Second visit to Malekula and other news from the Williams!

Just got back from our second trip to Malekula where we did a lot of training with the Branch Presidents, clerks and auditors for two days.   They came by riding in the back of transport trucks, boat from smaller islands and especially walking......but they all came!   Great men.

They walk right through their shoes!   Many times there are only fronts to their flip flops......

Shoes and glasses are in great need!   

CHILDREN OF MALEKULA!!!   

PLAYING A GAME CALLED.  ELASTICS!......

VISITED A NEW WATER TOWER THAT CHURCH IS PUTTING IN AT ASMALL VILLAGE 

COPRA ROASTER

BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN OF BANBAN

BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN OF VANUATU

CHILDREN OF TANAVOLI, SANTO

CHILDREN OF LUGANVILLE, SANTO

Molina Tariohati, one of our best friends with 2 of his 4 daughters.   He is our district clerk and we work with him often.    We call him our sunshine...he lights up a room with his smile!

RELIEF SOCIETY MEETING.... Everyone brought a cake and we told how to make it and shared a piece with each other.    I made banana bread with an electric mixer and baked it in an oven.   Everyone else mixed their by hand and baked them in hot stones in an outside self made oven!!

Chief Leo from Pentecost!

Elder Williams met Chief Leo one morning when he was on the road in front of our house.  He is the Chief of a village of 300 people and also the head of a group of villages which number over 5,000 people.    He said he felt like he was suppose to talk to Elder Williams.   We invited him in and talked of the gospel,  he really wants the mission President to send missionaries to Pentecost to teach his people the gospel.    We have had him to our house a couple times now, had him read the scriptures and  bore our testimony to him.    He is really golden.  He is studying with the missionaries now here on Santo.   President Brewer said he can't send missionaries to Pentecost now because we need to build up the church on the islands we are on now.    Please pray for this sweet, good, very intelligent man that at some future time the church Will go to Pentecost.    It has been a very special experience for us.

Gasoline delivered to Santo for the Bush villages.

We were at the small wharf one day waiting to pick up a washer for a missionary apartment to be delivered by boat from Port Vila and saw this boat delivering barrels of Mazut (gasoline) for the bush villages.    They have two gas stations in town that actually have pumps, but the few in the bush are more of a "hands on operation" with Mazut being transferred to bottles or cans and then you pour it into your car.    People just don't own cars.   They travel by transport truck or taxi, or just WALK!

Kakae

When a family member dies, a certain period of time has to pass and then they have a sort of an open house all day where they feed people that come and say goodbye to their relative. It lasts all day and they cook rice and meat and laplap in their outside kitchens all day. I took some pictures... First picture is the District President Mahit, Branch Pres Makere and Branch Pres. Anderson. Other pictures show food preparation and great people!
They gave us a heaping plate of rice and meat.....

Elder Williams took the car to the local car wash!