Captain's Log #23
December 2001

THE YEAR 2001
FISHING FOR FISH
Yesterday was almost to the minute, 10 hours sailing time with 19 people aboard before we finally dropped anchor. But to be honest those 10 hours were not in a straight line with a singular objective. Some of our group didn't show up in time for us to leave at the 4AM departure time, so we only got away at 4:45 and spring tides don't wait for anybody. The falling tides would now create a problem for me. They would increase the dangers beyond the margins that I've laid out in getting through a passage of tricky reef in route. This was going to force us to reroute or anchor and wait for many, many hours. An hour or so before reaching the problem place, west of the island of Dravuni in fairly choppy seas, we spotted birds feeding and in my calculations these birds offered a better alternative.

For those of you who know mostly only 'land people' things, birds feeding means large schools of bait fish at the surface of the oceanŠ large schools of bait fish means bigger fish feeding on the bait fishŠ and still bigger fish feeding on those, etc. etc. Grabbing a couple of fishing rods and some tackle sent by my dad, I handed one rod to a JESUS Film team member and the other one to the pastor of our new Nazarene church at Kadavu Koro, whom I was taking with his family to their new assignment. I quickly gave perfectly clear, calm, precise instructions that did no good. Regardless, about an hour and twenty minutes later we had nine very good size fish (totaling between a hundred and fifty and two hundred pounds) and we were heading on to these people's new home. Last night some of the fish were presented to the chief of the village and then many of the village people settled down along side the Nazarenes to a huge fresh fish feast provided by our Provider. Great day!

DOLPHIN, SHARK AND VOLCANOES
In case life was not interesting enough for the five of the people with us yesterday who had never been on a boat before and kept looking anxiously back to the land going away Š in addition to catching the fish that previously they had only seen in the market, we also had a school of at least a hundred beautiful dolphin playing across our bow for about ten minutes, we also we saw the biggest shark I've ever seen anywhere, with estimates (other than my own) of well over 20 feet in length, also there has been volcanic activity about 30 miles SE of us, deep in the ocean depths and the ocean around us has huge patches of floating pumice that we had to be careful to navigate around and through. Life is certainly not dull!

THE CHALLENGE
As I replaced the faded Fiji Marine flag on the bow of the 'Galilean', marking the passing of the first year since the actual arrival of this vessel here, it has caused me to consider what these last twelve months have held. What a year this last one has been! It has been a year of adjustments for the Schmelzenbach family as we learn to live aboard and work from this 44 foot Motor Vessel. The challenge that was laid before us in launching 'NAZARENE MARITIME MINISTRIES' with it's pilot 'FIJIBoat Project' was to reach those only reachable by boat as we help to establish the Church of the Nazarene across the South Pacific because people really do need the Lord. What a challenge! What a year!

Last year we had all the answers but knew nothing. Now we know all things but have none of the answers. My guess is that by next year we'll accept that we actually really do know nothing and also still have none of the answers. What a great God who uses us anyway because we do know Him.

MAKE DISCIPLES?
I wish that I could say that all of our efforts have resulted in every convert being integrated into the church, but that has most certainly not happened. In actual fact it is a great struggle to get each one in and hold on to them. The enemy fights for all he's worth for every last soul and does not quickly or easily give up. My guess is that he doesn't in your world or your life either. I find that I spend a whole lot of time at the 'drawing board', or more accurately with our team of other missionaries and nationals, praying, readjusting, re-strategizing, crying out to God for new insight or advice as we realize that this Kingdom work is never going to be something that can be reduced to a painless formula. This Kingdom is about eternal relationships with the Lord, requiring all of us involved to pour ourselves outŠ!

INNOVATION
Innovation - would be a good word to describe both the FIJIBoat Project and also the JESUS Film Ministry, both of them focusing on aggressive raw evangelism. These are things that have broken out of the box and said; "Whatever it takes! If God is telling us to move forward, then let's move!" You need to know that if you are involved, your involvement has been a weekly life line for us, both prayer commitment and financial. We stand amazed at how God has been raising up His people around the world that are making things happen and it is meeting the needs. Thank you!

JESUS FILM
This year we, representing your ministry here, have shown the JESUS Film 204 times in three languages to a total of 11,448 island people. We have shown the film in primitive villages on isolated islands where we watched, for instance as Christ brought Salvation to a child who had never seen a car or a road or been in a town. And we also have shown the film in the Reception area of the main Fiji Government Hospital in the capital city of Suva and watched as a proud doctor (who might have drove to work in a Mercedes) stood to his feet and humbly came forward to accept Christ, opening up his office for the Bible study that would follow. And we also have shown the film everywhere (it seems) between those two extremes. This ministry of yours out here has in actual fact had the great privilege this year of leading 2,278 people to the Lord. Out of those 2,278 people, 2,010 of them came, at least to the first Bible study / follow up, as we have attempted to establish them in the Faith. Sadly many of them we've never seen again and we're fighting to figure out whyŠ adjusting and changing and trying different thingsŠ but many of them are now part of the Kingdom and you also will meet them one day and they will point to you as they stand before the Lord and testify of those who played a part in bringing the gift of eternal Life to them! It has been nothing less than your prayers, your support in what this is about that has made reaching any of these people of the South Pacific, possible.

TODAY
This morning, as I brought the message to a close at our newest Nazarene church (reachable only by boat) here on the island of Kadavu, I watched 9 people come forward, responding to a God that Loves them so very much! And so we keep fighting for each one of these, one by one, village by village, island by island, working hard not to make converts that might be lost, but instead doing our best to learn how to make disciples and followers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This has been a year of storms and calm, mountain peaks and valleys, discouragement and euphoria. We've logged hundreds and hundreds of hours reaching remote places through impressive, jagged coral reefs and tropical jungles, working hard at times in some lonely anchorages to rebuild broken machinery and rebuild broken engines but all of it has been about the rebuilding of broken lives because these people way out here really do need the Lord!

Thank you so very much for allowing us to represent the Lord on your behalf, out here in these islands through the year 2001. We are excited about whatever the year 2002 may hold.

Harmon
Fiji

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