Some of our Great Students

      We would really like to tell you about some of the great people that we are working with now.  I need to be better about getting pictures of them in more casual situations.  The pictures that we take of them for their applications look like mug shots.  I will start with Fredline and Merrie.

      Both of these girls are returned missionaries.  Fredline served in Fiji, and Merrie served in New York City at the Visitors Center.  They are both from Tanna Island which is south of Efate where we are.  It is a primitive island.  There are no paved roads.  The vehicles that the missioaries use there are the land cruisers with the snorkels.  The so called roads require crossing rivers.  Can you imagine Merrie going from Tanna to New York City?!  I asked her about it once.  She said there was no room to walk in New York.

      Fredline has had a grade six education, and Merrie has had a grade eight.  Both girls want to go to school.  Merrie would really like to be a nurse.  This is practically impossible.  She would need to take classes to get her to a grade twelve eguivalency.  This would take at least three years.  Then she would have to accepted into the one and only nursing program in the country.  This program only accepts thirty students a year.  We are constantly in need of inspiration from the Lord to assist these students.  The best part is that the  students fast and pray for us to receive that guidance!

      Currently, we have both girls taking computer classes - basic skills, word processing, and spread sheets.  The hope is that Merrie can get a job in the hospital or a doctor's office.  This would be a foot in the door in the medical field.  She would make a wonderful receptionist.  Fredline's family has a low key tourist operation on Tanna.  They own property at the base of a volcano.  She will plan on returning to Tanna and improve the family business.  They both want to return to Tanna!

      These pictures of us are at the mission office.  We spend a lot of time on the computer looking for answers.  We email Naomi, our coordinator in Auckland, several times a day.  She has the information that we need, or she finds it.  Her support is critical to our efforts.