blackrockbulletin: Adventures in Paradise 8

ADVENTURES IN PARADISE 8

Kia orana, everyone. Our excellent adventure continues with an observation that it’s beginning to look a whole lot like Christmas. Well, to be perfectly honest, it’s beginning to look a whole lot like a Rarotongan Christmas. The only “real” Christmas trees here come out of a box once a year. While it is possible to cut your own tree, you would be pulling up a wispy thing that grows on the beach. While the price would be right, the quality would be lacking. You would have your tree, but its branches would not be able to hold even the smallest decoration. Again, we are learning about how differently people here see this holiday. A tree is optional, as are decorations, as they are expensive and that expense takes away from money that could be spent on family or a feast. Santa and his reindeer do make a stop here, but modestly. Children wake to a sack (this might be a pillowcase or a grocery bag) left at the bottom of their mats or bed. The gifts are left, unwrapped (again, paper is expensive), inside that bag and are not extravagant. The day is focused around eating (no surprise there) and spending time with family. This is a big family day and the island population will increase greatly, as family members return home for the holidays. We found a small tree in our storage room and had fun setting it up. Taina and I laughed as our two big strong husbands “labored” over a four-foot tree! I found some decorations and a string of lights with a music box attached, so we have been listening to Christmas carols while watching the lights blink! I can’t imagine a Christmas without snow, so I cut out some snowflakes from our printer paper and taped them up to our sliding glass windows. They look lovely framed by the ocean and palm trees!

We were invited to a birthday party and we were touched to meet five family members and friends who were celebrating their birthdays together. I can’t mention too often how much importance Cook Islanders place on people instead of possessions. I was asked to bake one of the five birthday cakes for the occasion and was frustrated because I did not have access to the usual assortment of cake decorations that I was used to at home. The hostess simply pulled some flowers off the nearest tree and transformed my cake into a thing of beauty! Ah, yes, pay attention to what you have instead of what you don’t have! We sang happy birthday five times and Hip-Hip-Hurrayed after each, then sat down to a feast. The birthday people sat at the head table, and the eldest members of the family all were seated together at another table. In our photo, you will notice the head eis (leis) that the women are wearing. These are meant to denote importance of the person and are given for special occasions. Long eis (leis) are worn for the same reason. After dinner, one of the men, who was celebrating his birthday, took out his harmonica. This was the signal for everyone to hush, and as he began to play, the others started singing Christmas carols. I was touched with the juxtaposition of the music and the setting. “Jingle Bells” never sounded lovelier than it did under a full moon and palm trees. Oh, yes, we discovered, later, that of the five birthday celebrants, at least two had birthdays in April or May. When I expressed some surprise that it was not really the person’s birthday, I was looked at with a pained expression. What was my point? Here a birthday can be celebrated any time that you want. Ok, send your gifts right away. I have just moved my May birthday to December. Let’s party!!!!! Some people here have heard that Ward is having a “big birthday” in February. We will see what happens with that!

Oh, before I forget, I wanted to mention that we are all familiar with the beautiful orchids that we find at home in the floral shops. I am one who has been frustrated with how difficult they seem to be to maintain. Here those same orchids grow wild! The eis that are given at the airport are made at home with the flowers growing on the property. I have watched women making these and there are flowers on our property as well. I bought a needle and the special thread required and am going to give it a try for our visitors. It may not be the most attractive ei ever made, but you will know, if you receive one, that it was made with love, as they all are. Again, I am struck with how natural resources are used and nothing much is wasted. Money is not spent, but time and love are.

Every year, at this time, many members, who have saved for a very long time, make a trip to New Zealand to attend the temple. This is a special time for these people and they are so grateful for the opportunity to do this. This year, about fifty people are going. They are leaving next Sunday and will arrive back on our island sometime Christmas day. They consider it an honor to be able to do this and you can appreciate the sacrifice that they are making when you realize that each round-trip ticket is over a thousand dollars! As members, we are all encouraged to keep our temple recommends current. These people are no exception and often they have recommends that are never “used”, as they are not close to a temple, but they consider it a blessing just to be worthy to carry one. One woman asked me how many times a week did members attend the temple at home. I told her that some attend every week. Others may attend more or less often, but a lot of people that I know attended once a month. She could not believe that with so many temples so close, that we were not all attending every day! Yes, I am learning a difference in perspective. Food for thought, here. Yes? Oh, we wanted to mention that someone in Idaho has set up a fund here for people who are going to the temple for the first time. That fund pays half the travel expenses of anyone who is making that trip! We think that the donor may be a returned missionary who spent time here, but we have no way of knowing. This is such great example of simply doing for someone else, with no thought of recognition.

Just for fun, we are including a photo of a bus stop here on the island. There will be special recognition in next week’s blog for anyone who can correctly pronounce the words written overhead. You are welcome to write out phonetically as you see fit, and we will see who comes the closest correct pronunciation.

Also, we are including more pictures of the vaka carving. The canoes should be finished next week, so we will include those as well. We are amazed at the skill and artistry shown with these. Ward remarked to one of the carvers that this was a lot of work, and that man responded that you should have been here before the advent of chain saws!

As usual, we are happy and trying to work hard. We have met wonderful people who want to be taught and we are doing our best. The people here are so kind to us and we appreciate their generosity. Someone knocked on our door and handed us a huge box of papaya and bananas. We in turn, have to pass some of this along to others, as it is way too much for us, but it’s hard to find people who aren’t already growing the same thing. The young elders, are always thrilled with any kind of food! I have been having cooking lessons with a sixteen-year old girl, who would like to be baptized, but wants to wait for her mother to arrive from Australia. She and her three brothers are living with their grandmother, as her mother is trying to complete school and obtain decent employment. I was stunned when Alisha told me that she hasn’t seen her mother is over two years! This grandmother is raising those four children, ages four to sixteen. There are also this grandmother’s daughter, son-in-law and grandbaby in the home as well. I’m not sure of the final count, but we think that ten or eleven people all live in that house and the grandmother cooks and cleans for all of them! This is not an unusual circumstance here, as many grandparents find themselves taking on the chief child-rearing responsibilities for their grandchildren. One grandmother told me, why not take the responsibility, as they have the greater experience.

Well, as usual, this is longer than intended. We wish you all a good week and we hope that you are finding pleasure in the preparation for the Christmas holiday. People here would suggest that you should all enjoy the journey. My sixteen-year old friend suggests that Papa Aus (white people) worry too much. She tells me “Don’t worry sista” and be happy. I think that I will take her advice. We love and miss you all!

Love, Ward and Susan Elder and Sister Belliston serving in the Cook Islands

Lobb's birthday Party