Solomon Islands Ministries Newsletter (Volume 1, Issue 6)

Solomon Islands Ministries

NEWSLETTER May 2018 Volume 1, Issue 6

Return to Moscom During the previous mission trip to Moscom Fellowship in January, it was determined that a follow-up ministry trip was necessary to provide ongoing training and support for this remote congregation.

This time, a larger team from Honiara Corps returned to lead some ministry training. Major Vanessa and Elizabeth conducted the Home League Leadership Training Course with some of the women in Moscom, as well as the Junior Soldier Preparation Course with the children who belong to this Fellowship. Pastor Joshua was the worship leader and Major Robert the preacher throughout the week at the evening Fellowship Meetings, with Vanessa preaching at the Sunday Morning Service, which happened to be Mother's Day. Major Robert also took the opportunity to introduce the new Soldiership Training Course that has been rewritten specifically for the Solomon Islands cultural context.

As well as these programmed training opportunities was the informal interaction with village life where just as much ministry occurred as each of the team members spoke into the lives of those present.

The Home League Leadership Training Course created an intimate learning environment

Inside this issue:

where the women opened up about the issues impacting them personally and their participation in village and congregational life. One story shared that impacted the team was about a Pastor from a neighbouring village and church who told the women that it was inappropriate for them to speak in their church and that they did not have a valid voice because they were "pencil breaks" (uneducated). Major Vanessa spoke strongly into this space, reinforcing the gender equality message of The Salvation Army and reaffirming their value in Christ by having them declare daily, "I am strong, I am courageous, I am beautiful and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Joshua’s presence also added

great value to the team. He led worship throughout the trip, offering strong and sensitive spiritual leadership that stimulated an atmosphere of worship that encouraged the local leaders. Joshua also came alongside a number of the men who were previously absent as they do not normally engage much with the Moscom congregation. His interaction resulted in some of the men attending the week night Fellowship Meetings, with three participating in the Soldiership Classes and two of them committing to become Senior Soldiers.

The introduction of the newly written Soldiership Course was very successful and had a real impact not only on the recruits but others in the village as the course manuals were passed

Return to Moscom (continued)

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Soldiership Classes

2

School Loans Program

2

SAES Trailer & Equipment

3

Mission Growth in Malaita

3

Rotary Presentation

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A Personal Note

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Special points of interest:  10 Soldier recruits from Moscom  5 Soldier recruits from Honiara  Keeping kids in school longer!  Donated SAES Trailer  Mission expansion in Malaita

Return to Moscom (continued) around. The team was encouraged that 10 recruits have committed to being enrolled as Senior Soldiers at the North Malaita Conference in July, alongside other recruits from Kwai and Honiara. The Junior Soldier Preparation Classes were also very enthusiastically received by the Moscom children with 18 new Junior Soldiers being enrolled during the Sunday Service. These are the first Junior Soldiers for the Moscom Fellowship and the second group of Junior Soldiers for the Solomon Islands.

Joshua and Major Robert had the opportunity to visit the Hydroelectricity plant for the three villages situated

on Maro’upaina Bay (including Moscom), which revealed how vital and vulnerable this resource is for village life. This involved about an hour hike through the other villages and up a jungle track that led to the base of the mountain where the Hydro dam was built.

Not long after the previous visit to Moscom the Hydro generator broke down and has not been working since. The impact of this breakdown has had a significant effect upon the local economy for this area. For example, the fishermen who depend upon the income from the sale of their fish to pay school fees, can no longer refrigerate their catch to sell at the markets. As a

result there is no income and they cannot afford to pay school fees, which means their kids are out of school. The flow-on effect is that dad then has to go to Honiara to look for alternative employment with mum back at the village to manage the family for long periods of time. This was a very common story across all three villages! .

The ministry team left with a sense that these Salvationists are better equipped for ministry and they look forward to reconnecting with many of them again soon as they attend the North Malaita Conference and engage with the wider Salvation Army of the Solomon Islands.

Soldiership Classes The introduction of the newly written Soldiership Training Course for the Solomon Islands has been received very favourably by two of the three existing congregations. Major Robert Evans will travel to Kwai next month to conduct the final round of classes to complete the test phase of the new material.

Feedback from participants and local cultural and language advisors has been extremely helpful to try and produce the best possible resource for the next stage of growth of The Salvation Army in the Solomon Islands, building on the excellent ministry that has gone before.

So far, 15 recruits have completed the new course and have committed to being enrolled as Soldiers of The Salvation Army at the North Malaita Conference in July by the Territorial Commander from PNG. It is anticipated that this number will grow after the next round of classes in Kwai.

School Loans Program One of the reoccurring themes right across the Solomon Islands is the struggle parents have to pay school fees.

This is emerging as the most significant financial challenge for families in a high unemployment (87%) and subsistence culture.

