A Small SLICE of TAVEUNI ISLAND Life!

Kiti and Frances' veranda, overlooking Matei Airport's runway...

New friend and sister In CHRIST Andreja, from Slovenia, who came to Naselesele to help organize the school's library...

My sisters In CHRIST -- i was invited to share this typical Fijian feast after their time of fasting!

Our long-time bus driver, Nazir, -- we like the reggae-style music he plays as we cruise from the village(s) to Naqara, or all the way to Waiyevo...

Naqara's produce market and bus stop...

Pat (of Bibi's Hideaway) posing in front of a beautiFUL mural at a dive shop owned by Americans Jim and Robin Kelly -- Nakia Resorts and Dive (this dive office is next door to Beverly's Campground).

River for swimming FUN and for doing laundry at Somosomo, just before Naqara...

Naqara town's produce market, shaded by a giant mango tree...

Beat up package from Ocean View Church -- containing WWJD wrist bands for the kidZ at Naselesele and Bucalevu schools. It was by GOD's grace alone that we finally(!) received this gift -- a kind of memorial remembrance for little Beni.

Newly weds at Wiwi Village -- bride Cathy with groom Niu, texting the good news...

Wedding presents -- bride's side...

Dalo...and chocolate cake -- perfect wedding combo!

Brother Jale in front of his house in Naqara, singing worship with the Salvation Army CHRISTian Fellowship during their "witness for JESUS" day.

Ollwyn and John (from Australia's Salvation Army CHRISTian Fellowship) with brother Jale -- and in Ollwyn's hand, the WWJD poem to share with her church in Australia.

Makaira Resort meke for Teri and Starla...

During Roberta's and Starla's birthday celebrations at Makaira...

East Gate Temple (Pentecostal Church in Naqara) -- grand opening day...

Salusalus for the VIPs...

Church members and elders, presenting gifts and prayers for East Gate Temple dedication...

Butukia home -- personal early morning Bible study in Tila's kitchen...

Momma cat with Goldie, BB and BW -- my personal "bodyguards" and rat patrol...

Passion fruits just outside the kitchen window louvres at Butukia --ripening before my very eyes as i washed dishes...

Future homemakers/chefs at Bucalevu Secondary School -- where i wrangled an invitation to sample their "simply fab" creations!

The Fijians of Indian descent entertaining the audience for Mini-Carnival Week at Bucalevu Secondary...

The Fijians of Pacific Islander descent showing off their island meke during the Mini -Carnival at Bucalevu...

Rain or shine, the meke must goes on!

PeaceFUL scenic vistas from Beverly's Campground...

Lil' William lending a helping hand to nau Tila and nei merlin...

It's very easy to do flower arrangements for Beverly's -- flowers abound just up the hill at Butukia...

Safe swimming FUN, right below the veranda at Beverly's...

Yoga with Carlota (a visiting backpacker from Germany, with her Mom) on the veranda at Beverly's...

  

One of my chores at Beverly's -- keeping the foot-bath fresh and flowered...

GOD's blazing artistry -- who can resist being awestruck by His majestic one-of-a-kind masterpieces?

rLn -- restFUL work...

Cooling off at her private space at Beverly's is my sister In CHRIST Shelly, from New Zealand, who helped her husband and son -- two talented chefs -- prepare the meals for the marriage seminar at Holy Cross in Waiyevo...

Assembly of GOD church in Matei, with my friends from Lagiloa singing the worship songs...

Brother Feremo -- himself an itinerant preacher of the WORD -- preparing to share a SPIRIT-led message...

Babysittin' little Junior -- Pastor Pauliasi's grandson...we ARE family!

Pastor Pauliasi -- sharing the Good News...

Some of my church family in Fiji --pastor Pauliasi and family...

More of my sisters and brothers In CHRIST...

Dearest Heavenly FATHER,
Make us worthy examples to our families and friends.
Let our words and our deeds serve as testimonies to the changes
YOU have made in our lives.
Let us praise you, FATHER, by following in the footsteps of Your SON JESUS,
and let others see CHRIST through us.
Amen.

NASELESELE MOMENTS

Neighboring islands, seen from Narova hilltop...with the floodgates of Heaven opened up like searchlights to illuminate the surrounding seas.

Poignant reminder of our young Beni...

Jotama trapped in a bucket of trouble!

GOD's awesome, breath-taking, jaw-dropping creativity is infinitely and gloriously expressed in His Creation!

The heavens declare the glory of GOD; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.  (Psalm 19:1)

Kindergarten artist...after my own heart!

First picnic outing to Viubani Island in our newly bought, very leaky, very used boat!

Valerie, our very decorated kavalagi guest...

Leone showing off his high moves on the school trampoline while Jotama and Meresiali watch in rapt attention...

