KURT JOINS THE TEAM

KURT ACKERMANN CAME TO ME AFTER A RECENT EL HAVEN PROMOTIONAL TALK AND WANTED TO KNOW IF HE COULD HELP OUT IN VANUATU. AFTER TALKING WITH HE AND HIS WIFE ELIZABETH, HE DECIDED THAT THIS WAS FOR HIM, AND HE BOOKED HIS TICKET IMMEDIATELY. HE ARRIVED TO JOIN WILLIAM LAST THURSDAY. RETIRED ENGINEER, HE COMES WITH A FULL SET OF PRACTICAL SKILLS AND A LIFETIME OF KNOW-HOW. WE BELIEVE THESE 2 MEN WILL ACCOMPLISH THE FINISHING OF THE PROJECT BUILD. HE IS THERE FOR 4 MONTHS FOR A START. IT’S CALLED A DOUBLE BLESSING.

CHANGE IS AFOOT

SHIRLEY IS ON SITE IN VANUATU. GOD HAS LED 2 MEN INTO THE EL HAVEN PROJECT. WILLIAM GRANDISSON, A RETIRED AIRCRAFT MECHANIC, HAS AGREED TO VOLUNTEER HIS MANY SKILLS TO HELP MANAGE THE PROJECT TO COMPLETION! WILLIAM IS ENERGETIC, CAREFUL TO DETAIL, SOCIABLE, CAPABLE OF LEADING A TEAM OF MEN, A GOOD COMMUNICATOR AND A FIRM BELIEVER. WE ARE HUMBLED BY GOD’S PROVISION.

UPDATE FOR EL HAVEN FOLLOWERS

To All El Haven Supporters: Current state of affairs with the El Haven Project. First my apologies for not posting for quite a while.

The building continues as it has for the last 6 years. Fletchers New Zealand has oversight of the build. Tony the manager of Fletchers Vanuatu is faithfully supplying heavy equipment, personnel and guidance on all aspects- FREE.

AUSENCO- is still inspecting all work to insure compliance with the engineering plans- FREE.

We now have the funds to order the roof trusses- THANKS TO ALL OF YOU.

Shirley is there at this moment to keep the lines of communication open with workforce, and the local mission who are the final recipients of all funds sent through the SPD Central Mission Fun

2023 in review

A number of key movements forward happened IN 2023

  1. THE BUILDING HAS BEEN RAISED TO FULL HEIGHT FOR 3/4 OF THE ENTIRETY. THANKS TO THE TEAM OF 10 LOCAL SUB-CONTRACTORS.,

  2. In JUNE, THE SEPTIC TANKS WERE MADE TO ENGINEERING STANDARDS, PURCHASED AND INSTALLED BY BILL AND KAY ELDRIDGE FROM SHEPPARTON VICTORIA. BIG THANKS.

3. IN AUGUST, GREG AND SETH CLAYTON, FATHER AND SON PLUMBING TEAM FROM OXFORD NEW ZEALAND, INSTALLED ALL PIPEWORK AND CONNECTIONS TO THE SEPTIC TANKS. BIG THANKS.

4. TONY CARE, MANAGER OF FLETCHER’S CONSTRUCTION, HAS OVERESEEN HIS 10- MAN TEAM AND FLETCHERS NEW ZEALAND HAVE COMMITTED TO THEIR FULSOME SUPPORT TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE BUILDING PROGRAMME. THANKS TONY AND FLETCHER’S CONSTRUCTION

5. DONORS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE BUILDING COSTS OF $10,000 EACH MONTH.

6. SHIRLEY HAS ORDERED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROOF TRUSSES DUE TO BE COMMENCED ON JAN. 8, 2024.

7. IN 2019, GOD’S PROVIDENCE LED OUR CARETAKER, ESTHER LIKI TO LIVE ON SITE AND REPRESENT US IN OUR ABSENCE. SHE IS STILL THERE, CAPABLY AND FAITHFULLY KEEPING THE GROUNDS TIDY, THE GARDEN IN ORDER AND MICRO MANAGING THE WORK TEAM ON A DAY- TO-DAY BASIS.

SOUTH NEW ZEALAND CONFERENCE OFFER THEIR HELP

“BIG CAMP ” 2023, a convention gathering of several hundred people happened from Jan 8-14. The South New Zealand Conference of SDA kindly offered Shirley the task of providing food for the campers who wished to purchase food in a beautiful tent set up up especially for the task. It was a busy week for the 16 volunteers who gave unstintingly of their time and energy. All proceeds went to The El Haven Project. Profits and donations raised in the vicinity of $14,000!

THE 3 MATRIARCHS OF THE EL HAVEN PROJECT.

Pr Dorolyn Laloyer( Cent.) originally inspired by God to build a building for the saving of new- born unwanted babies. Pr Katie Snyder (left) verbally instructed by God to place inheritance money into a fund for an “ orphanage” and subsequently and miraculously to meet Pr Dorolyn and discover the vision for El Haven. Mrs Shirley Coombs( right) commissioned to head up the physical building in Port Vila.

