Lavalavas and Sauniatu

School is back in session and we are back in the swing of things.  We are teaching three nights a week again.  We have started teaching an Introduction to Special Education course.  Janice and I are not real "deep" in this area so we are sticking to the book so we don't stray very far.  The Church schools do not currently have a special education program so it is mainly to help teachers become aware of how they might help students who might have diagnosed learning problems in their classes.  We are also teaching the teachers in Sauniatu on Fridays.  Janice woke up in the middle of the night with a strong feeling that we needed to be up there on a regular basis helping them.  There is one teacher who needs a class.  While we typically wouldn't teach a class for just one teacher, we are combining our teacher professional development there with the class.

Pineapple Field near Sauniatu

Road to Sauniatu

Kids on the street in Sauniatu

I took a picture of the road up to Sauniatu.  It takes 30 minutes to go 4.3 miles.  You have to go pretty slow.  At one time, it was paved but it has been washed out and now it is mainly rocks and potholes.  The drive is worth it however as you reach the remote center of an old volcano and find the beautiful campus of Sauniatu.  It was a sanctuary for early members of the Church in Samoa who were being persecuted here.

Saturday, we helped the Senior missionaries make lavalavas with paint and stencils.  It is a fun process that is similar to screen printing but only uses stencils cut from xray film and paint on a roller.  You can see that Elder Semu (from New Zealand) and Elder Swanger (from Vancouver, Washington) are quite proud of their work!

Lavalavas that we made this weekend

Lavalava Men!

My little papaya tree is going to bear some fruit.  I am pretty excited to harvest some.  Who would have thought we could grow such things?

We just passed the point of our mission where we have a year left to go.  Time has gone so fast so one year should be here before we know it.  We do miss everyone so much and can't wait to be with you again.  We love you and pray God will bless you!

Pacific Games 2019 and Family Reunion

We spent the rest of this week (after Levi's family left) regrouping and watching events at the Pacific Games.  We watched sports we don't normally get to see including weightlifting, va'a racing (outrigger races), sailing, swimming, and rugby. 

Women's weightlifting (Samoa lifting 142 kg!)

 We are getting all sorts of pictures of our family having a good time together in San Francisco while they hold the Family Reunion without us.  We are quite jealous that they are there without us but understand that each of them took a turn missing a reunion while they were on their missions so it is our turn.  We are delighted that they value that enough to do it on their own however. 

Lloyd Family Reunion 2019 (San Francisco)

Levi's Family Came to Visit!

We had a most fantastic time with our Son Levi, our daughter-in-love Rebecca, and their children, Isaac, Eliza, Noah, and Henry.  They came July 2nd and with tears in our eyes dropped them off at the airport on July 9th.  We were in the ocean every day they were here except on Sunday.  They got to share some of our beautiful places here in Samoa with us.  We visited Palolo Deep, Namua Island, Vavau Beach, Togitogia Waterfall, and the giant clam sanctuary.  We saw fire-dancers, ate Samoan food, and cooked on an umu.  They saw giant flying foxes, geckos, and tropical fish! They made their own lava lavas.  They got to sing hymns in Samoan and share some time in the temple with us.  We loved having them here and enjoyed every second.  It was all summed up with Henry's exclamation, "I want to be a white Samoan!"

Eliza and Grandpa at Vavau Beach

Henry, The White Samoan!

Isaac making his lava lava

Levi at Togitogia Waterfall

Noah at the cultural village

Rebecca shopping at the Market.

Grandma and Eliza on the way to Namua Island

We sent them off to return to California with a few souvenirs and all of our love to give to our family back home as they have the Joe & Janice Lloyd family reunion without us.  It thrills us to know they want to still get together without us.  We look forward to a family picture all in their matching shirts this weekend!  We love them so!