July 2011
Dear Friends, Brethren and Family
Bula Vinaka
Learn to Adapt
It is during times like this that Kathy and I are reminded of something we were
told in Missions at Sunset. "Missionaries need to learn to adapt",
Gerald and Bobbie Paden. Wow is that ever the truth of recent times.
Packing, Visa set-back, Rashes
and itching
We have been busy packing the containers to ship to Vanuatu and cleaning the
house. The containers were to be ready by the 13th of July but but then the
schedule changed and we had until the 22nd. As we were planning to get on a
plane for Vanuatu July 16th we scheduled the pick up of the containers for July
14th. This meant we would have to find someplace to stay until the 16th. A couple
of good friends here at the marina paid for us to stay in a beach vila just
down the road from where our house had been. HOWEVER on July 12th Stephen called
me from Vanuatu with the following news, "the principal immigration officer
for Vanuatu was out of the country to Papua New Guinea until July 23rd."
And no there is no deputy to get to sign our application. Sooooooo: Stephen
said he should be able to get the visa application signed July 25. I checked
with the airlines and found the Tuesday flight to Port Vila was fully booked
and the next available flight was not until the 30th. For an additional $100
per ticket we changed them for Saturday July 30th. So that meant 2 extra weeks
in Fiji living out of suitcases. After our free nights at the beach vila we
were able to stay at a discount rate until the 22nd. I had hoped to rest up
and try and get the skin infection (pus blisters and very itchy) cleared on
my face before we arrived in Vanuatu. While loading the containers I was in
and out of the sun and it was very humid so I got a lot of sun on my head and
face, I sweat a LOT, my infection flared back up on my nose and forehead, so
back to the doctor. I was back on massive doses of antihistamines and pain blockers
and Kenacomb for the itching. I have found that it I pop the pus pockets with
a bobby pin and use a topical antibiotic and then baby cream they heal quicker
and better. I thought the rash on my face was getting better but it has since
gotten itchier and has spread over my whole face and both eyes are swollen up,
again. The doctor and I talked again about what it could be but the itchiness
is not part of Rosacea, which is what it very much looks like. I just know I
cannot get more that 3 hours of sleep at any time during the night
Temporary housing
The owners of the beach house are Ross and Trish Wales who come up from the
New Zealand winter and live here in Fiji for 3-4 months. They have a very nice
house behind the beach house. Ross injured his hand the week before we stayed
there and so I helped do some maintenance on the beach house while we were staying
there. I set up a wireless system for him, repaired the front doors on the beach
house where they were in need of realignment, helped with some cabinets doors
that Trish was redoing and diagnosed a refrigerator problem (the fan quit working
so it was not cooling properly). Trish is already having fun trying to find
a replacement fan locally, if she does, I will do the replacement for them.
The sweating did not help my infection but hopefully I can rest this next few
days.
Friday the 22nd we moved from the beach house to a Motel next to the
airport until we leave next Saturday (July 30th) (prayerfully). They have cheaper
rates for local people then tourists.
During this time frame I also had my top denture broke (the one made
here) so I had to go get it remade in Lautoka as well.
Small Claims court
We are having to go to small claims court to get our deposit on the house back,$500
Fj. When the landlady and her son got here to inspect the house on the 15th
they immediately blew up that the kitchen was not remodeled and that they thought
the house was filthy. They expected a new kitchen after the flood of 2009 (at
my expense) and the house was not filthy! The rotten door frames where there
when we moved in, the tile floor in one of the bedrooms was in bad shape when
we moved in and we just used that room for storage, etc, etc. Several other
things came up in their screaming at me which I immediately put to a stop. Like
the two beds frames and the cupboard that had to be thrown out after the flood
and of which I HAD SENT PICTURES TO HER. They had brought two policemen with
them I guess expecting me to put up a fight. I did not. The landlady told me
to get off the property and not come back. I still had the house keys so I locked
the front door and left. Within minutes they were in the house and moved in.
They didn't need my keys. (Now I understand the clause in the agreement that
we were not to change any of the locks without their approval!) I sent her an
email afterwards and texted the son to have his mum check her email but he sent
three nasty texts back that I now have as evidence of his state of mind.
I have the agreement which they signed and I am confident that we will
succeed in small claims court. The hearing is 3:00 pm on the 29th (the day before
we are to leave for Port Vila, this time). The fact that we still had 16 hours
time left on the house lease and they kicked us out without giving us a chance
to make whatever things right they thought were wrong is definitely in our favor.
We really had until midnight to correct anything they felt was amiss.
We were tired of maintaining a property which was owned my someone
else and we are only "renters". For the rent we are paying we are
not happy with all the work we are having to do to keep the property in good
condition for them (but we did our best to live up to the agreement we had with
them). We understand that they were not living in Fiji and that there is no
way for them to be a proper property manager but from our side, that was not
our problem.
They obviously didn't like the way I kept the garden and grounds also. (It seems to be a bit of misinterpretation, but nobody came by to tell us anything differently.) We could see by the way they reacted when they got here that they had no intention of returning any of the deposit. They were pulling this stunt because they thought we were still leaving on the flight the next day for Vanuatu and would not have any way or time to contest this action of theirs.
