Adventures in Paradise 72

Adventures is Paradise 72

Kia Orana , everyone! Our excellent adventure continues with some thoughts concerning popularity. At my advanced age, I am finally learning what it’s like to be popular. Back in the dark ages when I was a teenager, I often wished to be so sought after that people would argue over me. As shallow as that sounds, I believe that it was more about belonging that being liked. It was the basic human need to feel valued by others. And to be honest ,if there happened to be a contest to see who got to spend the most time with me, all the better. At that moment in my life, being popular seemed to be its’ own reward.

Flashing forward to present day, we are learning what it’s really like to be fought over and we are finding that being popular carries with it a daunting responsibility. As our time in Raro draws to a close, we have become aware that those we love here are wishing to spend time with us before we leave. Many have invited us to lunch or dinner but these invitations are almost always couched in the same whispered declaration; “I want to be the first to take you out to dinner, but don’t tell anyone!” For some reason, being the first seems to be of paramount importance and we are left to keep the secret. The real secret is that we have so far enjoyed three “first-time” dinners!

Some of you may recall that long before we left for the Cooks, I voiced a few of my concerns regarding my potential effectiveness as a missionary. I was worried that I would not know enough. There was the concern about my ability to adapt to another culture and there was my absolute fear that I would somehow cause harm. Ward used to reassure me that if I simply loved the people, I had nothing to worry about, but my insecure self was not totally persuaded on this point. Now, eighteen months later, I am able to see the wisdom in Wards reassurance. He was right. Simply put, when people feel loved, they will return that love. We are now experiencing that love in very tender ways. We are being fought over! While we anticipate that there will at one point be a large gathering in our honor, including a feast, we are finding that our sweet friends wish to spend some private time with us. What greater compliment can one receive that to have a cherished friend make this request? So, while we are working diligently to keep the “first-time” secret, we are touched to find that so many wish to be that first one.

What follows is a snapshot history of the week we have just enjoyed. In anticipation of the end of our mission, we thought that we had prepared ourselves for the possibility of tears and the absolute probability of tender emotions. We are in the process now of realizing that one cannot ever be prepared for the time we must say goodbye. Just today having lunched with our mission president, I took a moment to say farewell to our favorite waiter. I told him that we were going home in two weeks and that we would miss him. When he simply replied that he hoped that we would have a nice trip, I was slightly disappointed in his reaction. When he asked how soon we were coming back, his face dropped when I shook my head. He had not understood that our leaving was permanent. I will always remember the look on his face as we waved goodbye for probably the last time. While I realize that we are not the first, nor will we be the last missionaries to face this separation, for now this is very personal and we are experiencing a tug-of-war of emotions. We are remembering the advice that a former mission president left with us. “Never say goodbye. Simply say I’ll see you later.”

So as always we are happy and trying to work hard. We now have one foot in our life here and of necessity, the other planted in our life at home.  We have learned that being loved has nothing to do with being popular, as it has everything to do with simply loving someone in return.

Love, Ward and Susan                              Elder and Sister Belliston, Serving in the Cooks 

Sis Karika\was actually the first to take us out to dinner. She was insistent that she be the first one. During dinner we told her about a young girl we had visited in the hospital earlier that day. The family had five children and no father. As we left the restaurant, she handed us 100.00 to buy the family groceries. We will miss our dear, thoughtful friend. 

Thank you Sister Karika for a wonderful evening with you at the Tamerind Restaurant. Thank you also for arranging such a beautiful sunset.

Maata and Mama Numa were the first to take us to lunch. Here we are at the Ariki Cafe deonstrating our secret greeting, The Parade Wave.

Wanting us to have the best, these sweet women ordered steak for all of us. I finally talked them into letting me have chicken. There was no refusing dessert! Thank you Maata and Mama Numa for a wonderful first lunch.

No, no I don't care for dessert, turned into yes, yes you can't say no! Thank you ladies for a beautiful lunch with beautiful friends.

The Takitumu branch YM-YW were the first to host a farewell dinner activity. They booked us two months ahead. There is a difference in a "Bring a plate dinner" and a "Pot Luck Dinner". This was Pot Luck

These Young Women in training did not let us out of their sight all evening. It is seldom that we have such an attentive audience. Their mother took us aside and told us that she and her husband wanted to be the first to take us to dinner. We just smiled, nodded and took out our calendar!

A glimpse of the Takitumu branch YM-YW dinner.

The woman in orange was the first to offer her flowers any time that I wanted to pick them. The woman is bluewas the first to offer refuge  to a a young mother and her children when they had to leave their family home and the woman in pink was always the first to help me when I entertained the islands children. Thanks to all of these good women.

Takitumu members were the first to make us farewell cards.

The Takitumu youth were the first to label adults as OLD PEOPLE!

Sister Peka George was the first to invite us to her home for a farewell Sunday dinner. Knowing how much Ward enjoys her fish, she promised raw fish, grilled fish and baked fish. Since I am a non-fish lover I am hoping for one of her delicious salads.

Ina Price provided the first surprise invitation. I am invited to deliver a batch of homemade rolls to her before we leave! She actually requested that I make them next week before I forget!

Please tune in next week for continued tales of our final Adventures in Paradise.