The Most Beautiful things of Fiji... The People

New Photos from Ben

in Fiji

"I don't say cheese"

A Fathers touch...

Eyes of the future

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way...

A Creed to Live By

Don't undermine your worth by comparing
yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Don't set your goals by what other people
deem important.

Only you know what is best for you.
Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life, for without them
life is meaningless.

Don't let your life slip through your fingers
by living in the past or for the future.
By living your life one day at a time,
you live all the days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect.
It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Don't be afraid to encounter risks.

It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly;
and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don't dismiss your dreams.

To be without dreams is to be without hope;
to be without hope is to be without purpose.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget
not only where you've been, but also where you're going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored
each step of the way.

by Nancy Sims

Wananavu "taking care of" Kadavu Fiji

 

Wananavu translated into English means...

"taking care of"

Our family has been working on this project for a while now. First we wanted to build a library and fill it with books my husband Heinz has in storage.  

After talking to our friends in Fiji they said safe drinking water is needed more than a library right now. After spending time on the Island of 
Kadavu I know this is a good

decision for our friends in Kadavu.

Dayvid-Scott-Betty-Ben

One Village at a Time, together we can...

FFF- Fun-Friends-Fiji- Life is Beautiful when you can share it with the world!

I hope someday these young ladies can come spend

time with our family in Utah

Maybe we'll take them to Lagoon.... or Yellowstone

More to come....

Dinner with Friends

The Food is Fresh and of the land...

One of my favorite photos I took while in Fiji. Her basket/backpack is made from dried coconut leaves. She uses the stick to knock the coconuts out of the trees, gathers them up in her basket then she makes the most amazing dishes adding fresh fish, pork, chicken roasted in coconut milk. We loved every bit of the tasty food in the village, I can't wait to return for more fresh fish, coal roasted pig and chickens, roots and fruits of the Island of Kadavu. Next time Heinz will be joining me, we plan to eat every meal in the village with our friends and family.

They have also invited us to stay with them in their homes.

Erica, Scott, Epi and I joined Joe, Rai family for beautiful meal, 
one fit for a king!!

This is Miri, my sons have lived with her. She watches over them like a hawk they love her and her cooking. Here she is with the chicken that took 2 American men

(Ben & Scott) to kill for dinner. They also entertained the village 
in the processas you can see on her face.

Life is good...

Kadavu Kids my point of view...

In the morning they roam the Village

Late afternoon they are dinner...

"Dinner"

I'm home and have much to say about Kadavu Fiji. I hesitate to tell of its beauty, the untouched land of papaya, bananas, coconuts and pineapple. Fresh fish wrapped in taro leaf with coconut milk set on coals to cook, curried potatoes, yams and taro root. The food is tasty and healthy. I hesitate because I would hate for the greed of the world to step inside and change its simple beautiful way of life, but then again I am sitting home with many comforts they do not have. I have yet to turn on the TV because I enjoyed the silent whispers of children, birds, rain drops and the sound of the beautiful South Pacific. Now I listen to my granddaughters songs and footsteps.

I'm home wishing for old family recipes of my new friends. Meals start at 7am with tea and breads, lunch the same. Supper is a meal spread over cloth on the floor, it is bountiful and good. No one goes hungry as long as they are willing to fish, gather fruits, roots, and as Erica and I found out, willing to kill your dinner. Erica witnessed the killing of a pig that may traumatize her for life. Ben and Scott killed a chicken for our dinner at Miri's home where they lived. The food is fresh and as we walked through the Villages 
we found ourselves naming

all pigs and chickens "Dinner."

Dinner with friends & family

School is Monday through Friday from 8am to 3:30pm,   Recess is like I remember it at my school in Logan Utah, Edith Bowen Elementary. We had lots of free space to run and play. The children wear uniforms and at the end of the day line up to listen to the head school master, then are excused one row 
at a time to walk home.

The children are beautiful and happy.

Kadavu Kids at School

In the late afternoon on the school yard, young men play rugby, practicing for tournaments throughout the Islands. They enjoy kayak racing, fishing, snorkeling,diving and lots of Rugby.

Erica and I travel with Kristine knowing we would be helping in the village and at school, but we were sure to have time to enjoy the untouched beach and tan our fair skin. As we boated from the airport to the resort the locals laughed as they saw two tourist tanning themselves on the beach, Erica looked at me and said "that's it were not tanning". Little did we know we wouldn't have time to tan, we had better things to do. We enjoyed every moment...

except witnessing the death of our dinner.

