Day 14 in Fiji (girls)

Day 14 in Fiji

So this morning was our earliest morning yet! We were out the door at 6am and off and running for an hour long drive to our first school! We are helping Pastor Rakesh do the schools in his area today.

Our first school this morning had about 1100 students in it! They were only going to allow us to give Bibles out to 100 students, then they upped to 500 students! Then when we arrived they said we could speak to them all, but we had to go classroom by classroom! So 20 classrooms later we finally finished the school! We had a very good reception and only had a couple refusals.

Our 2nd school was actually the school Pastor Rakesh went to when he was a kid! So that definitely helped keep the kids attention! It was also a school of about 500 students and they were very spread out, but it went very well and again only a couple refusals! Both of these schools are Hindu schools and have at times tried to get Pastor Rakesh arrested, but so far they have been unsuccessful and today he got to preach to them instead! God has a sense of humor!:)

We headed to our third school which we thought was scheduled for 1:30pm. This school was located right on the ocean and we were all hoping to stop and take a couple pictures before leaving. Turns out Pastor Brooks got the times mixed up and we weren't supposed to be there until 2:45pm! So we got to spend the next hour walking in the waves and taking pictures!! What a awesome blessing and so much fun! Only God could have planned a mix up like that at that particular school! (It's the only school we've been to that's right on the beach like that!) it was an extra special blessing! Before starting our 3rd school we said goodbye to our "South Carolina" team of Tanner, Kelly and Drew. We had a lot of fun with them this past week! Pray for their safety as they spend the next 25 hours flying home.

The third school which was a Catholic school went very well! There was around 200 students and all listened very intently! There was a man mowing the sports grounds not far from where we were doing the presentation and a couple minutes into it I looked over to see him push the mower aside, lie down on the grass and proceed to listen to the whole gospel presentation! He got a Bible at the end as well.

We had an amazing day and it was extra special for Pastor Rakesh...his wife gave birth to a baby boy late last night and he had not yet seen him! He wanted so desperately to get Bibles into the hands of the young people in his area that he stayed to help distribute them before taking off to go meet his new son! 

I think we are all looking forward to an early bed tonight and another full day tomorrow!

The picture of us with the Pastors are pastor Brooks on the left, Pastor Rakesh in the middle and Pastor Grey on the right. We have been blessed to work with all 3 of these men these last several weeks.

Day 13in Fiji (girls)

Day 13 in Fiji

Brrrrr! I know you all think Fiji is warm and tropical, but when it is winter here, it really is winter! This was the coldest morning so far and man was it cold! Normally I shower, then curl up in the living room with my coffee and my Bible and do my morning devotions! Not so this morning! I showered and then dived back into my bed to do my devotions! It was sooooo cold! As you'll see from our morning group photo, we all left the house bundled up in sweaters!

Our first school this morning was a girl's school of about 350 students! They were a very responsive group and listened very intently to the messages! They are also one of the first schools where some of the students have hung around to talk and take photos! As we left it was a blessing to see many of them walking away reading those first 3 pages in their Bibles which contain the plan of salvation!

While waiting to go to the next school, Pastor Brooks made some phone calls to confirm our other schools. Unfortunately one of the 4 that we were to do today cancelled, but thankfully they rescheduled for Wednesday. Another one of our 4 for today was an LDS (Morman) school that has now refused us! I was especially disappointed about this one as who wouldn't love to give out Bibles in a Morman school?! We were able to reschedule another one for this afternoon though so we have 3 for today. 

The second school was about 200 students  and again a very good response! Many of the students began reading through their Bibles as soon as they received them! One teacher/mother walked up and said how excited she was that we were giving out KJV Bibles! She had been teaching her children for years about the difference between the Bibles and that the KJV is the right one!

We then stopped at Chicken Express for lunch. It still cracks me up when all 23 of us walk into a restaurant and literally take the place over!

Our 3rd school was a boy's school of about 150 students! This would be comparable to a reform school or juvenile detention. We females understandably felt a little out of place with all these guys staring back at us, but they sat completely silent and listened attentively as the gospel was preached! This school was also another answer to prayer as it is a catholic school and many of the catholic schools have been refusing us! Please pray for these boys, that God would touch their hearts ....they were certainly a tougher crowd, but God can soften the toughest hearts!

Once we returned from the school we headed to the store to buy supplies to throw a surprise Birthday party for Filo and get some of life greatest necessities...chocolate and Oreos!:) the rest of the evening was spent sneaking around baking birthday cake and playing Dutch Blitz! It was so much fine surprising Filo...people here don't normally do to much for birthdays so it was fun being able to do something for her that she wouldn't normally get!

It's been an amazing day and we're looking forward to another great day tomorrow!:)

Day 13 - Josiah's Group

Day 13
We arose early and after devotions, prayer and a breakfast of tea and Fijian pancakes our team of 4 headed out. Our first school was probably the most receptive of any we have been to yet. The students were right there with us as we spoke and were very grateful upon receiving their Bibles.  The principal did not want to call a general assembly of all the students but was very open to us visiting each of the forms (grades) one by one. This took a little longer but was also a lot of fun as each of the five forms was given a clear gospel presentation. We arrived in perfect timing to our second school which also went smoothly. The general assembly took place outside with the aide of a megaphone which was a first for us here. It still feels somewhat bizarre preaching the gospel when you think that you are preaching to students who are in school. What an amazing opportunity! The teachers came up after thanking us for what was said.
We arrived at the last school of the day with time to spare. The students were unresponsive at this school but listened intently as each one of us spoke. They sang two songs for us in Fijian with amazing harmony. When we arrived back in Savusavu we laid plans for our next few days here.
John and Matthew arrived safely back from "snake island" so the team is once again back together. We will be heading out early tomorrow by ferry pass out Bible's on another island. We will be spending the next two nights on this island so reports may be delayed due to no electricity.
We are having an incredible time, and this is in no small part due to your prayers.
Please pray that principals would not try to hinder us and that we would all stay unified as we work together.
We feel very privileged to see first hand what God is accomplishing.

