Solomon Islands District Newsletter (Volume 3, Issue 11)

Solomon Islands District

NEWSLETTER November 2020 Volume 3, Issue 11

Burns Creek Outpost The impact of the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army in Burns Creek over the past couple of months has resulted in the launch of a new Outpost of the Honiara Corps. This means the extension of a wide range of ministry activities into this community, including a ‘Learning Space’ for Literacy & English Classes, Life Skills and other community development courses.

The first Sunday evening service for the Outpost was the 1st November with 125 in attendance, inclusive of a number of families from Honiara Corps supporting their new mission initiative. Over the following weeks, the Sunday evening attendance has averaged out to 86 local people who live in Burns Creek.

Community Chief Peter Usi’s enthusiasm for the Outpost is evident in his daily megaphone outreach through the streets of Burns Creek, boldly inviting

Inside this issue:

Mouriafa’alu Mission

2

(Report Written by Envoy Joshua Henry) Rachel Hagi’s Graduation

2

Mary Mazzarello Keynote Address

3

Honiara Hash House 3 Harriers Donation residents who are ’backsliders’ and ’drunkards’ to come to The Salvation Army! Peter publicly explains the “heart to God, hand to man” message as a practical expression of Christian faith that cares for people’s needs. His family has opened their home to this Outpost and have set aside land for The Salvation Army to erect a shelter to accommodate this emerging mission outreach in his community.

Since commencing, the Outpost has a midweek Neighbourhood Fellowship Group, a weekly Children’s Ministry program, with Junior Soldiers and Junior Miss starting in the new year.

In December, Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child will present a Gospel message to the children in the Outpost when they hand out their gift shoe boxes, which will lay the foundation for the upcoming Junior Soldiers Program. The Honiara Corps Home League have added Burns Creek as another location for their 2021 program to reach vulnerable women with an empowering program that teaches a variety of practical skills, builds healthy community and develops an integrated Christian faith.

Envoys Wency & Fostina are providing excellent leadership of this mission initiative.

(Report Written by Ian Gooden) Personal Reflection

Special points of interest:  Mission Outreach  Life Skills  Empowering Women  Training & Development  Community Donation

4

Mouriafa’alu Mission (Report by Envoy Joshua Henry) Moses Fakani and the community at Mouriafa’alu Village in North East Malaita of around ten families sent a request through soldier Robinson Kofela (Gateway Corps) for The Salvation Army to pay them a visit and dialogue with them about the possibility of The Salvation Army starting a New Opening at their village.

Having been dropped from a vehicle at Gwou’ulu Village from Gateway Corps in Kwai, we used a dug-out canoe and paddled across the bay for about 45 minutes to this isolated village. Although the moon was up, the night was cloudy and the house of this community leader was even darker due to poor lighting, as

we were warmly greeted with hand shakes by the couple and their children.

There are ten families in this small village who are closely related, and have a background of Catholic, Anglican and Ancestral worship.

For church ceremonies, the Catholics would go to the nearest church of Tara’ana – an island about an hour paddle away and the Anglicans would go to Gwou’ulu Village. Five years ago the community leader, Mr Moses Fakani, decided to erect a church building to save them from paddling far away, especially during turbulence. They called upon all the churches they could reach but not one responded until they called on The Salvation Army through Robinson Kofela, to which he went on Monday.

will follow suit. So, they need Soldiership Class manuals and uniforms for my next visit. Gateway Corps and new Soldiers at Mouriafa’alu Village will visit each other for immediate encouragement and fellowship, as neighbouring churches in North East Malaita.

On Tuesday night it was an introductory gathering at Mouriafa’alu Village in front of Moses’ house, where 15 gathered to hear about the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army. On Wednesday night, soldier Robinson and I were invited to share at Pastor Samuel Sony’s home fellowship where that week’s message for their church was Isaiah 55:10-11. The attendance there was also 15.

I also found this leader and his community are sitting down beside potential fishing grounds we can tap into for the District (eg. Long Tail Red Snapper, which has its home in three spots there). According to the Japanese company – JICA, there is great income potential prospecting for this favourite species that has found its hub there. To this date, no one is commercialising this sea resource.

There were about 10 people who were available during my visit and expressed their readiness to become the first recruits when I visit next; while others

Rachel Hagi’s Graduation On the 13th August, Rachel Hagi from Honiara Corps, was the first member of The Salvation Army to enroll in the Mary Mazzarello Development Centre, after hearing about their life skills course from Major Vanessa. This four month course provided Rachel with the opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills in tailoring, cooking, nutrition, health and hygiene, home management, painting, floral arranging, human development, literacy and numeracy, computing, environmental issues, budgeting and catering. The variety of subjects offered in this course opens up a wide range of

Page 2

opportunities for Rachel to apply what she has learned to raise the standard of living for herself and her family.

Together with her husband Daniel, Rachel is preparing to enter The Salvation

Army Officer Training College to study as a full-time minister/pastor in The Salvation Army. As a Salvation Army Officer, this course will not only impact her family but has provided Rachel with valuable skills and knowledge to teach other women in the congregations she will lead with Daniel in the Solomon Islands upon their Commissioning.

