Rats, Start of School, Tragedy at sea, new chicken coop

It is hard to see in the picture but I caught our first rat in our apartment. One morning I came out as I do every morning to read scriptures and get ready for the day. when I turned the light on I saw a rat run behind our couch and disappear. So I set up the live trap at the end of the couch on the floor and about a half hour later he was caught. That was our first and hopefully our last rat in our apartment. Other missionary couples have not been so lucky. Elder Reese was trying to get to 100 before they finished. He finished at around 35 - 40, but that was in a 3 week period!!

Susan decided that for birthdays this year we would do collages and send them. so here are the first birthdays.

One day I was looking over the seawall behind our house and noticed a pile of garbage on the reef. I was flabbergasted that someone would do this especially here on Moroni campus. We talk about this kind of behavior all the time and the importance of keeping our environment clean. Susan and I went out and picked it up and put it in the garbage containers.

First School assembly was fun. I was great to see all of the kids returning back to school. The Principal gave a wonderful talk on the students need to emulate Christ in their lives.

This year we have a new program called DEAR, Drop Everything And Read. It's purpose is to help students improve their English language skills. During first period homeroom they take 20 minutes to just read a book from the library.

The Stake President and Mission President asked me to take pictures of the Wards that meet in the Moroni Chapel. They are going to use the pictures to help new converts see that their neighbors and friends are also members of the Church.
This is Eita 1st Ward

This is Moroni Ward

This is Eita 2nd Ward

The week before school started a ferry boat left one of the Outer Islands, Nonouti, with over 100 passengers on a 3 day trip to Tarawa. Many on board were kids returning to Tarawa to go to school. We had 3 Moroni students and their families on board. The boat was overloaded and while still within sight of the island it broke apart and sank. There were only 2 life boats and rubber raft. It was over a week before anyone knew what happened. By the time rescuers began the search for survivors most had perished. Moroni held a special memorial for the families that lost love ones. The families that spoke talked about the Grace of God in their lives and the love of Christ that they had felt during this hard time. Their faith in God was awe inspiring.

This was a memorial that was put up by these students to remember the Moroni students that were lost.

Got a new local made hat to keep this blistering sun off my neck when I am out working and fishing.

We see this from time to time. People moving their homes from one location to another. Kiribati style mobile home.

Sometimes taxi trucks get overloaded.

This is a taxi boat. there are several of them that ferry people and goods between Tarawa and North Tarawa. North Tarawa are just a line of islets with no road connecting them to Tarawa. So the ferry boats do the work. Or you could walk at low tide but it is several  miles to each village.

For those of you who don't know, this is the fruit from the Pandan tree, It is mildly sweet, coarse and stringy in texture, tough to chew but helps keep your teeth clean, or so they say.

We had funding to build a new chicken coop in 2016 but it never got started. So I got the ball rolling and we setup a contract with a local builder to build it.

It turned out very nice and will provide the dorm kitchen with fresh eggs for the dorm students. It will help the agriculture program with teaching about raising chickens and will help the Horticulture students learn about how to use chicken manure for fertilizer.

Islands of Abemama and Marakei

After Tylor left Susan and I went to the Island of Abemama to look for new housing for the missionaries there. I also was sent to perform a financial audit of the local branch.

We waited at the Abemama airport for a few minutes for our host to arrive.

This is a house at the end of the runway that we are looking to rent for the elders to stay in.

This is the Abemama chapel for their branch.

That is the Branch President's office in the back.

We stayed at the Taotin hotel in this little bungelow. It was actually very nice.

The hotel had a restaurant where we ate at each day.  They even had satellite TV all 8 stations.

After the audit meeting I went with one of the Elders out tracting in the local area. we met one of the local judges for the island. He was very interesting to talk with. After a while he asked me why I was there on his island all the way from the USA. I told him I was there for him. That Jesus Christ loves him enough to send me all the way to his home to share the message of the Gospel of Christ. We asked him if he would be interested in learning more and he said he would. So the Elder set an appointment to go back and visit that family.
The last evening we were there the restaurant brought us more food than we could possibly eat so we asked if the Elders could eat with us. They said yes so we invited the Elders to eat with us. It was a great meal and we had an enjoyable visit with these young men.

As soon as we got back to Tarawa I was off again to the Island of Marakei.

Susan did not go with me on this trip. There I was to do another financial audit. I stayed at the local motel which was far more primitive than the last island.

But as with all of the Islands the people were great, helpful, and willing to do whatever was asked. The food mainly consisted of fish and rice but I did have a nice breakfast one morning that consisted of banana bread, rolls, and bananas.

The Elders live at the Church Chapel House. I went to the branch family home evening that they hold each Monday. usually there are 8 - 12 people that show up. We had about 6 show up. We had a nice lesson and then some refreshments after.

The first day I was there I was given a tour around the island. The island is similar to a doughnut with the lagoon in the center.
This is a picture of a 2 story kiakia. This is unusual for the islands here.

There are monuments around the island called The Ladies of Marakei. When you visit each monument tradition has you leave a small gift to that Lady. We left a piece of candy at each monument. Of course after we left each monument I saw the local kids run up and snatch the candy out of the monument.

At one point of the tour we crossed a very narrow bridge. The truck was just barely able to fit on the bridge as we crossed over.

The audit went well with a few issues that I addressed. Soon it was time to leave. That last morning we, me and the Elders, rode bicycles to the airport for me to catch the plane. It's a good thing I travel light.

Not long after I got back the US Ambassador for the Pacific Islands came and visited Tarawa. She asked to have a meeting with the US missionaries serving in Kiribati. She asked us where we were from and what our mission responsibilities were. Then she opened the meeting to questions and so we asked her what sort of aid programs was the US pursuing here in Kiribati. She danced around that question. So then I asked her what trade talks were or are going to be made to improve trade relations with Kiribati. Again a song and a dance. I immediately thought of the Texas Governor and his song and dance in the movie "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas". None of us were very impressed. All fluff and no substance.

Well I am behind on my blogs but will try to get caught up. School has started and we are very busy with school and mission responsibilities. Till the next blog, we love you all.