Hi Everyone!
‘Eua, an island, is a two and one-half hour grueling boat ride from Tongatapu. The boat must cross one of the deepest sections of the ocean and therefore, may get really “rocking and a rolling” on those ocean waves; or a airplane ride takes six minutes. The missionaries escorted us to the airport and were our sky cabs. It was embarrassing as we walked into the airport with these missionaries carrying our luggage and helping us in every way. Other passengers were smiling, some laughing, as they watched the elders help us.
When flying in the smaller planes, they weigh everything. After the luggage is weighed, each passenger is weighed. With assistance from the elders, Diane is weighed.
We opted on taking the twelve passenger plane and landed on a bumpy dirt strip which is equally “rocking and rolling” but not for such a long duration as the boat ride.
We landed on this strip. After a major rain storm the Tongans have to fill the holes before planes can land. It is completely grass and dirt, no cement or asphalt.
We took off on a short runway. The plane rolled out onto the grass at the beginning of the strip. Then the pilots put on the brakes, revved up the engines until the plane shook, then they released the brakes. We had a fast start and raced to the other end of the runway. From where we were sitting we could look out of the cockpit window.
We became concerned because we could see the end of the runway, and we were still on the ground. Finally, right at the last minute (just before we were back on grass), the plane lifted up. Within minutes we landed on the island of ‘Eua.
The Stake President picked us up at the airport. He is tall, slender, and a humble man and only 32 years old.
After loading our luggage, we began our work of inspecting houses and meeting with the missionaries.. I rode in the cab of his truck, and John rode with the missionaries in the back of the pickup. 
These two missionary houses were in pretty good shape.
This is a member's house that is used by the missionaries.
There's no bathroom attached to this one room house, so they use a common bathroom with the family, which is about 50 yards from the house.
Since they don't have their own bathroom, the elders found another creative way to use the toilet plunger that we sent them months ago.
The island has every interesting church buildings.
TheLDS Chapels are conservative and easy to identify with their groomed yards and surrounding fences. You always know you have passed a LDS Chapel because it is so well kept and doesn't look old.
We always like seeing the pigs. You see them everywhere. When not eating, they are soaking in the water and mud.
For dinner we went to the place that we really wanted to stay at. It is called the Hideway. It has 5-6 rooms and has the only restaurant on the whole island. It is located by the ocean and has a wonderful view.
President McMurray also wanted us to give some remarks at the Missionary District Meeting.These are the Missionaries that form the 'Eua District.
During the meeting we gave John’s formula on lives eternal. It was fun as we presented our remarks in English and had Elder Haslem (the district leader) translate them into Tongan. Can you figure the formula out?
FA+B+F+R+TC+AMC+B+A+MP+E+GW+PUF+NECM= LIVES ETERNAL
The day went by quickly, but the night… well, it was endless! Elder Thompson and I are used to living in an insulated apartment. The windows are frosted and sealed. No one can see in, and we can’t see out. At night you can only hear the hum of the air conditioner and just very soft sounds from outside our apartment. In ‘Eua we stayed at a “Bed and No Breakfast” place.
At this place the windows of our bedroom were horizontal louvered panes. We left them opened because it was so warm in the room—no air-conditioner or fan. The room was about 9'x9'. The bathroom was a common bathroom for several rooms that you entered into from the hallway. John took out his hearing aids and immediately drifted off to sleep. I lay there in that double-sized lumpy bed and listened to “the music of the night.”It started with the singing of the grasshopper-like insects joined by the beeping of the smoke alarm. (I was surprised the house had a smoke alarm, but I was not surprised that it needed new batteries.) The barking dogs joined the chorus. Then there was the thumping sound on the wall next to us. I fell to sleep only to be awoken at 4:15 a.m. with the chiming of church bells. The bells ring to alert the local Church of Tonga members that they need to get ready for church. Fifteen minutes later the church bells chimed again, and the Tongan singing began—beautiful hymns sung in harmony. The birds could not resist stepping up to the microphone and belting out as lead singers trying to outdo the roosters. A pig snorted and squealed as the yelping dogs added the percussion instruments to the orchestra which I was listening, and the smoke alarm kept beeping. Finally…time to get up! At least John was rested.
P-day! Well, we were calling it P-day. We had made arrangements with our Stake President driver to show us and the District Leaders around the island. What a beautiful island it is—very different topography than Tongatapu. One side of the island has pine trees—you’d think you were in the Unitas. The tropical look is minimal--there are very few palm trees. The pine trees are harvested as an experimental project to provide local wood for the Tongans. It appears to be working.
