Solomon Islands Ministries - Beauty Among The Ruins

During World War 2 Solomon Islands was an important Allied supply and communication route between Australia, New Zealand and the US in the Pacific theatre of the war. The Battle of Guadalcanal was the first major offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan who occupied Guadalcanal and surrounding islands, which resulted in a strategic victory for the Allied forces that changed the course of the war.  While a significant victory for the region, this battle cost the lives of 7,000 Allied troops and 19,200 Japanese troops, with a staggering number of wounded on both sides, let alone the high cost paid by indigenous populations.  A permanent reminder of the impact of this six month battle is left in the ruins of 67 ships, over 1,200 aircraft and countless munitions that litter the ocean floor and countryside of the Solomon Islands.

On Boxing Day I had the extraordinary opportunity to visit the Vilu War Museum in western Guadalcanal where many of these WW2 ruins lie outdoors against the contrasting beauty of native tropical flora.  As I moved between the relics listening to the well-informed commentary from the museum owner's daughter-in-law, my mind was caught in the paradox of my surroundings.  I felt a sense of privilege being able to walk among these preserved pieces of history on the very land where this moment in history played out.  I felt a sense of awe and wonder being able to personally observe up close and touch these historic instruments of war.  I felt a deep sense of sadness at the number of lives lost as a direct result of these now decaying relics that have become an attraction for tourists.  Yet, at the same time I found myself distracted by the natural beauty that kept intruding upon our historic tour.  Between each of these twisted and aging wrecks grew some of the most stunning exotic flowers I have ever seen that stole my attention away from the heroes of this museum.  Interestingly enough, what once stood as powerful machines of destruction are now lying subject to the regenerative power of nature.

War inevitably leaves a scar upon our humanity that can take generations to heal.  Similarly, the everyday battles of life can also cause deep wounds and leave lasting scars.  Yet, despite the worst that humankind can inflict upon itself, there is a Creative Force at work in this world that brings healing and restoration to all of creation.  Throughout Scripture there is a common theme of restoration that is declared by the prophets (Isaiah 65:17), proclaimed by Jesus (Luke 4:18-19) and revealed in a vision to John (Revelation 21:3-5)...

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

God, in His grace and mercy, has been actively working since the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to restore the beauty of His creation.  Within the paradox of my walk through the relics of WW2 on Boxing Day is a powerful reminder that even among the ruins there is beauty that cannot be extinguished.  Maybe this is a timely message for someone as we prepare to leave behind the year that has passed and enter into the year that is ahead.  

Look for the beauty among the ruins.  
Hold onto the promise of restoration.
God is making all things new!

Solomon Islands Ministries...

After months of anticipation and preparation, Vanessa and I finally landed in Solomon Islands on Wednesday, 13th December to commence our appointment as the Officers in Charge of The Salvation Army in the Solomon Islands.  We were greeted by a warm and enthusiastic welcome from CSM Wency Ramo’oroa and some members of the Honiara congregation, many of whom delayed or cancelled their annual trip back to their home provinces just so they could meet us!  Along with the Honiara Corps welcome party was Pastor Mary Vasula from the Honiara CRC church to greet the incoming Salvation Army Officers as a demonstration of support from the local churches.  After some initial pleasantries, the welcome party ushered us to a garden rotunda adjacent to the airport car park where Wency addressed us with some formal words of welcome, giving thanks to God for our arrival.  It is truly a humbling experience to be told that your arrival is an answer to the prayers of a congregation.

During our first two weeks in Solomon Islands we have approached our new role in a three-fold manner - Look, Listen & Learn!

Persian poet Moslih Eddin Saadi once said, "A traveller without observation is a bird without wings."  As travellers in a new land our senses have been overloaded by the reality of life in Honiara.  From the onlookers perched on top of the airport roof, to the gauntlet of crater sized potholes turning the 10 kilometre trip from the airport into a two hour drive, to the splattering of red spit all over the pavement from the incessant chewing of betel nut, the sights of this city are a world away from what is normal for us.  Yet, the moment our passports were stamped with our residency visas, this became our reality too.  The only way we are going to effectively navigate this new reality, is through keen observation that looks beyond the 'what' to see and understand the 'why'.  Only then can we effectively engage this new culture and really see where God is already at work.

