Vanuatu
Our primary mission relationship
The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand has affirmed the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu as our primary mission relationship. What this means is that Vanuatu is our longest standing mission relationship, as this paper outlines. We are delighted to be partners in a number of projects in Vanuatu that we encourage our congregations to support.
Opportunity for summer building project on Tanna Island
We have a friend here at College who lives down in the Mission Village called Maliwan Tarawai in Sulphur Bay in Tanna. He was the first convert to Christianity from the John Frum people and is the first Pastor to them. He and his congregation have built the first church for their fellowship at the place of the Headquarters of this former movement... To read all of the information about this project please download the complete document.
Talua Ministry Training Centre
Talua Ministry Training Centre is the amalgamation of the Presbyterian Bible College and Aulua Theological Training Centre. Talua Centre has more than 100 ministry students.
Batchelor of Ministry Programme
This is a new programme , now in its 2nd year. It is designed to equip able students at a higher level of theology and build up a local pool of competency. There has been a great response of 20 new students for 2010; we are sending teams to help put up more student housing to cope with the influx. Contact GM if you would like to join a building tem.
Bush Missioner Programme
For $1000 a year, we can cultivate an island community by supporting the costs of a suitable community member to be trained in Biblical studies, worship leading, prayer, pastoral care and health care.
Small Concrete Water Tank
A Practical project for students to gain skills - manufacture of small concrete water tank using local technology - 40,000 vatu or $600NZ.
Assistant Librarian
Presbyterian Women (APW) have donated funds raised in the collection of used stamps to provide for an assistant librarian, needed to help in the Bmin programme. We expect this to result in the training of another local woman with librarianship skills.
Sewing Machines
To help assist mission graduates in the ministries they are carrying out: $300NZ per sewing machine
Staff
Roger and Paula Levy and their family are serving at Talua from January 2010 to December 2011. Paula will be the teacher of English and Roger will be involved in student support and genernal maintenance around the campus. You can keep up to date with what they are doing or give funds too support them by by contacting us, at pamela@presbytrian.org.nz.
The Levys will live on campus at Heniko House, which the NZ Presbyterian Church maintains.
Here is a newsletter from Paula and Roger (below), who are settling in at Talua Bible College in Vanuatu.
Pre-School Education
We will be talking with the Women’s programme at Talau about upgrading the crèche into a pre-school programme that trains the ministry student wives in preschool education and parenting skills that can be taken with into their ministries in the Islands.
Visits from Knox Centre
In September , 2011 the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu General Assembly is on Tangoa Island, just out from Talua. The Very Rev Dr Graham Redding from the Knox Centre has been invited to be the guest Bible study leader and he will spend some time teaching at Talua. We also hope to have some Ni Vanuatu students join with their NZ equivalents in Intensives in Ministry Training , at the Knox Centre next year.
Onesua Presbyterian College
The College has 30 academic staff and 24 auxiliary staff. They have a student population of fewer than 400 ranging from Year 7 to Year 12. Onesua hope to start a Year 13 programme.
Onesua Library
For $100 you could assist with donations for textbooks, library books and computer software.
Hosting programme
From $100 you could help support our Presbyterian Schools (Turakina Maori Girls College, Rangi Ruru, St Andrews and St Orans as they go and spend time with the students at Onesua.
Onesua Pre-School
Help support the pre-school by sending donation for new toys and teaching equipment.
Technology Classroom
By donating $100 or more, you could help provide the classroom with tools and equipment
Other Projects in Vanuatu
Nakamol (Round Table) Meeting
One project we will support the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu undertake is to have a locally run (and culturally appropriate) meeting with all the international churches and institutions that partner with the PCV in mission, in order that we might all work cooperatively.
Chaplain to RSE Workers
For some years now Ni Vanuatu people have participated in a work scheme run through the NZ Labour Department called the Recognized Seasonal Employment Scheme: RSE.
Groups from villages come to the Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Nelson/Blenheim and Central Otago to pick fruit over the summer and autumn harvesting seasons. As many of these people are Presbyterians, the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu has asked us to fund a chaplain to come with these workers, to act as pastoral minister, as spokesperson and to liaise with local congregations. We will run a trial for this in the Bay of Plenty, liaising with the local Kaimai Presbytery congregations in the area.
Donations to help pay the wages for such a Chaplain will be welcome – contact pamela@presbyterian.org.nz
Community Health Worker Training
In Port Vila there is established a Bible College which has the potential to become a Centre for training Ni-Vanuatu health workers to go into remote villages . We are working with the Uniting Church of Australia and possibly government aid agencies. to help staff this training centre..
Connecting the Children
Global Mission and Kids friendly are planning to work together to connect children in our congregations with children in the Presbyterian runs primary schools in Vanuatu. We want to help expand the horizons of both sets of children, and help form friendships that will nurture a view of mission that is about relationship and service.
More information soon.
NZ Church to Local Village
Several NZ Presbyterian parishes have formed great relationships with churches and whole villages in Vanuatu, and engaged in building projects, sometimes over several years
For example: Wairau Presbyterian Church has ugraded the Church and Hospital on Utas.
And Johnsonville Uniting Church has made 3 trips to Lelepa Island.
If your congregation would like to engage with a Vanuatu village, and their projects, talk to Pamela.