We're back in the U.S.

Sorry to leave everyone hanging (not even an exciting cliff hanger, either!). We did not get our 'work permit'.....very strange and confusing. It seemed to be time to return to our next chapter (and our daughter Janna's graduation from nursing school: yea Janna!) We've relocated to Moscow, Idaho. We are 50 miles south of Plummer where we lived 12 years previously. Drue is happily joining his best friend Bob Spady's medical practice in Moscow and in Pullman, WA (eight miles across the border). We are forever grateful for the experience and opportunity afforded us to volunteer in Kiribati and carry with us the memories of a friendly, gentle, fun-loving people. Thanks to those of you who followed along vicariously; who kept us in your heart and prayers. You mean a lot to us!

The Perfect PALM

No, I’m not taking Palm Pilots here (though they are quite nice to have). I’m talking about the incredible, edible, ubiquitous coconut palm: a veritable tree of life.

How do i love thee? Let me count the ways.....

SHELTER

Our little native hut has coconut palm midriffs placed side-by-side to make snug, sheltering walls. Expertly woven coconut palm fronds make durable, portable, comfortable ‘carpets’ for our crushed coral floor. Watertight coconut-thatch roofing covers many homes (though ours is made of Pandanus leaves).

FIRE

Most of the locals cook over outdoor fires fueled by a non-toxic, never-ending, free fuel source: coconut meat, husks, and dried palm fronds.

BEAUTY

Pacific Island Beauties abound! They nourish their skin and hair with homemade, fragrant coconut creams and oils. Then there are the lilting palms, lovely to behold as they wave their feathery arms in the tropical trade winds. Let’s not forget coconut mats, fans, utensils, skirts, bras, furniture, and other works of art.

FOOD

Hungry? No problem! The coconut gods daily drop their gifts. Pick up one. Husk it. Crack open the inner coconut, and voila, fresh coconut meat is yours for the taking. Grate it, if you like. Squeeze it between cheesecloth; make coconut milk, oil, cream. Use it to with pumpkin, breadfruit, cabbage, fish. Hmm... I’m getting hungry!

DRINK

Climb a tree. Better yet, get your neighbor’s child to shimmy (monkey-like) up, to drop a green coconut. Crack it open. Greedily drink the delicious, mildly flavored, ‘muimoto’ juice. Or perhaps you prefer fresh toddy, the concentrated sap which is gathered, maple-syrup style, each and every day? Age it a few days and you have ‘sour toddy’, an alcoholic drink favored by some.

MONEY

The main profession here on the outer atolls is ‘cutting copra’. This is the fundamental cash crop of the islands. Men, women, and children all participate in picking up the fallen coconuts, hauling them home by hand, in carts, on bicycles. Strong, well-trained (and well-aimed) arms swing their axes and machetes as they crack the outer and inner shells, then lay the coconut halves in the sun for three days or so of drying. The dried ‘meat’ is then scooped out by hand and dropped into a large burlap bag. Once full, this bag will be taken to the hut that holds dried copra (coconut), awaiting pickup by a seafaring boat for its trip to the processing plant on the main island (or overseas). This labor of love (and necessity) nets the worker almost $40.00/bag; money with which to buy rice and other sundry basics, pay for school fees, and the occasional trip to Tarawa town.


I’m sure I’m forgetting something......but I must go. I’m off to get a coconut!

Uncertain Times

Our one month visitors permit that was issued when we arrived back from Fiji has expired--19 days ago! We applied for a two month extension of our permit as instructed. Initially, Immigration wanted more information, which we were able to supply via email. We heard back that these items were received and our application was "in process." We have had friends on Tarawa trying to help us with this. On February 28th we received an email from the office manager of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs apologetic for the delay in receiving word if our application was approved or denied. We were advised that when their decision was made, we would be notified. Well....this may be a case of "not deciding is to decide!" It is just hard to know how to plan, not knowing.

