Fwd: Week 5 on Tarawa

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Wayne Sumner <wsumner1@gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, October 19, 2014
Subject: Week 5 on Tarawa
To: "wsumner1.kiribati@blogspot.com" <wsumner1.kiribati@blogspot.com>


I can't believe how quickly time is going.  We have already been here for 5 weeks and on our mission for 7 weeks.  Already this is starting to feel like home.  This is the final four weeks of school before the students have a summer break.  Yes, I said summer.  Kiribati is on the Southern Hemisphere schedule and while you are going into winter, we are starting summer.  The difference for us?  The weather doesn't change, just more of the same.

Let me tell you a little bit about life on Tarawa.  We have two weather types, rain and sun.  We are in a bit of a drought, so it's more sun than rain.  The soil is so sandy that when it rains the water drains almost immediately and so there is always dust.  We fight constant battles with two home invaders, micro ants and geckos.  The ants are the worst.  They are everywhere and when they get on you, which is all the time, they bite and leave little red bumps.  The geckos are supposed to be good, but I still don't like them in my house.  One night in bed I felt something move against my leg and Elder Sumner said, "It wasn't me."  I replied, "That's what scares me."  There are other insects, like cockroaches and mosquitos, but they don't seem to be as much of a problem.  Anyway, we spray almost daily.  It's kind of a morning routine, say your prayers, read your scriptures, spray your house.

Friday night we had the annual etiquette night dinner.  The students here aren't used to sitting at tables to eat.  Remember, many live in a bouila where there is no furniture,  so they just sit on the floor and mostly eat with their hands.  At most they have a spork.  To prepare them for the world, missions, college, etc. we have a night when they have a nice dinner and we teach them to set the table, seat the ladies, put the napkin in their lap and use silverware.  We tried to make it fun and ended with a dance.  We had told them that if they weren't sure to watch what others did.  After the dinner we were sitting at a table talking with the young men's president (a student) when he asked me what was next.  I said it would be the dance.  He asked if we were ready to begin.  I said, "Yes, let's clean this up."  I stood up and took a tablecloth off of an empty table.  Immediately everyone jumped up and started cleaning up.  They were all watching me for a cue.  How can you not love these students.

On Saturday we had a potluck dinner and a culture night for some important guests from New Zealand.  The students put on the program and it was wondereful.  They dance and sing and put their whole hearts into it.  I have been reading about Kiribati history.  Anciently they had people who were the keepers of the family dance and family song and family history.  Family is so important here.  They have maneabas  all over the Island.  They look like large pavilions with steep roofs that come down to about 3 feet off the ground.  We have one right next to our apartment.  These are the ancient family gathering places, and they are still used the same way.

We hope all is well back home.  We love you all and enjoy keeping up with you on Facebook.

Love, Elder and Sister Sumner

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: wasum1 <wasum1@msn.com>
Date: Sunday, October 19, 2014
Subject: Pictures
To: Wayne and Janet in Tarawa <wsumner1@gmail.com>

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