February 1, 2012. 12 Hours Later.
Dear All,
Just received the following email from our shipper:
Hi Jill
I made a payment to Kalgin today, the balance will be paid Monday.
Best regards,
Is that a miracle or what? But please Keep praying for our shipper, and that the timing of the clearance of funds will be able to avoid having the goods impounded. Sometimes God's timetable is almost split-second timing!
We are praising the Lord for this response from our shipper and again ask that you will pray for Him. There is much rejoicing in heaven over one who repents. He made a similar statement last week and defaulted, but I choose to believe that the miracle of saving grace is finding a place in his heart.
love to all,
Alastair and Jill
February 1, 2012. Not yet! Keep those prayers coming.
A quick note before I begin my sewing class at 8 am. Usually the women arrive soon after 7 and stay until after 5pm. They are an enthusiastic bunch and are enjoying learning new things. So far they've each made a small pair of short trousers with elastic waist, a nappy holder, a man's shirt and a child's shirt, an island dress and a pillow case, and some have made a meri-blous. Today they want to make a zippered carry bag, and some want to make shirts to get practise at the sometimes tricky attachment of a collar, both revere and with collar stand. So we'll have a busy and profitable day.
On the container front - the ship arrived in port Monday and continued unloading yesterday, delayed by constant heavy rain. Last night at bedtime the wind was getting strong and the rain was bucketing down. We slept well and this morning the ground is sodden, but the wind has died down and there's even a hint of sunshine. So that's the weather, but....
Back to the container. Unfortunately our shipper has not yet paid the shipping company for the freight from Brisbane to Santo. This amounts to nearly half of what we have paid our shipper. He is ignoring my emails, and answering rudely on the phone or hanging up on different ones who have tried to contact him about the matter. We have seen miracles already with this shipment, many of them. Just a week ago we were concerned that the shipper had not sent the bill of lading, nor ocean freight invoice, both critical documents in the lengthy customs clearance process. Well a woman walked up to Alastair in town that day and told him - I'm the agent for the shipping company, I have your bill of lading. The next day she had gotten the ocean freight invoice from the shipping company - that to us was a miracle in itself. She is working tirelessly to get that side of things cleared.
So the last hurdle, and one that will take a miracle, is that our shipper will pay his account with the shipping company - after all we've already paid him more than double that amount. We are praying
for the shipper - he seems to be encountering difficulties along the road of life, and we have sent a number of emails to encourage him in matters of eternal value. Sometimes he seems to respond, but we had no idea that he would default on the payment of freight. The Lord has everything in His hands, and we just cast our helpless souls on Him. We ask that you will all pray that the outcome will be according to the will of God. The normal practice is that if the goods are not cleared - be it from failure to pay freight or customs duty or whatever reason, the goods go into bond and incur heavy fines. I don't even know if the goods can be released, since the freight is not paid. The shipping company and all other shipping companies follow this same policy - which should bite the consignee, but in this case, there is a middle man (we didn't realise he wasn't a shipping company) so he is not affected by that policy, however the laws of 'give and it shall be given unto you' apply equally to those who do wrong, as well
as to well-doers.
So.....pray, pray, pray, and look forward to the next exciting episode.
love from the LATI family,
and
Alastair and Jill
January 23, 2012. The New Year promises to rich in blessings
Greetings to one and all for this not-so-new year. The big news for us this week is that the tractor is due to arrive on Monday. It's been on its way for quite a while now - purchased last May from Pennsylvania in the US of A and arrived in Brisbane mid November. Some very useful implements have been procured and polished up and prepared for use and added to the shipment, along with some useful text books, sewing machines, lockers, and various other practical items. Many people have worked hard and given generously to make it all happen and we are just waiting for the documents to arrive from the shipper, so that we can proceed with clearance and receipt of the goods.
