Solomon Islands District Newsletter (Volume 5, Issue 6)

Solomon Islands District

NEWSLETTER June 2022 Volume 5, Issue 6

Learning Spaces Growth & Impact Town Ground

The Salvation Army Learning Spaces have expanded their impact this month to five locations around the Solomon Islands. The stories emerging from each location are inspiring as the lives of vulnerable children, women and men are being transformed through literacy and skills development.

Gateway Corps at Kwai in North Malaita is providing literacy classes for uneducated Home League women after church each Sunday.

Munda New Opening in Western Province is conducting daily literacy classes

Burns Creek

with children who do not go to school. Burns Creek Outpost offer two literacy classes each week, one for children and one for women. Town Ground has just commenced a new weekly literacy class for children. And the District Quarters hosted its first skills development workshop with a group of men to learn how to melt and cast scrap aluminium into products that can be sold to generate income. Learning Spaces are empowering local Salvationists to come alongside their communities through sharing

of knowledge and skills. This ministry is transforming lives by bridging the gap in education for children who are unable to go to school, teaching women who missed out on an education to read and write for the first time, and developing vocational skills for both men and women to earn an income for their families. The Salvation Army has a vision to establish a Learning Space in every one of their churches across the Solomon Islands to further extend the scope and impact of this integral ministry.

North Malaita

Munda

Inside this issue:

Social Enterprise Installation Trip

2

Rotary Club Donation

2

North Malaita Ecumenical Youth Event

2

Gateway Corps Visit to Kafomauri

3

Territorial Leaders Conference

3

Launch of Self-Denial Appeal

3

Personal Reflection

4

Special points of interest:  Literacy & Skills Development  Financial Support  Combined Churches  Ministry Support  Generating Income

District Quarters

 Mission Giving

Social Enterprise Installation Trip Last month, it was reported that the equipment for the new social enterprise project at Moscom Fellowship was sent ahead of the installation team due to a last minute change of status of the ship to a cargo trip only. A week later, the installation team secured a passage to Moscom, enabling them to proceed with the set-up of the solar freezer kit. Their arrival was met with great enthusiasm from the church community who were eager to unpack the new equipment.

The District Social Enterprise Manager, Envoy Alick Hagi, along with Festus Ganiomea, a retired Electrician and Police Officer from Honiara Corps, were

sent by the District Officers to oversee the implementation of this project.

Their work in the community ensured this equipment was installed properly and training was provided for the successful operation of this social enterprise. Beyond the set-up of the Mission Support Project, their presence was a great encouragement to this remote village through their participation in fellowship services, prayer meetings and the pastoral care they provided during their visit. Moscom Fellowship is excited by the opportunities this project will provide their community to advance God’s mission in East Areare.

Rotary Club Donation Majors Robert and Vanessa were invited to be guest speakers at the Rotary Club Honiara to update them on the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army in Solomon Islands. Rotary have previously donated funds towards the School Fees Loan Program and fundraising activities.

This speaking engagement provided the opportunity to discuss the challenges of the School Fees Loan Program, promote the growing impact of Learning Spaces and highlight the implementation of Mission Support Projects at various locations around the Solomon Islands.

The Rotary Club members showed

particular interest in the Learning Spaces, resulting in their committee approving a donation of SI$22,100 and the transfer of remaining School Fees Program funds to this program. These funds will enable the Solomon Islands District to purchase additional teaching resources and training materials, and provide support to the volunteers who are “reducing vulnerability by building confidence, increasing knowledge, developing skills and strengthening community.” The Salvation Army is grateful to the Rotary Club Honiara for their ongoing support and investment into this ministry.

North Malaita Ecumenical Youth Event On the weekend of the 18th & 19th June the Gateway Corps Youth Group went on a trek along the North Road to Faurere Village to attend an interdenominational event at the COC church. Pastor Joseph Eric from Bible Alert Ministry spoke at the event and gave out Bibles to the youth who had gathered from churches around North Malaita. The Gateway youth are a passionate and motivated group of young people who are actively engaged in mission and ministry in their local community. These young people live out their faith by organising and attending ecumenical events, as well as

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initiating their own mission trips to other villages along the North Road. The District Officers are very proud of these young people and encouraged by their commitment to reach out to other villages.

They wear their uniforms proudly and embrace the “heart to God, hand to man” mission ethos of The Salvation Army. When you visit Gateway Corps, you can see clearly where this passion and motivation comes from as you engage with this youth group in worship and prayer. It is also inspiring to see how hard they work at the Corps and DME coconut oil plant.

Solomon Islands District

Gateway Corps Visit to Kafomauri Last weekend, a small ministry team from Gateway Corps walked from Kwai Village to Suafa Bay where they boarded a dugout wooden canoe to paddle across to Kafomauri New Opening. This visitation trip was to provide encouragement and support to the Kafomauri congregation, which is located in the remote north east of Malaita. Regina Akwasitaloa reported, “During our visitation at Kafomauri we were enjoying in paddling in canoe and enjoying walking on road for about 3 kilometres. Though it is far, we thank God for the strength and we are so blessed by the Word of God that really inspired by God. God’s presence was really with us during the weekend and the Kafomauri

church was really blessed during our visitation.”

