Christmas with our Family

The fun continues. . .
We have been to California, Oregon, and home in Washington.  This coming week, we will be in Minnesota.  We love our family so much.  What a precious gift we were given to have this season with our family.

Home for the Holidays!

since it is school break (and the country is still shut down from the measles) we have taken a sabbatical to get medical exams and see our family.  We cannot describe the strong feelings of love we have as we see our family again. We can’t wait to see them all and give hugs!

Grandma Unicorn with Kailyn and Layla

One last trip to the market for some gifts before we take off for home.

Layla’s picture of baby Jesus.

Government Shut Down

This has been an interesting week.  The Measles epidemic is starting to slow down but not without some great effort on the part of the government of Samoa.  They shut down the nation on Friday and Saturday so vaccines could be administered more efficiently.

We walked over to the mission home on Friday and looked up and down the street and it was mostly empty.

When things opened up again on Saturday, we took an excursion over to the west side of the Island with some other senior missionaries and a nice young Danish couple who are working in the dental clinic and spent a very relaxing day.  Everyone was ready to get out of the house after being locked up for a couple of days.

The LeVasa Group (Sophie, Daniel, Nova, Sister Bennett, Elder & Sister Wright, The Lloyds

Sunset at LeVasa

View of the pier at The Edge

We have tried to keep the tradition of "Taco Tuesday" alive while we were here but we just can't find a decent taco.  We have modified it to Nacho Tuesday because a restaurant on the warf downtown sells a pretty decent plate of nachos for 10 tala (about $4 US).  It has a wonderful view of the pier and Apia harbor.  We have become good friends with Barbara at the Edge.

Christmas at The Edge Restaurant

Nacho Tuesdays

Measles

They shut down our make up classes and closed the buildings at Pesega so there would be no chance of spreading the measles.  That means we have a couple of weeks to get ready for our trip the the USA.  We will fill it with lesson preparations for our next class and pick up on these make up classes in January when we return.  As of yesterday, there have been 44 deaths and over 3000 cases of the measles.  There are still about 60,000 people that have not been vaccinated although there has been progress in vaccinating the younger children.  We held just sacrament meeting today with no one under 19 attending.  The government has banned anyone younger than 19 from attending any public gatherings to try to deter the spread of the disease.

We held the traditional American Thanksgiving dinner on Friday (Thanksgiving in America) in the Seminary building behind our house.  We had about 30 people there including senior missionary couples from both the mission and the temple, some junior missionaries from the office, and a young Danish couple who are volunteering at the dental clinic for a month.  It was so good to taste these traditional tastes again.  We consumed two turkeys, about 15 pounds of mashed potatoes and gravy and a couple of gallons of dressing along with all of the trimmings and of course pies!  It was glorious.  We were so exhausted from the preparations that we took most of the next day staying off of our feet.

Small recreational fale under construction on the beach

With some of our new time opportunities before our trip, we are going to do some stenciling in preparation for out graduating ITEP Teacher certificate students.  We just finished up two teacher's program and should have 9 more teachers finish before we leave in July.  We are hoping to have an assembly with both schools (over 1000 students) and honor them.  We are preparing to give them a stenciled shopping bag and lavalava with the ITEP logo on it with a Samoan design along with a few teaching supplies that you just cannot get here.  Janice has been busy negotiating with her stencil artists (see below) to get just what she needs to do the work.

Janice negotiating with her stencil boys!

Stencils made from Used Xray film

Happy Birthday Janice!

We had a busy and productive week!  We finished our literacy class and immediately started two make-up classes for students who wished a chance to catch up.  We are now teaching Foundations of Education and Classroom Management every day for the next three weeks.  It is keeping us hopping to keep up.

We just had our second successful ITEP teacher finish all of the requirements and should have her application off in the next couple of days.

On a sad note, 22 people have died of the measles, all but one small children.  Less than 40% of the population had been vaccinated but teams from Australia and New Zealand have inoculated over 60,000 people this past week.  All schools have Ben closed and anyone under the age of 19 cannot use public transportation, banks, or congregate. The temple has been closed for two weeks and church has been cancelled also.  The senior missionaries did meet this Sunday in the mission home for a short sacrament and testimony meeting.  It was significant to appreciate what we did not realize something we would miss so much!

