Day 11 in Fiji (girls)

Day 11 in Fiji

This morning began with a freezing cold shower and a refreshing walk to buy bread at the shop nearby! I never cease to be amazed at the beauty all around me....it is so gorgeous here! After devotions and a breakfast of buns with lamb sausage and a tomatoe/onion stir fry we headed out on the bus to distribute John and Romans!:)

When we got to the bus depot we were given a whole box of Iohn and Romans to hand out, and within 20 minutes they were all gone! It still amazes me when people come up and ask for one! Had a really good conversation with a JW....thankfully it was short but God totally gave me the words to say, which never ceases to amaze me!

The rest of the day was spent shopping and getting souvenirs and gifts to bring home! Fun! Fun!

Day 10 in Fiji (men)

Day 10

Today we set out to distribute Bibles in 2 schools today. "Set out" is the key phrase as today was quite honestly the most frustrating/discouraging day since coming here. After morning devotions Jonathan arrived at 8 and we piled into his vehicle and set out for our first school.

Upon arriving at the first school we learned from Jonathan that they had all ready preached to the students and we were now returning to pass out the Bibles. This was very unusual as Bibles had always been passed out immediately after the presentations thus far. The principle at this school however insisted that each student file past one by one and sign a sheet to indicate they had received a Bible.

At a smaller school this might have worked but this school had 900 students!

To make the situation even more frustrating we were forced to wait through about an hour long assembly involving the entire school to cap off their "Library Week". This is a week dedicated to "the greatness of the Library". Under normal circumstances Fijian students are amazing singers but it seems when forced to create songs about the greatness of Libraries their singing becomes quite hard to bear. The library speeches were even worse and by the end of the performance the Library was about the last place we felt like visiting!

The students were free after this and we resumed the slow process of passing out the Bibles one-by-one. 

After this school we ate lunch and waited to hear back from the second school we had scheduled.

After some phone calls and much waiting we were informed that they had cancelled our visit for today.

The saving factor of today was the 900 bibles that were handed out or left behind for absentees.

God's Word is making its way into the hands of students and then into their homes across the country of Fiji. A man we met on a bus told how he was reading the Bible his son had received.

Jonathan just mentioned to me he has many messages on his machine from people calling his number that is stamped in these Bibles.

Day 9 in Fiji (men)

Day 9 - Relocating
We have now completed the Bible distribution for the entire region of Labasa. Praise the Lord!
Today was largely spent relocating to our new home base in Savusavu on the other side of this island of Vanua Levu. We spent most of the morning cleaning up our humble abode at the Island Bible Mission.
I was forced to discard my stockpile of sugar cane (we must all make sacrifices at times :) .
Then we waited for Bro. Joe to take us into town. Once in town we converted our ferry tickets for our return to the main island so that they can be used at a later date. We will be staying on this island for the rest of our time in Fiji instead of rejoining the girls as originally planned.
We grabbed lunch and then caught a mini-bus to take us to the other side.
The men had just finished the last school of the day when we arrived so we caught a taxi to our new home here. We met up with "Alex" (A-leek-ee) a national who came over from Nausorri to help with the Bibles.
Later Jonathan McPhereson (the national pastor here) and Tory (a man from Papua New Guinea helping Jonathan get the church started) came by to welcome us here.

 The Sugar Cane Train

 Our home for the last week.

 Bus to Savusavu

 Grog is a very popular psychedelic drink here.

Across the bay from our new home in Savusavu

Day 10 in Fiji (Girls)

Day 10 in Fiji

So this morning we awoke to a gentle rain and a freezing cold morning! I know what you're thinking! "You're in Fiji....quit complaining!" But it's winter over here and this morning proved it! We were all bundled up in our hoodies, socks and slippers while doing devotions this morning!

Our first school was William Cross School of about 300 students! The principal was thrilled that we were there and when the vice principal stood to thank us she had tears in her eyes! What a response that we would never see in North America! Amazes me every time I see it! These students listened so intently and were so focused on what the Pastors were saying it truly was an answer to our prayers this morning! 

I forgot to mention it yesterday, but the second school we went to yesterday, as we were walking away I heard the principal telling the students that it was now a requirement that they bring the Bibles we had just given them to school each day! So neat!

We then stopped at a roadside cafe for a quick drink and when we walked in their was a group of policemen that Pastor Brooks was able to give a Bible to.

Our second school was the first Muslim school that we have been to thus far! Many of them have said we can't come, but this one said we could!:) Believe it or not this Muslim school is run by a Hindu principal! Go figure that one out! We really did not know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised! Both Pastors were able to present the gospel clearly and the students listened intently! Then their principal told them that it was a good book, that they should take it and that they should read it each day! Praise The Lord! As we drove away we noticed several students sitting on the grass reading the first 3 pages which give the plan of salvation!

Speaking of the first 3 pages...Pastor Brooks had a young boy come up to him in a store yesterday and say that he had read those first 3 pages! Even when we were out shopping yesterday (you can't miss us! We are a literal "sea" of red bula shirts!) we had numerous children and and parents come up to us And thank us for giving them a Bible! Pray that God would work in hearts!

Our 3rd school was a smaller school of about 140 students and was a very poor school, but what a blessing! One girl was in tears during Pastor Greys gospel presentation and another girl's face told the whole story! If you allow them to, these kids will touch your heart....forever! Two other girls got a huge smile on their face when they heard they were getting their very own Bible!! One of the teachers at this school has a daughter who goes to another school that we presented Bibles to earlier...she was so pleased because now she had her own Bible to take to Sunday School instead of having her mothers! She also said that all the students at her school walk around reading their Bibles and read them constantly at recess! My heart is full to overflowing! I wish everyone could be here and experience what we are experiencing! 

We returned back to the church  and had a BBQ with everyone! Great ending to a great day!