Celebrating One Year in Photos

All the kids with Uncle Steven :)

"Kaiviti" boy with friends. Notice the eyeball in his hand?!

Ben, Bailee, and Steve with all the blue starfish they found!

Papa playing rugby with the local boys

"The Wedding Feast"

Bailee and Seru's Birthday Party/wedding :)

Fiji Time!

October 18, 2009

“We’re on Fiji Time.”  These are the words you hear when someone wants to tell you dinner will be a couple hours late.  This was a common phrase over at Rainbow Reef.  However, at the Mission, we are on ‘Anibal’ time.  The Argentinian Doctor that serves here has turned this place in to a very systematic, well run operation.  Morning worship starts promptly at 7:30, Monday thru Friday.  The staff are not required to come, but most of them do.  I have been so blessed by the singing of the Fijian people, and the thoughts they have shared from God’s word.  Anibal has everyone take turns leading the devotion, and it has been a wonderful way to start our days here. On many occasions, patients that show up early join us for this time, as well.

The clinic is open from 8-12 Monday thru Friday.  However, that doesn’t stop people from coming at all hours of the day.  Dr. Anibal is open for emergencies whenever he is here.  In the few weeks that we have been here, we have seen many patients treated during closed hours.  From machete wounds to broken bones, to serious illness, the Mission provides a haven to the hurting.  One of our goals is to lighten Dr. Anibal’s workload outside the clinic, so he can be a Doctor full time, and not worry about all the other details of running the property.

Mike and Jon have been active in learning about the systems operations, from the generator to the trash disposal.  They have to be creative here in disposing of rubbish, because no trash and recycling trucks ever come this way. We are on a ‘burn’, ‘bury’, or ‘compost’ program, which requires a lot of consistency and work.  Most things that we used to push a button for, or write a check to pay for the service are unavailable here.  Thankfully, God is giving us some great experience and connections here.

We have learned to ask a lot of questions, to save us from reinventing the wheel.  The many different workers here have been a wealth of information for us.  We have been able to find local sources for fresh bread (until our container gets hereJ), eggs, homemade fans (a necessity for church), sewing, etc.  It is a huge blessing to invest in the local economy, as well as get the things we need without going to town.

A thrilling discovery this week was the local “Sam’s Club”!  We had heard there was a small warehouse type store called Sunny’s place, down the road, but hadn’t found time to check it out.  Monique and I took a couple of the children for a walk, to see what might be available there.  It turns out that we were greeted by a very friendly Indian young man, named Raju.  His family runs a local ferry and this store.

 The store definitely did not have American curb appeal, with its dusty and dark appearance, but it did carry quite a few things that will serve our families well.  They sell many things by the case, and are willing to take our orders on a weekly basis, and then deliver them straight to our kitchen.  That’s even better than America! Not to mention, a great opportunity to make new friendships with this very friendly family. 

Fiji has two major holidays this week: Fiji Day and the Indian Festival of Lights.  We  just celebrated Fiji’s Independence Day. Jessi and Bailee helped out at a local village on Thursday, and on their way home got invited to do music at another village’s school celebration.  We all piled into the truck to find a tiny school near the end of another off road experience.  We stopped along the way to pick up a bunch of villagers whose children attend the school. Words can’t describe the feeling of getting slammed around the back of the pickup, ducking fast approaching palm branches, and trying not to fall on to someone’s lap (or head).

The Fiji Day Celebration was well worth the trip.  The children sang their national anthem, as the flag was raised.  They had a speech by the guest of honor, who was their retired head teacher.  This man turned and addressed us directly, and recited the pledge allegiance to the flag of America.  He told us he was so thankful for the Mission’s work, because he himself had his sight restored just a couple weeks prior by one of the eye doctors that came down to serve.  His gratitude was heart warming and humbling.

We greatly enjoyed watching the students do their traditional meke dance, and then our girls were asked to sing.  Shouts of “Vinaka”  (thank you!) and “More” were the response.  However, we had to head back to the Mission so they could use the truck for work.  On our way home, we had another surprise.  One of the men we were driving asked us to pull over.  A woman proceed to come out of the house with blankets in her hand.  This was followed by loads of pots, pans, a mattress, and many other household items.  She grinned as she loaded in the last armful, and said, “Drop these off in Vunikera.  I will come later”.  Apparently, helping friends (and strangers) move didn’t end when we left America!

This week has been a lot calmer than last week, even with the latest tsunami warning.  Did you hear that another earthquake hit in between Australia and Fiji?  It surely reminds me of Jesus’ words that in the last days, there will be many signs that precede his second coming.  Earthquakes were one of the signs, and it makes me all the more excited to do God’s work here in preparing the people here for the Lord’s return.  The Fijian children were sent home from school, because of the latest warning.  But by the time, we checked on line, the warning had been cancelled.  PhewJ  No life jacket, and hill climbing this time.

We are attempting to schedule our lives into a routine now with homeschooling for me and the kids and work and house building for Mike.  We have a basic routine in place, but Becka assured me today that we have not actually lived out the planned schedule yet.  She complained that she hadn’t done math in several days!  We have had many things come up that thwart my well laid plans!  We have learned to be flexible and live out the ‘no worries’ or ‘sega na leqa’ motto.

This morning, the clinic was open and particularly busy after the holiday.  It turns out that the receptionist was late getting back, and they were in need of help.  Bailee attempted to man the desk by herself at first, but soon came to find me with a strong plea for help.  With Bailee, Mary Sue, and I all working, we were able to figure out the system, and get people checked in and pull their charts.  Fijians are incredibly patient people.  They would just smile and wait for their turn, or even agree to come back the next day, when we got too many people on the waiting list.  I am sure we humored them, as we tried hard to understand their names, and the names of their villages.  We lost a couple hours of school that morning, but gained a lot more.

Due to lack of time, and too many events to give you details for I will condense some of the latest happenings here in the South Pacific.

*Justin has kept busy playing catch with coconuts, and playing hide and seek with his friend, Mr. Crab. 

*The kids have been busy writing, and directing a movie, which is sure to hit youtube somedayJ

*One of the staff here now has brought his white mare, Snow, with her buckskin filly, Milo to graze near the clinic.  He told us Jessi can ride her anytime, and just watching the baby frolic brings back sweet memories of home.

*Jessi lost some major sleep 2 nights ago, when disturbed by a very large cockroach on her way to the bathroom with her flashlight in hand.  So last night, Mike, Jessi and I took on the nasty animal with a broom, a flashlight, and a sturdy pair of cowboy boots, after many screams, and hysterical laughing, we won the victory.  That cockroach picked the wrong room to hang out in.

*Jessi didn’t have enough excitement with the cockroach, so yesterday on a jog with Sadie, an aggressive goat with some lofty horns decided to come out and charge them.  Jessi tried to hold him off with some subtle, defensive foot action, but Sadie decided to take the goat by the horns (literally), while telling him definitively to ‘stop it, and go away, goat!’  God must have known I needed some good medicine (laughter), cuz I couldn’t stop laughing just visualizing Sadie manhandling the goat.  Thankfully, the goat did have a rope around its neck, and the girls were eventually able to drag it home, where its very sweet owner assured them that the goat had just ‘wanted to play!’

*Our official ground breaking for our home started today with a bang.  We are building a house on poles, and had fun using fishing string, and coconuts to lay out the spots where the holes would be dug.  Mike found someone who said they could recruit some men to dig the holes for us today.  We thought maybe 6 or 7 guys would show up, and we prayed that they would be hard workers.  As the local bus arrived and then pulled away, we saw about 15 strapping, Fijian men heading towards our work site, with machetes, picks and shovels in hand.  Turned out that someone invited a local rugby team to help, and they worked incredibly hard and fast, all day!  What a blessing to be moving forward with such a great first day.

*We have noticed that the Fijian people can work very hard, without complaining.  They sing, joke, smile and whistle while doing the work.  We have noticed that even though they have so little, they seem much happier than Americans who ‘have it all’.  Surely, we have much to learn from them.

