Did you miss me? There was a little pause after Easter...
... and then I went to Honiara and surrounding areas for a week. Here's the report: well, some of it anyway. Enjoy!
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| little paws |
Narrative Report on a visit to the Solomon Islands
Dates: 2-9 May 2017
Purpose:
- · to connect with past and current PTCEE SI students of all denominations
- · to meet and liaise with Fr Anderson Saefoa (ACOM) who offers student co-ordination for PTCEE locally, predominantly through the Anglican network
- · to hear opinions from those ‘on the ground’ about PTCEE’s relevance – or otherwise - for their circumstances as they exercise contextual discipleship, mission and ministry
- · to introduce, explain and advocate for PTCEE, as and when appropriate
Tuesday 2nd
May
I flew Fiji Airways to
Honiara and was met in the afternoon by Fr Anderson Saefoa of the ACOM who has
particular responsibility for its Liturgical Commission. PTCEE has reason to be
very grateful to Fr Anderson as he has for some years now acted as a
co-ordinator for PTCEE students in ACOM and other Churches in SI. His role is
not easy because some students ‘slip through the net’ or choose to communicate
directly with PTCEE Suva. There is frequent liaison between our offices and we
are grateful that, apart from assisting with these practical logistics, Fr
Anderson ‘flies the flag’ enthusiastically for ecumenical, extension education
and has encouraged many students, also supporting them financially from a small
ACOM dedicated budget when available.
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| With Fr Saefoa and Br Jonathan |
I stayed at the
Chester Rest House, up a hill in central Honiara, which is run by the
Melanesian Brotherhood. Brother Jonathan Lokumana who serves as the Rest House
Receptionist is a PTCEE student so it was good to encounter him on arrival.
Like so many, he has a full daily load in life and it is hard to find time for
study. I joined in the prayer and worship of All Saints Parish Church very near
the Guest house as much as the programme permitted.
Wednesday 3rd
May
Having been informed
there was a Eucharist at 6 at All Saints Parish Church, just below the Guest
House, I arose in the dark and stumbled around negotiating grassy paths and
crumbling stone steps to find the Church entrance. After 30 mins of private
prayer in an empty church, and as the sun was then up, I concluded that there
was probably no morning Eucharist on Wednesdays and indeed discovered later
that ‘6’ meant 6.00pm! However, it was beautiful to pray in the
stillness.
I had a morning
meeting with Fr Anderson, swapping notes on student details and progress. We talked about the week and planned for a
gathering of Honiara students on Friday evening or Saturday morning; a visit to
the Sisters of the Church at their ‘Hill of Prayer’ – Tetete ni Kolivuti, where two Sisters are studying PTCEE courses as
part of their formational programme, and a visit to Bishop Patteson Theological
College, Kohimarama when convenient to the Principal. Fr Anderson kindly agreed
to work on these arrangements and we further agreed that travel to other
islands would not be attempted in this short visit, though I would like to
visit again and be based on that occasion in Munda/Gizo at the United Church
HQ. I made contact with the United Church through the offices at Wesley United
Church in the city centre, speaking with administrator Pagasa Havea and leaving
PTCEE information.
I also spoke with Pastor Moses Omearo Samo, at the
neighbouring South Seas Evangelical Church (SSEC) and left information.
In the
afternoon, I had a longer meeting over tea with Rev Mareta Tabe Tahu, (pictured right) Superintendent minister of the United Church, Honiara Circuit. Originally from
Kiribati, she has wide pan-Pacific and ecumenical experience and is a great
champion of women’s ministry with many stories to share. She offered
enthusiastically to take PTCEE information to the Circuit Meeting and promote.
At 6.00pm I attended
the All Saints Parish Eucharist and was glad to meet the Rector Fr Moffat Selo
and Assistant Rector Fr Stewart B. Taugenga. They particularly enquired about
whether a Master of Theology degree was available by Extension and felt there
would be great interest. Fr Stewart may pursue the BD. A particular concern for
them was lack of books and theological resources in the SI and I was asked,
‘Can we order books through PTCEE?’ We talked about book purchase being problematic
for our office too and talked about the benefits of online resources, if
internet is available. Clearly the latter is still patchy and prohibitively costly
in SI in 2017. Br Jonathan shared that for Chester Rest House to install WiFi
they would need to pay SBD 4000 a month, (FJD 1052). Data for mobiles is
considerably cheaper as at May 2017: eg. SBD 20 for 360MB.
