Our Unforgettable Journey to Vanuatu
AS OUR plane took off from Port-Vila airport to take us back to Nouméa, New Caledonia, we began to realize that much of what we experienced on our journey had been unexpected. Deeply etched into our memory were not only the sights and sounds of the beautiful islands of Vanuatu and its warmhearted people but also the harrowing experience of surviving a devastating cyclone on a tropical island.
Vanuatu is a Y-shaped group of approximately 80 islands in the southwestern Pacific, about 250 miles [400 km] northeast of New Caledonia. Scattered among the islands are 84 of our fellow witnesses of Jehovah in two congregations. My wife and I were quite excited when arrangements were made for us to visit them. Naturally, many questions came to our mind. What kind of conditions would we encounter? What are the islanders like? And, most important, how would they respond to the good news of the Kingdom?
Convention in Port-Vila
We were somewhat worried when we learned that although most of the inhabitants are Melanesian by race, there are over a hundred languages spoken throughout the archipelago. But we were relieved to find out that a kind of Pidgin English called Bislama is a common tongue. So there would be no great problem in communicating with the people.
Our first stop was Port-Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. Here, we were to attend the “Divine Peace” District Convention. The local Witnesses worked hard to get it ready. It was heartwarming to meet delegates from remote islands who had to save for months to make the trip.
The meeting hall was packed from the first day of the convention. Over 300 people came to see the Bible dramas presented through videotapes. This was outstanding, considering that there are only 84 Kingdom publishers throughout the islands. Certainly, Jehovah is preparing a good harvest on these little specks of earth in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Meeting the “Small Nambas”
The next day, a native brother and I took a small plane and headed for the island of Malekula. After a rough and turbulent flight, we landed at South West Bay. My companion went in search of his cousin to get a boat for us. It was the only way to reach the village of Letokas, our final destination.
As we set out in our boat and followed the coastline, I was struck by the natural beauty of the island. The steep cliffs plunging straight into the ocean were simply awesome. Lush vegetation was everywhere, laced with brilliant flowers or covered with creepers, ferns, and delicate orchids. Darting from tree to tree were colorful birds, such as the coconut lories.
From our boat we could also see the richness of the sea—the coral reef, the traditional larder of the islanders. People from all over the world come to dive and admire the beauty of the coral and the tropical fish. Shells and lobsters also abound, and the natives net and spear them for food.
Soon we noted smoke ascending from a coconut plantation in the distance. It marked our destination, a beautiful cove near Bamboo Bay. As we got close to shore, several porpoises came by to play around us. Then we saw some men with bows and arrows making a lot of excited gestures. Among them, we spotted our brothers, rejoicing over our coming.
These were the Small Nambas of southern Malekula, one of the most isolated tribes in the South Pacific. They live in small villages high in the mountains several days’ walk from the coast. The men used to wear the “namba,” a loin covering made of leaves attached to a bark belt. The women wear short grass skirts. In each village, there is usually a ceremonial center where sacrificial dances and other rituals are performed. Though many of the villagers have adopted the Western way of life, superstitious and spiritistic practices are still common.
It was a pleasure to meet and greet the brothers. The men were of small stature but very strong. Their natural shyness and their kindness touched my heart. Some of the children were afraid of me because the white men they knew were mostly doctors, and the children could well remember the shots!
The village was divided in two by a small coconut plantation in the middle. One half of the village is reserved for those who have accepted the truth, and I soon learned the reason for this. In order to take a stand for the truth and to continue their Bible study, some must live separately from the other villagers.
The huts are built on top of bamboo piles. As we entered one of them, I was immediately affected by dense smoke from a fire in the middle of the room. The smoke made my eyes itch, but at least it also kept mosquitoes and flies away. Nearby, in another small hut, a woman was attending a piece of buluk, or beef, laid on laplap leaves, black with flies.
We invited the people to attend a slide program on Wednesday evening. It was a presentation of the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses entitled Moving Ahead Worldwide Despite Persecution. One of the publishers had gone ahead on a one-day journey to invite some villagers in the mountains. I was anxious to see if they would come. By dusk, a young man arrived with his bow and arrows. He was followed by several other persons. I was thrilled to see that the distance did not stop them from coming to this meeting.
Soon, we were surrounded by bows and arrows. About 80 people had come, and we started the program. It was amusing to listen to the sound they would make with their tongue when they were surprised by something they saw in the slides.
