Army expanding in Vanuatu
Salvation Army personnel meet with Vanuatu locals after Cyclone Pam earlier this year.
As The Salvation Army celebrates its 150th year, MySalvos takes a look at a corps which is helping to expand the mission of the Army beyond Australian shores.
In 2010, a Vanuatuan couple began a partnership with the Tweed Heads Corps, the result being the establishment of The Salvation Army's work in the South Pacific island nation.
Five years later, the small corps in Tagabe, on the outskirts of the Vanuatu capital Port Vila, is expanding, with an outpost in the southern island of Aneityum and interest being expressed on another island.
Tweed Heads Corps Officer Major Darren Elsley says the work has come a long way since he first met Lily Rose and William, the couple who had the vision to start The Salvation Army in their country.
“Lily Rose and her husband William had never heard of The Salvation Army,” says Major Elsley. “One night they happened to watch a documentary on TV about The Salvation Army. As they watched it was impressed upon their spirits that they should become members of The Salvation Army … but there was no Salvation Army in Vanuatu yet!”
The couple had experience in ministry, already pastoring a small church and running an orphanage for street kids from their small iron shack. They were also involved in prison ministry and ran a children’s choir. However, they still felt God leading them to be part of The Salvation Army. Not long later they met some Tweed Heads Salvationists on holiday in Vanuatu and the wheels started turning.
“The ministry opportunity has been wonderful,” Major Elsley says. “At this point in time we have a congregation of about 90, including 28 junior soldiers and nine senior soldiers. And there's signs of further expansion.”
As well as developing the local corps, the connections between Tweed Heads Salvos and Vanuatu has meant that when Cyclone Pam hit in March this year, The Salvation Army could respond quickly with emergency supplies.
“Because we had contacts there, we were able to get them motivated, involved and deployed with relief supplies like food. Many in Vanuatu have now witnessed first-hand the work of The Salvation Army, so we have had more people wanting to get involved as a result. We have another enrolment of six junior soldiers and another soldier in October!” Major Elsley says.
Building on the work that Lily Rose and William have begun, Tweed Heads Salvation Army has been able to encourage and further the ministry. Children now wear the junior soldiers uniform and get many invitations to perform in other churches in the area.
“The work is expanding, more and more people are getting involved. The work is growing and has the potential to expand into other islands,” Major Elsley says. “We have taken four mission trips from Australia to Vanuatu and there is now interest from others corps who want go over and assist as well.”
Kevin Elsley, a member of the Lismore Corps, was blessed to be able to go on one of these mission trips in 2013. “We were excited to go to Port Vila and help spread the word about The Salvation Army, and while there meet the couple who were to be enrolled as the first soldiers of The Salvation Army in Vanuatu,” Kevin says. “It was impacting to see how God has stirred this couple to do something in Vanuatu. We loved sharing in the joy of seeing The Salvation Army flag flown in Vanuatu.”
“The Holy Spirit is doing something wonderful in people's lives. The people of Vanuatu are seeing what The Salvation Army does and they want to join up!"
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