Solomon Islands District - Christmas Carolling

 

Immediately after weeks of busy rehearsals leading up to the 10th Anniversary weekend, the Honiara Corps Brass Band shifted focus to getting ready for Christmas carolling. This year, the brass band engaged in four evenings of carols the week prior to Christmas across 15 communities at Borderline, Gilbert Camp, Mount Austin, Green Valley, Talise Market (Honiara Central); Destiny, Rice Farm, Bethlehem, Blue Lagoon (Burns Creek, East Honiara); Christian Care Centre Women’s Refuge, Tenaru Corona Market (East Guadalcanal); Central White River, Namoruka, Upper Central, Independence Valley (White River, West Honiara).

In consultation with the Solomon Islands Police Support Program (SIPSP) Team Leader from New Zealand, The Salvation Army District Team offered the Christmas Carolling as a community engagement opportunity for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF). This offer was enthusiastically embraced by the RSIPF Crime Prevention Unit and supported by the NZ Police advisors and AFP personnel. Together, positive messages of ‘peace on earth, goodwill for all humankind’ were shared through singing of carols, Christmas messages spoken by Salvation Army leaders and community safety and well-being messages delivered by the RSIPF. The communities that were visited responded very well to the combined participation of The Salvation Army and Police, with community leaders at each location expressing their sincere appreciation for this form of community engagement. The presence of police alongside musical instruments was a welcomed contrast to the images of riot gear over the past few weeks of civil unrest. It was a reminder that the police are not the enemy and an invitation for communities to work together with the local authorities to maintain peaceful relationships in the uncertain days ahead.

We are very grateful to the NZ Police Advisors for taking the lead in facilitating this community engagement partnership with the RSIPF. We are also proud of the commitment and development of the brass band players, which enabled this ministry to take place. Next year, further opportunities for outreach with the brass band will be explored to build upon this community engagement.

Solomon Islands District - 10th Anniversary

Special Report written by Major Robert Evans, District Leader...

General Albert Osborn, former international leader of The Salvation Army, wrote a hymn acknowledging, “What a work the Lord has done, by His saving grace,” which rings true today as The Salvation Army has just celebrated ten grace-filled years of mission and ministry in the Solomon Islands.

The 10th Anniversary weekend kicked off on Friday, 19th November with Honiara Corps cultural dancers and timbrelists leading a procession of the District Officers, Area Officers and Church Leaders into the Opening Program. The evening commenced with video greetings from Colonels Garth and Patti Niemand, Territorial Leaders of the Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands Territory. Their words of encouragement set the tone for the weekend, as the Solomon Islands District reflected back on the past 10 years with gratitude and looked forward to the next 10 years with great anticipation, echoing the refrain of General Osborn’s hymn, “Greater things! Greater things! Give us faith, O Lord, we pray, faith for greater things.” Pastor Jimmy Vasula from Gateway CRC Church, who hosted the anniversary weekend, was the guest speaker for the Opening Program. He congratulated The Salvation Army for ten faithful years of mission and ministry in the Solomon Islands and challenged the local Salvationists to go on to the ‘next level’.

The weekend proceeded with two workshops on Saturday morning where Major Vanessa introduced the World Vision ‘A Good Life for All Boys & Girls’ Sunday School resource and Major Robert launched the Territorial Strategic Plan. After lunch an Open Air and March of Witness with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Brass Band provided an amazing display of over 100 Salvationists marching from Henderson Police Station back to the venue for a brass band concert, that included the Honiara Corps Brass Band. The evening featured the youth of the District who led a powerful evening of worship and items from each of the church youth groups, including the enrollment of 16 new Junior Soldiers. Sunday morning commenced with a combined worship service with the CRC church hosts, followed by a celebration feast of pork, chicken, kasava and taro that was cooked overnight on a traditional ‘motu.’ After lunch the main Worship Service included the enrolment of six Soldiers, recognition of two new Churches, and the warranting of six non-commissioned Officers, with a video message by the Territorial Commander.

