Week 45 in Tarawa

This has been a very normal (translation: uneventful) week for us on Tarawa.  Our time has been filled with preparations for teaching, baking treats for our classes, and teaching.  However, on Saturday we did something very out of ordinary for us, at least.  We walked about a third of the length of the island from the chapel in Bikenibeu to the Moroni High School chapel.  Here I am all decked out to begin the Pioneer day trek with the Tarawa East Stake.  Notice the typical pioneer hat, T-shirt, cut-offs, and tennis shoes!  ;-)

A few of the members tried to dress up as pioneers, which we found very sweet and amusing.

After being organized into companies, we set out on the trek.  Some parts of the trek were along the main road as seen here.  Notice the newly paved section of road with nice sidewalks on either side.  Only those who have been here in the past will appreciated the change from the pot-hole filled mostly dirt road that was here before.

Our first stop was at an elementary school which represented Winter Quarters. Here a church member explained the significance of this stop on the pioneers' journey west.  The physical condition of this school would leave most Americans shaking their heads and wondering how children could be educated in such primitive conditions.  There are no desks or chairs, no air conditioning or even fans, and only the most rudimentary lighting.  The louvered windows let in all the bugs and noise as well as the cooling ocean breeze.

Here our company is approaching our second stop, Fort Laramie.  We were able to rest in a nice, cool Maneaba right on the ocean.  Near the front of our group you can see two ematangs (white people).  On the left is Sister Weir, our mission mother, and on the right is Sister Alldredge, our mission nurse.

Here we are resting in the Maneaba mentioned above.  You can just barely see the ocean behind us.

 

Sister Alldredge saw some children practicing handstands, which seems to be one of the most popular games the kids play.  When she went over to take their picture, they all had to show off for her, of course.  We were surprised at how good they were at walking on their hands.  Overall, this experience was a very sobering one for us.  We walked past previously unseen parts of the island that can only be characterized as abject poverty.  Until you've seen this for yourself, you simply cannot appreciate how materially blessed we are.  Many of the members made this trek barefoot, and didn't feel that it was a hardship.  I bought a solar-powered light for Tiotomaia, one of our stake high-councilors, because they have no electricity and only candles for light at night for their 5 month old daughter, Gloria Richard.  He was so very grateful.  As we sing on Sundays, "Though hard to you this journey may appear", think of these people who, as poor as they are, are happy living the gospel to the best of their abilities.  Truly, "grace shall be as our days".

All our love, Elder and Sister Sumner.