The District Officers were delighted to hear that a new applicant for Officership, Jimley Fafaluta (pictured in uniform holding a ukulele), accompanied the ministry team and preached during the weekend. It is wonderful to see the mission initiative of the members of Gateway Corps to reach out to their neighbouring Salvation Army church. The new ray boat and OBM (funded by Mission Support Projects) that is heading to Kafomauri will make future ministry trips between these two churches much easier and will provide suitable transport to pursue other mission opportunities around Suafa Bay in North Malaita.

Territorial Leaders Conference It was hoped that Majors Robert and Vanessa could attend the annual TLC in person this year, but the timing of the conference with the reopening of Solomon Islands borders missed by two weeks. Nevertheless, they joined in again via Teams for most of the sessions.

This year, the Solomon Islands District Officers were asked to do a presentation on their social enterprises for the ‘Funding our Mission’ session. This presentation showed the alignment between the Solomon Islands District mission strategy to ‘develop financial sustainability’ and the territorial mission

priority “to establish a Territorial Social Enterprises and Income-Generating Strategy.”

The District is working alongside their church leaders to identify local income-generating opportunities and to establish a social enterprise at each village congregation to equip them to fund local mission and ministry. The church will tithe 10% of any income generated to the District to help fund new mission initiatives and church openings. It is hoped this approach will reduce dependence upon external funding and build a self-supporting Salvation Army in the Solomon Islands.

Launch of Self-Denial Appeal The 2022 Self-Denial Appeal was launched across the Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands Territory on Sunday, 26th June. The theme for this year is “The Ripple Effect”, drawing upon the stories of Salvation Army Officers who have seen first hand the impact of SelfDenial giving in the countries where they have served. Major Robert launched the appeal at Honiara Corps by preaching from 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, highlighting that God can take the little we have to give and multiply it into abundance. He stated, “This is foolishness to the world.

How can my poverty and weakness make

Volume 5, Issue 6

any difference to the enormous needs all around me? How can God use me? Just like a small stone dropped into the water, the ripple effect of that one stone can spread far and wide. Because, “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine; NOT according to wealth blo iufala, or faith blo iufala, or strength blo iufala; BUT according to his power that is at work within olketa.”

Over the next six weeks, the Self-Denial Appeal theme will be taught at each of the 9 congregations across the District, inviting all Salvation Army members in the Solomon Islands to participate.

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Support Needs:  Building funds for new Officer Quarters: You can support by donating funds to contribute to the construction of Officer Quarters at our village churches in the provinces.  Purchase of furnishings for Officer Quarters: You can support by donating funds to purchase furniture and appliances for 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

 Implementation of Mission Support Projects  Re-opening of Solomon Islands borders  Leadership challenges in Malaita Province  Expansion of Learning Spaces into all our village churches  Progression of a property proposal for Honiara Corps and DHQ

Personal Reflection…

Our trip to Raeao was delayed by one week, when we should have boarded the LC Gulatatae on the 26th May 2022. However, the trip was a petrol and cargo run so no passengers were allowed, except Moscom Fellowship leader Peter to accompany our cargo. We had to wait another week for a passenger trip to East Kwaio and as far as Atori. We should have left Honiara on 2nd June, but was delayed until the next day due to late refill of fuel for the ship. The ship left the following day 3rd June at 6:00 pm. The first port was Afio and then onto almost every port in South Malaita and East Areare. We spent the whole day on the boat and slept at Masupa port. We arrived at Moscom (Raeao) the next day where our fellowship leader with other young people came and picked us up with the new Ray Boat, but without the 40 horsepower OBM. We arrived on Sunday morning at the usual church service time, but our fellowship leader said we rest until the evening when we had our Sunday fellowship, with 37 people attending. I preached on JESUS CALL THE FISHERMAN (Mark 1: 19-20) and gave an invitation alter call and 30 of the 37 people responded. Festus and I prayed for those who came forward.

The next day, we had a morning fellowship where Festus led devotions, with 22 people in attendance. We then went down to the shed and held a Dedication Service and handed over the equipment to Moscom Fellowship leaders Peter and Susan and their congregation members. After we had breakfast we looked at the site for the solar panel to be erected. We struggled with the solar connection because we didn’t have any manual for installation. However, we managed to dig and build the frame for the solar panels. On our second day, after devotions led by Festus, we got some tools and assembled the solar panels and installed the power board. After we completed the work, Peter wanted to test run the new OBM. We got about 12 litres of fuel and then took the boat to Manawai to send some photos of the work in progress.

In the evening fellowship we had 43 in attendance because Festus showed the Jesus film. The third day at our morning fellowship we had 30 in attendance. We visited the Raeao community and met a teacher by the name of Mr. Anthony. After our visit to Raeao we went back to Moscom for an evening fellowship. I had the privileged to share the Word of God to 37

people in attendance.

The next day, Thursday 9th June, we got up early at 5:00 am and left Moscom at 6:00 am for Atori, where we arrived at 8:16 am. There was no public transport available at Atori, but a Land Cruiser from a rural wash officer gave us a ride to Auki. We got to Auki and had to look for accommodation. We checked Auki Motel but it was fully booked and our budget was low, so Festus spent two nights with his brother in Auki while I stayed with family at Mt Zion, before returning to Honiara on Saturday, 11th June.

Envoy Alick Hagi