After the slide program, the discussion centered on the customs and practices of the native people. The villagers listened attentively and gladly accepted the Bible’s warning against demonism at 1 Corinthians 10:20, 21. For some time, they had resisted the efforts of the missionaries of Christendom’s churches to make them follow the so-called Christian way of life. This was partly because they did not agree with some of the doctrines taught by the missionaries and partly because they were shocked by the conduct of some who claimed to be Christians. Now, the villagers were happy to learn about God’s promise to restore an earthly paradise and to resurrect the dead. I could not help thinking of Jesus’ words at John 8:32: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The faith of these people and their love for the Bible had also meant opposition for them. Some religious chiefs forced the natives to nail our brochures on their doors as a sign meaning ‘we do not want these here.’ But this kind of pressure had only caused some of the householders to want a Bible study in order to find out about the truth. It was very hard for me to leave these fine friends who love the truth. I promised that I would come back and visit their village up in the mountains.
Surviving Cyclone Uma
Our journey included a stop at Espíritu Santo, another island to the north in Vanuatu. There we visited the Luganville Congregation. Though there was just one elder in that congregation, there is a fine spirit among the friends. At the Bible talk on Sunday, we were all pleasantly surprised to see 150 people, three times the number of Kingdom publishers.
We had to return to Port-Vila to catch the plane that would take us home to Nouméa, New Caledonia. While in Port-Vila, we heard news Friday afternoon that cyclone Uma was on its way. People were not too surprised, since this type of weather activity is quite common at that time of year. Then it was reported that the cyclone was due to arrive by 7:00 p.m. We quickly sent a message through the local radio station that our meetings would be postponed. And I was somewhat worried about our flight back to Nouméa on Sunday.
By 5:30 p.m., the wind had become so strong that it began smashing some windows. We realized that we had to barricade the windows and doors so that the wind would not rush in and rip off the roof. Mattresses, beds, bureaus, and tables were piled up against the windows and doors. We could feel the force of the wind lashing against the house, but happily everything held up. Later we learned that the winds were up to 150 miles per hour [240 km/hr] that night.
Soon there was a lull. We took advantage of this and rushed out to see how the Witnesses living next door were doing. We were astonished to find that the trees in their yard had been blown down and the wall of one room had caved in. The three sisters were hovering in another room, waiting for help. We began to wonder how our other brothers were faring. We all prayed to Jehovah to preserve them.
By midnight, after nearly eight exhausting hours, the cyclone was heading south of the archipelago. But lightning and rain continued. By the constant flashes, we could see corrugated tin roofs flying by everywhere. And soon it began to rain inside the house. It was now 2:30 a.m., and we decided we should go and see how our brothers were doing.
The Aftermath
The streets were filled with leaves and branches, bits and pieces of furniture, tin roofs and household items. Metal lampposts had been twisted and thrown to the ground. We had to wade through all the rubble. A terrible sight of desolation was before our eyes. Then we found the local presiding overseer and his family shivering in their small car. The roof of their home had been blown off by the cyclone, and the house was destroyed. It was a relief to find them unharmed.
That cyclone turned out to be the most devastating one Vanuatu had experienced in 25 years. The rough seas ran all the ships aground, and we learned that 46 people had been killed or were missing, mostly among those on the ships. Nearly 4,000 people lost their homes, and the crop and property damage was put at $200 million. We were happy to learn that none of our brothers had been killed or injured.
Quickly, a relief committee was set up. Jehovah’s Witnesses in New Caledonia sent more than a thousand pounds of supplies, including food, clothing, and items to help the brothers rebuild their homes. A group of interested persons on the other side of the island embraced us when they saw us. Their crops had been destroyed, and only one old-style hut had withstood the storm. We made sure that they had enough food for two days, and then we returned to Port-Vila.
The local authorities were also beginning to provide assistance, and help from neighboring countries began to come in. As the stench of putrefaction began to rise, the government advised the people to clean up the city as quickly as possible. We offered some suggestions on the use of water so as to prevent the spread of diseases like typhoid fever and cholera.
The following Thursday, to everyone’s delight, we managed to present the slide program. After the meeting, we could hear the buzzing of conversation among the friends. Many of them were still feeling the shock of having lost all their belongings. But everyone showed a marvelous spirit of willingness to help and care for the needs of others. What a demonstration of Christian unity!
Finally, it was time for us to leave our beloved brothers and sisters. We were greatly encouraged by their love and zeal. The hardship we had experienced only drew us closer to one another. As our plane took us out of Port-Vila, our heartfelt wish was that we might return and see all of them again.—Contributed.
[Map/Pictures on page 26]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
VANUATU
ESPÍRITU SANTO
Luganville
MALEKULA
EFATE
Port-Vila
NEW CALEDONIA
Nouméa
[Pictures]
Port-Vila, capital of Vanuatu
Preaching to a local resident
A typical village
[Picture on page 29]
Glad to hear the good news