Dear Friends,
Some of you have received my letters since the beginning of our journey, and for others, this is your first update. Please be warned, that my letters are a bit verbose, so don't feel bad if you don't read every word. I pray that something from our story will be a blessing to you!
A little girl curiously asked her mother one day, “Mommy, where did all your grey hairs come from?” The mischievous reply from the mother…”Oh, well, every time you do something to trouble or worry me, I grow a grey hair!” “Oh my!” exclaimed the little girl, “What did you do to Grandma???”
Silly jokes have been the rage at our house over the last few weeks, and I couldn’t resist sharing this one with you, as my 41st birthday has passed, and I confess, grey hairs have been sneakily making their appearance. Thankfully, they are not due to my daughters causing me trouble or worry! My sons, maybe, but daughters…no J
Nathan and Justin, at ages 11 and 7, have become integrated to the Fijian lifestyle, for the most part. On a day off from school, they can disappear for most of the day, and slip into the house , covered with sweat and dirt, just long enough to eat and disappear again. Nathan is now lovingly called, Nacani (pronounced Nathony), by most of the locals. Justin is ‘Justeen’, with his browned skin and sunstreaked hair is usually nicknamed ‘kai viti’, which simply means ‘Fijian’ because he runs around bare foot, with no shirt on and with a pocket full of marbles…a typical Fijian boy he has become. Fortunately, Mike installed a propane water heater to our make shift shower, so I can keep them in the shower long enough to get them clean at the end of the day. The cold showers were one thing they did not adjust to very well.
We just passed the one year anniversary of our arrival to Fiji, and truly it feels like we are just getting started. Ideas for business development and outreach for the Mission toss in our minds and camp out in our prayers as we move into the next phase of our lives here. Our tentative move in date is October 15th, and everything seems to be moving forward as planned. We will truly miss living in the ‘village’ that has so warmly welcomed us over the last 6 months. The songs of the school children, the shouts of them playing, the daily rounds of volleyball, the drop in visits, and the short walk to church, we will have to learn to live without. We won’t miss our mosquito nets, mosquito coils, the rats (which we did finally succeed in exterminating), the mildew stained walls, or the old and crumbly concrete floors, carrying in clean water, the dorm size fridge which does not keep out ants or keep the cold in very well, and the list goes on.
Amazingly, we have adjusted quite well to having no electricity. We are all agreed that the warm lighting of a kerosene lantern, or some soft candles give us that Little House on the Prairie olden days feel. Bright lights seem simply unnatural now! I am sure we will get used to flipping a light switch with the modern day miracle of electricity soon enough! We will be living off of a generator, and battery power, so we will still keep the power police activated. Don’t forget to turn off your lights, when you leave the room, now J
It has been so long since I wrote my last update, that I have a hard time knowing where to pick up our story. Hmmm. Let me tell you about the secret wedding that Bailee took part in. The story begins with an explanation of birthdays in Fiji. For the most part, birthdays are not a big deal for Fijians. Parties are unheard of, and gifts most unusual. Until the 21st birthday that is. At the age of 21, young people are given their ‘key’ to the kingdom. It is a very significant day, and for a young person to be honored and released by their parents, means a great deal. It just so happened that some good friends of ours had a son that would be turning 21 on July 27th, the same day that Bailee would turn 15. When we joked that they would be sharing a birthday, I insisted that the celebration be held only for Seru. Bailee was looking forward to celebrating her 15th bday with her grandparents and aunt and uncle, that would be arriving on the 28th of July. Nothing more was mentioned until the day before the feast and celebration. Seru’s Mom, Miriama, told me that they had made a cake for Bailee, as well. Oh, how nice, I thought. Bailee would not get to pass this one, completely incognito J
We started the day out by taking some friends on a hike to some beautiful waterfalls. The excitement began when Jessi’s friend from America, Kristine, slipped crossing a log bridge and fell into the murky water up to her waist, with her camera making the plunge to the bottom. The hero of the day was one of our students, Vilimone, who groped in the mud for about 15 minutes before succeeding in retrieving the fortunately water- proof prize! Kristine will never forget this day, thanks to the ‘saved’ camera! Along with many other memories we got to make on her trip…Jessi had been looking forward to this visit since we arrived in Fiji last yearJ
Many of our local friends could not join us on our hiking adventure, because all hands were on deck, preparing for the feast. Many a chickens would be roasted that day, as well as all the typical fixings for a Fijian lovo…dalo, cassava, roro, fish, Fijian pies, eggplant, rice, curries, etc. As we climbed the falls, and swam in a nearby river, we had no idea what the night would bring! Arriving home in time to shower, and mix up 10 gallons of juice for the party, we joined the host and hostess, asking what we could do to help. The church ‘cafeteria’ was elaborately decorated with streamers, and all the trimmings. We were asked to provide tin foil to decorate the knives for the cutting of the cakes…it turns out, we were informed that Bailee would be sitting at the head table, along with Mike, myself, and the parents of the guest of honor, Seru. Oh boy, Bailee!
