August 26,2007

Oh my, what a busy few days we have had since Graham and Jacqui left us last Monday night/Tuesday morning. Their plane took off about 1:00 am Tuesday and we watched it rise into the sky while we sat in the truck just past the airport.

The Eldares, a group of missionaries who served here 42 years ago returned for a reunion and have been entertaining all week, culminating with a missionary fireside tonight. They are recording tomorrow and will leave on the weekly Monday night flight to the USA. We have attended a couple of their events this week and have really enjoyed their spirit and fun personalities. One of them, Randy Broadhead is from Raymond and it has been nice to acquaint ourselves with him. These are the fellows who wrote the songs "Masi Samoa" and "Koko Samoa" which have played on the radio in Samoa for decades. As well this week, was a performance at the LDS Church High School by a group of young people, a polynesian review that is really well done. They have put it on for 4 nights already and will do it for another 4 nights this week. There is a lot of time and talent that has gone into it and the energy of those young people is amazing.






















Along with this we went to Sauniatu with the Smarts for the young kids sports day that included traditional samoan games and competitions like coconut husking, weaving, fire starting, etc. It rained but those kids just kept going and had a grand time.

Now, to the thing that has kept us busy and will keep us busy for the next two weeks - the South Pacific Games. We are aiding the missionaries with their responsibilities in ticket sales, etc. for the actual activities. We have attended meeting, been issued with uniforms - these are unbelievable - hot polyester golf style shirts in turquoise, lime green and yellow all in the one shirt with navy shorts for the men (the women are wearing navy or black skirts in keeping with the missionary dress code). The best part is the hat - yellow to match the shirt and would you believe, we even have a cord that comes under our chin if we wish, or it can hang down our back by the cord while we are inside. It is almost a smokey-the-bear style. I know, when you see them you will all be jealous and want us to bring one home for you!

We attended the opening ceremonies last night at Apia Park. We had paid $20 Samoan Tala for each seat and were a little unhappy that they wanted us to take tickets. It ended up that we didn't take tickets and were able to sit in our seats. The program was really quite good - a thousand young people alone made up a human samoan flag as they were dressed in appropriate colors and let off helium balloons. There were traditional dancers, hundreds, fire dancers (and this included the little girl from Sinalei and they did the pyramid with her at the top). The music for the program was done by some soloists and a choir and it was something to make Samoa proud. The only thing that was a little out of place was at the end of the marching in of all the countries' teams, some Samoan came in dressed like Jesus, dragging a cross. We really don't know what it was about but to me it seemed like it was taking the name of our Savior in vain to do such a showy, public display. Anyway, it was a very long program and by the time the speeches were done, we were happy to leave, only to find the buses taking all the teams back to their housing were behind the van we came in. We waited for a long time and I (Kathy) decided to check things out a bit and found some portable potties - these were very clean, probably because no one knew where they were, and we were all very relieved, yes, the pun is intended!

Besides all this, Roy and I did our regular shift at the temple on Friday, gave talks in church today, Roy gave the Sunday school lesson, we had dinner at the Macbeths and attended the fireside tonight. After, we gave a ride home to a fellow who is in our sunday school class. I won't say a young man as he is 37 but is really needy, emotionally. He wanted to come to our home so we visited for an hour or so and then Roy drove him home. A lot of these unattached young people really have needs to associate with each other and us, as their spiritual parents. If we can be any help to any of them, that is what we have been called to do.

August 22, 2007

Ahhh, the past two weeks have been a whirl of fun and activity. We have a few milestones of our time here and Graham and Jacqui's departure this am at 1:00 ended one of those. We swam, hiked to Robert Louis Stevenson's grave, ate, took a ferry to Savaii, slept in fales, paddled an outrigger canoe, watched fire dancing, had firesides at our home for young adults, etc. So, I will try to recap and hope you enjoy the journey with us.

Sinalei is a resort on the back of Upolu with a buffet and program (fia fia). The fire dancing is superb and includes 3 young ladies (not a traditional thing to have) and one of those is 4-5 years old. The pyramid of girls with fire knives is wonderful to watch and this is in the village of Siumu, which is, as we are told, the home of fire dancing.