*Some of the workers today had their lunches hanging from a mango tree.  Next to a lunch sac were 2 crabs tied together, just staring at each other.  Apparently, that is what ‘take out’ looks like in FijiJ

*We started our Fijian language classes with one of the ladies that helps us in the kitchen, named Ma.  She is patient with us as we try to remember that ‘c’ says ‘th’ and ‘g’ says ‘n’, and ‘q’ says ‘g’.  We are somewhat hindered in being able to speak English to most people. It keeps us from having to learn.  Today, I asked one of the staff here, how to say, “Would you like some?” as I offered him a cookie.  He was struggling to find the words, and said, “I want to tell you the easiest way to say it!”

I responded with a grin, “I guess the easiest way is in English!  Would you like some?”  He agreed with a laugh, as he took a cookie, and my Fiji lesson was overJ We have a bunch of phrases we are learning, and everyone is convinced that soon we will be able to speak Fijian.  I really want to learn, because it is the language of their heart.  Our new friend, Siwa, told us that even though they can speak English, they think and pray and ‘feel’ in Fijian, so it is hard for them to really express what is on the inside in English.  We want to learn the language, so we can know their hearts.

*Currently, we are dealing with some new bugs that we haven’t met before.  We haven’t needed mosquito nets in our room, because there are screens on the windows, and we keep the door shut.  Apparently, the rainy weather that has picked up again, has brought some tiny bugs that fit through the screens.  They buzz all around us, and seem to enjoy swarming on Mike’s ears with a chilling airplane sound. 

*As annoying as those bugs are, we hope they too shall pass.  One of the Thompson girls got lice, the dreaded thing we were warned about.  Miraculously, Monique was able to treat it, and no one else got infected.  Tea tree oil has become a popular item here, as it is known to prevent lice from recognizing you as human!  (Can someone do that for the mosquitos?)

*I will close with a very interesting Fijian fact.  We were all puzzled to notice that the leaves were falling from a few of the trees and covering the ground just like in the states.  The kids enjoyed raking them up, and jumping in them, as is our fall custom.  Mike noticed that the tree that lost all its leaves was quickly growing new buds, and soon blooming again.  I commented on this phenomenon to ‘Uncle Mesaki’.  He said, “Yes, those trees are imported.  They lose their leaves every fall.  They grow them right back because it is Fiji.  They are happy here!” 

How strange for the trees to do this.  It is the spring here, and we are fast approaching the summer and the rainy season. Yet, these trees which were long ago transplanted to Fiji, continue to lose their leaves every October.  I guess that God wired it in to their system, just like when he told the geese to fly south for the winter.  I wonder what habits we will keep here in Fiji, and what things we will let go of.

Pastor Mika, from the local church, came by with about 10 pumpkins for us today.  Did he know it is our season for pumpkin bread, and pumpkin pie?  I don’t think so, but I was grateful, none the less!

It is time for me to go, but I can’t help but tell you that before we turn off the lights here, I will have to help Mike shake all the little bugs off the sheet, which he is hiding under.  They really seem to like him!

Keep us in your prayers, and sweet dreams to you all!

Blessings,

Sara

Bula Vinaka!

October 22, 2009           

Bula Vinaka from Fiji, once again!  I have enjoyed all the updates I have been receiving from the states.  Now that we are here, it is like receiving the regular Christmas letters that we became accustomed to in December.  Thank you so much to those of you who are keeping us posted on what’s happening in your families, as well!

         It sounds like life in Northern Colorado hasn’t been dull.  From your first snow fall, to the hot air balloon boy, to the fires in Estes Park, to injured ankles and babies soon to be delivered, we love hearing all about it.  It was being shouted from the rooftops when we found out that Balloon Boy was safe in his garage, and not flying over Kansas anymore!  We keep you all in our prayers, and look forward to hearing more of your news.

         This morning, most of the dormitory is quiet with peaceful slumber all around me.  We have had an emotional week, dealing with the Fijian government and shipping companies, that have full control over the bulk of our belongings, which sit housed in a 40 foot container in Suva, the capital city of Fiji.  The container was supposed to follow us here within a week or so of us arriving at Buca Bay.  We expected challenges, but did not know what a roller coaster it would be.  After wading through piles of red tape, Mike was assured that the container should be released and shipped last week some time.  Hour by hour, the news kept changing, and finally, in desperation, with a little bit of hope, Mike jumped on the 11 am bus, to head to Savu Savu, where our belongings were supposed to arrive by boat.

         After being literally sandwiched between 2 large Fijian men for 3 hours, with no room to move, Mike arrived in the town with enough time to take care of business and find a room to stay for the night.  Expecting to wake up at 4 in the morning, to meet the customs official and escort our container home, Mike received an unwelcome message from the hotel manager.  Customs had decided to hold the container once again, due to the fact that there were building materials on board.  This is a fact they have been well aware of for several weeks, so we knew something was ‘fishy’.  Many prayers were offered up, asking God to release our belongings. 

         Mike decided to make the best of it, and followed the sounds of worship music that were drifting up the hillside to his hotel.  He walked in to the little Assembly of God Church, just as the music ended.  As he tried to sit down unnoticed in the back, a huge gust of wind slammed the door shut behind him.   Suddenly, all eyes turned to the ‘Kai Valagi’ (white person) in the back of the building.  After this bold announcement of his presence, Mike proceeded to enjoy the service very much, and was blessed to see the Spirit of God move through the Fijian people, as they worshipped with all their hearts.

         The trip to town proved to be a much needed reprieve for Mike.  He got his first Fijian haircut for $5 ($2.50 American).  That was quite an experience, which you can ask Mike about if you want more detailsJ With lots of time on his hands, he was able to purchase building supplies, more tea tree oil (for lice prevention), some cookies and a rocket ship pepsi.  (The bottle dropped to the ground and proceeded to spin and shoot Pepsi all over the grocery store to Mike’s dumbfounded horror).  As he gazed in wonder at the mess, he glanced meekly at the clerk, who responded in typical Fijian mode, “No worries”. 

         Mike took advantage of the opportunities in Savu Savu to meet many shop owners, local people, and visitors.  From the chief councilman to Kiowa, one of the nearby islands, to a pastor of a youth church plant in Savusavu, Mike enjoyed meeting a wide variety of Fijians.  He now feels well connected to the community, and made many invites to the people to bring their sick friends and family to the Clinic.

         His most memorable browsing experience was in a store that carried some unforgettable merchandise. He popped in to check out what looked like it might be a souveneir shop, while he was waiting for the bus.  It turned out that this particular shop carried some very unique souveneirs.  As he observed the items on display, he realized that they were replicas of tribal warfare weapons, made by local villagers.  The assortment ranged from neck breakers, skull crackers, and brain stirrers, to warrior masks and heavy objects meant for throwing at your victim, as he tries to escape.

Shockingly enough, tourists purchase enough of this merchandise to keep the store in business.  These replicas are a sad reminder of the true history of Fiji.  Cannibalism was the way of life for Fijians for centuries.  The last reported case of cannibalism, to our knowledge was in the 1960’s.  I would not believe this is true, if the history books were not so consistently clear.  I truly see the power of God evidenced in the smiles of the Fijian people.  If I had come to serve here 50 years ago, I probably would not be sharing stories of sharing meals with these genuinely loving people.  I would have been the meal for their cannibalistic ancestors!

A true story that a friend read to us, just before we left for Fiji, reported a visiting atheist’s conversation with a Christian Fijian.  The atheist was very critical of the Fijian’s belief in God.  He was hostile towards the fact the missionaries had come to Fiji, and corrupted the natives with this ‘delusion that God is real, and that they were deceived to ever believe in Jesus, or to convert to Christianity’.

         The Fijian’s response was that if he had not been ‘so deceived to take on the beliefs of Christianity’, the atheist visitor would not have been welcomed into his home.  ‘In fact’, he told the atheist, ‘do you see that object hanging from the wall over there?  If I had not become a follower of Christ, I would have taken that weapon off the wall, and used it to crush your head. Then, I would have taken your head and baked it in the oven right there.  So, perhaps you too, might want to consider the truth about the teachings of Jesus Christ.’

