Captain's Log #33
May, 2003

WATER UNDER THE 'FLY' BRIDGE
Our logs show over one thousand five hundred more nautical miles covered across these waters just since the last report a few weeks ago. Transporting cargo and preachers and youth groups and church people going to weddings and funerals and outreach mission teams and the myriad of things that make up ministry in the lives of the people of the expanding Church of the Nazarene, here in these islands of the South Pacific. The new vessel is helping as we work out it's kinks.

NEW DISTRICT LEADERSHIP
Since our last report we have new leadership for the District of Fiji - pray for Rev. Tifare from the Fijian island of Rotuma, he is a great man of faith that God has so generously prepared for this work and he has a 'God sized' vision for what lies ahead in the aggressive expansion of the Kingdom here in Fiji. God is raising up the workers! We have been praying for this...   many thousands of you for 3 years have also been praying for this with us! God hears those prayers - for those of you who consistently and faithfully have been praying...   don't stop - even if it hasn't been all that consistent, we forgive you, just don't stop! God is answering and we are excited about what is happening! Pray that God would continue to give Rev. Tifare enthusiasm and energy and direction and protection and wisdom and surround him with support and continue to cultivate within him that sensitive spirit always listening for the still, quiet voice from on high, for direction and for passion for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

FROM 'ASIA PACIFIC' REGIONAL HQ
Dr. Cobb, our Regional Director and Kevin Brunk from the Regional Office, both were able to spend some days with us recently and we were able to get them off the main island some and outward towards where God has called us. God really used Dr. Cobb and Kevin at our Leadership Conference and then also Kevin's preaching on the outer island of Kadavu...  this was quite amazing after what Kevin described as a 'less than peaceful' night's sleep while rocking around out on the boat. The aluminum boat is sort of like being on the inside of a large, empty drum, when Capt. Peni, our engineer begins to snore and the whole thing starts shaking. "Where do we wash?" Kevin asked me following the supper of an energy bar. I pointed to our large bathtub, known as the 'Pacific Ocean' off the back of the boat and allocated to him a cup of fresh water for rinsing...   Kevin is truly another great sport and great missionary and God used him in spite of the knee deep mud through the mangroves and various aches and pains associated with getting to and from 'church' as I almost strangled him to save his camera when he tried desperately to fall into the water!

HUMPBACK
You ever see whales?" Kevin asked as we left the sheltered waters off Dravuni and moved through the reef and out into the deep waters of the passage. The island of Beqa barely starting to become visible way in the distance off our port bow. "Occasionally" I responded...    something caught our attention in what looked like a vast empty ocean off to starboard...   a movement of something dark, black, big...   both of us pointed and yelled at the same time...  a Humpback off our beam moving our direction!

324
In a meeting that night to install our new District Superintendent, Dr. Cobb preached a great message to 324 people packed into the building... that was the number because that's all that could fit in - we aren't sure how many had to stay outside...   this brings me to an urgent prayer request - please pray for the finalization of a permanent location for our English speaking Nazarene church in downtown Suva, the capital of Fiji. For a long time we have been working on this and it has been one delay and serious battle after the other - we expect this - but we also expect that faith and persistence and prayer wins the victory however God wants it to move forward. So please pray specifically for the 'New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene' and a permanent, workable location for them as their numbers grow in the midst of being shuffled around! This next Sunday they're off to worship at another temporary location.

JESUS Film Team
This week and next, the 'Fiji JESUS Film Team One' has been and is right now, spearheading the planting of a new church in Lomaivuna, towards the dense, tropical interior of the island of Viti Levu, Fiji. They are consistently on the front lines, consistently placing themselves in harm's way in this spiritual battlefield, consistently pouring themselves out for the Kingdom. Day after day, week after week! It takes commitment, persistence, tenacity and a stubborn faith in God who died so that they and others might live and a calling to go - even when they don't feel like it! Please pray for Samisoni, Adju, Aaron and Bai. These are young ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - they represent the KING! They remain on the front line. In a phone call since writing the first part of this paragraph, I found out that the bridge between here and there is now completely covered with flooded waters cutting them off - I'll leave in an hour to take food provided by the 'New Beginnings' congregation and try to get through.

FAILURE?
Two weeks ago, in a meeting with the team I asked them how the JESUS Film showing had gone at a place specifically few nights before because I knew they had really been working in a difficult area. They looked depressed and slowly spoke to me of failure...  "no response, Pastor Harmon..."  "no-one came forward, no-one accepted Christ" - the team looked dejected. After some time of talking and listening I gradually placed together that in actual fact in the days of preparation, preceding the showing, in all the door to door work and meeting and praying with people, inviting, putting up posters and handing out tracks and talking to people. Over the course of those preceding days these guys had actually led...  one by one...   six different people to the Lord - those 6 were now a part of a newly organized cell group meeting for Bible studies! 1...  2...  3...  4...  5...  6...  I slowly counted them off on my fingers in front of my team. Each one of these six, Christ died for outside a gate by Jerusalem, each one of which has now found hope and light and life eternal...  Each one for which the heavens exploded in rejoicing and celebration as they became part of this incredible, precious family! I told them...   'guys, this isn't failure!'

SAMOA
This next month James Johnson and I go to Samoa - please pray that God will continue what He began among our pastors from Samoa that were here in Fiji at our 'Leadership Conference' this last week under Dr. Cobb and Kevin Brunk. Pray that God would ignite a movement of His  Spirit across those Islands of Samoa that exalts JESUS like never before, as our churches work at implementing 'Each One Win One'. Pray that they would be consumed with an overwhelming burden and renewed passion for expanding and moving onward and outward, reaching those  that will be eternally lost if they...  we...  specifically don't reach them! Would you pray with us for this? And also wisdom and direction for however God might be wanting to use the JESUS Film ministry across those islands.
 
Serving Him in the South Pacific,
with you,
Harmon

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