Coconut Apostles

By Conrad Trent

Vanuatu, once the New Hebrides, is a paradise of islands where seeds bear fruit overnight. The air is warm, and the land is full of adventure. Giving up cannibalism for Lent uncovered a nation of hospitable, humble people with a deep connection to the environment. The culture, always deeply spiritual has and in more recent centuries become Christian. Yet behind the Gospel singing of these "happiest people on earth" lies a puzzle: Is God for us?

 

In July 2001, confused by grief while launching a global mission, Conrad agreed to visit Port Vila. He stood in for a friend, teaching 80 Presbyterian pastors at their first Evangelism Seminar. Nervous about entering an unknown context, he invited a brash evangelist onto his team. They clashed, but they also flew. Supernatural experiences caused them to agree that they may never again witness such amazing phenomena.

 

The handwritten journals from that South Pacific mission were lost, but recently found. Relieved to recover the original record of his life-changing experiences, Conrad decided to publish them. Here they are, two decades later, revealing the events that changed him forever. Step back in time and share the surprise he felt each time God released divine love within beautiful people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Conrad Trent
• Release date: Nov 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201849399

Book preview

Sunday 01/07/01

On Sunday 1 July, 8 months since the storm began, the Lord reminded me of my conversion. John Wesley said, the will of man is like a road that leads away from God and the will of God is a different road that leads to him. We choose to leave one to travel on the other because God’s way is always right. God’s way is the best way.

Over the past 8 months, I had focused on my troubles being a result of sin (i.e., living in a fallen world). Babies die because the world is fallen.

I rejected the emphasis that some people place on The Will of God – e.g., it was God’s will to kill my daughter.

On 1 July, the Lord reminded me that his will is perfect and that his will is best and that his will is right.

Whatever God’s role was in the death of my baby (and even though what stood out was his timing and care of us in the midst of a tragedy), the Lord challenged me in a very real way, that I had once entrusted myself to his will because it is right and because it is best. His will has not changed. And so, I found myself (in church at St John’s Mona Vale on 1 July) trusting God and connecting with him in a way that I could not as long as I ignored God’s involvement in my pain. GREAT BLESSING HAS OCCURRED IN MY MINISTRY SINCE THEN!

I don’t know/understand what your involvement was in the death of my daughter, but I know that what you do is always good. What you do is always right.

Long live Susannah!

CONRAD TRENT

In early 2001, I was living in Sydney and leading an international ministry I established in Blackheath, London, called Local Context, a global concern for local evangelism. I was coaching dozens of evangelists around the world. One evangelist was the keynote speaker at an evangelism conference in Port Vila, Vanuatu. About 80 Presbyterian pastors would be attending. He felt unable to go so at short notice I agreed to go in his place. What follows is the content of my journals from that adventure. Even though I would like to describe some of the events differently, I have kept the original text with its faults and naivety so you can read how I understood what I was experiencing.

Prior to departing Sydney, I met with Ian, the Principal of Alan Walker College of Evangelism. He told me that the people were open to spiritual gifts. I asked whether that included supernatural gifts (meaning gifts like words of knowledge and prophecy) and he replied, all the gifts, rightly refusing to distinguish falsely between God’s gifts. This changed my expectations and raised my understanding of the level of the people we would be teaching.

As I had no time or information to help me prepare to teach at the seminar, I invited John as he is good on his feet and his gifts complement mine. He agreed to come.

Sunday 22/07/01

The trip from Bathurst to Sydney was easy and although I passed 2 collisions, it was uneventful. I parked in front of Blair’s house at May Street at 8.30 am, 3 hours since I said goodbye to Wendy. A taxi approached so I waved it down, grabbed my bag and hopped in (after a very brief mobile call to Wendy). I double-checked the doors and hoped like crazy that all of my necessities were in the one bag. By 8.50 am, I had checked in my bag and found a small post office shop. I mailed a card to Wendy and then called her before making my way through the customs checkpoint. I exchanged some dollars, bought some hair gel (essential for evangelists), looked at the new Australian version of T3 Magazine and bought a triple pack of APS films. At gate 22, I called Wendy again, this time without waking her up. I boarded the small plane (6 seats across) and once again found myself just behind the engine. I used the flight to prepare a sermon/testimony in case I had to preach this evening.

Donald found me eventually at Port Vila airport and took me along some very rough ‘roads’ to the conference grounds where I was ushered onto the main platform/veranda. There were about 300-400 people there, including many women and some children. After a fired-up sermon on John 4 (woman at the well) by the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu, I was introduced to the people. I told them about the icy roads and apologised for not knowing their language. They warmed to me very well. I first really noticed the absence of English when I saw the song book, but it hit home when I saw that their Bible was not in English either. Fortunately, I was told later that English is fine if spoken slowly.

I had dinner under the covered grounds, tasting yam and taro for the first time along with lap lap (pudding) followed by sweet, weak tea with a cow full of milk. The fish was cooked, and I was relieved to grab some rice, lettuce, and coleslaw. Donald then took me to ‘the flat’ which reminded me of Bee Farm Road and Plunkett Street, Naremburn. The toilet seat, while appearing clean, had seen better years (probably the 1960s). I unpacked, ate a couple of apricot muesli bars, and had a shower and shave. Two things bothered me. One was that within 2 minutes of removing my sandals, I picked up a glass splinter in my big toe. After removal of the splinter, I spread a little blood around as if it was the Passover. The other thing that bothered me was that the other people on the platform tonight wore ‘white’ shirts, and shoes with socks. After a few mosquito bites (well I could have been imagining it, but I am one of their favourite bites) I conducted a brief survey about malaria. It seems that 27oC is too cold for the mosquitos (???) and also in Port Vila they don’t get the malaria-carriers. We will see! Now to pray some more and prepare 3 sessions.

Monday 23/07/01

John arrived sooner than I expected as watch number 2 was still on Australian time. Donald and I missed him at the airport as a pastor collected him. The pastor prayed and then said John had 3 children, 2 boys and a girl (he was correct) . We spoke as John unpacked and went to bed after midnight. We woke at about 5.20 am. We did over one hour of prayer and preparation/Bible study each. John missed breakfast. I had 2 pieces of bread and a cup of coffee. All of the talks today went well though we struggled with the Christian counselling. Not our gift. Fiona arrived at about 4 pm. and was welcomed. The highlight of today was the praying at the end of the night. People with needs stood and others around them prayed for them. I feel like the Hebrews in the desert wanting to collect more manna ahead of the next day. Now I am so tired, I am pleased that God will wait until 5 am. to tell us what to teach.

Got email from Wendy! Fab!!! After group praying at end, I told John I could die happy today.

Tuesday 24/07/01

Well, it feels like malaria to me. If I wake in the morning and I am still ill, then I will either buy some Weet-Bix™, pray in tongues more or take my malaria tablets. Panadeine® will run out soon. Took a few photos – excellent. Will take more tomorrow. The cold shower today was tough but OK. God gave us manna today. Each day we wake up