Vanuatu 22

This week I have some confirmation around the handover to the new team leader here and when I will return home. Paul Westlake arrives from the UK on May 27 and I have four days with him to brief him and show him around, before returning to Perth on June 1. (Although I actually arrive just after midnight on the morning of June 2).

I have to acknowledge in this that there is a real gift being made to the people of Vanuatu by my family and my Corps. While I don't over-estimate my own importance, I do understand the sacrifice that's made by Angela, especially, so I can serve here.

It's been a rough end to the week, in some respects. We have been working hard to try and capitalise on the visible presence of The Salvation Army through IES for the long term future of The Salvation Army in Vanuatu. Our congregations here have enjoyed this boost from afar, and there was hope for a development presence to continue after our teams exit in late July.

Sadly, the news isn't good. The development office of the Australia Eastern territory have indicated that at this stage there is no external or internal funding available for development work in Vanuatu.  If there is to be an ongoing developmental presence it will be dependant on the eventual availability of internally generated self-denial funds, and probably a partnership with another agency who can monitor projects for the territory in country. This sets us back, for at least a time.

One of the greatest hindrances to our work here has been that The Salvation Arm is yet to officially recognise the congregations that we have here and register the movement in Vanuatu. We can't purchase and hold property, a vehicle for example, or enter leases, because The Salvation Army doesn't legally exist here. This is another reason that ongoing development work will be hard - it's hard to maintain a presence that doesn't technically exist.

Please pray for a way forward in this area. Our IES team have provided The Salvation Army's Sydney headquarters and International Headquarters in London with the legal paperwork required to register The Salvation Army here. We know it's not that simple though; once the movement is legally registered here, it needs to be officially maintained and that takes a lot more work than letting a couple of thriving congregations do their own thing.