We Are Now Family

Nella, one of my "little girls."

The villagers kept asking us when we were leaving. I was thinking that they would like to get back to their normal lives and get these white people out of their hair!


They were actually trying to plan a surprise thank you ceremony for us and we made it difficult between the weather not being right and the projects not being completed. So our intended departure date kept moving. And the mourning for George was a factor.

Big sister, Karina, is the other one!

The Thank You ceremony was also to bless the solar lighting
in the church and the new computer for the school.
 

In the end, they had a beautiful Thank You ceremony for us in the church on Friday just before the mourning service for George was to take place. The canoe came to the boat to collect us at 7:30 am and we were taken to the church.


The service was both a thank you to us and a prayer service to bless the solar lights and the computer. They are a very faithful group of people who strongly believe in prayer. Little did they know two white people for America would deliver!

Mr. Bill, the school's headmaster and son of the Parmount Chief, spoke on behalf of the village and school. Dennis gave some kind remarks about Chief Kaisa, Vincent, Mr. Bill and the village, which Bill translated into the native tongue. There were smiles and tears.

The girls made flower necklaces for us and presented them.

We were given two beautiful handwoven mats. Woven mats are an essential part of their lives. There are specific uses for specific types of mats: some for sleeping, some for sitting and others for eating. Of course, there are mats made for the siding of their homes also. The most special of the mats are the ones given as gifts.

Good example of how mats are used.

Weaving panels for the siding on the house.

Even Mrs. George was involved in making
the mats. She is carrying pandanus from
the gardens for weaving on Monday. 

They were weaving Dennis' mat! Beautiful!

Every woman in the village was weaving for the ceremony.

I was trying to help them figure out how to make a small sea
turtle so they could sell them in the market we are trying to
help them get started. A market was a new concept here!

On her school lunch break, this little gal sat down next to me
and just took over what I was weaving! Loved it as she was
so into it and serious about it. I hope the girls sell things.



The most senior lady did the finishing on Dennis' mat. She
also tried to figure out how to make the turtle. She will get it!

Our mats are the most colorful and beautifully woven ones I have seen anywhere. The funny part is that, having been a weaver and basket-maker myself, I actually spent the day sitting and weaving with the women while they were making our mats.



I learned how they get the colors: dye from Port Vila. Note
 the pot (old can) on the fire to her right; that is a dye pot.

Of course, I did not know they were for us and I kept commenting on how beautiful they were. The ladies would all smile and speak in their native tongue. Now I know why! They probably thought it was funny that I didn’t know they were for us. I was thinking of offering to buy mats from them.


She is weaving a sitting mat.

Actually, I have been trying to convince the women of having a market when visitors come to the island. Most yachties are looking for fresh fruits and vegetables and local crafts. Fresh bread is a big seller, too. I shared with them photos from other markets we have visited throughout the South Pacific.

They just can't believe that someone will pay for these items. They have often traded, but not sold. In the past, trading may have worked, but in today's economy, they need cash to buy rice and flour, etc.



This was precious! These two were sharing one lolly while
the mothers were weaving the mats!
 

We also introduced the idea of selling freshly baked bread to yachties. Fresh bread is a real treat when you have been out for a while. And since everything here is fresh and organic, bread molds quickly. Therefore, yachts need a place to buy bread! So simple to us; so difficult for them to grasp. The bread they make is wonderful and would sell well.

And I got the feeling that the women did not think they were capable of making things to sell. Really! Just look at the mats. And the bracelets they made for me. I guess, once a woman business owner, always an entrepreneur! I hope I gave them something to inspire a market in their future.


Chief Kaisa and Dennis: Now brothers!
 

Actually, that day was another one of the highlights for me as I loved weaving with the women. However, I could not sit like they do and my body was aching. The little children were hanging all over me, touching my white skin and yellow hair! They are so cute. Unfortunately, I did pick up a nasty cold from the runny-nosed little ones! It is their winter now and they are barely dressed on these cold (by island standards) damp days.

They even had refreshments after the ceremony.
Fresh lemonade and their version of bagels or
donuts. Very tasty, but quite greasy!

We were also given two carved wooded sculpture drums – one from the village and one from the school, and a carved wooden pig.

 

Dennis had been wanting a drum. The pig is a special animal here in the islands. They roam freely and are part of ceremonies and special meals. The Pig Killing Ceremony seems to be a rite of passage for men and only those who have completed it can see or dance the kastom dance.  



My mat has my favorite colors and is beautiful, too.

As one of our gifts to the village, Dennis gave Chief Kaisa a set of wood carving tools to be shared by those with the skills or desire to learn carving skills. The island's master carver used them to make the drum and pig.




Amazing work!

Our next challenge is getting them shipped home so the Australian authorities don’t take them from us. They are very particular in what can come into Australia and plant, fiber and wood products are a no-no unless specially treated and certified. Since our gifts came from the artisans, there is no certification.
(We later learned that we could take them to the Vanuatu Agricultural Department and have them treated and certified so they will be traveling with us!)





