Birthday signs

I forgot to add the December birthday signs. Here you go plus a few more random pictures.

Sunset on another Birthday

Getting ready to leave another island

 http://billsusanbelshemission.blogspot.com/2017/12/seminary-graduation-thanksgiving-and.html?spref=fb

Three stages of making Kamiamia. Toddy, cooking down, finished Kamiamia. Use it like honey or syrup.

Birthday card I recieved from one of the Senior Couples.

Seminary Graduation, Thanksgiving, and Island hopping

Sorry it has been so long since I have written in the blog. We have been without internet for the last month. Today I am at the mission office using their signal to upload the blog.

Seminary Graduation was very nice. It was good to see all of these kids finish High School and prepare to go forward serving the Lord in any way they may be called to do. Many are heading off to College, and some on missions.

A couple of our favorite TVET Fashion students

Sister Belshe giving out refreshments

These Senior boys know how to party and dance. This was an impromptu dance they did.

Later in the week we had a birthday party for some of our TVET Teachers

Susan wanted to get into the Christmas spirit so she made this cardboard xmas tree from an idea on Pintrest

The base is made from all of the garlands we have received from different celebrations.

I finally finished the kitchen shelves so that we could get the microwave and kitchen aide off of the floor.

The new backup generator and battery controls center have arrived. this project should be completed by the end of January. The Area Office has asked me to help oversee the installation and startup of the new solar system. The backup generator is housed inside the dark green container and the batteries and control system are in the grey container. 

The church boat will now have a new covered parking area. It is needed since the sun is so intense here.

My garden is doing well. I have 4 different plots.
In this plot I have leaf cabbage, cucumbers, and tomatoes. The trellis is made from coconut fiber twine.

In this plot I have pumpkin squash.

In this plot I have leaf cabbage and rock melons.

In this plot I have zucini squash, rock melon, and egg plant.

One evening the Sister missionaries stopped by and asked me if I could come kill a rat. The rat was trapped inside a bedroom. So we rode over there and I killed it with my bat and put it in a bag. Then I made Susan carry it home in her basket.

I tried capturing this moonrise but it was much better in person than this picture.

Then the next morning was this sunrise.

We tried 3 different times to go out to the Island of Maiana to deliver books to the library, water filters to the missionaries and do a house check. We had to turn around each time because of motor problems or rough seas.
This was our first attempt. Kaure Babo seated in the back is the Parliament Representative for Maiana. He was going with us to deliver the library books to the school. The books had been donated by a group from Anchorage Alaska.

On our next attempt we had a few more packages to load on the boat. We had to walk out to the boat. Susan got a photo of me and my white legs.

Finally on our third try we made it. This was a week later from the first attempt.

We got to Maiana at low tide so had to walk about 300 meters on the coral to shore.

Here come the Elders.

We tried loading all the books and packages on a smaller boat to try and get the boxes closer to shore but we didn't get too far before the smaller boat was dragging bottom.

Here is a look from shore out to the boat.

Once on shore we loaded up the boxes in a truck and headed over to the school.

Here is the local primary school that the books were donated to.

This is the School Principal and Librarian.

Now we are off to Elder Iosepha and Elder Jim's living area.

Here is their Kiakia (small house) that they live in.

Elder Jim's side.

Elder Iosepha's side.

The Kitchens couple came with us to check on some LDS Charities projects. This was a rain water catchment system that was installed by the Reese couple.

This young girl is using a PVC pump to draw out well water.

Harvesting Copra (coconut meat) is the main industry on the island.

We were fed lunch by a member family. It was a great meal of Red Snapper, rice, pumpkin squash, and pudding. If you look in the background you can see the pill of coconut husks trash pile from harvesting the Copra. They use the husks for fire wood, compost in the garden and for making coconut fiber twine. If you look at the joints in this kiakia they are all bound using coconut fiber twine.

The main form of entertainment on the island is playing pool. There is a pool table in every village.

When we were done with our business we were given a tour of the Island in the back of a truck. It is a beautiful island. It is about 10 miles long and 1/4 mile wide at the widest.

Drying fish on a log.

The Maiana airport.

A funky looking sea bug.

These little boys looked like they were best friends for life and I'm sure they know how to get into trouble together.

Finally it was time to go. The tide was up and the boat was able to come right to the dock. I took this picture from the boat. See you next time Elder Jim and Iosepha.

One day while traveling to Betio we saw all these people out on the reef doing something. I stopped and asked. They were looking for clams, shells for crafts, and any creature edible.

We were relaxing one afternoon and this autistic boy came walking into our apartment and proceeded to talk to us in Kiribati. We smiled and nodded and then I finally convinced him to come with me to the school admin office to find his family. Turns out he lives about 3 miles away and went for a walk on his own.

These 2 sisters are going home the same day we fly to Fiji to see Tylor. Sister Boss and Sister Mave are great missionaries. We had them over for dinner.

House 1 is getting closer to being completed.

The girls dorm is getting new windows during the break.

We made another Island run. This time we went to Tearinibai, Abaorkoro, Kainaba, and Nabeina.
This picture is leaving Tarawa. Going with us are the Kitchens and the Hansens. The purpose of the trip was to deliver and setup the missionaries new water filter systems and assist them with any other repairs they may need. On these Islands they missionaries only have access to rainwater catchment or well water for their water needs. So to insure that they get clean water the Church supplies them with hand pumps and water filter systems so that they can have clean water.

Tearininibai was the first stop. Again we had to walk a ways on the reef to get to shore.

You can see how far out the boat is.

The Sisters are living in Tearinibai in this little chapel house. Sisters Petersen and Tamale.

Here is their Christmas tree made from a coconut palm leaf.

This is the chapel building.

While I was there I repaired their water system, installed their new water filter system, and fixed their bikes.

Elders McCarthy and Tollinson had ridden their bikes up to Tearinibai to do an interview and since we were going to their place next they hitched a ride with us on the boat.

Elders McCarthy and Tollinson live on Abarokoro. This is their kiakia they live in. We setup their water filter system.

Some cute kids we saw along the way.

A school on the island that the Kitchens wanted to see.

We left Abaorokoro and headed to Kainaba.

Kainaba has a dredged out channel which allowed us to get much closer.

The Elders are located on the north end of the island so we had a little bit of a walk.

About half way there we ran into the Elders and they went with us back to their place.

Again I setup their water filter system and did a "house check" of their kiakia.

Near the Elders place there were ladies weaving coconut palm leaves into roof panels and wall panels.

On our way back to the boat we went by a school that was having a prize giving day. All the kids wanted their pictures taken.

Back to the boat and on to Nabeina.

Nabeina also has a dredged channel.

We found the Elders bulla (sleeping platform) but no Elders. About 10 minutes later they showed up. I setup their water filter system and did a house check.  With this being our last stop we headed on back to Tarawa.

Back in Tarawa my toddy is doing well. Yes I cut my own toddy and drink it and cook it down to kamaiamaia which is like honey. Toddy and kamaiamaia are both very sweet, a natural sugar like honey.

The toddy is a watery milky color when it first comes out of the coconut tree. It is full of vitamins such as C and D. when you slow cook it down it thickens up to a color and consistency of honey.

Guess who is coming to visit in 2 weeks?