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.


 


VISITORS, VERY NEEDED SERVICE PROJECT, AND VALENTINES

 

The last week of January we hosted a senior missionary couple who serve in our mission.   The Mortensens, Reed and Diana, are assigned to serve in Port Vila.  They are from Astoria, Oregon.  Elder Mortensen is 1st counselor in the mission presidency.  We met them briefly when we visited Port Vila in October last year and this visit gave us the opportunity to become very good friends.  Their visit was specifically to train the Priesthood leaders in preparing families to go to the temple in Fiji.

During the week we showed them the sites of Guadalcanal. 

 

Elder and Sister Mortensen on the Black Sand Beach at Selwyn College

 

 

 

Native Solomon Islander with her pikinini

 

WWII caterpillar abandoned on the beach near Savo Island

 

 



  It was rainy most of the week which made the vegetation brighter and the scenery more beautiful than normal as we drove west from Honiara.

We visited the outdoor museum of WWII relics

Cheryle and I are standing by a wing from a crashed B-17

 

An amazing butterfly also visiting the museum

 

 

 The rusty steel parts in the wing of this crashed WWII fighter plane, are two Browning 50 caliber machine guns

 

Our day ended at the American WWII Memorial in Honiara

 

Saturday, the Mortensens held training from 9 am to 4:30.  Our assignment was to prepare and serve lunch in our living room for 20 people and clean up while they finished the training.

We prepared rice, with pork and pumpkin gravy, vegetables, and fruit. For desert we served home made cake with ice cream.

 

 

Saturday,  February 9th, 100 youth and young adults of the Honiara District

provided a very much needed service project at the White River School.

They cut grass, cleaned up rubbish, trimmed bushes, and cleaned out drains.

All ten Elders participated as well.

 

 

 

Elder Bacon raking, Elder Tuisalanga in the red shirt, and Fiona Sauseru in the black ball cap with many of the youth 

 

Elder AhChing

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elder Ifuna'au Sr.

 

Elder Sione & 2 young men

 

 

 

Betty Masuru, a YW leader bagging grass

Trimming bushes

 

 

Cheryle made pies for Ken to celebrate Valentines Day.  He could not have been happier.

 

Berry, Pumpkin, and Chocolate, Wow!!

Three happy Elders
(Elder Bacon and Elder AhChing live in our compound)

 



CHRISTMAS 2012

2012 WAS OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS IN THE SOLOMONS.  Last Christmas we were in Papua New Guinea.   We missed the snow, the mistletoe, and all our family oh, oh, oh!!!! 
 

One of the things we love about Christmas in the Solomons is the Christmas Trees that bloom so beautifully with theses amazing red flowers starting in November and ending in February.

Grid lock at the Town Council round a bout!!

 

This is the traffic jam we found ourselves in on Christmas eve.  We thought that everyone would be gone to their homes by boat to other Islands to celebrate the long holiday with family.  Many leave for most of December and January.  Some businesses and restaurants close for 3 or 4 weeks during the holidays.

 

 Telekom, the local telephone company, put up this huge tree in downtown Honiara.  It was beautiful!

 

This past week, it was time to take down the tree.

 

 

Our Mission President asked all of the Senior Couples to hold a party for the young missionaries.  On Christmas Eve, we held ours.  We sang Christmas carols, had a talent show, testimonies, presents, and FOOD!!!

 

 Elders Ifuna'au Jr., Tuisalanga, Sione and Judge

Elders Savea, Ifuna'au Sr., and Tula

 

Elders Wanebana and Falevai

 



Elders AhChing and Haura

 

Elder and Sister Mitchell reading the story of the birth of Christ from Luke

 

 

Oh..............the food!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Samoan and Tongan Elders

 

 

Sister Mitchell made a chocolate cake for Elder Wanebana to celebrate his birthday which is on Christmas day

 

 

 

Fun, Fun party

 

 

ON CHRISTMAS DAY WE TOOK THREE ELDERS TO THE AIRPORT TO BOARD A PLANE FOR VANUATU.   We picked up two elders who arrived from Vanuatu.

 

 

As we took the Elders to their flat at Burns Creek, we found the gate locked and no one with a key, so No problem, just over the fence, luggage and all!  Elder Ifuna'au climbing the chain link fence bare foot.

 

 

 Christmas pies for Elder Mitchell!!!!!!!!!

 

The day after Christmas, (Christmas Day in America), we were able to visit with each of our Children and Grandchildren, via skype.  What a blessing!!

 

At this Christmas time, we are so grateful to be serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

P.S.

 

 

Thanks Bren and Family!!!

 

 

We just got a package today that Brenda sent 1 month ago for Christmas.  When she saw our blog, she was very sad to think that we didn't have the presents from her family under our tree. SO..............we put up our tree today and put her presents under it!!  We then"pretended' it was Christmas and opened the presents!  It was really fun to have this "extra" Christmas!