We went into Nuku’alofa on Wednesday the 18th, to attend a meeting about the Country Disability Policy. We were invited because we hand out so many wheelchairs in the Kingdom of Tonga. We were surrounded by very important and powerful people. The Minister of Health, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Internal Affairs were there. The meeting was put together by a delegation from the United Nations. They are trying to form a policy for the disabled throughout the Pacific. It was interesting to be a part of such an important meeting but by the time we were done we knew why government meetings never accomplish much. Everyone was trying to promote their own cause and get someone else to be responsible for doing the work. We were glad we were just observers. They need our wheelchairs and are willing to help us get them here and off the dock, but they didn’t really want any imput from a couple of palangis who are only here temporarily. So much for being important, we really weren’t.
We took Lavenia, a lady that we met at the meeting, back to Liahona with us. She was going to the temple. She has been the director at the disabled center here for 30 years. She donates her time and teaches classes to disabled children who can’t go to school. She is proud to be a decendent of Nephi and she told us that she has done work for 10,000 people in the temple. There has to be a special place for her in heaven. She is hoping that is true. She has spent her whole life living in poverty and giving of her time and talents to others. She has great faith and hopes that eternity will be a much better place for her.
We still didn’t get to submit our project because we haven’t heard back from
Elder Colson on our budget. FRUSTRATING!!!!!
We took a trip out to the village of Fa’ui to have a look at the night school for the children there. I took pictures.
