Salvos rebuilding cyclone victims' lives

A significant milestone has been reached in The Salvation Army’s ongoing response to the devastation caused in Vanuatu by Cyclone Pam earlier this year.

The first of several shelters, which are being constructed in three remote villages on Tanna Island, has been built with a family of five moving in.

The project is one of a number implemented by The Salvation Army in partnership with Liberty for the Nations, a Christian relief agency that has been working on Tanna Island since the early 1990s.

Salvation Army International Emergency Services team member Captain Dale Murray, from the Australia Eastern Territory, visited Tanna Island to monitor the progress of the project.

While there, he had the privilege of seeing the first shelter completed and meeting its new occupants – David, his wife and three children.

“It was great to see the first shelter built,” said Captain Murray. “This project has been a team effort with a number of logistical challenges due to the remoteness of Tanna Island and the three villages. The joy on the faces of David and his family was priceless – something I will remember for many years.”

Speaking to Captain Murray through a translator, David said: “Our home was completely blown away by Cyclone Pam [in early March]. We did not know what we were going to do and we lost hope. Now we have hope thanks to The Salvation Army and Liberty for the Nations. We give all glory to God.”