Ha'apai Emergency Container

Getting the emergency container to Ha'apai has been a challenge. We first went up to Ha'apai to meet the container in October, but the container was too heavy to be lifted onto the boat. We returned home, moved much of the contents to smaller containers, and shipped all up to Ha'apai. Vili Toutai, FM manager at Ha'apai, got some men to move the contents to the FM property, but even the empty 20-foot container was too heavy for the existing forklift to move it to the property.

We tried several options over the next 6+ months. PTH truck was too small to move the container. Tonga Power truck was broke down and awaiting parts. Our options were running out. When Silongo Samani, our country manager, returned from the States in June he said there was a new ship going to Ha'apai with a larger forklift. He called them and this company said they thought they could move the empty 20-foot container to the property. It was sailing the next day. Villi called the next day with the good news -- The container was in place at the FM property! 

We flew up to Ha'apai the next day to move the contents from the FM building to the container. Six strong men came and were the muscle to move the heavy black rolls of plastic, along with the other boxes. These rolls were stacked at the back of the container.

Shelving was put together. With many helping hands it did not take long. 



Sosaia Tonga'onevai, stake president put chainsaws together.

Tarpoulins, tents, two generators, bow saws, hack saw, chain saws, crow bars, first-aid kit,extension cords, gas cans, hammers, emergency lights, screwdrivers, ropes, wrenches, chain saw oil, nails, axes, rakes, shovels, and more were taken out of packing boxes and organized in the container.

 Elder Thomson and a couple of the men put the wheels on the generator.

Everything was labeled for hopeful return after being used during an emergency. 










We did not think we were going to be able to get this container in place before we finished up our mission because of the difficulty in moving the container to the church property. But finally it is done.


Ha'apai will be better prepared for the next emergency - cyclone or otherwise.

Remember when disaster strikes, the time to prepare has passed. 
                      Steven Cyros