Christmas Caroling and Food Delivery

We organized the senior couples to go caroling and delivering food to 6 families. I presented the idea to the couples for 3 families, and they responded with enough $$ for 6! Peni Tonga and his daughter Dorothy brought their ukuleles, and Elder Thomson brought his guitar. The accompaniment added flavor to our singing.

We have fewer couples this year so we invited Semisi Finau and his 6 children. Also a visiting dentist arrived 10 minutes before we were leaving; they were excited to spread the cheer with us as well.

Our first visit was to a widow and her 4 children in Kahoua. She is in a wheelchair. Her boys carried the food into the house and thanked us for bringing them joy.







Our second home was another family in Kahoua. The children's eyes were big knowing they would be having more food for Christmas. They especially eyed the watermelon!

Bishop Sione Tu'avao expressed a teary thank you for including his ward in our singing and food distribution.

We got back on the bus and Peni drove us to Popua. Popua is one of the poorest areas on Tongatapu. Many homes here built of roofing tin or cast-off wood pieced together to form a shelter.

Sisters Tongi and Oseketa arranged 2 homes for us to visit. The first is a family of 7. These kids were excited when they saw the balls we included in the boxes!





The other home in Popua is home to I am not sure how many. This family was recently baptized. We laughed as the pigs wandered amongst us while we sang.


The children remembered seeing Elder and Sister Thomson at their school. We delivered desks, tables, and chairs. At the same time, Havelu Middle School students and the ward painted the buildings. It is fun when the kids remember seeing us.





As you can see in the picture to the right, our numbers were quite large. We filled the bus (30 people), and our voices rang out at the homes.

We next drove to sing to a family in Tofoa. Sister Tulloch and her husband lived in Tonga about 10 years ago when they were teachers. They knew Milika then, and Sister Tulloch was able to renew this friendship when she came for her mission a few months ago.

Milika and her 6 children joined us in singing and were fun as they laughed with us and then waved good bye.

The children wanted to show their appreciation here. They gave us all 5, and of course hugs were freely shared.

When Sister Evans and I were shopping for food, she asked if we could include Fuiva (a single mom) and her children in our activity. Fuiva is in our ward, and Sister Evans is working with her. I told her we would not have enough time to sing as we already had 5 families to visit before dark, but we would include them. Sister Evans contacted Fuiva and she stopped at our house on Christmas Eve morning.

This is what Christmas is all about --- Serving others and bringing JOY. Many of the senior missionaries do not get out in the communities with their assignments. They work at the high school with teachers and students or are dentists. They felt this activity made their Christmas in Tonga special. It truly is rewarding and is something we want to continue when we return home.

As we give, we find that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven, and we learn that it was no sacrifice at all.                                                              President Spencer W Kimball