Dennis' mat has the orange in it. Mine is the other one.

It was a bittersweet day when we left the island. We worked in the rain until dark to finish the church gutters. Then we took our gifts and were paddled to the boat.

 

 

The following morning Chief Kaisa, Vincent and his daughters, Karina and Nella paddled out to the boat to send us off. But – they wouldn’t let go of the boat. They really did not want us to leave.

 

My girls!

 

Finally, we told them we had to go because we had the right weather window. Sadly, we watched them paddle away, waving as they went. I am sure we all felt the same sadness with the separation. We will always have the people of Avokh Island in our hearts and on our minds.

 

I get teary-eyed just writing these blogs!

 

Note: After pricing out the shipping of the gifts to the USA was over $900 and that probably does not include customs charges, we took the goods to the quarantine center and paid $20 USD to treat and certify them. Hopefully, it will get them through biosecurity in Oz!

 

Goodbyes are hard!

 

So long, Avokh Island! It has been one of our most
wonderful experiences in life. Thank you for your friendship!

Let the Games (Opps, I Mean Work) Begin!

Removing and repairing the school guttering was the first job.

Now that we had solved some of the monetary issues that had the village at a standstill, it was time to get the projects underway. Chief Kaisa stayed in cell phone contact with the other chiefs on the island while we were in Port Vila to keep them up to date on the activities.

They are dependent on rain water for drinking
and cooking. Many of their catchment systems
were damaged by Cyclone Pam in March 2015.

Once the roofing materials were acquired, he directed the Community Building Committee to start preparing the wood for the trusses. The sheet metal was en route and its transfer to Avokh Island was arranged. It was exciting to see action!



Chief Nawa is learning to use the electric drill.

The way they show appreciation for those
who work on community projects is to
provide a lunch as it keeps them on the job!

There was only one problem: George, the man with the failing heart had died just before we left for Port Vila. In this culture, the mourning period is lengthy. It seems that for 20 days after someone dies, they cannot do any major work and they don’t “cleanse themselves.”

I am not sure what that means other than I know they do not shave their beards or wash their hair during this time. Vincent and Chief Kaisa did shower in the marina, but maybe they don’t on the island. It is interesting, but frustrating as the work on the Community Building will not begin until after we leave! We so wanted to see it roofed and put in the solar lights.

Chief Nawa is the keeper of the tools now!


A decision was made to put the solar light in the church instead. During the cyclone, the whole village of 200+ stayed in the church as it is the strongest building. It is made of cement blocks and has a metal roof attached with roofing screws. They have been using the church as the community meeting place since the storm.
 

Many of the younger men were interested in learning.

Dennis worked with the men repairing the gutters at the school. In the process, he was teaching them how to do it and how to use the tools that had been donated in New Zealand and by us. Some of the young men seemed very interested in helping and learning. That is a good sign.

Their curiosity was entertaining. Everyone handled and examined the tools. Some tried to use them in very inventive, but unsuccessful, ways. We did keep a watchful eye on our own tools to make sure they came back to the boat with us.
 

Now it is time to install the solar lighting in the church as
this was one of the top three priorities, along with clean
drinking water and the roof on the Community Building.

The only problem was back to the issue of things being free here! When tools were taken ashore when we first arrived, men just helped themselves.

We call it “stealing.” Here  it is known as the Cargo Cult syndrome! People drop stuff off on the islands and it becomes every man for himself trying to grab what he can! It was very frustrating for us as we had a plan and specific uses for things.

Chief Nawa has been put in charge of the tools now and has tried to get most of them back together for the community to use. We purchased a large tool box with a lock to secure the smaller tools. Anyone needing to use the tools will sign them out with Chief Nawa so he knows where they are and how to get them back.

To help the community understand which items were donated to the community and not to any individual, we have created the Trillium Trust for Avokh. Everything that we have given is given in trust that it is for the community to share and that specific people will be responsible for maintaining the gifts.
 

People will be able to sign out a tool for personal use and sign it back in when returned. Hopefully that will keep the tools together for projects. We are labeling things Trillium Trust so they will be easily identified if an individual seems to keep them too long.


Quite a team: Mr. Dennis and Chief Nawa


This ties in with the idea that the benzene fuel is not "free" anymore. People will have a vested interest in maintaining things and making sure there is a way to replenish if they have to put in a little money, time, talent, etc.





This solar panel was donated NZ. We bought a battery and
all of the parts to make it work without having measurements!

It has been our decision to commit to working with one island, get to know the people and culture and make friends rather than hop through all of the islands visiting different villages. Our personal mission was to be involved with the people and experience their culture and way of life. And hopefully, we will have made a positive difference here, leaving it a little better than we found it.



The old gutters were carefully taken down to be reallocated
throughout the village. We bought a new larger guttering
system to replace it. It took several days and many hands.

Just as the last piping was put into place, it started to rain!