Just here I would like to make mention of our good friends Will and Sarah and their little family. This lovely Christian family came to visit us two or three years ago, interested in what we are doing, and keen to lend a hand. In fact Will was here to help the boys put the trusses together and roof the buildings. Just this past week, we have learned that Will has suffered a stroke and is currently unable to walk on his left leg or move his left arm. Thankfully he has suffered no cognitive impairment, but it could be a long process in rehabilitation before he is able to return to work and care for his family. This is just to ask that each and all of you will pray for our dear friends Will and Sarah, their two little boys Amos and Lewis, and the expected new arrival. Thank you!
Some of our boys went on a singing tour last year for a week before Christmas, but with shipping problems and delays they arrived back just last week. Now two of the five have left for the Middle Bush area of Santo, where a clinic is operated for the people in the hill country. The materials to refurbish it have gone before them, and they've taken tools and hopefully enough experience (they've worked on other clinics before this) to complete the job in hand. Might have some pics when they return.
Beginning on Monday, one of our trainers will be helping run a course for two weeks in block laying for the community - that will be down the road at another training location. He helped with a similar course in September and was given a good report.
Also on Monday I will at last begin a two week sewing machine maintenance and sewing-from-a-pattern course. This has been planned for a long time, but it just happened to coincide with the arrival of the container which makes things awkward. The ladies have been ringing and coming to ask if they've been accepted for the course. I think there are over sixty names in hand so far, but TVET suggested we start with 15, so I have downstairs set up with two tables each 2400 x 1200, plus 15 benches with seats and we'll see what a merry time we'll have. I'll see if Alastair can take some pics to put on the website.
One of our teachers from last year has moved to Tanna, his home island, and will commence a new training school there. He will teach his students furniture making. So that leaves a gap here, but hopefully some of our past students will take up the challenge and fill the breach. One of the young lads interested in boat building is attending the train-the-trainer course - found it hard going the first few days, but we've encouraged him to keep trying and do his best, and he seems to have changed to a very definite positive attitude. I can understand how he feels, as he's only done year 10 and there's a lot of reading and writing and preparation of lessons to do. It's heavy enough going for me.
Another of our staff has a sick mother and has gone to his home village to be with her. So we will be short staffed this year - Alastair has dropped a hint that he would have a lot less worry if he wasn't teaching the maths and english, so I'll see if I can lend a hand in that direction - hopefully my sewing and courses will not take over my whole time. After all I came here to support him, not so much to do my own thing.
So we are a little way from commencing the new school year. March 1 is set down as our first day of classes, but we'll endeavour to have the students here a few days before to be registered and oriented and organised ready to get right into the work. How nice it will be to have textbooks for all - that will be such a blessing.
The customs manager was much interested in the fact that we have a tractor coming and wanted to know if it was being used solely for gardening, or as a teaching tool. So I had our teacher bring his curriculum and his plans for the tractor which include classes in tractor maintenance and crop rotation planting and he said it looks like we will lead the way for other schools to try using implements to produce their food instead of the old ways of hand planting and growing. He said he's realising that food is important - everyone has to eat. So it was good that he met our ag teacher and discussed it all with him and approved exemption from duty on the tractor and implements and textbooks.
We are hopeful of getting our generator up and running again soon. It's had a holiday for more than three months, but a part has arrived and we are just waiting on word as to how to connect it, since it's different to the part it replaces.
The maritime college gave Alastair their old metalwork lathe recently. It needs wiring properly and hopefully he can find a few accessories that belong to it. It will be useful once it's in working order.
Always plenty to do and so few to do all that could be done. Thank you for your prayers and thank you to the many who have found it in their hearts to help with the unexpected extra calls for funds for the freight on the tractor. We have been encouraged to see amounts deposited just when we've needed to pay the accounts. Thank you to those who have deposited anonymously - a couple of amounts come to mind - $200, also $1420, and another in June for $3220. I don't know your name, but God sees your kind and willing gift and we pray His blessing on each and everyone for encouraging us with your funds and with your prayers and emails. I am glad to report that since my last update a month ago, a way was made for us to pay the extra freight. Little did we realise that a third call would come for more freight and charges for the tractor, but that too has been paid and we should have the documents on Monday so that we don't incur the extra charges that will be incurred if we don't clear the goods from the wharf within one week. Pray with us that the Lord will make the road smooth and help all the people involved in the clearance process to be efficient and cooperative in their particular fields.