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| At All Saints with its stupendous mural of the Melanesian 'cloud of witnesses' |
Thursday 4th
May
There is potential for
more PTCEE engagement with Religious Orders and so I was glad to share with the
indigenous Anglican order Sisters of Melanesia, meeting Sister Glender Hapwava
and former Sister Margaret Sade. Nearby,
the RC Daughters of Mary Immaculate (DMI) were keen to share information with
their Superior and saw a role for PTCEE Certificate courses within formational
studies. I met Sisters Susana Lopoie, Odilia Luhukolo and Nellie Arepuru.
I went to the ANZ bank
in Honiora’s new and shiny Hyundai Mall – much publicised – to exchange money
and ended up speaking for a while about PTC and PTCEE to the foreign exchange
manager: such are God’s ways… He knows Suva from ANZ training courses he has
attended there and would be interested to visit PTC if in Suva again. I left
course details and Conch Shell as usual.
Back at Wesley United
Church it was great to meet Rev Benjamin Pitakoë
who was formerly Chaplain at Helena Goldie hospital in Munda. While there he
had developed courses on spiritual development for nurses, and remains keen on
training for chaplaincy, even though the United Church has now stationed him
back in a Church appointment. Is there a place for a Pacific generated
‘Introduction to Chaplaincy’ module in the PTCEE curriculum, he asked? A good
question. Rev Benjamin will send the course material he developed to us to have
a look at. He is interested to pursue the BD and I left information. The Youth
Coordinator for Honiara Circuit, Mr Philip Lipa also expressed interest in
Certificate courses.
Friday 5th May
I spent most of the morning with
catechist Mostyn Manetavua who has just completed his Certificate. I asked his
permission to interview him for use in a future Conch Shell.
V: Mostyn it’s a joy to meet you and
congratulations on finishing the final hurdle for the Certificate. Tell me a
bit about yourself and your family please?
M: Well, I’m a married man and my wife
is Annie. We have four children: Ellison Manebosa, Grace Seripa, Wilfred Lewa
and Mason Sukulu.
V: Your children’s indigenous names
come after their Christian names?
M: We prefer to use our baptismal
names.
V: Where’s your Parish?
M: I’m a Catechist at Christ the King,
Komulonga, Diocese of Guadacanal. My father was the Catechist before me and ten
households came together to build the Christ the King church. It’s about 2
hours away from Honiara and the Parish is actually called Thathibokoighobu meaning ‘the one in the middle’.
V: What’s your ministry as a
Catechist?
M: I say morning and evening prayer,
assist the Priest and preach, but most of all it is to make sure our people are
reminded of the Word of God every day.
V: You say, ‘reminded of the Word of
God…’ So, what is it in your opinion
that people need to be reminded of particularly?
M: We need to remind them not to do
things that spoil themselves: using marijuana, smoking, mixing home brew…
V: …but some people say that’s just
what the missionaries imposed: making things that would have been OK in the
community forbidden and that people have been indoctrinated in an unhelpful
way…
M: …oh but I have seen things: these
things that destroy the brain and destroy families. Houses have been burnt down
because of these things, and what we call abuse takes place too much. It is
necessary to remind people all the time, ‘Don’t spoil yourselves. Live in a
good way – God’s way’. We know what we know.
V: Is it OK to ask how you make ends
meet? Are you and the family farming?
M: Yes, we grow cabbage, beans and paw
paw among other things. We grow crops for our food. Sometimes I find transport
and bring produce to market and if it’s a good day we might gain SBD 500.
V: Now that’s interesting for me to
hear because a PTCEE course is SBD 570 now – so the price in a cash economy is
just a little over one good day at the market! Or two reasonably good days? Are
the courses affordable? We’re always trying to survey students and make
reasonable decisions about cost. What do you think?
M: Well, it’s not easy, but we can
manage if we are committed… and if there are some sponsored courses, that
really helps us…
V: …yes, we offer every fourth course
free, when someone has completed three successfully. So it’s not individual
sponsorship, but a helping hand to everyone who’s committed.
M: Yes, if we are committed God helps
us. That is true.
V: Mostyn, I also would love to ask
you to speak – from your heart – about whether PTCEE courses are really of
practical use to you as a Catechist in the rural Solomon Islands.
