On Saturday October 30, we attended a Maranatha Day at our old church in Phoenix (we have been attending in Scottsdale since our return). It was fun to see old friends at the church. Also great to visit with the 6 staff members of Maranatha presenting or working support for the event. Karl and Brenda Duerkson had been communicating over the past week regarding the trip to Vanuatu she and Dick had just completed. Brenda had commitments elsewhere, so was unable to attend the AZ event, but Dick was there as the principle speaker. As arranged with Brenda and Karl via email, Dick made a quick down load on our media storage of his huge file of photos taken by both he and Brenda in Vanuatu.
It is rather disappointing that only two more structures have been finished since we left. There are still units sitting on the ground at the office compound waiting to ship to island construction site. Things are truly moving on "island time". Disappointing, but not totally surprising.
The Dueksons took so many really great photos. I am going to post a very few and only those that relate to early posting I made from Vanuatu.
We never did get a good photo of the man who was to be the lead man on the One Day Church project in Vanuatu. Brandon Dick was introduced to you in my April 25 post.
Here is the number one One Day Church (said "nambawan wan de joj" in Bislama) I told you about from April 29- mid- May posts. They have managed to put in half of the concrete floor. Probably adding to it as the money is raised.
Meet Tom, the conference treasurer. Fantastic guy. If we needed something done, even when it wasn't his department, we talked to Tom. Though native to Vanuatu, he had learned to function outside of island time and we pushy Americans found he could adapt to our comfort zone as needed.
This is a shot from the office area located on the second floor above the guest house where we lived. You can see one of the four bundles of church components still sitting on the ground, still waiting to be shipped as of 3 weeks ago... island time still functioning.
One of the two churches that have been erected since we left. (Dick Deurkson and Brandon Dick standing)
Dick and Brenda found the market an interesting place, too. I had fun going through their shots, I found myself checking and comparing prices and noticing what was in season and what was not! Check out the huge white sweet potatoes... they were not available in April and May... also the tomatoes. That is one thing we did miss, and while on the island, purchased a couple that were imported to the grocery store for a princely sum.
Dick and Brenda found the market an interesting place, too. I had fun going through their shots, I found myself checking and comparing prices and noticing what was in season and what was not! Check out the huge white sweet potatoes... they were not available in April and May... also the tomatoes. That is one thing we did miss, and while on the island, purchased a couple that were imported to the grocery store for a princely sum.
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