September update

Pictures: Friend Kara, who is my small group and I; my church family
Already in September! Time seems to fly by quickly on the missions field, as once one project ends, another one begins. This month our community team has been downsized and at times there are only three of us balancing our school mentoring, running our community church night, helping at a food pantry and running small groups. Also our base, with numerous transitions, has also been focusing on praying for more leadership. This month has allowed us some extra activities such as “Splash Out”,(a one week youth camp during their school holidays), a cultural day for a Catholic school representing the islands of Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and the indigenous of Australia. We also have a youth night concert called Youth Alive, a scheduled movie night, and hosting two chapel services at a Lutheran School. God continues to offer many opportunities to reach out into the community and we are praying for continued discernment and more staff with passion for reaching the hurting and lost. My centre, the community centre, is led by Sio, a Samoan that I actually meant back in 2007 in Samoa. He married a Philipino lady before last Christmas but has been unable to attain a visa for her to return to Australia. Since they have been over eight months apart, he has finally decided to take some time off to meet her in Samoa. Depending on her continued visa application process, he may not return.
I myself have been dealing with visa’s and recently had a bit of a visa scare. In leaving the country in August, to Vanuatu for four days (my current tourist visa requires that I leave the country every three months), I was told that the expiration date was not September 17th, but rather August 17th thus they would allow me to exit Australia but I would not be able to return. This was at 5am and after some prayer I decided to risk it and continued onto Vanuatu. I checked my visa information on the internet and it confirmed a September 17th expiration date. I came back to Australia with lots of prayer support and in passing through immigration I was not asked one question (it felt a bit like God closing the lion’s mouths when Daniel was thrown in…perhaps God had closed the mouth of the immigration agent!). I will be launching my visa in about one week and should shortly receive a bridging visa until my 2 year “religious visa” is approved. While in Vanuatu I experience two small aftershock earthquakes (they had a 7.0 earthquake the week before) and the Nivans (those from Vanuatu) were discussing how God is ‘waking up’ the nation with an increase in earthquakes this year. This trip was bittersweet as many of the Nivans who had worked with me in the Leadership Training back in April/May have now backslidden or become discouraged. I’ll continue to pray for the nation and for God to bring revival.
I am planning on returning to the USA for the month of December as my sister Megan is having her first baby (a girl!) in November. I am thankful for “Skype” on the computer which allows me to talk with her and even see her as her belly grows. My finances continue to be an ongoing prayer requests as travel requires extra fees not included in my staff fees. I feel fortunate to not be in debt as numerous staff, especially from the islands, owe the base money for their fees. Busyness has not allotted me much computer time but I would still love to hear from you, your prayer requests, and how God has been moving in your life. Thank you so much for your ongoing support ! May God Bless….Alissa