GODventureZ -- LIFE! through Pictures: May 2011

Sunday, May 15, 2011

NASELESELE Village FUNERAL

The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our GOD stands forever. (Isaiah 40:7-8)

Ratu Isoa's mom (Difilo), Maria and Isoa's niece (Bethany)... making decorative garlands for his grave.

Sili and Sera... in charge of the gunu ti sandwiches.

The toni-toni ladies (elder women waiting for Ratu Isoa's body from the hospital mortuary)...

Vika, Ana, Ana (#2), and one of the Naselesele Village Primary School teachers...

Biu lending a helping hand with the massive cooking...

The three musketeers -- Kani, ? and Jo -- grating (or trying!) coconut for vakalolo waci.

The vuaka slaughtered, being readied for adobo...

The toni-toni women having their gunu ti break...

Ana and Yaita -- squeezing the milk from the just grated niu...

Wati, Biu and Serenia with the chicken, preparing it for curry...

Una, peeling a gazillion moli for kokoda (raw fish... ceviche)...

After guni ti, the women relax... waiting for Ratu Isoa...

The prayer altar... CHRIST JESUS worshiped as the Son of GOD.

Funeral service...

Mass finished...

On the way to the village cemetery...

Una and Luisa, with their flowers to decorate Ratu Isoa's grave...

Six feet down... ready to go...

Feremo covering the grave with traditional gatu...

Final touches, almost done...

Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. (Psalm 39:5)

Decorative sulu...

Family members...

Final resting place... ?

There is no in-between waiting place... those In CHRIST are immediately brought to His bosom after crossing over to the other side... the other side that is Heaven. And this hope of going to the other side that is Heaven is the most important matter of life and death. (For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of GOD is eternal life in CHRIST JESUS our LORD. Romans 6:23)

Naselesele Village cemetery... very green... veryclose.

TJ, from New York (posing with Bua and Ana), just visiting on the day of the funeral... experiencing the real Fiji.

Time to feast! Lovo dalo, vakalolo fish and waci, chili beef, adobo pork, curry chicken, chop suey beef... Celebrating Ratu Isoa's passing with much food and good company...

Thursday, May 5, 2011

VILLAGE Life -- Where LIFE! Happens...

Nau Tuvi and Ana enjoying the new lino floor...

Pink papayas... my favorite po-po!

Leone with momo Vili's string beans harvest...

Lewa... "pet" vuaka, pregnant -- hoping for a whole dozen!

Salusalu -- made by Magdalena, from Wiwi...

Seru and little Jo -- learning to pick po-po like a maqe...

Momo Vili with Elena, Mersiana, Feresiko, Petero... all in the family!

BBQ'd fish from Vili's spearfishing jaunt at Wailegalala...

Biau sewing with this antique that just keeps on going!

Miri, Leone, Kani, Jo -- with just caught puffer fish...

GODventureZ -- Adventures with GOD

LIFE is an adventure! It's like a long (or short) corridor with many doors. Some doors are dark and ominous--while others beckon with light and warmth. Some doors seem ordinary with muted hues--while others glitter and catch the eye. Some are painted in exciting, vibrant colors--while others with Caution! Do NOT Enter! NO Trespassing! Some are transparent, while others are like mirrors reflecting your image.

Doors, doors, doors! Choices, choices, choices!

All kinds of doors--all designed to catch the imagination... all vying for attention... tempting us to look, stop, inspect closer and wonder--is this THE door that will open up to LIFE!--that abundant life everyone longs to live here on earth?

From birth to death are many doors to walk through. Which one(s) do we choose to open, that we may venture into LIFE!?

Through the choices we make, we can either venture in with GOD--walking with Him by our side, sheltered under His wing, surrendered to His wisdom...

Or we can venture in alone, GOD-less, foolishly thinking to go through each "Let's Make a Deal" door under our own finite intelligence, our own meager power.

We can choose GOD into our ventures, making them GODventureZ (LIFE!--abundant and blessed); or we can choose to go solo, without GOD, creating missed-ventures.

GODventureZ is about adventuring through life with GOD. Through these personal photographs, stories of LIFE! unfold...

my Prayer For You

i ask GOD to give you a complete understanding of what He wants to do in your life, and i ask Him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live will always honor and please the LORD, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while, you will learn to know GOD better and better. i also pray that you will be strengthened with His glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to GOD's holy people, who live in the light.

(Colossians 1:9-12)

I AM The True Vine

I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the Vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from Me.

Yes, I Am the Vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to Me and My words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to My Father.

I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love. When you obey Me, you remain in My love, just as I obey my Father and remain in His love.

I have told you this so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you.

And here is how to measure it--the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.

You are My friends if you obey Me. I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn't confide in his servants. Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me. You didn't choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name. I command you to love each other.

The Sermon on the Mount

GOD blesses those who realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.

GOD blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

GOD blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them.

GOD blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full.

GOD blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

GOD blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see GOD.

GOD blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of GOD.

GOD blesses those who are persecuted because they live for GOD, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

GOD blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are My followers.

Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

You are the light of the world -- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them.

Psalm 33

Let the godly sing with joy to the LORD, for it is fitting to praise Him. Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre; make music for Him on the ten-stringed harp. Sing new songs of praise to Him; play skillfully on the harp and sing with joy.

For the word of the LORD holds true, and everything He does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good, and His unfailing love fills the earth.

The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. He gave the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.

Let everyone in the world fear the LORD, and let everyone stand in awe of Him.

For when He spoke, the world began! It appeared at His command.

The LORD shatters the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the LORD's plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken.

What joy for the nation whose GOD is the LORD, whose people He has chosen for his own.

The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From His throne He observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so He understands everything they do.

The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. Don't count on your warhorse to give you victory-- for all its strength, it cannot save you.

But the LORD watches over those who fear Him, those who rely on His unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

We depend on the LORD alone to save us. Only He can help us, protecting us like a shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we are trusting in His holy name.

Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in You alone.