Vili climbed up this tree to handpick these wax apples.  The flesh is spongy white and juicy sweet when fully ripe.

Many "meditative" moments spent watching these mangoes grow...this wide-angle view is from the restroom window at Nau Tuvi's house.

A precious moment, captured, when all three boys were happy, all at the same time; and Nau Tuvi happy, too, because she didn't have to kuita (spank) anyone!

Kani's first day to go to Kindergarten at the Naselesele Village school...we prayed for him, as well as for Miriama, Leone and Jotama -- "O LORD, grow them up to be godly leaders, to faithfully follow You, our Great Shepherd, so that they may bear good fruit in abundance.  Amen!"

In our high-tech, ultra-busy world, sometimes it's hard to stop the doing, to stop the going, to stop the achieving -- and to just be still, to just quietly reflect, to just calmly wait...for His Second Advent.

LIFE In NASELESELE Village -- TAVEUNI, FIJI

The practice of prayer -- of saying grace before meals, of asking for GOD's blessings when i awoke and thanking Him for the day's bounty before i slept, of sharing private thoughts with Him throughout the day -- especially when the realities of daily LIFE became seemingly overwhelming -- was but one of the wonderFUL graces GOD graced me with during my stay in Naselesele.  Life in the village was simpler, with much less technological distractions (computer games, facebook, TV, etc).  And yet i prayed often for the indwelling Holy SPIRIT to intercede in my prayer life, for with the seemingly endless chores to do without the modern conveniences, sometimes i neglected what was more important and dear to me -- intimate fellowship with my LORD JESUS.

BeautiFUL sunrise -- but it literally rained bucketsFUL soon after!  The blue-roofed building is the Catholic church, which is in the re-building process -- with almost all the work being done voluntarily by the village folks.  Each clan has designated days when the men are to share in the work and the women to cook their lunch and afternoon tea.

Streams freely passing by Kuru and Katerina's house...after that tangerine-colored sunrise!

Our "remodeled" kitchen area -- we can now stand up to wash dishes instead of sitting down on the floor to do them with a basin filled with water and the water supplied from the bathroom tap.  To us, this was a MAJOR improvement; and we were all very grateFUL to the helpFUL carpenter -- watiqu Vili, who listened to watina merlin!

The overflow from that gorgeous tangerine-colored sky that only the Master Artist can do.

Ever SO sweet mangoes!  Those of us who crave these delicious treats wake up early and go hunting -- looking under green canopies to find what GOD has dropped from the branches, with the wind as His tool for this blessing.  GOD knows how much i enjoy mangoes, so He touches Vili's heart so that he goes out to the bush at daybreak, competing with the village kids who are just as eager to find for themselves these free sweets!  GOD is He "Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."  (Psalm 103:5)

Cooking by firewood is definitely NOT my preferred way of cooking!  But Fijians say that the food tastes better this way -- maybe because of all the smoke?  Needless to say, all that smoke got me smelling like barbecue!  The Naselesele womenfolk are ALL experts at making delicious meals with this cooking style and would make excellent survivors for "Survivor."  They would make those bikini-clad contestants look like helpless dolled-up Barbie clones!

Na watiqu Vili with his catch from the night's line fishing...na watiqu vinaka sara ga -- because he caught the fish and cleaned and cooked them up!  My joy was in the eating -- Psalm 103:5 says it all.  Vinaka vaka levu, JISU!

Cooking by firewood has definite consequences!  This is where i come in -- as pot scrubber, dishwasher, launderess, all-around cleaner-upper.  Blessed be GOD for He has gifted me with a disposition towards clean things, clean environs, clean pots and pans -- SO, i clean.  And i am SO very grateFUL that the SPIRIT who indwells me is also cleaning UP my heart.  HALLELUJAH...AMEN!
Create in me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  (Psalm 51:10)

Here we are enjoying the videos of the week's singing contest and soli festivities (a fundraising  event for the village school), watched from the computer Cozette gave me in 2009.  No high-tech HDTV, no lap-top computer for each child, no personal i-pods or i-pads -- electricity from 6pm to 9pm -- what a blessing this is!

Traditional Fijian way of sharing meals and very typical in our house -- picnic-style feasting.  Here, we celebrated nau Tuvi's and Jotama's combined birthdays with our newly arrived school principal, Mr Ole.  Sharing generously is still the way of life here in Naselesele -- simply say kerekere.  Being raised in the USA (and being just a "half-cooked Fijian" -- a Filipino kavalagi), i had problems at first with this kerekere system. The word itself means "please, may i..." -- may i borrow this or may i have that?  But typically, most of the time, the kerekere - may i borrow means the same as the kerekere - may i have.  Most Fijians are generous givers -- and in the village, since ALL are somehow related to each other  -- it's easy to gift the asked-for thing.  Being an American-raised kavalagi, i still differentiated between lend and give. It took me a while to do the WWJD-- What Would JESUS Do -- in this kerekere world!
WHAT DID JESUS DO?
CHRIST gave His ALL so that we may have...
LIFE everlasting.

