Kool-Aid Paint, Off-Brand Fruit Loops, and Jam Hands

VBS has now officially started! It was quite a morning too. We left about 9:15 (it started at 9:30) and got there in time to catch our breath before a herd of about 45 kids ages 1-14 came running after us babbling loudly in Samoan. We started off with some VBS songs in Samoan and English and sang for quite a while. They really enjoyed our songs and we skipped our first lesson because they wanted to keep singing. Then we split them up into two groups and had one go over to make fruit loop necklaces and another group paint with kool-aid. Marci, Melinda, and Colleen got them started with the necklaces and Danielle and myself we lucky enough to be elected as the paint-coordinators. Try as we may, the colors and flavors got mixed up and almost everything ended up red. I HATE fruit punch kool-aid! But anyways, when the younger ones were nearly soaked and licking their hands to find that this was the kind without sugar, we switched groups and I got to help the kids write their names on their newly found fruit loop name tag necklaces. Some of the kids bought into stringing up the fruit loops before eating them; some of them did not. After we had all of the names written (not pronounced, just written). We (the teachers) got up and did a skit of Jesus loves the little children. My daughter, Colleen Ashley wanted to go see Jesus Marci, but Disciple Melinda wouldn't let her. Colleen started crying and then we had a group hug with Jesus. It was great. Then we let the kids do the skit and the younger group (Colleen's group: 8 kids under age 8) all tackled each other at the end. None of her kids spoke English at all really. I was fortunate enough to get all like 4th-7th graders and they were great. They did good and no one even got hurt in mine. Did I mention I had only 2 girls? Well, it was great anyway. I think that they learned that Jesus loves them. 

Then we made frames out of popsicle sticks and they all fell apart (Marci and Melinda spent their afternoon gluing the pictures in and trying to match names with faces). We got it done though. We had about 4 more kids than we expected, so the older ones (8th grade) had to have a little (3 year old) partner to do the activities with. We are not going to have the 1 and 2 year olds tomorrow. The age limit was supposed to be 3, but they came anyway. It was fun though all in all. 

I am completely exhausted and have a lecture to go to tonight. It may prove hard to not fall asleep. I might try to get a power nap in here in the next hour before we leave. It is almost unbearably hot today; I hope there is a breeze tonight. 

Oh, I didn't mention jam hands. Have you ever noticed that when you are around kids, hands get sticky. There can be no jam in the house and they will get sticky. Then yours are sticky and no matter how many times you wash yours or their hands...they are still sticky? Well, I have jam hands right now and if you know me at all, I like clean fingers. I think it was the kool-aid paint... 

That was the coolest craft though and I would recommend it to anyone! All you do is get the little kool-aid packet and put about a third a cup of water in it and paint with it. It makes really bright colors and smells like fruit *hence the reason we did it*. Anyways...

This is JAM FINGERS signing off!

Siva Siva! Pati Pati!

Dance Dance? Clap Clap! (translation of the words in the title) 

Yesterday was a day of blissful relaxation. Not totally though. We got up and chilled for a while and then we picked up the girls Liga and Mausaliga for lunch. We went to KFC and had chicken for lunch. In Samoa there is a very interesting phenomenon about the delivery of food. When a meal is ready, they bring it out. If the food is not ready, they do not bring it out. No matter how many people you are with or how many meals were ordered. They bring it out, meal by meal. I might receive my fish and chips immediately after I order, but you might not receive your ramen noodles for an hour and a half, even though we ordered together. I assume  that this makes a date a really interesting thing. Girls, can you imagine receiving your food an hour before your date's hamburger arrived? I can't. I think that would be really awkward, but at any rate...we stayed at KFC for like two hours because Melinda and Marci's hot wings were not ready yet. While we were waiting though, we had some good conversation about the schools here and the people and such. We told them about our dancing a siva on Friday and they laughed hysterically... I am a little worried. We talked about school fights and how they all box from third grade on. They have weight classes and only 2-3 of their family members are not undefeated. I think they heard the sliding of plastic on tile as I slide my chair back a couple of feet. 

