Let's hear it for the learners

Which most definitely includes me! Learning a lot as ever in week 4 of being in post as Director of the Pacific Theological College's Education by Extension programme and week 5 of being in Fiji itself. We need rain. Especially in the West. Only an ineffectual dribble so far and water supplies a problem for some of PTC's staff living on the outskirts of Suva. OK on campus so far but have bought a spare plastic dustbin and filled it up in anticipation...

A classic mistake of a photo with the light behind everyone - sorry about that - but here's our tutorial class from Friday morning. A beautiful mix of humanity in terms of ethnic background, denomination, age and gender. Members are pursuing various courses - ministry, Church history, ethics etc - by extension but either live on campus or are near enough to PTC to come in and take advantage of a class, the library and the Director - which is great! We talked about Practical Theology this week: how all our learning has to stand up to the 'So what?' question in terms of application to real life and real Church issues. Why does it matter? What difference does it make? Practical Theology is also a recognised academic discipline these days (has been for a while) and as a result has acquired impenetrable jargon. We commiserated about that and agreed not to become fazed or undermined by it.

Not that much fazes Mila, wife of the Anglican Priest at Suva's Cathedral and Elizabeth, President of PTC's Women's Fellowship, also married to a minister and from American Samoa. Little Esther came along with Mum because plans changed and she couldn't go swimming that morning.

Tema (Methodist) on the left and Ema (Anglican) on the right also both deal with Clergy husbands and busy lives, managing to find time for studies too, God bless 'em..

Food was shared at the end of tutorial this week, organised by the students, to say a heartfelt thank you to Michael Kafonika (chatting in the picture on the left) who stepped into the gap between Directors at PTCEE, to the detriment of his own PhD work which is now getting back on track. He's been a massive help to me - thank you Michael.

And similarly indispensable has been Salome, on the right in the blue stripy t-shirt, who is PTCEE's office assistant and my right-hand woman. She's very patient with me.....

Friday was a full day because in the evening the whole College went 5 mins up the road to Pacific Regional Seminary (PRS) which is the Catholic set-up for the formation and training of their priests. We shared a beautiful act of worship in their striking Chapel, were greatly moved by the phenomenal, plentiful and touching generosity we were shown, not least in terms of the feast prepared, and then there was an evening's cultural entertainment offered by both Colleges. PRS have Tongan students and we don't at present, and their vigorous presentation certainly got vociferous appreciation from the fans!

Some of Tonga's Catholic Priests in training

During worship earlier, the Revd Dr Upolu Vaai, a Samoan Methodist minister and one of our lecturers, preached about the ecumenical hope that's created in the World Church when those being formed for ministry 'meet at the crossroads' as Jesus met with the Samaritan woman at the well, each being changed by the other. I so agree with him! But the ecumenical momentum needs to continue and be lived out way, way beyond College with fierce commitment, determination and the same levels of mutual appreciation and hospitality. That's the challenge

It's lovely to have some manageable garden by Staff House 12. My young neighbour Yoane from Papua New Guinea has been helping me with it and we're planning on planting lemongrass because the mozzies hate it, and maybe adding to the pineapple crop: a plantation of one currently, being lovingly embraced in the photo below by Rev Ted. He's one of Pam Mason's family of Teddies for Tragedies which she knits so faithfully. Pam is from St Martin's, Dorking, my last Church, and I was very touched that she knitted Rev Ted for me, who travelled well to Fiji and  - unlike many of his fellow bears - hasn't needed to offer comfort in times of tragedy as yet, praise God. But it's good to know he'll be on hand if the call comes, eh?