Latest news from me!

Hi! It's been over a month since the last update, and it's about time to post a new one. It's been a really eventful month where we've been working hard to further develop the "Keep Safe" program. We've actually come so far that it was time for me to go to the government to present our work and apply for approval to introduce the program into schools already in the start of the new year. Applying for approval, however, is not a simple process where you just submit an application. No, you have to visit many different offices in different locations and for different ministries. It took a few days before I finally got in touch with the right person who could give us the paperwork we need.

Challenging, but valuable

Something that has been challenging this month is that the statistics we work with about sexual assault and violence in close relationships have become reality. I have met several, both children and women, who are in need of a place of refuge as they are running away from their abusive husbands/fathers for their own safety. We have guided several to seek legal help, called the police and spoken truth about their value and right to live a safe and long life. We have prayed together and sought God's face. It has truly been a valuable experience that has given us an even greater commitment to working with the Keep Safe program. We have seen and experienced firsthand the importance of it, and how much God longs to set these women free. 

It's also been heartbreaking to see how many broken family relationships there are in this country. The children we work with somedays comes to school with open wounds on their bodies as they have been beaten by a parent or guardian. Yet it is just a part of life here, and surprisingly few actually react to it. I meet younger girls who freely share that they are denied food several times a day, as they live with family members who clearly have different challenges. Everyday life is really tough for the locals, but the women in this country have such a strength. Even though they are beaten and exploited, few allows the hardship to break them. It is truly fascinating. 

A Living God

During the past month, I have also become good at classroom settings. I have joined some teachers at a Christian school, and together we've had lesson on the topic: "Hearing God's Voice". I had the opportunity to share how Jesus speaks to me and talked about my first experience of hearing His voice. While I shared about my real experiences, the students went from being uninterested to having full focus with wide-open eyes. The students also got a chance to practice hearing God's voice themselves. We said a short prayer before everyone went outside for a few minutes. The task was to ask God what He wanted to say to them personally, and bring with them an element from nature that symbolized it. When the students returned, almost all of them had the same element, a red Hawaiian rose. They were not allowed to talk to each other during the task and everyone went to different areas, so they did not have the opportunity to copy each other. The shock and fascination on their faces when they realized that God gave the same thing to most of the students is something I will rarely forget. 

Conference

The last week I have been in New Zealand to represent our work in Vanuatu at a YWAM conference. Various bases from all over Oceania were represented, from Hawaii to Australia. Here I had the opportunity to talk about the work in Vanuatu at a workshop on "justice and compassion", in addition to giving a presentation at the YWAM base where I originally took my DTS. I have done a lot of networking and it has been amazing to see how God has led me into conversations with various key people during this week. Personally, I have also received a lot of spiritual replenishment and an opportunity to process all the impressions and feelings from the last month. It was really needed.

It is also very exciting to see how God is calling different people to join my Keep Safe team. Now that we have the approval from the government, I just need a team of people before we can start touring the various schools in Vanuatu. There is already a woman and a man from Vanuatu, who have just completed their DTS, and want to be part of the Keep Safe team. It's an incredibly big answer to prayer. After this week in New Zealand, there are also more internationals who want to join. It's really fun to see how the different pieces is starting to fall into place. 

Next step

I will stay in New Zealand for another week before returning to Vanuatu. The months of December/January are summer holidays for the people of Vanuatu. Vanuatu consists of 83 different islands, and most people go home to their original island to vacation with family and friends. This means that everything from government offices to schools are closed. This gives me an opportunity to settle in Vanuatu, build relationships and work more on understanding the language. I am looking forward to a slightly quieter period where I can tackle other work tasks that have been downgraded in the first place.

A big thank you

Finally, I would like to express my great gratitude to all of you who stand with me in prayer and finances. You make this project possible, and I am truly grateful to you! This would not have been possible without the support you give, so thank you very much.