Our life in Vanuatu has grown from strength to strength even after the heartbreak of losing Sonadora in the fury of the dual cyclones (Judy and Kevin) in 2023. Our beloved floating home, and sanctuary on the sea, had carried us safely over 1000+ miles of open ocean from New Zealand to Vanuatu. But in a single night of wild winds and roaring seas, she was ripped from her mooring, wrecked and beyond repair. (See testimonies on Facebook numbered 13, 14 and 15). Even in the loss we saw the hand of God. What the storms took from us, God used. He preserved our lives, steadied our hearts and deepened the roots of our faith.
LP and Marianda update: "We asked God where He wanted us to go on the boat and there was silence from heaven. We told Him if He wanted us to stay [in Vanuatu] then we needed to know. The very next day someone we knew of who was leaving Vanuatu, asked if I (LP) would like to take over his building business. In order to live in Vanuatu we needed to start up a business and when offered a building company already set up with 2 workers, a ute (we could use temporarily) and business connections, we believed this was a clear message from God. This was the work I (LP) had been doing in New Zealand , so it was not new to me. They also generously offered that we could stay in their house, while we look after their rental properties and their dog. We stayed there for a year and were especially blessed to be right across from our church, the International Christian Center. Although we were thankful for this blessing, it was a small house with only 2 rooms and no garage for work tools. Space was very tight.
"We heard of a property that was for sale on Devil's Point Road (Port Villa) and the owners were willing to offer a one year 'rent to buy' contract. We couldn't afford to purchase our own property, but we were nosy so went to look. On our way home after looking at the property, we stopped at a dear friend and fellow believers house. While visiting, he said he had something especially made for us. It was a canvas print off one of his photos. A beautiful sunset taken from the beach on Devil's Point Road close to the property.
"We never imagined that God had gone before us and prepared a way for this stunning property rich in peace and beauty, to be our new home. The location and house were ideal, it even had its own water bore. We loved it but wondered how we could possibly make it all work. The funds, getting a loan, the tight timeline, the documents required by the bank, a new business, family commitments. To us it seemed impossible to complete this in a year, but we trusted God. We thought wow, this was the perfect kind of place, but too nice and too expensive for us. We will just have to trust God. Marianda recalls sitting in church and wrestling with the idea of this huge commitment. I felt God say to me, 'if this is what I want to do, are you going to trust me in this or fight me'? I submitted, but thought I am not going to push for this, you will need to make it happen Lord.
"We always ask God for confirmations, usually 3. I (LP) decided to drive to the realtor and tell him about the property and our crazy idea thinking he would say no it won't work. He did not. We had only held a bank account in Vanuatu for 3 months and our income was very average. At the time we only had enough for the deposit and the first months rent. I thought ok, I will go to the bank next and the Manager will shoot me down and this idea will be over. We didn't want to get our hopes up. When I walked into the Bank, the Manager a fellow sailor greeted me. During the cyclones his own boat had received damage too. No coincidence! The requirement to have a bank account for a year was waived and the bank manager supported our loan application.
LP continues: "Our third and final confirmation came when my parents visited us. They knew we were praying about the purchase of the property and waiting on God for a third confirmation. The realtor loaned us the keys to the property, and my Dad suggested we go and take communion there. After, as we drove away in our friends vehicle, I noticed the CD player. A borrowed truck with a CD I had never heard before, but I felt Holy Spirit tell me to play it. It started straight into the chorus of Well Done by The Afters. 'Well done, well done, you good and faithful one. Welcome to the place where you belong. Well done. You have run the race and now you're home. Welcome to the place where you belong.' There were many tears!
"Everything in Vanuatu moves slowly and buying a house could take several months. We started the process 4 months before the 'rent to own' contract was coming to an end. Within weeks miraculously, we had more than the deposit we needed as I quoted for jobs and the deposits were paid promptly. God multiplied every dollar. The option to purchase time was running out and we needed to have an agreement and funds in place by the set business date, Friday 13 December, otherwise the owners were going to withdraw their proposition. They made it clear if we could not comply on time, they would take the property back. We had been working on pulling it all together, but it came down to the last two weeks when it simply did not seem like it was going to work in time. We had done everything and it was in the hands of the bank, lawyer and God. Through the realtor we asked the owners for a time extension and they refused. We felt this was completely out of our hands, and if the deal did not go through on time, we would face a big loss financially. What else could we do?
"LP felt we should do a Jericho walk . So LP and I got up early each morning and for the first 6 days we walked around the property and prayed quietly. We felt absolutely pushed to the limit of our faith - again! At times like these one has to remember the confirmations and what God has brought you through. We are so weak and usually give up when things get hard. On the seventh day, Thursday, we got the kids and explained the Jericho walk: to walk quietly 6 times and then pray and sing on the 7th round. As a family we walked blowing the shofar, praying and praising God, ending with a big shout to God which the kids loved.
"Lunchtime Friday (the due date) the lawyer and bank were still running a person back and forth with the legal documents. The banks closed at 3pm and by then we had heard nothing. Then just after 4pm we received a message from the bank manager advising us, everything had gone through, the deal was done! We were now the new owners of a property we had not dared to dream of. It was nothing short of a miracle. Long after the doors closed, God was still working behind the scenes, moving hearts, shifting circumstances and opening doors no one else could. We were reminded once again: God is never late. He's never early. He moves in perfect timing often when hope feels thin and the clock seems to have run out".
Luke 18:27 'what is impossible with man is possible with God'.