One of the dangers for any missionary entering a foreign land is assuming the posture of an expert with all the answers.  There is no doubt that we have been appointed to this role for a reason and we bring a certain level of experience, training and knowledge into this space.  However, as cultural outsiders living and leading in this new environment we are barely students.  According to Andy Stanley, "It is next to impossible to hear the voice of wisdom if we are not really listening for it to begin with."  Therefore, the prayer of King Solomon feels very real for us right now - "so give [us] the wisdom and knowledge [we] need to lead these people."  Such wisdom and knowledge not only comes from listening to God but also listening to the people entrusted to our responsibility.  Only then can we effectively engage this new culture and really hear what God is already saying.

For the past six years I have been a part-time student of mission studies while leading in a culturally diverse community that has provided me with a real life laboratory to apply everything I have learnt.  This journey of learning does not stop with a degree.  In fact, as leaders "the learning process is ongoing" because "successful leaders are learners" (John C. Maxwell).  Every observation, every conversation, is contributing to our learning experience.  The cultural insiders here in Solomon Islands are the real experts and are our partners in mission.  Taking a learning posture enables us to filter everything we think we know through an appropriate cultural lens to ensure 'how' we lead empowers those with local knowledge.  Only then can we effectively engage this new culture and really discern where God is leading His Army in Solomon Islands.

Even in this short period of time, this posture of Looking, Listening and Learning has revealed to us an alignment of vision with the Salvationists of Honiara Corps and a shared desire to journey together to discover what The Salvation Army will look like as we, by God's grace, expand its presence and impact throughout the Solomon Islands.

Dongi Dongi Mission Trip Reflection

Feeling Accomplished

One of the common critiques of short-term mission trips is around the immediate and long-term impact of the mission activity.  Some wonder if anything of lasting significance can be accomplished in a couple of weeks.  Others question if the money spent on the cost of the mission trip could be better utilised by sending it directly to the mission field.  While these are valid questions that should be given reasonable consideration, at the end of our three weeks in Indonesia I am left with the following reflective conclusions:

• We have mobilised a team of Salvationists from our Corps to actively engage in the international mission of The Salvation Army.
• We have evoked a spirit of generosity in our Corps and community to resource the vision of an overseas Corps and community.
• We have invested into the lives of 180 children and their families by helping to establish a school building more appropriate for the needs of the local community.
• We have partnered with a community by participating alongside them in a project that has laid the foundation for ongoing relationship beyond the end product.
• We have shared life with other Salvationists through local hospitality, mutual encouragement and pastoral ministry.
• We have been mutually enriched by exchanging broader perspectives of Salvationism through our respective cultural expressions and experiences.
• We have responded to unplanned ministry opportunities adding value to and alleviating stress from local leadership and discipleship initiatives.
• We have followed-up relationships established during previous trips through ministry engagement that continues to sow into the faith journey of other Salvationists.
• We have returned home better equipped with a higher level of cultural intelligence to more effectively engage cross-culturally in our Corps and community.

It is one thing to contribute to a mission by sending money but quite a different experience to commit to a mission by going and personally engaging with those on the mission field.  Both can be valuable, but approached with right attitude the latter fosters a level of engagement that puts relationships ahead of the task and helps to develop a level of cultural intelligence that can integrate into mission and ministry back home.

Dongi Dongi Mission Trip - Day 21

Answered Prayer!

