New Church in Vanuatu

Hello everyone,

Recently, our friends on Tanna (Vanuatu) celebrated the opening of the new village church. 

In 2011 an intrepid group of staff set out to assist in the laying of foundations for a youth recreation hall. The College assisted in its development and over the years, visited with staff and students to support its construction. 

Our last visit was in 2019, when Graham Schmidt and I returned to assist with the final stages of construction of the steel framework. During this visit, the elders spoke of a desire to develop the hall into a new church building, which they sketched out on the wooden floorboards of our hut.

In order to finish the second stage they have been able to partner with visiting missionaries from NZ and a local Port Vila based contractor as well as constant support from the McMillan family who are friends of the College and decedents of Peter Thompson McMillan, one of the first missionaries on the island.

Many hands have been involved, either on the ground, through fundraising or logistical support and throughout the 14 years the project has embodied "we can make it happen" - thank you to all who have contributed.

A journey indeed.

A message from the Deputy Principal - Operations

Hello all,

I would like to acknowledge and thank James from our whole school community for his passion and drive to make this project happen. He has spent hours and hours helping to organise and facilitate the construction of this building, facing many challenges faced along the way. 

The photos show all that effort has been worth it and I am sure the community is very grateful. 

Those of us lucky to have visited Tanna with James have come away with unforgettable memories of place, experiences (still can’t believe you can sit in the evenings and watch an active volcano) and the amazing people.

Thank you James for “making it happen”.