We had been warned (after we had moved in) the kind of landlords they
were. Live and learn - these Indians are veryyyyy cunnings! But they picked
the wrong boy to mess with.
They might leave to go back to Australia (the son has a job there)
before the court session but if they do we will definitely win - probably no
reimbursement but a win.
They had to either refuse to receive or sign for receiving the summons
to court. The police from Vuda point called and said that they were not suppose
to serve the papers, so I was to go down and they would escort me to get the
papers signed. Should be fun! I ended up getting a local boy we knew to go with
the police to serve the small claims court papers. (I didn't want to confront
the landlord again and they definitely did not want to see me.) The son saw
them coming and ran into the house. Their house girl came out and took the papers
into the son but he refused to sign so the house girl gave her name as saying
he refused and then we had to get a justice of the peace to witness the local
boy's signature. It sounds easy enough but it took us two days to accomplish
this. I have the paper saying the landlord refused the papers and will took
them to the court yesterday (July 25th.)
Car
Nobody has put any money in my hands as to date so we still have the car which
has been handy. But all things being equal which they are not, I blew the head
gasket in the car coming back from Nadi while we were staying at the beach house.
I didn't realize it was overheating until it was too late.
I called the company we bought the car from to see if they even have a head
gasket for it and if they could do the job before we leave. Wonder of wonders
they had the gasket so I had the car towed into Lautoka on Wednesday and they
had it fixed by Friday in time for us to move from the beach vila to the motel.
They also have to repair and replace two metal water lines which had rusted
through and were the cause of the overheating. Cost: towing - Fj$120/ US$65;
repairs - Fj$528/US$270 On Friday Kathy and took a bus into town to pick the
repaired car up at mid day. Mid day in Fiji is obviously 2 pm which was the
time we finally got in the car and drove away from the repair shop. During the
test drive another water pipe broke and they had to fix it as well. We did get
a short nap in on their customer couch out next to the repair bay, so not everything
was a waste of time. (learning to adapt!)
Closing out accounts
We closed out our bank, telephone, water and electricity accounts. We had few
problems until it came time to close the telephone account (the first time I
forgot to take the phone back in). We had put a deposit when we first came but
it usually takes 2-3 weeks to process a refund. So we had to give them a copy
of our travel plans to show we needed the refund quicker. Then they called and
said we had not closed our internet account at which time I told them it had
nothing to do with the refund of my telephone deposit and that I need my internet
account and could access it without their landline. It is two different companies
after all. I hope I got through and we see the refund. (Not holding my breath!)
Found out the two companies had been become one thus had to close out the internet
account and SHOULD get the refund by before we leave.
Containers
We thought the shipping of the containers to Vanuatu was taken care of but I
received several frantic calls saying that they had to file a customs export
form and needed my TIN (tax identification number). I had gotten one when we
imported the container in 2007 but had not needed it since. (We did not pay
taxes here on our income and our bank accounts were special accounts where we
could not deposit funds locally into them as we had "assured income visas".
) The freight people had to have my full name, date of birth and father's name
to get the number from customs. I could not understand the rational for the
export form as it is all personal goods and they would not be charging me any
customs or duty for the exporting of such. Not mine to wonder - just give them
the number! I guess they finally got the TIN number because they quit calling
me after the fifth time and the containers were supposed to be loaded on the
ship July 23rd and arrive in Port Vila July 30th.
All fun and games.
Boxes for cancer ward
The 10 boxes of donated linen for the cancer ward here in Lautoka finally arrives
a week or so ago. The first thing we knew it was here was a phone call from
the local shipping agent saying it was here and who was going to clear it -
I told them they could. To make a very loooooong story short we finally got
a letter from the local hospital which allowed us to get all the customs and
duty wavered but then to continue the long story we found that it had been shipped
"freight due" from Jason's house. They would not released it unto
$600 was paid.
This was much to our surprise as the boxes were picked up from Jason's
house and shipped with not a word of payment needed. It was a contact from someone
here with the Rotary club and a local shipping agency. We assumed (silly us)
that since they were donated items that is was humanitarian help. The payment
has since been made (the Western cancer society) and we hope to have a presentation
to the cancer ward before we leave.
Still teaching
This extra 2 weeks had allowed me to teach 2 more Sundays with the Sabeto group
as well as say goodbye to many people we have sowed the seed of the Gospel with
this past 4 years. We can only hope that the seed will take root and they will
obey the gospel at a later date.
Needs
The most current need is for $35,000 to build a house for us. 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?
With this move in mind I repeat from last month some of the needs we
will have: house ($35,000), 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), a classroom ($12,000), a student duplex
($15,000), another vehicle/small truck ($10-15,000). Can
you help?
We have approximately $16,000 given so far to help with the building
of school facilities and moving needs. Thank you so much for all of you who
are supporting us and have contributed to our needs. God bless you!
Please pray for our visas and my healing.
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