Entertainment

When we have been out inspecting chicken coops, we have been entertained.

        

Fatuma

Haveluliku

Vaini

Kologna

Manuka

The ladies entertain as well .. riding Tonga style

We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun. 
                                  Winnie the Pooh

Keyhole Gardens

•  Center compost basket provides a steady supply of plant nutrients.
• Uses less water with mulching and moisture from center basket: drought-tolerant
• Garden can be modified per owners needs, like child or handicap accessibility
• The short bed distance (from outer wall to center basket) is easy to tend
• Gardens require a small area
• Recycle material use makes the gardens inexpensive or free to build.
• The raised design removes threat of trampling by pets and humans
• Saves compost steps by adding garden wastes to the hand center compost basket.

Construction: The garden perimeter is made (coconut husks, lumber, brick, concrete), leaving a cutout and a center hole. Vegetation compost (twigs, leaves, etc) is put in to fill the garden area. 4-6 inches of soil is put on top of the vegetation and it is ready to plant.

Watering is through the center hole, no need to water all over the garden. Food scrapes are also put in the center hole. These scraps then break down adding nutrients to the soil. 

Side cutout view shows the construction of the keyhole garden.

Demonstration garden

Liahona Farms (located behind Liahona where we live) has a demonstration garden including these keyhole gardens. 

The keyhole gardens contain vegetables for the dinner table: lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, onions, bok choy, spinach, okra, green beans.

In addition to the keyhole gardens, there are regular fields where crops are planted such as ufi (yams), corn, watermelon, 2 varieties of taro, manioke, and kumala (sweet potato).

Tevita Makihele is 2nd from left

A grand opening was held at the demonstration garden. Stake Leaders were invited to the farm to see and be instructed in keyhole gardens and their benefits. 

Tevita Makihele, farm manager, explained the purpose of the  keyhole gardens and how they are constructed. Tevita told the leaders that he and his team will go to the villages and help build the gardens. Once the soil sets for a week, Tevita will provide seedlings (started at Liahona Farms) to help the people get started.

VILLAGE GARDENS

All homes of Kahoua 1st ward have a keyhole garden. Kahoua 2nd ward has all but one enjoying the benefits of a vegetable garden out the back door of their homes. Having these vegetables planted at their homes rather than in the bush allows for the cook to step out the back door and pick, or have the children pick and bring in vegetables, for the meal. Thus the families have better diets.

Paea Taueli of  Kahoua grows tomatoes, onions, lettuce, green beans, and other vegetables. She says having this garden has improved the eating habits of their family. They have healthy green vegetables every day.

Her extended family helped to build and plant the keyhole garden. She says her children and their families also eat from this keyhole garden.

Gardens do not have be made in the standard keyhole fashion to be beneficial to the family. Whatever works for the family is great.

At this home in Kahoua:

• Old tires were used to plant tomatoes in. 
• Coconut husks were put in rows to make neat patches for other vegetables.
• Boxes were made (look at the back by the fence) to grow other vegetables. 

This garden in Ha'alalo is not the traditional round but is square.  It is located steps from the door, thus making use of the vegetables easy. 

Also as seen in the picture, the family has a chicken coop. They collect eggs daily to supplement their diet.

The families planting gardens and raising chickens are on their way to better nutrition and healthy living.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven … A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

Vava'u

Neiafu harbor from Bellavista Restaurant

Vava'u is beautiful. The Neiafu harbor is full of boats during the whalewatching season, but not now; it was pretty quiet in Neiafu this trip.We enjoyed the daytime beauty at lunchtime and the sunset at dinner.

We had a couple hours before we needed to be at the airport so we had time for a quick trip to the beach. The lady living next to the apartment we were in suggested 'Ene'io Beach. So that is where we went.

'Ene'io Beach at low tide

We hoped to snorkel, but the tide was way low and the sea was only just above our knees all the way to the reef.

We waded in the water and saw many blue star fish, small fish, and some hermit crabs on top of the of the rocks.

Blue star fish

Lady brining in her tapa to make mats

Hermit crab

BACK ROADS BEAUTY

We then drove through the back roads to enjoy the beauty of the island.

We could see all the way to the ocean, and everything was green green green.

Coconut trees and banana trees abound.

No trails could be seen through this land.

Coconut palms sway in the breeze. I tried to capture the beauty of this stand of coconut trees against the bluest sky ever.

The lushness of the area can be seen in this photo. Coconut palms, philodendron vines, banana trees, and other vegetation I cannot name. There were birds singing as well to add to this scene.

We sat and admired the beauty God provided for us. He made all earth and all that in it is. All over the island we could see God's handiwork.

Vava'u Emergency Container Setup

Elders Palmer, Thomson, Lauritzen

Unpacking, assembling, labeling, organizing on the shelves, and making an inventory list were just a few of the 2 days' work.

Beginning to unpack boxes

Lehi from FM drilling vent holes

Elder Thomson putting chainsaw together

So many more things in this container than can be seen including shovels, rakes, pick axe, axe, batteries, AM/FM radio, bow saws, crow bars, pry bar, extension cords, broom, hammers, pliers, head lamps, emergency lights, nails, rope, socket, wrenches, buckets, work gloves, and more.

