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.

---

It's raining today in Kadavu

Kristine called today, once she comes home I don't think I will be getting daily updates. It's about $2 a minute to talk. Ben leaves this Thursday and Kristine will return next Monday.

It's raining in Kadavu today, Scott is either in the ocean or visiting the "Village People." He has also been working on the basketball court, the little children like to gather around and watch him. As I'm told by Kristine (their leader) he is keeping very busy:)

I also talked to Alex today on facebook, he said it is so beautiful and the people are great!!! They are working on setting up the computers and hopefully Skype tonight. Grandpa Vance has been waiting every day for the Skype call from Fiji... They have not been able to download photos yet, the computer is very slow and they all left their camera adapters home. I can't wait to see the pictures!!!

These 4 young men are very lucky to have such an opportunity, if they put their whole heart into this the blessings they will receive will be priceless.

Giving is much greater then receiving...

My first report from Fiji- The Adventure Begins

The Adventure Begins.... Saturday, May 2, 2009

I've been waiting for this phone call all day, it was nice to hear Scott on the other end saying how beautiful it is in Fiji, he has not seen anything like it. Last night the village had a welcoming party where they drink Kava-

Kava or yaqona is a central part of the Fijian culture. Yaqona is used in ceremonies of welcome, weddings, funerals and other important ceremonies such as the installation of a chief, though it is also drunk socially. An unpounded yaqona root is the most acceptable gift when you are visiting a Fijian village. If you do get the chance to participate in a yaqona ceremony (in most cases it's a high probability), the correct protocol is to clap once (a deep clap with hands clasped together), then take the cup (bilo) and drink the kava without stopping. Once you've finished and handed the cup back to the bearer, you then clap three times and say maca (pronounced matha).

Dinner was fresh tuna from the sea and fresh fruit off the trees, best food anywhere he says.

Today they have been swimming in the ocean, touring the village and now they have put on their best sulu (skirt) for church and a lot of singing :)

Unfortunately no one packed an adapter to upload pictures to the computer, so we wait until Ben gets there next week to see what Scott is talking about.

A background of Fiji, its people and its culture follow this link-

www.fiji.resortspacific.com/tourism/culture.cfm

Life is good-

Nancy