Easter celebration

Fire Dancing

We decided to celebrate our Easter with a ten mile pilgrimage to a resort here on Tanna. We splurged on some cheese and ham omelets and cold drinks for lunch. We walked back and shared some Easter chocolate sent from home and smol spel and swim before going to pray with a neighboring community. This community has formed its own church because of some unsettled disputes with the other churches around the area. The leaders of this church are all related and include many of the outcast families from around (many single mothers and broken families).

We arrived before the campfire had begun so we busted out some classics on the guitar and entertained the kids for a bit. We ate some delicious roasted corn and yam as the sun set and more people showed up. A woman elder in the church blessed the campfire and welcomed everyone. The community’s chief lit the fire and danced with a fire stick to get the kids excited. The guitars chimed in and we all started dancing, jumping, singing, clapping, and running around the fire. The kids especially loved running around the big bonfire! A few people stood up and sang or shared their testimonies as the kids rested on the mats. And before you had time to really cool down another song was starting and the kids were jumping to their feet. This went on for three hours before we decided it was time to retire and sleep. I don’t ever remember celebrating Jesus in my church back home the way these people did on Easter!