Trip to Santo

Last week we were dealing a bit with a cyclone named Gita, here in Vanuatu.  Not sure if it made the news back home, but poor Tonga got creamed!   She didn't hit us directly, but we got some torrential rains from the storm.  It rained like we've never seen it rain, all day Thursday.  The next morning which we were suppose to leave for the island of Santo.  We wondered if the weather would delay our trip.  We had to leave for the airport by 6:00 a.m.   When we stepped out of bed, we stepped into about an inch and a half of mud and water.  Our whole apartment was flooded.  The couple next door flooded also.  Our apartment building is lower on the property, with a pretty good slope up to the street.  Management is in the process of getting a more secure fence around the property, so there has been some major digging going on.  As a result of the digging, all that rain built up in those trenches, and sent all that mud and water down the hill and into our apartments.  It was in every room of our apartment.  Luckily, nothing of value was ruined.  Pretty soon, we could hear voices outside the door.  The Roundy's had called the Collette's, and they were helping them sweep mud and water out of their apartment.  Pretty soon managment came and we all had brooms in our hands pushing water out of the apartments.  We felt bad because we had to leave the mess and head to the airport.  We're without our truck so the Collette's took us to the airport.  The head house keeper spent alot of time cleaning our apartment.  I need to do something special for her.

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I've been telling you that our truck has had major problems.  We took it into the shop before we went to the Solomon Islands hoping they would get working on it.  Two days after we got home from Solomon was our trip to Santo, so they would have it even longer to work on.  Well, we're home from Santo and still no truck,  so we've been borrowing vehicles from all the couples .  They say it may be 3 weeks before it's fixed, but they don't know that for sure.  They're trying to find parts.  Oh boy! 

About our trip to the town of Luganville in Santo

So now we're back from Santo, an island in Vanuatu.  This is actually the second time we've gone to Santo for the audits.  It's was fun to see the people we met previously.  Since it was district conference (like our stake confererence at home), the Granger's were also there.  That was their last District conference, as they will be finished with their mission in June, and going home to Australia.  We have so enjoyed working with them and will miss them very much.  The new mission president, and his wife, are from South Carolina and are French Canadian.  Knowing French will be very helpful in working with the French speaking country of New Caledonia (part of the mission).   

When we got to Santo, we were met by Elder and Sister Ipson, who are from Sandy, Utah.  They work with the seminary/institute program.  They replaced the Anderson's who left for home to Genola, Utah, in November.  We got there too early to check into the hotel, so we went straight to the church where the audits would be performed.  Audits were scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m., so that worked out great.  In reality, if things worked out like they are suppose to, Greg should be training the district audit committees to do their own audits. They are still trying to learn how this all works, so for now, he trains and does the audits.  Greg talked to the district presidents, and their clerks, in a meeting that was held in Port Vila a few months ago.  He talked to them about selecting a district audit chairman, and at least two district auditors, but it hasn't happened with any of them yet.  Hopefully, sometime in the near future, it will start to work like it's suppose to for the districts.  He did twelve audits, approximately two hours each.  Sister Granger asked me to take pictures of all of the branch presidents for the leader board in the mission home.  I was able to get them all except for the president from the island of Gaua.

There is good news with the stake here in Port Vila where we live.  They do have a stake audit chairman and auditors, and they are working on the audits.  Six months ago they were struggling,  so we're pleasantly surprised this go around. 

While Greg did an audit, I went with the Ipson's and President Leetham, the branch president of the Palon branch, up to their chapel to get chairs for district conference.  I've been up there before. There is a picture on the blog of a bush school, with us and the children of the school in it.  We were there six months ago in August.  The road there, is a horrible, bumpy, road.  I rode in the back seat of the truck with president Leetham.  As we travelled along,  he  asked us to help him prepare a talk that he was suppose to give in conference, about helping branch members become unified.  We asked him what he had already prepared.  He pulled out a mini ipad and proceeded to show us what he had.  I'll tell you, he didn't need any help from us.  He had researched the hand book and scriptures and put a great talk together.  He is one of the strong leaders in Santo, as well as probably the youngest branch president.  He's probably about 30 years old.  When we got back, the Ipson's took me to the hotel to get checked in.  Sister Ipson then took me to a souvenir shop!  I found a few fun necklaces carved out of sea shells and nuts.  I also bought a sea shell called "Venus' comb."  What an interesting shell.  Look it up on the internet to see what it looks like.  