In my previous blog post I briefly shared that I lost my phone at a major shopping mall in Jakarta.  This is not how I imagined finishing up our mission trip!  However, after some fervent prayer and the determined actions of my travel companions, this happened (as shared on Facebook):

"I would like to share with you an extraordinary experience I had this morning! On Saturday I lost my iPhone while at a major shopping mall in Jakarta, which contained my credit card, driver's licence and medicare card in the cover. You can imagine my distress at losing my phone and identification in such a busy foreign city!! Yesterday morning, Neville and Nyoman decided to try calling my phone from Nyoman's Indonesian number, to no avail. However, last night we noticed two missed calls on Nyoman's phone from my phone number. Nyoman called back and discovered that my phone was found on the ground beside our car in the car park at the mall by a man from Bandung. He took the phone home and tried to send a message to me via my Instagram account, which was still logged in on my phone. This morning, this man and his family drove all the way from Bandung, about a 3 hour drive, back to Jakarta to return my phone and identification to me! While this alone is remarkable, my phone was still in 'flight mode' and my SIM card was disabled by Telstra after we reported it missing, so it shouldn't have received our call; the battery on my phone never holds charge for more than a day anymore; and it was found by a Muslim man and returned by his family who wanted to demonstrate the integrity of their faith. I praise God for this miracle against the odds of ever seeing my phone again and the risk of my ID being used for identity fraud overseas. I'm still astounded by this incredible blessing!!"

What threatened to be a spoiler of an extraordinary mission trip became a major highlight!  Once again I was reminded how God can use any situation to bring unexpected encounters and blessings that reinforce how great He really is!!  I also can't help thinking that my encounter with this family is no accident and that our paths will cross again some time in the future.

 

Dongi Dongi Mission Trip - Days 19 & 20

Return to Jakarta

Following Stav's saga of getting home after a number of flight cancellations due to lingering smoke from fires, we were watching the flights in and out of Palu very carefully.  Fortunately, our early flight out of Palu departed without incident and we arrived in Jakarta on time for the final stage of our journey.  It was great to be greeted at the airport by Nyoman's brother and brother-in-law, who welcomed us as a part of the Timonuli family.  We enjoyed refreshments at Major Spener and Rai's quarters at Jakarta #2 Corps before booking into our hotel and heading out to the local shopping mall for lunch and an amazing massage!  Unfortunately, Nyoman's misfortune of losing his phone the day before transfered to me with my phone disappearing in the shopping mall car park.  More about that in my final blog post!

One of the things I love about traveling overseas is exploring the local market place, especially experiencing the flavours and fragrances of street food.  There is something captivating about the buzz and activity of street stalls that come alive at night!  The first night in Jakarta we played it safe by enjoying a delicious duck meal - bebek goreng.  The following night Neville was determined to try cobra, which was selected from a cage live and we got to see every stage of its preparation before eating it coated in satay and chili.

On Sunday we were doubly blessed by worshipping at Jakarta #2 Corps in the morning and Jelambar Corps in the evening.  I had the privilege of preaching in both meetings and praying alongside two special people who have been journeying through some very difficult times.  Leading up to our mission trip we became aware that the two year old son of a couple we met during our Jakarta Mission Trip in 2011 had a stroke.  His condition was serious and we united with an Army of Salvationists all around the world to pray for his healing.  I can't describe our joy to see this little boy walking around as a testimony to God's grace!  The faith of his young parents is inspiring and to see them totally surrender to God's will for their lives despite their son's condition is as much a testimony as his healing.  

 

We were particularly looking forward to sharing with our friends at Jelambar who have remained a special part of our lives since meeting and serving them in 2011. Our two day stopover in Jakarta on our way home from Palu allowed us time to follow-up and renew these friendships, being mutually encouraged by seeing how God is at work in each other's lives.

 

Dongi Dongi Mission Trip - Day 18

Final Day in Palu

Waking up on our final day in Palu was a little surreal after three very busy weeks working alongside three shifts of amazing team members who have fully engaged with our mission trip.  Not only have we accomplished what we came to do but have been richly blessed by generous hospitality, good friends and a number of unplanned ministry opportunities. One of these unplanned ministry opportunities was to participate in the Youth Meeting at Towua Corps, an invitation we received earlier in our trip.

Before the Youth Meeting we ventured one last time out into Palu for a motorbike tour with Nyoman and Tato, who took us up a mountain that overlooked the city.  Half way up the single trail track Nyoman's motorbike overheated leaving us stranded on the side of the track.  Tato and Neville continued up the mountain while Nyoman and I rolled back down the mountain to get help.  Fortunately, part way down the bike restarted and we avoided a long walk back home!  Unfortunately, Nyoman lost his phone where we had broken down somewhere back up the mountain!!