The finale for the weekend was a spectacular Mission & Cultural Celebration that was opened by a video greeting from international leaders General Brian and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, along with other video greetings from several previous Territorial and District leaders. The evening was also attended by a number of community and business leaders who are great supporters of The Salvation Army. Major Robert presented an overview of the mission activity throughout the District, after which, each church presented cultural items representing their villages and provinces. A highlight of the evening was the unveiling of a commissioned artwork portraying The Salvation Army flag in an abstract Solomon Island style

The theme for the weekend ‘Greater Things’ was creatively manifested through song and dance, leaving no doubt that the best is yet to come!

Special Report written by Major Vanessa Evans, District Leader...

2021 theme for the Solomon Islands District was “Greater Things.”  Jesus said "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that" (John 1:50). To help with this theme one of the songs that became a bit of an anthem particularly at Honiara Corps was Chris Tomlin’s God of this City. The chorus says, ‘Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city, Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done here.’ This song was not only sung throughout the year but was also the theme song for our 10th Anniversary weekend celebration. We wanted to celebrate all that had happened over the last 10 years as well as holding on to the promise that we would see greater things in the future.

 

Friday night was our opening program and what a program that was! The District Leaders, Corps Officers and Village Church Leaders were led into the CRC Gateway church by traditional dancers from the Honiara Corps, supported by the Honiara Timbrel Brigade. There was lots of singing, dancing, messages from the PNGSI Territorial Leaders Colonels Garth & Patti Niemand, as well as greetings from our 9 church leaders. We were also blessed to have a Historic Video Presentation that reminded the Solomon Islands that they “Were always on His mind.” This presentation showed some wonderful historic pictures of The Salvation Army being connected to the Solomon Islands as far back as 1894. Pastor Jimmy from CRC Gateway was our guest speaker. Pastor Jimmy and his wife Mama Mary are great friends and supporters of ours and allowed us to use their beautiful facilities for our Anniversary weekend.

Saturday was a full day. There were two workshops that were held; the first was on the Sunday School curriculum from World Vision called ‘A Good Life for Boys & Girls’. I have had the privilege of being a part of the working group to put this together. The second workshop was led by Rob who spoke on the Territorial Strategic Plan - ‘Restore, Renew, Rebuild’ and how each of our congregations can use this theme next year as this will become our overall theme for the District. Saturday afternoon consisted of a March of Witness along the main road of Henderson with the assistance of the RSIPF band, which then led to a Brass Band concert. It was great to see our band and the RSIPF band play together and we thank the RSIPF for their support over the last 3 years. Saturday night was the youth meeting which was amazing. 16 Junior Soldiers were enrolled and I preached on how to Stand Out From The Crowd (1 Chronicles 4:9-10). I was humbled and amazed at the work of the Holy Spirit as 51 adults, youth & children responded to God’s Word. Sunday afternoon was a great celebration of the future with the enrolments of 6 new soldiers and the warranting of our new Auxiliary Captains and Envoys. Sunday evening was again another amazing celebration of culture and mission as we were led in by the Gateway Corps traditional dancers. Each corps and church fellowship presented items throughout the night with messages from previous leaders. It was great to see our many friends from different networks that we have developed over the last 4 years join in the celebrations. The other highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the Commissioned Artwork “God’s Light in the Darkness” by Riaz Haikiu Maninga.

Greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this country of Solomon Islands.

Spiritual Formation Journal - Chapter 4

Master of Transformational Development

Doing Theology in the Context of Poverty & Injustice

I must confess that after I read the unit guide for this semester, I approached the subject with a degree of reservation. The minor essay question asking to “Identify a key point of tension or difference between your ‘inherited theology’ and your emerging theology that is evolving in response to the challenges posed by your vocational calling” evoked a tension in my theological sensibilities. I struggled to connect with the notion of an ‘emerging theology that is evolving’ in response to my ‘experiences’, rather than God’s revelation. From the outset, I found my theological roots (The Salvation Army comes from a Wesleyan Methodist theological tradition) reacting to any thought that human experience is an equal or greater authority in forming a contextual theology.

