Day Seven

This morning we began our day by walking down to the local market before going to the coffee shop to have some Tanna coffee and buy a supply of Tanna coffee to bring back to NZ. It seems like we are adjusting really well to Island life; we don’t feel the need to rush anywhere and we are learning to go with the flow and take things as they come! It was great to be able to start the day in a small café with the team and we actually made a new friend because the guy working in the café was also a Christian and spent the whole time asking us questions and talking with us about some of the work his church does on Tanna.

When we arrived back in the school we took a few more music classes. Although it was getting hard for some of us in the team because by this stage in the week we were singing the same songs over and over again, it was great to hear the students learn new songs and we were able to let the students sing some of the new songs on their own and they did very well and have such loud voices (which was good because I was loosing my voice). I have said this in earlier posts but I have to say it again; the students have absolutely beautiful voices and I honestly wish I could bring them back to NZ so you could all hear what we were able to hear. In one of the music classes the students didn’t want us to leave; they kept saying, “just one more song” and it was such a powerful moment to know that we really have become family in the school; the students are now comfortable and want us to stay with them in the class rooms teaching them.

The students were also starting to come up to us asking us to teach them a song or guitar or to play sport with them - I must say it is really humbling to see how much they have welcomed us into their lives in such a short time!

We were also able to have a conversation with the Principal of Lenakel College and hear about the history of the school and what their ‘needs’ are for the future; it was a touching moment and I know everyone in the team is thinking of ways we can continue to help our family at Lenakel College.

The Principal and teachers were also so adamant that we take their story back to NZ so that their brothers and sisters in Christ in NZ can be praying for them at Lenakel College. We assured them that we will definitely be taking their story back and that the relationship between us (PYM) and the school is just beginning and will continue into the future. In fact; after this blog I have to write an article for SPANZ and we promised them that we would send them a copy so that they can see their story go throughout the nation. 

   

Then it was time to pack; time to have a photo with the students of the school and before we could blink we were back on the back of Utes heading towards the airport. As the students stood on the field waving goodbye I couldn’t help but hope and pray that “this is not goodbye; this is just – see ya later!”

Jonathan (read earlier blogs if you don't know who Jonathan is) greeted us again at Port Vila Airport and took us to Hideaway Island where we were spending our final night. As we walked onto this resort we were overcome by different feelings and emotions. Someone on the team (I cannot remember who) summed it up the best saying: “On Sunday when we came here to Hideaway Island we just wanted to stay on this resort in paradise but now that we ARE here at the end of the week I can’t help but to want to go back to our family at Lenakel College!” I think we all felt the same; a week ago we just wanted to stay and relax at Hideaway but now that we were there we really just wanted to go back to Tanna!

We decided to go to this restaurant on the mainland for dinner and as we walked into this restaurant we walked into western civilization. The people; the music; the food; the atmosphere all reflected the western world and I think we all felt very uncomfortable. I think we had all adjusted to Island life and coming into this environment so quickly shocked us a little bit. We decided to go back to hideaway (which was much more quiet) and have a dinner as a team and reflect on the past week.

As we sat as a team and shared our experiences of the last week we could all tell that we had all experienced something special in the last week! We all felt changed by our experiences and although we are still in some way working out what that ‘changed experience’ means we know that God has done and is doing great things in each of our lives. We shared our fears of going back home and we shared 'what' we learnt at Tanna and would like to take back home with us.

It was a sharing time when people were open and honest; tears rolled down some of the faces and we realised without a doubt that a special 'community' had been established between the Going Further team. Although tomorrow we will all head back to our different parts of the country I truly believe we will stay in touch and always be friends; we have been a part of something huge that will stay with us forever!

Carlton thanked us and shouted us all dessert and we in turn thanked Carlton and Robyn for their leadership over the last 7 days!

   

After dinner it was party time because Natalie Watkin-Ward celebrated her 21^st birthday the very next day so we wanted to celebrate this milestone in style in Vanuatu which truly is a paradise that we have all fell in love with!