2020 Semaine 36 (31 aout-6 septembre)

 Perfect weather to study outside in the morning with the birds signing and a nice breeze to wake you up.  I love this time of the year and time of the day. 

Driving to the Mission Office Monday morning,  I started the day thinking about family.  It was the letters on this license plate that did it.

We attended a district council (Pango District) on Tuesday morning which we always enjoy so much.

It felt like a typical transfer week (even though it was not officially a transfer week)

One missionary starting and 11 missionaries going back home.

6 missionaries in the Solomon Islands returned home to Tonga

And 5 missionaries in Vanuatu, flew on the same flight coming from Solomon Islands to Tonga.

There was so much preparation and last minute demands.  For the first time, Vanuatu did a COVID-19 test and we were told in the evening of Thursday that the missionaries and also the students returning to Tonga from Vanuatu had to get that test the next day.  We did not know where or what time.  Friday morning at 9:30 am we were told to take the missionaries to the hospital at 10:30 for the test. In all, 19 tests had to be done.  Then I was told while we are waiting that they will receive the results the next day.  I told them that they would be at the airport, the flight being scheduled at 11:00 and we need to be there 3 hours in advance.  Unless the results of the tests come in very early, we will not be able to pick them up.  I left them with our e-mail address hoping it would all work out.  Many people were involved in helping with this.  We received the message and scans of the negative results as we were driving back home after they had all pass through immigration. and the airport had been locked up.  Thanks to technology, the results of the COVID-19 testing were sent to the Tongan ministry of health.

It was a very exhausting week  trying to get everyone where they needed to be and doing it remotely for the Solomon Islands missionaries.  They waited from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Friday to get their results.😓

😵😵

Then as we drove out of the airport's parking lot, we high fived and let out a sigh of relief.

We now have 12 more to get home.  To be continued...😏

Driving back from the hospital with the sister missionaries after their testing.  It was school out and it just looked like anywhere in the world where parents are picking up their children.

Talking about school it was time for more of the grandchildren back to school pictures.  I just love those.

Life in Vanuatu

I was cutting some snap peas and looking out the window I noticed these giant pods who looked like the ones I was cutting but bigger and dryer.

The children in Vanuatu are so adorable.  This cutie was playing outside the Mission Office and after I snapped this picture I thought :

"And a little child shall lead them."  Isaiah 11:6

Talking about child.  This morning we were so excited to speak with out little cutie, Calvin, for his birthday.  He showed us all the cool presents he received and he played Jack in the Box with us: hiding behind the ottoman and jumping up like a Jack in the Box.  He said he was a skeleton.

What a blessing to be able to see and speak to them.  I am looking forward to the hugging them one day.

We had to cut our games and conversation short.  A missionary was sick and had fainted.  We went to him and had to call an ambulance.  We spent a few hours at the emergency room where he got rehydrated with saline.  He was weak but feeling better.  We took him to stay with the zone leaders for a few days.  He will be fine.  Not quite the Sunday we had anticipated.  A mission is full of surprises.

Let's see what this week will bring...

Yufala i gat wan gudfala wik.  Mifala lavem yufala tumas