M: Well, what I can say is that before
doing PTCEE I didn’t know how to talk to people in the right way about the
faith and I didn’t have confidence to preach. The courses have really helped to
give me that confidence in the community. The way I see it, we are always fighting
for the Kingdom of God and in some way I can say PTCEE courses help me fight
for the Kingdom and build the Kingdom on earth even as we wait for it in
heaven.
V: Amen, Brother Mostyn!
M: Yes, Director (laughs). Amen!
Early Friday afternoon I sorted e-mails
and desk work, then at 5.00pm attended a service at Wesley United Church to
celebrate the 112th anniversary of the arrival of the Church on
Choiseul. It was very humbling to meet Rev Leslie Boseto (aged 84) and Marama
Hazel who sang and shared.
Rev Leslie has been working on new translations of
hymns into the language of the Lauru people. We only had a short time to speak
over refreshments, but it was good to hear his passion for the unity of God’s
people still strong. Rev Leslie was the first indigenous Moderator of the
United Church of PNG and the Solomon Islands and President of the Pacific
Conference of Churches from 1986-1991. He was also the first Pacific Islander
to be elected as one of the World Council of Churches’ Presidents, 1991-98. I
remember being aware of his ecumenical significance when in Zambia during the
1990s and was absolutely thrilled to meet him.
It was unusual and thought-provoking for
me to witness a Powerpoint presentation on mission history presented as an
integral part of the worship service. Mr Donald Kudu recounted the significant
moments of Choiseul’s mission past with gratitude and respect, paying
particular attention to the costly witness of Fijian and Samoan missionaries.
Saturday 6th May
I joined the All Saints’ Parish
Mothers’ Union for a morning Eucharist at 8am, greeted the meeting in the
Church Hall afterwards, shared about PTCEE and left information. Predictably,
various reactions were, ‘We didn’t know we could do these courses!’ Mothers’
Union again could be a valuable Pacific network for PTCEE.
Thanks to Fr Anderson’s kind organisation,
I met with four PTCEE students in the morning: Florence Gau from Christ the
King Parish, Gilbert Camp, Honiara. Her ministries involve Mothers’ Union,
youth and Sunday School as well as being a companion of the Melanesian
Brotherhood. Ivin Ohigita from Vura Parish who is active in Men’s Fellowship
work. Sister Noelyn Elisabeth Vuta from the Community of the Sisters of the
Church also attended with Sister Catherine Rosa Taherikeni of the same order.
Both are doing PTCEE studies nominated by the Order as part of their
formational programme.
We spent a useful morning as they shared challenges and
joys which included: inadequate access to reading and resource material beyond
what is sent with the course book; that some mentors exist in name only and
don’t encourage student progress; that language, grammar and expression in some
course materials could be improved to make sure that the English is as accessible
as possible; that internet access is a boon when people have it. We looked at StudyLight.org as a key resource.
I was asked for study tips and
concentrated on 3 areas: (a) working little by little in bite sized chunks
(like a caterpillar chewing a leaf!) doing one exercise each day rather than
being overwhelmed by the whole course; (b) breaking the habit of mentally
obsessing on ‘Is this right or wrong?’ before writing anything – to have confidence
in yourself as an experienced Christian to think and respond; (c) embracing
study as a spiritual exercise, to be prayed over and considered part of
vocation: believing God has called you to this and will equip. After discussion
and morning tea I asked each to offer a word of encouragement to other students
in the Pacific.
Catherine: Take time and make time to study God’s Word – little by little
Florence: Have a strong determination to move forward in spite of your
challenges
Ivan: Do
not fail to do your studies regularly
Noelyn: Be fruitful and keep persevering until the end
Fr Anderson: Know that your studies are a vocation: a call.
Sunday 7th May
On Saturday afternoon I was taken for
an overnight stay to Tetete ni Kolviti which
is the ‘Hill of Prayer’ for the Community of the Sisters of the Church. It is
very rural and extremely peaceful. A school retreat was taking place too so it
was a joy to have Year 6 of King George VI College in Honiara lead the Mass
with their Chaplain Fr Nicholas.
Dogs are welcome at the TNK Eucharist.....