         Truly, the gospel of Christ, and his message of sacrificial love has transformed the lives of the Fijians for the better.  While, Fiji is considered a Christian nation, just under half the population are Indians, and their main religions are Hinduism and Islam.  As we see the beauty of all the people here, we realize that while we have the message of God’s eternal plan of salvation to offer, they in return have so much that we have already received from them.

         I have often heard it said that when you go to serve others, it is you that receives the blessing.  How true it has been in our situation.  The Fijians are such happy and giving people.  They laugh constantly, and it is rare to see them get upset.  Their often repeated motto of ‘Sega na leqa’ (no worries) needs to be adopted in America.  Would you believe that the condition of ‘depression’ is unheard of amongst the Fijian people.  They have very little in terms of material things.  Their lives consist of hard work, and little room for ‘climbing up in the world’.  They have exemplified the scriptures call to ‘have food and clothing and be content with that’.  I have seen Fijians wearing clothes we would use for cleaning rags, but the adornment that I notice is their joy.  They may go barefoot everywhere, and not be sure whether or not they can afford the bus to town, or their children’s school tuition, but they have a simple trust that everything will be okay.  It is a contagious way of life!

Slowly, the Fiji way is becoming the normal way.  I have said goodbye to boneless chicken breasts and ice cream, and said hello to cassava, and coconuts.  I have said goodbye to trips in the car, and hello to walking everywhere.  I have said goodbye to regular trips to the store, and hello to major meal planning, and trips to town once or twice a month.

It was my turn for the grocery trip to Savusavu this past week with the children.  Riding the bus is always interesting.  After jumping on the bus at 7 am, we made record time on this trip, as the bus driver was trying desperately to pass every vehicle on the road.  I just couldn’t look when he was making a move to pass another bus, with blind curves right ahead.  Even Lina, my Fijian friend and companion said she was praying the whole way on that ride.

 Jessi was shocked on one of her bus rides, when a little boy dropped his drawers and relieved himself right out the window in front of her. The bus is a great place to meet people, and have uninterrupted conversations.  You are completely windblown, and your teeth taste like dirt by the end, but it is not nearly as bouncy and painful as taking the truck.  If we take the 7 am bus, we arrive in town by about 9:30 and then have to be at the bus stop by 2 pm to catch the last bus home.  The day feels rushed, as we always have a bunch of stops to make. 

         This week, we made our first visit to the library, which was very nice, even if the selection was limited.  We also went to an Indian run shop, where we purchased sulus (skirts) for the Nathan and Justin.  They looked like little Fijian boys in their button down shirts and sulus for church. Everyone was very excited to see them in the native dress.  Ben is needing some strong bribery, before he will be convinced to wear a skirt. Mike said I got him the wrong color, but he is willing to wear a sulu in the near future.  It is amazing to me, that it now seems normal to see men in skirts.

Bailee posted a bunch of pics on my Facebook, if you want to see photos.  We will post the boys in their native Fiji wear hopefully next week.  I am hoping to get a blog up with pictures soon.  It is quite comical for us to see the Fijians confused about whether Nathan and Justin are boys or girls, because they have long hair.  We have the opposite problem, because most Fijian girls wear their hair VERY short.  The only thing that helps us distinguish them, is their dress, and that can be confusing as well.  We are careful before we make any conclusions in this area.

         Many things have lost their shock factor by now, including HUGE spiders, ugly red centipedes and 2 foot bats.  I don’t know that some things will ever change, though.  Last Sunday, we had a big workday to clean out the dam, and improve our water supply here at the Mission. All the workers joined us for a traditional Fijian lunch afterwards.  Apparently, the most coveted part of the fish is the head.  One of the ladies served Mike his portion of fish, which he soon noticed, included the eyeball.  Not wanting to eat it, but knowing that someone might enjoy it, he asked, ‘does anyone want this eyeball?’ as he was clearing his plate.  One of the ladies said that she would like it, and popped it in her mouth like it was an m&m (to Sadie’s horrorJ)  Mike inquired, ‘what does it taste like?’  Another gal chuckled and replied, ‘it tastes like eyeball!’  Hmmm, we’ll keep that one a mystery for now.

         Along with the struggles of the container this week, we had some great high points.  Our whole family went to visit a local village called the Vunikera this week.  The Vunikera is the village that the last missionaries here had 'adopted'.  The people in this village are among the poorest in Fiji.  The children are not well cared for, and are the dirtiest we have seen.   Sickness is rampant, and neglect is common. No one in Fiji goes hungry, because any able bodied person can live off the land.  Dalo, cassava, fruits, nuts and vegetables grow wild everywhere.  Hunger is just one of our human needs that must be met.  The people of Vunikera are in need of a relationship with the one true living God.  They need to know the love of Jesus Christ, who died for them, that they may have life abundantly.

       Our prayer is that as we build relationships with them, they will experience the love of God, and be drawn to a lifestyle that honors God and will lead to eternal life.  It was our joy to spend a few hours with these precious people, and benefit from the trust gained by the past missionaries.  We were readily accepted, and were invited to try spear fishing, play games, and share in music with them.  I know that this was a result of the previous missionaries hard work and prayers.  We invited everyone to come see us at the Mission anytime, and one of the young Moms took me up on the invite the next day, with her little baby, Simon.  We had a wonderful time visiting together, and l look forward to many more friendships being formed.

       An exciting decision was made this week that we hope will make a positive impact on many Fijian families eventually.  Education is an important issue for every family here.  Unfortunately, options are limited, especially when it comes to older grades.  While most families send their children to local schools thru grade 8, when the children finish primary school, they are usually forced to leave their homes for boarding school if they want to continue their education.  This means that at the age of 13 or 14, young people must leave the support of their parents, and be separated by great distances. One of the couples on staff here at the clinic, Moses and Lina, have 3 children that have stolen our hearts.  We were already mourning the fact that their son, Saul, age 14, was going to have to leave for boarding school in January.  Lina had lightly mentioned that she was hoping that maybe Monique and I could help educate Saul, so he didn't have to leave home.

       We didn't want to make this decision lightly, but after much prayer, and a long talk on the bus to SavuSavu, I told Lina that we would be happy to have Saul join our homeschool, if she and Moses thought that was the best thing for him.  Yesterday, she told me  that they would like him to start with us on Monday!  All of our kids rejoiced at the news of our new student.  

Saul and his siblings are a joy to be around.  I am confident that our children will learn as much from Saul, if not more than we will be teaching him. He has already been working on many Fiji skills with them, such as climbing coconut and tamarind trees, making guns out of papaya shoots, and is working on getting them to hike the volcano.  We may have to add a 'Fiji life skills' curriculum to our schedule, and have Saul teach it.  We have also made an offer to another family, for teaching their daughter, as well.  It is our desire to enable parents to keep their children home, where they can be discipled and gain an education at the same time.  One of the Mission's goals is to start a high school, and we have truly come to understand the need for this endeavor.

       Another highlight was the start up of our midweek small group.  Moses, (Saul's father), who works at Natuvu and attends church with us requested that we start a prayer meeting on Tuesday nights, here at Natuvu.  We announced the formation of the group Tuesday morning and had a great turnout that evening.  We had a time of singing from our kids, and the Fijian children, who always blow us away with their built in speaker system.  They sang 'Shine, Jesus, Shine' like I've never heard it.  As Mike shared his heart for the group, and asked everyone for input, another new friend, Siwa, replied, "I will be beside you".  It touched my heart, that so many people here have welcomed us as family, and we truly do feel them 'standing beside us'. 

