OBAMA''S KAVA STATION

     At the Independence Day celebration the people set up booths or stalls to sell items.  Usually it is food of some sort.  These little areas are all over town - on school fields or open areas.  This year there was a very interesting booth.  There are activity or game booths for the young people.

Read up about KAVA.  It is the number one cause of problems in Vanuatu and much of the south pacific.  Pres. Hinckley was very firm about not having anything to do with it.

More from the Fresh Market

     We wish that we could have you really experience the marketplace.  The color and the aroma and the energy is incredible.  The women come with their wares and stay in the market until it is all sold.  They sleep there - so 24/7.  Flowers are also a part of the market.

Vanuatu National Museum

      Every single day we drive by the national museum.  We have never stopped to see it.  It was always something to do sometime.  Well, last week we made the time to go to the museum.  It was amazing.  It is not very large.  It is one building that was built to look like an old building  -  a chief's house or something.  You can choose to walk through by yourselves or have a guided tour.  We chose a guided tour.  Our guide was a very interesting man.  He played for us on native instruments, and he sang for us.  And  -  he did beautiful sand paintings.  The sand paintings were the early way of communicating.  They would draw a picture to let others know when they would we returning home, etc.  Pictures were the written language.

      The instruments are made from bamboo.  The large one looks like a marimba.  It is played with the hands  -  no mallots.  The bamboo tubes are attached to the sticks that act as the mallots.  So - the player just twangs the sticks and they make a mellow sound.

      The pipe has holes they cover with their fingers.  The holes are only on the very end of the long bamboo pipe.

      The sand paintings are made with one continuous flow.  They never raise their finger off of the sand until they are finished.  Each picture tells a story!

      The totems are also village drums.   They are hollow and they people would send out a message to be repeated by the drums/totems of the next village and so worth.

      There were many items from early life  on the islands.  There were relics from WWII.  There were all kinds of animal traps that were made from reeds.  The was some pottery.  There were pictures of old customs and some of the implements used to preform the rituals involved.  One such ritual was the way to announce a woman's engagement.  The woman was held down.  The men would circle about her to make lots of noise.  They did not want anyone to hear the woman screaming in pain.  The ritual was to knock out two of her incisor teeth  -  one on each side.  With her teeth missing, it was clear that she was a woman spoken for.  With her teeth missing, no one could go back on their word in regards to the marriage taking place.  Can you imagine!
      Most of these things were  small and in glass cases.  It was not possible to get pictures.

      I tried to take some pictures of the ceremonial headdresses and the masks. 

     There some of the old outrigger canoes.  Notice how narrow they are.  They are hollowed out trees.  There is no way that anyone could sit or kneel in the canoe.  Life was never easy for these people in the islands.

Missionary visitors from Auckland

      The Vanuatu, Port Vila Mission is in the Pacific Area of the church.  Our area presidency is in Auckland.  The area offices are in Auckland.  Then there are regional offices or service centers.  Vanuatu is under the Fiji Service Center.  We end up having lots of visitors from around the pacific.  It is interesting to look around church on Sundays.  Tourism is definitely big around here.

       This sister from New Zealand visited here with two of our members.  They all served together in the Brisbane, Australia mission years ago.  Sister Tokalolo is the shortest one.  The other sister is Sister Namali.  I strongly suggested that the couple stay for at least 18 months.  We can really use more senior couples in the mission field!!!!

      Auckland sent two couples here for an inspection visit.  Elder and Sister Brown are the medical couple.  They came to actually see the medical facilities here in Vanuatu.  They were assisted by Elder and Sister Duke, our mission nurse.  Yes, they now better understand about our lack of resources here.  Japan did build a new hospital here in Port Vila.  However, it has not opened yet.  It is like they are afraid to ruin it, break it.  No one here can use the equipment that has been installed.  Two people were sent to Japan to learn how to upkeep the equipment.
      One night we took our quests to the VIT Hospitality School restaurant.  Some of our students served the dinner.  Some of our students prepared the dinner.  It was a fun evening - and good food!

       The second couple that were with us that evening were Elder and Sister Fogel.  They are the area public affairs missionaries.  They are trying to spread the good word.  They are responsible for press releases and working with government officials.  Here in Vanuatu they are trying to get the church accepted on to the Ecumenical Council of Churches.  This would establish authenticity for the church.  (Going around the table - the Duke's, the Fogel's and the Brown's.)

District Conference with Elder Halik from the Area Presidency

    
 We had a wonderful Port Vila District Conference with Elder Halik.  He is the first  Counselor in the Area Presidency.  This was the first conference that was just Efate Island.  Tanna is now a separate district.  Elder Halik has a wonderful spirit about him.  He met with the district leaders and then of course the general sessions.  For the Saturday meetings, Sister Duke  and I were responsible for providing lunch for the district leaders and Elder Halik.  They only had a 45 minute window to eat.  We prepared chicken salad sandwiches on fresh bakery buns, a plate of veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, shredded carrots, etc.), and a fruit salad for a sweet touch.

 





      These pictures are from the front of the chapel, looking towards the choir (the conductor is
standing), from the back of the cultural hall, and those sitting on the stage area at the very back.  There were also large tents set up outside for the overflow!  The last picture is a better view of     

    the choir.

   
  The messages at the conference were powerful,  Our District Presidency are dedicated men and great speakers.  There were also messages from some of the recently returned missionaries.  Of course, the members  were very anxious to hear from Elder Halik.  He is Samoan.  His parents sent him to the USA for secondary schooling.  They felt that he had a good mind and attitude.  It was in high school that he was introduced to the gospel.  He was very involved as a student.  He was the Senior Class secretary.  He joined the church and went to BYU in Provo after serving his mission back in Samoa.  At  BYU he met and married his sweetheart - and then told her they were moving to Samoa permanently! 
      Sister Halik is very educated and has done much to improve education in Samoa.  Elder Halik is a very smart business man.  They have been very successful.  They have been very instrumental in the growth of the church in Samoa for many years.
       Here in our conference, Elder Halik was inspirational for all of us.  One extremely important message was heard loud and clear by all of us in attendance.  Elder Halik promised a stake in Port Vila very soon.  It would be incredible, if this happens before we leave!

       This is Elder Halik, President Brewer, District President Basil, and Sister Brewer.  The members had made  them leis.  This was at the end of the conference when the members were singing to Elder Halik.  They were so glad for his messages of love and faith and hope.

 

       This is the district presidency  -  Pres. Nicolas, Pres. Kalpoi, and Pres. Basil.  Elder  Halik and the Brewers all had a wonderful feeling.

 

 

 

 



Primary Activity Day in Port Vila

 

      The 24th of July is surely Pioneer Day in Utah.  However, here in Vanuatu it is Children's Day.  This is a national holiday.  Schools, banks, businesses are closed.  It is a  day for the children.  In Port Vila Branch 2, it was a Primary activity day.

      They played soccer and volleyball.  They did face painting.  The teachers painted the kids faces,
and they let the kids paint them.  They had relay games.  Notice the kids balancing an onion on a tablespoon.  They really had fun with this.

 

       They also had sack races and 'bobbed' for wrapped candy.  Of course they ended the day with food for the children.  All seemed to be having a great time - even if they were just watching.