Janice’s birthday at Le Vasa resort on the west end of Upolu

Sunset at Le Vasa

Signs

We thought we would share a few of the unusual and sometimes humorous things we read in Samoa.  The sign that protects the thieves is posted in front of one of the higher-end grocery stores (Lucky Food).  The danger sign is posted on the fencing surrounding one of the many large generator stations on campus that are necessary when the local grid shuts down.  We wonder what the difference between a naked and non-naked flame is.  The yield signs here are the familiar shape but have "Give Way" posted on them.  We attended a fancy gathering this weekend with the US Ambassador and the US Navy South Pacific Jazz band and ordered off the Pupu menu!  We think that means small dishes.

We took a trip to Fagaloa Bay this weekend to order us some custom carved canes from a local wood carver.  He does beautiful work.  We took a picture of some of the scenes on that drive.  It is on the Northeast corner of the island of upolu and has deep bays and steep mountain cliffs with waterfalls coming down.  At the wood carver's fale, we had a bunch of little pigs underfoot that were pretty cute.

Fagaloa Bay, Upolu, Samoa

This week has been slow and a little strange because of the measles epidemic here.  The government has enacted emergency powers to prevent large gatherings.  The schools have canceled graduations, prize giving days, and we even cancelled church this weekend in support of those measures.  There have been over 500 cases of measles in the past month.

Happy November!

This coming week is the last week of our Literacy class.  We are turning around and teaching two courses the next week for make up for those students who for one reason or another missed one of our earlier classes.  This will facilitate a group of about 10 teachers who should complete their ITEP certificates by the end of June 2020 (just before we go home).  We are impressed with their tenacity by attending our classes day after day, month after month, after a hard day's work.  We are so proud of them.  What is so exciting is to observe their teaching and see them apply the things that they have learned in class.  It will make such a big difference for the students here at the schools.

Janice & Joe in Sauniatu

We said goodbye Friday to our next door neighbors the Swangers.  They should be home safe and sound in Vancouver, Washington back to the loving arms of their family.  We are surely going to miss Sister Swangers kindness and humor and Elder Swanger's great stories.  They were institute teachers and there is not anyone to replace them yet.  If you are retired, have an advanced degree (masters or beyond) and think this might be a fun assignment for you - talk to your bishop and fill out your papers and come on over.  While we were at the airport, we ran into President and Sister Ho Ching (the mission president and his wife) as they were dropping off some junior missionaries to also go home.  President Ho Ching asked us to be the Zone Leaders for the senior couples on the island.  Of course we said yes.  What that means is that we will be arranging for activities every week and keeping an eye out for their general welfare.  It should be fun!

We attended Sauniatu day last Friday.  It was the 115th anniversary of then Apostle David O. Mckay visiting the village and then leaving an apostolic blessing on them.  They had a parade with the school children, dancing, and of course, food.  Everyone had fun.  You still get a special feeling every time you enter that remote village in the middle of an old volcano.  They are so kind to us and honored our callings as missionaries by giving us the seat of honor during the show.  We are reluctant to be made such a fuss over but these people truly respect those who God has called to come and serve them.  We are always humbled by their faithfulness and love.

Anniversay cake for Sauniatu Day - Elder Lloyd got to blow them out!

David O Mckay Marker near Sauniatu

Sauniatu Students Dancing

National Exams

WWe are in the Samoan National Exam period where regular instruction begins to shut down in order to accommodate these exams.  It is an accepted fact that learning concludes and only review lessons are held (if school is in session).  The last month and a half of learning time is compromised.  It is a little hard for us to "wrap our heads around."

We have been very busy teaching lessons and preparing.  We had the delight of catching Sister Vidal and Sister Bunker from the area office in New Zealand.  We spent a couple of nights visiting with them and talked a lot about the progress of the schools in Samoa particularly in Reading

Some of our teachers taking our literature class.

(their specialty).  Sister Bunker is a retired BYU Hawaii ESL teacher now serving as a missionary in the area office. Sister Vidal is from Utah and has moved to New Zealand.  She was hired by the pacific area schools to train the teachers in the island on the TALL English computer program.

We just attended our ward's primary program today.  It was fantastic.  All of the children recited their parts with perfection without any script or adult help.  Of course, the music was glorious.  They sing with such enthusiasm.

It is pineapple season again and our little “plantation” has yielded another one.

We are also just about ready to pick our first papaya!

Last Term of the School Year

We are nearing the Samoan National Exams which means that the students and the teachers are all preparing for these important assessments.  All normal studies are suspended and the main focus now is on review.  We are keeping very busy with the last three weeks of our Reading in the Content Area class as well as planning for two make-up courses that we will teach right up to the day we leave for our quick visit home.  November will bring us exciting things such as Sauniatu day, prize giving, and of course Janice's birthday (the big 65!).  We also hope to graduate the first two of many of our teachers with their ITEP certificates.  They are just a few weeks away from doing so.  We are so excited and very proud of them!