The celebration began in typical Fijian style..about 2 hours late. All the ladies headed home to dress in the traditional Fijian outfits, and the men showed up in their best ‘bula’ shirts. Finally, Bailee was shown to her seat at the table of honor, next to Seru. Many songs were sung, and then the local girls placed thesalusalu (a type of lei necklace) around Seru’s neck. Following close behind , Seru’s grandmother removed the salusalu from Seru and tied it around Bailee’s neck. Bailee was all smiles, as many a photos were taken, but Serus’ expression remained somber. Fijians do not show emotion like Americans. At the weddings we’ve attended the bride and groom look more like they are attending a funeral that a time of great joy. This was no different. Inwardly, they rejoice, but outwardly, remain reverent.
Seru’s grandfather now stood up to speak words of wisdom to the birthday boy and girl, followed by his Seru’s father, and then Mike. The local ‘talatala’ (pastor) gave a sermon, of which we could understand very little, and then the big moment. Seru was called forth to receive the ‘key’ from his parents. A very proud moment for the parents, as tears streamed from Seru’s eyes, knowing that he was now officially considered a man to all in his community.
Sitting down once again, Seru and Bailee were now called forth to cut their own cakes, respectively. It was at this moment that I thought, surely anyone looking in the window would think that a wedding was taking place. As I whispered to Mike my thoughts, he agreed that he had been thinking the same thing. Truly, they had honored us , by including our family in this special day. We told Bailee that Mike had made a secret agreement with the family, and we had given her away in marriage to be a Fijian princess. I think for half a second, she considered whether this was true, and then came back to her senses J It was a birthday that will never be forgotten!
Fiji has offered a wealth of experiences never to be forgottenJ Good and bad memories, alike. Our first visit from family will remain etched in our minds, as one of the favorites! Mike took off a full week of work to spend time with his Mom, Dad, sister Tracey, and brother, Steve. For the first time since being here, we relaxed and played like tourists! Snorkeling, and swimming with a giant sea turtle was a highlight. We spent a wonderful few days in town, at our friend’s Mission house, called Island Breeze. I may have enjoyed that the most, because I didn’t have to cook or clean for a few days. And then another few days at a nearby backpackers’ resort. Time to just sit and talk, and play games without the regular chores and schoolwork to do was quite refreshing. Hearing stories from home was a blessing, and just being with loved ones and watching them experience all the sights and sounds of Fiji was incredible. Saying goodbye to them, and watching them wave as they headed off by boat into the deep blue sea was one of our hardest days here. Saying goodbye is not the same, when you live a world apart. I am reminded that goodbye is one of my least favorite words, once again!
How thankful I am that Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, never says goodbye, and we can take him with us wherever we go! When I reflect on the stories of the Bible, I think about how Jesus never seemed to be in a hurry. Wherever people were gathered, he took time to love them and to teach them. As we left behind the hurried pace of American life, it is a major shift to not be driven by the clock and by the calendar. I recently heard a Fijian saying that struck deep in my heart. It is said, “You Americans have watches, but we (the Fijians) have time.” Wow! Think on that for a moment. When was the last time you just enjoyed the moment for what it was, not looking at your watch, or thinking about the next thing on your to do list. I know there is a balance, because God is a productive and orderly God, and he does not desire us to waste time…however, I am challenged to set aside my agenda, and live in the moment…using the clock as a tool, but not a dictator. How about you?