After our little misadventure I finished preparing my sermon for the Youth Meeting and we then joined a very eager youth team for a great night of worship.  Throughout our trip we have observed a vibrancy and passion among Indonesian Salvation Army youth in a number of locations and the Towua Corps youth were no exception tonight.  Their worship team, dancers and timbrelists expressed a joy that transcended language, uniting us in spirit as we worshipped together.  Once again we were deeply moved to see the Spirit of God minister in the lives of these young people who responded to the message.

Dongi Dongi Mission Trip - Days 16 & 17

Last Hurrah at Dongi Dongi

Today we headed out to Dongi Dongi for the third and final time; this time with Neville and Major Erik Kape onboard.  Before we left Palu we stopped by the Mecure Hotel to catch up with Commissioner Ros Poke who was finishing up her trip around Indonesia.  Commissioners Vic and Ros Poke were on staff at the Training College with Vic being our Training Principal when Nyoman and I were Cadets training to be Salvation Army Officers back in 1995-96.  It is amazing where God has led us each over the past twenty years and how our paths have crossed on this mission trip.

Like previous team members earlier in the trip, Neville was keen to get involved with rebuilding Dongi Dongi School.  Majors Paulus and Felma weren't home when we arrived, so we didn't waste any time heading up the hill to see the progress of the builders over the past week and to plan out our work for the next couple of days.  Once again we were amazed at how much work had been done!  The front verandah had been concreted, the brickwork was complete, internal walls had begun to be rendered, and the timber cladding was almost finished.  The builders weren't onsite, so once Nyoman and Eric left to return to Palu, Neville and I got started cleaning up the building site, emptying the classrooms of building waste and sweeping out a mountain of wood shavings and concrete dust.  The cloud of dust combined with our sweat made for one very dirty afternoon of work.  There was also a load of timber delivered on the side of the track out front, so we decided to haul it into the classroom that stored the remaining building materials.  Maybe we were just tired, but this load of timber was way heavier than a previous load that other team members had moved.  In fact, it had been cut thicker and was still very wet (that's our excuse, LOL).  

The Corps Officers returned home late afternoon to find our belongings hidden out the back of their quarters, so Major Paulus came up to give us a hand to finish off our afternoon of work.  As with previous team members, Neville and I were warmly welcomed into their home and blessed by their hospitality.  We engaged in conversation after tea with Major Paulus, without Nyoman present to interpet, and had a lot of fun teaching each other new words and phrases in our respective languages.  Despite the language barrier we managed to communicate well enough to enjoy each others company and discover new things about each others culture.

The next morning before we got back to work, I took Neville across to the old classrooms to see for himself the conditions in which the children were learning.  On our way out Nyoman had just arrived back from Palu and joined us for another day of hard work.  The job for the day was to level out the ground out the front of the verandah by 'cutting and filling' with dirt from the land beside the building.  A couple of local labourers started digging a hole for the septic tank for the toilets so we joined forces as we relocated the soil they dug out of their hole.  The speed these guys worked was impressive. 

After our lunch break we were amazed to see that they had dug their 3x3 metre hole to a depth of 1.5 metres and had built a lean-to shelter in the process to give themselves some shade while they worked!  Not to be outdone, Neville, Nyoman and I worked equally as hard to finish off our levelling, which required more and more fill as the gradient increased along the length of the verandah.  It was a very tiring but satisfying day of work.  

Leaving the building site for the last time was a little emotional after three weeks of working on this project.  Neville and I really connected with how Tony, Jill and Stav must have felt as they left Dongi Dongi knowing it would be the last time they saw the project before completion.  Yet, that feeling of sadness was mixed with a deep sense of satisfaction with the knowledge that together we had contributed to the rebuilding of Dongi Dongi School.  Our belief in the Corps Officer's vision for the school, our collective fundraising over the past twelve months and our presence on this mission trip is a significant investment into a community, a church and a generation of children who will be educated in these new buildings!  Praise the Lord!!