God bless and keep you each one, next update we should be able to tell you that the tractor is here and busy at work!
Love from the LATI family, including
Alastair and Jill
7.30 PM (EST) - December 12, 2011 IMPASSE?? - The word is not found in God’s dictionary.
UPDATE 3 hours later.
“Someone just rang and offered to pay it now, and we'll pay him back in
our own time. What an amazing solution from an Amazing God.”
Blessings,
Jill and Alastair
PS – A $100 Christmas gift from the first fifty people to read this posting will almost pay off the debt. (Webmaster)
4.30 PM (EST) - December 12, 2011 WE HAVE REACHED AN IMPASSE
Dear Friends of LATI
Perhaps that word is not appropriate, when we know that with God all things are possible.
Our tractor is now in Brisbane awaiting shipment. Kind friends have worked hard to prepare implements to send with it. Others have gathered books for our students, fabric for our sewing classes, lockers and sewing machines, and some medical gear for our doctor friend - all to the tune of a mind-boggling 53 cubic metres of goods, which of course is way too much for a 20' container.
We are now faced with paying an additional $5665.38 to swap to a 40' container, and still hoping to catch the same ship. A delay of two months for another ship could lead to storage charges totalling up to a horrific $200,000.
We really don't know which way to turn, except to the Lord. He has seen our predicament long before we were born! We ask that you will add your prayers to ours to inquire of the Lord what we should do at this time.
We expect to have various funds coming in soon, to cover the extra shipping charges, but the shipper says the goods will not be sent until he receives payment. We are not anxious to incur the frightful storage charges pending.
On a brighter note, we have had three boys receive furniture certificates this year and have more orders for furniture than we can handle, just waiting for timber to dry. Trust all are well,
We are of good courage,
Alastair and Jill
Emailus if you can help in any way.
Newsletter, October 14, 2011
Hello to friends of LATI
So sorry it's nearly two months since the last newsletter went out. We've all been busy, and no time to sit down and think about it. But I'll try to remember what's been going on, so that you can enjoy our progress too.
There was quite a bit of preparation leading up to the tiling and block-laying courses held here end of Aug. Our office floor is now nicely tiled. Soon we'll have doors on the office, then we can move in!
The shower/toilet block for the boys is almost completed. Last time I wrote we were getting ready to put the roof on. Well the payment I received for writing the training workbooks for sewing machine maintenance and making a garment were sufficient to pay for the roof. The tiling class did some of the tiling, and our boys have been finishing it off - just a little more plumbing to be completed and they will be in use.
The staff house just down below our house now has flooring joists in place and one wall ready to raise. I can hear the boys tapping away down there as I write.
My new office boy is doing really well - he's thriving on keeping the cash book, his adding skills have improved out of sight, and yesterday he balanced the spreadsheet first go! He is taking more and more responsibilities with furniture orders, hardware supplies, payment of bills, photocopying and so on. Next thing, once we move into the office proper, is to train him to use a computer and print off all the paperwork that goes with a school.
We had a hiccup with the new tractor - the starter motor wouldn't work when it was to be loaded on the ship, so it missed a couple of sailings, but is scheduled to leave Baltimore in USA next Friday. We have quite an accumulation of goods to add with the tractor to a container in Brisbane, including a gift of multiple copies of the very book we are wanting for each student - an amazing answer to prayer. A technical school in Toowoomba was upgrading their textbooks and delivered the old ones to someone who knows about our school - God's Providence to be sure.
The ship that Alastair was working on with his boys is now complete and plying the waters carrying copra. The owner was pleased with the result and has now decided to fit a new shaft from engine to propeller, which Alastair will help him with. I think there may be some pics on the website.