It is not really fun to be in a hot 20-foot container for 2 days in 80-degree weather! But the work got done thanks to help from Elders Palmer and Lauritzen. Elder Lauritzen lives at Saineha High School Campus; he and his wife work in ITEP (International Teacher Education Program). We loved spending the couple days with them, going to dinner in the evening and playing Skip-Bo one night. Elder Palmer lives at Liahona and was traveling to Vava'u for auditor responsibilities; we shared the apartment with he and Sister Palmer. It was wonderful to get to know them, as they have only been in Tonga for 3 weeks. We look forward to more good times with the Palmers.

The Lord really wanted this container set up. He had these 2 men at the container at the right time to help Elder Thomson get the shelving put together and help with some of the unpacking and moving the heavy equipment. Elder and Sister Thomson would not have been able to have everything done in the 2 days they had planned to be in Vava'u if these men had not been able to help, as well as Lehi from FM who drilled all the holes for the ventilation -- that itself took all day long. Thank you guys!

Kolipoki

John Groberg visited Tonga this week. He had been in Fiji watching the filming of the new movie, The Other Side of Heaven 2. 

The original movie reveals Groberg's experiences as a young missionary; the sequel records some of the experiences he and his family had while serving as mission president over 200 missionaries in Tonga, Fiji, and Niue a decade after his first mission in Tonga. 

While in Tonga, "Kolipoki" watched the recording of songs sung by the Tongan choir from Ha'akame Stake.


We were privileged to hear Elder Groberg speak at a missionary zone meeting in the morning. He described events he had as a missionary in Tonga that were not in the movie.

In the evening we were able to be present at the rehearsal of the Tongan choir for the new movie.

The recording was the next day. Groberg also spoke at this rehearsal.

Furniture for Schoools

We have been very busy delivering furniture to schools the past couple weeks. The boys are always anxious to help unload. Often the younger children will sing their appreciation.  All schools received desks, chairs, and used books.

The Apifo'ou College (Catholic high school) boys were excited to get the springboard gymnastics apparatus; the girls received sports uniforms. The school suffered about 80% damage in Cyclone Gita. They have many Unicef tents for classes.

Apifo'ou College - gym apparatus

Mu'a GPS

Nakelo preschool did not have chairs and tables before.

Nakelo Preschool - singing gratitude

St Francis de Assisi Preschool

The priest thanked us for the furniture. He said there are

preschool students from India, Papau New Guinea,

Australia, as well as Tonga. He also said there are many

faiths represented at the school.

    

Mu'a GPS

Sister Vaenuku attended Mu'a as a youngster. We saw the Vaenukus driving the other way as we were going to make the delivery at Mu'a. We called them and told them where we were going. Sister Vaenuku said "we are coming, we are turning around, wait for us." We did and it was so fun to see her excitement as these students at "her school" received their desks and chairs.

Nuku'alofa GPS

Nuku'alofa GPS suffered about 50% damage during Cyclone Gita. UNICEF has provided 3-4 tents where classes are held. The principal, Mele Topani, is the lady in black.

Lapaha GPS

Lapaha GPS

The boys at Lapaha GPS couldn't wait to play with their new rugby, soccer, basketball, and net balls ... LDS Charities  also gave them a pump to keep the balls inflated.

The students raised their hands in a cheer when we took their picture in their new chairs. The teachers said the kids were so excited they would all be able to sit in chairs now. 

Lapaha GPS

Monthly Food Delivery

We had another wonderful afternoon delivering food to 5 families with our friends Elder and Sister Vaenuku. This is one of the most rewarding of our activities. We love the people. The Lord loves all his children. We are so privileged to be His hands in helping the poor and needy in Tonga.

There are many poor in Tonga. The houses where the people live are seen in some of these pictures. They are made of poor construction with whatever they can find. It is no wonder so many roofs were blown off and so many houses collapsed during Cyclone Gita.

Depending on size of family, we gave 1 or 2 or 3 boxes of food and watermelon.



We first stopped at the home of Mele (black blouse) and her mother Selia (not home) in Vaini.

Mele's sister, Fina  (green dress) lives right behind Mele. The home is about 6 x 8 feet, made of corrugated iron, no windows. The door is cloth over the opening. Outdoor cooking area and outhouse are shared by the two families.

It is so humbling to see the conditions many people live in. Yet, they are happy. They have each other and that is what is important.



Tevita and his 3 children live in a home with severe cyclone damage. The open windows are still boarded. Tarps from Australia Aid in this case remain on the roof, but leak when it rains.

They were most grateful for the boxes of food, toilet paper, soap, and diapers for the little one.

Mom and dad were not home at this house but the boys accepted the food boxes. The watermelon and cookies may have been partly eaten by the time the parents got home. The boys were hungry, but I know they will share. The families stick together. If one is hungry, they know the others are too. I do not worry that they ate all the goodies -- I am sure mom and dad got some too.

The last family we took food to was the Anou and Vaka Uta family. It is actually 2 families in the front house and 3 families in the back house. This extended family is very close and very loving. They share kitchen facilities (outdoor kitchen, umu, open fire). They all raise the cousins together.

The children really had their eyes on the watermelon. It was probably eaten before we pulled out of the driveway.

Before we left, one of the fathers asked to pray and say a few words. He expressed gratitude for the gift of food. He said they were sorry they could not give us something in return.

We told them they could -- a song. Smiles broke out on their faces. They sang several songs to us -- children's songs so the kids could sing too. What joy it brought to our hearts!! This was the best way to end our day of giving out food to the needy.



Mark 14:7: For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good.