Speaking of time, the year has flown by in many ways. It seems yesterday that we were saying goodbye to all the secondary students, and already, we had the pleasure of seeing many of them home on holiday for their 2 week break. Expectations were up for us to do our regular youth program, called ‘Generation Y’ for the students. One of our local friends requested Bailee to organize an ‘action chorus’ or praise dance for one of the local villages’ students. This was a welcome change to our daily routine as we recruited, planned, prayed and practiced. Bailee stretched her dance skills to the maximum as she attempted to create and lead a group of extremely shy, but excited Fijian girls and boys! Fortunately, with the help of everyone involved (even Jessi, using her no nonsense ‘let’s get this done’ voice), the action chorus to “Testify” came together just in time. We had a great time, and plenty of youth made their way to the Mission for the event. In addition, we filled up 2 trucks to overflowing with youth who live quite far away, and they were all excited to get to come worship and learn more about the mighty God that we serve.
Our teams from America have slowed down, as the American summer has come to a close, but the Mission has seen plenty of new activity. At the suggestion of our full time nurse, Nani, I decided to start a health and fitness class for ladies, twice a week. Although Fiji is a poor country, hunger is not an issue here. As natural resources of food are abundant, Fijians are known for eating literally ‘mountains’ of food. Obesity is an issue, for sure, and preventable diseases like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, etc. keep the doctor very busy. Knowing that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I was more than willing to provide this class, and use my college education in this area for the first time since 1992.
I was hoping we would have a good turn out from our staff, and maybe few more ladies. To my surprise and delight, we had ladies come from all the local villages, and filled up our entire outdoor cafeteria with about 25 women. Enthusiasm ran high, and we had a wonderful first class, which most of them admitted was the first they had ever attended. Laughs were in abundance as we worked on pilates, and legs and bodies were flailing in every direction. About 4 weeks into our classes, attendance is still high, and many ladies seem to bring a new friend each time. The women seem to really enjoy the exercise, itself, and tell me all week how good they feel. I am trying to emphasize most of all, that a healthy life style, outside of the class, is what will help these women feel good, and enable them to avoid poor health In the future. We have a weight loss goal set for 6 weeks, and for the women who meet their goal, a prize of a pair of free sneakers is waiting. This is a huge deal for them, as most walk around barefoot or in flip flops, which isn’t very helpful for increasing activity levels J
It gives me great pleasure to see many new ladies out walking early in the morning, and talking about the extra spinach they ate for lunch. Now if only, I would put into practice all the good things I am teaching them! It has been just as good for me to get motivated to wake up early to exercise, now that I have a sweet walking partner waiting for my wake up call. She tells me her husband wants to walk with her now, but she prefers my company…we’ll have to do the ‘love your husband’s class’ next J
I just finished reading a book that I came across, which is really the published diary of a young girl who went as a missionary to Papau New Guinea. I has started the book once before, but this time found it fascinating as I could truly relate to so many of her experiences and emotions. She had it rougher than us, but of course, she didn’t have 6 children in tow with her. She had to hike 6 hours to the village where she could buy food and supplies. We just have a 2 and ½ hour bus ride J I have gotten so used to our life here, that it wasn’t until Mike’s family came that I realized what a challenge it is to keep our house stocked with food, and all the necessities of life available.
We try to limit our trips to town to about twice a month. In between, I have been blessed to make a contact at the market in town. She is willing to fill up a box of fresh fruit, veggies, bread and eggs for me, and send it on the bus, marked with my name. The trick is catching the bus as it races by our house. The time the bus arrives varies quite a bit, so we have to keep our ears tuned around the approximate arrival time. Someone will yell, ‘busi!” (Fijian for bus) and then one of us runs out of the house and up to the road, waving for the bus to stop. Most times, there will be a box ready for us behind the driver’s seat, but on occasion, the market lady forgot, and we have to repeat the routine the next day. We play the same game, waiting for nails, paint, and other construction items that mike runs out of, as well. Another way to get groceries is via the ferry. A local friend that used to run a warehouse type shop nearby moved to the next island. I can make an order via email, and then meet the boat the next day with our truck. Amused travelers watch the kai valagi (me and the kids) load up boxes and bags of food to keep my family nourished. Oh, for the days of Walmart and SafewayJ
Please understand that I am not complaining…this is normal for us, and not a big deal at all. In fact, I am so thankful for the access we do have to what we need. For instance, a while Justin started dealing with a major tooth ache, and we had not even looked for a dentist, locally. We were hoping to delay tooth problems until we had a visiting dentist here at the Mission. It turns out this was a good example of God not delivering us from our problems, but giving us the help we need in the middle of them. We had met a pastor from the main island just a few months back, and Mike recalled that his brother was a private dentist in the largest town on our island, Vanua Levu. I had not ever been to this town before, so I tried finding a private dentist in the closer town of Savusavu. Discovering that there are NO private dentists in Savusavu, and no one trusts the dentists that work at the hospital, we made contact with our pastor friend, and acquired his brother’s number. The next day, we were on our way, and I prayed fervently that we would not end up in some kind of mad scientist dental chair, with a crazy man behind a drill.