B&B with Goldie Boy, taking their afternoon siesta before hunting mice.  GOD, who knows all of my deepest needs and desires, through His gracious Providence, provided these cats (from my dear friend Tila, of Beverly's Camping) so that i may be comforted during times of aloneness.  Our heavenly Abba has proven His WORD to be my source of truth and strength and wisdom.  Over and over, again and again and again -- He shows Himself faithFUL to His Word.
All the promises of GOD are Yes! are Amen!
in His Son, CHRIST JESUS!
Seek first the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  (Matthew 6:33)

i've been back two weeks and two days already...back in the good ol' US of A, after living in Taveuni  for more than 17 months.  i experienced culture shock when i saw this 4-year old boy, his thumbs rapidly and expertly clicking away on the buttons of his electronic toy, intensely involved in his computerized game

, oblivious to the world around him

.  And i remembered how  Naselesele kids were "addicted" to swimming in the creek, how much they enjoyed pushing a wooden pole (or bamboo) with two wheels attached to it; or even a used tire, rolling it around the village grounds by guiding it with two sticks.  And how expert they are at playing Jacks -- without the ball...just with pebbles.  And that weird game of Sapo -- using candy wrappers or used bus tickets -- slapping them to make them turn over so as to get the biggest pile to win and keep.

 i was without internet connection for these initial two weeks and did not fret over it because in Taveuni, i had no regular internet access (nor much extra funds for this extra).  To get connected, i had to walk to Tovu Tovu Resort or take the public bus to Naqara (Taveuni's main town, a 5-minute drive-by) to use Shiven's computer at Zintec, his internet and video rental shop.  But i finally got connected two days ago -- and whether it was the real coffee i drank in the late afternoon or the novelty of being connected non-stop -- i stayed glued to the computer 'til 3 a.m., bleary eyed and zombied out, yet unable to stop posting pictures for my Fijian family and friends on facebook.  i experienced something like an fb-overdoze...and that lack of self-control warned me how easy to slip into this mode of connecting electronically, rather than actually.

So i prayed...and thanked GOD.

A Slice Of LIFE At BUCALEVU Secondary School

BucaLevu Secondary School -- GOD rules here and EVERYwhere\o/

Home Economics class -- cooking with joyful hearts!

Ruth, Chaplain Paulini, Shayaal -- SUIS
CHRISTian Fellowship

Harmony in song and school community...

Dancing up a storm...

Enjoying the entertainment -- BucaLevu's Mini-Carnival and Anti-Drug Abuse Week

SUIS CHRISTian Fellowship blackboard -- song of the day...

Maia Villanueva Jones -- my gift from the LORD!

Anti-Drug Day -- SUIS CHRISTian Fellowship's decor...including rLn's banners.

rLn's contribution to BucaLevu's carnival week...

Last-minute paint job..."Think smart -- Don't even start! Say NO!"

Hanna's very original anti-substance abuse costume...

IN CHRIST -- you CAN say and do NO!

Chaplain Paulini and chief guest speaker Geoffrey...

Faresiko with queen...

All beautiful!

Dancing the island way...

Dancing up a MEKE!

Final day...all the beauties in their fineries.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD! (Psalm 127:3, ESV) All the young men and young women at BucaLevu Secondary School are gifts from the LORD Almighty -- the future heritage of Fiji.


Please donate. ALL your donations will benefit the Naselesele Village school children in Taveuni, Fiji. Vinaka vaka LEVU!

WWJD -- What Would JESUS Do?

 WWJD – What Would JESUS Do?

What would JESUS do?

Never you mind what others would –

Filo, Petero, or even Manu.

To always choose wisely,

All you need to do –

Is to follow CHRIST JESUS closely.

Would JESUS, on drugs, get high?

No!  Rather He would fly

A kite higher than the sky.

Would JESUS smoke tobacco or weed?

No, never!  Rather He would help

All those in trouble and in need.

Would JESUS get drunk and brawl?

No, never ever!  Rather He would give

His surpassing peace and everlasting joy to y’all.

WHAT would JESUS do?

Whatever is good and heavenly –

THAT only, He would do.

What would you do?

So that your choice –

Later, you would not rue.

THINK! before you decide,

May your choice be lovely –

And, In CHRIST, abide.

Turaga na Koro JONI set an example for NASELESELE Village
by pledging to quit an abused substance.

Makarita won the prize for Best Oratory, for Class 5-6.
May her "light so SHINE before men, that they may see
her good works and glorify her Father in Heaven."
 (Matthew: 5:16)