The Provincial Superior for the CSC from
earlier this year is Rev Sister Veronica Vasethe who has been serving as an
Anglican Priest in London (St Andrew’s Ham Common) since her training at
Trinity Bristol and ordination in Southwark Cathedral. The Anglican Church of
Melanesia does not ordain women and so Sr Veronica only has permission to
exercise a priestly function within her own Order – and in the Church of
England. It was fascinating and fruitful to talk with her and PTCEE will hold her
in our prayers. She is enthusiastic about the promotion of courses. After
Sunday Mass I was able to have one to one tutorials with Sister Catherine and
Sister Noelyn and look at their work so far. I returned to central Honiara late
afternoon on Sunday and walked by the jetty at sunset.
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| With the retreatants at TNK - spot the Director...
Monday 8th May
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I visited, with Fr Anderson, Bishop
Patteson Theological College Kohimarama and had a meeting with the Principal
Revd Dr Atkin Zaku. Dr Atkin and I had previously met at a SPATS accreditation
worship held in PTC in 2015. We talked about collegial collaboration and how best
PTCEE might cooperate with some distance learning provision which now operates
out of BPTC. I learned that the ‘distance learning’ operates in reality as a
taught programme by the staff of BPTC who travel one and a half hours each way three
times a week to St Nicholas’ College, Honiara to teach evening classes for
laity and potentially help to fast track ordinands, as residential provision is
so limited. It is a huge commitment in terms of staff time, transport and
budget that St Nicholas has become a kind of satellite campus three evenings a
week but at the same time, offers provision to those who have no residential
opportunity. It is an interesting choice that BPTC has made.
I spoke to the Principal about how
PTCEE would love to have indigenous, Melanesian generated material for new and
developing courses and wondered if BPTC staff might like to write? After all, if PTCEE can help to share ‘good things’ through courses across
Oceania so that expertise across the region is shared and different indigenous
perspectives celebrated, then it would seem the benefits are for all. That is
what ecumenical co-operation is all about. I was encouraged that the Principal felt we had ‘covered a lot
of helpful ground’. He also encouraged me to call in at St Nicholas College
that evening when the evening classes would be taking place.
It was lovely to meet up very briefly
with Florence Santa and Marion Kapu, ex-PTC. But the fleeting encounter was too
short. They had appreciated the longer visit of Director Sefo Tigarea from PTC's Women's programme, some
weeks ago.
Having returned to Honiara, I took a
cab to St Nicholas college at 5pm and was very glad to have a few minutes
conversation with Dr Edward Kolohai about the distance programme and he
graciously invited me to say a few words to his class. I was glad to bring
greetings and encouragement from PTCEE. I took a sunny, dusty walk back to
Chester Rest House, calling in at the Holy Cross Cathedral for prayer and
reflection on the events of the day.
Tuesday 9th May
Conversed and left information with
Bishop Raymond Aumae who has been called out of retirement to be Assistant
Bishop in the Diocese of Malaita for one year. Also Deacon Alistair Rihumana
from Ysabel.
I paid a courtesy call on Dr Abraham
Hauriasi, General Secretary of ACOM, and he was hugely welcoming and positive
about ACOM-PTC collaborations including the ongoing PTCEE programmes. He fondly
remembers worshipping in a three-way ecumenical Parish in New Zealand during
his time there.
PTCEE Diploma student Jimmy Carter
Malefodola came for conversation at Chester House and urged PTCEE to think
about different and more affordable delivery forms which offer options to
people with varying circumstances: eg. Instalment payments: course materials
released on the basis of 50% but no completion certificate unless full payment
made; Courses in soft copy: make PDFs available at reduced cost and only post
text books. Jimmy’s view is that even those out of town have friends in town
with internet access who can facilitate this for them. Not sure whether this is
an idealised view but am respectful of local wisdom! Jimmy is keen to complete
his Diploma and asked about sponsorships and scholarships. I encouraged him to
speak to Fr Anderson about local sponsorship for his next course and then he
would be eligible for the fourth ‘free’ course from PTCEE. As an experienced
secondary school teacher, I appreciated Jimmy’s advice to PTCEE in a number of
areas.
Just before leaving, Pastor Moses from
the SSEC followed up by phone on our meeting and is taking PTCEE matters to
their Board of Education shortly.
I flew Fiji airways back to Nadi and
connected to Suva the following morning.
Selected photographs of the week are
available also on our Facebook page at Ptcee Suva.
Budget and expenditure details are available on request from the PTCEE office.
There is much to give thanks to God
for in this visit and much for PTCEE to follow up. I am deeply grateful to all
involved.
Revd Dr Val Ogden
Director PTCEE
10 May 2017
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| Cross in the Chapel of Tetete ni Kolviti |