In New Zealand, your donation can be directed to:
Garden City Fellowship SDA Church (El Haven)
03-1700-0431471-000 (Westpac)
For tax receipt email Todd. - vandewc@xtra.co.nz

In Australia:
Acc.Name: El Haven S Coombs
BSB: 013 344
Acc. Number: 221 356 748
ANZ Bank

#8. Shirley Meets Pr Dorolyn

Toward the end of 2015, after a year of contemplation on the El Haven Project,  Shirley and I decided to commit to the building. We duly arrived a week early in Port Vila for our Mission Trip so that we could meet Pr Dorolyn

It was a memorable coming together of two minds, now both ladies committed to moving forward, and with a clear sense that God was in control.

Toward the end of that meeting, Shirley asked Pr Dorolyn, “So what next?” And without a pause, Pr Dorolyn excitedly responded, “We need some land!”

It was a memorable coming together of two minds, now both committed to moving forward, and with a clear sense that God was in control.

Toward the end of that meeting, Shirley asked Pr Dorolyn, “So what next?” And without a pause, Pr Dorolyn excitedly responded, “We need some land!”

#9 God Had Already Chosen the Land 

Now Shirley is in her comfort zone with property, so we 3 immediately set out for the estate agent, Caillard& Kaddour. Dorolyn described what we needed.The agent said “ We have only one piece of land anywhere near that description. It’s been on the market for a year.” As we arrived at the piece of land, Dorolyn excitedly whispered, “Perfect position.” As we took in the jungle covered sloping block, it was obvious that it had been manicured into three equal- sized  levelled blocks. Shirley saw the building possibilities immediately. On enquiring about price, we were told that the ex-pat owner had reduced the asking price by half and Shirley’s offer of a further 30% less was accepted overnight!  

#7- Shirley and I implicated in the El Haven Story

#7. Shirley and I implicated in the El Haven story.

Two weeks later, on our return to Port Vila, Katie was consumed by  seeking out and meeting the mystery connection- Pastor Dorolyn Laloyer. When Katie came back from that meeting, she excitedly related the whole story of “El Haven”- the building that God had ordained to save the lives of otherwise abandoned babies. At the end of Katie’s animated narration, Shirley, ever practical, asked innocently, “And who is going to build this El Haven?”. I will never forget Katie’s simple reply as she turned to answer: “ And that, Mrs Shirley, Would be you.”

#6. The Missing Piece of The Puzzle

At about 4:00 am the next morning at the hotel, an urgent knock came on our door. Joseph, Katie’s husband, told us to get up and that we were going to the airport. Dutifully, we all arrived at the airport, checked in our bags and were told to go have a nice day and come back at 4:00 pm for our booked passage to Santo, because  the 7:00 am flight was impossibly overbooked. Under Katie’s quiet insistence, we waited- and prayed. At about 5 to 7, on an overbooked plane that seated about 30 people, 7 seats suddenly became available and we boarded the small plane. Katie now sensed God’s hand. We were suddenly all engaged.

So, on a plane we shouldn’t be on, sitting in seats we were not supposed to occupy, Katie’s seat mate told of a wonderful local woman who had been inspired by God to build -“ an orphanage. “ And the God ordained connection was made.

El Haven Story #5. The Unexpected Delay.

When 7 of us flew into Port Vila a week later for a 2 week mission trip, our onward flight to Santo had been cancelled due to a mechanical fault with the plane. We were given meal tickets and accommodation, and were told to come back the next day at 4:00 pm for the flight to Santo.

 Katie, meanwhile, told us all about the clear voice. And of the mystery of the “ orphanage” that her inheritance was to go toward.She was excited about what was afoot. And we were not un-interested! After all, in our experience, God doesn’t often give vocal, verbal instructions.

#4 GOD SOMETIMES SPEAKS WITH A VOICE

In August 2014, a week before we were to meet in Port Vila for a 2 week mission trip in Vanuatu, Katie was stopped in her tracks by a clear, commanding voice. It said, “ KATIE, THE MONEY YOU ARE GETTING FROM YOUR UNCLE’S INHERITANCE IS NOT FOR YOU- IT’S TO START AN ORPHANAGE.” Momentarily confused and somewhat disoriented, she thoughtfully went on with what she was doing. About an hour later, THE SAME VOICE- THE SAME MESSAGE. She immediately went and told Joseph, her husband and together they committed whatever money was coming to whatever God had in mind.

#3- George Kalran's Support

In 2015, Dorolyn met George Kalran on a bus and told him the story of how God had spoken to her through his song "SEMI"and that El Haven was being built. He responded with smiles and said" Hemia nau reason why me singing song ya" or " That is the very reason I composed the song." And said he was happy for her to use the song for any fundraising efforts in the future. You can google “George Kalran” and look for “semi” for full song in Bislama.

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#2- Shellene's Support

In 2012, Shellene Redman, as part of the Women's Ministry Advisory for South Queensland, met with Pr Dorolyn, then Women's and Children 's Ministries Leader of the Vanuatu Mission and together became mutual allies in the fight to establish a centre to save babies lives in Vanuatu. They agreed on the name- EL HAVEN. "El", in Hebrew, means God. And "Haven", a place of refuge. Shellene is a trusted friend, lending constant support and encouragement to Dorolyn in the building of el Haven.

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JULY 6- Work is progressing smoothly. Walls have been poured to window level for 1/2 the building. Windows are now being placed in preparation for pouring to 2400 height.

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