December 2016
Dearest Friends and family
WEATHER
Cyclone season started in November and we had our second tropical depression
form Northeast of us and track Southwest and go East of us. We received less
than 14 mm of rain for the 7 days it was sputtering around out between Fiji
and us. It dumped substantial rain on Fiji with flooding. It moved very slowly,
threatened to develop into a cyclone, came South, looped back North and then
went right through Nadi before heading South and dissipating in cooler waters
by Dec 21st. It stayed a tropical low which gave us substantial winds for a
couple of weeks. Then they just died and it got muggy hot again.
TD 04F
SOME DAYS
Still having fits with the internet connection here in the village. If I am
lucky you will get this newsletter when I post it. Talking to the company is
like talking to a log!
In early December I asked Jason to send me a new pulley and alternator for the truck because I was having some noises and the alternator not always coming up. It was pretty corroded when we first received the truck with the salt water in the container, but it worked. Well, I replaced the belt with one I have had since we shipped the truck. The noise is gone and the alternator seems to be working okay.
When we went to town the next week every progressive time
I had to start the truck it took longer and longer. It finally would not turn
over when we were downtown and a missionary (from another group) helped me jump-start
it. I drove and got a new battery ($130) but it still did not turn over very
good. We finally get home with a minimum of stops (grocery store and fuel for
generators).
Overnight I was thinking what the problem might be including: starter, dirty
rotor, bad ground wire, heavy snow fall, etc.
So the next morning I put the truck up on ramps and got into it. I took off
the starter. I dug out a new starter that Jason sent me a couple of years ago.
I had problems with it when I first tried to replace it before, it would not
turn even when it engaged but this time I was able to find out that one of the
bolts holding it together had been stripped and was not holding the housing
tight - which I fixed. I tried both of them off the vehicle and the old one
was not spinning very fast (which might be because it was on the vehicle went
it was under salt water in the container) but the new (fixed) one spun right
up. So I replaced the starter finally.
I started it up and it sounds like a new truck. The battery might have been
weak when the belt was not tight enough to drive the alternator before. Whatever
we are back in business, Always something in paradise!
SONG BOOK
I am updating the English/Bislama songbook I compiled in 2001 with revisions
in 2009. I am including 30 additional songs. It is a very consuming process
even with the right computer software. Because we are adding the Bislama words
it means I have to scan all the songs and then rearrange them to allow the proper
spacing between the notes. I have all the older songs on file but because I
have upgraded my Quark software since I first composed them the pic files are
all out of whack and I have to rescan any song that I have to make corrections
for (which are multitude).
I have about 15 songs to go and then I have to try and see if I can get my little Brother laser printers to run the pages off with a minimum of hassle and then put the books together. Hopefully 2017 sometimes. It is just time consuming but then we have 24 hours every day!
Christian Institute of
Biblical Studies
I paid for registration of the Bible School so as far the Government is concerned
we are in business. We got the word from the Vanuatu Qualification Authority
that we "do not fit their frame work" and therefore we are not required
to be under their authority to operate the Bible School. So the
plan is to have our first intake of students February 2017 and teach at least
four - 8 week sessions.
When in the school library/classroom recently I noticed a couple of places where
the flooring has rotted out. So we will have to do a rebuild on those sections
of floor. It was caused by the all the water on the floors after cyclone Pam
before we could get the roof back up. We thought it was going to be okay but
will have to cut out and patch the bad places. Always something to keep us on
our toes.
In November when I went to look at chicken feed the company gave it all to us
since it was over 6 months old. They will not be bringing any more in for sale.
Australia requires medicine in the feed they send so the high humidity here
means it is starting to go off (spontaneous heat generation) so they gave us
148 bags which would have cost over $4000. The Lord provides. Some of it is
still good but most of it we will have to filter it and give the matted stuff
to the pigs. We have found out that the only other supplier has also quit bringing
feed in.
The only option we have if we want to continue raising chickens is to pay one of the companies to bring the feed in for us and that means we have to do a minimum order. They order laying hen feed every month so it is just a matter of our planning to have enough for 6 months and no longer. Our most recent load of chickens will be ready for sale next week. Because the feed is old it takes longer to put meat on them. We have bought crushed corn to augment the feed. People are already coming to buy.
Our layers have been battling the heat blues and are not laying like they should. When the temperatures are in the 90's with humidity in the upper 70 to lower 90% I too understand the "wilt syndrome". I know - you guys are going through a cool spell there in the USA!
HEALTH
It is so much fun with cataracts. I was told by the VA to get in if either of
my eyes changed drastically. I have contacts and I have always had them for
distance and used reading glasses for close up seeing. However in the past 2
months my right eye (which was 750/20) had gotten worse with my right contact
now serving as a reading lens. That means I don't need reading glasses anymore
but the left eye sees distant and the right close. I now have flocks of floaters
in both eye and when I have my contacts in I can actually focus on them and
some have names as they float by in sharp focus. Sometimes I have to blink a
lot to focus past my nose. The heat and sweat also brings out the worse in my
lack of auto immune capacities. No matter how little time I spend outside I
look like I have a third degree sunburn every evening. Some is from interaction
of some of the medicine I take for no thyroid. I am not due back at the VA until
May 2017. But no - none of this can be equated to agent orange exposure!
5 ACTS OF WORSHIP
I received a few responses when I mentioned the 5 acts of worship. I was referring
to the common practice of many of our brethren who have gotten into the habit
of ACTING on Sunday but the rest of the week their Christian life does not exist.
Their attitude is their salvation is hinged on weather they do the five acts
once a week of not. Once they complete the "5 acts" they are good
to get back to their other lives. Romans 12:1,2 says, "Therefore, I urge
you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not
conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will
is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Our Christian life is a lifestyle
or we are not worthy to be called disciples of Christ (see Luke 14:25-33). JUST
SAYING!
Thank you for your prayers - God hears!
We are still looking for additional monthly support for the running of the Bible School with plans to get it up and running in early 2017. If you can help please do and especially remember us and the brethren here in your prayers - thank you!
God is good!!!!!!!!!
Onward and upward!
We especially want to thank all of you so much for praying for
us, supporting us and have contributed to our needs so we can do what we are
doing. God bless you! Thank you for your prayers and fellowship!
Thank you Lord for healing and providing what we need!
Grace & Peace
Tobey & Kathy Huff
Ph: +678 596-4821 (Vanuatu) We do texting.
Thank you for your prayers - God hears!
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Contributions for the Huffs, the
Bible school, the Scholarship fund and/or cyclone/drought relief can be sent
to:
Huffs/Bible School
c/ Mt Hope church of Christ
2830 Mt Hope Rd
Webb City MO 64870
or
Jason Huff
2730 E 24th St
Joplin MO 64804
(417) 396-9122
j13huff@yahoo.com