Solomon Islands District Special Report - USA Mission Team Visit

USA Mission Team Visit

SPECIAL REPORT June 2019 Feature Insert

Report written by Major Robert Evans Throughout our Officership, Vanessa and I have had the joy of leading five overseas mission trips with Salvationists from our appointments at Noarlunga Corps and Cranbourne Corps to Thailand and Indonesia. This month we have had the pleasure of been on the receiving end of a mission team from The Salvation Army USA Southern Territory. On Tuesday, 4th June six young Salvationists arrived in Honiara as a part of the USA Salvationist Service Corps for five weeks of mission in the Solomon Islands.

A team of Honiara Corps members eagerly greeted the USA Mission Team at the airport with songs of welcome and presented the visitors with a lei made from local tropical flowers. The drive through Honiara confronted the team with a new cultural reality that was literally and figuratively a world apart from their familiar surroundings. They couldn’t wait to get to their motel to change out of the jeans they travelled in to something a little more suited to the tropical conditions!

After a rest day to recover from 26 hours of travelling we took the team to the Coral Sea Resort for dinner and the annual Solchoc Festival to experience the flavours of locally grown cocoa at the chocolate tasting night. The evening included information about the emerging cocoa industry in the Solomon Islands.

Before launching into the mission schedule, we set aside a morning for cultural orientation, which included a language lesson in basic Pijin with a local language teacher. It was pleasing to see the Mission Team integrate these cultural lessons into their interaction with locals throughout their trip.

The first week of mission activity included learning how to make lavalavas with the Home League ladies from Honiara Corps and participating in a couple of social enterprise projects — sewing reusable sanitary kits (girls) and constructing a backyard foundry (guys).

Their first Sunday was Pentecost, which provided an opportunity to engage in an ecumenical service at the Holy Cross Cathedral. This was a significant occasion for the Catholic Church and Salvation Army in Honiara, coming together in worship for the first time with the musical support of The Salvation Army Brass Band Learners.

The second week focused on preparing for the “One Army Congress”, which I think is fair to say was the highlight of their mission trip. So many cultural, spiritual and relational experiences were packed into an unforgettable journey to West Kwara’ae in the Malaita Province.

You can read a full report of the Congress in the June Newsletter. In summary, the Mission Team experienced the reality of sea travel on the Fair Lady Ship, trekking through the bush to the village and the simplicity and beauty of village life in the Solomon Islands. The program contained many powerful spiritual moments and stunning cultural expressions that left a lasting impression on the team members.

Their participation through worship, dance, preaching and teaching also left a lasting impression on local Salvationists.

The journey back to Auki (main port of Malaita) opened up an unexpected ministry opportunity while meeting with the Provincial Police Commander. He invited our team to a local village where he worships to introduce the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army. The village chief invited us to stay overnight and conduct a program to a couple of hundred curious onlookers. Our team was once again blessed by the gracious hospitality of village life.

Following the Congress, the team began preparing for their VBS (Vacational Bible School) program at two primary schools in Honiara. The first two days of VBS was conducted at Honiara Integrated Primary School, which is a council run school. The Salvation Army has developed a ministry relationship with this school through a number of teachers who attend Honiara Corps. The final two days of VBS was conducted at Advance Christian School, which is a private school established and run by the Honiara Corps Secretary. The VBS program included worship, teaching, craft activities and interactive games.

Reports from both schools indicated that the children loved the program and the teachers appreciated the investment into their respective school communities.

Engaging in local communities, not only offered unique ministry experiences but fostered meaningful relationships between the team and members of the Honiara Corps.

Through our Neighbourhood Fellowship groups the team shared in village life in an urban setting. Even in the capital city of Honiara, the simplicity of life is a stark contrast to suburban life in North American cities. We paired off the team members and sent them to visit five of our Neighbourhood Fellowships during their visit, which meet in very different settings.

In each group they shared in a meal, a time of worship and participated in the ‘One Army International Teaching Resource’ used for discipleship across all groups.

Everybody loved this up close and personal engagement with the visiting team.

A visit to the National Referral Hospital was another highlight and a confronting experience for the Mission Team. The conditions of the hospital are quite frankly ‘third world’ with patients having very limited access to quality medical care in deteriorating facilities.

The hospital is known to run out of essential medicines and patients have to rely on friends and relatives for access to clean drinking water!

Together with our Community Care Ministries team, the Mission Team prepared some care packs for distribution to 31 beds in the maternity ward. It was a lovely surprise to find one of the women from Honiara Corps, who had just given birth, during their visit. She was very pleased be a recipient of one of the care packs.

One of the other Corps activities the Mission Team supported was our Brass Band Learners.

Three of the team members who played brass instruments engaged in our practices, providing musical tuition and support to help prepare the two pieces of music being practiced for the ecumenical service and Congress. Having extra players in each section of the band gave a boost of confidence to our local players and contributed to the success of our public performances. The worship team also enjoyed the musical engagement of the Mission Team as they participated in practices and Sunday worship. It was obvious the enjoyment was mutual.

