the gas bottle for hot water because the same line goes to the stove in the house of which there is not one and there is no shutoff valve for that line. So then we went back down and spent the afternoon talking with Morris. Stephen went to Tanna for a couple of days of magistrate work but before that he went to get new tyres for his truck but they only had two. (They too are waiting for a container.) The owner of the tyre place is also a collector of World War II planes (parts and pieces of Catalinas mostly) which had crashed here in Vanuatu (war time known as New Hebrides.) He wants to build a museum. Some really good stuff. Even an original jeep! I have to go back and take pictures. Dad was navigator on a PB4Y-2 in the South Pacific in WWII.
So here at 6:00 pm - this is what is supposed to happen tomorrow morning. First thing in the morning I will drop Kathy off at the house and then I am to go pick up the custom's inspector and bring him to the house with the container moving people bringing the containers. He will then proceed to open the containers and have us move the contents out so he can see what we have hidden there-within. We are hoping that if the routine is like last time (13 years ago) he will soon get tired and sign off and leave us alone. Tomorrow will tell!
The little nest egg we had for the school is quickly becoming a BB.
By the time we get moved into the house we will be so poor we might have just
enough to buy some seeds for the school garden and A fence post. We would not
be able to leave even if we wanted to.
Fortunately for us we have our tickets purchased to go and return from Fiji
next week and some funds still in Fiji dollars to support us the week we have
to be there. (Please don't tell the Vanuatu customs people as they might find
a way to get those also.)
Friday August 19th
Hallaluya Praise Jehovah- From the Heavens Praise His name......
I went to the customs office at the wharf a 9:00 am. The officer I was supposed
to see was not there. SO I went to see his boss. I talked with him for over
an hour on various topics, mainly the school we are planning to build. We did
talk about his officer and he told me to go talk with another officer in the
afternoon and give them a copy of the letters from Eton inviting us and my letter
explaining everything that was in the containers. After lunch we had to go talk
with the container movers (they had truck problems this morning). I went to
customs and gave them the letters. After he read it he told us to go ahead and
shift the containers and unload them. (Come pick up the clearance papers on
Monday!) On the way out the other officer showed up and tried to get me to say
when the containers were to be delivered as HE still had to inspect them. I
told him the containers were still there and his buddy was flagging him into
the office. (This officer was supposed to have meet someone else at 8:00 am
but because his boss talked with him yesterday about his hard nosed attitude
his not showing up proved that he was in charge. His fellow workers were embarrassed.)
We told the container delivery people where we lived and went up to meet them
there. By 5:00 pm Friday night we had the refrigerator, chairs, table, stove,
washing machine and bed out and set up. We were finally able to go buy groceries
for our refrigerator. We slept in our own bed Friday night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! after
a warm shower!!!!!!!!!
Saturday August 20th
Still unloading the containers. There is no way we will be able to get even
half of the stuff in this house so we are only unloading the essential things.
Trying to find my chainsaw as the Morris needs use of it out in the village.
(Found it - last place I looked!) I took Morris and Rebecca out to the village
in the afternoon. I brought back the front door of the church building. It was
installed 12 years in 1998 when I helped them build the building. The plywood
veneer was peeling off as it had not been protected nor had a good paint job
on it. I was able to staple a 3/8 piece of marine plywood on it. They will paint
it and re hang it. Should last another 12 years. We felt a small earthquake
about 7:30 PM.
Sunday August 21st
At 4:00 AM we were hit with a 7.1 earthquake that shook and rock and rolled
things off on to the floor. (Now glad most stuff is not out!) We had some smaller
ones until 5:20 AM when a 7.0 earthquake hit. In all we have experienced 15
tremors 5.0 or larger since last night. One happened when I was preaching this
morning at Eton. I didn't feel it but the audience did. I thought it was the
Spirit moving them!
(http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_big.php)
Tomorrow we have to get things wrapped up as we leave for a week in Fiji before we come back August 30 (and get our permanent visas to stay in Vanuatu).
The government announced last week that there will be electric lines out to Eton village by 2013. Good news for the school!
I am a firm believer that Satan is active and alive in the world. We believe that these things have happened because he does not want us here. Therefore since He who with us is more powerful than he who is against us, we are staying.
Needs
As you have read moving here has been expensive and living here will be
expensive. We really need to increase our monthly support $500-1,000. If you
can or know of someone who can help this need please pray about it and let us
know.
The most current need is still for $35,000 to build a house for
us out on the school property. Current house rent in Port Vila is US$1,000 per
month. Please is there anyone out there who can help give or lend us the
$35,000 for this need?
Thank you so much for all of you who are supporting us and have contributed to our needs. God bless you!
Your seed sowing workers in the Kingdom.
Tobey & Kathy
Contributions for building the Bible school and house can be sent to:
Bible School
c/ Mt Hope church of Christ
2830 Mt Hope Rd
Webb City MO 64870