Solomon Islands Ministries Newsletter (Volume 1, Issue 3)

Solomon Islands Ministries

NEWSLETTER February 2018 Volume 1, Issue 3

Installation Service On Sunday, 4th February, Majors Robert and Vanessa Evans were officially installed as the Officers in Charge of The Salvation Army in the Solomon Islands. The Territorial Leaders from Papua New Guinea,

Colonels Kelvin and Julie Alley, travelled over to Honiara for this occasion and conducted the Installation Service. Colonel Julie brought a greeting from colleagues in PNG and Colonel Kelvin shared a Bible message

Schools Ministries The Salvation Army has been given an amazing opportunity by the Honiara Integrated Primary School to contribute to the spiritual well-being of staff and students in their school community. This school of 1364 students, from kinder to grade 6, works with some of the most disadvantaged children in Honiara, some who have slipped through the cracks

of mainstream education. It uses the ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) curriculum to provide Bible-based education to positively impact the lives of their students and parents. The Principal of the school and two other staff members worship at The Salvation Army in Honiara and are excited about this pending ministry partnership with their church!

from 1 Kings 19:1-18, entitled ‘Get Ready—God’s Moving’.

This was a very timely message to encourage a ministry that is very much on the move across the Provinces of the Solomon Islands. The newly installed Officers were treated to a traditional welcome by a local all male dance group, and various messages of welcome from corps and community representatives. Among the full house of congregation members from Honiara were members from the two Fellowships in Malaita who had travelled across for this special occasion. There was a unified sense that great things are ahead for the Solomon Islands!

Inside this issue: Prostitution & Human Trafficking

2

Commissioner of Police

2

Financial Capability Training

2

Not Enough Space!

3

Maritime Safety

3

Ecumenical Worship

3

A Personal Note

4

Special points of interest:  School Partnership  Social Justice pathways  Empowering women and communities  Land needed for church building  Safety First!  Churches working together

Prostitution & Human Trafficking As Majors Robert and Vanessa have interacted with a number of civic and church leaders in Honiara they have become aware of the growing concern about teenage pregnancy, prostitution (as young as 12-14 y/o), and human trafficking in the Solomon Islands. These

issues are of particular concern in remote villages in the Provinces where access to social services and law enforcement is minimal (at best). In Honiara, prostitution is prevalent on the streets, in the casinos and as a “service� to the fishing boats moored in the harbor. In the Provinces,

human trafficking is a major issue in logging camps where children are being sold as domestic and sexual slaves.

When meeting with the City Clerk about what social needs he wished the churches would be more actively engaged, this was the space he immediately identified.

Major Vanessa Evans met with the Director of SIPPA (Solomon Islands Planned Parenting Association) this month to discuss their important work in this area and to explore ways in which The Salvation Army can work alongside this organisation to address these significant issues.

Commissioner of Police Meeting with key community leaders has been an important part of Major Robert and Vanessa’s strategy to establish strong networks and to explore alignment of opportunities for ministry.

Their meeting with the Commissioner of Police was another one of these important connections to learn about the key issues in Solomon Islands and discuss possible areas for mission and ministry.

Commissioner Matthew Varley provided valuable insight into a number of priority issues where he thought The Salvation Army could have a positive impact in the community. He also highlighted some

deeply embedded cultural practices that are contributing to the challenge of policing in this context.

The Commissioner expressed his strong desire to work with The Salvation Army and Majors Robert and Vanessa left the meeting with a real sense of where God might be leading in this space.

Please pray that follow-up conversations with the police, other community leaders and the Honiara Corps Council will identify the right opportunities for The Salvation Army to fulfill its mission in the Solomon Islands.

Financial Capability Training New Zealand Salvationist Vikki ManningStevenson was seconded by Caritas NZ to travel to Honiara once again to conduct their START (Strengthening Technical and

Agricultural Rural Training) Financial Capability Course in the Solomon Islands during the last two weeks of February. This course is designed to empower Solomon Islands women through training in numeracy and budgeting so they can learn how to run a business and have the skills to train others.

During a previous visit Vikki spoke with Major Malcolm Herring and a number of the women at The Salvation Army during a midweek fellowship and identified a need

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and desire for this training. As a result a position was kindly offered for the Home League Secretary to participate in the training so she can then pass her knowledge onto the other women in the Corps and her community.

This type of collaboration between organisations opens up all sorts of possibilities in the future for access to quality training opportunities.

