Vanuatu Update #2

Arrived safely back in Port Vila very early on Friday morning, thanks be to God. Though tiring and very unpredictable, we had another successful medical outreach on the M/V Pacific Hope, the 2nd outreach for the year.

For this outreach, I got placed on the Dental Team doing registration. In total we helped more than 300 people by removing and fixing close to 700 teeth.

I am really eager for the next 2 week  outreach. We leave Port Vila this Saturday and will be serving N.E. Malakula... that is the plan at least.

So many things on this adventure have been uncertain. But, over the last 6 months I have become more and more at peace with not knowing what lies ahead or having to have a plan. However, I can be certain of two things: God loves me, God IS good and if I follow Him, there is no telling where I'll end up!

Vanuatu Update #1

I arrived back in Port Vila, Vauatu at around noontime on the 7th of August (local time). We ended up coming back a day earlier than planned, for multiple reasons, officially ending Outreach #1.

Though we had to leave early and couldn't visit the Island of Meawo, we reached over 1000 people on the Island of Ambae. We offered a number or services such as free doctor's consultations, eye glasses, first aid, prayer and pharmacy.

The ship will do 4 more multi-week outreaches with rest/resupply weeks in Port Vila inbetween. I will be present for 2 more of these outreaches, my last of which will end on August 19th.

These past couple days have been filled with both good and bad realities of life Friday in particular. After meeting up with some friends on Thursday night, we made plans to go see "Finding Dory" on Friday morning. I arrived at the theater much earlier, as planed to get wifi. It was there while waiting for my friends to arrive that I found out that one of my cats had died. The news was hard but, God has helped me through and my friends have been really encouraging.

However, despite the sad news from home and so wishing to be back, I know that God called me here, at this time, for a reason. Of course I have questioned and requestioned Him, and myself multiple times but, I know that I am where I am meant to be.

How Did I End-Up Here?

How did I end up here? ...in another island nation, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, getting ready to voulenteer on a medical ship?

Great questions! In all honesty, I have only one answer: I followed the Spirit.

My DTS is now over and I am no longer in New Zealand. I had had the option to fly back to Orlando on the 22nd of June (today actually) but, somthing inside me opted to choose the next avalible award ticket date of August 30th 2016.

So, here I am back in Port Vila, Vauatu, ready to rejoin the the M/V Pacific Hope. While I don't know exactly what date my time on the ship will end, I have committed to approximately 2 months.

While so much is uncertain, I am really looking forward to my time serving on the ship. God called me here, got me here and will certainly see me through here. I am eager to see what He has planned!

Back in New Zealand

Sunday was my first full day back in New Zealand. I arrived in Auckland at around 11am local time, after about a 3.5 hour flight from Port Vila, Vanuatu.

In total I spent 4 weeks of my Outreach in Vanuatu, on land, off of the M/V Pacific Hope. The first 3 weeks were spent on the island of Tanna, where my team loaded all of our bags, food, medical supplies and ourselves (10 team memebrs, plus the driver and 2 porters) into a single truck for a 2 hours ride to our hosting village.

We stayed in the host village for 2 weeks, doing a number of ministry activities, both there and in neighboring villages. We were placed in an old missionary house near the church. The house had some of the most stunning views of Tanna's active volcano, Mt. Yasur, right from the front porch. Warching the sunrise over an active volacno? Simply amazing!

Some of the other villages we visited were really remote, one of which had never had "white" people visit it before. At least two were over 2 hour walks one-way but, it was so worth it to help spread the gospel.

The first weekend one of the missionary doctors joined our team. Once she arrived, were able to run a clinic in our host village, my job was to run the pharmacy.

After the two weeks in the village, we return to the main town of Tanna, Lenakel, where the ship first dropped us off. A church hosted us for this last week before the ship picked us up.

In Lenakel, we did street evangelism, prayer walks and shared sermons at local churches. We also got to share our testimonies at a local trade school and pray for the sick at the hospital, even attend a custom Period Party as team.

One of the days we went to the hospital to pray for the sick, it was at full capacity, particularly the children's ward. We came back 2 days later and the hospital was at only about 50% capacity and many of those there were new patients. God is good!

After our alotted time on Tanna, the ship picked us up and took us to Port Vila to prepare for our return to New Zealand. Though we were soon to return we still made time to do street and prison ministry.

Looking back I can only be amazed at God's faithfulness to, and grace for my team during our Outreach. Through spiritual and emotional tiredness, as well as physical sickness my team stayed the course.

Now back in New Zealand winter is in full swing and I am loving the nice cool weather. It feels so nice after sweating half to death on Tanna. Also, it has been nice to recover from worms in such a comfortable environment. Yes, due to a number of side effects it is believed that I was one of a few who contracted worms. At least I did not get the lice.

At Base, we're getting back into the flow of things as we wrap-up out school with "Re-Entry/Debrief Week" lectures. However, there is a sadness in the air as most of us prepare to leave this weekend and part ways after almost 6 months of communal living.

This has been an amazing chapter in my life journey, I have so many good memories to remember and tools to use in the future. Doing this DTS has been the best decision of my life yet and I am so greatful to God for this oppertunity. God is good!

14th Week In New Zealand

After 14 weeks, This will be my last "In New Zealand" post for about a month. Not only will I not be in New Zealand any longer but, I won't have wifi either.

As of tomorrow evening, exact time not yet known, we will set sail for Vanuatu, a 5 day journey. We will spend the rest of our Outreach Phase on the Island of Tanna, just one of the 63 inhabited islands the that Vanuatu has.

While a lot of my time here in Auckland has been spent doing outreach and ship tours, I did get to have some "freetime." I went to see the new Jungle Book movie with some friends, loved it. They assign seats in theaters here at time of ticket purchase. This past Monday was ANZAC Day, recognized here in NewZealand and Australia. I got up at just past 4am to join some friends in walking to the Auckland War Museum for an annual ANZAC Day ceremony.

Also, I have added a number of new culinary experiences to my life's story. Had some authentic Japanese take-out and even tried Barfi (an Indian desert) for the first time. But, I think my hands down favorite experience was when a friend took me out for Korean food. Finally got to try Kimchi.

This chapter here in Auckland is closing but, I am so eager to see what God has in store for my team in Vanuatu, for sure He has something  big planned. So for now, I am signing off. Will post an update when I can, most likely once I am back in New Zealand.