Santa Ynez Valley Journal Article

http://www.syvnews.com/lifestyles/article_ba501c46-96f6-11e0-a1b0-001cc4c03286.htmlhttp://www.syvnews.com/lifestyles/article_ba501c46-96f6-11e0-a1b0-001cc4c03286.html

Lillian reads

First time in my new home with my family.   

Pearl and Jr. clean!

Char cleans gutters (where centipedes live!)

Sam fixes EVERTHING!

Pearl...such a hard worker!

Asilika's sewing lesson- at my desk-at work.

Girls cuttting

Vunivaivai 2 day workshop.

Mom and baby cut from a garment.

Teaching guys to sew!!

Birthday Parties...

This Fijian family guy..just paid for my toilet paper!!!  I love Fiji!!!

Sewing class in the city of Suva.

I always loved this quote...now I'm living it!!

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Wine in one hand – Chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a ride!!"

I am so blessed!!!

It is with great humility that I write now of all the goodness that has come my way.

After a brief scare…my excellent health has returned and I am stronger than ever!

I am blessed beyond my imagination…which is a sure sign that God has had a hand in all this!

I also must give credit to you all for your prayers and good thoughts for me!!     Vinaka Vakalevu!!  (thank-you so much!!)

After four months without a work site or home….on my 60^th birthday …Peace Corps was to tell me where I was to go next.  The possibilities were: sent home to America, Ministry of Women in Lautoka, or M.O.W. in Suva, Taveuni (the most beautiful and remote island in Fiji) or Natabuka(a village on this main island-to live in a bure).   All the sites were good possibilities, they all knew of me( Fiji Times Article about my sewing workshops) and wanted me. The problem was finding housing for me-that is the host village or organization’s responsibility.  The March 25^th deadline was set and I was told to start packing to go home.  Another volunteer was just sent home…we were both on administrative leave and PC could no longer hold us there.  I had great faith that God would send me where I was most needed.                 So, on March 22^nd, I proceeded with my next sewing workshop-this being the sixth and largest.  I knew that even if I were going home…that this would be the best use of my final days here.  Forty-five villagers attended..including eight men!!  We fixed more than 20 sewing machines and even had a class for the ‘too-cool-for-school’ young men!  Two of those guys stayed on to become excellent at repairing the sewing machines.  My PC friend (who lives in this village) and I plan to sponsor one of them in a technical college here. I was pleased to tears and on the 25^th proceeded to a beautiful backpacker/resort to celebrate my birthday…and whatever news came down. I met my best friend Urji there and we waited for ‘the News’… By 5pm I was texted that Ministry of Women in Suva had found me a house!!!

Of all of the choices  this was the best!  It turns out that the Permanent Secretary found out about my workshops and ‘made it happen’..ie a house and a primo position in the Ministry!

My home is in one of the best areas of Suva(Fiji’s capital)… country side…like a jungle… but a 30 minute walk to the center of town…and a 5 minute walk to work!!  Only three of us work in this beautiful big house -air conditioned…big kitchen..and a big room for me to conduct exercise classes on our lunch break!   My direct supervisor is actually the person who found my house..and is dear Fijian woman!!

My home is huge!  All to myself…actually embarrassing…because 80% of our volunteers live in very hard-living conditions…but when they come to Suva they can stay with me.  I have two bedrooms and a den, a big/deep bath tub, a big living room, dining room and a kitchen with a walk in pantry.  Complete with a stove, refrigerator and hot water… and a separate maid’s quarter!!  I’m completely tucked away up a small street. The outside is a Garden of Eden!   There are several papaya trees, coconut, and mango trees and exotic plants that are huge!!  My supervisor -Asilika and her family , my neighbors and their five grown kids and my friend Urji helped me clean up and sort through the previous tenant’s junk…a long and messy job that we all completed in three days!  My neighbor ( a policeman!) cut down a lot of the overgrown brush and made a way to their house so we can see and hear each other.

My work is to continue with conducting sewing classes ALL around Fiji!! China ,India and LDS have donated 1600 treadle and singer/hand crank sewing machines with more to come.  Most of them have been distributed , so I will travel to them to help  assemble , operate and maintain them and teach the ladies how to sew!  They have me booked through December..including one three week trek to the interior of this main island.  The only way to get around these villages is by horseback…my 20 yr old mind said great…but after all this moving and cleaning…my 60 yr old body said…let’s re-visit  this horseback deal..!  When I teach these workshops all of the participants are on the floor and I walk around sitting then up & down…I an exhausted by the end of the day.  So the thought of then getting on a horse (no saddles!) …is giving me pause…we will rework that trip!                                 

 One prayer I’ve repeated…for the last ten months… is for transport…it is so hard to get around with no car…well the Ministry Of Women transports me to all these sites…providing …boats, planes, cars, trucks  and, yes, horses!

I tell you all this ...NOT to boast…but as a witness to God’s abundance… my only task was to hold strong to my faith in Him and receive all of your prayers and support!  I cannot begin to say how grateful I am for this abundance…I will do you and Him proud by continuing to serve these beautiful Fijian people for the next seventeen months!                                Pictures to follow!!!!

Day After..no Tsunami!

My friend Urji and I took a day cruise to an island right off of Suva.  We swam and they fed us a great lunch...so very relaxing!

