June 2011

Dear Friends, Brethren and Family

Bula Vinaka

Bible Classes
I had started teaching a series on Paul's letters at the Sabeto congregation. I have been covering a letter a week. This next Sunday is our last Sunday with the Sabeto brethren. They are planning a luncheon and I will have taught through the book of Ephesians. I have prepared all the lessons for the remaining letters and will leave the material with Josua if he wants to finish the series.
The rash that would not go away

I told you in last's month's news that I had a stubborn rash. At first the rash was from mango sap then it would not go away. So the doctor put me on Loratadine, Prednisone and Aciclovir. Along with this I am taking heaps of antihistamines and ibuprofen. I had to go back to the doctor and his assessment was ??????????? I had the rash and itches on my back and other places. So we talked about what it could be and finally the two of us decided this had developed into a severe case of shingles in places where he had never seen them. At 62 I am back to using diaper rash cream. With more medication the incestuous itching is finally going away (usually comes back at 2 in the morning when the ibuprofen has worn off) but it is getting better.

We have been getting the annual cool nights with the temperature getting down and just below 70 which means we get cold here and have to use a duvet at night. Until last week we were having dry weather and the humidity had even been as low as 80%.

CT scan
We finally got a call from the hospital that the CT scan was repaired and that Kathy was scheduled for a scan, so she went in for a scan. We did not have to wait in the waiting area like before. After the scan we were told that it would take up to two weeks for the scan to be read THEN the doctor would set up an appointment to talk with us about the results. They didn't come running out asking if the life insurance was paid up so I'm guessing nothing strange showed up (if there was anyone who knew what to look for) (golly gosh we were just lucky the machine was working). We got the day wrong and went in on Tuesday instead of Wednesday but they fit us in and got it done - $270 Fj. Just Monday I did get a call from the doctor (after I had called him and asked him to check the scan which he knew nothing about because he had been on leave) who said there were NO abnormalities in the scan. Thank you Lord!

Getting everything together for the move to Vanuatu
We are having a hiccup with our Vanuatu visas. The Vanuatu government will not accept a copy of the police report that was done for our Fiji visa last year so I had to reapply here. They want an original so I paid extra for a "quick" 1 day turnaround police clearance. I paid for it here in Lautoka but had to send it courier to Suva. This was on a Friday. Weekend and all, I called Suva the next Thursday asking about it. They first of all wanted to know why I needed it (that was stated on the form which they obviously do not read). They then took 10 minutes to find it and said it had been done and would be mailed back to me on Friday (was that alright? like it mattered). So I got it the next Tuesday and then send it DHL courier to Stephen.
Stephen e-mailed that he had just received the police clearance yesterday (I sent it last Wednesday) and would go this afternoon and see what he can get done. He said they said three weeks and if that is the case we will not be able to go to Vanuatu July 16th and stay as we are scheduled to. We might have to fly to Port Vila as scheduled but then go on to Brisbane for a week or so until they get the visas processed. If we went through Port Vila we could check on the process of our visas on the way through and drop off some of the bags. Stephen said he would let me know as soon as possible. Stephen said he had already lodged the immigration bond and the bank had called to say the paperwork was ready to pick up.

That n' This
Before I packed up the table saw, I finished a coffee table for some people here that Malika knows. It has a glass top which allows for them to display a coconut crab from Guam inside the top box. I also did some restoration work on a old antique looking US built china cabinet that they had been given several years ago. They wanted clear glass in the door panels and the top fixed. I can't believe some of the rubbish that people call furniture. I did the bestest I could.

I was talking with an Australia who is the meat and produce manger of a grocery store in Nadi the other day and he said he had a farm for sale. 10 acres with garden produce in production and two chicken houses, three bedroom house, workers quarters and a Toyota utility. He said it declared $160,000 profit last year. He sells the chickens to Rooster chicken (like Tyson only skinnier) and sells the garden produce to restaurants and hotels catering to the tourists. Govt evaluation is $650,000 FJ. He said he wants to semi retire and would sell it to us for $450,000 FJ. Not a bad deal as it is already producing income. If we only knew of someone with $260,000 US and we were not moving it would definitely be a great deal.

Then I had the owner of the land we live on come by and say he would have leased us 10 acres behind the house for the school. I told him politely that it was not a water theme school (named Noah land) and land that flooded was not what we were looking for.

All in the days of fun we enjoy here. I re-broke the small toe on my right foot again a week or so ago (hit it on the corner of a box I was packing). No problem I just twisted it back to the front, reset it and have to live with the huge bruise. It doesn't have much feeling now. I also dropped a board on the top of my left foot taking apart a shelving unit. Now that did hurt and the bruise is a matching one to the right foot.

I spent the morning of July 4th registering the car, only took three hours. We have not sold the car yet. I advertised that I wanted it until the 13th. Some people came by, drove it and said they wanted to buy it so I said $500 down the remainder on the 13th. They said they would be back the next afternoon. They did not come back but called saying they didn't want to give me $500 and not get the car. I had a lot of calls and will be advertising it again this weekend. I have faith that it will sell. Maybe being here a few more days is what will happen. Only the Lord knows! The apostle Paul had it too easy with no visa requirements.

Paul did not have to suffer getting visas to travel places. When I told my son Jason, the wise one, he said, "Just declare that you are a Roman citizen and see how far that gets you in Vanuatu. Maybe you can get an audience with Caesar."

Getting most stuff packed. A lot is in the containers but I hate to put some of this in because I know we will need it the last few days. They are to pick up the containers on July 14th and they are supposed to arrive in Port Vila the July 26th (hopefully we will be there then).

All of Fiji lost internet access last Friday for 4 hours. The sole provider of the outside cable line pulled the plug because the telephone company owed them money. Then Sunday the power was off for 7 hours so I ran the generator to keep the frozen goods frozen.

I have traffic court on the 12th for a speeding ticket and then a ticket saying I did not stop for the officer. I was speeding 63 kmh in a 50 kmh but I did not see the policeman trying to flag me down in the road in the dark. It was the night before Kathy came home from the hospital and I was on my way home after being at the hospital all day. It was on open road with very little traffic. I wrote a letter of appeal and will get my day in court.

Challenges in a move back to Vanuatu
We plan to build a house out where the Bile school is to be located. 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.)

Some have asked what type of house would we build and here is what we are looking toward: a two story, elevated open air house with a large verandah.

First floor

Second floor

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). Will you help?

Please send funds to the work
CIBS - Huff family
c/o Mt Hope church of Christ
2830 Mt Hope Road
Webb City MO 64870

We are praying to that end. Please continue your prayers for us as we work toward 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 seed sowing workers in the Kingdom.

Tobey & Kathy

PS: The totals for the Joplin (our home town) tornado were
Damage estimates. 3 BILLION dollars
Cubic yards of debris removed - 597,500
Cars destroyed - 18,000
Homes destroyed - 6,954
Jobs affected - 5000
Injuries - 1,150
Homes damaged - 875
Businesses affected - 500
Deaths - 155
Mt Hope has become a large part of the help of recovery for the victims. Pray for them!