We've had a few loads of earth fill delivered in order to build up a roadway onto the property - it gives the young men something to do in their spare time, getting it levelled out.
One big piece of news is that we now have the generator wired up, and five 3-phase heavy duty machines also wired. All of them were functioning at once one afternoon this week, and this will make a big difference with production of furniture and building materials. The smaller machines have been such a blessing all this time, while waiting to bring the big machines from Aore. Our son Ross was here for a week, so he and Alastair and some boys went across to Aore and loaded the machines onto the Aore barge, and we hired a crane and truck to pick them up from the wharf here and load them into the workshop. Whew! So we are most grateful that Ross has followed some of his father's footsteps at least, and can turn his hand to anything. We were sorry to let him go!
We are keen to build a slipway on a very nice piece of land about 8 or 10 kilometres from here. The land is ideal - plenty of space and a beautiful outlook across the water to three other islands. That may have to wait until we have funds, so in the meantime we want to begin building small fishing boats next year on the campus here. We want to put up a shed to accommodate the boat building, and hopefully some space for drying timber. One has to plan ahead to keep enough materials on hand.
So we press on, glad to see the young men developing. Three students were baptised two weeks ago - a series of Bible studies was publicly aired in the park in town and these young fellows decided to make their commitment to the Lord.
Ross took a few pictures while here and they will possibly appear on our website soon.
We are grateful to the Lord for a work to do and for the provision that He makes for us to do it.
God bless you all,
Alastair and Jill
Newsletter, September 15, 2011
It is all happening. If it’s not the boat it is the bathroom, or tiling the office floor, or installing a skylight. Not to mention a most welcome donation in the form of a bandsaw. Now, for a craftsman like Alastair that is the equivalent of a pay-rise.
From top, L-R: Fitting new legs to repair a chair. Tiling under way in the shower and toilet block. Newly tiled office floor. The newly donated bandsaw. Skylight for maternity ward of Santo's hospital. Skylight in the cavity- a hot job on a sunny day. Finished product - maternity ward 'enlightened'
Newsletter, September 10, 2011
Just a quick update on the boat-building project. The Vadkoro is sitting pretty in the water after drilling the stern post and installing the drive shaft and propellor. The drilling equipment might be basic, but in the right hands it did a brilliant job. Look forward to a progress report in the future.
Newsletter, August 16, 2011
Hello to all,
As of today, we have sufficient funds to pay the freight on the tractor. It has ended up being closer to $10,000 but because it is coming in a container via Brisbane, we are able to add some implements which have been accessed and refurbished by a kind friend, and possibly some lockers so that each student has a safe place for his own things, plus a motor bike donated for use by the ag teacher. So we are very grateful to the Lord for impressing those of you who have given for the tractor freight fund. I will notify the shipper tomorrow and once it leaves the US of A, it should take 35 days to Brisbane and another week or so to get here, depending on coordination of shipping.
The office girl I was training has decided to continue with her book selling, and as well she teaches English for our boys on two days a week. Since we really need a full time office person, we think we have found the ideal person in Ken. He started his second year of furniture making this year but during mid-year break he seemed more inclined to return to his home on Tanna as he wasn't so keen to do furniture. He had been helping to run a small village store in Tanna and had decided that business was what he was really interested in. So we put the proposition to him to be our office boy and he liked the idea. He's able to hop on a bike and go for supplies from the hardware, check the mail, deliver letters to Customs and so on. Today I had him adding up the cash sheet - he'll need to practice his addition skills, but seems interested in everything I've given him to do so far. When there's not so much to do, he has a project in the workshop. Alastair told him that as soon as we can make the doors to close the office, then we can set up the office in its proper place (downstairs from our little apartment), so he's accepted the challenge of making the front doors for the building. He is also going to design some furniture for the office and maybe even make it - so he may yet become a competent furniture maker without realising it. He'll be able to order supplies with savvy, having been in the workshop already.
