The following is an evaluation written by Salome Karibule about our trip to the western province. Salome and her young son Marvella joined us for this trip. Salome has a masters degree in education and is currently a high school teacher in Gizo. She was very instrumental in the establishment of our Nazarene school, Zion Christian Academy, and served as principal for a number of years.
Impressions on the Lagoon trip.
This trip for me was an opportunity to tell of this great transforming God we serve. It was also an opportunity to meet up with my grand –dad's people (mother's side of the family) and to put name to person and further strengthen family ties. In a culture where relationships are of immense value, my purpose of being there meant more than my position.
I can well remember hearing stories from my grand-dad as a little girl about this place called Vilorae and that it was a place where whirlwinds occur frequently. It was a place of uncertainty and family were reluctant to actually move over to live there. How uncle Zoti and his family moved there and found Christ through the Church of the Nazarene can only be through the transforming power of the Christ we serve.
More so, I thought of my own whirlwinds in life, the shattered dreams and hopes, the broken pieces, the pain and realize that this trip is all about this Great God we serve and his transforming power in us. It is nothing about us but all about this Great God who in his love and mercy can take our shattered dreams and hopes, our brokenness and pain and transform them into something beautiful again specifically for his Glory. Yes instruments for his Glory!
The ride to Iriripasapasa was like riding through glassy waters. Whilst the "well " there still tastes salty or bitter as the locals describe it "springs of fresh water" have also been dug in the place .Yes family there through their bitter experiences have found this Great God who is the source of this "spring of living water" and I find great joy in knowing that they will never thirst again. Talking to my own people they have expressed that having the "Nazarene team" come to visit and the messages shared has encouraged and helped to strengthen their faith in this great God they serve. Listening to Becky's talks has helped them realize that God is interested in their physical lives and whole-being too. That when God transforms the inner man, the home and environment changes too.
To sum up the trip I can only boast about the transforming power of this Great God that we serve. That through his love and mercy he has enabled me to be a little flame, a change -agent maybe in a tiny way amongst my very own people of the Lagoons.
In him Salome.
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