Things in Samoa often happen when they happen, not always at the time prescribed. We had arranged to go to the island of Namua to spend a night in a fale. When we arrived at the departure point (a small motor boat takes you over to the island where only the host family lives and there are about 10 fale for visitors), there was no one there - no where. Thanks to our cell phone, we contacted a few different people and then the motor boat came over from the island to get us. Apparently there is a flag you raise and they come when it is raised - no, we weren't aware of it. Anyway, the trip was very nice - the snorkeling was good as the island is mostly within the reef and we actually walked around to where the surf pounded the back shores. We were able to use a paopao (outrigger canoe) and enjoyed our time there.

During the trip, we all went to Papase'ea (sliding rock), Piula Cave Pools (fresh water pool coming out of a cave and you can swim down under the back of the cave into another pool). Roy and Graham did it, but this is Kathy writing and no, I really have no desire to crawl through an underground cave holding my breath and not knowing what kind of creature could be there! We spent a glorious afternoon at Sauniatu, the village in the mountains that was dedicated to LDS people who were severed from their villages when they joined the church. It has a wonderful waterfall and pools.
Our trip to Savaii was great. The Taga Blowholes are magnificent and after more money than we should have spent, a local fellow threw some coconuts into the blowhole and it shot probably 50 feet into the air. The canopy walk at the rainforest reserve at Falealupo was nice but the kids didn't sleep up there - it is a long way down to the bathroom for a pregnant woman. This area is the last place in the world where the sun sets each day. We stayed at a village just down the road a ways and got some sunset shots. The hotel we stayed in (Vaisala) was ok and that is about it. It did have a beach to swim at and was very quiet (no dogs barking and rooster crowing like we have at home).
The second night we stayed at Stevenson's Beach Fales and it was good. There is a man eating beach there we had heard about but didn't experience until this trip. There are fresh water springs coming into the ocean in many places and they keep the sand very loose and soft (well, sort of soft). Roy was walking along about 2 feet from the water's edge and suddenly sunk to his thigh! We managed to get him out and later he went in again. Graham went in and then decided to go in with both feet to see how far down it would take him. We were standing ready to haul him out if necessary. He sunk to his belly button, about, and the water was up to his chest. Both Jacqui and I were treated to our own trip as well. The coral sand made abrasions on most of our legs and it was a little nervy, but ok. A lady had told us about it in 2005 when we were there but we could never find it. We will be tour guides to anyone who would like to experience the man (or woman) eating beach!

On our last morning before the ferry we went over to Olemoe Falls - wow. There wasn't enough rain for the big waterfall but there were a couple of smaller ones and it was so clear - a much prettier pool than Sauniatu. Our pictures don't do it justice - as I find most of our pictures don't. (then the sunset ones actually do capture the mood correctly)


Graham and Jacqui had one night alone at Virgin Cove Resort - a fale resort that is lit with kerosene lanterns, etc. They really enjoyed it and I will leave it to them to describe.

On Saturday night we had a special night with Amuia and his family. He has been quite sick with gout and he feels it is more than that now. He has called his family from America to come and pay their last respects. Well, they had invited us to come and when we got there, many family members were present. We had some gifts for them (a quilt I had made and had Graham bring), a Canadian flag, mugs, coloring books and crayons, pens, etc. Amuia's daughter Sanonu had made Graham a shirt and Jacqui a matching pulatasi, and her husband had put an elei print on them. She was really emotional about this gift she made specifically because her father wanted her to do it and she was late coming to the family because of trying to please her father. Amuia was quite ill when she got there and he didn't even recognize her. She had tears as she was telling us the story and it makes the gift more meaningful. He wanted them to wear the clothes on the plane home and they did!

We spent time at Tafa Tafa beach but Togitogiga Falls had NO WATER coming over - just a very stagnant pool. Brooke, you came at a good time! We also spent the last afternoon they were here at Vavau - not a lot of sun but a nice, beautiful beach.

Roy and I have new callings in the ward - Young Adult Spiritual Parents. We teach the Sunday Gospel Doctrine lesson and fellowship the youth. We have had two firesides at our home and are having a pool party at one of the girl's home who has a swimming pool. We had about 12-14 people, including Graham and Jacqui and they are super kids. A couple of them are visitors here for the South Pacific Games and guess where they are from? Lethbridge! We know the one boy's father and one of the girls is his cousin on the other side. I hope we can see them again when we are all in Alberta again.
I think this will be it for this blog session and I will write again tomorrow - there is so much going on right now and we need to record it all. Tofa soifua for now. Kathy