       We have also enjoyed having our new friends 'sit' beside us.  Movie nights have been another popular new tradition here at the clinic.  We set up the TV from the clinic in the worship room with chairs and a woven mat for the children. Last week, we showed 'Facing the Giants', a movie about overcoming impossibilities with God's help.  Moses' wife Lina, leaned over and told me, 'That was the best movie I ever saw'.  Fiji doesn't have a wide selection of movies available, and much of what people have seen is not worth watching.  Not many people have TV's, so movie nights are a big event. It was very exciting for them to get to watch their first Christian movie, and suggestions were made to use the movies as a tool to reach the nearby villages.  We look forward to many doors opening thru this venue. As a side note, Jon knows how to fry up coconut in such a way that it tastes like microwave popcorn!

       One of our small, but significant frustrations lately has been the visitation of many dogs.  Some of the workers bring their dogs to work, and take them home with them, which would be just fine if the dogs stayed home.  We have been warned against getting too friendly with the dogs, because they make a lovely home for fleas and possibly lice.  However, one dog in particular, was very cute and for the most part, appeared clean.  We found out he belonged to a gal who lives about a 40 minute walk away.  She was visiting family nearby, and had brought this little mongrel, named 'Harmless' with her.  Yes, the dogs name is Harmless:)  Well, when the owner left, the dog stayed.  We can not keep a dog on the mission property, and especially not at the cafeteria where we eat all of our meals.  We tried everything to get rid of him.  We got someone to take him all the way home, but sure enough, he'd come back the next day.  We scolded, we growled (okay, I growled), we shooed, we (gently) scooted the dog away, but only had temporary success.  We pleaded with 'Uncle Mesaki' to get rid of him.  His response was the only way to keep him away was to kill him!  That option was not going to fly with my animal loving children.

       This morning, as I looked at the adorable, yet sorry looking little mutt, I asked God, 'Are you trying to give us this dog?  Cuz I just can't be mean to him anymore!'  An idea formed in my mind, and was confirmed by Mike and the kids.  Harmless had adopted us. Dr. Annibal told us we could have a dog when we built our house, as long as we keep him tied up and away from the guests.  It looks like we get the dog before the house.  Everyone in the family is happy about this new development, and Jessi is ready for her first big job tomorrow.  A bath for Harmless.  We will use peppermint oil to kill his house guests, the fleas, and hopefully spray him with tea tree oil to keep other visitors away. He should be the best smelling dog in the bay, and not too poorly fed, with a diet of our two families leftovers:) We will give him a home by the creek and the mango tree, and everyone will have to learn to love the tied-up watch dog named Harmless!

October 28, 2009

         It has been almost a week, since I started this letter.  I start with some notes to myself, about what I want to share with you all.  Then I fill in the details.  Life is moving faster here than I thought it would.  Homeschooling is truly a full time job, here just as much as in the states.  Monique and I share some of the teaching, and the kids seem to enjoy their ‘together’ time.  Today, we made cuneiform tablets out of sugar cookie dough.  Felt almost like homeJ  Our new Fijian student was very curioius about that project, and wondered if he might want to go back to elementary school.

         Teaching an extra student has been a blessing.  Saul will be 15 in November, and is enjoying picking up Marine Biology, Ancient History, Mathematics, Bible, and his favorite seems to be ‘Typing’!  He works well and says homeschool is much less ‘boring’ than regular school. Although he did fall asleep reading one of the Christain biographies we sent him home with last nightJ

         I will close here with an economic suggestion.  We are recommending that all you buy stock in Johnson and Johnson.  We have gone through more bandaids here in 6 weeks, than several years on the ranch in Colorado.  A small box of bandaids from town was priced at $7, so we may be ordering straight from Jand J by the caseloadJ With continuos adventure to be had, our 3 boys have constant stubbed toes, along with all kinds of scrapes.  Becka came to dinner with her stomach a bit raw from sliding down a coconut tree.  Jessi took a dive, while trying to jog on the potholed roads.  We certainly are working the angels overtime here. 

         Speaking of angels, I pray that yours watch over you and your families.  Though separated by the miles, I am thankful for email, and snail mail to keep us connected.  Our best to you all, and I look forward to hearing or seeing some of you soon!

Moce,  (Bye or GoodnightJ)

Sara

Praise!!

November 3, 2009

Hello Dear Friends!!

So, I am writing this time with a brief, but powerful praise and prayer request!  This is a tremendous story that needs many words to describe, but I have to condense for time's sake.

Basically, on Saturday night as our family was finishing dinner, we noticed some 'tourist' looking people at the wharf.  MIke went to see if they needed any assistance.  It turns out that they were from Malaysia, and were trying to find a boat to the nearby island, Taveuni.  They had been told there would be an evening ferry, which wasn't true, because the only ferry leaves at 10:30 am.

In a bit of a dilemma, and not sure what to do, the visitors started to question us about the Mission and our faith.  After a brief conversation, the young woman in the group exclaimed, 'We have found our people!!'.  We didn't know what this meant, but were happy to get to meet these believers from Malaysia.

A friend of ours, Mesaki, offered to help them find a captain and boat to take them from another village to Taveuni.  I told them if they couldn't get a boat, that we would make room for them at our place.  It turned out they had some time to wait around, and needed to use our internet to confirm flight details and we were able to get to know these mysterious visitors a bit more.  They were actually on a 'prayer walk' (flight, ride:) through Fiji.  The Lord had sent them to Fiji for one purpose.  To pray for the soon arriving outpouring of the Holy Spirit!!!

They have been on prayer missions for the last several years.  This was a Mother, Daughter and 2 Son team that travel just to pray, and sometimes teach.  Often other believers join them, but this particular mission was just their family.  The 'kids' must be around 30 or so.  Would you believe that in their teens, the children decided to homeschool themselves and became the FIRST homeschooled kids in Malaysia??  And God brought them to our tiny little bay in Fiji.

So, it turns out that they only needed to go to Taveuni for a couple hours to pray.  How strange that boat captain thought they were.  A 10 pm to 1 am boat trip for a bunch of prayer warriors. He told me himself that he was sure they were up to no good:)  Then they came back and prayed a couple more hours at our cafeteria with one of the local guys, who had ridden on the boat ride to Taveuni and decided to join them for the prayer walk.  His name is Kula. Pray for him to accept the call that God has placed on him!

Following this prayerful, sleepless night, our new friends slept in the boy's bunks for a few hours of sleep before awakening to join us for a late breakfast and some amazing conversation.

The Lord has been using a company of believers in Malaysia to take the land for Christ.  Muslims are having visions of Jesus, and being converted.  Victories are being made in the spiritual realm, which have spilled in to every area of politics, education, etc.  They have been sent in to very dangerous areas, where no one should be able to go, and God shuts the eyes of the military guards, etc, and lets them in. They have seen the heavenly host, and heard angels singing on these very isolated and dangerous trips.  I know it sounds outrageous but if you met them , you would believe it.  Love, peace, and joy just exuded out of the 4 of them!!

So, the very exciting conclusion of it all is that the Lord has spoken to them about Fiji.  God is coming to 'take Fiji'. They believe that the glory of the Lord will be restored to Fiji, and that an outpouring of the Spirit like at Pentecost will be coming. They told us that we are 'right on time' to serve here.  The Lord is calling the 'Generation Y' (our youth thru age 38) to be the workers to prepare for the final great and glorious harvest.

They laid hands on Mike, and prophesied over him and it was amazing.  Many things they prayed they could not have known God has already been speaking to Mike.  Words that Mike had just spoken to me the day before were being prayed over him. It was incredible.  Please pray for Mike, as he accepts this call to be a 'Moses'.  To preach the Word, and the fullness of the 'Torah', bringing repentance to the nation, and to the church, which has accepted so much compromise.

Joyce, the young woman, was sharing with us, that she had been asking the Lord why the tribal people are so ready for the Spirit to fall, but so many English speaking groups don't receive the full blessing.  He responded that there is so much compromise in the church, that there are too many 'Annanias and Sapphiras' and too few Peters.  No one is willing to stand for him, and many would be dead on the floor.

They prayed the Spirit of Elijah upon Mike, and pronounced that he will be making way for the second coming of the Lord, when Christ will reign as King.

