Smooth Sailing

It's been smooth sailing since our encounter with cyclone Hola.  I'm just grateful we weren't here when cyclone Pam hit in 2015.  It was a deadly, destructive storm that did mega damage here in Port Vila and surrounding islands here in Vanuatu. You can read all about in on line. Cyclone Hola didn't do much here in Port Vila other than rain a lot.  It did a lot of damage though in Malekula.  We feel so bad for the people. They lost alot of their fruit, and one person was killed.  

We're about finished with the hot, humid, sticky, muggy, stuffy, sweaty, wet, soggy weather.  I think that about covers it.  April to October are the winter months and quite pleasant.  CAN'T WAIT!!!!  The Davidson's are the next to leave the mission.  They leave the 23rd of April, heading home to Wyoming.  I will miss Patty so much, we've become good friends.   I guess we'll just have to visit Wyoming now won't we? 

Last Saturday night was our turn to have the other couples for dinner at our apartment.  If it's at your place, you provide the main dish and everyone brings something to go with it.  I made a shepherd's pie that was really good.  We also had cabbage salad (because there isn't any lettace right now), home made rolls, relish plate and two desserts.  It was sister Davidson's birthday and she brought her own birthday cake and ice cream!  I wish I had known it was her birthday.  We had a fun time that night.  We normally play games, but everyone seemed to just want to visit. 

On Sunday, Sister Tucker and I headed into primary when it was time.  The kids are so wound up all the time.  They don't have a lot of supervision at home, so that is probably why they are that way in Primary.  Even though I'm  assigned to the Young Women, I don't need to be there every week, so I help in Primary also.  I think I told you that I am the door guard.  If they can, they escape to run around the halls.  Sister Tucker said, last week the bishop came in while they were being rowdy and "whapped 'em" up side of the head and really lectured them.  They do , you see alot of slapping aroung here.  You see parents smacking their kids up side the head all the time.  I'm always telling one of the kids to be nice and not hit!   It probably confuses them. 

The morning after the cyclone in Malekula, I walked out on the beach  looking for shells.  As I walked down the beach, I would pick a shell up, keep it if it was a good one, toss it if it wasn't.  Pretty soon a group of young kids came running up to me asking me what I was doing.  I told them I was looking for pretty shells.  Well, they started handing me any old shell and pretty soon my hands were full.  I thanked them "tumas" and told them I needed to take them to my bungalow and put them in a sack to take home.  So funny.   I went back out a while later, this time I brought my lollies (suckers) with me. Pretty soon, here they came, this time they handed me a bowl with beautiful shells.  I was thinking how perfect they were.  They were perfect all right, they were still alive. I told them thank you, but I only wanted them if they were dead.  I said, why don't you just go put them back in the ocean?  The young girl said,  no, I'm going to eat them!  Okee dokee!  They had a bush knife with them ready to cut the clams open, and dig the snells right out of their shells.  I'll stick to toast and fruit for breakfast thank you very much!    I handed them each a lollie, and boy were they excited.  I asked if their homes had any damage from the cyclone, and they all had.  Many of their homes are made of materials such as wood, palm leaves, bamboo, cane, or tin.  A lot of their homes are only for sleeping.  They build fires outside for cooking meals.  They either heat water for a sponge bath, or go down to the ocean to bathe.  They really are camping. 

We are still without our truck, going on two months now.    We have asked the folks in New Zealand, that we report to, if we could possibly get a rental car.  They're still working it out I guess.  President Granger needs our help with several things.  They will be leaving the mission in June and are working to get things in order for the next mission president.  He said the mission would be willing to pay for half the car.  We put that out there, but still haven't heard anything.  President Granger called the other day and said the mission would pay for all of it.   I guess we might be getting a rental car.  It's been working out hitching rides with the other couples.  It's hard though.  It's Saturday morning, we played pickleball, but boy was it humid.  It's been raining the past few days which causes it to be humid.  We're going snorkeling this afternoon, so it will be nice to cool off.  Spring is just around the corner for you at home, and winter is coming to us.  The temperature will be much nicer, not so humid.  I'll close for now.  We love and miss you all "tumas!"

Love, Greg and Ann :) 

P.S.  If you go back to the post before this one, there are pictures and a video of the cyclone.