All Work and No Play

                              . . . . make Ral and Don dull people!

OUR DAY-TRIP TO THE COROMANDEL

 

Maps of New Zealand's North Island - Showing where we live and where we went!

One Saturday, we traveled to the Coromandel Peninsula with our friends, Susan and Scott Seamons.  We took the ferry from Devonport across the harbor to Auckland, and then took a ferry to Coromandel Town.

We ate lunch at the Pepper Tree Restaurant (named after the big pepper tree on the right. Don had been having trouble finding the "right kind" of pepper here in New Zealand and discovered just the RIGHT kind here. The waitress ended up giving him a shaker of pepper and it became our souvenir of the trip! 

DRIVING CREEK RAILWAY

We all hopped on board the little cog trains that took us on narrow switch-backs up the mountain to a beautiful view from the "Eye-full Tower" - Yes, that's the tower's real name!

The ride was lovely and fun . . . and the best thing about it was that the train and railway were built with love by a potter and railroad enthusiast who started building the railway 35 years ago to bring clay from the hillside to his pottery studio. 

 

 

The sign on the right is funny because there are NO SNAKES in New Zealand - Interesting!

  

WAIAU KAURI GROVE

Next, we went on a tour of a beautiful Kauri forest.  (This part of the blog is for Chuck!) Kauri trees are among the world's mightiest trees, growing to over 50 meters (164 feet) tall with trunks up to 16 meters (52 1/2 feet), and living for over 2,000 years!  

When Europeans came to New Zealand in the late 1700's; sailors realized that the tall, straight Kauri trees were ideal for ship masts and spars and the straight-grained wood was excellent to use in construction. Our guide told us that because of the logging trade in New Zealand, by 1900 - 99% of the Kauri trees had been cut down! Today the Kauri are being carefully protected and the forests are being restored.

We had to wash our shoes off before entering the forest because of a disease that is killing the Kauri trees.

  

The seven trees in the Kauri grove behind us are between 600 and 700 years old.

 

Notice the knots in the tree trunk - the lower branches "automatically" fall off as the tree is growing!  That is another reason why the trees were popular as timber.  Kauri gum was also a commodity used for varnishes, resin-based products, and jewelry.

The next picture is great because it shows two things:  The SILVER FERN (on the right side - underneath the fern, it really is silver!) and the brown FERN FROND, like the one to the right. The frond unrolls and the new fern unfurls.

The KORU, Maori for "loop" is a spiral shape based on the shape of a new unfurling fern frond.  It symbolizes new life, growth, strength, and peace.  It is an important symbol in Maori art, carving, and tattoos.  We see it everywhere.

         

At the end of our journey, we saw a beautiful little waterfall and on the way back to the ferry - a crazy tree growing sideways out of the hill.

  

We had a lovely day, surrounded by natural beauty and learning ever more about this unique county . . .

Aotearoa, "The Land of the Long White Cloud".

Self-Reliance, Service, and Sustainability

"Humanitarian assistance is a loving gift to help those in need 

without regard to their religious beliefs or interest in Mormonism. 

It is separately administered by professional workers 

and by specially called humanitarian missionaries." 

- Dallin H. Oaks -

Here we are at the "Big Table" on the third floor opposite the offices of the Area Presidency - minutes before the Area Welfare Council Meeting (AWCM) begins.

We present Humanitarian Projects for approval here. This room becomes a sacred place when we discuss funding projects because we are dealing with "sacred funds".  We marvel at the generosity of the Church and the great care that is given in order to distribute these funds "In the Lord's Way". 

In John, verse 5, we read the story of the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda.    The man was not begging for money or asking for help. The Savior, noticing the man's need, said unto him:  "Wilt thou be made whole?"  The man then explained the problem he was having trying to step into the pool and "Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed and walk. . . . immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked. . ."  

The Savior saw a need.  He could have healed the man straightaway, but instead, Jesus asked the man to be actively engaged in his own healing. 

As we thoroughly and prayerfully fine-tune Humanitarian projects, we are guided by the three principles of Self-Reliance, Service, and Sustainability.

We thought you might like to see a few of our recent projects!  

I should mention that our "team" is also responsible for Emergency Response.  Cyclone season is coming up soon, and if an island receives damage from a major storm - we drop everything to deal with it!

VANUATU

On the 26th of September, a national state of emergency was declared on the Vanuatu island of Ambae after the Monaro volcano began spewing smoke, ash, and rocks.  Within a week, the island's entire population of 11,000 was evacuated to neighboring islands.

    LDS Charities provided a list of items, immediately available from an emergency container, which "included more emergency material than most of the largest stores in Port Vila." We have provided tarpaulins, tents, hygiene kits, water jugs, blankets, sheets, towels, mats, pots, dishes, and food, along with various miscellaneous items and support - including housing people in one of our church buildings.

The volcano's activity has now slowed and the government has made the decision that the people will be able to return home.  Our missionary, working in Vanuatu has informed us that the situation will continue to be problematic: "The country has been very dry and some crops will have died due to neglect; animals will have died or be missing; and the water problem they had before will only become bigger."  We are hoping that the wells we have installed on the island will be working to provide clean drinking water to the people.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The following pictures show a devastating fire that hit the historical center of the town of Port Moresby. Again, LDS Charities was there to help the people and establish an emergency plan, including much needed supplies and support.

TONGA - CHICKEN COOP PROJECTS

 

LDS Charities provided the chicken wire and the men of the remote village built the coops.  The women captured wild chickens to raise for eggs and meat, which significantly improves their protein intake.  The coops below are from Vanuatu (left) and the main island of Tonga (right).

 

SAMOA

LDS Charities partnered with different organizations to provide a school renovation, water tanks for clean drinking water, and sewing machines to a village women's committee. Students provided all the labor on the school project; the village prepared the slab for the water tanks and formed a water committee to keep it sustainable; and the women's committee refurbished an area for a sewing room and will provide training and supplies.

 

TAHITI

When Elder Stevensen visited, one of our projects involved a donation of food to the Catholic Archdiocese - which was for a "Mercy Truck" that feeds the needy.

FIJI

What can we say?  In Fiji, Humanitarian projects are FUN!

 

Ral and Luisa preparing for AWCM and Don presenting our projects to Elder Cardon

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry,

and satisfy the afflicted soul;

then shall thy light rise in obscurity,

and thy darkness be as the noonday 

. . . and the Lord shall guide thee continually.

(Isaiah 58: 10-11)