You can click on the pictures below to enlarge them.

New slow combustion oven in the kitchen
We need to have a tray for baking pig.

Secure installation of satelite dish

Some of the new stainless steel benches in the new kitchen

Our dinner. We were flying through the work the next day!

The team is BACK

New tank roof

Starting to seal the tank before the new roof

Opening the new dining hall

Cheif Charlie Barney opening the new dining hall

Well the team is back and all survived without too much discomfort. Millions of stories and a personal connection with Vanuatu that will never be broken. A lifetime of experiences squeezed into 2 weeks. It was extremely dry and we had to travel for water from different churches every 3 days. The men bathed in the ocean after climbing down the cliff and needed another swim after climbing back up to the top. Thank God there were no bad accidents and all enjoyed the local hospitality. 14 sermons in various churches, 19 devotions with the students, 11 team devotions and a delightful amount of singing made for a great trip. I am sure that God has a job for YOU at Londua?? If you know anyone who has been to Londua, ask them if YOU might be a usefull volunteer?? God was exceedingly good to the team and has taught each of us many valuable lessons.

September Team

Replacing the chapel roof

Chapel roof finished

Inside year 11 class room

Outside year 11 class room after rebuild from blocks up.

Mid September there is a team of 24 going to Londua to assist with maintenance work. The team will be at Londua for 2 weeks to help the college with it’s 2010 preparations. All the materials will arrive this week ready for a big effort needed by the team to accomplish our objectives. Please pray for rain at Londua over the next few weeks as the water tanks are almost empty.

LONDUA....., the college we love...

LONDUA COLLEGE SONG

HOLD FAST TO THINGS ETERNAL

AND KEEP THEM IN YOUR HEART

FOR THEY SHALL NEVER PASS AWAY

THOUGH EARTH BE RIVEN APART

THIS WORLD MAY TEMPT US GREATLY

WITH THINGS THAT SEEMS SO SMART

BUT ONLY THEY HAVE PEACE AT LAST

WHO HAVE KNOWN HOW GREAT THOU ART

OH LONDUA, THE COLLEGE WE LOVE

MAY OUR HEARTS BE TRUE TO YOUR TEACHING,

MAY THOSE WHOSE FEET THIS WAY HAVE TROD

ALWAYS SEEK FOR HEIGHTS TO BE REACHING,

HOLD FAST TO THE TRUTH

HOLD FAST TO THE FAITH

HOLD FAST …… HOLD FAST

OUR GOD WILL GUIDE OUR FOOT STEPS

WHERE'ER OUR PATHS SHALL LEAD

HIS PROMISES HAVE NEVER FAILED

HE SEES OUR EVERY NEED

TO HIM WE MUST BE LOYAL

FOR IN HIM OUR SOULS ARE FREED

HIS STRENGTH WILL BE OURS TILL THE JOURNEY'S END

FOR CHIRST IS ALL OUR NEED.

New Beds

The carpentry boys have been busy making some new beds for the visitors accomodation. Materials were supplied for them and it was a good practical excercise.

Mowers

Thanks to the Tasmanian team for their generous gift of 2 lawn mowers and string lawn mower. When we arrived at Londua this time it was amazing to see the lawns all mowed and cleared.

Students using laptops

I walked through the chapel one afternoon and these students were busy typing away on one of the laptops available to them. It was really good to see that the computers were being put to use and that the teachers were intergrating them into the normal class subjects. At night both teachers and students are on the learning path. Great to see.

Londua Dental Week

Last week was Londua Dental week. Every student had a checkup, clean and attended a lecture on Dental Health for Life. In total 97 students had a check and clean. 19 staff and family had checkups and a few teeth pulled. Nduindui hospital had an influx of patients on Wdnesday and Thursday with some teeth removed that had been causing trouble for years. Under the careful hands of our experienced dentist many teeth have left home never to return again! Our solar charged battery with inverter lasted the distance with the untrasonic cleaner, battery powered water pump for cooling, 12 volt airbed pump sucking through a dried milk tin with a 6mm plastic tube connected to throw away spit suckers worked a treat. For all of the students who may read this on the new internet connection " sugar + bacteria = acid = decay " and remember to brush every day after breakfast and before bed. The new VSAT dish went up last week and Londua now has 24 hour internet connection. A few minor adjustments on the next trip will get the speed up and look out world! The 10 Eee Pc's are being put to good use most nights with both staff and students on a steep learning curve. Our good friends from Sydney are sending more computer equipment for our next trip in July and there will soon be wireless connection for the community and staff. The gardens are looking great and the first fruits are being picked. Water is short and in the next 6 months we hope to have this yearly problem solved forever.

