Blog Archives

New Zealand Visits Fiji

27/4/2015

Last Saturday was the annual meeting of the Gospel Trust. Many of our faithful supporters from New Zealand made the trip here--- some for several days, and others for a couple of weeks. Ruth Harland (back row left) is the daughter of Vivienne Harland, founder of the deaf ministry here. She and her son Rowan arrived with a suitcase filled with educational games, art supplies and teaching materials, along with gifts for the student her family sponsors. While here, Ruth led devotions in the junior boys hostel, and delighted the main hostel children with a wonderfully creative craft of sewing and painting their own cloth bags. Her son Rowan (tall handsome guy with the red hair) is a computer wiz, and helped us with a web site. He patiently attempted to teach us ‘non-techies’ how to use it. He even taught Jim a few things he didn’t know about his iPhone!

Next to Rowan in the photo are Sue and Russell Neate, who also sponsor students here. Sue brought over some new recipes and did some cooking with the hostel staff, while Russell, our ‘fix it man’ checked out the school and hostels. His focus this time was on fire alarm systems. Russell usually has a long list of projects awaiting him when he comes to Fiji! This year, he and Sue decided it was time to replace the old refrigerator, and they did just that, to the delight of all the hostel staff! Russell also keeps track of our student sponsorships, keeping communication lines open, reporting on progress, and updating photos for sponsors---- not an easy job, with a growing student body and frequent changes. Russell is also a gifted speaker, and gave a wonderful message on Naaman at the chapel on Sunday. Next to Russell is Phillip Gilchrist, a creative architect, who presented some ideas to the trustees for building a new hostel. His father John (back right) made the trip with Phillip and his family. Phillip is married to Fiji Indian Sarita (front center), and they have two children (front right), who enjoyed spending time with the children in the hostel. Sarita shared her amazing story with me over the weekend, about how God worked out the family’s visit to Fiji--- all above and beyond expectations! (That story needs it’s own blog!)

Sylvia Sales, next to Sarita in the photo, is Ruth Harland’s cousin. She lives in France, but is formerly from England. Sylvia did some individual reading with some of our older students who came to us late. They enjoyed their special time with her, and have already shown improvement in reading. And finally (left front) are John and Cheryl Wood, also sponsors for two of our students. Cheryl too, brought over many games and supplies for the school and hostels. She also led devotions in the senior girls hostel while here, and helped with Ruth’s craft activity. John wears many hats in the Fiji Deaf Ministry. He is the Harland Trust Secretary. He also handles overseas donations, and helps with sponsorship and newsletters. John has helped too, with planning for a new hostel. He also speaks in churches in New Zealand, giving updates on the Fiji Deaf Ministry. All of these folks lead busy lives, yet faithfully continue to donate their time, talents, and support to the ministry here. We are grateful for all that they do, and for the encouragement they have been to us throughout the years.

1 Comment

Happenings in the Harland Hostels

17/4/2015

0 Comments

This is our senior boys hostel (left). It has served us well, but the landlord is selling, and has asked the boys to move out by the end of April--- just about two and a half weeks away. Jim and I return to the states in less two weeks, and hope to find a home for the boys by then. One option is for the older boys move into our house when we leave, but that would mean our Assistant Head Teacher would not have use of it, and we’d have a major move to do just before leaving. It would however, save on rent money, so we’re still waiting and praying on that one. This hostel has only four boys at the moment, with a family of four who supervise.

The seven junior boys, plus three adult trainees and the couple who serve as parents, live in the house
on the campus property (right), owned by the Gospel Trust, which we also rent. We’re trying to get permission to build a new, larger hostel there, and are still hoping to acquire that by the time of the
annual meeting next Saturday. Again, we are waiting and praying on that one.

Our senior girls, who also had to move recently, are now just down the street from the main hostel.
Their new place is a bit tighter, with twelve women living there now. The landlord has graciously put in a second shower for them. Storage is somewhat limited there, so the girls are literally living out of suitcases tucked under their bunks. But the rent is manageable, and for now, their hostel mom, “Mother Teresa”, as Jim calls her, says “We are thankful to have a roof over our heads.”

The main The main hostel too, is bursting at the seams. Volunteer Libby counted 29 plates set for breakfast the other day. Another new girl, age 4, arrived yesterday, along with her mom. Her mom will stay in the hostel with he hostel with her for aweek or so, making 31 plates for breakfast! A few are sleeping on the floor---but that’s nothing out of the ordinary here. In most villages just about everyone sleeps on the floor, on a woven mat.

The good news is that the main hostel got a face lift this week. APTC (Australia Pacific Technical College) volunteered to paint the inside of the whole hostel, including the tables and chairs. The staff chose a light blue, with accenting salmon colored cupboards, and a full wall mural of roses, which is everyone’s favorite! When all was completed, there was a special ‘thank you’ tea for the twelve workmen, with the children performing mimes. The event made the 6 pm TV news, where Jim got to talk about the deaf ministry. Last week, one of the TV stations also did a children’s show on communication, which featured our school, and sign language. We’ve been getting some good media press lately.

Last week, a woman stopped by the office to tell us that she had heard there were many deaf children who were not in school, on Koro Island. Jim has already arranged for Iowane, our resident ‘child find’ person, and Avikesh, our Form 7 (college prep) deaf student, to travel there at the end of April, during school vacation. I’m sure they’ll come back with more students. Yes, we desperately need to get that new hostel building program off the ground! Please pray that permission to use the land is forthcoming soon!

Here is new student Mereadrani Tuvou (left), on her first day of school, with classmates Tavaita, Barbara, and Ema. When she arrived at the hostel Sunday evening, she pretty much took over the place, and started organizing all the students for a picture. She eagerly jumped right into all the activities with the other children. I believe we have a budding leader in the group! And as you can see, we continue to grow!

New Zealand Visits Fiji

Happenings in the Harland Hostels

New Blog

Archives​

Archives