On the other side of the island you’d think you were in the Sacred Grove.
Hey, the tour book calls ‘Eua a rain forest. We saw waterfalls, cascades, cliffs, sink holes, beaches, lime stone arches, and huge banyan trees.
Some of the banyan trees were pretty impressive also. The Tongans call one of them the “Big ‘Ovava.” It’s huge, growing out of a sinkhole, and its root network is amazing. We couldn’t even begin to imagine how old the tree must be.
Halfway up the tree in something interesting. Another type of tree is growing in the tree with the roots intertwined with the banyan tree.
By this hudge tree we found something interesting. The leaf system of a plant climbed the tree and was attached, in perfect order, with its roots in a manner that made it look like it was stapled into position.
Our favorite place was the Rock Garden on Lakufa’anga Cliff.
We drove through a few plantations before we reached a gate with a “Jesus Loves You” sign attached to it. We passed through onto a green pasture punctuated with grey, tomb-like outcrops of coral. There was a herd of nervous horses in the meadow.
We had fun watching two young colts flipping their tails and prancing around.
From here we could also look over the cliffs and see the ocean waters crashing onto the rocks below.
Before we left one of the villages we drove to the high school to watch a track and field event. They were having an island-wide contest to select participants to compete in a large event (the entire Kingdom) in Liahona. When we drove to the field of events, we were humbled in what we saw. The kids were excited. Many of the participants had uniforms. Some worn team uniforms. However, the students ran with no track shoes, in fact, no shoes at all. The track, sand pits for jumping, hurdles, etc. were primitive to our standards.
This is part of the oval track
The long jump pit
The high jump and pole vault pit
The hurdles
Even though the field was primitive, the activities provided excitement for all. Those watching cheered with excitement for their school and children. It was an island-wide gathering.
So often we see sights like this where things are made in their most rudimentary stage. It makes us realize how fortunate we have been living in America where things are improved, that our family has had the best of things, and have been given the greatest opportunities. However, the wonderful thing that we witness every day, is how people who have so little, can be so happy..
Our return flight was leaving at 3:45p.m. so we dropped the District Leaders off at their little missionary house, and the Stake President drove us to the airport. We had to wait for the arrival of the plane, this give us some time to visit with this young, thirty-two year old Stake President, Brother Havea.
He was born and raised on ‘Eua. His parents are members of the Weslayan Church. When he hit high school age, he wanted to go with his friends to Liahona High School on Tongatapu, only to be with his buddies. His parents at first said no, but with continued requests they finally said yes only if he would not go to the Mormon Church. So for two years he attended Liahona, but he did go to the Mormon Church, and he was converted and baptized.
When he returned to ‘Eua, his parents told him he could not go to the Mormon Church even though he was a member. Therefore, Brother Havea boycotted going to any church meetings of any denomination. After several weeks of not attending any church, his parents gave in again. It was OK for him to go to the Mormon Church, but he could not go on a mission. So he attended the Mormon Church, and after a couple of years he secretly turned in his mission papers to the Church. His parents found out about his missionary application from the neighbors.
At first they told him he couldn’t go. Then his parents finally decided they couldn’t and wouldn’t fight with him over his religious decisions any more. He had a strong testimony of the gospel, and they couldn’t persuade him otherwise, so they allowed him to go.
He was called to the Nuku’alofa Tonga Mission where he served as an Office Elder and Assistant to the President. The mission president did not want to release him and asked him to extend his mission for six months. Elder Havea said he would do whatever the president wanted him to do, so the mission was extended. After three months, leaders of the church realized that he was still in the mission field and instructed the Mission President to release him. He was released even though he was willing to stay for the entire six months.
After his mission he met a girl at an institute class who later became his wife. He has remained active in the church and two years ago, at age 30, was called to be the Stake President. He and his wife now have two little girls.
It is interesting. He is a farmer, but farms only enough food for the family’s needs. Nothing his farm produces is sold to make money. His wife is a school teacher and the bread winner for not only their immediate family but also her husband’s parents with whom the Havea’s lives.
Brother Havea’s father is not a very good example to the kids. because he smokes, drinks, and swears. The President hides away with his children in the bedroom to have Family Home Evening. It seems that the father got into financial trouble a few years ago. The President and his wife are living with his parents so that they can use their money to pay off the father’s loan. It will take five more years to pay off the debt. Then they can move out and use their money to buy their own home. President Havea is a wonderful, kind-hearted man trapped with his father’s debt.
That’s ‘Eua!
‘Ofa ‘atu, Diane and John
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