It was so hot and humid, you could hardly stand to be out in it.  Our hotel  wasn't too far from the church so we walked there.  It only took about 10 minutes, but by the time you got there you were drenched! ICK!  It is a must to have a blotting towel with you at all times!  Yes, we have little inconveniences here and there, but it's really okay.  We're happy to be here.  It doesn't hurt any of us to step out of our comfort zone once in a while right? 

On Saturday morning, Greg was up and at 'em to be to the church by 8:00.  We had breakfast together before he left.  A little later that morning, I got ready for the day and walked to their main grocery store to get Greg something to eat for lunch.  He really can't take a break to go anywhere.  This little market had these bread sticks that had ham and cheese inside with a little cheese sprinkled on top.  The bread was a sweet bread and pretty tastey.  I bought a few of those, along with some peanuts and apples and took them to him.  He shared the different things I brought to him with the sweet men he audited.  It was also fun to see the young missionaries that are serving in these areas.  We've gotten to know them in the past 10 months, so it's fun to see them again in different parts of the mission.  They are all so happy to be serving and are doing a fabulous job.  There are alot of new members of the church here in Vanuatu.  As I mentioned before, I like to carry suckers "lollies" with me to pass out to the little pikininis.  I don't think they get alot of treats, so it's fun to pass them out.  They give you a big smile as they take the lollie.  So cute.  There was suppose to be an adult conference session later in the afternoon, after a priesthood leadership session, but it got cancelled for lack of getting the word out.   Greg came back to the hotel and took a much needed nap.  I however, wandered across the street to the park, where booths are often set up by the people when cruise ships are in town, hoping to sell their beautiful carvings and such.  I bought some beautiful carvings from the island of Ambrym.  There is a master carver there that does beautiful work.  They are a tad heavy though, and I hope we don't have a problem getting them home!!   Later that evening, we all gathered for "culture night."  Members of some of the branches performed their native war dances.  They were all dressed up, or I should say "undressed up" in their native attire.  Back in the day, the dancing meant serious business between the different tribes.  That evening though, they lightened things up a bit, because the audience was laughing and having a good time.  I'll attach a video clip.  You will notice the natives bringing a big platter of kai kai (food) and sitting it on a table.  It's hard to describe.  It was a gooey coconut type food.  They sliced it up for all to try.  You have to acquire a taste for some of the native food.  It was very entertaining and fun to be there.   

On Sunday, we went to church at the Luganville branch.  The Granger's gave their farewell message to the people.  It was kind of a pep talk, encouraging them to "stand up strong" and stay close to the Lord.  It was a powerful message of encouragement and love.  President Granger had all of the missionaries both present and past, come forward and sing a song together.  We sang, "Oh Love that Glorifies the Son" (page 295).  Again, one of those that we don't sing at home.  It is a beautiful song though.  I love to sing it.  It was one of the songs that we sang in the car, on our way to church, in Tanna, that I told you about.  After church services, Greg had more audits to do.  I stuck around with the Ipson's for a while, visiting all the young missionaries.  I went back to their home for lunch and visited with them that afternoon.  When Greg was finished, Elder Ipson picked him up and brought him back to the house.   Sister Ipson prepared a nice dinner for us to share with them.  They are such a sweet couple and took such good care of us.  After dinner, two of the young sister missionaries dropped by and had dessert with us. 

Monday morning was like "groundhog day" for Greg.  We had breakfast together and then off to the church he went.  I went to the beach with the Ipson's that day, to collect shells.  Elder Ipson found a blue star fish.  What a find!  I collected a bunch of sand dollars.  We don't see those in Port Vila. 

Tuesday was the day we flew home.  Our flight wasn't until 6:30 p.m., which was a good thing because he was busy until 3:00.  All in all it was a very successful trip.  It was nice to come home to a clean, mud free apartment.  

We hope you are all well at home.  We think of you often, and pray for you always.  Love Greg and Ann