Glimpses from the last few months – teaching, travel and new initiatives

Hi everyone!

Can you believe we're already at the end of October? The weeks have just flown by! It's been a busy and exciting season since my last update. Over the past few months, I've been working on developing a teacher training guide so that local teachers can continue running the Keep Safe program even after our team has moved on.

I also had the opportunity to attend a missions conference and board meetings in California, USA, before traveling on to New Zealand, where I taught for a week on the topic "Hearing God's Voice" at a Discipleship Training School (DTS). Now I'm finally back in Vanuatu, right in the middle of the tropical heat, with summer in full swing!

Teacher Guide in Progress

As a Keep Safe team, we've now visited over 40 schools across Vanuatu. The children's program is well established, and the message of safety and protection is being clearly understood. But after visiting so many schools, we've discovered a significant need: Teachers need more training and confidence to continue conversations with children about their bodies, boundaries, and safety—and to know how to respond wisely when a child discloses sexual abuse.

In our Keep Safe lessons, we tell children to speak up if someone touches them inappropriately—but if teachers don't know how to respond properly, that creates a gap. That's why, over the past weeks, my team and I have spent a lot of time reading, studying, and gathering local guidelines from different government departments to make sure our teaching is safe, practical, and rooted in the local context.

Next week, we'll be holding a workshop with local partners to finalize the teacher guide. Our goal is to make it simple, practical, and culturally relevant—something teachers can truly use in their classrooms. One thing I've learned here in Vanuatu is this: the simpler we make things, the better they work.

A Sneak Peek from the Teacher Guide

Abuse harms every part of a child's life—physically, emotionally, and mentally. It shatters their sense of safety and makes learning difficult.
Many children stay silent out of shame, fear, or simply not knowing whom to talk to. Some even think what happened is "normal."
That's why we, as adults, must act.

As a teacher, you play a key role. You can change a child's life and help create a safer future. When you teach about the body, boundaries, and God's design, you give children both the language and the courage to protect themselves.

Knowledge is prevention.

When children understand that abuse is never their fault, they become better equipped to speak up. Over time, these conversations can transform school culture—from silence and taboo to openness, safety, and hope.

🇺🇸 A Trip to California

On October 1st, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to California, USA, to represent our work in Vanuatu at a missions conference and attend several board meetings. I traveled with David and Linda Cowie, the founders of YWAM bases in both New Zealand and Vanuatu, as well as many others around the world.

Throughout the trip, they introduced me to several key people who have been important in building and supporting the ministry over the years. They also wanted to help connect me more closely into their network so that I can continue carrying this work forward into the future.

It was deeply valuable to travel with them, hear their stories, and learn from a couple who have pioneered so many bases and mercy ministries globally.

And on a lighter note—I also got to enjoy fruit and berries we don't have here in Vanuatu, reconnect with some friends from my own DTS almost two years ago, and as a special blessing, the entire trip was provided for me! It reminded me that God truly sees even the smallest desires of our hearts. Ever since I was little, I've dreamed of visiting California—and suddenly, God opened the door. He really does care about the details of our lives, even the small ones.

🇳🇿 Teaching in New Zealand – Hearing God's Voice

After a few impactful weeks in the U.S., I traveled on to Pacific Reach in New Zealand, where a new DTS had just begun with 30 students from eight different nations. I had the privilege of teaching for a full week on "Hearing God's Voice."

Together, we explored how God still speaks today—through His Word, through creation, and through the Holy Spirit—and how we can learn to recognize His voice among all the other voices competing for our attention. We talked about how a heart willing to obey is one of the keys to hearing God, and the students had practical times of listening to Him for themselves and for others.

It was powerful to watch God meet each one with personal encouragement, direction, and love. One of the highlights was seeing students hear God's voice for the very first time—the joy and wonder in their eyes is something I'll never forget. Many said they had never heard teaching like this before, and that they experienced God as more personal and near than ever before.

For me, it was also a great honor that the base leadership trusted me to teach this topic, and it was a privilege to share from my heart. The whole week was a fresh reminder of how alive God is—and how faithful He is to speak when we truly seek Him.

✈️ A Fun Opportunity to Share the Gospel on the Way Home

On my way back to Vanuatu, I prayed a simple prayer while sitting at the gate in New Zealand:

"God, if you want to use me on this trip—to tell someone about You or to pray for someone—I'm available."

And the beautiful thing about those kinds of prayers is that God always answers.

On the flight from New Zealand to Fiji, I was seated next to a talkative man from India who lived in Fiji—a Hindu who was eager to chat. Soon, our conversation turned to faith, and for over three hours we talked about who God is, what Jesus has done, and how He changes lives. Though he didn't share my beliefs, he listened with genuine curiosity, and it was a deep and respectful conversation.

Then, after a short layover in Fiji, I boarded my flight to Vanuatu—and believe it or not, God seated another Hindu next to me. One of the first things he said was:

"Can you tell me about your God?"

So there, at 30,000 feet, I got to share the gospel again—about God's love, about grace, and about how salvation is a gift we cannot earn by good works. For someone whose faith revolves around doing good to gain favor, this was hard to grasp—but he listened with open ears and a searching heart.

Later, he mentioned that his wife was actually a Christian. I realized that God was already at work in his life, and I just got to water a seed He had planted long ago. I left that plane deeply thankful to be part of what God is doing—even between airports.

The Road Ahead

Now that I'm back in Vanuatu, I'm focusing on finishing the teacher guide and preparing the workshop that will equip teachers in the Keep Safe program.

Thank you for standing with me—in prayer, in support, and in faith that God's love can transform lives, one school, one teacher, and one child at a time. I can truly feel the difference between walking alone and walking with a prayer family behind me. Every time I face challenges or feel weary, I'm reminded that I don't stand in my own strength—but by God's grace and the support of people like you.

🙏 Prayer Points

• Teacher Guide & Workshop: Pray that the material will be practical, simple, and transformative—equipping teachers to respond to children with wisdom, safety, and compassion, and that it will gain strong local ownership.

• Keep Safe Program: Pray for the children we meet, that the message will take root and help build a culture of safety, dignity, and respect in schools.

• Wisdom in Leadership: Pray for me personally—for wisdom in working with government, partners, and staff. That I would lead with humility, peace, and clarity.

• Future Direction: Pray for God's guidance for the next steps of the work here in Vanuatu. That He will continue to open the right doors and connect us with the right people.

• Rest & Renewal: Pray that I find balance between serving and resting—that my heart continually draws strength from God's presence.

Thank you so much for standing with me—through prayers, messages, gifts, and encouragement. You are part of everything God is doing here in Vanuatu, and the fruit of this work is also yours.

With warm greetings from
Marte Skutlaberg
Vanuatu 🇻🇺