Melanesian Sunday: On 13 January we held a very timely service which focussed on our 112 year old connection with the Melanesian Mission. As we have done at the beginning of every term since any of us can remember, we had been collecting our ‘Mish money’ from each girl; last term we bought a canoe for the islanders; in the Summer we bought five bikes for the priests (who are hugely important in island daily life) and recently we gave £1,000 towards library books for St Patrick’s School in Vanuatu, as well as collecting books for the literacy programme.

We welcomed David Friswell, Executive Officer of the Melanesian Mission and also two Seniors: Fiona  Willans and Sophie Best. They had spent much of their GAP year together working in Pamua, an extremely remote Melanesian island with scarcely any facilities.  Fiona returned after university and has been working in Vanuatu for three years.

As we entered Chapel, the music of the islands set the atmosphere; wonderful Melanesian mats adorned the pillars.  We started by singing a Melanesian hymn which we had practised the day before , telling of coral, whales and children by the sea.   Campbell girls, impressively, demonstrated Melanesian traditions, processing down the aisle, dressed in a grass skirt or lava lava carrying the Bible in a ‘canoe’, decorated with flowers; they should really have been dancing whilst more music played – but their courage left them!  Fiona read the Gospel in ‘pigeon English’; whilst the story was surprisingly recognisable, it was good to hear the full English version immediately afterwards. David Friswell  preached, thanking us, and all the Seniors and staff who had gone before us, for our support, explaining that, even though what we do may seem small and we may not fully understand why we are doing it, we really do make a difference to those people the other side of the world.

After Chapel there was an invitation to Big School for refreshments and to see the exhibition on the work of the Melanesian Mission.  We were able to see the power point presentation about the Mission which two LVs had made and which is intended to be taken round schools and parishes.  It was also a golden opportunity to speak to the two Seniors and Mr Friswell about the work and possible GAP year experiences.

Without a doubt, we are building a far greater understanding of the work of the Mission and the lives of the islanders.

Mrs Best