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!

Day 9 in Fiji (girls)

Day 9 in Fiji

SCREAM!!!! I didn't do it out loud this time, but I sure was screaming on the inside! I walked into the shower at 4:30am this morning to see something scurry away out of the corner of my eye! I looked up to see a spider the size of the palm of my hand!!! I have never seen a spider that big in my life! Needless to say I was wide awake from that point on!:)

We had an awesome service last night! One of Pastor Grey's men preached for him and did a fabulous job! They also had us sing the song that we have been singing at all the schools and a second special as well! Please pray for our voices, I think they are all starting to get a little worn out, but we are greatly enjoying all the opportunities we have to sing!

We woke this morning to a bit of a rainy day, but as we walked out the door we looked up and there was the most beautiful rainbow!

Our latest excitement is the fact that Mrs. Towle is now driving a vehicle on the other side of the road! Pray for her and all those riding with her!

Our first school this morning was an ACE school of about 100 students! Definitely more of a Christian atmosphere and we were very well received! The principal had been reading about all the schools receiving Bibles and had prayed just last week that they we would come to their school! Only a few days later Pastor Brooks called her to confirm that we were coming! This is definitely a  upper class school...probably the only school in Fiji with an air conditioned computer lab with at least 20 computers! 

The second school we went to was a large Fijian school of approximately 800 students! Again the reception was very good and even though many of the students had to sit out in the sun for close to an hour, they sat quietly and listened intently!

From there some of us had to make a rush trip to the bus station to pick up Mr. & Mrs. Johnston from Alabama! They had come in on the bus and we were so busy at the school we forgot to pick them up! Opps! Anyway, we finally found them and then we were off to our 3rd school!

The 3rd school was also a large one of around 800 students as well! It was the first school we have gone to that did not wear uniforms and it was also very mixed racially. Many Fijian, Hindu, and Chinese were present. This was probably one of the tougher groups to speak to as they just could not seem to be quiet! However the gospel was still presented clearly and even though many were busy talking, many more listened intently! All you can do is pray that one of those who listened so intently will take to heart what they heard.

After our last school we headed to the mall and food courts for some very belated lunch! Normally we are a caravan of 3 vehicles, but halfway there we realized we had lost Mrs. Towle and Pastor Brooks! We figured no big deal, they know where they are going! Turns out we lost them because they ran out of gas in the middle of the road! So Mrs. Towels group crammed into pastor Brooks truck for a cozy ride to the mall! 

To our great delight, although  Fiji doesn't have a Starbucks, *sigh*, it does have a "Gloria Jeans" which is almost as good as Starbucks so I finally got my "fix" after almost 2 weeks! We have had a fabulous day and I am one happy and contented girl!:)

Day 8 - Jungle Expedition (men)

Day 8 - Jungle Expedition
 We left town by 4 am and started out on our long trip. We picked up our guide "Amos" at a school that we had done the day before. First we drove out of town until the road turned into "gravel" of sorts and then it turned into a tail. We continued on this muddy/Rocky trail for three hours driving though some of the most beautiful spots that I have seen yet. It was a one-way road that was rough at best. We were shaken so well that if we were a can of pop we would have exploded. It was great! We were mudding in the middle of the jungle not something that you do everyday. Also there were many mountains that we had to climb. I am glad that we didn't get stuck out there because we were in the middle of no were. Most of this trip was made in the dark. After driving though the jungle for three hour the road stopped on the edge of the sea shore. The terrain was too rough to put a road though to the other side of a big mountain ( Which is saying a lot "that it is too rough"! ) We all got in the boat with all the bibles and then sped across the water to the small village on the other side of the mountains. The boat ride took us 20 min. when we got to the shore we had to then carry the bibles up to the village school.
It was so very much worth it. They were so very receptive and so happy that we came out to give them Bibles. They sang for us and raised the roof. Man, can they sing! The young men sang the bass and it was so powerful that you could feel it . It was Amazing! This was the best school that I have been to yet and that is saying a lot. We then went to the principal's  house for a late breakfast of fish, kasava, and rice. It was very good. Then we started the trip back to Labasa. after we got freshened up Bro. Joe had us over for "Lovo". which is a feast that they cook under the ground. They do it by heating up lava rock until they are blood red, and then put them in a hole which they then the cover with banana leafs. Then they put all the food in there and cover with more banana leafs and then cover with dirt and leave it to cook for an hour or so.The food was so good! They fed us like Kings. And then we had a very good sleep.
God Bless, John Elwood. (Josiah, Matthew)

Day 8 in Fiji (girls)

Day 8 in Fiji!

