Stranded in Niuatupotapu

While we were in Vava'u, we were notified that the plane that was to take us on to Niuatupotapu broke down and that there would be no flights to there.  There was a ship going that had our Water Project supplies on it.  We prayed as to what to do.  The people in Niuatupotapu have waited for so long for this project to be complete that we felt that we needed to go on, to show the people that we cared about them and their project.  So we booked passage on the ship and prepared for an eighteen hour boat ride.  We left about 8:30 at night and arrived in Niuatupotapu at 1 PM.  It was a little faster than what was planned as the sea was good.  On the boat you just sit up in chairs and watch movies, or try to sleep.  The chairs are very hard with hard arms rest as well.  You had to hold onto your suitcases as they would go rolling off with the rocking of the boat.  It was a long, and very cold night.  The air conditioning was like a refrigerator!

When we arrived President Lino, the Branch President met us and took us to where we would be staying.  Elder and Sister Dassler, Church Audit Missionaries, would be staying at the Missionary Quarters by the Chapel, we would be staying in the Kolaliane Guest House.  This island is close to the equator, so it is very hot and humid.

 We knew that there was no hot water, no refrigeration as there is no power, no internet and half the time no phone service, even for our mission phone, but we thought we could handle it for a week!  The plane was suppose to come and get us in one weeks time, but we soon learnt that they had to order parts for the plane from America.  We ended up staying on this island for 3 weeks.  It was probably one of the most trying time for us on our mission so far!  There were mosquitoes every where and even though you spray and light mosquito coils, they still get you.  Elder Murdock became quite ill, at the time we did not know how ill he really was, but he has been tested and he has Dengue Fever.  A virus that you get from mosquitoes that bite pigs then bite humans!

Since we did not have good connections to the outside world, it felt as if we had been abandoned, forgotten by all.  The first week we managed as we were busy with the project, but the following weeks began by just waiting for a call from RealTonga, which we called now "MakeBelieve Tonga".
We talked about how Captain Moroni felt when the King was not sending support troops and supplies, how he became angry if the King was just sitting on his throne doing nothing.  We felt so alone and not speaking the language made it even worse!

Here is our boat that we are about to board and head to Niuatupotapu.

This is our lovely seating for  a restful night.  This is Elder and Sister Dassler, Elder Murdock and Ana Ika

Arriving at Niuatupotapu.  It is a very beautiful place.

This is Kolepoke Island, named after Elder Groberg from the film "Other Side of Heaven".

Here we are departing from the boat meeting all the island people.  Every one turns out when a boat comes, especially since they have not had one since January!

The back end of the boat unloading all items.

This is Kololaine Guest House, our room for 3 weeks!

The shower, the pictures do not do justice to this shower!

Our sink to wash in and brush teeth in!

Our toilet, which made us very homesick for our new ones at home in America.  This one did not even flush hardly one golf ball!!

And here is our bed, we were thankful for the mosquito net as the mosquitoes were terrible, even if it was not all that clean.

This is the little chapel that was about 1/4 mile down a little graveled road that we had to walk to each day for our meals that President Lino had arranged for us.  He took very good care of us, usually always way too much food.

Inside the little chapel they had set up a dining room table for us to have our dinners.

This was in the chapel as well.  As you can tell it is their little branch chapel, but there was another building that they were having the meetings in, so we had this one to ourselves.

President Lino took us to the beach one day and we had a picnic there, lobster, manioke chips, fish and bread fruit.

This is the bread fruit being cooked in a beach fire.  This is how the Tongans use to always cook their bread fruit.



After the picnic he took us to another beach that was better for swimming.  The water was very beautiful here!
 

"Even though the tasks of life become heavy, and although sorrow thrusts a drooping burden upon us, the light that emanates from our Savior beckons us on, undismayed."   Joseph B. Wirthlin

Projects in Vava'u

Here are some of the projects that we checked on in Vava'u since we were on our way to Niuatupotapu.  One of the projects was the hospital that we purchased an ultra sound for them.  We met with the nurse who was trained on it.  She was so very thankful for it as now they did not have to send their patients to Tongatapu for their ultra sounds.  It has saved so much money for a lot of patients already.

We also had surplus chairs and desk from Siaone High School, which is run by the church.  We had to see who was in most need of them, so went and visited some Primary Government schools that sent request for them.  We picked two of the schools and one of the Government Officials, who was wanting some for a school that he has in Tongatapu.