After we dropped them off, we went up and watched Colleen get a tattoo. That is actually a very Samoan thing. Wilson, the tattoo artist, did a very good job on the Samoan tattoo and now I feel as if I have completed a full course in Samoan culture. I hope I get an A! 

After that we ran through (not literally) Mc Donald's and then watched some guys pay cricket for a few minutes. Then we went to the preview thing of the Pacific Arts Festival that is coming to the island after I leave. We watched an elementary school siva and some others. Then there was a taoaluga (special girl dance) and some knife dancing. It was incredible what these girls did with their knifes. The taoaluga was traditionally danced by the high chief's daughter for special ceremonies and now is danced at most any Samoan performance. The girl is wrapped in a fine mat and she dances alone until family members come up and join her. It is a very beautiful dance and it was neat to see a traditional one done. The Samoan people also like sing their own music as they dance and it is quite beautiful. You see a lot of coconut leaves and oil on the guys and it is really an experience. One of the kids in my class, Salvation, was in the elementary school siva and he did really good. It was really cool to see a kid that I know dancing too. 

After that we went up to Lynn and Mara's house to have some homemade ice cream. Lynn makes his ice cream with Samoan coco and instant coffee and calls it "Samocha". It was really good. Then we went downstairs to Danielle's apartment and watched some more Gilmore Girls. 

This morning I taught my Bible class by starting with a little activity. I gave the kids paper and pens and asked them to draw "God's will". They were surprised at the freedom that I gave them to draw whatever they wanted. At the end we had a list, a tree, a house, and a path. We talked about each of them and it was really cool to hear their insights. The list was like a "To Do List"; the tree was so that there are other ways you can go, but they all fit together; the house was to represent that we live in the will of God and stay there; and the path was like a journey of how you find your way to God. They were so great and creative. We talked about how we need to know what God's will is before we can find it and live it. They were great and it was a much bigger success than last week's lessons. 

Today we are going to finish preparations for the VBS and get that underway tomorrow. My teammates have all gone for Sunday afternoon naps and as I am not tired, I think I will print off some coloring sheets and double check my lists for tomorrow. That is all for now, God bless and talk to you all soon!

Prep-Prep-Preparation!

Today we had a quiet day inside made possible by a nice strong wind and a leak in the sky for a couple of days. I think that the angels go a little crazy here with the sprinklers, but that is just my opinion. I finished one of the books for my Maymester course in Campus Ministry and Wade and I will work on it in Hawai'i. He took the same course as I did (Scary, I know right?!). I did a little more reading and relaxed for what will be my last down day for a while. We are getting increasingly more busy as the days wear on towards VBS. Last night we had a Gilmore Girls marathon and frito pies as we sat down to make the preparation for the VBS snacks and crafts. We went shopping before that and got the supplies and to our dismay, we can't find cotton balls. How are you supposed to make a sheep craft without cotton balls? But we are going to look at the two other possible owners of the cotton today to see if they can help. We are preparing for 40 kids, so we made the following items: 

• 40 sets of jail bars (Paul and Silas praise God in jail--Joy)
• 80 Paul and Silas faces
• 40 potential foam pockets with yarn to sew them together (Ruth and Naomi--Faithfulness)
• 40 bags of exactly 40 off-brand fruit-loops with yarn for a snack/craft (normal fruit of the Spirit)
• 40 cut out boats (Jesus calms the storm--Peace)
• 40 homemade theme name tags with contact paper to protect them
• 40 paper plates dressed up with a verse and numbers to look like a clock (Patience)
• 40 short clock hands out of construction paper
• 40 long clock hands our of construction paper

Needless to say, it took 5 full episodes of Gilmore girls to draw and hand cut all of the things. I have never seen anyone work as diligently as Marci and Melinda battled the stuck together fruit loops, Danielle with the name tags, and I with my clock hands. Turns out the only way to get stuck together off-brand fruit loops apart is to eat the whole thing! Who knew?

