May 2017

 

Missionaries Leaving

May 1 Christine Ruasu left for her mission to Australia.  She will make a great missionary.  She has to wear a wrap on her arm because she has a tatoo there.  We went to her setting apart the night before.

May 23 Ben Ini left for his mission to Papua New Guinea.  Ben's parents were some of the first members of the church over here but they are now both inactive.  Ben had been inactive but turned his life around and he is going to serve the Lord. He was set apart the night before.  Then there was a party for him at Jacinta's house.  We went up there (she lives up the mountain) and were so happy to see that his mother (she has been in the hospital for over a month) was able to be there for a few hours.  His dad didn't come but he did come to the airport.  We met Ben's father earlier and he did say he would come to church. At the airport, he said he had gone to church but didn't see us.  Hopefully, with Ben on his mission, both of his parents will become active again.   

Mother's Day Activity

Saturday May 13, White River had an activity for mothers.  It was supposed to start at 3 but actually began about 4:30.  The youth did a little "drama" and then we ate.  I made brownies for the meal, rice, chicken, etc.  And then they had 2 cakes!  What a fun surprise.  It was a good time.  On Sunday, we went up to Honiara branch before church where we met Jessie and Annie (under Sis. Fui's direction), who had made "corsages" for all of the women in the branch and they gave me one.  We didn't get a picture...it began falling apart and wilting.

White River Youth Activity

Monday May 15, the missionaries from White River came to our office to ask about some help getting the district's sound system out to White River.  So we loaded it up and headed over there.  Ronald, Eric and the missionaries had been working to make the stage and put greenery around it.  They even put up some lights.  Pretty impressive.  We then went back at 3, when the activity was to start.  But of course, it didn't start until almost 5.  Everybody brought some food.  We took tuna noodle soup.  The youth sang some songs, there was a "drama" about the prodigal son.  Several then sang songs and we finally ate.  Thank goodness I had brought containers and utensils and paper towels.  It was really getting dark and Ronald finally had to tell the youth it was the end.

School visits

 We finished up with our school visits and payments.  That is a huge sigh of relief.  There might be one or two but nothing like we were doing.  I took a little video of  the one school that Lynn justs drops me off at.  Then I go to the office while he figures out how to turn around.  St. John's school had the best preschool I have seen here.  At Koloale, we met Janet while we were there.  It's always fun to the students that we know and give them a hug.  They are so happy and appreciative.

Janet R.

Hospital Visits

On Mother's day, we made a visit to the hospital.  We went to see Alistein Tagini's wife and new baby girl.  This is the couple that had the bride price ceremony.  After there, we went to see Ben Ini's mother.  She has been in the hospital for 1 month.  She fell and scraped her leg and it became infected and she is diabetic so it didn't heal.  She is going to be another month or more in there.  It was a good visit.  She was in a building that has only diabetic patients where there are just two open rooms with beds about 5 feet apart.  Ben had spent many nights with her, sleeping on a mat on the floor by her bed.  

Alistein Tagini with wife and new daughter

Benjamin Ini and mother