We're NOT in Kansas anymore!

This past week has been incredibly busy.  Every six weeks the mission has transfers.  That means some missionaries get moved around, some get new leadership positions, new missionaries arrive from all over and the missionaries that have completed their time go home.  All of those things require record keeping in the office and involve pretty complex logistics to get everyone where they need to be at the time they need to be there.  Friday we said goodbye to the Jacksons, the office couple we are replacing.  Even though we have only known them for a few weeks we grew to love them.  They are amazing people and great examples of faith and service.

Saturday afternoon we had some time so decided to drive around the island.  We didn't get all the way around, so we'll save the other half for another day.

Spectacular Ocean Views

This photo does not do justice to the brilliant turquoise water.  Today's drive was like driving though one picture postcard after another.

Another Tender Mercy

When you eat at a restaurant a very popular drink is the "Niu" which is a very young coconut with a hole cut in the top and served with a straw or just drank from the hole.  Locals drink these all the time as it is good for your health.  This drink has the same electrolyte composition as human blood, therefore it is nature's most perfect way to re-hydrate.  I think it is amazing that in a climate where people constantly need to re-hydrate the perfect drink is plentiful.  No matter where I have traveled in the world I have seen numerous examples of how the Lord cares for his children in every clime.  Somehow, this just doesn't fit into the "Big Bang" theory. 

Inner Samoa

By far the majority of the population live near to the coasts.  The interior of the island is made up of rain forest.  We spent an hour driving through this very lush landscape, part of the time because we got lost.

Cute Kids!!!

We stopped for a minute to look at the ocean and these kids came running across the street and wanted their picture taken.  We saw kids swimming and fishing in the ocean, playing ball, playing outside.....What we didn't see was kids hooked up to electronics.  

South Side of the Island

It has rained everyday for the last few weeks on the south side of the island (we live on the north).  As you can see things are pretty soggy. The missionaries living on this side are dealing with a lot of mud and muck.  

Beautiful!

Village Home

Flowers Everywhere!

Oh my Heck!!!

Now this isn't something you see everyday!  We got off the beaten path and ran into these young men who had a successful day hunting wild boar. You can see the piglet being held by the man in yellow, and also the very muddy, rusty gun laying across the boar.  This is so indicative of how different life is here.  People still live off the land and life is much simpler.