Trouble at the Border/New Directions

When we arrived back in Tarawa from Fiji, our passports were confiscated by immigration as we did not have a hard copy of our return tickets in hand. We were also reminded that as visitors we could only stay up to one more month, with a one-time, three month extension available by filling out an application and paying the fee. It is unsettling to be with out our passports in a foreign country! We were advised that we needed to bring a hard copy of our ticket and then we could get our passports back. The return tickets we had were for July 6th. As this was past the time allotted us as visitors, we went to Tobaraoi Travel in Betio and changed our return to April 20. (This return time will allow us to attend our daughter's graduation from Southern Adventist University.) With 'hard' proof of our return to the U.S. within the allotted time, the Immigration officials gave us back our passports. What a relief!

While in Fiji, we became aware of Dr. Bob Spady's pressing need for a medical partner. Bob invited Drue to join him at the Upper Columbia Conference-owned clinics in Pullman, Washington and Moscow, Idaho. We have decided to move back to the Inland Northwest come June first and are looking forward to what God has in store for our next mission.

IT'S A SMALL WORLD, AFTER ALL...!

One of the joys of travel is meeting new people. While in Tarawa, awaiting transport back to Abemama, Drue met a fellow “imatang” (Gilbertese for “foreigner”) in the Post Office. Elder Stellmon (and his wife, Sister Stellmon) are Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints missionaries working at the beautiful Moroni High School on Tarawa. It turns out they hail from Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, and they attended Sunday Services in Worley, Idaho, a tiny town in Benewah County, on the Coeur d’ Alene Indian Reservation. We lived near there, and can picture their house of worship. What fun it was to learn all this and make the connection!

Elder Stellmon was able to help Drue find Eldon Corey and his wife (fellow Mormon missionaries who Gary Morgan wanted us to meet). The Corey’s are bringing a private plane to Tarawa via container and have graciously offered to allow Search For One to send needed supplies to Kiribati in it. While at their mission compound, Drue also met another American missionary couple, the Pippens (?), and gave a ‘sidewalk’ medical consult to one of their sick students.

That evening, the Stellmons (see photo) came to our place of lodging with a surprise care package of homemade baked goods sent by the above three couples. What wonders: bread, sweet rolls, cookies, brownies! We left the next morning for Abemama, hand carrying all the goodies. They helped ‘soften (and sweeten) our landing’ here at SFO base camp (as Drue so aptly put it!) A big THANK YOU to all for your care and kindness!

Back from our Break

We had a very restful three weeks in friendly Fiji. We spent two weeks on the outskirts of the capital city, Suva, on the Trans Pacific Union Mission compound. This is the Union that will receive this past 13th Sabbath Offerings to help relocate Fulton College. We were able to visit the property on which the new college will be built during our week in Nadi. The new location is much more convenient for students (both local and international) as it is just 20 minutes from the International Airport and near local transit lines. I will post a photo of both the union headquarters, and the property site. We are on Tarawa now, with plans to fly back 'home' to Abemama tomorrow. In this new year, and given these troubled times, we feel the need to grow closer to God and His will. May you enjoy His peace, too.

Up Date on "Medical Happenings"

This is Tominiko and his wife in the Tarawa Hospital private ward. Thankfully he was doing better! He was able to bear his weight on the right leg sufficient to walk! He was also able to move his shoulder and arm some. He had slight movement to his finger as well. There can be little doubt that the knife tip went right between two vertebra into the spinal canal. I was certain of this when he commented on all the "water" draining out of the wound! This is not water but cerebral spinal fluid! He also noted that he had numbness to the entire LEFT side of his body from the neck down. Closer exam and questioning revealed that what was missing on the left side was the ability to perceive pain and temperature. He could still feel light touch on the left. This makes perfect sense from a neuro-anatomical point of view and fits with the problems he is having with the muscles on the right side of his body. He was receiving antibiotics through a vein in his arm and I was surely thankful to see that as he runs such a risk of infection that would quickly involve his brian. He is so fortunate to be alive and walking! We had a nice visit and I was thankful for the opportunity to pray for him and his recovery. I will see if he is yet in the hospital when we return to Kiribati.

The woman with the possible appendicitis was discharged from the hospital and is back home now feeling back to normal. Thankfully, she never needed an operation!