Well, today we are going to visit Tasi and Fae, but we don't know how well that is going to work because Fae's baby is due tomorrow. We'll see how she is feeling. David wants to invite her to church: Good intentions, but typical male thinking she could come on her due date and sit in a folding metal chair for 2 hours. We'll also see how that works. They are a precious couple and I am excited to try to see them. 

I'll wait to tell you the rest of the day tonight after the preview to the arts festival thing. 

Thanks for reading and vote in the poll!

Strategy Meeting

We didn't really do that much yesterday, besides plan out all of VBS and make about 27 lists of things that we needed to get/do/find/sing. We started out the day going to the hospital on island, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Tropical Medical Center located just outside of Pago Pago. It was really interesting to have to go to the hospital to pick up a refill prescription. I enjoyed seeing the hospital, but not waiting like an hour for one prescription. That part was a little agonizing. After that we ran some other errands and came home for lunch. We went again to the seamstress to give her a second set of projects (my matching family outfits) and then we came home. After a little Gilmore Girls, we sat down and planned the VBS with Danielle. We had already planned most of it, but Danielle helped us by saying what the kids could or couldn't do or what we couldn't find on island as far as supplies go. Simple things like beads or brads, can't be found here...weird, huh? Well now our plans are properly adjusted and we are going shopping for all of our supplies today. Tonight we are going to put most of it together and get completely ready. 

There is a HUGE arts festival (held only every 4 years) that incorporates artists from all of the islands. It is taking place on Tutuila, American Samoa this year. It starts right after I leave, but there is a preview thing for it on Saturday night that we are going to. It will all be Samoan on Saturday, but that is the culture that we are learning anyway. 

Our lectureship/VBS is this coming week and it is a big deal for the missionaries. We are hoping for about 40 kids. Chances are the ones under school age (about 7) will not speak any English and we will be working with a translator. Please pray for this effort and our participation in it. Thanks for all the love and support and vote in the poll!

And the Winner Is...

The person that voted orange mango on the poll. I like most of the juice that I have tried, but that one was the winner. 

Anyways, today was a day full of visits and saying good-bye. Actually, only one goodbye. David cooked us a good full breakfast of eggs, sausage, and biscuits that turned out mysteriously like scones, but they were good anyway. Then we went and visited with some people about coming to church on Sunday. David wants to get 125 people at church on Sunday and that involves a lot of inviting. Then we visited Petelo for the last time and it was very sad. We took a video of him singing Savalivali with his guitar. He also signed Wilson, my volleyball. It is amazing how inspiring one man can be. He is paralyzed and such a disciple even though he can't do what most people can. He can't even make it to church on Sunday mornings, but he is dedicated to Christ. His daughter Eme (Emmy) was excited to see us an read with us as always. They are such a special family and I am glad to know them. 

This afternoon we got the rest of the VBS planned and made a list of the things that we still need to get and put together before next week. We have our work cut out for us, but we think that it is going to be a success. At least we are praying that it is.  There are 3 congregations involved in this and there will be about 40-50 children attending it. We have them for 2 and a half hours. 

Tonight we went to "church" or class and talked about instrumental music. The group of about 8 people were very brave in their questions and understanding of the answers. No real conclusions were decided, but no feelings were hurt either. It was a very mature discussion and I am glad to have heard it. I didn't necessarily agree with all of the comments made by the introductory video, but it was good to hear. For those of you who don't know, the congregation that I am working with is very conservative and active in seeking the will of God in the best way that they can. I have really enjoyed working with them too far. 

The sights and sounds of Samoa are becoming more like home to me. I will leave you with this question: How did I ever fall asleep without being lulled to sleep by the delicate chirping of the geckos?

Thanks for reading!

"Son of Man!"