Words can not describe the whole experience. Here were 4 believers sent by the Lord to speak to us, and encourage us.  When they were walking on the wharf near us, the Lord told them that his people were here.  They asked, where Lord?  And then we approached them.  How wonderful it is to know that we now have family in Malaysia!  And that the Father is answering our cries for the Holy Spirit.

He is alive and well, and seeking to touch all of your lives as well.  I encourage you all to prepare your hearts for his presence, even more as the Day is fast approaching.

May the Lord bless you, and keep you,  May the Lord make his face shine upon you and give you peace,

To Adonai be the Glory,

Sara

Lessons From Fiji :)

November 13, 2009

Bula Vinaka from Vanua Levu!

            Sorry it has been awhile since I sent out an update!  Somehow I thought I would have more down time here, than in the states, but that hasn’t proven true for me.  I have a list of personal emails, that I still need to reply to, but if I keep up with them, this letter will never be writtenJ  So dear friends, be patient with me and know that ‘Au lomani iko’! (I love you!) 

            I sit in my room tonight, alone, and surrounded by boxes, suitcases (still!) and some nice plastic shelves.   Mike and my ‘eldest’ daughters (as the Fijians call them) are rocking out in Savusavu at the ‘Decked Out Café’ with a group called ‘Primal Youth’!  It is a long story, but the bottom line is this group is reaching out the young people of Savusavu through music at a local restaurant.  Saul, our Fijian student, the eldest Thompson girls and I joined Mike in town today for a late celebration of Jessi’s 18^th birthday.  We had ice cream cones (my first since I’ve been to Fiji), (YUMMY!), and I have to admit we went out for lunch, and I had my first cheeseburger since I’ve been to Fiji (did I already say YUMMY?)

            I don’t know why I am boring you with the details of what I ate today, but it seemed hugely significant to me for some reason! Perhaps it is because I truly have learned to live without the things I once thought necessary in life.  I sure did appreciate those YUMMY treats, but I will be just fine waiting til the next birthday to do that againJ  Back to my story.  As I was saying, Mike and the girls are gone for the night, and the ‘small’ ones, as the Fijians call them, are snug in their beds.

            Tomorrow brings a new day, which will be most likely full of learning experiences.  This past week has taught me things, some significant, and some humorous.  On the humorous side, I am finally understanding some of the subtleties of Fijian communication.  Have I told you that when a Fijian wants to say yes, they can be silent, and simply raise their eyebrows at you? For the longest time, I would wonder why the children would just raise their eyebrows at me when I asked them a question.  Now I know that they are not being rude.  They are answering with ‘eye language’.  The person that taught me this lesson, neglected to inform me that ‘no’ can be expressed silently with a slight scrunch of the nose.  This I had to learn from Saul, when I realized he wasn’t going to say ‘io’ or ‘sega’ (yes or no) to one of my questions.  Finally, it dawned on me that his nose was doing the talking.

            This phenomenon is still a strange thing to get used to, especially when my own children are doing it.  My natural response to the raised eyebrows is to think they are being ‘sassy’, but I am working on adapting to the language.  One thing that is very confusing is how they say, ‘uh uh’ and ‘uh huh’.  Fijians say these words just like Americans.  However, they have the opposite meaning.  ‘Uh uh’ means ‘yes’, and ‘uh huh’ means no.  Try having a conversation with someone and practice mixing up the meaning of these words.  One night, I was having a lengthy conversation with one of the staff here, and his most consistent input was ‘uh uh’.  It is very challenging to believe someone is agreeing with or encouraging you, when they keep saying ‘uh uh’.  Fortunately, the Fijians are patient with us, and just laugh along when we don’t understand something.

            Among the more significant things that I have learned here is that human beings do NOT need an abundance of STUFF.  After much prayer, and consistent hard work and persistence on the guy’s part, our 40 foot long container pulled up to the Mission this past Thursday at around 12:30 pm.  Great cheers and excitement greeted the colossal, red metal box, as the truck carrying it pulled in next to the bus stop on our property.  We hastily fed the customs officer a home cooked Fijian meal of curried potatoes and roti, with cassava, and some leftover chocoate cake.  Mike wanted us to sweeten him up, as this particular man had the power to make our life easy or very, very difficult with the unloading of the container.

            Thankfully, he decided to go easy on us.  As the rain gently fell from the sky, the doors to that well traveled container, which left Colorado ahead of us in the middle of August, were opened and its ingredients unloaded.  A large group of  hard working men arrived to help us with this daunting feat.  Mike climbed up and started to pull out the first of our earthly possessions.  Mattresses, couches, shovels, and all the works were handed down an assembly line until I would point each item to the direction of its new home.  If it was going back in the container, the item would go to the covered bus stop.  Items we wanted access to immediately went up to our dorms, and items we wanted to sort through headed to the storage above the cafeteria.  Many hands made for a quick process, and we were completely unloaded within a few hours, while the customs official looked on.  Fortunately, he didn’t ask us to open any of the boxes or crates, and seemed to be content to sip on his cool glass of orange tang.

            The monumental task of the day was still ahead of us.  We had to remove the container from the truck, without the help of any heavy equipment.  A crane was supposed to arrive to pick up the container, but a communication break down left us with no choice but to pray and brainstorm.  In the end, the men tied the container to several coconut trees, and the driver pulled forward with the container crashing to the ground, miraculously upright!  Jessi was sure she saw the ‘air shake’.  The crash resounded to many islands, I am sure.  Mike, Ben and Saul slept out in the bus stop to keep watch over all of our belongings, and the next day we were able to load it all back up, a few boxes lighter.  

            This experience brings me to one of my lessons learned.  No more STUFF!  Our whole group was humbled by the fact that we have too much STUFF!  We have been surviving just fine, without all of these things.  A few things brought great delight to the children…bikes, special toys (yes, legos!), books, some extra clothing, etc.  I must admit, I was happy to have some practical things like Tupperware (which is VERY expensive here), baskets for organizing, more school books, etc.  Mike was VERY happy to receive his tools, and supplies for building the house, as well as some more of his favorite shampooJ 

            In reality, it was a bit embarrassing to unload box after box, and have all of our new friends working hard to help us, when the truth is that they live very simply and contentedly with very little.  One man asked us if we were moving the whole state of Colorado to the Mission.  He was joking, of course, but if he only knew how much STUFF we had already gotten rid of.   Certainly, one American family owns more ‘rubbish’ than Fijians accumulate in a lifetime.  As we were preparing to move to Fiji, and we were downsizing, and getting rid of many things, I looked at shopping in a whole new light.

            Every purchase was carefully examined, and prayed over with the question of ‘do I really need this?’  I encourage many of you to ask this question when you are at the store.  Especially with the holiday season approaching, and many of you are making gift lists, think about what you really want to spend your money on.  Does your Aunt Sue need you to waste money on something she doesn’t really need?  Do you want people to spend time and money on you, when you have everything you need and more?  As we were forced to evaluate all that we owned, we realized that much of what possess we could live without.  As we are now forced to evaluate every penny we spend, it is so much easier not to be tempted with the latest gadget.  I want to encourage you this year, instead of being the one to spend more, and consume more, maybe you might consider giving of yourselves.  Your time, your prayers, your shoulder to cry on, your ears to listen.  These are the things we often miss in America. 

            Spend time and invest yourselves in things that last.  You will never regret it.   As I write this letter, I realize if I tell you everything that I want to, it will never be delivered.  I didn’t mean to make it preachy, but as I write, it is strong on my heart that there a couple of practical needs here that you may desire to play a part  in helping with!

            I have written to you about our decision to homeschool one Fijian youth.  After we started with this, we have had several more requests and hints of requests for us to homeschool other children. One young girl, who has been abandoned by her mother, has personally requested us to teach her at home.  If we say yes to evey heart breaking request, we would have 20 kids by the end of the month.

 Logistically, this is just not possible.  We have heard more and more stories of young people that will be sent off to the big cities, away from their families to be able to continue their education.  There is no secondary school within 2 hours of the Mission.  It is our desire to start a secondary school here that we be not only academically strong, but will provide the people of Buca Bay an affordable alternative, where their children can be trained as future leaders in Fiji, and instructed in the ways of God. 

