Busy, busy, busy!

Despite being on Fijian time we have been very busy... And there hasn't been much time to keep the blog up to date. I'm currently fighting a headcold so would very much appreciate your prayers. Last night was the first time I shivered in Fiji and curled up under my sheet...from a temperature, unfortunately!

Day 4 - New Years Eve

I visited Basden College for the first time to pray for it & the teachers there. I was surprised at how tiny it is. The majority of the property is a primary school and Basden College has been set up as an after thought for high school students in two small buildings at the back. It will be so good when they finally build the new container classrooms.

We rang in the new year at Butt st church. All the men sang for us, and then all the women.

Butt St NYE service

Day 5 - New Years Day

We were invited to a special lunch at Mika's parents place. They bought Chinese food for us and cooked fire roasted Dalo (Taro) for us and we ate sitting on the floor Fijian style. We felt very honoured.

Then in the evening we joined Mika's daughter, Ruth, and a group of her Christian friends as they sang and witnessed to people in Suva park. It was a lovely time of fellowship, sharing and prayer. Then we went back to Finnay's place and drank tea. The young people joined us and began worshipping. Teri and Lenore taught them the song, "Be strong and courageous" with actions. The young people, especially the boys, really got into it which is something you would never see young guys do in Australia, as they would be too embarrassed about it. I've got it on video and will post it soon.

Day 6 and onwards...

Mika has been having huge conflicts with the manager of the school and would greatly appreciate any and all prayers. The manager has a lot of connections in the Fijian Indian community and has charged Mika with a lot of false accusations of corruption and has been working hard to get Mika transferred from Basden. The archbishop is going to write a letter to the board of education in support of Mika but has been overseas and unavailable due to the death of the Anglican treasurer (who was also corrupt).

When we came into the country we were given temporary 2 week visitor visas, so we have been busy trying to apply for a longer multiple entry visa. This is rather expensive ($667 in total, which has to be paid in exact cash). This also requires a letter from the archbishop to vouch for us, we have written both letters so we just need the archbishop to sign them for us, so we would appreciate your prayers, as it is already day 11, which doesn't leave us much time!!!

On the plus side we have found an amazing house to rent! It is only $1100FJD a month, which makes it about $50AUD each for us per week, for a 3brm home each with ensuite, secure fencing & 6 minutes from Basden. God is good (All the time!)

It isn't furnished so we've spent a lot of time shopping to buy beds, mattresses and a fridge. Oh and I also bought some Fijian dresses and a sulira (skirt) with matching top.

Our container of goods will be arriving soon, so Mika has been plugging ahead full steam to get the driveway built in time to support the truck and also a slab of concrete to support the container classrooms for this year. Lenore and I spent a good amount of time scrubbing the teachers office and I got landed with cleaning the toilets... I have to confess this annoyed me greatly! I said to God, what is with you & sending me places to clean toilets? You sent me to Ellel where I had to clean 13 toilets a day, then you gave me a job in personal care cleaning toilets and wiping bottoms, and now you've sent me to Fiji to clean yet more toilets!?! ...I think we have a God with a dirty sense of toilet humour!

The beaches in Suva are not the picture perfect postcard kinds you imagine. Suva is a walled harbour like Sydney, although it is cleaner and full of the most amazing tropical fish (zebra striped, neon coloured and purple & yellow tangs). In other places it is mud & mangroves (like under the Roseville bridge). So I haven't chilled under a palm tree on the beach just yet. ;) but  I do hope to go visit the reef sometime!

It hasn't been all tea and biscuits...(although there certainly have been a lot of tea and biscuits consumed)... we had no running water for 3 days, and we lost electricity one day too, but the hotel next door let us have a swim in their pool, which helped lift our spirits.

Tomorrow is moving day...so next update will be from the new place when we get wifi installed.

Our new house in Kishore Kumar Rd

Love & blessings to you all!

Mika's son & I