Captain’s Blog

Captain’s Log #9

534 DAYS
Five hundred and thirty four days! That’s one and a half years that have passed since the day we were asked to pray about the possibilities of launching this project. At 4 AM, in the darkness of this Monday morning I felt the tiny cables pull tight as I stood on the deck of the ‘Galilean’ and in a sudden, single movement, we were lifted high up and out over the pitch black waters of Suva harbor - the 20 ton vessel slowly swinging back and forth at the end of its life line, controlled by a massive crane on the container ship. As we were lowered into the dark waters of Fiji, I could not have been more aware of our total inability to have ever brought this about! God gave the vision for Nazarenes to reach all the island nations of the South Pacific by 2010! With 8,000,000 sq kilometers of ocean covering this field of 10,000 islands, God gave the vision of ‘Nazarene Maritime Ministries’ with the pilot ‘FijiBoat Project’! God is bringing it about!! He asks us simply to obey. It is HIS Kingdom! Many have responded to Him to bring things to this point! The Helstrom Foundation, Directors of the South Pacific Field, Asia/Pacific Region and Nazarene World Mission, pastor after pastor, church after church, individual after individual, (including many non-Nazarenes), the ‘Galilean Plank Holders’, the Harvest Partners, and more. To God be the glory for this kind of faith; “… being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

THE JESUS FILM
“Until the curfew changes, our hands are tied at least in this part of Fiji”, I told them. “We will just have to pray.” A person would have thought that the curfew could go on indefinitely - but guess what? Yesterday it was moved to midnight, imagine that! - so we’re starting the JESUS Film showings again tomorrow night and the next (Monday and Tuesday) at Navua, west of here. Please pray that God would do a great work and use the JESUS Film once more and also use the crusades that we are incorporating the Film into!

SO WHO ALL’S BEEN PRAYING ANYWAY??
The little white pickup with the emblem on the door, pulled up along Kings Wharf where the ‘Galilean’ had been docked for three days and nights waiting for customs clearance. I stepped off of the boat, recognizing the man who climbed out. He was the man who had been in charge of the whole complicated unloading operation throughout Sunday night. He reached out his hand and I took it and in familiar Fijian custom he didn’t let go - slowly he started to talk. “You know Harmon, when I received word of this shipment I started to worry. When I got diagrams and instructions of what needed to happen to get it unloaded, I worried much, much more! I found only one man who knew of such a operation happening here before. Then Harmon, I read in my devotions last week that really, worry was a kind of sin, and so I started to pray. I prayed and prayed and God brought a peace! Sunday night on the ship, I was praying! While we were working, I was praying! When you and I were preparing everything (I didn’t tell you, but) I was praying! When the cables pulled tight and the ‘Galilean’ lifted up with you on it, I was praying! And Harmon when it settled into the water, I finally closed my eyes and praised our Lord for answering my prayers! I went back to my office shaking my head and praising God!” - So what do you think there in America and as far away as South Africa? Whose business and whose Kingdom around the world is this anyway??  We probably never will know all those God has called to be a part - like Brad and Ann, NIVS passing through Fiji this week, who pitched up hours before I left for the wharf, because God knew I needed the help right then and especially you who have been praying.

EMAILS, ETC.
As we vacate the Johnson’s home and offices, looking forward to their return and as we launch a new chapter in this exciting ministry and head out from this island - our ability to be in ongoing contact will obviously now change. Please know as you now read this, our 9th report that it is our commitment to keep you posted and in touch, as without you and your prayers we know we are in trouble! We are looking into ’short wave’ radio email data transmission and other possibilities, but regardless, even if it’s not on quite as predictable a schedule as the first nine, you will continue to hear reports from us! Know also that your responses to us are a GREAT encouragement - could I ask that no attachments, etc. be sent please, as they can ‘lock us down’.

CONDITION OF THE VESSEL
The ‘Galilean’ was on two different container ships, out of our control for over a month. It has spent time in the ports of San Francisco, LA and New Zealand. The things that could have happened to this boat are too many to list. The bottom line is that not one single thing was broken and not one single thing was stolen - all prayers were answered, OUR GOD REIGNS!!
 
Harmon

Captain’s Log #8

THE GALILEAN
The ‘Galilean’ should be here this week. Please pray for the myriad of details to fall into place. Please pray for a favorable VAT tax assessment and final customs clearance. Please pray for wisdom as to how on earth I’m going to deal with a 3000lb cradle strapped to the bottom of the boat after it’s off-loaded from the freighter down into the ocean…  and a whole lot of other things!!
 
ADD FOURTEEN
In my last report I asked you to pray specifically for the JESUS Film showings and Crusade that would be re-launched in the wake of the sudden curfew change. That has now taken place. Forty five minutes from Suva, the capital of Fiji, in the ‘compound’ (yard) of a faithful Nazarene’s humble home, we began to set up the equipment. Over the next days, Satan would fight! Physical sickness, military road blocks, equipment problems, communication, weather. This is war! If you don’t think it’s real …  give me some of your time.
 
Tuesday night only two workers could make it and they ended up having to spend the night where they did the showing - but what you prayed for ended up bringing in 80 people for a total of over four hours straight from the Gospel of Luke, and by the time we took down the equipment, the Kingdom of God had grown by FOURTEEN  new members. All of this in the midst of a Hindu stronghold. Our God Reigns!!  I think that God will put His arm around you one day and say; “Let me introduce you to someone who would not be here if you had not kept praying and if the battle in Navua in Fiji, had been lost that last week in November, 2000″. And from over at the side, into the presence of the Almighty, with their heads bowed, will come fourteen of HIS children from Fiji, from Navua, from the Church of the Nazarene JESUS Film showings of this last week.
 
YOUNG PEOPLE
I received a ‘formal’ invitation from the youth of one of our churches about two weeks ago. It asked me if I would consider being the honored ‘Quest’ (Q = G in Fijian) and speaker at their all night youth gathering. Night before last, I pitched up at 7PM as instructed. I have no idea how many people were there - I was told there was at least as many outside the church that couldn’t get in as inside. I also have no idea how ‘youth’ is defined in these islands of Fiji, but who cares?? I was told I preached over an hour - I flatly deny this, but no-one cares!! They had dramas and skits and singing and worship and praise and food till I finally left to get home before the curfew at midnight. At midnight the youth broke into teams and prayed through the night until devotions and dismissal at 6 in the morning! They prayed all night for the Church of the Nazarene in Fiji, and they prayed all night for you, whom they have been told are praying for them!
 
…can I tell you that right now we need your prayers like never before? - thank you for taking Matt. 28:19 seriously enough to allow it to take you to your knees wherever you are, for the work of the Church of the Nazarene in the South Pacific, because of Eph. 6:12.
 
Harmon