It has recently come to our attention, that the local primary school is lacking in funding to renew their lease.  They have struggled with mismanagemant of money, and poor academic results.  Mike has been asked to sit as treasurer on the new committee that is being formed, and Jon has been asked to raise approximately $10,000 to renew the lease and keep the school alive.  We strongly believe that this school could be revived and provide quality education, and vocational training for the surrounding villages, if given the chance. 

If any of you are looking for a worthy place to give, please respond to this email, and I will give you the necessary info to donate. 

Well, sorry for the tangent there. Before I close this letter, I will finish with a few amazing things that God has been up to, and a few bits of family newsJ

We had some visitors from Malaysia a couple weeks ago.  Strange as it may sound, they had been sent by God to come to Fiji, simply to pray for the nation.  They were somewhat stranded near our place, when the boat they were told would take them to the next island didn’t exist.  This story could take several pages to share with you, but in just a few words I will describe this ‘divine appointment’ as nothing short of miraculous!  They spent just a few hours with us, but God spoke through them to encourage us in ways that are beyond words.  We believe that God has some very special plans for Fiji, and he intersected our paths with these amazing Christians just to remind us of that.

The girls and Mike just got back from the Primal Youth event that I was telling you about, earlier in this letter.  They now have ‘family’ in Savusavu with an open invitation to visit their new friends.  The outreach event in town was packed out, and they had an amazing time playing music with this group of skilled musicians who share a love for Christ.  Primal youth reaches out through music, drama and dance. Many young people responded to the message, and our girls are dying to go back asap.  They have been invited to do prison ministry with this team as well.  One of the best parts about it all, was the girls said these youth spoke such good English, that for a while they felt like they were talking to Americans.  It is unusual for the young people to really open up to our girls, because their English isn’t always good enough to share their heart.

We have had our highs and lows, since being here.  There are more highs now, and less lows, but the battle rages on in our hearts, as we are reminded that our home is now halfway across the world from what we are used to.  Jessi made a comment that there is nowhere you can look, to forget that we are in Fiji.  Nothing looks the same, or feels the same.  Humidity has replaced a dry climate.  Palm trees have replaced aspens.  Concrete has replaced carpet.  Dish washers have replaced dishwashers.  (Get it?) Pulling laundry off the clothes line, to save it from the rain has become a common occurrence.   The microwave is long forgotten, and we are used to spending hours in the kitchen for one meal.  Even with a local Fijian lady helping us, the kitchen has become of our biggest time consumers.  That being said, I am not complaining.  Just adjustingJ

Some of the lastest simple pleasures are having our bikes.  30 minute walks to the villages are condensed to a 10 minute bike ride.  Jessi has been enjoying doing the kinde program, and is welcomed everywhere she goes with, ‘play us a song!’  Bailee has transitioned from the kinde program to teaching an English class in the local school.  She loved her first time, and was enamored by the children who call her ‘Madame’J  Ben has been happy here since day 1.  He has been working on a sketch of the garden for Monique, our Master garden planner.  They are increasing the garden, which we hope to grow big enough to support all the groups that come down here, as well as  provide produce to sell and raise funds for the Mission. Nathan is enjoying all of his new friends, and building forts on the beach.  Becka has been busy making all sorts of little presents for her secret friend, for a gift exchange  program that the whole Mission staff is partipating in.  Justin is Mr. Fiji Boy (or Kai Viti), with his Fiji eyes (he can see in the dark now),  and Fiji feet (he can walk on the rough gravel) and his Fiji words (lako mai kei—come here!)  He just needs a hair cut and some darker skin, and he will be native.

            In some ways, it feels like we’ve been here forever, and in others, it seems like we just arrived.  The house building has been slow, but steady, and we had amazing news that my carpenter brother, Kim, will be coming to help us build in January.  It makes the impending rainy season seem not so daunting, with the anticipation of visitors.  Never did I dream in a million years that we would have such a response to our ‘wish list’.  One of the items on our list was a friend of our boys named Andrew.  We just received word that he and his Dad will be coming to see us in February!!! Now that was one big wish to fulfill.  Hmmm…what else should I put on that list?   Dairy Queen, perhaps? J

            Well, thanks to all of you who have read this far, and have been following our story.  We appreciate all of your letters and prayers. 

Much love from the Hawthornes and yours truly,

Sara

PS>  Specific Praises and Prayer Requests

Praise

**all of our health, and NO boils

**the safe arrival of our container

**our past visitors and future ones

**the power of the Holy Spirit, and all the divine appointments we have had

Prayer

**the funds and plans for a secondary school

** provision the primary school to continue

**Mike’s pain to be healed

**wisdom for ministry

**unity amongst our team

Kata Kata!

November 18, 2009


Kata Kata!

It is very hot!  Summer is fast approaching, and our bodies are needing to adjust to the heat.  This morning as I taught my class on 'Creation to the Greeks', the children looked like they might melt.  Nathan worked on his mathematics about 1 foot away from the fan, which was cranked on high, pointing straight at him.  As I checked my email this afternoon in the shade at the dorm, sweat steadily poured down my back.  This is new for me. In Colorado, I didn't sweat, even when I trained and competed in a mini-triathlon.  We never know what the temperature is here, but as the Fijians say, we know one thing for sure.  It is 'Kata Kata'.  VERY HOT.

I was in such a rush to send out my last update, that I forgot to share some high points with you, and a few humorous additions.

Mike got to preach his first sermon in Fiji 2 weekends ago.  He donned his brand new khaki sulu (man-skirt) and white button down shirt, and walked to church in true Fiji style.  Although I am still not sure if Fijians wear anything under their sulus or not.  Of course, I am not eager to find outJ The children chuckled to see their Dad in the skirt, but I have to admit that it didn’t look too odd to me.  Fijian men wear skirts for all types of activities, so the only difference was the white, skinny ankles!  Besides seeing Mike in a Sulu, we were very blessed to hear the message that God had spoken to Mike for that day.  It is awesome to be on a journey with the King of the Universe!

This past weekend, we went to a nearby village for a movie night with the younger children.  Our ride was delayed in picking us up, so I told our hostess that we would start walking home with our flashlights.  Two ladies and several children decided to accompany us. It was a beautiful thing to walk along in the pitch black darkness, with a group of villagers singing “This Little Light of Mine”.  I will never grow tired of listening to Fijian children (or adults) sing.  Jesus came into this dark world to light our path, just like the flashlights enabled us to move forward on the dark and dusty path.

Fiji has been so good to us in many ways.  This last Sunday, the Mission had an early end of the year party, because the Doctor and his wife are leaving on furlough for 7 weeks.  The ladies cooked up a delicious feast, including chicken roasted inside coconut leaves under the ground, and fish that the men caught while spear fishing the night before.  The staff all came in their best clothes and with warm smiles and hugs.  We truly feel like we have been brought into a family.  We feel like we belong here much quicker than I thought we would. 

Village life is so different than at home in the USA.  You see the same people on such a regular basis, that relationships blossom quickly.  We are thankful for the core team here, and the previous missionaries that have laid a strong foundation for us.

Speaking of foundations, we now have 8 (out of 40 something) poles cemented into the ground.  The first 4 were the most difficult to place. Mike worked very hard to get the poles exactly where they needed to be, because these placements would determine where everything else would line up.  It took a lot of brainpower and effort, because the poles are crooked.  They had to design a way to line up the tops of the poles, not just the bottoms.  With God’s help, our first poles are successfully placed, and the rest will now fall into place.   This reminds me of the fact that we need to build our lives on a strong foundation, and set the course on a straight path.  Jesus said he is the way, and if we follow him, everything else will fall in to place.  When the storms come, if we are standing on the rock, we won’t fall apart.  (Speaking of that, we just heard that predictions are calling for 9 cyclones this season, with the first one coming by the end of the year! More fun stories to follow!)