The sweetest music ever: rainwater coming
out of the pipe and spilling into the cistern!
Hallelujah!!!

As a result, we haven’t made it north of the Maskelyne Islands, but we have found this approach to be most rewarding. We have a vested interest in this village and hope to maintain contact with Vincent and Chief Kaisa over the years.

We won’t see all of Vanuatu, but we didn’t have time to see all of French Polynesia either. We do have a desire to get back to the USA and family and friends by 2018! So we will be moving on to New Caledonia once we finish here in Avokh.

And look at the smile as this boy fetches
clean water from the cistern with a hook
made from a tree branch lowered into it.

Sweet Success! Happy People - and tired!

Namaru School – The Village Primary School

The students brush their teeth in the lagoon before school!
As a former dental hygienist, it was a lovely sight to see.
They all have great smiles with white teeth beaming out
of those dark faces. Beautiful!

Since we were the honored guests at Children’s Day, we had a chance to look around at the school and meet the students. There is only one certified teacher here, Mr. Bill, who is also the Headmaster. We were very impressed with the work and teaching materials in his Year 6 classroom. Everything is done by hand since they have no computers.

Even Angry Bird has made it to the outer
islands! Love the little ones~

The teachers handwrite all of the student lessons, tests, reports to community and government, etc. Dennis noticed that their six-year plan for the school was to have a computer and printer to make life easier for the staff.



This is the school. It is quite large. Note the gutters falling
off. Dennis worked with the men to repair this and catch
rain water so there will be safe drinking water for the kids.

Since the computer is in the sixth year of the plan and they are completing the fifth year, we decided to donate a laptop and printer, ink, a case of paper, surge protector cord, USB back up sticks, etc. to the school as an additional gift for use for school purposes only. In fact, we decided not to have a DVD player in it so it would not become an entertainment center! It makes installing software more challenging, but it will eliminate the pressure of others wanting to watch movies. And there is no Internet access here so that helps with this issue.

The biggest challenge with the computer was that no one here has ever used one! I would be teaching Vincent and Mr. Bill how to create documents and save and print them. They will only get the basics since I will only have a few days of training before we leave again.

 

Headmaster Mr. Bill addressing the boys before the Children's
Day Event began. The students marched around the perimeter
of the football field singing a song that tells parents how
important their education is and send them to school.

We all learned keyboarding in junior high, but they have never used a typewriter so it will be a “hunt and peck” approach. I am concerned about them totally messing up the programs by getting into areas they shouldn’t. Hopefully, other yachties will be able to straight things out if they do.

Once we got back to the island, I learned that the machine Mr. Bill calls a copier is actually a great Brother Laser Printer! That is wonderful since I only purchased an inkjet and the ink will smear in this humid salt air environment. I will return that printer and ink and send them more laser cartridges on Big Sista!

 

I love this school bell. We heard its nice
ring several times a day at anchor.

Unfortunately, they did not have a printer cable so for now they will move the document to be printed to printer via a USB stick. It will work fine and perhaps keep them from overprinting and using up their paper and cartridge supplies too quickly. Once they have the school generator repaired, they can try to install the printer driver and use the printer cable I gave them. Hopefully, my written instructions will be clear enough for them to do it!

In this culture, there is a separation of the sexes: the women
sit together or on one side of the church and the men sit
together or on the other side. The students were divided, too.

It has been fun watching both of the men work on the computer. Frustration and elation! Not much in between. Mr. Bill is extremely motivated to learn and is quick at catching on. He came onboard with things he wanted to create so it was easier teaching him with his own materials. We have set up a number of Master Documents so he doesn’t have to recreate them each time.

Neat classrooms. Every is hand written or hand drawn.

Vincent is a church leader and wanted to create several types of documents. He did not spend as much time with me due to his involvement with Dennis and the rebuilding projects, so I created a set of Master Documents for his needs.

I have tried to document each step so they will have a tutorial when I leave. Our thought was that if two of them were trained, together they might remember most of it! They seemed a little uncertain and requested one last review before we left.

Passing out our gifts to the school children. Everyone
received several small items: pencils, deck of cards, toys, etc. 
 

We also purchased a globe and several classroom wall charts for the children. Right now they are short on student text books, so we went to the Education Commission and ordered what they needed.

Written in Bislama. the spelling is not the what we expect.
 



Purchasing school books in Port Vila.



The school served us lunch and Dr. Elizabeth and
Martin joined us. They all watch us eat and then they eat.


The books will be shipped on Big Sista so they should have text books for the new term. Even with what we purchased, the students will have to share, but it is better than what they had. When Mr. Bill was working on the budget report on the computer, I noted that the government grant for the year was less than $7,000 USD TOTAL. Compared to what we spend per pupil in Michigan, it is amazing that they can even run a school!



Daily computer training onboard S/V Trillium

We both believe strongly in education and feel we are making an investment in the future of this island by donating the things they need. Some of these children will go off to upper level school on other island and hopefully will be the leaders of the future.