I received some comfort from the fact that Mike’s lead man at the house, Mosese, was accompanying us on the trip, because he, too, was having extremely bad tooth pain. ( He did not go to the hospital in Savusavu because they will not pull a tooth if you are in pain….go figure that one out!) After a 3 and ½ hour drive, I followed the directions, and with Mosese’s help, we arrived at our appointment right on time. To my great relief, Dr. Kishor was very kind and capable. He took care of Justin, and seemed very pleasant and knowledgeable. After examining Mosese, he did what he could to fix the deep cavity, but told him that he may need to come back for a root canal if the pain didn’t stop.
After Mosese left, Dr. Kishor went on to describe to me the challenge of his job. He performs the same procedures that dentists do in the states for a fraction of the cost. A filling cost about $40 fjd, equivalent to $20 american dollars. But people can get their teeth pulled at the hospital for about $5-10 fjd. So, rarely do they choose to have their teeth fixed. Which is why a majority of adult Fijians are missing a mouthful of teeth. Most can not afford the bus ride to the dentist, much less the cost of the filling. Mosese almost had a heart attack, when he found out his filling was $40. He would have had it pulled if he knew the cost up front, but the doctor was doing his best to convince him that he needed that tooth to stay in his mouth, since he was already missing other important teeth for chewing. Fortunately, I was there to help with the cost, and the tooth was repaired temporarily.
Unfortunately, Mosese’s tooth pain returned, as the dentist told us might happen. He was convinced that he should have it pulled, because the cost of the root canal was $180 fjd. (Can you imagine a root canal for $90 American dollars???) Well, due to the fact, that Justin now had another tooth hurting (why didn’t we get the full exam the first time? Oops), Mike told me we should take Mosese and get him his root canal. His wife, Miriama decided to come along just for the ride. As everyone was getting worked on, I remembered that Mike’s sister Tracey had asked me about Miriama’s smile and was it possible to help her get her teeth fixed. You see, Miriama is a beautiful woman, but she is missing her 2 front teeth. As I recalled our conversation, in which I told Tracey that I don’t think anyone does cosmetic dentistry in Fiji, I thought I should just ask the doctor about Miriama. He told me to bring her right in and he would have a look. After a quick exam, he said the overall health of her mouth was good, and for $150 fjd, he could give her some partial dentures that would work just fine to complete her smile. (Tracey had said to get it done, if we found it possible at a reasaonable price.) Spontaneously, he called her back in so that he could take the mold of her teeth, and promised he would have them ready by the time we had to return for the completion of Mosese’s root canal. You should have seen her expression of delight J
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| Mosese and Miriama |
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to prevent vision problems. Degeneration from aging is something no one can stop. A pair of reading glasses can make a world of difference for an aging person, yet most Fijians do not have access to them. In fact, I was just reading a book written by Dr. Beeve, an eye surgeon who has been doing work in Fiji for the last ten years. The statistics were staggering. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2005, that there were 37 million blind people in the world. 48 percent of them were blind because of a cataract. In fact, 80 percent of all blindness in the world is avoidable, preventable or curable. However, in developing countries, eye care is almost non-existent.
Once again, I challenge you to take off your glasses or contacts for the day, and see how it impacts your life. While Fijians don’t suffer from hunger, and some of the other problems that impact poor countries, many of them live in the dark. The miracles that we see at the Mission at Natuvu, when teams of eye surgeons come to work are unbelievable. A whole family’s existence is changed when just one person receives their sight back. Great joy abounds when sight is restored. Dr. Beeve, who happened to be visiting Natuvu this last week, personally told me the story of one 30 year Fijian man who had lost his sight due to an infection. He had never seen his own children, since his illness 3 months after being married. After Dr. Beeve operated on this young man, and his patches were removed, a great commotion ensued. The happy patient proceeded to kiss everyone in the waiting room on the lips, and went crazy over Dr. Beeve, after finding the man who had provided his miracle.