Scattered throughout the mission program were opportunities to experience the diverse cultural expressions of the Solomon Islands. This included watching cultural dancing at the Coral Sea Resort and listening to a bamboo panpipe band at the National Museum during the Solchoc Festival. On the Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday, we took the Mission Team to a formal parade at Lawson Tama Reserve with the Prime Minister and the Governor General in attendance and a performance by the RSIPF Brass Band. This ceremonial occasion highlighted the strong links that still exists between the Solomon Islands and Great Britain, even after 40 years of independence.

The mission trip wasn’t all work and no play. Rest and tour days were scheduled throughout the trip to allow the team to enjoy some of the recreational activities available in and around Honiara. A trip to Mbonege Beach provided opportunity for a welcomed swim and snorkeling through a sunken Japanese ship wreck.

Visits to Central Market and a craft market provided opportunity to buy souvenirs and local handicrafts. Wency took the team up to the American War Memorial for an insight into the Battle of Guadalcanal and a panoramic view of Honiara. He also took them to the Art Gallery where the team fell in love with the beautiful paintings from local artists.

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Solomon Islands Ministries

Mission Team Reflections...

My name is Myleeq Morris. I have had the privilege to serve here in the Solomon Islands with my team. I have been welcomed and loved here by Majors Robert and Vanessa Evans and the Corps family. My experience has been overwhelming. From spending time with Corps people to engaging in laughter, devotions and fun with kids from the Advance Christian School and Honiara Integrated Primary School.

Being able to share the love of God with the children and singing and dancing with them was an absolute blessing in itself. God is certainly working here in the Solomon Islands and is doing great works. Time is running out and there is still work to be done. Unfortunately, my time here has come to an end and I wish that I could stay longer but God has other plans.

Special Report

My time here in the Solomon Islands has been one of the best experiences I have ever had. From arriving and being welcomed by the Corps people with songs, to walking through an unclear path through Ramah. Everything has been new experiences for me and I couldn’t be more thankful for it. I had never ridden in a boat, had fresh coconut, been out of the country, or slept in a tent, so this trip has been a new adventure for me. I have loved my time here in the Solomon Islands. I cannot wait to come back and visit again!

Abigail Smith.

Coming to the Solomon Islands I was in a place of pain and hurt. This past year has been filled with some of the hardest but most fulfilling experiences of my life.

My time here in the Solomon Islands has been no different yet I have experienced a cleansing power that can only be from the Holy Spirit. Through the outpouring of God’s Spirit through the people of this island I have been able to be made whole again. The hospitality of the people here has been astounding. The turning point for my summer was the worship at Ramah during the One Army Congress. The Spirit fell upon me that week and I know He fell on others as well. I cannot wait to see what the Lord has planned for the Solomon Islands after I leave because He was here way before I arrived. Jeremiah Durham.

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Mission Team Reflections...

Arriving to the Solomon Islands was a breath taking experience and a spiritual one as well.

The Corps members welcomed us with hand-made leis and fresh coconuts. They also sang us two different beautiful melodies as we walked into the hut. You could feel the Spirit move throughout the Solomon Islands since the very first day. Every moment here was better than the last. I was able to grow during my stay here, not only through the environment around me, but through the kind, loving people that I was blessed enough to cross paths with. I am leaving behind a huge chunk of my heart. Thank you Majors for your hospitality. Elizabeth Ramirez.

These past 5 weeks in Solomon Islands has been an awesome testimony itself. I wanted to leave the US because I wanted to leave burdens and stresses behind, and although I found new difficulties and obstacles here, God was able to speak to me and work through me. Here I found a breath of fresh air and I was able to build new relationships with people I would have never met if it wasn’t for God. I was able to experience a new form of worship through the cultural difference between me, the members of the Corps and especially through the people met in Ramah. It was a beautiful unexplainable experience.

Leaving is bitter-sweet because I am leaving behind people I have grown to love and care for. I wish that I could pack everyone up and bring them home with me, but because I am unable to, I will carry the lessons I have learned from each and everyone of them with me and share these lessons with those I love at home. Sara

Over this last month I have had the true opportunity and blessing of worshipping with the Solomon Islanders.

This opportunity has presented itself in many ways, might it be dancing with the kids, encouraging people with a sermon on “Called to Be”, or playing soccer and basketball with the teenagers. I have been truly blessed to experience and see the worship and hospitality here in Solomon Islands. Our team and the Honiara Corps have had the opportunity of crossing bridges, a river and the sea together. I have been challenged, left vulnerable and grown so much in the small amount of time that I have been here. I wish my time would have been longer, but I pray that my experience here won’t go to waste as I go home and share what I experienced with people back home. I will remember you guys and will continue to pray for you all.

God bless, Derek Twinney.