Solomon Islands District Newsletter (Volume 5, Issue 7)

Solomon Islands District

NEWSLETTER July 2022 Volume 5, Issue 7

Social Enterprise Installation Trip #2 After the first solar freezer Mission Support Project was installed at Moscom Salvation Army in Malaita Province, the District installation team set sail again to the Western Province to install the second lot of equipment at Munda Salvation Army. Similar to Moscom, the solar freezer will enable this church to establish a social enterprise to freeze and sell locally caught fish. The primary difference with this project, is it aims to fillet and package their fish to sell to local resorts and potentially export their products to Honiara to sell at

other hospitality and service outlets. With their experience of the first installation under their belt, the team were better equipped this time with a manual to correct the battery connection issues they had experienced at Moscom. As a result, the freezer worked immediately, producing large blocks of ice within hours. The first batch of fish was donated to The Salvation Army by an enthusiastic community eager to contribute to this new social enterprise. However, these fish were too small to fillet, so they will be sold whole. This social

enterprise will provide a sustainable income for the Munda church to fund local mission and ministry initiatives and will contribute to the construction of their own church building on the custom land that has been allocated to The Salvation Army. Presently, the small congregation meet for worship in the home of their leaders, where they also conduct a daily Learning Space for up to 30 children who are not in school. This Mission Support Project has been an enormous encouragement to the church and community.

Inside this issue:

Called to be a Soldier 2

SIBC Radio Program

2

Soldier Enrolments

2

New Missions

3

HOPE Trust

3

Malaita Area Meeting

3

Personal Reflection

4

Special points of interest:  Renewal Campaign  Community Preaching  Recruitment  Mission Growth  Human Trafficking  Leadership Support

Called to be a Soldier

The launch of the new international teaching resource, Called to be a Soldier, by the General of The Salvation Army is a timely and helpful discipleship tool for the Solomon Islands District.

This training manual will be utilized during the

District Renewal Campaign planned for the month of August to fulfil Goal #4 on the Solomon Islands District Local Action Plan in response to the Territorial Strategic Plan - “To re-educate all Officers and Salvationists on the Foundations of The Salvation Army.” Called to be a Soldier provides 12 lessons exploring the Soldier’s Covenant, making it an ideal resource for this purpose. In preparation to sending out leaders to the village churches, a training session was held at the District Quarters to introduce Called to be a Soldier and instruct the leaders in its use. This is an important campaign to reinforce the relevance of the Soldier’s

Covenant, realign new churches with The Salvation Army culture and mission, and to invite Soldiers to renew their covenant. It’s easy to celebrate new openings but an ongoing commitment to disciple this growth towards maturity.

SIBC Radio Program (Report by Aux Capt Wency Ramo’oroa) On the 30th June 2022 I received a call from World Vision Solomon Islands to ask me if I could do the devotion for two weeks via Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC). As a church leader one of my primary roles is to preach the gospel to all people, so when the call came to me I had no hesitation but to accept the request.

room. During my ministry I preach in front of people but I never preach to myself at any time in any place. But with this program I discovered one interesting thing during the two week period, I was preaching to a crowd that I don’t see them around me but I love this platform.

Should there be another opportunity in the future I am willing to take it on.

This is the first time for me to do a devotion program in such a place like SIBC. I felt nervous at first because I wasn’t used to such an environment, but as time went on I felt very comfortable, even when by myself in the recording

I have received very good feedback from colleagues and friends acknowledging the program. My sincere thank you to our Almighty God and to the World Vision Solomon Islands for coordinating this program.

Soldier Enrolments This month, the Solomon Islands District welcomed three new Soldiers from the Western Province. The first was enrolled

by Area Officer Envoy Alick Hagi at Munda New Opening during the recent

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Mission Support Projects Installation Trip.

Jimmy completed his Soldiership Classes and signed his Soldier’s Covenant during the District visit in January and was looking forward to a return visit to be enrolled. The other two enrolments were conducted by Major Robert Evans at Honiara Corps. Kendrick and Philip are from Vella Lavella Island in the Western Province and completed their Soldiership Classes with Envoy Alick while visiting Honiara. The Salvation Army is not yet established on their island, but they are very enthusiastic about starting a new mission in their respective villages and

seeing The Salvation Army active in Vella Lavella. It is exciting days for the growing mission in the Western Province, where there is now one church and eight missions awaiting follow-up.