Solomon Islands Ministries

Not Enough Space!

The Salvation Army in the Solomon Islands has been meeting in the conference room at the Rock Haven Inn for the past six years. While this space has served the Honiara Corps well during this time, it has now been outgrown.

Praise the Lord! However, beyond the excitement of this growth are a number of practical challenges. One of these challenges is the limited time available to the Corps on Sundays. There are times when the security guards give the hurry up when the service has gone too long or while people are enjoying fellowship after church. Another challenge is trying to fit Sunday School into this limited time slot at the same time chairs are being set

up and the worship team is warming up.

Also, just last week the conference room was full beyond it’s capacity with most of the 30+ children present sitting on the floor during church.

For the past couple of years many of the congregation have been praying for land so

that The Salvation Army can build their own church. To this end, the leadership is currently exploring possible land availability and seeking financial support for a building project. Please pray that God will provide the necessary resources to respond to this need.

Maritime Safety After reporting last month about the treacherous journey home from Moscom on an overcrowded and un-seaworthy vessel, Major Robert Evans made some enquiries with local agencies about basic safety equipment for sea travel.

From a connection made through World Vision, Major Robert met with Lieutenant Commander Mick Rigby, Maritime Surveillance Advisor for Solomon Islands, who will now be assisting The Salvation Army with maritime safety preparedness and PPE for our mission teams as they travel between the Provinces. Lieutenant Commander Rigby has offered to be a

point of contact for all sea travel to brief mission teams on maritime safety, check equipment and ensure the best possible response should any difficulties be encountered while travelling between Provinces. There is even the possibility of The Salvation Army loaning some of the Navy’s PPE to minimize cost.

Once again, God has provided the right people at the right time to assist the expanding mission of The Salvation Army.

Ecumenical Worship On the last Sunday in February the AOG church at Burns Creek invited The Salvation Army to join them and a number of other Pentecostal churches for a combined worship service in their community. A total of 26 members of Honiara Corps attended this event and The Salvation Army worship team assisted with worship, with the youth performing a musical item.

It was an extraordinary night of worship with each church group contributing

Volume 1, Issue 3

through song, dance and testimony. Major Robert Evans was asked to share the Bible message and spoke from Hebrews 11 on “Faith & Miracles.” God really spoke through this timely message with two thirds of the congregation responding for prayer afterwards!

The churches involved in this Godhonouring night of worship were; AOG (Assemblies of God), Rhema Church, United Pentecostal, The Salvation Army and a DTS team from YWAM.

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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 on Gaudalcanal and an emerging presence in North 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.

Solomon Islands Ministries PO Box 323 Honiara Solomon Islands Phone: (677) 30344 Fax: (677) 30344 Mobile: (677) 749 4524 Email: sarmy.solomons@gmail.com Website: www.png.salvationarmy.org

Prayer Points:  Recovery services for victims of sexual exploitation  Availability of land for Honiara Corps  Chaplaincy opportunities with Police and Courts  Spiritual partnership with Honiara Integrated Primary School

A Personal Note...

God is faithful. As I journey through the

opportunity

month there are lot of exiting things

Leaders Colonel Kelvin and Julie Alley from

practices in the Solomon Islands.

happening with The Salvation Army here

Papua New Guinea Territory who came to

With my Leaders are now here and seen

in the Solomon Islands which encourages

Honiara to officially install Majors Robert

our meeting room was out grown I am so

me a lot and build up my faith to be

and Vanessa Evans as the Officers In Charge

thankful to God for his faithfulness. It is

strong in the Lord.

of The Salvation Army, Solomon Islands.

true that “God is faithful“.

One of the things seen as an evidence of

Thank God for such a moment of meeting

Yours in Christ,

God’s

up with these leaders.

faithfulness

was

the

official

to

new

meet

things

our

Territorial

installation of our new leaders, Majors

Exploring

while

working

Robert and Vanessa Evans, who will lead

alongside these Godly people Majors

The Salvation Army in the Solomon

Robert and Vanessa Evans in Ministry is so

Islands for the next two years. I have

exciting. I was taught new things every day

been waiting and praying for these

in leadership and with the Salvation Army

leaders for the last six months and finally

practices which leads me to know more

they are here. What a great joy it was!

about the Salvation Army style to save

With that, I was blessed to have the

souls and grow God’s Kingdom.

This is

quite different from the normal church

Wency Ramo’oroa