The new shower/toilet block is nearly up to the roof - I think the boys were filling the walls with cement today. We'll get a roof on it shortly and then we have a very nice bit of help coming - AusAid has little buckets of money to offer for this and that - some of them are for training people in short courses for tiling, block laying, sewing, etc. We've been asked to be the venue for a two week tiling course and another (at the same time) for block laying. They will donate the materials needed, so that means our toilet/shower block will be nicely tiled free of charge to us. We'll also get to lay a path from the dorm to the classroom, and the blockwork for the retaining wall for it will be provided free, and the trainees who enrol in the course will lay the blocks.
I've been asked to run a sewing course for a couple of weeks. I've just a little more work to do on the workbook for sewing a garment. The first workbook on sewing machines has been received well and I just have to edit it end of this week. So that little project has brought in some much needed cash to help with expenses.
We have missed out on quite a bit of furniture making through lack of timber, but hopefully the nice stack we have will soon be dry enough to start working with. It seems like the big cry here is for furniture and sewing machines. In fact the sewing machines have kept us afloat to some extent.
Our second semester began a week ago with five students. Now there are ten back. Of the fourteen still to come, some have had deaths in the family, others have been waiting to sell copra or to find a ship coming this way. This is how it was last year too - they eventually arrive, even if it's a couple of weeks late.
We've had a pleasant winter so far - except for a morning or two when the temperature was down to a chilly 18 degrees celsius, our usual temps have been around 24 - 30 (min-max).
We have built a spare room upstairs so that this house can double as a transit for any who need somewhere to stay. We've had a number of friends come already. In actual fact, I have two saw horses with the bedroom door laid flat on top of them, for a table/shelf for food. So the visitors get to sleep either on the fold-down lounge/bed or in a single bed that Alastair knocked up in a very short time.
We had visitors last Sabbath - a couple of young families who had been north to help Dr Mark Turnbull with preparing airstrips. The children (five ranging from 4years to 10) were all eager to help get lunch ready and they referred to my 'kitchen' as naturally as if it really was the kitchen - there was food there, even if it was removed from the source of water in the bathroom. They didn't even wonder about washing the tomatoes in the laundry tub. Actually I know why - they had been roughing it up north so enjoyed the luxury of a toilet that flushes - even if it has a sheet hanging at the doorway, and water in the house. We enjoyed their company and stories and they were most appreciative of our humble fare.
Alastair has been working on a ship on the Aore slipway, so he's away during the week but is home for Sabbath and goes again on Sunday - this week it was 10am Sunday. He mostly gets to eat manioc and island cabbage for his lunch, with cucumbers - and while I avoid feeding him all three when I can find other things he enjoys instead, he is grateful to have his meal provided at lunch time, and I sent some banana cake and more date rolls with him to fill out the rest of the day's meals.
If you're feeling disappointed about missing out on helping with the tractor freight, please be joyful instead. There are plenty of other things that would be useful here. Hymnbooks would be great but a bit expensive for some of the boys to afford. Another thing we hope to provide for each student is a $35 book on Woodworking which is very all -inclusive, comprehensive - ideal for them to keep and make use of both in school and when they leave.
I have a word of pity for many of you right here - I understand bananas are expensive and not so very tasty. Today I was given a small carton of ripening bananas - they were so nice that I made a meal of them for lunch and tea - saved me cooking anything. Any who would like to visit out here, you can be pretty sure there will be ripe bananas to eat and as already mentioned we now have space for visitors to sleep.
Oh yes, tonight I felt the first earthquake since moving upstairs - it was just a couple of strong jolts with lesser waves of rattles and rumbles to follow - the house felt pretty sturdy, though I could see the walls moving and could hear the rumble of the movement. It happened about 7.45 pm local time.
Don't forget to check out our website for a few new pics. (Follow this link)
Pray for us - our staff, our students - we are all in need of the grace of Christ that we might do and say and think as we should.
God bless and keep you each and every one.
Alastair and Jill