Beyond North Side

Are you up to the challenge?
Read about the experiences of the Northside Community Church team.

Click on this link below.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/beyondnorthside/sets/72157617506896326/

Work Teams

Have you thought about a short term work team to Londua Technical College? Why not??

We have just arrived back from Londua with a group of young adults from North Sydney Community Church. It was a great time of work and ministry and we will see what the team says now that they are home. The new principal is doing a good job and the staff are all engaged in their respective duties. There are 90 odd students and they were all studying hard for their end of term exams. The Sydney team took 10 laptop computers and spent many hours in classes for both students and staff. That was in between the multiple classes of english, math, science, business studies and hygiene that were taught by the team. The students friendship was won over early through music. The team could not sing as well as the students but they were very gracious with us. There are 3 large gardens under way at Londua and the first fruits should be harvested in September. 2 brand new lawn mowers turned up the week before we arrived donated by last years Tasmanian team. The chaplain thanked God for the provision of these and all of the blessings that the Sydney team had brought to the Londua students and staff. There is a building program to get the dinning hall and kitchen rebuilt for next year, the concrete tanks sealed and roofed, 2 bush houses for staff and the possibility of 2 water bores to secure the year round supply of water. We thank God for the safe travel of the Sydney team and the ministry they brought to Londua. Please pray for the continued growth of Londua Technical College and for the ministry to all of the students.

March 2009

Amon the new principal and his wife are living at Londua and Londua is moving ahead. We have been blessed with some Government salaried teachers this year and the rest of the teaching and ancillary staff are at work. There is a work team from North Side Community Church in Sydney traveling to Londua in April and another group from Tasmania heading over in July/August. The staff are working together and the students are all very keen to learn. Our student numbers are down a bit from what was anticipated with some students still arriving late. The principal has started plans for 2 local bush staff houses and 2 new garden plots to assist with food production for the college. Upgrading of water storage is high on our priority list with materials on the way for this purpose. 2 new lawn mowers paid for with assistance fromlast years Tasmanian team are in transit to the college which will assist to keep the grounds tidy. Kitchen equipment for the Tourism classes is also to be sent shortly donated from church ladies in Brisbane. Thank you one and all for your prayer and assistance in helping to raise the standard of technical teaching at Londua Technical College. God is Great.

New Staff Selected

Hi all. We are back from our first visit to Vanuatu in 2009. Hot and humid. We spent our time on Santo at a Conference Committee meeting and the the College Council meeting. All the staff have been selected and are waiting for employment agreements to be signed. 191 student applications have been received. God is good. There is a lot of work to be done around the college. The EU funding for new toilets and wash rooms has come through and will be started shortly. The new kitchen will be started shortly after. The new lawn mowers will be heading over shortly. Londua will be a very busy college over the next few weeks. A very big thankyou to all who have prayed for Londua last year and your prayers have produced results. We have been told that we have 3 government salaries so far for this year and we are continuing to work on increasing this number. We head over again to Londua in February. We would value your continued prayer support for the college.

It's 2009 already??

Lyn and I are heading to Santo on the 11th January for the Conference Committee meeting and then the Londua College Council meeting. The new principal should be selected during this time and the 2009 staff. We ask that you pray that God's person is appointed. The weather is really hot over there at the moment and cyclone season is coming. Also for those who have not heard the 10 seater Islander plane that we normally fly from Santo to West Ambae and back crashed on West Santo the week before Christmas. John Bani the Pilot died in the crash and is from West Ambae, the late Ps. Dickson Bani's brother who died eartlier this year. I passenger was taken to Brisbane with serious injuries and the other 7 were ok. Last year was a big year in the life of Londua College and this year will be twice as big. There have and are some big changes happening to the College and everyone is slowly adjusting to these changes. Please pray for the people who are part of these changes and for their continued support to move Londua into the 21st century. Thanks you all.