December 7, 2015

Dearest Friends and family

CONTINUED REBUILDING
I was able to get the final paint on the dorm rooms, the library and the classroom. I had to cut and mold all the base moulding we used. Goman has laid the foundation for the school cook house and the showers and toilets.

Goman and I built a chicken house/tractor shed at the school. Then I decided to just have it for a chicken house so the school could raise more chickens.

I have also rebuild and extended our chicken house behind the house. This included putting new 4 x 4 posts in, putting up the roof framing, putting metal roofing up and screwing it in place and now mixing and poring the cement for the new 3 x 5 meter pad.

The last of the broiler chickens that survived the cyclone died. I had given away the rooster because he had gotten so big he was damaging the last broiler hen. She was laying the large eggs. She was "legs up" one morning but I had been able to hatch four of her previous eggs. They are growing leaps and bounds. They should be ready to eat just after Christmas.

Goman and I took the tractor (on the trailer) up to Epau one day last month and helped Arthur clean up a bunch of the fallen trees from the cyclone. We helped them cut up some larger trees they had not been able to cut up.

THIS 'N' THAT
We finally got the local chicken farm to order us in some day old broiler chicks. 200 will be arriving Dec 9th! I have talked with a couple of the brothers here and I will help them get started raising and selling chicken since the local farm we are getting the day old birds from has not rebuilt and is only selling eggs from the hens they were able to save after the cyclone. We plan to make this a project of the Bible Institute when it gets up and operating.

In regard to the Institute we have found out that new legislation was introduced in regard to schools operating here in Vanuatu. We had been told all along that since it was a private school we would not be subject to registration. It looks to be only a money-making scheme but we are checking out what we will have to complete.

I was able to get the library shelves made and installed this past month as well as getting the kitchen cabinets made for Rebecca for the new house we built for her. The difference with her's is she did not want a sink in it as everyone would just make a mess in the house. That is not unusual here as most people have a separate cook house and outside washing station. The house is only to sleep in.

Since I was already building shelving and cabinets I was asked to restore a wardrobe, build a new bathroom stand-up cabinet and a new desk for some friends in Port Vila. The bathroom cabinet and the desk were cheap pressed board items destroyed in the cyclone, good riddance. I forget how much more time and effort it takes to build cabinets when one does not have a proper shop set up. I have room under the roofing but the ground is dirt-rock-grass and not flat and I have to move my tools in and out everyday as well as have the generator going if I am using power tools. And then there are the materials that are available, or not, that we have to use. And then there is the outdoor spray painting with the wind!!! It just takes days and weeks sometimes. But fortunately, Lord willing, I get things done eventually. Keep in mind all the other distractions that come everyday: people coming by for bags of flour ( a service I provide at cost to help those who try to make extra money baking bread and rolls - but they seems to come when I am always doing something else - early morning late at night it does not matter), brethren coming around for a gallon of petrol for their generator or grass cutter, brethren just stopping by to chat (very rare), having to keep the generators in repair for nightly use until we go to bed and repairing and keeping the vehicles running with baling wire and and an oily rag and the daily routine of taking care of the chickens and watering the garden (tomatoes, onions and beans currently) the pawpaw trees and the banana trees (the first stock of bananas since the cyclone from our tress is hanging on the verandah getting ripe).

The seed potatoes I bought earlier were duds. Most did not even sprout and those that did, did not grow once I planted and watered them. Yes, we are still under a deep drought and in a very dangerous fire danger time. People here light fires all the times and haven't gotten into their heads that they do not have control of most fires they light with the wind blowing and the very dry conditions. We have fires all around us and a lot of bush has been burned off.

Kathy attended the year end Ladies Day at Epau but twisted her foot in a crab hole and had to be brought back home early. after packing her ankle in ice I went up and picked up the car since she couldn't shift a manual. We took her into the doctor three days later for x-rays and confirmation that nothing was broken. She is wearing an ankle splint for a couple of weeks. Her bruising matches the bruising I have on my left thigh from a sneak attack spider bite one night last month. We are a pair!

Kathy and I want to wish everyone a Happy and safe holiday season.  Thank you for your prayers and support!!!

Please pray for additional monthly personal support in 2016 as we have lost some of what we need as well as additional support for the Bible Institute ($1500 per month) as we hope to get it in operation early next year

.The rebuilding is a partnership with all of you who have contributed and continue to give to the needs we have here. Thank you so very, very much and those of the brethren we have helped and continue to help in recovering from the after effects of cyclone Pam say, THANK YOU!

Onward and upward!
Thank you so much for all of you who are praying for us, supporting us and have contributed to our needs. 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.

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PS A cyclone relief fund has been set up at our sponsor and Jason can give instructions if anyone wants to wire TT money straight to our bank account there.

Contributions for the Huffs, the Bible school and the Scholorship fund 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