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.

---

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

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....