Besides changes in the weather, and getting used to people sniffing us when they greet us, we seem to be adapting to Fiji very well.  I gave my first haircut today, and Ben is thankful for a cooler head.  The younger boys don’t seem to mind the sweatJ The children are swimming every day in the ocean after school and chores, now that it has heated up.  Many laughs, chills, and spills have become the norm.

I was telling my Mom that it will be really strange to celebrate Thanksgiving here.  A small turkey costs about  $100, so we will be content with a few small roasted chickens, and as many of the rest of the trimmings as we can find. The meal certainly wasn’t what the Pilgrims were worried about.  The original thanksgiving was a reminder that all we have was from God, and to be thankful that he is faithful thru all the trials and tribulations of life.  We have so much to be thankful for. 

In closing, I want to share with you another plea to remember those that have very little this year.  We are learning to live with less, but we still have SO much.  Food in our stomachs, and a roof over our head.  The same day I sent out my last update, we received a newsletter from Mike’s Mom.  She has a ministry to the country of Haiti, where they are doing many amazing things for the poor and the needy. As Mike had Bailee read the newsletter, we had to fight back tears as we listened to the story of 2 orphans left on the street outside of an orphanage, because their mother had died, and the Father could not take care of them.

The ministry to Haiti is called Dayspring, and they are raising funds to complete their orphan’s new home, called My Father’s House.  The number of children that need homes far outweigh the resources that have been provided, but God owns the thousand cattle on the hills.  Would you be part of God’s answer to the plight of these suffering children?  Did you know that Americans spend more on ice cream in one year, than the amount of money needed to solve the worlds’ hunger problems?  This figure is staggering to me.

As Black Friday approaches, please consider avoiding the crowds, (save yourself from possible injury!) and write a check for something that will last. Ask the people you love if they would prefer making a donation to a needy cause this year in your name.  If all of you would consider changing your shopping list into a giving list, you may have a more enjoyable and peaceful monthJ  I am going to forward you the email from Mike’s Mom.  If you have time, please read it and see if your heart is touched like ours was. 

I apologize if I seem too preachy, but I truly believe the days are short for us before the Lord Jesus comes back as King once again to pick up his people and take us to heaven.  Let’s make the most of every moment, every thought and every dollar we spend. May we live in such a way that we are happy and expectant for his arrival!

Giving Thanks for All of You!

Sara

Spiders, Lizards, and Frogs, Oh My!

November 28, 2009

The weather has cooled down, and the excitement has heated up.  High adventure had taken a break for awhile, and we have been enjoying a somewhat predictable routine of homeschool, chores and outreach.  We haven’t made any visits to our onsite Doctor, since Ben received stitches shortly after we arrived.

            Last Thursday, Mike and I sat down with Dr. Anibal and his wife, (and our Mission nurse) Nani, to go over the last minute details of keeping the Mission running smoothly while they are gone.  ‘Where should we go if we need a doctor?” I joked.  That night, I wasn’t laughing anymore, when Becka climbed in to my bed with an ear-ache.  The hot days had called for several days of cooling off in the sea, and Becka’s ear was complaining.  After some prayer, ibuprofen and a little bit of coconut oil in her ear (by the doctor and local people’s earlier advice), Becka drifted off to sleep.

            In the middle of our school morning, I noticed the doctor walking in to the clinic, just before Becka told me her ear hurt again.  Quickly, we found Dr. Anibal, and he had a quick look at her ear.  Sure enough, an ear infection was starting.  Fortunately, he was still there to help her, and he gave us enough drops to treat all the kids, should they have any trouble. 

            As the Dr.’s car pulled away, early that afternoon, I felt my security blanket leave with them.  Not only did they offer us medical care, but they have become friends, and have been the ones we go to with many of our questions or concerns.  We knew we would miss their presence here, while they are on furlough.  I knew, however, that we were still safe in the hands of God.  

            Jessi was delighted to find out that her first Fijian horse was on the way last week.  The Dream Machine Foundation, (the ministry that we first connected to last September), had purchased a horse some time ago, and had it in the care of a Fijian man.  We were granted permission to bring ‘Dreamer’ home, and keep him on the Mission property.  What a surprise for Jessi to be in possession of a 6 year old Bay Stallion.  All of her years of horse training hadn’t prepared her for a stallion, but being the horse enthusiast, she welcomed the challenge.

            In some regards, Dreamer has a great personality.  Jessi has been having a blast, riding him on the dirt roads around our property.   He is well trained, and obedient, as well as playful.  He reminds Jessi of her horse, Sonny, who is staying with friends of ours in Colorado.  He nickers at Jessi’s approach, and enjoys a good water fight in the creek.  Unfortunately, he is quite distractible when mares come around, and his focus goes out the window! In America, stallinons are kept away from other horses, for the most part.  Jessi will need to figure this new horse behavior, as well as caring for an injured foal that was brought to her attention today.  The colt was injured by a rope quite badly, and she is hoping to be able to nurse it back to health.  No boring days around here!

            (To all of you horse loving friends, Jessi sent pics to our vet in the states of the injury.  He told her what to do, and her horsey friends from the states are sending supplies to help.  Last night, as we were cleaning up after dinner, a woman and 6 children came walking up to the kitchen in the dark.  Shyly, the woman asked if she could please see Jessi.  It turns out, she is the owner of the mare and colt.  She thanked Jessi for caring for the horse, and offered her 2 bags of fresh papaya, as a way to show her gratitude.  Her words, “I don’t have much to offer, but this is my way to show thanks for your caring for our horse.”  Her gratitude was thanks enough!  Please pray for a full recovery for this sweet little horse.  What a simple way to show love to this familyJ)

            Harmless the dog is doing well, in case any of you were wondering.  In case you think that is a strange name for a dog, we just met a stranger one.  Pastor Mika of the local church here has a faithful dog, who likes to try to follow him everywhere he goes, from the Mission to the church, to baptisms in the sea.  His name?  UGLY.  Yep, that’s right.  Here, Ugly.  No, Ugly!  Good boy, Ugly.  What ever happened to Rover?

            Speaking of ugly, I saw an incredibly ugly animal tied up and screaming last week.  We live right near the dock where the ferry and the bus drop off passengers.  Very few Fijians own cars, so these are the main modes of transportation.  Which means when people have belongings that need to get from point A to point B, the belongings accompany the owner on the bus and the ferry.  I was on my way to the dock, to see someone, when I heard the most wretched screaming.  It sounded as if 4 or 5 children were being brutally beaten.  As my eyes scanned the scene for the sourse of noise, I was relieved to see that the screamer was actually one very desperate pig that was tied up like a burrito in saran wrap.   The only thing free was his snout, and from that one point came some very unhappy sounds. It’s owner was taking the pig on a journey, apparently. I pity the people that were traveling on the very confined boat and bus with the singing swine.

            One unusual experience that I have neglected to mention was my first second hand clothes shopping episode here in Fiji.  Somehow, I ended up here with no shorts.  I knew that the custom here is for women to wear skirts, and that Fijians are very modest.  So I brought mostly skirts, and a few pairs of Capri pants.  It turns out that when we are at the Mission, or at Rainbow Reef, long shorts come in very handy.  So I was browsing in a ‘nearly new’ store on a nearby island, and found a pair of shorts that looked like they would work.  I asked one of the employees if they had a dressing room.  She said yes, and promptly led me thru a back door in the store, which was just the front room of someone’s house.

 I noticed that the dressing room was actually someone’s bedroom.  This was a bit awkward, but I didn’t think it was too strange.  The strange part was when the woman led me in to the room, locked the door behind us, and sat down on the bed.  I quickly discovered that she was going to stay with me while I tried on those shorts.  Well, what’s a girl to do?  Surveying my options, I decided to go ahead and try them on, while making small talk with the clerk, who acted like this was not out of the ordinary at all.  She commented that they fit me well, as we politely talked about Fiji and the weather.  I agreed with her and went on to buy the shorts. None of my girls decided to ask to use the dressing room that day.  I wonder why!