Janice and Joe in the kitchen

West end of the island

We have had a lot of grandchildren have birthdays these past two months.   We are amazed with how fast they are growing up!

Staff Retreat and White Sunday Holiday

Last week both the High School and the Middle School held their staff retreats.  We attended both of them.  The high school staff started the day with a 6:00 AM temple session.  We joined them and then went over to the school for breakfast and a quick trip to a retirement home.  There are not many of them here.  This one is run by the Catholic Church (The Little Sisters of the Poor).  It was good to put a place to the collection boxes we have seen around town.  Most people here really do feel sorry for those who are put into the retirement center because there is a strong sense of obligation to take care of one's parents here even to those who have left overseas to work.  They do not have a very good social security system here (they only get about $50 US every month) so the children feel a strong obligation to take care of them.  The school teachers donated food, laundry detergent, soap and toiletries.  We assembled at one end of a large fale whilst the retirees were arranged at the other end.  There were formal speeches in Samoan announcing our gifts and greetings and of course singing and dancing.  It was so tender when the residents in wheelchairs gracefully motioned with their arms in time with the music as their contribution to the siva celebration.  We spent the remainder of the day swimming in the sporting event olympic pool and then into the night with entertainment and dancing before being served a huge buffet at 10:00 PM.

Lloyd's with one of their students - Julius Pao at Vavau Beach

The next day we got up and attended a breakfast with the middle school and then spent the rest of the day on the south side of the Island on our favorite beach at Vavau.  We ended that day with a huge buffet at a resort and a fiafia show there.  We were glad it was our week off so we could physically rest for a few days before we had to start teaching again. 

Sunset on the South Side of the Island

Beautiful Tafatafa Beach

Janice at Vavau

This past week found us "back in the saddle" teaching every night and doing classroom observations. We finished the week with a quick trip to Sauniatu in the rain and touched base with our dear teacher friends there.
We are satisfactorily healthy (although, I have a nagging cough that we can't seem to figure out).  We are seeing the fruits of our labors and feel good to be making a difference here.  It really sweetens the deal when we spend every chance we get on a beautiful beach!  We love all of you and think of you often.

When it rains at Sauniatu, waterfalls cascade down the mountains

End of Term 3

We had two days of cultural celebrations at the end of Term 3.  There was a lot of singing and dancing.  Everyone was so talented!  The middle school program on Thursday lasted nearly 4 hours and the whole while, the students sat on the floor.  Here is a picture of the girls' side of the gym and the girls in their school uniforms.  If the girls have long hair (most do) they have to braid their hair at school.  Many of the year 9 students performed dances for the National Assessment for Samoan Culture.  They were being filmed for the ministry of Education to evaluate.

A lot of braids!

Siva!

Year 9 Assessment Performance

Year 9 Assessment

More Year 9 Assessment

We started a new class this week and have 10 teachers attending.  It is reading in the content area.  We are helping teachers in all subjects see that specifically helping students read in the context of their subject matter endows them with power to become life-long learners.

Waterfall at Sauniatu

We were pleased to find out that some friends of ours in Kettle Falls (the Oliversons - where Joe is from) served a mission over 20 years ago in Sauniatu.  It really is a beautiful and sacred place where the early saints of Samoa could find protection and sanctuary to practice their religion without persecution.  We are impressed with the stories of the early saints here who were disowned by their families and banished from their villages.  Many were taxed unfairly just because they had joined the church.  Sauniatu became a blessing to the saints here as they found a place to live and worship freely.  There is an article from 1978 that describes how what we see today there came to be. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/1978/01/sauniatu-preparing-to-go-forth?lang=eng

We have now been here for one year!  It only seems like yesterday that we were driving down the roads looking with wonder at everything we were seeing.  Now we drive down the road and everything just looks normal.  People smile and wave everywhere we go.  They are kind and respectful to us.  The ocean is warm and beautiful and the palm trees sway gently in the wind.  Janice just remarked that it used to be worrying about our children that kept her awake a night but now, it is worrying about the teachers in our class and how they are progressing.

Our neighbor boy, Jayden showing us his new shirt!

We are grateful for our family and their love and support that make it possible for us to be here serving.  Benjamin and his family, drove all the way from Hillsboro in Western Oregon this weekend to our house to make sure our sprinkler lines were blown out and things were good for the winter.  Sherman Beus (our neighbor) and Tom Norman (our niece's husband) worked really hard earlier this week closing down the pool and winterizing the equipment for it.  Thanks for making our mission possible.