Our next water project...

Wananavu Kadavu~Water Project

Navuoto Village

Kadavu, Fiji Islands

Heinz Mahler standing next to two

500 liter Rotomould Tanks

for our next project in the

Navuoto Village

Nancy Mahler with Vilive and Mo

two of our biggest supporters

and friends in Fiji

Nancy Mahler- Founder

Ben Sorensen- Project Manager

Nuku Water Project

Kadavu, Fiji Islands

Water Source in Nuku with supporters & friends

Maina Cula- Housing 

Serena Martinau- Vice President/Photographer

Ben Sorensen- Project Manager 

Roma- from Nuku Settlement

Vilive Cula- Housing & Support

I spent 3 1/2 weeks in Fiji

returning May 6, 2010

Serena Martinau & her father Dexter Taylor

spent 2 weeks. Heinz Mahler

joined me for my last two weeks

in Fiji. Together with Ben

we worked many hours

making sure 

Wananavu Kadavu~Water Project

will continue working

to bring fresh drinking water

to families in remote 

villages in Fiji.

Bula Vinaka Friends 

One village at a time, together we can...

Nuku Settlement~Kadavu Island Fiji - Finding spring water.

Lunch with friends

The hike begins

The source...

This is our first project.

The first project takes the longest. Now waiting for more supplies

to finish before we more to the next. We are half way to our 

our nonprofit being complete,  once that's up and going

we will keep going.

ONE VILLAGE AT A TIME...

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

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...

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....

Leaving on a jet plane...

Does she have a clue as to what she has started...

Kristine Hone

This morning Heinz took Scott shopping for the little necessities he will need in Fiji. Before Heinz went to the office he gave Scott a priesthood blessing, a beautiful blessing if I do say so myself. I am so blessed to have a husband who loves my kids and cares for them the way he does. I spent the day making cookies for the flight, fixed Scott a big lunch of roast beef and roasted vegetables. I'm not sure if he will miss me but I wanted to make sure he would miss my food. I'm very proud that he has committed to this project with the Hone family. I know him and know his worth.

All the luggage full of supplies to last them 4 to 7 months, materials for teaching, books for reading and scuba diving gear for time off.


Adam getting some extra care from his mom before he takes off.


Curt and Kristine came up with one idea and ran with it... Many phone calls to Fiji working on getting started.I wonder how long it will take

Kristine to become the Chief of Kadavu ;)

I'm sure Ben and Scott will have lots of help from the village with mending of homes, building homes, clearing fields for a basketball court and volleyball pit, etc.

The Chief and the people of Kadavu, Fiji are planning a big celebration
for their arrival tomorrow... 5am Saturday morning in Fiji.

Map of the Fijian Islands, Kadavu is on the lower left side.

and off they go....

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS...

BULA BULA

Ashley-Kristine-Adam-Alex-Scott

Saying goodbye to Scott.... on his way to

Kadavu, Fiji

Curt and Kristine Hone, my sister and brother-in-law went to Kadavu, Fiji with their son Alex to explore and scuba dive.... The Adventure Began!!

I will be telling you this story through my two sons Ben and Scott Sorensen, in my words of course and my own experience. The other members of this group that will be in Fiji with my sons are Alex Hone and Adam Clark. Together they will be setting up computers for the school and getting ready to help students with reading. Scott and Ben will be mending homes, building an outside basketball court and volleyball- pit. As they work together each bringing their own special talent to share with the Drue and Navautu villages on the most beautiful of the Fijian Islands.

Kadavu

Today Kristine, Alex, Adam, Scott, Ashley will be flying to

Fiji to start this work. One week later Ben joined them in Kadavu.

This will be our own family Survival...
a new chapter in our lives.

Only God knows what trials we will have,

what blessing may come.

BULA VINAKA!!