2 Busy 2 Blog!

That hasn't happened to me before! I  normally get around to writing and reflecting once a week or every ten days or so, but it's all been a bit full on. Funnily enough, the world hasn't paused on its axis due to this omission... We stick a few things up on the Education by Extension Department's Facebook page - or rather, the faithful Jokapeci does - pretty frequently. And just now, I'm going to cheat by simply putting a few pics up here and commenting on them. Nothing profound!

It was very soggy until just a few days ago and so it was wellies to work. 

And my old drawers had a makeover - look. Like them?

We're really going for our new strapline

We  believe in

THEOLOGY

for ALL

for LIFE

Hoping that I can increasingly play a small part in opening up what that means to different groups, so that we really start to move beyond this it's 'only for ministers'  mentality.

Crystal Valerie Tuilomani Kalouniviti paid us a visit. She's my 'yaca' - namesake. (That's been on a previous post; try to keep up). She's giggling, singing, expanding and keeping her Mum and Dad, Lome and Koli, bursting with pride! A joy to see her again.

I can now confirm that postcards from Gothenburg to Suva take 1 month exactly: 21 Sept to 21 October.

My cousin David went. To see the Volvo museum, among other things.

I love getting postcards. They're such simple, cheerful things. And it still floors me that a small piece of cardboard with a pretty picture, some friendly squiggles and an unusual stamp on it can find its way thousands of miles across the globe and not get lost. 

SEND ME POSTCARDS! Well, only if you want to. No pressure.

And Deidre Madden visited her old haunt. Hoorah! 

Deidre was Director of PTCEE for 10 years until November 2013 and I'm of course the inheritor of much of her faithful work and have heard her spoken of many times around the campus.

She was full of ideas and experience, touchingly concerned about and attentive to a course that hadn't been in quite the shape she'd have liked it to be on leaving, and had a good catch up with colleagues on campus and friends at the Anglican Cathedral where she was much immersed.

Here we are, swapping notes and sorting stuff. 

God Bless, Deidre as you return to Australia and take care of yourself.

Praising for all that is past. 

Trusting for all that's to come

And that's the best I can do until next time! 

Does it add up?

It could be put off no longer. I did the 2016 Education by Extension Departmental budget this week. On paper we've got 2000 FJ$ (about £600) excess income over expenditure. However, the two major items in the income column have yet to be confirmed: grants from the World Mission Fund of the Methodist Church in Britain (optimistic) and another from a German mission agency (trying to be optimistic). The rest of the income will be locally generated from student fees and coursebook sales, plus extra Pacific Church support if we can drum it up, and I've carried over the contingency sum that's already banked in a high interest account. So, no wiggle room at all, sadly. We can also create income by selling our materials and services - like textbooks that we happen to have on the shelf, or my teaching and marking stints - to the residential school or other internal programmes within PTC. But I really feel uncomfortable about that 'buying from Peter to pay Paul' approach in an ecumenical Christian College when we're all in the same business. Cross-charging seems unethical and self-defeating to me. Not least when some departments doing that add 10% for good measure. (Meditate upon Deuteronomy 23.19-20 and discuss!) However, the reality is that as the year rolls on, with the prospect of Graduation second week in November, belts get tightened and it can be a real struggle to pay the Xmas salaries. An e-mail came around this week saying all new library orders were on hold until the new year. And yet, the ground is being tentatively marked out for the building of new and improved housing on campus, so we sure are people of faith. 

The World Mission Fund of the Methodist Church in Britain has a Just Giving page by the way. And our name's 'Pacific Theological College Education by Extension'. (Just thought I'd slip that by you). 

Yesterday, 9th October, was Fiji Day marking 45 years of independence from Britain. The Fijian ethnic group here at College generously put on a wonderful morning tea for the whole community and sang to us. We prayed for this great nation's future, especially for the wise choice, shortly, of a new President. God Bless Fiji.

The Fiji Times chose to mark Independence Day with this lead story which I reproduce with grateful thanks to and acknowledgement of Sikeli Qounadovu. Here's how getting to school looks for some of Fiji's children.

Students of Tubarua Village in the interior of Naitasiri during their four-hour trek covering 10km to get to their school after Sunday lunch, crossing the Wainimala River more than 20 times. Picture: JOVESA NAISUA

Tough walk        Sikeli Qounadovu

Saturday, October 10, 2015

EDUCATION is a luxury and to some extent life threatening for the children of Tubarua Village who have to cross the Wainimala River 32 times to reach the nearest school to them, Nakurukuruvakatini Primary School. In the past five years, at least 10 students have lost their lives along the treacherous route.

