Those in the Gilroy volunteer group who were washing cars to
raise funds for their mission trip to Tonga have an update for
us.
Those in the Gilroy volunteer group who were washing cars to raise funds for their mission trip to Tonga have an update for us. City of San Jose Information Systems Analyst, Steve Teraji, says, “I left on July 24 with a church group of approximately 43 people (combo from the United Methodist Churches of Gilroy and Sanger), led by Pastor Sifa Hingano. I’ve been setting up a computer lab for an elementary school on the island of Vava’u. There is a shortage of people with technically-oriented computer skills here.
“Other planned projects, such as setting up a library and installing a solar-powered water pump have been significantly delayed due to the cargo ship containing the donated pump, books, an ambulance, a boat and numerous other things being held up on the island of Tongatapu – not where we are. This is characteristic of life here.”
The Rev. Alison Berry was having adventures of her own: “I’ll start with the camping trip to a remote island … Steve and the rest of the adults returned to town. Volunteer engineer Cara Silva and I decided to camp with Sifa (the leader of the mission trip, senior pastor of Sanger United Methodist Church), his family and the kids. When the rain started, we all decided to set up camp quickly. Cara and I (being the assertive women that we are) grabbed the tent bags and started putting the poles together. A Tongan man who was a friend of Sifa’s started to help us. I started ordering him around, telling him how to set up a tent. Sifa later told me the man who helped us was the chief. And not only was he the chief, but he was part of the nobility. Oops!!!
“The boats here are quite an adventure in and of themselves. Let’s just say the buoyancy reaches its capacity with human weight ratio. People, kids and adults included, and an occasional animal, sit on the roof and pile on the sides. Well, getting off the boats involves approaching shore slowly and then leaping for your life. I’m starting to say the rosary and my prayers each and every time we get on these boats.
“About our camping experience … the rain started around 10 o’clock at night, and like every festivity in Tonga, there must be singing and dancing before retiring. The kava bowl gets going and the music and dancing heat up. Well, the rain started pounding on our tents sometime after one in the morning. Sifa ordered all the men and other helpers to stand and hold our poles so the tents wouldn’t blow away. They spent the whole night holding our tent poles!
“Cara and I are glad that we spent the night on ‘Tonga Survivor Island.’ All the kids are doing well. Other than some brief episodes of ‘Tonga tummy,’ we are healthy at the moment. There’s only so much pork, meat and carbs that you can eat! This place is all about hospitality and they take it very seriously. Our kids impress us more each day. They socialize with both the Sanger group and the locals.Next week: Swimming in caves with bats and dancing in the streets. Will the solar pump ever arrive?!