I come from a theological position that there are core beliefs about God’ as revealed in Scripture, that are unchanging regardless of culture, time or experiences. Obvious examples include: Authority of the Scriptures, Monotheistic God, Trinitarian God, Divine & Human natures of Christ, Salvation through Christ alone, etc. So, to encounter Stephen Bevans as the first reading for the semester, who places experience above revelation, only fuelled my reservations about the subject. The author’s explanation of ‘contextual theology’ made me incredibly nervous, especially if the "experience of the present" is at odds morally, ethically or spiritually with the "experience of the past". I wrestled with the question, “If there is space for “self-theologising” to be included in Henry Venn’s 3-Selves model for indigenous churches, then, how do we genuinely invite and include a “new agenda, new methods, new voices, new dialogue” (Bevans, 2009, p. 13) without losing biblical integrity in arriving at and applying a contextual theology?

However, throughout the reading period the breadth of readings and diversity of thought on the subject balanced Bevans’ views with an understanding of contextual theology which “leads us to the realization that the fundamental transformation that must take place is not the transformation of an ancient message into a contemporary meaning but rather the transformation of our lives by means of God’s Word” (Segura-Guzman, 2010, p. 130). The other authors and our cohort discussions enabled me to engage with contextual theology, not as a threat to biblical truth, but as an endeavour to allow God’s voice to speak through other cultural contexts in a way that will provide a contextual revelation from within their respective cultures and life situations. I was reminded of previous undergraduate study where I encountered authors like Clark Pinnock who affirmed, “We do not affirm the possibility of God’s revealing himself outside Christianity begrudgingly - we welcome it! Not only does such a possibility suggest bridges in other cultures to enhance mission, but it also allows us to hear the word of God from others and deepens our own understanding of revelation” (Pinnock, 2015, p. 208).

The subject also provided an excellent reference point for retrospective reflection on interfaith dialogue I had with leaders from the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Community and Afghan Muslim asylum seekers in my previous appointment. It has given me new language and fresh understanding for these conversations where I felt theologically way out of my depth at the time. It also has affirmed, that despite my inadequacies, the Holy Spirit was clearly present and guiding this dialogue and I was simply joining in on a conversation that had already begun.

In my current vocational context, navigating a course for The Salvation Army as still a relatively new mission in the Solomon Islands has been a process of discovering what this movement needs to look like in this cultural context. The major essay has allowed me to apply the learning of this semester into a culturally specific challenge that could open the door for future mission and ministry for The Salvation Army by engaging in critical theological reflection and application. It has contributed significantly to conversations I am currently having with local community and church leaders and I believe will provide a useful paper, not only for the Solomon Islands, but also for The Salvation Army in Papua New Guinea. Learning how to ‘do theology in the context of poverty and injustice’ in this context could not be any more relevant and timely!

Solomon Islands District - Youth Mission Trip

Special Report written by Hudson Kwale...

The youth program was held at Rauai Family Worship Centre in West Kwara’ae, Malaita on the 2nd to the 4th July 2021.

The name for the program was “New Things” and the Scripture was Isaiah 43:18-19. Our youth should be focused on new things that the Word of God has for us in the future, which determines our destination. It was really a weekend of blessing for our families at Rauai Village.

We experienced that our Lord has given us a chance to learn from the youth at Gateway Corps and Honiara Corps as well. We come to realize now that God has been with us throughout the years of our past life. However, we are now focusing on God’s words to reward our future. We really enjoy and learn a lot during the weekend from what the other youth put on show. It was a challenge for us.

The drama displayed to us a reality of lifestyle of today. The program helped us to be strong and caused us to put our focus on God to live as Christ Jesus, the One who hold the future for us despite our wasted past life. The program helps our spiritual life grow up one more step and thank God for keeping us to the maturity of life.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank God for His presence with us during the special weekend. We will always remember the youth mission team in our life for what they have done as we venture into the future.

We pray that God will allow us another opportunity to come together in the future. This is for our youth to feed from the Word of God. Once again, thank you very much. Looking forward to meet your youth group again in the future. God bless!

YOUTH TESTIMONIES...

