The day after Christmas, Esther and I (Elizabeth) went on a five day M-trip to G-Bay Island. In order to get to G-Bay, we had to fly from our big island to a nearby island, take a bus across that island, then travel by ferry to the little island of G-Bay. We were greeted by a picturesque harbor filled with small fishing boats. These boats are the only source of income for the approximate 500 year-round inhabitants.
Of course, when people spend all day out on the open sea, they need some sort of protection. The locals seek the aid of the various folk gods found in the dozens of temples dotting the small island.
Their need for protection and luck in finding good fishing spots drives many islanders to erect miniature temples in their own homes. Nearly every house on the island had a huge altar graced by several gods and covered with various offerings.
Upon our arrival, we explored the island and passed out invitations to the various activities we would be hosting during our five day trip. On such a small island there is little entertainment, so people were very interested in the 17 "foreigners" and 3 nationals wandering about passing out bright red invitations.
Each day, we taught English lessons to the elementary and middle school students. (The island has NO high school.) We were able to share the TRUE MEANING of the season with every student on the island. For every event, people lined up outside at least an hour before it was time to start.
For teaching materials, we used HIStory, from creation to resurrection. The children were very interested in the stories, but they especially loved the coloring books. Crayons are very hard to come by on G-Bay.
During the class time, we would tell stories, make crafts, sing songs, and play games. The crafts were all related to the stories so that the children would have something to take home to show their parents and to decorate their rooms. We also encouraged them to use the objects to tell their parents the stories they had learned that day.
In the evenings, we invited the whole island to come to the local community center to watch a movie and enjoy some refreshments. The movies were also HIStory, and many people decided to believe what they saw and heard.
One woman in particular caught our eye. The people who raised their hands were each given a copy of THE BOOK and a copy of the HIStory dvd. After these were distributed, the drawings for various gifts, ranging from bicycles to tshirts to candies, began. Everyone was excited and leaning forward listening for their numbers to be called. But one lady who had received THE BOOK was not paying any attention to the hubbub around her. She was completely engrossed in THE BOOK that was laying open on her lap. You can see in the picture below that she was holding her ticket with her number on it while she read, but she never so much as glanced at the ticket. She was too interested in what she was reading.
On the last day of our trip, we held a dunking party. During the last night of movies, several students came forward and asked to be dunked. The local leader required two things: the students must get permission from their parents, and they must promise never to worship in the temples again. Many got permission quite easily, since some of the parents didn't pay much attention to what the students were doing anyway. But a couple of precious girls came to the service in tears because their parents or grandparents would not allow them to turn their backs on the idols of their ancestors and believe in something completely different. In the end, ten students were dunked.
The island of G-Bay is beautiful. The experience of working with so many wonderful, attention-starved students was incredible. But it also taught me a lesson. One reason some of the parents did not want their children to participate in the dunking was because they feared the decision would not last. Over the years, various groups have come to visit this island but with little or no follow up. The islanders are afraid to trust outsiders because they come and go so often. Our group has decided to counteract this problem by making bi-monthly return trips and by staying in close contact with the local leader.
The world is full of places like G-Bay island, filled with hurting people hungering for the good news found in THE BOOK. We would be thrilled to take you to visit our little G-Bay island, but we hope you will carry the same message to those where you live and that you will become a permanent source of love and hope to people in your own neighborhood.
Every aisle in every store looks just like this where you live, doesn't it?
Most of the decorations have something to do with invoking good "luck" or fending off bad "luck" during the new year.
During the past few weeks, we helped host several parties for our university student groups with a different theme, Experiencing New Life and Blessings from Heavenly Father during the New Year.
The parties included songs, games, food, gifts, etc. The students were asked to guess the number of coins in this jar. According to tradition, the coins represent the desire for abundant wealth in the new year. Eating chocolate coins is supposed to bring a sweet new year.
The students were asked to draw an ox on a piece of paper placed on top of their heads. We all had a good laugh at the finished products. In our area, this is the Year of the Ox.
They were also asked to use chopsticks to drop peanuts into a container. Peanuts symbolize longevity.
We even had one Indian student join one of the parties. It was exciting to watch the American and the Indian feed each other a bowl of congee (soup) while blindfolded. Eating meals together with family and friends is definitely the MOST important part of the holiday. 
Fortune, happiness, longevity, prosperity, peace, wisdom, virtue, togetherness....people all around the world are searching for these things. We continue to daily share this message: Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.