Of course , the true credit goes to God above, who has granted the gift of medicine to us, his children. We feel very blessed to be a part of a Mission, who is not only offering physical assistance to the hurting, but also is offering the hope of Jesus Christ, the true light that shines in this dark world. To provide physical healing is a wonderful way to show the love of God to people who may feel forgotten or alone in this tiny corner of the globe. We are in the process of planning a couple of mission trips for 2011, in which we will be looking for all types of people to come and serve. If you have medical or dental skills, construction, gardening, working with children, etc. please let me know and we will keep you updated on dates and prices. There is a place for anyone who has a desire to serve, here with us at the Mission at Natuvu Creek. You can check out the website at www.missionatnatuvucreek.org for more information. Not only will you have the opportunity to be Jesus’ hands and feet, but you will get to do it in Fiji, one of the most beautiful places in the world!
As we have visited with some of the teams who have come to the Mission to serve, a few days into their trip I usually remember to ask them, has anyone told you about the eyebrows yet? “No.” is the usual reply. “Oh, what about hm-mm?” “No, why?” Then I get to explain how the Fijians use their eyebrows to say yes, and hm-mm means yes! “Oh, now that makes sense.” We need to add this lesson to our orientation, because the doctors get confused giving the exams…’Can you see this?’ ‘Hm-mm.’ ‘Is that better?’ “Hm-mm.” “No?” “Yes…” and so on.
Mike continues to struggle with understanding what his guys are telling him on the worksite. Here is an illustration of a conversation to show you our trouble with communication. One visitor from outside of Fiji asked a local…”Would you like some tea?”
“Vinaka.” (this means literally thank you, but to a Fijian it means, No, thank you.)
“You would like some tea?”
“Um-Hmm.” (that means yes to us, but no to them.)
A local New Yealander tries to explain that the Fijian does not want tea…
“Oh, you don’t want tea?”
“Yes!” (that means, yes, you are right…I don’t want tea, but to us, it means…oh yes, I do want tea.)
“Oh, so you do want tea?” …and on it goes J We have to be very careful how we phrase our questions, and make sure we are listening to the answer with Fijian ears! Only after living here for a while, do I not have to ask things several times.
Fiji was originally colonized by England, so I like to joke that the Americans decided to do everything opposite the British, to spite the king. The Fijians tell us that it is the British influence that marks why they do things opposite of us. To wave someone to come over to you, they push away their hand, as we would tell someone to go away. When they play games, people go clockwise in order (opposite of us). And of course, they drive on the opposite side of the road…which I have finally gotten used to! I have an official Fiji driver’s license to prove it.
As I joke about the trivial differences in our cultures, the truth is that as American in a Fijian culture, it seems like we will always be somewhat like ‘outsiders’. As amazing and loving as the people are, there is something beyond words about being a foreigner here that sometimes leaves us feeling very isolated. The memories of conversations and hours spent talking about the things we have in common with other Americans just doesn’t happen here. I can be surrounded by a group of women, yet feel alone. The common ground that exists with people who have grown up in the same culture is something I will never take for granted! Yet, homesickness overwhelm us. We have fond memories, and conversations about what we miss from ‘home’. I am convinced that our ability to be happy in all circumstances is that God is with us, and wherever he is, that is where our true home lies.
Well, this letter will never get sent out if I don’t close for now. I will say goodbye with a few prayer requests and praises…
Praising the Lord for
*an amazing 1st year in Fiji
*our nearly completed home, and all the faithful workers that have helped us
*all of our dear friends here and those who have so faithfully supported us with prayers, letters and finances in the past year
*so many people that have been helped physically, spiritually, and emotionally this past year
*for the many difficult times and trials that have caused us to depend on rely on God more than ever
*content children who say they love Fiji, and are not ‘homesick’ yet!!
Please remember to pray for:
*Mike’s health and strength to improve
*good health for the whole family
*wisdom for our schooling plans next year
*wisdom for a new Bible Study group we will be starting
*God’s blessings on the upcoming mission trips we will be planning
*God’s blessings on the business plan for supporting the work of the Mission
May God richly bless you, and keep you, and cause his face to shine upon you!
His and Yours,
Sara
Love you guys and miss you, too! Thanks for this blog! Our prayers are with you! xoxoxo The Bergs
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