Tonga!

Jan. 15th, 2013.

We had another meeting at the Service Center this morning. It was a devotional that was supposed to go from 8:30 until 9:00 but it ended a little after 10:00. It was a really good meeting and we were able to meet face to face some more of the people that we will be working with. That was great but it really cuts into our day. By the time we got to the office it was 10:30 and then the internet was down so it didn’t work most of the day. This is soooooo FRUSTRATING!! I know the Lord sent me here to learn patience but I could go CRAZY before I learn that lesson. About all I got done today was ordering some metal carts for the Welfare Center. We saw them in the storage unit and they are surplus items so we asked if we could have them to put the wheelchair boxes up on when our storage unit floods --- which is often. Hopefully we can get them this week since we are into the rainy season. We were expecting a Cyclone today, but they down graded the warning to a severe tropical storm. So far all we have had is a lot of rain and power outages, although some of the outer islands got hit harder. The worst part is that just before a Cyclone it gets very still and HOT! Just when I thought it couldn’t get any hotter --- it did!
We went to our first “missionary yard sale” this afternoon. When a couple leaves they put out all of the things that they have collected during their stay in Tonga that they can’t take home with them. Then the other senior couples come over and pick out what they can use. The best part is that it is all free. The couples just keep passing things on to each other. It was good for us, since we are new. We were able to pick up quite a few things that we can use and now we won’t have to buy them. That turned out to be very helpful.
We had a pot luck dinner for the Johnstons tonight. I made a huge tinfoil supper. We were feeding 20 people but others brought main dishes too so we had plenty of food. They seemed to enjoy the tinfoil supper, it was a taste of home with memories attached. It was a fun evening even though it is sad to see the Johnstons leave early. We pray that the Lord will bless their family. We know He will.