 Driving into the Jungle

These students wanted a picture with us holding their Bibles

There are larger spiders here

 Bro. Joe giving his testimony

 Attentive students

Students at the last school today

Day 12 "Team Split" - Josiah's Group

Day 12
Well after two weeks we have now had our first church team split.

Thankfully this was not due to doctrinal differences but for logistical reasons!

In my group there is Bro. Joe (the man we were working with in Lobasa), Bro. Tore, and myself.

I must add it has been very refreshing to have Bro. Joe back in our midst.

Bro. Joe is no-nonsense and well organized. He formerly played rugby for team Fiji so many people recognize him here from this. When he gives his testimony in the schools the kids seem almost spellbound as they listen. His past history playing for team Fiji and ability to speak fluent Fijian are two great inroads he has with the people here.

Our groups left from Suvasuva and split ways at the bottom of Natewa Bay.

We headed into the jungle loaded to the teeth with the Bibles. The overcast skies were making our plans of camping outdoors less likely and our cramped Jeep the more promising option.

We stopped at two of the last schools we would be visiting the next day to unload Bibles and lighten our load. Along our way we picked up Pastor Vili who pastors a Bible Church here on the island. Bible churches would be very similar to a Gospel Hall. After eating wonderful meal at his house we continued on our way up the side of the Bay. By then it had begun to rain steady; so Pastor Vili used his connections and we were able to spend the night in the home of  Filomena, a school teacher. After tea and fellowship we went to bed early so we would be well rested for the next day.

Day 12 "Team Split" (Men)

Day 12
This Morning we woke up to pouring rain. We got up and Josiah made a Canadian breakfast with Pancakes, Bacon, Scrambled eggs and Coffee. It was great to eat food that was familiar to us.
We went to church at brother Jonathan's house (Lighthouse Baptist Church) for church service here in Savusavu. We all had a good time of fellowship with believers. Then We headed into town for supplies that will be needed for our trip.
At 2:00 we started our journey so that we could set up camp at the other side of the Island and then make our way back across doing the schools as we go on Monday.
We split into two separate groups. Bro. Joe,  Bro. Tore, Josiah were in one group
Bro. Jonathan, Alici, Matthew and John were in another group.
From this point on we will call them Josiah's group and John's group.

Lighthouse Baptist Church

Day 12 in Fiji ( girls)

Day 12 in Fiji

So last night was one massive slumber party at our house! Sister Marioni decided to spoil us by doing Lovo! Lovo is where they dig a pit in the ground and fill it with fiery red hot coals. They then fill it with Tarro, chicken, fish and anything else they want to cook! Then they cover it up with palm branches, banana leaves, burlap sacks and dirt! You let it "steam" for 2-3 hours then you dig it all back up and eat it! It is literally an all night process so everyone sleeps in shifts! We had 16 girls and 3 guys all in our house! Keep in mind this house is about the size of our living room, dining room and kitchen put together! Very cozy indeed, but so much fun! The Lovo was delicious and so worth the wait! 

Church this morning was beyond amazing! There was a few visitors in the Sunday school hour, but when it came time for the main service, the church was packed out! We had at least 20 visitors out! At least 5 of them were kids from schools where we had gone to pass out bibles! What a blessing to see them come out to church carrying their Bible with them! An absolutely awesome blessing! 

When we were practicing specials for church this morning we had originally decided to sing "I have a goodly heritage" for the morning service and then sing "I have been blessed" for the evening service! Well when I saw all those visitors walking through the doors it was like God poked me and said "you're singing those songs in the wrong order!" So I leaned over to the girls and we all figured we should swap them! We really were not ready to sing "I have been blessed" but God helped and it truly was the perfectly fitted song for this morning! We were so blessed by all that God did in our church this morning and my heart is full to overflowing!

This evening's service was also a huge blessing! We got to hear testimonies from two of the young people here in our church who are now at Bible college and also were able to hear another man in the church preach this evening! Really great message!

From Kyla

Pastor and Church Family,

This mornings church service went wonderful!  At least 5 students from schools we have visited in times past, came to church this morning, along with a family from New Zealand, a Filipino family, family members of the lady we are staying with, and several others!  The total amount of visitors would be approximately 20 !  Bro. Brooks was flying high !!  Us girls sang " I Have Been Blessed" this morning.  For not doing a lot of practicing we did pretty good!  Pastor Ryan Gray preached a gospel message to the full church house.  

Pastor Brooks calculated how many students heard a clear gospel presentation this past week, and the total came to about 9650 children. Praise the Lord!! 

We had a big feast for lunch... smoked chicken, bread fruit, coleslaw, octopus, rice, egg plant, beef stew, soup, stir fry, fish, and more!!  

This past week has been good, but it has had it's challenges.  There have been quite a few schools that have told Bro. Brooks that they don't want us to come and distribute the Bibles.  Bro. Brooks is really burdened about this.  I believe 4 Muslim schools are included in that.  Please pray about this situation.

At every school, Bro. Brooks tells the students that if they ever see any of us in our bula shirts that they are supposed to say "hi!"  In the midst of our shopping the  past few days, several students have stopped us and said " hi."  Some have said that they have read the gospel message in front of their Bible.  This is so encouraging!! 

Thank you for your prayers.  I anticipate what the Lord has in store for me in this next week!

Kyla