Solomon Islands District

New Missions

The Salvation Army continues to expand across the Solomon Islands with the news of three new missions in the Western Province this month. A new “mission” in the Solomon Islands context is when a village invites The Salvation Army to commence or when an existing Salvation Army church initiates ministry in a new location. Each “mission” is then followed-

up by the Area Officer to assess the viability of the mission opportunity. Although the Munda New Opening in the Western Province is small in number, their mission impact has led to widespread interest in The Salvation Army. While installing the Mission Support Project at Munda, this interest was made known to the Area Officer from two nearby communities, Kindu Village along the Noro road, and Nusu Roviana Island in the Roviana Lagoon.

A further interest was received from the outlying island Vella Lavella, which had been on the radar of the Area Officers for a while. The two newly enrolled Soldiers from villages on different sides of the island will pioneer the mission of The Salvation

Army on Vella Lavella. These new mission opportunities join five other missions in the Western Province at Simbo, Ranongga, Gizo, Paeloge, and Noro.

This is a significant advancement of The Salvation Army along the western border of the Solomon Islands. No doubt, there will be another mission trip on the horizon to engage with these mission opportunities.

HOPE Trust (Report by Major Vanessa Evans) Homes of Peace and Empowerment (HOPE) is a Christian organization that are looking at supporting survivors and perpetrators of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT) here in the Solomon Islands. This month, Major Robert, Aux Capt Wency and myself had the opportunity to meet with the Director Prema and his Project Officer Starling to understand a bit more about their organization and how we could work together in our local communities.

Prema, Starling and their team, which includes a full time Counsellor and Case Manager, have a passion to see survivors

reintegrate into society to learn new life skills to prevent them from becoming victims again of MSHT, advocate for survivors, help prosecute perpetrators, talk to government about MSHT and the

current laws, as well as being able to run local community awareness programs on MSHT. One of the main areas that we are looking at working together is through our Learning Spaces. This is an area where survivors and perpetrators of MSHT will be able to learn different living skills as well as learning English. Through these living skills and English classes we hope to reduce the vulnerability of them becoming victims of MSHT. Poverty and reduced opportunities are one of the main vulnerabilities of MSHT, not only here in the Solomon Islands, but also across the world.

Malaita Area Meeting Each quarter, the District Officers visit Auki in Malaita to meet face-to-face with the Area Officers and congregation leaders from the village churches. With COVID-19 restricting domestic travel in

Volume 5, Issue 7

the first half of the year, this visit didn’t occur in March/April, so Majors Robert and Vanessa were keen to make this happened before their furlough next month. Leaders from Kafomauri and Gateway (North Malaita), Ngalifalisi (Fataleka), Rauai and Ramah (West Kwara’ae) gathered in Auki for a time of fellowship, encouragement and mission coordination. Unfortunately, it is not possible for Moscom (East Areare) and Fouele (South Malaita) to join these meetings, due to their remoteness.

Major Vanessa commenced the meeting with devotions, which was then followed

by updates from each congregation and the District.

Proceeding discussions about Mission Support Projects and mission plans for the rest of the year were energetic and affirming for all.

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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  District Renewal Campaign  Follow-up of new Mission Opportunities  Expansion of Learning Spaces into all our village churches  Progression of a property proposal for Honiara Corps and DHQ

Personal Reflection…

The importance of calling is my own conviction, through faith in Christ. It’s a call to make a difference in a community. It’s a call to loving God’s healing, to love through the welcoming grace of Christ Jesus, wherever I am in the space where people are.

The importance of Soldiership is demonstrated through commitment to the covenant. My willing response to the promise and challenge as a Soldier

only by the grace of God and leading of the Holy Spirit to bring justice into an unjust world, and to share the transforming gospel. To me, this is my commitment.

The ‘Called to be a Soldier’ training helped me to understand what my role is as a Soldier. It helped me know to make a difference in a community where I am. It helped me to renew my commitment to the covenant. The most stand-out for me is that Soldier declaration and promise of the Articles of War through the leading of the Holy Spirit, who helps me to willingly give myself to God’s calling on my life.

Knowing He calls me to His work, through faith, wherever I am. I thank God for the ‘Called to be a Soldier’ material, as it really helped me to get into what is my responsibility as a

Soldier of The Salvation Army—by His grace, to bring God’s justice wherever there is injustice in the world.

In obedience to His call, this study ‘Called to be a Soldier’ put me into a place known only through the Holy Spirit’s work in my life.

Elizabeth Tolilalo