A local volunteer group from the Malekula District, Vanuatu, has sacrificed their time and energy to assist in rebuilding damaged classrooms at Aore Adventist Academy.
The group, known as PLBW (Parker, Lavalsal, Botovro and Wurari), comprises committed Adventist church members from those four organised churches. Originally formed in 2021 as a discipleship group—during the Vanuatu Mission’s intentional promotion of small groups through the I WILL GO initiative—PLBW quickly expanded their focus to practical mission work. They embraced a vision to support communities by repairing and rebuilding damaged churches, classrooms, homes, clinics and other critical infrastructure across Vanuatu.
Following the devastation caused by Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Harold in 2020, which severely damaged the Aore Adventist Academy campus, this group responded selflessly. The cyclone left the school in ruins, forcing the government to relocate students temporarily to Hoc Harbour in Santo. In response, Vanuatu Mission Administration, together with local leadership, acted decisively to restore Aore. With the assistance of insurance funding, most of the staff houses were rebuilt to a much-improved standard, and the PLBW volunteer group played a vital role in this reconstruction effort.
Beyond the support from insurance funds, additional financial contributions were raised locally through the Aore Foundation, a fundraising committee chaired by Rexley Shem. This collaboration between local churches, volunteer groups, and the wider Mission community has been instrumental in reviving Aore Adventist Academy.
The PLBW group plans to continue traveling from island to island to respond to needs in the wake of natural disasters, and offering hope, strength and restoration through their Christ-centred mission.
