National Diabetes Week in Tonga

The National Diabetes Week in Tonga is a week full of activities and since Diabetes is a Major Initiative with the Church we were very involved with the activities for the week.  We started the week on with a Handover Ceremony for the National Diabetes Center.  In this project we were able to get them two water dispensers with 4 large water bottle, two lap top computers, a desk top computer and printer, a 50" flat screen with DVD player and portable rolling stand, a projector and screen, and a numerous supply of instruments for the Diabetes Center that they were so desperately in need of.  It was a very special ceremony with the Ministry of Health in attendance.  He was very grateful for all that we were able to get for their Diabetes Center.

This is part of the items that we were able to purchase for the National Diabetes Center.  The sign is our new water bottle label that Sister Murdock created to help people to be more aware of diabetes.

This is the waiting area of the National Diabetes Center.  This is where we held the Ceremony.  They had it decorated very beautifully with flowers, palms, and balloons.

This is our Champion in the project, Siva.  She is the Head Dietitian of the National Diabetes Center.  She is an amazing women with a lot on the ball!  We will continue to work closely with her until we leave on having seminars all over Tongatapu for Diabetes Prevention and Awareness.

This is the Stake President and the Ministry of Health, on left.  He gave a speech thanking us for all that we have done and that he hoped that this will not be the end of us partnering together.  He stated that we have made a big difference in many Tongan lives, because of what we have done.

Here the Stake President and the Ministry of Health are cutting the blue ribbon to handover all the supplies we purchased for them.

Here many are enjoying our refreshments that we brought with us.  There were some diabetes patients at the ceremony as well.

Here all are enjoying the refreshments of the day.

The next part of the week is our National Diabetes Awareness Awards project.  In this project we asked 12 Government Primary Schools to participate in a contest in five different categories, art, skit, poem, song, and essay, all to do with diabetes awareness.  The winners of each category will receive 50 new class room chairs for their school and will perform their category at the National Blue Light Ceremony at the end of the week.  On the 11th and 12th of November we were able to get a bus for the judges,all were from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and the National Diabetes Center.  On these two days we were very busy travelling to each school to judge each school in each category.  Elder and Sister Murdock prepared lunches so that we ate travelling between the schools.  Once the judges were through with their part, Ana Ika and Sister Murdock, presented 2500 students with CTR rings, instructing them that CTR stands for Choose The Right, and that Heavenly Father wants them to always choose the right in all they do.  But most importantly He wants them to Choose Healthy Eating so that they may Live Longer.  It was an amazing two days!  We have some pictures of this activity, but it was hard to choose which to use as they were all so wonderful!

This was our first stop, Fua'amotu GPS.  This group had an amazing aerobic dance and the dog and pup even joined in!  They really had their hips moving!

Our next stop was Nakolo GPS.  These students had some amazing essays.  We were so proud of them.

This stop was Ha'asini GPS, they did a wonderful skit as well as a wonderful song.  We sure would not want to have to be the judge.

This is Fatumu GPS, they were our winners in the Art Category. We were so proud of them!

This is Folaha GPS doing their skit. It was very good.  And their song was wonderful as well!
We really liked their display of eating healthy as well!

Here we are at Veitongo GPS.  This young man stood up and recited a poem that he had written himself. He looked so good in his Tongan attire!

This is the second day and our first stop was Fatai GPS.  This is a very small school so we were so proud of them in all the areas that they performed in but their song was outstanding.  The judges even ask them to sing it one more time for us before we left.  Needless to say, they were our winners in the Song category with, "Diabetes Kills", written by the students.

Our next stop was Free Wesleyan Primary school in 'Utulau.  They were very good in all their categories as well, but the skit was wonderful, they had so much vibrant animation in it!

This is a student of Atele Si'i GPS.  She has written a poem and even dressed appropriately for the  performance.  She did wonderful and she was our winner in the Poetry category.

These are the students of Ng'eleia GPS.   There art and skit was pretty amazing.  Here they are showing off their CTR rings.

This is Nuku'alofa GPS, they was our winner in the Skit category.  It was a pageant with girls dressed in different kinds of food, most were not good for you, so the King would not pick them, until Miss Pella Leaves came out and he did pick her.  It was wonderful.  They were also the winner of the Essy category.  The young girl did an essay on diabetes in Tonga and was able to recite it without notes.  She was wonderful.

This is our last stop, Kolomotua GPS.  They were amazing in all the categories, especially the song and skit, they were hilarious. They did not place 1st but they were runner up in one of the categories.

This is the bus that we travelled on for two days.  It was so good to have it to take our group of 18 people to each of these 12 schools.

This is a picture of our group, judges and head nurses from the National Diabetes Center that were a great help passing out all the CTR rings.

This is Sister Murdock explaining about the CTR ring that each of them would be receiving.    We explained that CTR stands for Choosing The Right and that Heavenly Father always wants them to Choose The Right in all that they do, but most importantly He wants them to Choose Healthy Eating that they may Live Longer.  They were all so excited to get  a ring.  We just hope that it has planted a seed with in them that just because they are Tongans they do not have to get diabetes, if they would only Choose The Right and Choose Healthy Eating to Live Longer healthier and happier lives!

These two days were amazing.  The students were so happy to receive their rings.  We feel this project was a great success!  The National Diabetes Center has requested of us to do this project every year as it is helping them to get the word out to the children on diabetes prevention

"We believe it is essential that our young people gain sufficient education to care for themselves in this highly specialized age, and also to serve their fellowmen, and we have in the past and shall continue in the future to support education at all levels.  Joseph Fielding Smith