Sorry for the slow down in posts. We came back on Wednesday and have been readjusting to being home.

But main reason why I've been a little more busy is because the little one caught an skin infection while in Vanuatu. He's alright and it's starting to heal. However, it's infectious so I've gotta take care to wash all his stuff separately and keep changing his sheets. The doc prescribed both local and oral antibiotics.

He's been a bit more grouchy but still coping pretty well. Thank God that he's good at taking his meds, not too fussy there.

Please keep us in prayer. Very heart pain to see him like that. Will update more soon!

After teaching for a whole week, James crashed over the weekend so I took Sophie out on my own to town!

It's really easy to get to town. There are these vans that they call "buses" here and you just have to flag them down and it costs 150 VT per person to get to anywhere one way. Children travel free. Pretty comfy but no seat belts tho. But they drive pretty safely here. 

First stop, the open market. Saturday must be the busiest day at the market. It opens 24 hrs through the week, closes on Sat by 2pm and it's closed on Sundays. In fact most of the shops in town are closed on Sundays. It's a religious observation for most because most go to church. During the week, the market stall owners sleep at their stall. You'll see mamas feeding babies, grandmas tending the stall, others sorting out the produce. It's generally the women who tend the stores. The men are the ones who harvest the produce in their land.

Sophie bought some peanuts. They are her favourite snack here. She's mastered how to crack the peanut herself this time! She used to bite the shell into pieces. I got myself some tapioca chips. My favourite snack here. I asked the mama at the store if I could take a picture and she raised her eyes and nodded her head. That's the local way of saying yes. After that she gave us a bunch of bananas! Actually she gave it to Sophie. So sweet ah… They really love children here. After that we got a pomelo. It's pomelo season and they are real yummy!

Next we went to the French pastry shop to get an ice-cream… actually to use the toilet… for customers…. so we got an ice-cream, the cheapest thing on the menu!

Finally we went to look for a princess dress for Sophie. The local chinese shops sell the ching chiong pink frilly ones complete with lace, sequins and ribbons… altogether. Managed to find one for her. It cost only 500 VT which is about S$7. She can just wear it casually and I don't have to worry about it ripping. The chinese lady at the shop gave us a discount! Sweet!

After that, we hopped into a bus and went home… in time for Levi's feed. Nice.

We spent the whole of yesterday at the base. 

Sophie had so much fun! I hardly saw her.
 

Left: Sophie visiting the pigpen. Someone paid their staff fees with a pig.

Right: Piglets! They are really very cute and really squeal when you pick them up. 

She spent the morning cooking in the bush kitchen (this is just really the outdoor kitchen) with Rinette, feeding the pigs and watching Kalin making a nest for the chick he caught.
 

Left: A coup for the chick that Kalin caught. He made it out of coconut and chicken wire. Genius!

Right: Hanging out at the bush kitchen on the base. 

She spent the afternoon in the sun washing clothes with Rinette. She was getting all wet so Rinette hung her dress on the line too.
 

At the end of the day, she didn't want to leave.

A special shout out to our good friends Es and Sue before I forget.

THANKS FOR THE T-SHIRTS!
 

Funny how it arrived just in time for the trip! I realised I didn't have much summer clothes for Levi and also they were just the right size (3-6 mths). It's so comfy and easy to wear and of course, uber trendy! Thanks heaps. Save me from washing everyday!
 

P/s: Levi is 11 months weeks old today and just before we left, the Plunket nurse weighed him. He was 6.48 kg! My arms are aching from having carry and pat him to sleep. When we return, it's time to sleep train! But he's been doing real well, super cute. I think he's in love with me because he bursts into big smiles whenever I look at him. So so so cuteeeeee.

P/s: And yes, this will be my last post for tonight.

The fruits in Vanuatu are amazing! Truly organic and dropping at your doorstep. Past few days we've been awakened by mangos dropping on G & A's rooftop!
 

It's mango season! Apparently they only bear fruit twice a year. We're in luck!

A got the base staff to come collect the fruits. We experimented making mango jam. Maybe can sell them and raise funds for the base. A & I have been brainstorming names for the products and trying to think of ideas to help to develop an avenue for the base to disciple the staff through working and at the same time raise money for the base.

On a side note, it's really quite hard to run a base in a country where subsistence farming is the main way of life. Essentially when the kids come to do a DTS or be on staff, they have no money to pay staff fees (In YWAM, we serve as volunteers and we pay a monthly staff fees to our base). Instead, they "pay" their staff fees with produce e.g. coconuts, firewood, bananas, pigs etc! But still, the base needs money to pay for electricity and food etc. Visiting teams help to off set some of the costs but in the long run, the base needs to find ways to sustain the running of the base. They don't even have money to pay for visiting speakers. Each time we come, we come on our own support. It's really hard for them to invite visiting speakers for the DTS since they can't pay but somehow God just provides! So G & A are looking in the long run to develop a sustainable business model for the Ni-Vans to be able to learn new skills, be discipled and also support themselves.

Oh yes, if you would like to support their efforts financially in some way, please do let us know because we're aware of some projects that will require help. As of now, we know of a building project and a couple who are coming to do FMS next year that will need help. 

Vanuatu has been invaded by Chinese people (ok… as with everywhere else in the world). The Chinese (mostly from China or Hong Kong) own most of the stores around and the Ni-Vans work for them. This has caused some sort of discrimination both ways. 

It is really quite unfortunate I feel because they don't realise how similar they both are culture wise because of the language barrier. Of course when we walk around, the Ni-Vans who don't know us automatically link us to the local Chinese people. The kids on the streets call us "chineese! chineese!" which we laugh about and repeat it back to them in the way they say it but we know there is an underlying discrimination of sorts.
 

