We have travelled south to Te Puke and staying in a small community with David and Mary Charrington (yes, related to the brewers in England). They are helping with the pastoral care of 400 Nievans. (people born of Vanuatu). This Pacific archipelago has around 86 separate islands with 104 different languages. The New Zealand government have in the last couple of years, set up a program to help the poorest families, by allowing them a 6 month work placement in Kiwi fruit orchards. (Incidentally there is one called Lindisfarne Orchard!)
We had a wonderful evening sharing music, tasting marshmallows (can you imagine the Nievans eating these for the first time) and hearing stories from the Islands.
100 years ago Australia also imported workers from Tanna Island promising wealth and work. They never returned home, becoming slaves. This left a bad taste in Vanuatu and much has had to be done to build trust again with the people.
One encouraging story we heard … An Australian man threw a message in a bottle into the sea which landed in Vanuatu. A child found it and wrote back to the sender who started communicating with the islander. Through this unique connection the Aussie paid for the child’s schooling.