This challenge has prompted The Salvation Army to explore the viability of a School Loans Program to assist parents with an interest free loan that will allow them to pay school fees over an entire

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year instead of term installments or a lump sum at the start of the year. With many large families in Solomon Islands, parents are often forced to choose which of their children get educated and who misses out.

Majors Robert & Vanessa met with Chris, the Relationship Manager from BSP Bank to discuss the financial management of this initiative and to invite their partnership.

The primary purpose of this program is to “keep kids in school longer” to reduce the rate of youth vulnerability in the Solomons!

Solomon Islands Ministries

SAES Trailer & Equipment While recruiting and training a new team of Salvation Army Emergency Services volunteers, Major Robert Evans has been seeking the support of the SAES in Australia to donate vital equipment to resource this new service in Honiara.

The Salvation Army Solomon Islands Ministries is delighted to have received confirmation this month of the donation of a fully equipped Emergency Services Trailer, with other related equipment and SAES uniforms. This very significant donation will provide the new Solomon Islands SAES team with a solid platform to launch into this vital ministry for a disaster prone region.

Mission Growth in Malaita The Salvation Army is on the move in Malaita! Word was received this month that two new missions have commenced along the north road in response to local inquiries and initiatives. A former Gospel Missions International congregation sold copra last week to fund Pastor Charles from the North Malaita Fellowship to come and introduce The Salvation Army to their community in Sunila. Another Pastor who has donated his old church building and land to TSA in Capernaum has also invited TSA to discuss future mission work at Forcem Market, near the north road and east road intersection.

On the move!

Rotary Presentation An invitation to speak at the Honiara Rotary Club was an ideal opportunity for Major Robert Evans and AFP Officer Darren McClelland to promote the upcoming Red Shield Appeal Fundraising Dinner that Darren and his team have been organizing for Friday, 13th July.

After a presentation about the growing mission and ministry of The Salvation Army by Major Robert, Darren spoke to the Rotarians about the purpose of the fundraising dinner and invited them to

Volume 1, Issue 6

support the night by booking a seat or a table with their colleagues. Immediately after the presentations, a business man approached Darren with a sponsorship offer and two tables of 10 were booked for the night.

The proceeds from this fundraising dinner will assist to purchase the first DME set-up (see April’s newsletter for details) to generate a sustainable source of income for The Salvation Army to expand and support it’s mission.

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Solomon Islands Ministries Officers in Charge - Majors Robert & Vanessa Evans PO Box 323 Honiara Phone: (677) 30344

Officially launched on the 4th November 2011, The Salvation Army Solomon Islands Ministries is a mission outreach of the Papua New Guinea Territory.

With an established presence in the capital Honiara in Guadalcanal and an expanding presence in Malaita, the Holy Spirit is opening up new ministry opportunities for The Salvation Army throughout the Solomon Islands.

Building upon the vision of the pioneering Officers and subsequent leaders, we intend to fully explore these new opportunities and will raise up indigenous leaders to advance the kingdom of God in the Solomon Islands.

Fax: (677) 30344 Mobile: (677) 749 4524 Email: sarmy.solomons@gmail.com Website: www.png.salvationarmy.org

Prayer Points:  Enrolment of new Soldier recruits  Successful Red Shield Appeal fundraising event  Salvation Army Convention in North Malaita  Capital funds to set-up School Loans Program

A Personal Note...

This is a testimony of how I joined The Salvation Army. I was born from a very religious family that belonged to the second largest denomination in the Solomon Islands. However, after our village church building was destroyed by Cyclone Namu in 1986, we began to have family devotions in our home and openly shared the Word of God. This new kind of worship attracted many people who were known as backsliders. This new growth outside the Anglican formal church services caught the attention of church leaders who bitterly persecuted and rejected our family and that’s when my father uttered something which I believe have set the motion that many years later made me come to cross paths with Salvation Army’s Corps Sergeant Major Wency, who later introduced me to Major Malcolm.

In the height of the fires of persecution we experienced in 1986, my dad rose

during one of our home church sessions and declared that he will write to Salvation Army Headquarters and request them to come and look after us in the Solomons. Of course, he was obstructed by my mum to not make things worse, since our diocese was overseen by my Uncle. That was the first time I heard of Salvation Army and thought this could be a military organization with guns and bullets my parents were arguing over.

In the years that followed, I was like Mary and Joseph doing door knocking to find a room to birth the Saviour but found none except a humble stable. This is what I gathered now since the day my wife and I decided to be admitted as Soldiers of Jesus Christ serving in Salvation Army. In my personal opinion I have come to admire the oldness of the movement since its inception in England, which have shifted The salvation Army from the trial and error stages of infancy which many new churches

in Solomon Islands from these shells are still to hatch out. But as far as this nation is concerned, every new churches carry the new wine. For these three reasons I have pledged to be a loyal soldier for Jesus Christ and recognise that my Army brethren are fighting together with me bringing the cause of Christ to this place called ‘The Finish’. God bless you all.

Yours in Christ,

Joshua Henry Aebata