It's funny how God brought us here. We've made friends on both sides. There's a Chinese guy in town whose family owns some shops who calls James "bro" on FB. We also enjoying chatting with the aunties in the shops.
 

P/s We chanced upon this Chinese takeout. They serve one of the cheapest meals around and food taste like home. The setting looks like S'p in the 60s. Tres retro!

Sorry for the slow down in updates while we've been here. 

James has been teaching since Monday and it's been going well! It's a small class of 5 students and 3 staff. It's been cool to see how God works differently each time. James' been learning how to not teach the same things but to really press in and hear God for the specifics each time. He decided not to email everyone daily like the last time but I'll leave him to do that when he is ready.
 

We accompanied him on the first day to the base but after that, I decided to stay home with the kids instead. I would love to be at the base to hang out and catch up with people but it was just too stressful managing both kids and trying to keep the flies off Levi. It was much easier being at G & A's place. Much cooler with the fan too. But Sophie really enjoys being at the base. I think it's because it's familiar to her. Each time we've been to Vanuatu, we've stayed at the base. This is the first time we are staying off base. She enjoys running around and having the company of the che ches and kor kors.
 

Tomorrow is the last day of the teaching and we'll go to the base again with James.
 

Pls continue to pray with us for open heavens. For the students to experience a breakthrough in their struggles and in their relationship with God. To come to know God as their loving Father and to feel safe enough to completely surrender to Jesus as the Lord of their lives.

 
From Left: Clement from previous DTS, Sophie & Leiana, Nico & Krisma, Dinner at Geoff & Amanda's home

It's good to catch up with our friends here again.

We are in Vanuatu. 

We are staying with Geoff and Amanda, the YWAM base directors here. James only starts teaching next Monday so we're adapting into island culture, relaxing and enjoying the company of our dear friends.
 

The kids normally takes a day or two to settle in. Since Tues, Levi's been quite erratic in his feeding and sleeping. He's only starting to feed better and seem more relaxed today. Sophie's happy to have a play mate Leiana (Geoff and Amanda's 4 yr old daughter) and they even slept in the same room the first night. Our days starts real early coz the cocks start crowing real early and the room is not completely blacked out.
 

The beach is opposite the house and mangos keep dropping on the roof from tree next to the house. I'm in heaven. Except my heaven will have no stray dogs.

I'm quite a scardy cat and tend to avoid the hard stuff. But God seems to delight in pushing me to the edge, like what a good Father does. The bible says in James 1: 2-4: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Yesterday I had to do one of the most challenging thing in my life thus far. I had to pack up, drive with two kids up to Auckland n meet James there. It is prob easy for most but it was harder for me for a couple of reasons. One, one of my two kids is a newborn. Two, I only started driving in June. Three, I have never driven long distance to an unknown location without James helping to direct me.
 

But but but with the grace of God, a praying husband, relatively obedient n independent 4 yr old, a newborn who slept n woke up at the right times, google maps, a kind Shell attendent who directed us when google maps failed to pick up info of a road closure that threw me completely off n finally the familiar M sign that assured us of a familiar menu, toilets, a playground n even changing table. What an adventure! We left at 330 n finally got to the motor lodge at 7. Took a bit longer than usual coz we took a break when we missed a turning and got lost but very glad when we got there.

Thank you Lord and thank you all for praying. I'm writing on the way to V2.
 

James has been invited back to speak at the DTS and this time we're going as a family! I'm really excited.

It's been a year since I've been there (James was there in June on his own) and I really miss the people and the place. I so love the vibe and the people. We'll be staying only two weeks. The first week James will be teaching and the second week we'll be on holiday.

Please keep us in prayer. It's been a up hill battle till this point – trying to get Levi's passport, stress on our relationship etc. The evil one knows our weakest points so please pray that we'll press in and be strong. The topic that James will be speaking on is "Lordship of Christ" and "Fatherheart of God". This is a crucial topic on a DTS because it is a turning point when the students make a deliberate choice in their lives to make Jesus Lord. The last time James spoke, many miracles happened and we expect no less this time! So pls pray with us coz we're really excited. Also pray for good health for the family esp the kids and that Levi will travel and settle well. Oh yes and that we'll have a good break and holiday after.

When we return, a few exciting things will be happening. Sophie will be in her first stage performance with her dance class. My parents and sis are coming for a week. And in Jan, we'll be getting ready to lead the next family ministry school. It's a great challenge but we're excited.

Lord come and have your way!

P/s The last time James was in Vanuatu, he sent out a daily prayer email updating family and friends to pray. If you were not on that list and would like to be, pls email us. It was really exciting to read his emails recounting the daily challenges and miracles. Thanks for praying and loving us!

Sophie has "graduated" from Nursery!

We completed her Chinese and English workbooks last week! Woo hoo!

We took about 5 months to do so and stopping for about a month when Levi was born. It's not a race but I just wanted to celebrate her efforts so each time she finished a workbook, we celebrated with a glass of milk and cookie! She loves that! She also got a book as a present. I remember I used to get book prizes in primary school and it was just such an encouragement and I felt so proud! She doesn't go to school so we just want to celebrate her efforts at home.

Yeah Sophie! You've done well and Mummy and Daddy are so proud of you!

I'm really thankful that we've managed to keep up the homeschooling this time round and Sophie has really flourished in both languages. I thank God for the strength. It hasn't been that much work on my part and we've kept to the books and basics but it helps that Sophie is a quick learner. Flipside is that she gets bored easily so lessons have to be quick and interesting. The Math book we got is too tedious for her so I stopped using it and only recently changed to another syllabus that is much more interesting (will write more about it next time.).

We take a "school" break for the next two weeks. We'll be in Vanuatu and I'm sure we'll have lots to learn on the journey. When we return, we'll start on the K1 books and new stuff. Excited