VISTORS!

When we received our mission call, our friends, Dan and Jeannie Evans, promised us that they would come to visit us.  They came last week and we had such fun showing them what our life is like here. 

 

 

Every morning they got up at 5:30 am to walk with us and Judy, our walking partner, here in the Solomons.  Dan took this picture.

 

 

We visited the United States WWII memorial

 

 

Black Sands beach at the west end of the Island

 

 

 

 

 

Hunting for shells and coral

 

Catching a wave!

 

 

 Looking for Jeannie's lost flip flop

 

Soo many shells, soo many waves, oh, soo wet!!

 

Sisters having lots of fun!!

 

 

Mangrove trees growing right in the ocean

 

Beautiful view of Savo Island

 

Dugout canoe on the beach

 

 

Dan and Ken folding the wing of a WWII Wildcat fighter at the outdoor Vilu Museum

 

 

 Checking out the Browning 50 caliber machine guns in the wing of the Cobra fighter

 

 

We were just in time for the dolphin show while we ate lunch at the Kokonut Cafe

 

 

 A day at the oil palm plantations with gold ridge in the background

 

 

 

Worker harvesting palm oil pods with a knife at the end of a 40 foot pole 

 

 

 

Harvested palm oil pods ready to be picked up and hauled to the processing plant

 

 

Red beach

 

 

 

Shopping for jewelery at the Main Market

 

 

 

 

Early at the market before the crowds arrive

 

 

 

All too soon, it was time to fill out declaration cards for the flight home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What great friends we have, who sacrificed their time and money to come all the way here to visit us. 

 

We had such a fun week!!

 

THANKS, DAN & JEANNIE

 

 

WILLIAMS AND THE WOMENS DAY BREAKFAST

Elder and Sister Williams, Church auditors assigned to the Vanuatu, Port Vila Mission, stayed with us for a week while they completed the Branch and District audits. 

 

Elder and Sister Williams are from the Seattle area, and have been in the mission for just 6 weeks.  They have already visited many of the Vanuatu islands and completed audits there.

They are very adventurous, energetic, and hard working.

 

One rainy day we drove them out to the West end of Guadalcanal. 

 
Rivers were brown with mud and full to their banks.

 

Several families of pigs along the road

 

 We saw the only cows on the island. The Solomon Island Government is trying to establish a herd.

 

This Solomon Island woman is carrying her produce to market.

 

 

Sister Williams taking a photo of our pineapple salesman.

 

 

The "non sign" to the open air VILU WWII museum.

 

The actual sign at the museum about a mile off the main road.

 

Elder Williams is a pilot and he really enjoyed seeing all of the WWII aircraft.

 

 

 

On Thursday, while the Williams were here, there was a "World Women's Day" breakfast held at the Mendana Hotel.  The church sponsored a table. Sister Williams, 8 RS sisters, and Cheryle attended.  It was a great event where women of the Solomons Islands were honored for their contributions to the nation.

 

 

 

 

The ladies were especially happy with their bags.  They contained a t-shirt and a mug.

 

 

 

The Williams were such thoughtful, good guests.

We loved having them stay with us while they were here in the Solomons.

We feel like we have found another brother and sister!

It's amazing how the Lord has blessed us with many new friends on our mission.

P-13 Fees

The Solomon Islands do not have free education.  Each student's tuition must be paid by their families or they cannot attend school.  The people are very poor and many many children do not attend school.  A generous donor has provided school tuition funds for children here who are active and faithful in the Church.  Parents are required to pay as much as they can, so that they will have an investment in  their children's education, and the donor will pay the remainder.  In 2012 and again in 2013 we had the blessing to see that these funds were paid to the schools.  We have just completed the assignment for 2013 of visiting 18 schools and delivering the fees for 70 students.  We feel privileged and blessed to be a part of this process.

The path to Mbua Valley School is carved into the mountain.

Very good balance is required to go up or down these "stairs".

Steps to Shamma School.  These are concrete, but no two are the same rise or run.
One step may be 3 inches high and the next 14 inches high

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Panatina School requires two sets of steps, no physical education class required here!

Most of the schools are located on top of the mountain, or at the bottom of a gully.  POURING rain and deep mud, were obstacles faced and overcome.  It's a blessing we have the 4x4 Land Cruiser or we could never have completed this work.