As the sun peered in my open window and the clock screamed at me that it was time to get up, I ached at the thought of yesterday. I prepared my mind for the pain I knew was awaiting me as soon as I became aware of it. But it was not there. The pain from yesterday was gone and I was immediately assured that today was a new and better day. 

Sorry, I felt like being artistic for a minute. Needless to say, I am feeling much better today. I think that the twenty-four hour bug was just that and is now gone. I was still careful with what I ate, but I am feeling so much better it is unreal. 

This morning we went and visited with a lady from the church named Gwen. She owns a lot of land and her son and his wife work hard to harvest all of the grapefruit, lemons, limes

, taro, bananas, and coconuts that they have on their little "plantation" type thing. That is how they make their living. They have discovered the true way to Samoan happiness: Let the ground grow you life f

or you. Really, with all the breadfruit and taro and bananas, Samoans don't really have to worry about ever going hungry. Gwen was keeping her grand-daug

hter who w

as just precious and we played with her for a while too. Gwen is a great source of strength 

to the church and Rebecca (wife of the man with Alzheimer's) and it was great to visit more with her. Then we ran errands and got ready for the activity. We were supposed to do a scavenger hunt but it was raining so we had to modify it. When the kids got here, it was st

ill raining, so Marci and Melinda ran and got all the clues and re-hid them in the covered area or inside. I tried to play Apples to Apples with the kids, but that didn't work because they don't speak English that well, so we just drew our favorite animals. When we did t

he scavenger hunt finally, the kids loved it. There were only 4 kids that could come today, Roseta, Emme, Ray, and Steven, but they had fun anyway.

 Each of the clues was a Bible verse reference and the kids had to find the verse, read it aloud, guess which word was the most special, and find the clue where that word was (like, "Knock and the DOOR would be opened unto you" might be taped to the front door). They had a really good time. One time, Ray read a verse and it said something like, "The Son of Man is at the window." Ray immedia

tely yelled out, "SON OF MAN!" as if that was what they were supposed to be looking for a

nd it was HILARIOUS. I said, "Well, yes, but that isn't the word that will lead us to the clue." It was great. He real

ly thought that was it. At the end, the last clue led them to the cake that we had made them that had our memory verse reference spelled out in M&M's. I don't think that the kids liked the cake as much as Marci, Melinda, and I did, but that was okay. 

Then we talked

 about a few verses in Romans and I thought they took it up better than the lesson on Sunday. We then prayed (Ray prayed in Samoan, so I have no idea what we prayed for; we

 could have

  prayed for shiny red volvos for all I know!). Then they taught us Jesus loves the little children in Samoan and we stood up when the color of our shirt was said. (I was wearing a pink shirt, so t

hey just told me to be white [haha!]) We played another game and our time was over. 

We went to Mara and Lynn's for dinner and then out for ice cream with Colleen (Mara and Lynn's daugh

ter) and Danielle (David and Danna's daughter). Then we had another Siva lesson and it didn't go so well for me. Cheerleading made me dance too stiff. I need to learn to be more graceful and flow-y and stand up straight...I am working on it. We will do the siva next Friday, so I hope we are ready. (We will be!)

That is all for today. I would ask that you pray for the kids that came today and the ones that didn't. Send up a special prayer for Brenda, Mua, and Douglas, as they couldn't come because they were babysitting their little siblings and that happens a lot. 

Thanks for all the prayers and support!

Under the Weather

I am sad to report that today was very boring because I have come down with a mysterious illness. It is characterized by harsh stomach aches and lethargic behavior. I basically laid around all day today. We have a tween activity tomorrow and so I needed the rest to feel alright for tomorrow. I am hoping that it was something in the water in Apia or just a 24 hour bug that will be gone when I get up in the morning. 

I am sorry that today was not more interesting. It was a beautiful day and I used some of my time to plan out some stories for the VBS. Better luck tomorrow I hope. 

P.S. Being sick in paradise is NOT fun.