Overwhelmed and deeply touched by so many messages and prayers in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Winston. 'Vinaka vakalevu' - highest thanks. If you're reading this, there'll have been enough internet & power to post it, miraculously. These still erratic as you might expect. 

Campus clean up began in earnest yesterday - here with neighbours Judah and Ana-Latu from Papua New Guinea and Selai who's Fijian. Judah muses, 'We don't get these in PNG - occasionally category 2 or 3 but not 5....'

Huge trees uprooted but none fell on buildings or persons. Leaky houses, no power etc, but everyone safe. We are deeply grateful. Fijian colleagues speak of families in other parts of the islands who have lost everything: homes, schools etc. It's significant.

I was more concerned about families in Nanuku informal settlement where our little church is and visited yesterday with a bit of financial support. Here's Avishek contemplating the former roof of his house.

Inside, everything's saturated and because it's been raining again, you can't get things dry. The army and police have been round to check what the situation is and will get cracking I'm sure. Shelley and family have already got started with a few tears but far more steely resolve and good humour. They don't hang about.

As soon as his mother gets him into dry clothes he goes for a roll around on a soggy mattress of course. Still - good to have a giggle.

Walking out of the settlement back to base I bumped into Seni from youth group at church. She'd been at the local grocery, up and running very quickly, buying bread for the family. 'Eh, Pastor Val!' she said indignantly. 'Yesterday when the cyclone came, it was my birthday! 18 years!' 

I gave her a hug.

We may need to do some theology about that in due course...