Tongan Update 21 October 2007, Little Acts of Kindness
I think I’ll entitle this letter “Little Acts of Kindness.” It’s kind of difficult to jump into a new culture where you don’t know the people, the work you’re supposed to do, the language, different foods, where to find food, and drive on the wrong side of the road. But we have had many people do just little things to make us feel more welcomed.
1. When we arrived at our apartment in Tonga, a big basket of food was sitting on our counter. At the time we didn’t really appreciate it. But once we had to try to shop for ourselves, we realized what a treat it was to have the foods that were given us—many items are difficult to find here, but are in every grocery store at home.
2. Many of the streets in Nuku’alofa have been closed because of the “Forum of Pacific Countries.” Many dignitaries from neighboring countries have come to this little island for a big pow-wow. So the government has blocked off access to downtown for the protection of these people. The Tongans even have a naval ship out in the harbor to protect the VIPs.
Anyway, John and I were walking home from town along a dark, unlit street the other night. A Tongan fellow past us in his van. When he saw us, he backed his car down the street and asked us if we needed a ride. Just a little thing, but very thoughtful.
3. Elder Thompson needed to inspect the missionary houses on the islands of Ha’apai leaving me home alone. (Too wild of a place for little ol’ me).
The cute office missionaries invited me to have dinner with them. They were fixing some kind of chicken dish with unusual things in it. John came home early from Ha’apai and rescued me from whatever the missionaries were going to eat. But it was nice of them to invite me!
4. The kids at Fatai Elementary School are good for my self-esteem.
Can you believe these goofy boys. No different from home.
They think a gray-haired, white lady is pretty cool! (By the way I’m one of the few gray-haired ladies on Tongatapu. Most of the ladies dye their hair black. You should have seen the children stare at me as they walked past me during the Temple Tour! They were totally in awe of someone so different.) The children like the stories, games and the pictures they draw.
TIME OUT!!! I just chased down a five inch centipede crawling up the wall. I zapped him with the vacuum cleaner because I didn’t dare get close to it. Oooo…it might be roaming around in the vacuum bag right now. Ugh!! (I hope it stays in there!) (My hero, John, is asleep in bed so he isn’t here to rescue me!)
5. Where was I? Oh yes, little acts of kindness…We had a Tongan woman take us out to dinner and then give us a pumpkin (which is yellow and tastes like our squash) and a kumala (which is purple and taste like our yams).
OPPS…JUST JUMPED A MILE! I THOUGHT IT WAS ANOTHER BUG, BUT IT WASN’T! NOW I’M ON THE LOOKOUT!
6. We have a wonderful group of senior missionaries. They already feel like our best friends. We get together twice a week for dinner, Family Home Evening, and other activities.
DO YOU THINK THAT BUG CAN CLIMB UP THE HOSE OF THE VACCUM AND GET OUT?
I think I’ll close the door to the bedroom and call it a night.
Miss you all! Take care,
Diane
P.S. DON’T LET THE BEDBUGS BITE!
P.P.S. The Elders say the centipede is called “the Devil Creature” because it has teeth and bites. OH, GREAT!!
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