Jesmah Taka (Rauai Youth Leader)

To define the theme “Do not dwell on the past” which means youth do not hold onto what had happened on the past in their lives, but to look forward to our future for new things that God will provide for us.  During the youth program held from Friday, 2nd July to Sunday, 4th July 2021 at Rauai village, the youths were really blessed and got spiritual food from our mighty man of God Pastor Wency. It also helps Rauai youth to move up next level in their lives. We experience from many good things from different youths that they came to attend the youth program with us. We do learn from them from their characters and actions that they display during the youth program.  To conclude my brief story, I would like challenge Rauai youth to follow the examples that Gateway youth from Honiara has shown us. Rauai youth is now blessed and can now feel the blessing and presence of God after the program and onward.

Jeffrey Kalia (Honiara Youth)

The program was mandated or set on Friday 2nd July 2021. We departed from Honiara at 1:00 pm in the afternoon to Auki, Malaita Province. There were 36 youth members on board in the ship to Malaita. Now we were finally grounded in Auki wharf at 5:00 pm and also board the truck on the same port. The youth arrived in Rauai village at 8:00 pm where the program was held and also location of The Salvation Army church.  On the same Friday night the program was started at 9:00 pm, and I know that there are four (4) youth groups that gathered for the program. They are as follows: Honiara youth, Gateway youth, CRC youth and the hosting youth which known as RAUAI youth. These are youths that came together for the program. During the youth camp I can see that God has done great and mighty things in the life of the young youths even the people of Rauai village and surrounding areas are also blessed by God’s Word at the camp. Indeed, that’s how you can see intervention of the Holy Spirit is in this young people on the Sunday worship at Rauai, the pastors, women and the youths are carrying; even I was filled with the presence and power of the almighty God.  Finally, but not the least, God is at work and moving power of the Holy Spirit is changing and transforming the three ex-prisoners of Rauai young men, they are no longer under the power of darkness or evil, but they are now, the sons of God and we as youth, should give honor, glory and praise back to our almighty God for what he has done in the life of these young men. Therefore, greater things are yet to come! This is the beginning of our journey with our God with more to come. God, you are great and more than enough to us. But I would like to leave one verse in the Scripture, it said ‘always give thanks to God because his love endures forever.’

Gideon Sency (Honiara Youth)

For me the youth mission to Rauai was a blessing. I have experienced God’s power moving mightily and done great things in the lives of all that attended the weekend camp. As an individual I have felt the anointing of God was upon all the young youths during our time. God transformed lives and set a new beginning for people in Rauai to abide in. Under our youth theme we carried to Rauai NEW THINGS — ”See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:19).  God fulfilled His promise by making a new thing in Rauai and I see His mighty hand moving and touching the lives of each person that attended our youth camp. Souls were saved, relationships restored, and covenants were made with God.  For me, I am very happy and blessed because everything that God prepared in me for the mission. I was able to share with everyone that attend on that weekend camp and seen positive feedback which I know it does impact lives of individuals that join our weekend fellowship. To God be the glory for all the marvelous things that he has done.

Solomon Keniruahia (Honiara Youth)

Mission to Rauai was a really great opportunity for us to experience the power of the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of His Holy Spirit upon all young people of Rauai, Honaira and Gateway.  During this mission, we got a lot of experience with the young youths of Rauai, how God does transform their life from darkness to light. In addition, some of these young youths are great rascal boys, but God change them and now they have a testimony to share.  “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).  Firstly, to God be the glory, great things He has done. Through this mission God really touched my life and I’ve seen the mighty move of God in this mission to Rauai.  Secondly, young people of Rauai are really a great testimony for the people in and around Solomon Islands. God really works in their life and transforming their life and through our life they have seen and have more courage to have God in their life.  Lastly, but not the least, I just want to give all the glory and honour back to our mighty God for His provision, protection and blessing in this mission.

