When we got to the church yesterday morning at 10:00, the starting time, we found out that it was a district meeting that started at 10 for all the leaders and the activity was just the kids. OK! So I went into the kitchen at the church and there are several cakes sitting on the counter. Great! But then I go to put my food on the counter and notice that everything in the kitchen is FILTHY dirty. I just can't cut the watermelon in those conditions. At first I'm afraid if I clean that I will insult the branch members, but then I decided I'm here to teach and set an example. So I start washing the counters with a small warn out sponge that I found in the sink. Kim comes in and sees the dirt and he starts washing the refrigerator.
The Elders then come in looking for something to make a drink in. They find a square 2 or 3 gallon container that is also filthy. Elder Moore starts washing it. He actually found some soap. I honestly don't know if it's possible to really clean it though. But he does the best he can. Then he takes it outside to the water faucet, which is used for the members to wash their feet before coming into the building. There is no sanitary or purified water in ANY faucets in Fiji. But the natives apparently drink the water. We were told to ONLY drink bottled water or water out of the purifier in our apartment. So the Elder fills this bucket with water, brings it back into the kitchen, and proceeds to fill it with tang flavoring. Once finished one of the young teenage girls fills a cup (who knows if it's been used before or not) and gives it to me to see if it tastes good. To see if they have the right amount of powder drink in it. What am I suppose to do? We're told they get offended if you don't eat the food they offer BUT I don't want to drink that "punch". So I take a sip and tell her it's great. I put the cup on the counter and she says, "oh, that is for you to drink." I politely said thank you and said I'd drink it later. Later never comes, thank goodness, because when they start serving someone else is given my cup of drink. 🤦
Well anyway, I get the kitchen cleaned. Kim finds a broom and sweeps. Then I get the watermelon and Nada and her older sister Eloise insist that they cut it. OK "BUT don't cut yourself." They both got to work on that watermelon and did a fair job getting it cut into serving sized pieces. Then Eloise and I cut the pineapple. Nada went out to play. At 11:30 the Elders suggested we bless the food and start feeding the children since the adults should be done soon. We blessed it and Eloise and Nada start filling plates with food and giving them to the children. They put one of everything there is on a plate and gave this little 3 year old a heaping plate of mostly cakes. There were a LOT of kids there and I knew we didn't have enough chicken rolls for everyone to have a roll and wanted some left for the adults. I started cutting them in half and just giving the children a half of a chicken roll. Soon all the children had been given food and the adults came out. I'm not sure that all the men got a chicken roll but I know the women did. The men got whatever was leftover with no complaining.
After everyone had been served a sister came with a large container of egg salad sandwiches. I was grateful to see some more stable food and not just sweets but they were a little late. But don't worry! The Fijians like to eat and every one of those sandwiches got eaten and so did everything else. There were NO leftovers at the end. I was trying to clean up the now totally destroyed kitchen when I realize I was being a little like Martha when she and Mary were visited by the Savior. She was busy doing duties and not gleaning the field, so to speak. Just as I had that thought, Kim came in and said "come out and join us." So I left the mess and went out front where the women were all sitting and laying on the front "porch" of the church talking and enjoying each other. I joined in and we just had a very relaxing time talking and chatting and talking some more. What beautiful people they are. They were in no hurry to clean up and go home. Back in America, we would clean up and go home. But not here. They have a much more relaxed attitude about life. They are simple and humble and satisfied and happy. They are delightful.
Around 3:00 or so we decided we'd better head home. I honestly thought we'd be done at noon and home by 1:30. But it's ok. Then Sister Tamani asked if we would take her husband into Suva with us. He is a night watchman and his shift started at 7:00. Absolutely we will take him. Then as we were getting in the car, Shirley asked if she could have a ride. She is the one we took the sewing machine to and lives quite a ways from the church. So we told her yes. Well that meant her 4 daughters would be joining us as well. But don't worry about our 5 passenger vehicle. There's room for 8 people! It's an SUV and has a back area where the 3 younger girls crawled right in to. They thought nothing of it. Besides, isn't that what that area is for? 😅😉 Lal, the oldest daughter, is 20 years old and both women are good sized. So they rode in the back seat with Brother Tamani. We took them to the end of their road which meant they still had a good walk to go but they were happy to get that far!
We just Love these people. What a day to remember! 💗😊
Eloise and Nada helping cut watermelon. There's the big bucket of drink the Elder made.
These boys were pumping up the rugby ball so they could play. Rugby is a huge sport here.
 |
| Lots of helpers in the kitchen. |
Playing volleyball, basketball and rugby.
The women sat on one side and the men sat on the other! 😂
Just sitting and talking. What a carefree life! This is Sister Tamani. The sister behind me is the branch president's wife. I don't know her name.
These kids were having a great time playing on this hill. Oh the joys of youth!
Taking Shirley and her daughters home. La, Nada, Kara and Eloise. She has one boy, Solo, who we picked up Sunday morning as he was walking up the road to church.
On Sunday, after our meetings, I told Nada that I wanted to take Kim (Elder Roper) to Sister Tagidugu's grave site which is just down a path behind the church. Brother Tagidugu was the temple president when his wife got cancer. I guess they fought it hard--she even went to Salt Lake for treatment but lost the battle. Everyone in the area came to her funeral. This was about 6 months ago so we never knew her but we've heard all about it. She and her husband were legendary in this area. When we started down the path there were several of the children that came along. The little boys were bare footed, which is very common, and they ran through the field as if they had on shoes. Their feet must be like leather.
They decorate their graves in a very unique way. I'm sure there is some meaning, but I don't know why.
The children told me this was the grave of a young child in the village. They didn't know why he died, other than he got sick.
Salote in the red is showing us Sister Tagidugu's grave site. She is standing on her son's grave who died 8 years ago at the age of 36. None of the children knew why he passed away.
Lily is looking at the son's grave.
Eloise is showing me what is inside the cloth curtains.
 |
| Still flowers and ribbons from the funeral. |
Salote
 |
| Running back to the village and the church. |
This is John, Salote and Kara.
