Since the cyclone a week ago, a lot of the heavy work of clearing and cleaning has been done. Some people have started rebuilding their homes, while others continue to wait for tents and tarpaulins for temporary shelter. LDS Charities has given away over 300 tarpaulins and 25+ rolls of heavy black plastic, each of which covers about 6 homes. LDS Charities has chainsaws and generators out in the community being put to use. One generator in Ha'alalo is running the water tank which is run by electricity, which of course is out. Red Cross has provided tents, tarps as well as other needs.
Some homes still have whole or partial roofs uncovered, while others have used aid tarpaulins or their own materials to cover their roofs. The sound of generators, chainsaws, chopping, drilling, sweeping is now the norm as people are continuing to clean out their houses and yards and trying to get back to their normal everyday living.
Ha'alalo
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| SisterS Thomson and Zemp |
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| Elder Thomson using bush knife |
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| Elders Busby and Zemp |
The day after the storm, the Busbys and Zemps joined us to help clean up Ha'alalo. Bishop Latu Timote Tuiasoa had asked if we could come join his ward.
LDS Charities had loaned out chainsaws and bush knives to most of the stake presidents for use in their cleanup efforts.
We helped at 4 houses: One was a widow with children living with her mother.
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| Sisters Busby and Zemp in pig |
At one home, the men in the community used chainsaws to cut up trees that had fallen in the hurricane.
We hauled the branches off to the designated area ... a pigsty. Sisters Busby and Zemp were real troopers, they were the ones in the pigsty. (They volunteered.) The rest of us dragged the branches to the pigsty and they hauled them to the back of the pigsty and stacked them.
Even the kids helped out. They loved being a part of the cleanup.
Matahau
Next day, more of our senior couples joined us in helping clean up in Matahau. What fun we had working with the locals as they cleaned their yards.
Sister Oldroyd Elder Oldroyd Sister Heiner
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| Elder Murdoch |
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Sister Busby
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We love our senior couple missionary friends. They asked if we had any projects they could help with, and then they pitched in!
Many of these couples work at Liahona Schools teaching the teachers. The school was closed because of damage so these couples were eager to help. Elder Oldroyd teaches the auditors. He too had some down time while the locals recovered from the hurricane.
Liahona
The campus suffered much damage. (Comment: nearly a month later - I have asked Brother Parr the estimate of damage -- he said over $7 million). The school principals kept the dorm students busy helping with the clean up. The students who live on island went home to help their families.
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Elder Thomson inspecting a keyboard
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| Lots of debris fell when the roof was blown off |
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| The dorm girls raked the campus |
Elder Heiner and student Livingston
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| The dorm boys are STRONG |
Elder Heiner was put in charge of organizing cleanup of the FM building where the roof had blown away.
There was much damage to computers, muscial instruments, and structure.
Senior couples and dorm boys and girls pitched in together for a fun morning working together in the FM building.
It is sad to see the damage but it is wonderful to see how everyone is pitching in to clean up. Probably it is time for your release the island will be almost back to normal. I was just reading E/S Bill's blog post about their trips to Tonga before and after the cyclone hit and how the Lord had the right people from Salt Lake in the area when the cyclone hit. Thanks again for your informative posts.
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