Noemalu District representative Kaliova Tivulu said villagers of Tubarua had to watch in vain when a Year 3 student on horseback was swept by strong currents of the raging Wainimala River early this year. "Keimami qai cici yani me keimami saga me vueti koya sa bera (When we ran to try and save her, we were too late)."

The children - starting from kindergarten, who are all boarders have to cross the Wainimala River 32 times to reach the school. They leave their homes on Sunday afternoon and return on Friday afternoons, which Mr Tivulu said was a normal routine.The Fiji Times accompanied the school children as they journeyed down the Wainimala River on Sunday October 4 - from ankle deep to knee deep and waist deep, the children sang songs and shared jokes.Despite the challenges they faced, they were in high spirits. They formed a line and held each other's hands while crossing the river - just to ensure that no one was swept by the strong currents.

"The good thing about these students is despite their geographical location, they have the urgency to come to school and their attendance is 100 per cent," headteacher Sekonaia Ledua said. Mr Ledua added so far this year, they had had to take four children to the health centre because of sickness associated from walking bare feet and crossing the river.

Nakurukuruvakatini Primary School has a school roll of 162 student - 72 of which are borders.Tubarua Village is the last village in the district of Noemalu, Naitasiri. To reach that village, one has to cross the raging Wainimala River for four and a half hours.

Meanwhile Divisional Education Officer Central, Serupepeli Udre said they had already approved the construction of an infant school for villagers in the upreach of the Wainimala River. He said they were asked to hold the construction of the school as the road needed to be constructed first.

"The infant school was to cater for children in Nasava, Nasauvere and Tubarua villages - to look after those in kindergaten and from Year One to Year Three. Depending on the number of students we could have one to two teachers."

As we celebrate Fiji Day today, we should spare a thought for those who are less fortunate and be grateful for things we have. The Fiji Roads Authority says they will first need to upgrade the road leading to Sawanikula village before a road is constructed for villages within the district of Noemalu.

Fiji Roads Authority Manager Rory Garland said their next phase would be the construction of the road from Sawanikula to Korovou Village which should be completed in 2017. "We will then look at the next phase and how we can continue the road to reach the other villages," he said last night.

On a change of subject, and possibly a question to British Methodists mostly - recognise the guy in the picture?

It looks awfully like Rev Eden Fletcher, doesn't it? Well spotted. Former minister at Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. And what's he doing in Suva, one might ask? Well, he's on his way to Vietnam (it's sort of on the way...) as the British Methodist Church's latest mission partner. Eden descended as a blessing among us for a week, to have a bit of retreat and reflection time, and to meet and talk with others who've 'moved in mission'. So he's spent his time meeting Julia Edwards and myself in Suva, the Neals up at the Methodist College, Davuilevu, and had few nights at the Catholic's Pacific Regional Seminary with 'the boys' as Rector Fr Mick always calls his priests in formation! He also joined in the Wednesday evening Bible study at Nanuku (having only flown in from the UK that day, God love him), much to the group's delight.

And hey, guess what? We only found Vietnamese Sisters Lucia and MyHanh, from the 'Daughters of Charity' religious order, in Nausori - not far from Suva. (That was Sister MyHanh in the earlier photo). How good is that? They've been in the US for a number of years, and are now on mission here, so a beautiful exchange of life histories, Vietnam experiences and prayers of encouragement were enjoyed by Eden and myself over afternoon tea in their peaceful home. How God connects his global people is as marvellous as it is mysterious. Go well Eden. Fiji won't forget you.

Beat the lali - let us praise God!

for journeys and meetings

for mission in humility

for giving and receiving

for openness to one another

Screen printing by the Pacific Theological College Women's Fellowship

Women's Doings

My word, I couldn't be accused of neglecting sisterly matters this week. Methodist Women in Britain will be proud of me. Do visit their website by the way - it's great. 

On Friday evening I was at the annual elections for the Pacific Theological College's Women's Fellowship Executive. Up for grabs were the roles of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Here's the old Exec. From the left, Ruci (Methodist Church Fiji), Selina (Angllcan Fiji), Elena (Congregational Christian Church of Samoa) and Temalesi, (Methodist Church in Fiji). 