Vava'u is a beautiful island, with a lot of little out laying islands.  There are mountains as well, such a beautiful place. We were so glad that we were able to spend the night here for some of the work and to be able to see some of the island.  We would have liked to have spent more time, but we were on a tight schedule.

Following are some pictures that we took while here.

Waiting to get on plane for Vava'u

This is the little plane we flew on to Vava'u

This is the inside of our little plane, very small!

This coming into Vava'u.  It is such a beautiful place!

Here is the little terminal at Vava'u.

This is the hotel we stayed in Vava'u, not too bad.  The view from our room was beautiful!

This is looking off our little deck of our hotel room. It was amazing!

This was the Bellavista Restaurant we ate most of our meals in.  We loved the view!

This is another little cafe we ate dinner in with some of the other Senior Missionaries.  It is called the Mango Cafe.

This was a wall in the Cafe that you could sign.  Look hard, we are there!

This the Ultra Sound that the Church purchased for Vava'u Hospital.  They were so very grateful for it.

These are some of the desk and chairs that we had to get distributed while here in Vava'u.

These are some more chairs as well.

This is one of the schools that we sent the chairs too.  The teachers only had a little wooden stool to sit on before we brought these chairs to them.  One made the joke that if they fell asleep, they would fall off!

This is some of the desk and chairs that we gave to this school.  The children were very excited to have them.

Another school that we donated desks and chairs to.  The school had already let out before we go there.

Again here is the teachers chair.

This was sitting at one of the schools.  Yes, we are still in Tonga! Notice how the front door is held shut!

This is a bridge connecting two of the islands.  This is Ana Ika, our Supervisor.

Ana kind of got her finger in the way, but the view was to beautiful we wanted a picture as well.

This is another view that we saw from a hill side, yes there were hills here!  It was so pretty.



This is a road going down a hill.  It felt so strange to be going up and down hills again!

"When you take time to see the hand of the Lord in your life, to "count your blessings one by one," it might just "surprise you what the Lord has done.""    John Bytheway

March Sights Around Tongatapu

Here are some sights of things that we noticed while driving to many of our project sights.  We thought you would enjoy them.

This is the King's Villa just outside of Nuku'alofa

This pig was at one of the water project sights.  It had a crooked snout, looked pretty funny.

This Costa Cruise Liner came in to bay on March 7th.  Elder and Sister Murdock was wanting to get on it!!

This has been an old ship  wreck that has been sitting for years here.  They are starting to tear it down.  It looks so strange to see a large back hoe out in the ocean.  It would go out at low tide to work.

We were on a drive one day and found this place, it was so beautiful.  This is a road into some kind of a little resort.

This is the grounds of the resort.  Very pretty area.

This is another road we went down.  We thought it looked so peaceful and serene.

This a one of the many grave yards.  This is how a lot of the Tongans decorate to honor their dead with beautiful quilted blankets that is left until they get bad from the weather, then they make another to replace it.

Again another grave.  I always think of Sharon Hall when I see them.  She would probably cringe to see them out in the weather!



This little chapel was on one of our drives, it was very small but look so nice.  They are always taken very good care of, the yards and fences and the building itself.

"Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith."  Thomas S. Monson

Closing Ceremony for Nukuhetulu Preschool

This was a very special day for us to see this Project come to a close.  Our Champion on this project was Sione  who was so enthusiastic about getting a preschool for his little Village.  They needed up dated bathroom, fencing, some siding and paint.  And some wonderful little chairs for the children to sit in.  The Government will provide a teacher and pay her salary, but that is the extent of what they can do for this little school.  That is why we have stepped in to help.  The people were so very appreciative.  Following are some photos of the day.

Here we are in the place of Honor.  They treated us as if we were Royalty with special covers on the chairs we were sitting on, to a large Topa cloth for us to walk on.  They also had invited the Television crew so we were on TV as well.  They even interviewed Elder Murdock!

Here are a few of the students on their wonderful little chairs we purchased for them.  They sang the open and closing song, it was very, very special!

Here is our refreshments for this special occasion.  Notice the water bottles with the label Sister Murdock designed.  It was enjoyed by all.

You can see how much they are enjoying it!!

This is the Town officer, Elder and Sister Murdock and our Champion, Sione!

Here is some of the repairs they were able to do with our help.  They replaced the lower part of the siding as it was all rotted out.

Here is the new fencing to keep the little ones in and the pigs out!

Here is the new toilet that we were able to purchase in the project and they have painted the bathroom as well.  It still needs more work, but it is a big improvement over what they had.

"We have an opportunity and obligation to properly teach all children, whether in our homes, at school,or in other settings."  Marie Ricks