Last month, 15 students and 2 staff members joined Chaplains Neale and Sarah on Cleveland High’s second Vanuatu Mission Tour. After the first trip in December 2006, plans were made to do some special projects at the Pango Primary School just outside the capital, Port Vila. This year the group stayed in the YWAM mission base which allowed the village children to ‘hang out’ with the team. This led to some great friendships being formed.

In the school, our students led games, craft, puppet and clown plays, illusions and songs. The school children were delighted – and the staff at the school were really impressed. The team also funded a basket ball hoop and half court and painted a ‘Year of the Reef’ mural along the wall outside one of the classrooms. The school children were very excited about the bright colours and fun fish being painted on their classroom walls.

The team visited other villages, including Mangaliliu, where Chief Mur-mur entertained with his explanations of village life and how their village operates free of money. We did our puppets, clowns, songs and games for the children and then were informed that in the history of the school we were the only visiting group that had ever come to do activities with the children. Their appreciation was so great that they insisted we stay so they could perform a traditional dance for us. It was fantastic - described by Chappy Neale as ‘The Nutbush with sticks!’
Of course, we also found time to view some of the best tourist attractions, including Mele Cascades, Coongoola cruise, snorkelling and submerged World War 2 plane wrecks.

These few comments help to capture the feelings of the group:
Katie: “Vanuatu was amazing – it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I will never forget the time I had there and the friends I met will be in my heart forever. I hope to see them again one day.”
Dave: “A truly awesome trip where we had a great time and learnt heaps about their culture. The people there were really awesome to be with.”
Chappy Neale: “The ni-Vanuatu are a warm and friendly people who readily opened up their community and lives to us. They accepted the little we had to offer them with such gratitude and their attitude to life taught our team a lot about what is really worth valuing in life. The country is a tropical paradise and we were privileged to have such a wonderful experience.
Every student on the team did a great job and as a group they were fine ambassadors for our school and for Australia. The communities we visited were really impressed by the attitude and respect shown by our team. Well done everyone!”

The Vanuatu trip is a wonderful experience, and is now firmly part of the future plans of the Cleveland High Chaplains. If you would be interested in serving on the team in 2010, you can let Chappy Neale or Sarah know and we will keep you updated.