If not for Curt and Kristine Hone, my children would not be having the experience of a lifetime, the opportunity been a blessing to them.  

Kristine Hone

Future Basketball Court
5-2009 

The two builders in Kadavu Fiji were born in Cache Valley. Ben and Scott Sorensen, with the help from the men in the Drue and Navuatu Villages are building a basketball court, volley ball pit, mending homes.
They have are not receiving money for their 
work, the Hone's take care of room & board
and all extra activities.
The blessing of helping others
has changed their lifes.

Kristine Hone & Mere Cooksley
setup the arrangements for 
their 4 month stay at 
Dive Kadavu Resort.
They left the resort to 
live in the village with
their new friends, now family

Scott-Me-Ben

It was so good to hug and love my sons and see how happy they are in...

Kadavu Fiji

My bags aren't packed I'm not ready to go....

My bags aren't packed I'm not ready to go, my house is a mess

with nowhere to rest...

I have not had my Wednesday with Coletter for a couple of weeks, I've just been too busy parparing for her family to move in and getting ready for Fiji.

I had to spent some time with her, I really couldn't leave without those sweet loves she freely gives me. The pictures above are in the

Thia Pan parking lot in Centerville.

Hill Air force Base is celebrating this week.

Dad, Cindy, Colette & I enjoyed watching the air show. My family has enjoyed coming to the air show for years, my Dad was in the Air Force in WWII and had a great love of planes. Did I have time? No! Did we have fun? Yes! She held on tight because the noise rumbled through the air, she loved it!!! I use to sit at the old Salt Lake Airport with my Dad and watch the planes taking off and land and landing. I still love to watch planes and always

think of him when I see a jet go by.

Back at home I was busy packing, washing, etc. My little friend was missing, as

I looked for her I could smell nail polish.... I found in her in her parents

soon to be room painting her nails.

She did a fine job and she picked my favorite colour :)

My dad will be home in Logan waiting for us to call him on Skype,

as you can see we have been teaching him the ropes.

To all those who have given so much we thank you, we have so much we

might have to take some on then next trip.

Next time you see me I might be swinging from the trees,

who knows maybe Erica will join me:)


Off you go into the wild blue yonder....

From Fiji to you...

Kadavu, Fiji

Going in for a landing at Vunisea Airport 
on Kadavu Island.

It started out all good...
then they lost their minds.

Greeting from Lavar...
 singing and serving Kava.

Let the games begin...

Welcome back to Kadavu

Alex Hone-Adam Clark-Scott Sorensen

Scott is enjoying the sights of his new home

and new pets..,

One thing about my kids is they love

people, animals and life.

Welcoming Ben to Kadavu

Scott Sorensen & Ben Sorensen

Ben with some children of Kadavu

Dinner is always fresh...

Ben and Scott lived here for a short time, it had a

great view. Every view is great on Kadavu.

~

Kong Mountain. The first King Kong
 was filmedon that mountain.

Wilbur their next door neighbor :)

Until next time....

Wise-Bret-Scott enjoying the falls....

Ben is off to Fiji today...

I picked up Colette yesterday, we came home and the first thing she said was Scotty...

then came "Scotty gone". She still had Ben for one more day.

Ben and Scott have grown very close 
to their sweet niece Colette,

they read to her,watch movies,colored together

and her favorite is playing

outside as they follow her around.

Ben built a playhouse for her last spring

and she loves it!!

As we drove silently to the airport I looked over at

Ben and saw tears running down his cheek, that's all it

took and then tears were running down my cheeks.

What Ben and Scott are doing will be a 
great blessing to so many people

who have very little. Kadovu, Fiji will be a better place because of the work Kristine and Curt started.

I know because I packed Ben's

luggage with a hundred pounds of clothes I picked up yesterday along with a keyboard

to make music for the children to dance to. 
Ben packed his carry on with

his own needs and about 20 paperbacks

for his new family and friends.

Not only will Kadavu be a better place, 
the 4 men there working for

Kristine and Curt will come back 
knowing they have given much.

Our home will feel pretty empty for a short time... 
but at the end of June, Eric,

Christine and Colette will move in so they 
can save for a home of their own.

Heinz and I are blessed with a beautiful family, 
we love that family with our whole heart.
The more children you have the

more blessings keep coming.

After Colette and I left Ben at the airport, 
I looked at her and said

"are you going to live with grandma Nancy

she said yes. Daddy, mommy, Ben & Scott too."

She is going to miss Uncle Ben and Uncle Scott,

they played with her, read to her

and every now and than had to change her diaper.

She has them wrapped around her tiny little fingers.

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