Rachel’s graduation and positive experience undertaking this course has already encouraged other women at Honiara Corps to consider enrolling in future training sessions at the Mary Mazzarello Development Centre.

Solomon Islands District

Mary Mazzarello Keynote Address Major Vanessa was invited by Sister Claudia from the Mary Mazzarello Development Centre to be the keynote speaker at the 14th graduation of women from the Catholic Rural Training Centre. The women enrolled in the four month course learned practical and academic life skills that they can use in their homes, villages and for potential income generating opportunities.

This session of graduates trained under the theme - “Women Who Struggle to Raise Their Standard of Living”, which motivated them to rise above their lack of education to gain new knowledge and

present. She drew on their life stories to encourage the graduates to raise their standard of living by putting to use what they have learned during the course to become the amazing women that God created them to be.

skills that will change their lives. Major Vanessa spoke about two inspirational women, Catherine Booth and Dr. Alice Pollard, whose lives have impacted countless women from the past and

Major Vanessa affirmed the relationships they had formed with other graduates in their training session during the course and reminded them the value of these new friendships as a source of ongoing mutual support and encouragement, as they use and share their knowledge and skills with other women in their homes and villages.

Honiara Hash House Harriers Donation (Report by Ian Gooden) The Honiara Hash House Harriers club has donated $4,780 to the Solomon Islands District of The Salvation Army.

The funds were raised following the Hash Harriers Halloween disco, and the club matched funds raised on a dollar for dollar basis with funds from their regular weekly runs and walks.

Receiving the donation on behalf of The Salvation Army, Major Robert Evans, said the funds will be used to assist in the establishment of a sheltered area in the Burns Creek Settlement of East Honiara.

This shelter will enable The Salvation Army to conduct a variety of community service programs, including English & Literacy Classes for women and children who have fallen out of the education system. Honiara Hash House Harriers spokesman Andrew Fraser said “this was a great turnout for a great cause. We

thank all our members for supporting our fundraising events and the Honiara Golf Club for allowing free use of their clubrooms for the event”

2000 chapters worldwide, and they carry out fundraising events from time to time to support worthy causes in their community.

Hash House Harriers is the largest international walking and running organisation in the world with almost

Honiara Hash House Harriers is a friendly walking and running group that meets at 5:00 pm every Monday evening in a different part of Honiara and is a wonderful mix of local Solomon Islanders and expatriates. Everyone is welcome to join the walk or run, regardless of their level of fitness and we typically have well over 40 Hashers each week, including children. You can find us on Facebook under Honiara Hash House Harriers so come along at least once to see if it’s something you’d like to add to your experience here in the Solomon’s.

Look out for their next fundraising event in a few months time.

Volume 3, Issue 11

Page 3

Support Needs:  Mission Travel Budget You can support the follow-up of increasing mission requests for The Salvation Army to commence in other villages by contributing to travel costs between the Provinces.  Building Funds for construction of Officer Quarters: You can support by donating funds to support the construction of Quarters at each of our village churches.

The Salvation Army Solomon Islands District Officers - Majors Robert & Vanessa Evans PO Box 323 Honiara, Solomon Islands

 Purchase of additional equipment for SAES: You can support by donating funds to purchase a deep freezer to store food for Emergency Services and Disaster Relief.

Please contact Major Robert Evans at robert.evans@png.salvationarmy.org for more information if you are able to help with any of these needs.

Phone: (677) 30344 Fax: (677) 30344 Mobile: (677) 749 4524 Email: solomon.islands@png.salvationarmy.org

Prayer Points:

Website: www.png.salvationarmy.org

 Protection from quarantined COVID-19 cases  Land for Honiara Corps  Financial support to start building Officer Quarters at new church openings in the Provinces  Burns Creek Outpost  Christmas Caroling in Honiara

Personal Reflection...

As a leader for the Children’s Ministries at Honiara Corps, I see God’s hand always with us. Although challenges come our way, God is in control. What a great God I serve! When Elizabeth and I started a Children’s Ministry program at the Outpost in Burns Creek, the children are really in the mood of joy all the time.

They wish our Thursday programs should be running every day.

Thank God for their parents, who always prepare them to come before our activities start. God is at work in their families. It is a great joy to serve as the YPSM at Honiara Corps and to be involved in this outreach ministry to Burns Creek. Our Youth & Children’s Ministry program at Honiara Corps includes, Sunday School, Junior

Soldiers, Junior Miss and Youth Group.

At the moment we have commenced Sunday School at Burns Creek, but intend to expand our other programs into this community next year, as there are an abundance of youth and children looking for activities. Each Sunday, about 20 children from Burns Creek fill our buses to attend church and interact with the other children and leaders from The Salvation Army.

They are a vibrant presence in the congregation.

Thank God spiritually journey as leader of Ministries.

for The Salvation Army that motivates my Christian I fulfill God’s calling as the the Youth & Children’s

YPSM Webster Buakalo