Tsunami

Well we made it through our first tsunami scare!!
I was staying at the director's home when the earth quake hit Japan.....8.9!!! The biggest in my life time!!
So we became 'Fiji Tsunami Central'!  It was up to us to locate almost 100 Americans (and some Fijian staff) on various islands and make sure they knew about the tsunami heading our way.   Once we located all but one, we then had to make sure that they were safe.
Reports were coming on the TV stating that the tsunami waves were higher than many Pacific Islands (Fiji!)  
 One of our volunteers was on the ocean with the women for a night time fishing trip..on a bamboo raft!  Luckily they brought a radio...heard the warning and got back to the village!  The majority of our volunteers live on small islands or right near the ocean on the main islands.  Thankfully we are well trained to heed the warnings and take to higher ground....but on some islands...there is no higher ground!  The director and I had several phones going with everyone checking in with us. Several calls were emotional as the volunteers couldn't find fellow volunteers. I kept watch 2-3:30AM when the tsunami was supposed to reach us...and thank God it did not.
We are all relieved and divert your thoughts and prayers to Japan...what a tragedy there!!

Another successful sewing workshop!

During my three month leave I have really enjoyed traveling to other PC volunteer's villages conducting sewing workshops and fixing their sewing machines!   These photos are the lastest. (if only a piece of the photo shows-just click on it and you'll see the whole image)

I should hear.... 'any day now'...about where I am posted..I'm packed and ready to go!!

Fiji Times Article !

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=165703

Sewing Workshop

Lauren didn’t want me to be disappointed if only a few ladies showed up for my sewing workshop.  She had had a poor turnout recently for a meeting. The night before, we presented the yaqona and I was the honored guest at the grog bowl.  I felt very welcomed in Nagado, especially by the turaga ni koro and his delightful wife.  It was obvious that this dynamic duo were very special, kind and respectful leaders of this village.  Lauren had only been in this village seven months-she arrived in Fiji with me. I was amazed at how she fit right in –as if she had been living there for years!  She even spoke in the same cadence as the villagers and was so welcoming of all the kids who came to her home…whenever they did!  

The morning of our workshop brought only a few ladies and I was happy to teach whoever arrived.  Soon there were twenty ladies and the turaga ni koro (he was ever present and well loved).  As each group arrived I repeated my brief introduction and asked them about their sewing skills and what they wanted to work on.  I was surprised to hear how little most of them knew about sewing.  We began with the basics of hand sewing and moved on to machine sewing and maintenance, working with paper patterns and pattern making from their old clothes.  The hardest part of the work shop, for me, was the constant up and down.  Of course, this being Fiji, the ladies all sat on the floor. Knowing that it is rude to stand over them and even to walk around the room ‘towering’, I got down on the floor with each of them.  Conversely, the most enjoyable aspect was, this one-on-one working with the ladies.  They were delightful to teach.  They were attentive, appreciative, gracious, eager to learn, very helpful and encouraging to each other.  We worked on the one treadle sewing machine that was in the hall.  I had them take turns threading the machine and oh- how they laughed and applauded as each one successfully completed the task!  I repeated that method for each new task. There was such a since of community as they all worked together in cutting and sewing.  They completed a baby’s dress and five sulu chambas.  Early on in the workshop  Ana, the turagna ni koro's wife, told me that the ladies were embarrassed to bring  me their old rusted sewing machines. I assured her that I loved working on old machines.  By the end of this two day workshop I had worked on and fixed about fifteen sewing machines!  A few of them were 150 year old Singers, and with God’s help- I was able to fix even those!  The very difficult machines required more prayer…which the ladies were happy to help me with. Humility is one of the big lessons I am learning here with these wonderfully humble Fijians!  On the final afternoon, Ana asked me to look around, as a room full of ladies were sewing away on their ‘new’ sewing machines.  She was recounting, with tears in her eyes, how most of these American machines were put away for twenty years because they were broken…and now this American came and fixed them so the women can once again sew.  I told her that I was honored to be that American, and that only with God’s help, was I able to be there to help the ladies and fix their machines. 

We have several more workshops in the planning…including a children’s sewing class and school uniform sewing. Lauren is setting up a research library and we spoke about the use of books and the value of reading.  I also learned that there is a plan to have tourists visit the village and craft making classes were needed.  I will work with the Ministry of Women to bring some teachers of bamboo art and other local crafts. I was thrilled to see Lauren learning and teaching sewing and two ladies in particular who were very helpful to the others. I spoke to them about continuing being sewing teachers when I leave and as humble as they were...they acknowledged that request.

Bugs

It is possible to get used to living with bugs…to spit out the occasional fly that ,unbeknownst to you, has found it’s way into your drink…to share your sandwich with the ants…to talk to that spider, that is the size of my hand…into leaving via the door. It is fascinating to count the legs of a centipede…after you’ve killed him!  It’s all part of living in Fiji. 

I love my friend’s entry on Face Book… ” Why do I feel like ants are crawling all over me….oh they are!” 

I was recently conducting a sewing workshop in a village- I was demonstrating a particular stitch… when I felt a bug crawling up my back…then several others crawling down my back side.  I kept going- stating;

” I’ve got ants in my pants”…as I simply scratched away.  The ladies loved it…lots of laughter…that too it a big part of living in Fiji…and that is how we get by…living with the bugs.