Another unusual custom of the Fijian stores is to write the price of the items for sale in Sharpie, right on the item itself.  Whoever comes to eat lunch at our house will know that I paid $1.65 each for those lovely plastic neon green platesJ  Conversation can now revolve around whether I got a fair price on my Tupperware or notJ  Speaking of Tupperware, I was delighted to find some corn meal that I had brought over with us on the container. Last night we had a traditional American meal of chili and cornbread.  It tasted just like home.  We invited some Fijian friends to join us, and they insisted that they liked it.  Although, one of our guests, Siwa, admitted that when he first ate pasta that the Americans had brought, he had a hard time keeping it down.  That reminded me of the fact that about a month ago, we had a family over for a last minute meal of spaghetti.  We expected the Fijian children to love it, but they all forced themselves to eat a bit, and then gave the rest to the adults.  Our friend, Anna, told us that when they went home, a few of the children threw up!

I would say it shouldn’t surprise me.  Introducing our children to the favorites of the Fijian people has been quite challenging.  New textures and flavors are hard to acquire an appetite for.  No one has thrown up yet, fortunately.  (Andrew, tell your Mom that Nate says her zucchini sounds welcoming at this pointJ)  Our kids usually make an effort to try the new things.  I was tremendously proud of Mary Sue (Thompson) this past week.  She went with her Dad to visit a family that lives farther out ‘in the bush’ than we do.  The people here always welcome you with whatever food they have available.  There are 2 foods which Mary Sue despises.  Papaya and banana. These are the two foods which were offered her by her hostess.  After choking down a whole banana, she was handed an entire half of a papaya with a spoon. At home, she won’t even eat one bite of papaya or banana.  To honor this family, Mary Sue chose to force feed herself the whole half of papaya, with as much of a smile as she could muster.  Three cheers for Mary Sue!

Another three cheers for of our sweet friends and family who have sent care packages.  You would have thought my family had died and went to heaven when they ate spaghetti with American spaghetti sauce.  We are so thankful that customs isn’t confiscating those lovingly packed care packages. We really appreciate the love behind the gifts as much as the treats!!

Well, today is Thanksgiving.  As I write this, Mike is doing his second act as a substitute doctor, since the Dr. is gone.  Nathan has an infected toe from an ingrown toenail, so Mike is trying to get that one the mend as I write.  The much more intense bit of adventure happened just a few days ago.  I was in the kitchen, when Saula (our Fijian student) came in and told me that Justin was hurt.  I didn’t hear any crying, so I calmly made my way out to where Justin was waiting.  He had his hand covering his chin, so I couldn’t see what was wrong.  Saula filled me in on the story.  He and Justin had been biking down a rocky hill with ruts, and Justin crashed chin first.  Saula had cleaned him up already, so I didn’t see any blood.  However, when Justin moved his hand, I saw 2 large cuts which I know immediately would require stitches.  Hmmm. “Let’s go see Dad,” I told Justin, and gave him a piggy back over to Mike, who was working on putting poles up for our house. 

            Mike has been coined Dr. Daddy at our house, because he is very good at doctoring all of the kids owees—including super glueing many a wounds shut, at the recommendation of his ER friend.  These cuts, however, needed serious care.  We called (meaning yelled across the property, not on the phoneJ) to Siwa, our friend, and the Dr.’s assistant, to come over to the clinic with us.  He agreed that Justin needed stitches.  Siwa quickly got everything sterile together, and set up the room.  Mike was ready to perform his first stitching, after observing doctors do this thousands of times at his old job in medical sales.  Justin laid quietly on the table, as Siwa planted a huge Fijian kiss on his cheek.  I do believe Siwa is Justin’s best friend here.  A grown man, Siwa has a huge heart, and is commonly seen carrying Justin around on his shoulders, or playing some kind of game with him.  You could see Siwa’s concern for Justin as he waited to get stitched.

 As we began, Justin’s lip was quivering, and Mike’s hand was shaking.  I offered up a prayer for peace for Justin, and calm for Mike.  It was incredible.  After a few minutes, Justin was fast asleep, and Mike was working steadily away.   6 stitches on 1 cut, and some super glue on the other, and Justin was good to go.  When he woke up, he asked how many stitches he had received.  He was delighted to find out he had gotten 6, because he is 6 years old, and he was going to receive 6 pieces of candy.  Please pray for no infection, as he had difficulty keeping the spot clean.  The bandaids open up under his lip, and his food likes to descend in to the injured spot.  We have discovered Bandaid Tough Waterproof Toughstrips may be tough enough to keep Justin clean.

Well, another day has come.  We enjoyed an almost American style Thanksgiving Feast.  Roasted chicken instead of turkey, and most of the trimmings were available.  We had to pass on cranberry sauce, which sells for $36 a can here, and the whipped cream, which goes for $15 a can.  The ladies who help us in the kitchen got a kick out of seeing us prepare the ‘American Lovo Feast’.  Most of the foods they had never tasted before, and they especially liked watching me make popcorn for snack in our air popper. 

We were having a pleasant dinner with the Thompsons, all gathered around 3 tables which we stuck together.  We have a tradition of taking turns answering Thanksgiving related questions.  Jessi had just been sharing that the characteristic of God that she most appreciates this year is the fact that he had sent us to Fiji, knowing what an incredible adventure it would be for us.  Just as she finished sharing, Charlotte informed us that there was a large spider under the table right by Jessi. Jessi pushed out of her seat, and Sadie tried to come to her rescue.  Her attempt to kill the spider was foiled and screams followed all around, as the spider disappeared between the slats of the table.   Tough guy Justin tried unsuccessfully to kill it with a butter knife.  We all laughed, as we realized we could not to on with dinner til the spider was taken care of.  Somehow, it dropped to the ground and Margaret forcefully used her flip flop to end its short but exciting life.  Margaret has proven to be quite the brave little girl, and has surprised me with her courage in the gross animal department! Our constant interaction with lizards, frogs and spiders has toughened us all up, I think!

With that spider episode over, we resumed dinner and enjoyed sharing Thanksgiving memories, and stories.  The weather was warm and misty.  Quite different from the wintery storms we had grown accustomed to. Trying to explain the holiday to the Fijians proved interesting.  One gal kept calling it our ‘Prizegiving Day’.  She wanted to see if she should bring gifts for the childrenJ  Thankfully, all the children were content to make Indian feathers and pilgrim hats, as well as thankful cards for each other.  Thanksgiving remains one of my favorite holidays, as we can turn our focus to all the good around us, and how much our heavenly Father has blessed us.

Our house building process has come to a halt, because we are waiting on supplies to be delivered.  We have heard this is one of the biggest challenges in building.  We have some hard working, reliable men working for us, but with no supplies left, we wait.  This has been a great character building process for us.  Patience is required in excess, and getting frustrated is useless.  So we just make the most of each day, and trust that we will have a house when we need one.  (Today, Mike was able to take the time to clean out a huge machete wound on a 12 year old boy.  He bandaged him, and put him on the bus to the nearest place where he could get his very deep wound stitched.  We never do end up just sitting around.)  I was talking to one of our new friends, Ma, about how we will need to move out of the dorms, when teams start coming down this spring and summer.  Her reply was, “you will move in with me”.  How precious.  At least I know we won’t be homeless.  I am sure that village life with Ma would be incredible. 

We are now in the process of sorting another 40 foot container worth of ‘stuff’.  This time, it is not our stuff, thoughJ  This container housed all kinds of donations for the Mission, and the Fijian people.  Boxes and boxes of crocs, sneakers, clothes, medical supplies, books, vacation bible school supplies, etc.  How exciting to be able to use the abundance from America to bless the people here.   Pray for us as we dive into the boxes, to find good homes for all of the gifts!

In closing, I just want to thank you again for the encouraging notes you have sent me.  The internet certainly has closed the miles between us.  I can jump on gmail, and start chatting with someone, as if they are only next door.  We were warned that we may feel forgotten by our friends, but so far, ya’ll have made me feel very loved and prayed for.  Please feel free to let me know how we can be praying for you all, as well.

                                                                        Faithfully Yours,   Sara