So last night was a very exciting evening! Pastor Grey's  2 sons (Dalton and Calab) have been very well trained to be the perfect gentlemen....a fact I very much appreciate! They open doors for us, won't allow us to carry anything and also would not allow us to ride in the back of the open truck! Something which some of us very much wanted to do! So we appealed to the higher power, Pastor Brooks, who said we could!:) Wouldn't you know it! We choose the night when it looked like it was about to pour rain! However 3 of us brave, valiant souls and Drew jumped in the back and off we went! So much fun...for the first 3 minutes! Then it began to pour! Here in Fiji when it rains, you can take a full shower in it it rains so hard! So there we are in the back of the truck getting dumped on and Dalton and Caleb are getting the laugh of their lives at the fact that we are getting soaked! But we outsmarted them! We grabbed a tarp  and all burrowed underneath (as you'll see in the picture) all of us laughing so hard our stomaches hurt! Next time I think we'll check the sky before we climb in the back of the truck!:)

This morning we got to sleep in a bit as our school that was scheduled for this morning cancelled on us. Thankfully we were able to reschedule them later in the week! Oh! Another exciting fact last night....some of the Muslim schools have refused to allow us to come and give out Bibles. So while we were at MacDonalds Pastor Brooks ran into the very man, from the minister of education department, who had actually scheduled all the schools! When Pastor Brooks told him about the problems we were having with the Muslims, not only did this man say that they are not allowed to refuse us coming, but he also said that he would go and take care of the problem for us! What an answer to prayer! Please pray for this man that he would be able to get us back into these Muslim schools! This man also told Pastor Brooks that he is praying for us to have success! What a blessing!

This morning we also had another huge answer to prayer! Pastor Brooks stopped off at the police station to get directions to some of the schools. One of the big Fijian detectives said he would go with them! So in they walked with this detective to a Muslim school and the principal said "Sure we would love to have you!" What an answer to prayer! Please pray that they would not change their minds and we Would be able to get into the other Muslim schools as well.

Our first school of the day was again an Indian school. I mentioned a few days ago about how Bro. Brooks said we must roll with the punches and be fluid! Well this school demonstrates that fact very well! When we arrived we were told we would have to split up and go to each class individually (19in total), have time for a quick, and I mean quick presentation and then hand out the Bibles.  Then we were told that there would be three assemblies and we would no longer have to split up! Still not the best option as we had to shorten the presentation greatly, but Praise The Lord we were still able to get the plan of salvation in there and the students were very attentive!

We then stopped for Pizza, which is surprisingly better then Canadian pizza, and headed onto the next school. 

This second school was a Chinese school where one of the young men in Pastor Grey's church went to school! This young man, Junior, graduated in 2010 and is now going to Bible school about 4 hours away. He came back just for this school and what a difference it made! Some of the kids were fooling around while Pastor Brooks and Pastor Grey were speaking, but as soon as Junior got up and started giving his testimony they all fell silent! 

From there we went to our 3rd school, a Hindu school which had originally refused us coming! This school is built right around a Hindu temple where the "Fire Walking" actually takes place! We really did not know what to expect for a reaction, but were pleasantly surprised! This school listened very intently and were very receptive to the Bibles and messages preached. Pastor Grey in particular was able to give a very strong gospel message, so please pray that God would do a work on these students hearts.

We are now getting ready for church this evening and are looking forward to hearing Pastor Grey preach again and then another full day tomorrow!:)

I know I have said it a lot, but THANK YOU once again for all your prayers! It is so obvious that God's people are praying and it is amazing to see how God is answering those prayers!