Regina Akwasitaloa (Gateway Youth)

The program was very good. It was well organised and we really enjoyed our time on the weekend. Physically the environment was good, which we enjoyed our time in sharing with other youths at Rauai. And spiritually the program really impacts great things in our lives!  As the theme ‘New Things’ in Isaiah 43:19-20 and the sessions organised for the weekend were successful, which we really appreciate the sermon from the servants of the Lord. Their main emphasis was for us to watch for the great things that God is going to do in our lives, rather than dwelling in the past. So, we really blessed by the Word of God throughout the weekend.  In addition to that the prayer chain organised was also successful, which throughout Saturday night we prayed continuously until morning. This brought great impact in the lives of the youths as well.  And during Sunday night, which was our social night, it was a great time where every youth really enjoyed the items presented from each youth. As from the Gateway Youth we really enjoyed our time on the weekend. We were really blessed with the Word of God through the changes that we experienced in our lives and it’s a blessing for us in our journey with our God. So, the youth program was successful. God bless us all.

Spiritual Formation Journal - Chapter 3

Master of Transformational Development

Economics, Development & Human Flourishing

One of the biblical themes interwoven throughout this semester is the Hebrew idea of ‘shalom’ that depicts a state of holistic well-being. Studying the extent to which modern economic systems and structures contribute to a state of shalom has been a new challenge for me as I have reflected on the impact of our DME Coconut Oil Plant and the recent diplomatic switch from Taiwan to China in Solomon Islands. From the micro to the macro, it has been an interesting journey considering the impact of ‘development’ or lack of development on the well-being of communities from within my cultural context.

The Salvation Army has a long history of alleviating human suffering by demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ in practical ways. It is this mission intent that drives our social enterprise at one of our remote village churches in an endeavour to raise the standard of living and generate a sustainable income to resource our mission in the Solomon Islands. However, a quote from the reading “Reclaiming our Future: The Vision of Jubilee” has challenged the scope of my mission intentions to consider the space of shalom from another cultural perspective.

“Throughout the Torah and the economic teachings of Jesus, shalom is valued as more important to human happiness than a constantly rising standard of living” (Goudzwaard, p 183).

Remote villages have a unique rhythm of life that incorporates social and cultural values that are more centred upon maintaining a complex network of relationships than facilitating production and profitability. These relationships define daily routines, use of land and livelihood activities. To an outsider, these relationships may appear to get in the way of development when significant social and cultural events take precedence over everything else. For a task and results orientated person like me, this is something I can easily misinterpret as a cultural weakness when relationally driven disruptions compromise development initiatives. But are these ‘disruptions’ the actual point of development? Is development the servant or the master? Who defines what development looks like and its ultimate purpose? How does development promote shalom in village life? These are just some of the questions I have been pondering this semester.

I have visited a number of villages over the past three years and each time has been something of a soul-restoring experience. There is a simplicity and synergy in the rhythm of village life that reconnects you with what really matters. Yet, I find myself frustrated by the very thing that rejuvenates me. Despite the organic beauty, my cultural conditioning still sees a deficit in village life that appears to limit the development possibilities that could improve living conditions, provide education and create employment opportunities. How does one respond to such a tension? I can push harder to try and manufacture a state of shalom as a cultural outsider or I can sit with the tension long enough to discover what a state of shalom looks like for cultural insiders. I suspect this kind of relational enquiry would go a long way to answer the questions I have been pondering about the nature of development in a Solomon Islands village context. I also suspect that it may even reframe my own sense of well-being to be a little less result driven and a little more relationship orientated.

When Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10), He did so knowing what fullness of life looks like in a Kingdom culture, despite the prevailing Greco-Roman culture of His day. His sense of shalom was not defined by the dominant cultures but cast a counter-cultural vision for “a way of life that is best of all” (1 Corinthians 12:31b, NLT). Navigating the space between two cultures as Christ followers challenges us to assume a posture of humility to look beyond our own cultural ways to discover a revelation of ‘Christ in culture’ (Niebuhr 1951) to experience a deeper sense of shalom as fellow citizens of the Kingdom of God. Translating this into my role as the District Officer of The Salvation Army in the Solomon Islands invites a different approach to development. It opens the door to a mutual exploration of social enterprises and other mission endeavours that seek to find what a Kingdom-orientated fullness of life might look like in specific cultural contexts. Guiding a community towards a clear picture of a preferred reality would provide a basis for transformational development where success is measured by the degree to which it contributes to human flourishing in the village.