Half an hour later, after one or two adamant (but perfectly acceptable, in my view) 'I decline' responses to nominations and a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, the white smoke went up (or was that the tea urn overheating?) and the Executive transmogrified into this. 

Did you spot that Selina (brown shawl) is still there, God love her? But not as Secretary, as VP now. The new President, standing, is Ta'ofi whose husband Rev Iosefa is doing his PhD here. They're from the Methodist Church in Samoa. On her left is Florence Santa, Anglican Diocese of Melanesia, Solomon Islands. And Alofa Crawley, American Samoa, seated, green dress, pursed lips, is the new treasurer. I think the caption for Alofa could read, 'Pay up your subs girls, or else'. (They know I'm teasing!) Seriously, I wish the new Exec the wisdom of Anna, the laughter of Sarah and the enterprise of Lydia as they get into full swing. There's an exceptional amount of 'Martha' work required of women here, often in the kitchen, and many a question raised by that in some minds, not least mine. But it's done with selfless skill, unquenchable energy, admirable efficiency and great humour. Awesome.

I was at another Women's Fellowship gathering on Saturday afternoon to talk about the Book of Esther and whether she shows us what it means to be 'True to our Destiny'. Invitations to speak sometimes come with unnervingly particular requirements, but it keeps a mission partner on their toes. This was at Wesley Central Mission, and when I entered the Lower Hall, quite early, to find chairs in rows and the 1933 red hymn book, I smiled and thought - affectionately - yep, I'm pretty sure it's a traditional Methodist Ladies' Fellowship waiting to happen and I'm in the right place.

And then it's Pinktober, don't you know. That's a month long awareness campaign on risks, early detection and prevention of  Breast Cancer that gets a lot of publicity here. A bunch of us from College, urged on by the effervescent Kini our bookshop manager, were up at 0530, pretty in pink, to join a walk and event in one of the town parks. Some Zumba warm up and cool down was on offer, blood pressure testing, free pink T shirts, healthy(ish) refreshments, and breast exams by a doctor in a tent.

The main speaker was Deaconess Asena Daumaka Senimoli who's a student here at PTC and getting closer and closer to achieving her Bachelor of Divinity degree, despite her surgery and journey through breast cancer. She's been studying in 'mixed mode' as we say, doing what she can when she can, and has a couple of our Extension courses on the go as we speak. So I know Asena quite well: she often pops into the office for encouragement, and was moved to hear her speak. One of the issues she's had to contend with is that complex relationship between Fijian traditional medicines and treatments; scientific tests and clinical options at the CWM hospital; and the power of prayer along with the trust in a God who heals. Asena's husband, family, relatives, colleagues in ministry etc, all had their words of advice and caution, along with suggestions about what to go for and what not to go for. If you're not careful, all that can do your head in. Asena had to make some difficult and firm choices. She's full of faith but equally full of conviction about the need to seek medical treatment quickly. She's now cancer free. The event was on her birthday and there was a huge cake for her to cut. O Happy Day.

Asena's in the middle, flanked by Tua and myself. 

If you haven't had enough on the women's theme yet, I also attended this week, the Executive Committee of 'Weavers'. This is a programme that's been running about 25 years (same age as the Education by Extension programme at PTC) belonging to the South Pacific Association of Theological Schools. I've mentioned them before: SPATS. Weavers has a brief to promote theological education for women all across the South Pacific and to encourage member colleges to put a bit of oomph into that area too. They often don't.

There's talk of scholarships and murmurings about a possible conference, but it's a bit 'watch this space' I think. The majority of the Executive have been associated with Weavers for most of its life, and it's impossible not to notice the many, 'well...we used to...' kind of sentences. I'm really interested to hear and read about what's gone on in the past and to be helpful in looking to the future, if there''s any way I can be. Not least because - selfishly - many of our Extension students are female and any solid support for them via Weavers would be terrific. There's been some. More would be wondrous. We'll see! Enjoy looking at the woven Samoan mat above and be suitably inspired to pray for 'Weavers', please.

---=---

Just going back to Pinktober for a minute, recognise the senior gentleman in the baseball cap in the refreshment queue?

I wouldn't blame you if not. It was his wish - as it often is if he can get away with it - to blend into the crowd, queue for his T-shirt like anyone else, stand and listen attentively to Asena's speech (politely refusing a chair when offered), and be accorded no special favours.

He just happens to be His Excellency the President of the Republic of Fiji, Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, CF, LVO, OBE, MSD, KStJ.

It was one of the most beautiful things I've seen for a long time.