Top 5 Interesting Events of the Past Week

By: Cindy Baker

#5 – Our Thursday night study in Loun village (15 minute drive away) has a good turnout with several visitors who have also been coming to worship with us on Sundays. Aaron studies with Harry and Miswel this week to train them further, he spent one evening studying and talking with the men at the nakamal (men’s meeting place) about what constitutes a true prophesy. This subject is of great interest right now as “Prophet Fred (no joke)” is gaining quite a following here in Tanna and has all kinds of prophesies about when cyclones are coming (he missed it by a week) and when the volcano will erupt, etc. I had a good discussion with Elizabeth, our current housegirl, and was able to tell her a little about the one true church of the Bible and our desire to only follow the Bible in every aspect of our lives from our conduct, to our family life, to our worship pracitices and life choices.

#4 – Woke up Monday morning to find that our nightly Rat friend had chewed up one entire side of my Pampered Chef (my good one!) rubber spatula. The spatula boasts being heat-proof up to 400 degrees. Apparently it is NOT rat-proof!

#3 – Found out Monday morning that there was a cyclone headed our way. It is our first cyclone experience. Spent the day putting house things in plastic boxes to protect them from water damage, filtering a good supply of water (just in case), and cutting down a Black Palm Tree next to our house to keep it from blowing over and falling on our house. Aaron and Harry got up on the roof and took down our solar panel and stacked wood and cement blocks on our roof to help hold down the corrogated steel. Cyclone hits about 7:30 that night. Lots of wind and rain. Gusts of 100mph. Rattles our tin roof and windows pretty good, but everything stayed in place. Thank the Lord!

#2 – Tuesday a.m., woke up to some rain and wind, but the storm has passed and was much less severe than was expected. Some branches and a few trees down, but no major damage and no damage to the local houses. We are most grateful for that!

#1 – Last Friday when we came back from town, a dog (named “Cookies n’ Cream” by Kaela because it was black and white) ran in front of the truck. Truck hits the dog, breaks its leg. Kaela and Melia are very sad for the dog. Local friends very happy. Why? Free meat! They take the dog down to their house and proceed to kill it and prepare it for eating. I fled the scene – I DO NOT want to watch that process. Kaela wants to stay – she just loves interesting stuff like that and has a stomach of steel where blood and guts are concerned. We expect someone to bring us our first taste of dog (which we actually wouldn’t mind trying – they say it is very good). However, it didn’t happen. But, apprently “Cookies n’ Cream” made a very nice soup!